Chapter 5
The Period of Preparation forthe Second Advent of the Messiah
1517 1648
The Reformation
(130)
With respect to the providence of restoration, this period is divided into three periods:
1789
Religious and ideological
conflicts
(140) 1918
The maturation of politics,
economy and ideology
(130)
The Period of the Reformation The Period of the Reformation (1517-1648)(1517-1648)
Section 1
In the late Middle Ages, people’s original mind was repressed, its free development blocked by the social environment of feudalism and the secularization and corruption of the Roman Catholic Church.
Therefore, medieval Europeans were prompted by the impulses of their innermost hearts to break down their social environment to open the way for the restoration of their original nature in both the external and internal aspects.
• The providential grounds for the Renaissance to precede the Reformation
God first created the physical self (external)and then the spirit self (internal).
God’s providence for re-creation:first the external and then the internal.
e.g.,
1) F/M:
2) The course of restoration for fallen people:
external “symbolic offering”internal “substantial offering”
more internal “foundation for the Messiah”
servant of servants servant adopted child true child
3)Religion and science:
4) In the order of creation:
angelic world (external)
external, physical world centering on human physical self
internal, spirit world centering on humanspirit self
In restoration:
external social environment through scienceinternal spirituality of human beings through religion
archangel (external) human being (internal)
• Fallen Adam and medievalism
Fallen Adam to separatefrom Satan
Cain
Abel
Medievalism
the movement to reviveCain-type Hellenism
the Renaissance
the movement to reviveAbel-type Hebraism
the Reformation
to separatefrom Satan
• The streams of Hellenism and Hebraism
2000 B.C. Minoan civilization11th c. B.C. Cain-type
Hellenic civilization(humanism — guiding ideology)
United KingdomAbel-typeHebraiccivilization(monotheism —guiding ideology)
Solomon
DividedKingdomsof N and S
Jewishcaptivity
Jewishsuffering
Babylonia GreeceEgyptSyriaRome
Messiah
Persecutionin the
RomanEmpire
800Charlemagne
ChristianEmpire
medievalsociety Renaissance
Reformation
313
392
A. The Renaissance
freedomautonomyreason and understandingnatural world, science, practical life
External pursuit of the original nature the movement to revive Hellenism
Renaissance core value: humanism
14th century Italy, the center of the study of the classical Hellenic heritage;
a movement imitating the thought and life of ancient Greece and Rome
a movement to reform the medieval way of life by reproducing the classic Greek culture
a movement to reform every aspect of society, including politics, economy, and religion
The Renaissance became the external driving force that formed modern society.
B. The Reformation
Internal pursuit of the original naturethe movement to revive Hebraism (revival of the spirit of early Christianity)
Reformation core value: faith in God
- John Wycliffe of England
The flames of the Reformation grew strongand soon spread to Switzerland centering on Huldrych Zwingli, to France centering on John Calvin, and to such nations as England and the Netherlands.
- Jan Hus of Bohemia
- Martin Luther of Germany
The wars of religion continued for more than 100 years until 1648, when the Treaty of Westphalia ended the Thirty Years War.
Protestantism triumphed in Northern Europe, while among the peoples of Southern Europe the Roman Catholic Church solidified its influence.
The Treaty of Westphalia gave the same rights and authority to both Catholic and Protestant sects.
The Period of Religious The Period of Religious and Ideological Conflictsand Ideological Conflicts
(1648-1789)(1648-1789)
Section 2
A. The Cain-Type View of Life
• “Rationalism” – Rene Descartes of France
• “Empiricism” – Francis Bacon of England
Truth can be investigated only through experience.
Truth can be investigated only through reason “I think, therefore I am.”
the deductive method
the inductive method
Rationalism and empiricism both did away with mysticism and superstition.
tended to divorce human beings and the natural world from God.
The Enlightenment 18th century
broke down the verities enshrined by history and tradition.judged all matters in human life by reason or empirical observation.
discredited anything deemed irrational or otherworldly.
became the driving force behind the French Revolution.
• Deism – Edward Herbert
Theology rooted in human reason: limited God to a Creator who set the universe in motion and left it to run of its own accord according to the laws of nature that He had set up, denying that people had any need of divine revelation or miracles.
Left-wing Hegelianism
turned the logic of Hegel’s dialectic on its head.
Systematized the logic of the left-wing Hegelians as dialectical materialism.
Communism – Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels
David F. Strauss The Life of JesusLudwig Feuerbach The Essence of Christianity
Combined dialectical materialism with atheism and socialism to create the ideology of communism.
B. The Abel-Type View of Life
• “Critical philosophy” — Immanuel Kant
Assimilation of the conflicting theories of empiricism and rationalism
Johann Fichte, Friedrich Schelling
Philosophy
Hegelian dialectic — Georg Hegel
Hegel made a comprehensive synthesis of 18th c. idealism.
New Spiritual Movements
Religion
• Pietism Philip Spener of Germany
• Methodism the Wesley brothers of England• Quakers George Fox of England
• Emanuel Swedenborg of Sweden
The Period of Maturation of The Period of Maturation of Politics, Economy and IdeologyPolitics, Economy and Ideology
(1789-1918)(1789-1918)
Section 3
A. Democracy
1. Cain-Type Democracy
• The French Revolution 1789
The leading thinkers behind the French Revolution were Enlightenment figures who adhered to atheism and materialism.
• The Communist Revolution (Russian Revolution) 1917
Vladimir Lenin, Joseph Stalin
Therefore, French democracy tended toward totalitarianism rather than the equality and freedom of the individual.
2. Abel-Type Democracy
The English and American democracies were founded by sincere Christians and were born out of their victorious fight with absolutism to win religious freedom.
• The Puritan Revolution 1642
• The Glorious Revolution 1688(the Bloodless Revolution)
• The United States of America became an independent nation in 1776.
B. The Significance of the Separation of Three Powers from the Viewpoint of the Principle
The concept of the separation of powers into three branches of government was advocated by Montesquieu, a leading thinker of the Enlightenment.
The separation of powers was to be characteristic of the political structure of the ideal society. Satan was defectively mimicking an aspect of the Principle ahead of its realization by God.
The structure of the ideal society resembles the structure and functions of a perfect individual.
brain
spinal cord
peripheral nervous system
organscells
God
Messiah
organizationspeople
God-loving leadersnation’s political parties
legislative branchjudicial branchexecutive branch
lungsheartstomach
financial reserveliver
C. The Significance of the Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution arose out of God’s providence to restore the pleasant living environment for the ideal society.
lungs
heart
stomach
organic, interdependent relationship
production adequate
distribution fair
consumption reasonable
The economic structure of the ideal society resembles the structure of a healthy human body.
Industrial Revolution mass production
vast colonies as sources of raw materials and markets for goods
opened up a vast territory for the propagation of the Gospel
contributed to both the internal and external aspects of the providence of restoration
D. The Strengthening of the World Powers and the Partition of Colonies
Two views of life
two types of political revolutions
two types ofdemocracies
strengtheningdemocratic world
communist world
Industrial Revolution of England
influence
Industrialization by the rapid progress of science
created economies characterized by overproduction
need to pioneer new lands as markets for their products, and as sources of raw materials
scramble for colonies
strengthening of the great world powers
E. Religious Reforms and Political and Industrial Revolutions Following the Renaissance
Enlightenment
Second historical
materialism communist world
Third
monarchy
collapse of the medieval feudal society
Political Revolution
new spiritual movements
centered on Martin Luther
Religious Reformation
democracy
collapse of theabsolute
monarchy
( )
humanismRenaissance
First
E. Religious Reforms and Political and Industrial Revolutions Following the Renaissance
steam engine
Industrial Revolution
Enlightenment
Second historical
materialism communist world
Third
atomic energy
monarchy
collapse of the medieval feudal society
Political Revolution
new spiritual movements
centered on Martin Luther
Religious Reformation
H.K. on earth
collapse of the communist
world
democracy
collapse of theabsolute
monarchy
electricitygasoline engine
( )
humanismRenaissance
First
The World WarsThe World Wars
Section 4
A. The Providential Causes of the World Wars
Humanaction
internal motive
external motive
worldwars
internal cause
external cause
free will to follow his internal tendency toward God’s Will
free will to respond tothe situation with whichhe is confronted
politics, economy, ideology
God’s providence
Internal Causes
1) Satan’s last desperate struggle to preservehis sovereignty
Rev 12:12“...the devil has come down to you in great
wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”
2) To fulfill the worldwide indemnity condition to restore God’s Three Great Blessings
3) To overcome on the worldwide level the three temptations by which Satan tempted Jesus
4) To fulfill the worldwide indemnity condition to restore God’s sovereignty
B. The First World War (1914-1918)
Based on the direction of God’s providence of restoration
What Decides God’s Side and Satan’s Side?
1) Supports God’s providence God’s side
2) Opposes God’s providence Satan’s side
- Since the goal of every religion is goodness, every one of them belongs to God’s side.
However, when a religion obstructs the path of another religion which stands closer to the center of God’s providence, it will find itself standing on Satan’s side.
e.g., Judaism at the time of Jesus
- Systems that espouse the Abel-type view of life and the democratic world
God’s side
Systems that espouse the Cain-type view of life and the communist world
Satan’s side
- Christianity was established as the central religion with the ultimate mission to fulfill the goals of all religions.
Hence, any nation that persecutes Christianity or obstructs its progress stands on Satan’s side.
Christiandemocratic
anti-Christianauthoritarian
USAGreatBritain
France
God
Austria-Hungary
Turkey
Germany
Satan
Formation stage of the fulfillment of the Three Great Blessings on Satan’s side:
antitype of Adam on Satan’s side
Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany
Pan-Germanism form of multiplying children
form of individual perfection
Policy of world hegemony
form of dominion over the creation
The Results of WW I
Victory on God’s side:
1) Fulfilled the formation-stage indemnity condition to restore God’s Three Great Blessings worldwide.
2) Overcame Jesus’ first temptation on the worldwide level.
fulfilled the indemnity condition to restore God’s First Blessing worldwide
3) Established the formation-stage foundation for the restoration of God’s sovereignty.
Christianity expanded worldwideestablished the formation-stage
foundation for democracy.
4) The communist world arose, centering on Stalin as the antitype of the LSA on Satan’s side, intending to realize the pseudo-form of the Heavenly Kingdom on earth.
Satan
USAGreatBritain
France
God
Italy
Germany Japan
Satan
C. The Second World War (1939-1945)
Christiandemocratic
anti-Christianfascist
Growth stage of the fulfillment of the Three Great Blessings on Satan’s side:
Adolf Hitlerof Germany
antitype of Jesus on Satan’s side
Advocating the purity of the German people as the master race
form of multiplying children
Policy of world conquest
form of dominion over the creation
form of individual perfection
• The nature of fascism
Fascism denies the fundamental values of modern democracy.
Race or nationality is the ultimate value, to be upheld by a strong nation-state.
The guiding political principle of fascism holds that all power and authority should be entrusted in one supreme leader.
The personal will of the leader dictates the governing ideology for the entire nation.
• Nations on Satan’s side
Germany deprived people of their basic freedoms, and its ideological oppression denied them their religious freedom. Furthermore, Hitler massacred six million Jews.
Japanese militarists forced every church in Korea to install a kamidana, an altar for the Japanese Shinto gods, and compelled Korean Christians to worship at Shinto shrines. Those Christians who did not comply were imprisoned or killed.
In Italy, Mussolini promoted Catholicism as the state religion with the selfish intention to use it for unifying the people under his fascist regime.
• God’s and Satan’s sides confronted each other with three great powers on each side.
It was due to the Fall of Adam, Eve and the Archangel that God’s Three Great Blessings were not realized. Therefore, in the restoration of the Three Blessings, there necessarily have to be three actors taking these respective roles.
It was due to the Fall of Adam, Eve and the Archangel that God’s Three Great Blessings were not realized.
• The Soviet Union, a nation on Satan’s side, joined God’s side because
1) During WW II fascism had become an obstacle to both Satan’s side and God’s side.
However, as soon as WW II was over, the communist world and the democratic world separated like oil and water.
2) The providence of restoration through indemnity required that God temporarily permit Satan’s side to form the communist world the Soviet Union joined God’s side to destroy fascism, in order to quickly build up the communist world.
2) The providence of restoration through indemnity required that God temporarily permit Satan’s side to form the communist world
The Results of WW II
fulfilled the indemnity condition to restore God’s Second Blessing worldwide.
Victory on God’s side:
1) Fulfilled the growth-stage indemnity condition to restore God’s Three Great Blessings worldwide.
2) Overcame Jesus’ second temptation on the worldwide level.
3) Established the growth-stage foundation for the restoration of God’s sovereignty.
established the growth-stage foundation for democracy.
4) The fact that Hitler and his nation were destroyed, while Stalin and his foundation of worldwide communism grew strong, indicated that the time for building the spiritual kingdom centered on Jesus had passed, and the age for building a new heaven and new earth centered on the LSA had begun.
D. The Third World War
democratic world communist world
GodGod Satan
Completion stage of the fulfillment of the Three Great Blessings on Satan’s side:
Stalin of the Soviet Union
antitype of the LSA on Satan’s side
Advocating the solidarity of farmers and workers
form of multiplying children
Policy of communizing the world
form of dominion over the creation
form of individual perfection
Satan’s side and God’s side will strive until they each attain sovereignty over a world.(Gen 1:28 – the dominion over all things)
Mt 25:32,33“Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left.”
The democratic world and the communist world stand confronting each other .
It became inevitable that there would be world wars, first to divide and then to unify these two worlds.
wars to divide the world into the two spheresWorld War I, II
a war to unify these two spheresWorld War III
Two possible ways of war:
further requiring a perfect ideology which can satisfy the desires of the original nature of all people
incomplete resolution
complete resolution
The way of war depends upon success or failure in carrying out the human portion of responsibility.
1) Through external, armed conflict
2) Through internal, ideological conflict
a perfect, unified world can be established
newtruth
democratic world
newtruth
oldtruth
dialecticalmaterialism
communist world
dialecticalmaterialism
Dialectical materialism:
Satan’s false imitation of the truth in order to unify humanity centering on himself
denies the existence of any spiritual reality to deny the existence of God denies the existence of Satan.
Satan arose in a monstrous denial of God, even at the sacrifice of himself. the spiritual root of dialectical materialism
The Results of WW III
fulfill the indemnity condition to restore God’s Third Blessing worldwide
Victory on God’s side:
1) Fulfill the completion-stage indemnity condition to restore God’s Three Great Blessings worldwide.
2) Overcome Jesus’ third temptation on the worldwide level.
3) Establish the completion-stage foundation for the restoration of God’s sovereignty.
establish the completion-stage foundation for democracy.
4) Realization of the original ideal world
God
JapanSouthKorea
USA
NorthKorea China
Satan
USSR
