Search everything/

Exposition of the Divine PrinciplePart 1212.06

The Period of Preparation for the Advent of the Messiah and the Period of Preparation for the Second Advent of the Messiah

Sun Myung MoonSpeaker
Exposition of the Divine PrinciplePart 12 · The Parallels between the Two Ages in the Providence of Restoration
Chapter 100 of 121 · Part 12, 6 of 7
Translation
Working
Length
5 min · 18 ¶
Revised
In book
Exposition of the Divine PrinciplePart 12 · 12.06
Identifier
ark:/68749/the-period-of-preparation-for-the-advent-of-the-messiah-and-the-period-of-preparation-for-the-second-advent-of-the-messiah
Cited in
12 texts
Refers to
8 links
TagsBookExposition of the Divine Principle
Cite
Download ▾
Markdown (.md)Plain text (.txt)
1

Following the period of Israel’s exile and return, another four hundred years elapsed before Jesus came. This was the period of preparation for the advent of the Messiah.

2

Likewise, Christianity is to meet Christ at his Second Advent only after passing through four hundred years of the period of preparation for the Second Advent of the Messiah, which had followed the period of papal exile and return. It should restore through indemnity in the form of substantial parallels the period of preparation for the advent of the Messiah.

3

During the four thousand years of God’s providence of restoration from Adam to Jesus, vertical indemnity conditions had accumulated due to Satan’s repeated defilement of dispensations to restore the foundation of faith through periods of forty for the separation of Satan. The period of preparation for the advent of the Messiah was intended to be the final period of providential history in which all these conditions would be horizontally restored through indemnity. Likewise, the period of preparation for the Second Advent of the Messiah is intended to be the final period of providential history, when all the vertical indemnity conditions which have accumulated during the six-thousand-year history of the providence of restoration since Adam’s day are horizontally restored.

4

Upon returning from the Babylonian exile, the Israelites established the foundation of faith by repenting of their past sin of idolatry, rebuilding the Temple (Ezra 3:7-13); (Ezra 6:1-15) which had been destroyed by King Nebuchadnezzar, and reforming their faith based on the Mosaic Law under the guidance of Ezra the scribe (Ezra 7:1-10); (Neh. 8).

5

They then began to prepare for the coming of the Messiah according to the word of the prophet Malachi. Likewise, after the papacy’s return to Rome, medieval Christians established the foundation of faith by seeking to reform the Roman church; these efforts culminated in the Protestant Reformation led by Martin Luther. This movement pierced the gloom of medieval Europe with the light of the Gospel and pioneered new paths of faith.

6

One purpose of the period of preparation for the advent of the Messiah was to restore through indemnity in the form of image parallels the approximately forty years of Jacob’s preparation to enter Egypt. This was the period in his life from his return to Canaan from Haran until he and his family entered Egypt.

7

The period of preparation for the Second Advent of the Messiah is to restore this period through indemnity in the form of substantial parallels. Accordingly, Christians in this period have had to suffer tribulations and hardships as Jacob’s family did until they met Joseph in Egypt, or as the Jews did before they met Jesus.

8

Specifically, in the Age of the Providence of Restoration, people were justified before God by such external conditions as keeping the Mosaic Law and offering sacrifices.

9

Therefore, during the period of preparation for the advent of the Messiah, the First Israel had to suffer external hardships at the hands of the gentile nations of Persia, Greece, Egypt, Syria and Rome. During the Age of the Prolongation of the Providence of Restoration, Christians have been justified before God by internal conditions of prayer and faith according to the teachings of Jesus.

10

Hence, in the period of preparation for the Second Advent of the Messiah, the Second Israel has had to walk a path of internal tribulations. The ideologies of Renaissance humanism and the Enlightenment, as well as the call for religious freedom which arose from the Reformation, have created a profusion of philosophies and theologies, causing great confusion in the Christian faith and turmoil in people’s spiritual lives.

11

The period of preparation for the Second Advent of the Messiah has also been restoring, through parallel indemnity conditions of a substantial type, the internal preparations and external environment for the worldwide reception of the Messiah, which had first been set up during the four hundred years of the period of preparation for the advent of the Messiah.

12

In preparation for the First Coming of Christ, God sent the prophet Malachi to the chosen people 430 years beforehand to arouse in them a strong messianic expectation. At the same time, God encouraged the Jews to reform their religion and deepen their faith to make the internal preparations necessary to receive the Messiah.

13

Meanwhile, among the world’s peoples, God founded religions suited to their regions and cultures by which they could make the necessary internal preparations to receive the Messiah. In India, God established Buddhism through Gautama Buddha (565-485 B.C.) as a new development out of Hinduism. In Greece, God inspired Socrates (470-399 B.C.) and opened the brilliant age of classical Greek civilization. In the Far East, God raised up Confucius (552-479 B.C.), whose teachings of Confucianism established the standard of human ethics. Jesus was to come upon this worldwide foundation of preparation, and through his teachings he was to bring together Judaism, Hellenism, Buddhism and Confucianism. He was to unify all religions and civilizations into one worldwide civilization founded upon the Christian Gospel.

14

Since the Renaissance, God has been creating the religious, political and economic environment conducive to the work of Christ at his Second Coming. This has been the age to restore through indemnity, in the form of substantial parallels, the earlier period when God had set up the worldwide environment to prepare for the coming of Jesus. Beginning with the Renaissance, progress in virtually every field of human endeavor, including politics, economy, culture and science, has increased at a rapid rate.

15

Today, these fields have reached their zenith and have created a global environment conducive to the work of Christ at his Second Coming. In Jesus’ day, the Roman Empire ruled the vast domains around the Mediterranean Sea, integrated by an advanced and extensive transportation system reaching out in all directions.

16

This was the center of a vast Hellenistic civilization founded on the Greek language. Thus, all the necessary preparations had been made for a swift transmission of the teachings of the Messiah from Israel, where Jesus lived, to Rome and the world.

17

Similarly, in the present era of the Second Advent, the influence of the Western powers has expanded the democratic political sphere throughout the world. The rapid progress of transportation and communication has greatly bridged the gap between East and West, and the extensive contact among languages and cultures has brought the world much closer together.

18

These factors have fully prepared an environment in which the teachings of the returning Christ can freely and swiftly be conveyed to the hearts of all humankind. This will enable his teachings to bring rapid and profound changes all over the globe.

END OF BOOK CHAPTER

Follow updates:
Sun Myung Moon

Follow Sun Myung Moon

RSS feed/author/sun-myung-moon/rss/
Feedly Inoreader Copy link
Exposition of the Divine Principle

Follow Exposition of the Divine Principle

RSS feed/tag/exposition-of-the-divine-principle/rss/
Feedly Inoreader Copy link
New translations

Follow New translations

RSS feed/sermons/rss/
Feedly Inoreader Copy link

Connections

Where this book chapter is cited, and what it cites
CITED IN · 12 REFERS TO · 8 Jesus' Last Week In Jer…Headwing PhilosophyThe Status of Korea, Ja…Establish A True Family Thisbook chapter ChristianityHuman History Is the Hi…SinThe ReformationThe RenaissanceEzra 3:7-13
Encyclopedia termSermon or textLibrary scanOther page

Cited in12

  • TEXT
    Jesus' Last Week In JerusalemOther · ¶ 46Exposition of the Divine Principle Second Advent 2
  • TERM
    Headwing PhilosophyResearch study · ¶ 30…Testament Age, Headwing Philosophy is not merely a political theory but a providential instrument. The Cold War was the final worldwide expression of the Cain–Abel divide — the democratic (Abel) world and the communist…
  • TEXT
    The Status of Korea, Japan, and the United States from the Providential ViewpointBook chapter · ¶ 29…the religion of Judaism to receive Jesus, and He paved a global Christian foundation to receive the Lord of the Second Advent.
  • TEXT
    Establish A True FamilyBook chapter · ¶ 10…Peace in the world of eternal liberation and freedom where there is no need for the Savior, Messiah, or Second Advent of the Lord, and fulfill the dutiful family way of filial sons and daughters, patriots, saints, and divine…
  • TEXT
    Where We Are Situated NowSermon · 22 Sep 1974 · ¶ 17That's why Jesus has to come again, and only around the mission of the Second Advent can we gain physical salvation, too.
  • TEXT
    The Realm of ResurrectionSermon · 3 Apr 1977 · ¶ 89Solely to prepare for that one momentous time in His history, the Second Advent of the Lord. Through the Old Testament era, God has restored all things, and through the New Testament era,…
  • TEXT
    The Resurrection of Jesus and OurselvesSermon · 10 Apr 1977 · ¶ 181Spiritually laying that principle's highway is the Messiah's preparation to undertake the physical restoration of this earth.
  • TEXT
    The Course of Life and Restoration By IndemnificationSermon · 26 Feb 1978 · ¶ 313…to have them suffer. As far as these nations are concerned, sending these missionaries out is equivalent to the advent of the Messiah.
  • TEXT
    Analysis of the Present Time and the BlessingSermon · 13 Jun 1982 · ¶ 312…is represented by seventy. The dispensation in Jesus' time was on the national level, but at this time of the Second Advent, it is on the level of the world. Husband and wife have this job to do. If you are worrying about supporting…
  • TEXT
    How Well Do You Know Me?Other · ¶ 231The Lord of the Second Advent cannot do all these things alone. He needs to work with tribal messiahs. Tribal messiahship is the weapon…
  • TEXT
    The Completion of God's Will and the Right of the Elder Son, Parents, and King Through IndemnitySermon · 8 Aug 1999 · ¶ 20Real, perfected parents must appear, acknowledged by Satan and God. This is the Second Advent. This is unchanging and absolute. By completing this, you become the Messiah automatically. And God can…
  • TERM
    Dispensational Time-IdentityResearch study · ¶ 33The Period of Preparation for the Advent of the Messiah and the Period of Preparation for the Second Advent of the Messiah

This book chapter refers to8

Also in Part 12

All chapters →
  1. 12.04The Period of the Divided Kingdoms of North and South and the Period of the Divided Kingdoms of East and West6 min
  2. 12.05The Period of Israel’s Exile and Return and the Period of the Papal Exile and Return4 min
  3. 12.06The Period of Preparation for the Advent of the Messiah and the Period of Preparation for the Second Advent of the Messiah5 min
  4. 12.07The Providence of Restoration and the Progress of History28 min

Cite this book chapter

APA 7

Moon, S. M., Eu, H. W. (n.d.). The Period of Preparation for the Advent of the Messiah and the Period of Preparation for the Second Advent of the Messiah [Book chapter]. True Parents Legacy Archive (J. Auror, Ed.). https://n2t.net/ark:/68749/the-period-of-preparation-for-the-advent-of-the-messiah-and-the-period-of-preparation-for-the-second-advent-of-the-messiah

MLA 9

Moon, Sun Myung. “The Period of Preparation for the Advent of the Messiah and the Period of Preparation for the Second Advent of the Messiah.” True Parents Legacy Archive, https://n2t.net/ark:/68749/the-period-of-preparation-for-the-advent-of-the-messiah-and-the-period-of-preparation-for-the-second-advent-of-the-messiah.

Chicago 17

Moon, Sun Myung. “The Period of Preparation for the Advent of the Messiah and the Period of Preparation for the Second Advent of the Messiah.” Book chapter, n.d. True Parents Legacy Archive. https://n2t.net/ark:/68749/the-period-of-preparation-for-the-advent-of-the-messiah-and-the-period-of-preparation-for-the-second-advent-of-the-messiah.

BibTeX

@misc{moon,
  author = {Sun Myung Moon and Hyo Won Eu},
  title = {The Period of Preparation for the Advent of the Messiah and the Period of Preparation for the Second Advent of the Messiah},
  howpublished = {True Parents Legacy Archive},
  url = {https://n2t.net/ark:/68749/the-period-of-preparation-for-the-advent-of-the-messiah-and-the-period-of-preparation-for-the-second-advent-of-the-messiah},
  note = {Book chapter}
}
.ris.bib
Text bySun Myung Moon, Founder of the Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity; Hyo Won Eu, The first president of the Unification Church of Korea and a key early disciple of Sun Myung Moon.
TranslationWorking translation from the Korean. Official editions are reproduced verbatim.
Editorial scopeTexts are not abridged or paraphrased. Paragraph numbers are stable for citation. Report an error