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Chapter 5 The Period of Preparation for the Second Advent of the Messiah With respect to the providence of restoration, this period is divided into three periods: 1517 (130) 1648 (140) 1789 The Reformation Religious and ideological conflicts (130) 1918 The maturation of politics, economy and ideology Section 1 The Period of the Reformation (1517-1648) 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: external “symbolic offering” internal “substantial offering” more internal “foundation for the Messiah” 2) The course of restoration for fallen people: servant of servants adopted child servant true child 3)Religion and science: external social environment through science internal spirituality of human beings through religion 4) In the order of creation: archangel (external) human being (internal) In restoration: external, physical angelic world centering world (external) on human physical self internal, spirit world centering on human spirit self • Fallen Adam and medievalism Fallen Adam Medievalism to separate from Satan to separate from Satan Cain Abel the movement to revive Cain-type Hellenism the Renaissance the movement to revive Abel-type Hebraism the Reformation • The streams of Hellenism and Hebraism 2000 B.C. Minoan civilization 11th c. B.C. Cain-type Hellenic civilization (humanism — guiding ideology) United Kingdom Abel-type Hebraic civilization (monotheism — guiding ideology) 800 Charlemagne Christian Empire Babylonia Greece Egypt Syria Rome medieval society Renaissance Messiah 392 Solomon Divided Jewish Jewish Kingdoms captivity suffering of N and S Persecution in the Roman Empire 313 Reformation A. The Renaissance External pursuit of the original nature the movement to revive Hellenism Renaissance core value: humanism freedom autonomy reason and understanding natural world, science, practical life 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 nature the movement to revive Hebraism (revival of the spirit of early Christianity) Reformation core value: faith in God - John Wycliffe of England - Jan Hus of Bohemia - Martin Luther of Germany The flames of the Reformation grew strong and soon spread to Switzerland centering on Huldrych Zwingli, to France centering on John Calvin, and to such nations as England and the Netherlands. 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. Section 2 The Period of Religious and Ideological Conflicts (1648-1789) A. The Cain-Type View of Life • “Rationalism” – Rene Descartes of France Truth can be investigated only through reason “I think, therefore I am.” the deductive method • “Empiricism” – Francis Bacon of England Truth can be investigated only through experience. 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. David F. Strauss The Life of Jesus Ludwig Feuerbach The Essence of Christianity Communism – Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels Systematized the logic of the left-wing Hegelians as dialectical materialism. Combined dialectical materialism with atheism and socialism to create the ideology of communism. B. The Abel-Type View of Life Philosophy • “Critical philosophy” — Immanuel Kant Assimilation of the conflicting theories of empiricism and rationalism Johann Fichte, Friedrich Schelling Hegelian dialectic — Georg Hegel Hegel made a comprehensive synthesis of 18th c. idealism. Religion New Spiritual Movements • Pietism Philip Spener of Germany • Methodism the Wesley brothers of England • Quakers George Fox of England • Emanuel Swedenborg of Sweden Section 3 The Period of Maturation of Politics, Economy and Ideology (1789-1918) 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. Therefore, French democracy tended toward totalitarianism rather than the equality and freedom of the individual. • The Communist Revolution (Russian Revolution) 1917 Vladimir Lenin, Joseph Stalin 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 God spinal cord Messiah peripheral nervous system God-loving leaders nation’s political parties organs cells organizations people lungs heart stomach legislative branch judicial branch executive branch liver financial reserve 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. The economic structure of the ideal society resembles the structure of a healthy human body. lungs heart stomach organic, interdependent relationship production adequate distribution fair consumption reasonable 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 democratic world two types of strengthening democracies communist world influence Industrial Revolution of England 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 Renaissance First Second humanism Enlightenment Religious centered on Reformation Martin Luther Political Revolution new spiritual movements collapse of the medieval feudal society collapse of the absolute monarchy monarchy democracy Third historical materialism communist world ( ) E. Religious Reforms and Political and Industrial Revolutions Following the Renaissance Renaissance First Second humanism Enlightenment Religious centered on Reformation Martin Luther Political Revolution Industrial Revolution new spiritual movements Third historical materialism communist world ( ) collapse of the medieval feudal society collapse of the absolute monarchy collapse of the communist world monarchy democracy H.K. on earth steam engine electricity gasoline engine atomic energy Section 4 The World Wars A. The Providential Causes of the World Wars internal motive Human action external motive free will to follow his internal tendency toward God’s Will free will to respond to the situation with which he is confronted internal cause God’s providence external cause politics, economy, ideology world wars Internal Causes 1) Satan’s last desperate struggle to preserve his 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) What Decides God’s Side and Satan’s Side? Based on the direction of God’s providence of restoration 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. God Satan Great Britain USA AustriaHungary Germany France Turkey Christian democratic anti-Christian authoritarian Formation stage of the fulfillment of the Three Great Blessings on Satan’s side: Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany antitype of Adam on Satan’s side form of individual perfection Pan-Germanism form of multiplying children 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 worldwide established 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. C. The Second World War (1939-1945) Satan God Satan Great Britain USA Japan Germany France Italy Christian democratic anti-Christian fascist Growth stage of the fulfillment of the Three Great Blessings on Satan’s side: Adolf Hitler of Germany antitype of Jesus on Satan’s side form of individual perfection 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 • 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. • 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. 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. However, as soon as WW II was over, the communist world and the democratic world separated like oil and water. The Results of WW II 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. fulfilled the indemnity condition to restore God’s Second Blessing worldwide. 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 God Satan democratic world communist world 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 form of individual perfection Advocating the solidarity of farmers and workers form of multiplying children Policy of communizing the world form of dominion over the creation 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) The democratic world and the communist world stand confronting each other . 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.” It became inevitable that there would be world wars, first to divide and then to unify these two worlds. World War I, II wars to divide the world into the two spheres World War III a war to unify these two spheres Two possible ways of war: 1) Through external, armed conflict incomplete resolution further requiring a perfect ideology which can satisfy the desires of the original nature of all people 2) Through internal, ideological conflict complete resolution a perfect, unified world can be established The way of war depends upon success or failure in carrying out the human portion of responsibility. new truth truth old truth democratic world dialectical materialism materialism communist world 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 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. fulfill the indemnity condition to restore God’s Third Blessing worldwide 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 South Korea Satan Japan USA North Korea China USSR