The Way Of Unification - 2 - 2. Korea As The Third Israel

[훈독선생]

Section 2. Korea As The Third Israel

1. The First Israel And God's Will

1) The Beginning of the Realm of the First Israel

Now, what we have to know is the meaning of Israel in the Bible. What is the meaning of Israel? Israel! "Human being" includes man and woman. Israel does not mean that man defeats woman or woman man. It does not mean that you are the victor over any person, any family or any environment. If so, why do we call it victory? It means that we are victorious in the fight with Satan.

The word "Israel" came from the era of Jacob. After suffering through twenty-one years of drudgery, on his way back to Canaan Jacob triumphed in wrestling with an angel at the ford of Jabbok. The word "the realm of Israel" began then. Whom did Jacob triumph over? He triumphed over an angel, who was substituting for the Archangel. What is the Fall? It means that man was defeated by the Archangel. For this reason, to realize salvation and restoration, man had to fight the angel substituting for the Archangel and make him surrender.

Well, what was the essential plan of Jacob who received the name "Israel"? That is another problem. Jacob, who triumphed as an individual in his struggle with Esau to win the birthright and then ran away, knew that God was with Abraham, whom He had blessed, and had the ardent heart to stand on God's side. In spite of being the second son, Jacob tried to form a family which could inherit God's blessings, and pursued such a family before everything else. For these reasons, there are some anecdotes of immorality in the Bible. But judging from the viewpoint of the providential history, it was in the nature of things.

After suffering through twenty-one years of drudgery, to accomplish the Will, Jacob returned from Haran to Canaan. What was the reason behind that? He thought of a new family. The family was not his own family. He may have missed seeing Esau's family and Abraham's, and returned. Centering on these blessed families and his family, and wanting the land to become a territory on which the universal God's Will could be fulfilled, on his way back to Canaan he triumphed in wrestling with an angel.

The motivation to gain the word "Israel" was not to enable to Jacob's family to live well. Jacob returned centering on the three generations of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Nobody had more hope that these blessed families would prosper than Jacob did. If a family stands God's side, the satanic world is deprived of the family; therefore, a country is in doubt. Consequently, if the satanic world is robbed of the country, the world, heaven and earth become questions.

Thereupon, on the foundation of the whole clan, with his family as the center, Jacob fought. His property mattered little to Jacob, and his servants didn't matter to him. At the sacrifice of these things, he hoped that the whole clan would prosper and that the three generations of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in obedience to God's command, would center on the realm of Israel which took the victory with the great God's Will, and he wanted the clan to develop into a worldwide people. You have to know that as God had blessed Abraham that his descendants would flourish like the innumerable stars in the sky, Jacob kept the Will in his mind and hoped the worldwide people would be in the realm of God, and so went through the battlefield.

Then whom did Jacob triumph over? He triumphed over Satan. There are many families and clans, but the situations in which they are placed. . . Jacob, centering on his family with twelve sons and daughters led by him, began the course. To be based upon the ideal Will of God led by Abraham's, Isaac's, and Jacob's clan as well as Jacob's family, the blessing of Israel was initiated. To be magnified, longing to be a representative people who could go to the ideal world, they started as a successful people going toward the great world in the future and the ideal of God. It was God's original Will and the royal responsibility that the chosen Israel people might be the model. As the Will and responsibility united, the beginning of Israelite realm was possible. Heaven developed this Israel people, with its twelve tribes, built the state of Israel and the religion of Israel-Hebraism. Through the long history of four hundred years, God built the religion and state of Israel and promised the Advent of the Messiah. "I will send the Messiah. Though you fall into any difficult situation, if you receive him, the difficulty will be settled." This was the Messiahism which God promised to the people of Israel. (168-301)

2) The Direction the Religion and People of Israel Would Choose

As you know, Israelites underwent troubles in Babylon. Escaping from the life of prisoners, Israelites returned to Israel in three waves. The returning Israelites established a temple with new materials. Harkening to the prophets, they gambled to improve the religion internally, and the state externally. God prepared the foundation for the Messiah through the four hundred years.

If the Israelites would receive the Messiah, what would happen? God's Will of the Messiah's advent was not only for Israelites but also for the whole world. The Messiah should be received not only in the physical world but in the spiritual world as well. Why so? Since man fell, Satan ruled the physical world, and hell was formed in the spiritual world. Hell came into being. The territory ruled by Satan is expanded from the earthly hell to the heavenly hell. Therefore, we have to become free starting on earth. If man had not fallen, the earthly hell would not have been formed. An ideal heaven would have been formed. Because due to the Fall, the two worlds turned into territories ruled by Satan, we have to restore them. We have to overcome.

If so, who can overcome? To overcome the course one has to go along the same road as Israel. The road is not two, but one. What is the road the chosen nation and religion of Israel had to undergo? It is universal. The mission is universal. Even though God chooses the specific people of Israel, they have to fulfill the mission not for themselves but for humankind.

Including the Jewish religion, there are numerous religions in the world. There are Buddhism, Confucianism, and Hinduism. The religions are various, but they must not fight one another. After being established, they must go to the one world together. The races of the whole world must not fight one another, but must become one. There must be the thought that can lead religions not to fight, but to unite.

We need the thought that can unify religions and rally the chosen people. Because the realization of God's ideal of creation is universal, the chosen religion and people have to keep the thought which corresponds to the ideal of creation. (168-303)

3) God's Will of the Dispensation for Salvation through the First Israel

The Israelite people were placed as a colony under the tyranny of the Roman Empire. But they thought that, as they were the chosen people, if the Messiah would come down, they could all at once break down Rome, make all the world give in, and turn the whole world around their little fingers. As the coming Messiah would judge the world and freely handle everything with authority, they hoped that Israel could form the privileged base and act as leader. That is, they hoped to dominate the world. Next, they were thinking that they would become the center and the highest class even through sacrificing the whole world.

But the Will of God is different. Israel is a small country. The Israelite religion is a small one. Centering on that religion, God wanted to govern and make the world one. God wished to save the world. But Israel took no regard for the world. If Israel doesn't sacrifice for the world, the world can't be connected, and if the Israelite religion doesn't sacrifice for the world's religions, there is no way to make them unite.

The Israelite people have to unite humankind and religions and connect as one body with religion as inner and nation as outer. The Israelite nation and the Israelite people were in such a situation.

Then, what mission did the Messiah coming in obedience to God have? Through the religion and state of Israel, even if they are sacrificed, the Messiah's mission is also to solve the environments in Asia, such as Buddhism of India and Confucianism of China. God knew it. The Messiah knew it and came down. Further, the Messiah must save the Roman Empire, an enemy.

Such was the thought of God and the Messiah; on the other hand, the people of Israel and the religion of Israel wanted to make all of the East as well as Rome their servants, and dreamed of the world they could dominate. As such, it was good as a dream. After the Israelite realm prevailed at the world level, establishing God's complete religious territory, it might become possible; but in the situation of Israel it was not possible yet. The providence of God is not so. It is through the state of Israel and the religion of Israel's sacrifice that the providence of God has to win over the numerous religious realms of the Orient and the Roman realm of Hellenism. This is the God's providence. This is the issue.

If so, for what did the Israelites hope through the unification of the Israel state centering on Hebraism? Priests and the Jewish leaders thought the same. They thought that if the Lord would descend upon them, they would be installed in the highest positions and could turn the world around their little fingers.

That thought is wrong. God's providence for salvation is a global providence. The providence for salvation is the providence for all the people. It is not the providence for specific people in a specific religious realm centering on a specific religion. The providence for salvation liberates all the people and all the nations.

Why would God liberate all the nations? God would make all one nation where God's Will could be fulfilled. Why would God rally all the religions? God would make them all one to fulfill his Will. So we should return to the world God originally wanted to realize. That is a problem. (168-304)

4) Cause of the First Israel's Failure

Despite the advent of the Messiah in Israel, why did not the religion and the state of Israel unite with him? Although Jesus worked miracles with an ardent heart, made an environment in which no one could give offense to the Will of God, and tried to lead them, why did the Israelites send Jesus to the cross! Because the Hebraism leading the people of Israel and the state was a religion centering on a specific people. The people of Israel is a specific people, and through the religion with the people as the center what is to be realized is a specific world. It is to restore the specific world.

Then, what is the specific world! There are a state and a people which are liberated from the satanic world and can always unite as the realm of Israel. The specific world consists of them. God's original will of sending the Messiah is to make such a world. So, through sacrificing the Judaic religion, the state of Judea is led rightly. Through sacrificing the religion and the state, the world is led rightly. Since the state has to obey the Will of God, it must not center on its families and people, but lead by the world ideology which places all other people above its people. Why couldn't the First Israel fulfill God's Will? Because they centered only on themselves, they didn't think about anything except the people and the religion of Israel. This was the problem. They thought the religion and the people of Israel were above everything else. That is wrong. Their prime concern and God's were different.

God thinks the most important thing is the unification of the world through the nation and the people of Israel, and the unification of the religions through sacrificing the religion of Israel. The Israelite religion and nation had to make the world and its religions united. God and the Messiah wished that this movement on the earthly world could liberate also the hell of the spiritual world under this standard.

The Messiah, who is the center of faith, manifested before the Israeli people. There was a difference. "We don't know anything except the Commandments of Moses. That is best," Israelites said. The Commandments of Moses were just to settle the war between Judea of the two tribes of the southern Kingdom and Israel of the ten tribes of the northern Kingdom. It was just a war to save the people of Israel. They knew God's Will of the Old Testament, but they by no means thought of God's Will beyond the Old Testament to save the world. Because the Israelites couldn't see the world beyond the Old Testament, they couldn't accept the Messiah. That is the cause for the First Israel's ending in failure. (168-306)

2. The Second Israel Centering On The Spiritual Standard

Jesus came down as the Father and the Holy Spirit descended as the Mother of humankind. But they didn't become the parents of both body and soul, but have worked as spiritual parents. The death of Jesus on the cross wasn't a victory over Satan with unified body and soul. Jesus was killed by Satan. The body of Jesus was given to Satan and only the soul of Jesus resurrected. As Jesus was resurrected after forty days and gathered his disciples, the Second Israel began centering on the spiritual standard Such has been the 2,000-year history of Christianity until now.

Then, where is the First Israel? The First Israel perished. Judea as the first Israel perished due to the death of Jesus, and the Second Israel appeared. God had led, protected, and brought up the Israelites, who waited for the Messiah for 4,000 years, so God sent the Messiah on that foundation. But the people would not accept the Messiah and expelled him to the road of death on the cross. So this people stood with the enemies of God.

The Israelites became a stateless people from then and could become independent only after the Second Advent of the Messiah. In the process of the world's indemnification of the sin of the death of Jesus, the people eventually came to be in trouble for much of the 2,000 years. After condemning Jesus, who descended as an ancestor of all people, and causing his bloody death, the people of Israel have been through much trouble as a stateless people.

The Israel of that era was an authoritative nation both in soul and body. On this foundation, Jesus had the responsibility for liberating the nation and for recovering the world; but the Israelites didn't accept the Messiah and expelled him to death. Therefore, Jesus had to go to the spiritual world.

Nevertheless, Jesus had performed his duty of loyalty and filial piety which could establish God's Will. Going to the road of death also, as a substitute for all the people, the Messiah tried to fulfill the mission and the responsibility of Heavenly bonds and establish the morality of loyalty and filial piety: "0 my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: Nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt." (Mt. 26:39) For this reason, even though Jesus died, Satan couldn't conquer his standard of devotion, and the spiritual standard of Israel was erected due to his spiritual resurrection.

Christianity is the spiritual Second Israel, not one of spirit and body. Accordingly, Christians have been persecuted everywhere. The Israelite people became a wandering people, a stateless people, and hoped to become a substantial nation with a spiritual foundation. This is the 2,000-year history of Christendom till now. (19-207)

3. Korea Chosen As The Third Israel

The Orient could have been unified. There was a foundation upon which Judaism could embrace religions such as Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism, and the Zoroastrianism of the Middle East. God's providence was to restore the territory, saving the realms of the religions, and to center on the East, through Jesus' work. But it would go the opposite way due to the death of Jesus and the sacrifice of his body. It would enter Rome, go around the world, and return to the East.

From the Vatican, God's providence moved through America via England. It took 2,000 years. It moved purely. By the principle of restoration through indemnity, reverse phenomena occur. England corresponds to Japan and Korea is a peninsula that corresponds to the Roman peninsula where the providence was centered before England. Through these phenomena, the formation of the foundation which indemnified and liquidated the failures and unfinished work could prevent Satan from entering. This is why the providence runs the course according to the principle of indemnity.

The coming world will move centering around Asia. Why so? Jesus was divided into body and mind. If he had not been divided, but had remained intact, the world would have come to center on the territory of Asia, through the absorption of Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and the religions of the Middle East, which would make one realm of religious culture and absorb Rome. Once Rome was absorbed, the battle would be won. However, the original religious foundation was stolen due to the death of Jesus. Satan took Jesus' body. Rome took the body. We have to go the reverse way, for restoration. The hope and ideals of Christians, keeping God's will in their minds, should be to center on both state and church and so be in the position to go toward a unified world. However, they lost the bases of nation and established religion and became a piteous throng entering Rome.

They had to pay the price with the blood of 400 years to restore those bases. They had to indemnify. Then, if the period is coming, where does it enter? It moves into a state on a peninsula, like Rome's, via a state as an island country. In Asia, Japan is like England. Therefore the culture of Japan follows the English culture.

Then what is the role of Korea? Korea is in the position of Rome. It is like the Vatican. Well, what is Korea? Korea has to be a country to save all religions of the era and all human beings, according to God's Will, and establish the unified world and the unified heaven. Why? Because the era of the terminal culture is coming. The era is representative of the papal realm which ruled the world with the Vatican and peninsula as the center.

When North and South are unified under this situation and can manage the religions of the world and all the people, the religious realm of God's Will manifests. The realm of people and the realm of state are built up by God's Will.

Korea was divided into North and South. What is the Fall? It is the division of soul and body. In the worldwide sense, the North is materialism and the South is spiritualism. This seems to correspond to the fruits of the Fall. Therefore, both fight each other. Body and soul fight. This is in progress. Now where are the Communistic world and the Democratic world? Both are completely exhausted. Complete exhaustion. Then, what is the Principle of our Unification Church? It is the substance to form the realm of the Third Israel. Korea has to become the Third Israel with the ideology of the Second Advent.

Considering the Korean race, in spite of the long history of 5,000 years, the people are special. The Korean hates to be under the control of anyone. He would play the head role everywhere, would not be devoted to anyone.

If so, what is the privilege which Korea has to possess? Only by inheriting God's thought; shall Korea have this privilege. God's thought. What is the thought? It is "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Like this, you have to keep God's thought in your mind. The thought of God is to save the world. To save the world, God places a religion at the head. So, even though sacrificing itself, the religion has to save the world. (168-311)

4. The Ideology The Third Israelite People Should Embrace

"The specific concept the Third Israelite people should embrace." This expression‎‎ is not easy. What is the specific concept? It is the unification of North and South. Why so? The Fall is the state of division. We have to unite the divided. The division means that mind and body are split, and the spiritual world and the physical world are split. They were scattered throughout the world, and they meet again at one point. They flowed into the world and meet again at one point. This phenomenon is that Korea is divided into North and South and meet again at one point.

One is the leading nation of materialism; the other is the leading nation of theism. Who are there? Kim Il Sung is Father? The Reverend Moon of the Unification Church is Father also? (laughter) There are two Fathers. Therefore, each of them asserts that all are his sons and daughters. A serious thing is happening. Each asserts all as his own sons and daughters. Kim Il Sung is saying the people of South Korea have to be his children, and the Reverend Moon is saying the people of North Korea have to be his children. What a salient event! (laughter) In this event, God's side, to liberate North Korea, has to triumph through embracing God's thought. Well, does Kim Il Sung embrace God's thought? With the laborers and peasants he killed the upper and middle classes as reactionary elements. There is no religious ideology. Only the materialistic ideology exists. But Rev. Moon has both the materialistic concept and the spiritual concept.

In history, if we understand the falls of the First and Second Israels, then centering on the Third Israel, we must unify all of the religions and embrace the ideology of the unification of all the world. We must melt it not with fist or power, but with love through 10 years, 20 years, a thousand years, or myriad years. Even if a woman is evil, if she meets a good husband, and falls in love with him, she may repent. She is returned with love, not with money. You must know that the repentance happens through the heart realm of love. Repentance outside of the heart realm of love is deceitful and false. No one knows when and how it changes.

What ideology does the realm of the Third Israel have? For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son. As I become an only begotten Son who loves the world, I must be resolved to sacrifice. To liberate all the world and all the people, I must sacrifice. I must be resolved to sacrifice to liberate the religious world and all the religions. That religionists are moaning . . . . It is difficult to believe in a religion, isn't it? We should become free from this difficulty. Humankind are greatly moaning in deep misery.

The gulf between rich and poor, North and South, cannot be settled but by you. You should recognize such things, and struggle to bear a heavy burden, work when the others rest, and be awake when the others sleep. You should swear to move forward on the road. You have to know that as the number of such people increases, a new hope is gradually appearing in the world. (168-328)

5. Korea Is The Final Providential Nation

1) The Korean People Have Survived 5,000 Years of History

The Korean people have received the most blessings and have the superior background. No one can find any other people who have such a background. However, the Korean people are not securely settled yet.

We call our history a history of 5 millennia don't we? Five millennia is a long time. However, what have we done in this long history of 5 millennia? What have we done? Even now, when I travel the countryside on the Kyung-bu line, I can still see some straw-thatched houses. Well, some people still like to live in straw-thatched houses, but it's totally unlovable. Other countries' pig houses are probably better than these straw-thatched houses. In fact, some travelers said Korea has well-developed pig farming, but they actually saw these straw-thatched houses when they said it. They thought that these straw-thatched houses are pig houses. This is really a shame.

What's happened to the country which has the history of 5 millennia? What can we be proud of? Nothing. But, there is something we can be proud of. Korea is a small county. How can we describe it? Should it be described as a small mole on a pretty face? Imagine a pretty woman who has this mole on her face. Would the woman be happy when she put the make-up on her face? She would be very unhappy. It wouldn't be so hard to take it out of the face. She would just have to endure a short moment of pain taking it out.

Take a good look at the Korean peninsula in Asia; it is very beautiful. However, I feel really bad about the small geographical size. But, why have such people lived in misery? If we had lived well, then we would have been robbed. Do you understand? If we had had a rich life, then robbers would definitely have taken our wealth. If bad guys wouldn't have done anything, God would have done something bad to us.

2) All Religions Have Flourished in Korea

A. Despite The Long History Of Invasions, The Korean People Worshipped God

As you know, the Korean peninsula is divided, North and South, and is a land where Eastern and Western culture and ideologies confront. What you people have to study more about is that the Korean people are one tribe and at the same time, a tribe who has a history of many invasions. Korea was once occupied by China and has served other countries, such as Japan and Russia.

Especially, Korean women were proud of not getting married with other countries' men. Korean women were especially serious about keeping their virginity. Korean people, though a small people, always expect a day when they will be on the top of the world, which shows an enthusiastic character. We have such a mind. That's what makes us different from other people.

For that reason, Korean people often call other people China-nom, Russia-nom, Japan-nom, America-nom, etc. We treat other people as if we face bad guys. We call American people America-nom. Other than the Israelites, if you look at the history of mankind, wouldn't the Korean people be the world representative of people who suffered among the big countries?

Historically, when we received such tremendous pain, it was not because we did something wrong, but because we are surrounded by powerful countries. In that perspective, Korean people are the true representative of suffering people who had many invasions. Even today, the fact that we are facing the confrontation of North and South, and Eastern and Western culture, is not, by any means, motivated by Korean people. Through historical change, we are suffering in the confrontation of Communism and democracy. This is, also, a suffering course, on the worldwide level.

Well, why am I telling you this? Even undergoing hardship, there is one special characteristic that no other people have. That's the spirit of worshipping God and keeping hope, praying, "Please, let our hope be realized," while enduring suffering and hardship. We became as one carrying down this spirit to our descendants. No other people have this characteristic. Ordinary people would easily blame God and think, "If there is a God, why would He let our people suffer?" Despite the hardships, the Korean people have kept this position, the opposite of ordinary people. This characteristic makes the Korean people so special.

B. People Of Strong Faith

Historically, which people have a fiery faith? I found that the Korean people, who had never heard of God, or saints and sages, without any concept of a subject of prophecy, had a burning fire of faith in God. You people can disagree. But, I have discovered it.

Is truly a miracle that this people, on a finger-nail-size peninsula, has undergone such hardship and kept 5,000-year history, 5 millennia. Take a good look at Korean history. Korea has a history of receiving such an enormous number of invasions. Other countries ate it and spit it out and swallowed it and spit it out. When they spit it out, it was skinless. However, with a strong bond of people's spirit, the Korean people have persisted and expected the day of hope. Because there was hope in the people's spirit, which has kept the Korean peninsula alive, the Korean people have persisted until today. Don't you agree that God would send the Messiah to this kind of people? I think so. I hope you agree with me.

Also, in the emotional aspect, no other people have more affection than the Korean people. Korea also has been called a country of courtesy. Confucianism entered in this country and flourished. Buddhism also entered and flourished. So did Christianity. But, now, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Christianity, which once were the hope of religion, have come to a dead end. However, what we have left is the people's spirit. Centering upon the people's spirit, we are firing up a strong passion that can bum down all the ideologies.

In the Far East, Korean people are no greater than other people in their faith or hopeful outlook. When you study the history of Korean Christianity, it has a short history of only 70-80 years. However, despite its short history, Korean Christians have unprecedented superior faith that can never be found in any other country in the world. When it comes to faith, Korean people have such an undefeated mind, no less than that of other people.

I intended to comfort you by saying these words. I have traveled to many famous places. I didn't have much interest in a beautiful country, like Switzerland. It wasn't that exciting. However, if you drive a car on the roads in Korea, you'll realize that is truly the natural park of the future. There are the beautiful peaks of the mountains. You can build nice houses there.

Korean people, who were born such a country, are especially smart. They must be smart and their minds must be clean. In this perspective, Korean people are very close to being the people of faith. Buddhism in the Koryo era, Confucianism during the Yi dynasty, and Christianity in the modern age all have unprecedented records of flourishing in Korea which affected the national cultural background. So, because Korean people are born in such a blessing of beautiful natural benefits, they are gifted with being smart and having a clean mind. Therefore, I assume that they are close to being the people of faith. I think that when this kind of people becomes one with God, a whole new phenomenon will occur.

Throughout history, because our people have centered their lives on religious teachings, we still have the spirit of subconsciously centering on religious teachings. There are no other people who have such a strong faith. If people are going through some difficulties, they go to spiritually-open fortune tellers living out in nature these days. Korean people have such a spirit of cherishing the teachings of nature.

C. All Religions Have Flourished In Korea

Today, there are many nations in the world. Among these nations, there have been many nations who have contributed to humankind; but which nation has a history of its sovereignty being derived from its religious ideas? There are many nations that have history of one religion, but there's only one nation, Korea, in which many religions have entered and dominated the government and all people's way of life.

Generally, when you look at Korean religions, from the Shinra to Koryo eras, Buddhism was practiced and flourished. Not only did it affect the way of life, it also dominated the trend of thought and government. Regardless of the religions' origins, or the founders, all religions flourished in Korea. Buddhism started in India, but via China it entered into the Korean peninsula and dominated the government. After that, in the Yi dynasty, Confucianism entered and dominated the government and incorporated a social system. In the modern age, despite a short history here, Christianity came in as a strong influence on people's lives.

All religions can have fruits in these people. They are the people who, even after enduring hardship in a long history of suffering, are concerned for the sake of the world, and are pursuing one great goal of humankind. God must need this kind of people.

In God's perspective, he would be looking for the country where all the religions he created have flourished. It is an undeniable fact that the Korean people are the only people capable of bearing these religious fruits.

Buddhism started in India, but it went to Korea via China. It was not India or China where Buddhism bore fruit; it was Korea. Indeed, Buddhism flourished in Korea. Centering on the Shinra era, Buddhism not only bore the fruit of a brilliant cultural establishment, it also produced such a monk as Won-hyo, who incorporated the teachings of Buddhism in the society. This was really a history-making moment.

The same goes for Confucianism. Throughout 500 years of the Yi dynasty, all people were practicing the teachings of Confucianism as the standard of virtue in their lives. The whole system in the country was set by Confucianism. The teacher Tae-kye Lee, one of the important figures of Confucianism history, pioneered the new areas of the teachings.

Also, Christianity had the same impact on the Korean people. Korean Christianity has only a 100-year history, but it weakened the social trend of thought that was in accordance with Buddhism and Confucianism, and established a new culture and way of thinking. In the Christian sphere, Korea would be the prime representative of all Christian countries in Asia. It is an amazing fact that the way of life and government are newly incorporated by the Christian culture. Well, this leads to the point that in the historical relationship centering on the background of the world's religions, the Korean people are connected with God's providence.

When we look at India, China, Japan, or other great countries in Asia, none are like Korea. No other countries have such special characteristics. China, Japan, and India cannot show such strong Christian faith. Only Korea is the representative of Christian countries in Asia.

Although, in the modern age, old religious practices, such as those of Buddhism and Confucianism, have diminished, and -- especially with the corruption of Western culture -- Christianity has lost its original base, only Christianity in Korea is still developing. That's interesting. That's truly an interesting phenomenon.

D. Korea Has A Traditional Ideology Of God's Providence

Generally speaking, Korean people are used to the Buddhist way of life, the Confucianist way of life, and the Christian way of life. People in their 40s and 50s especially. These people have lived in the environment in which they all can be used to the three major religions. In the history of a nation, or in world history, from the religious point of view or the moral point of view, in the country centering on God's providence, a person who walked the course of suffering on the worldwide level must receive a worldwide blessing from God. This is familiar in our teachings of the Divine Principle.

Then, what do we mean by this idea? This ideology makes the world whole and peaceful. We can come to the conclusion that the Korean people, being incorporated by the three major religions, are a part of God's plan where they can carry out God's providence. In other words, in God's plan, all religions must unite, and then the internal standard would unite with the external standard. That's for the sake of world peace, only for world peace! The goal of politics must be world peace. Then, why is that? Look at the fact that the Korean peninsula has been invaded more than 930 times. It is very obvious that the Korean people would shout for peace. No one has ever thought of the fact that the Korea people have this traditional subconscious.

Then, how can we bring about the unification of North and South Korea? How can we get together as one and realize a world of peace? We must unite centering on God, and then realize peace. The same applies to God's point of view. God's hope is to make all mankind as one and realize peace. In the Last Days, providentially, the Korean people are the special people who have inherited the traditional ideology of God's providence.

Therefore, we need an ideology which can unite all the religions, and then we need love that can realize the world of peace. These are the two conclusions. If there is God, God would think like that.

In this perspective, we must realize the fact that today the unification ideology must come out on the foundation of historical and traditional ideology. Therefore it is an obvious conclusion that the unification ideology is an inevitable result of this traditional path of history, in which not only should it make Christianity one, but it should also make all religions as one, and then realize the world of peace. You must know this fact for sure.

3) Korea Is the Final Providential Nation

A. Korea Representing The Confrontation Of Communism And Democracy

We can consider that, in God's point of view, Korea is the final nation of faith. In other words, Korea must become a nation where God's providence can be realized. So, the new ideal world must start there.

Because the history of humankind must be in accord with God's providential point of view, the end of the fallen history of humankind must coincide with the last days of God's restoration providence. For that reason, the hope of all humankind and the ideal nation is Korea. Further, Korea represents the ideal heaven on earth where all humankind can live. Thus, the ideals of God and humankind are in accord, God's restoration providence will end, and all historical hopes will be realized in Korea. That's where the grand opening of heaven's gate will occur. However, now Korea is not even close to this ideal; Korea is divided North and South, and between the East and the West. In these Last Days, the gap between countries of the East and the West, problems with the differences between Eastern and Western cultures, the economic difference between North and South, and the disharmony of the five skin colors of humankind are the thus far unsolvable problems of the world.

Look at the powers of Satan and God in this world. Satan has more power than God. It is because of the Fall. Hence, the world ideologies are divided, with materialism, representing Cain, located in the North, and theism, representing Abel, located in the South. With that in mind, Korea is the representative of the confrontation of world Communism and democracy. Providentially speaking, Korea is the final nation of the powers of God and Satan. The war is not only for South and North Korea, but also a war between Moscow and Washington, DC.

B. The Demise Of Western Culture

Countries which worship God through a religion throw away all material things. Therefore, all the countries which worship God or gods are poor. Even today, some tribes in Taiwan just enjoy their lives eating bananas and dancing around, and worship their own god. Religious people generally sacrifice themselves, and live for the perfection of their personality. Hence, centering on any religious practice, you should throw away all material things.

Comparing both the East and the West, which side can develop the spiritual culture more deeply? It is the East. What makes me say so? It is because the East is poorer than the West. Which side started civilization first? It was the East. Then, why is the West richer than the East, which started civilization first? The Eastern ideologies approached the spiritual world, internal world, not the material world. Therefore, they threw away all the material things. Who, then, took all these material things thrown away by the Eastern people? Thieves took them. What kind of people were there when England was first formed? They were pirates who built the country of England. In God's providence, however, there was a need of managing other countries, and God let these people take care of their own countries and develop them.

Accordingly, where should the material world go now? It started in the Western sphere. If it goes back to the Western sphere, then the world will come to an end. In the Western world, there is no God. Then, where would be the destination of the Western culture? Material should completely surrender to spirit. The physical body must completely surrender to the mind. The same principle applies to the spheres of Eastern and Western cultures. Once the Eastern world, representing the spiritual sphere, realizes its position, the Western world must completely submit and surrender to the Eastern world.

In the period from the end of the 20th century into the 21st century, the time will come when, if people of the Western world don't know about the Eastern culture in Asia, they won't be well treated, nor welcomed. For that reason, the historian Toynbee prophesied the end of the Western culture. He also said that unless a whole new religious foundation and a new civilization centered on the Eastern culture and civilization, and which can unite Christianity, is formed, the world will come to an end. This is true.

Then, which country will serve that role in Asia? Is it China? But China became a Communist country. India is the next candidate. What is in India? In India there are religious practices, such as yoga. This became a big matter in American society. Today, in India, there are some spiritual practices and religious teachings, and especially the teachings of Buddhism, that have a big impact on people. However, these teachings and practices are not suitable for today's society. Japan would be the next available candidate; but Japan is not a country of a great religion. Japan is a country of small religions that do not contain the traditional religious thoughts and do not have a background which can be compared with global-level trend of thoughts.

In this perspective, let's look at Korea. Now Korea is undeniably faced with the inevitable flow of history, in which Korea must establish a new culture centering on Christian culture and Oriental thoughts. These historical moments are coming to us. We have to observe these moments very carefully. Furthermore, we must realize that we are in a very important situation.

In the perspective of the trend of thought, Korea became an example of world culture. Korea has dealt with many nations. We have dealt with many peoples of the world's countries, which center on the United States. However, no ideologies offered by these countries are suitable for the Korean people.

This Korean peninsula is divided in half, and the North is dominated by Communists. North Korea became the focal point of Communism, and South Korea has become the focal point of the democratic sphere. However, the Korean people are not truly contributing to either Communism or democracy. We are in this situation.

C. Korea Is The Place Where All Cultures Are Concentrated

Korea is the most interesting country among the Asian countries.

Korea has been preserving a unique oriental culture and way of life for 5,000 years. In other words, the most genuine oriental culture has been maintained in Korea. Also, the world's major religions have flourished in Korea. Christianity, the core of Western culture, has laid its roots and is developing daily. Despite the fact that churches around the world become vacant, churches in Korea are filled with Christians praying and singing day and night.

Korean Christianity is a fruit of Hebraism, the root of spiritual civilization. Christianity, which was prophesied by ancient Hebrew prophets, was carried down by Christian saints, and has become one of major religions today, has its roots in Hebraism. On the other hand, North Korea has borne the fruit of Hellenism, totally opposite to Hebraism. This is Communism -- atheism centered on materialism, denying God. Two worlds of opposite ideology are confronting each other in the Korean peninsula.

The Korean War was a representation of the war between these two worlds of opposite ideology. It was not just a war between North and South Korea, but it was the war between Communist countries and free countries in the UN. Therefore, we can say that the Korean peninsula is a microcosm of the world. All the important matters in the world occur in small scale in the Korean peninsula. The solutions to the problems of Korea are not only for Korea, but are the solutions for the problems of the world.

Where is the center in Asia? Korea is the one. Therefore, the problems of Korea extend to the problems at the global level. The most troublesome people in Asia are the Korean people. Korean people would never be cooked by others. They are very smart and very precise in the systematic- information industry.

In recent years, major fights broke out over Korea. The Japan-Russia War, the Japan-China War, and the war between Japan and the US were all caused by takeovers of the Korean peninsula.

Why did it happen like that? Why did it have to happen like that? Why did Korea, in recent years, become the most troublesome country in Asia and in the world? Today, Korea is the only country in which Communism and democracy are confronting each other. Korea has persisted from the beginning to the end. Winning fights in the Korean peninsula depends on whether or not people fight under the name of God. For this reason, God's providence lies on Korean people's shoulders, and, at the same time, Satan is trying to take over the people of Korea. In this point of view, we can say, "Oh, because we know God's providence very well, we have been persecuted and undergone hardship. But, God has created the base in the Korean peninsula!" In the historical point of view, God's providence is related with the history of Korea. For that reason, I can conclude, "Ah, Korean people are wise, and were definitely chosen by God!" A person like Rev. Moon was born in this kind of land.

So, what Rev. Moon did so far is to gather together all the Asian civilizations. In Asia, Rev. Moon is a leading person among anti-Communists. Rev. Moon is the one who has established the new religion and tried to revolutionize the world.

The place that serves as a mediator, bringing material things from the West to the East, would be the place of hope. This place is Korea, the troublesome country of the 20th century. Isn't that right? [Yes] Korea is the center of the problems. That's why there's hope in Korea. Korea, the bridge between the West and the East, can be the origin of the new culture, and is the beginning of the new relationship that can bear fruit. That's why Korea is the place where all civilizations are concentrated.

4) Formation of the Realm of Unified Global Culture Centering on the Korean Peninsula

The difference between the ancient Jewish people and the Korean people is that the Jewish people didn't have global-level thoughts. This is the problem. Judaism did not have the background Korean people have. It was only Korea that combined all major religions in the oriental sphere. Providentially, if Jesus had not been crucified, he would have united Indian and Chinese culture centering on Judaism. Representing the Indian culture, Buddhism entered into Korea, and Confucianism represents the Chinese culture. Representing the Western sphere, Christianity won the victory in the Roman Empire and finally came into Korea and bore fruit. Therefore, replacing the Jewish nation, Korea became the base of God's blessings.

A fruit of India is Buddhism, which was sown in Korea. The Confucianism of China was also sown in Korea. So, the cultural harmony that was intended to be made in Jesus' time, was sown and flourished in Korea. Do you understand? After Jesus' time, Christianity failed to unite the world centering on the foundation of such blessings. After 2,000 years, God has found the base in Asia, Korea, where the unification of the Buddhist sphere, Confucian sphere, and Christian sphere will form the whole new world of unification. Providentially, is an undeniable conclusion.

Centering on the Vatican in Rome, a new civilization and the unification of the Western world were formed; However, the papacy weakened. Hence, not only could they not unite the Western world, but also the unification of the Eastern world could not occur. Accordingly, centering on the Unification Church, the realm of culture which can bring the unification of East and West must be formed. The realm of the new culture at the global level must be established. Therefore, just as 1,200 years of Western history centering on the Western culture has been exalted by the Western powers, so, centering on Asia, in the Korean peninsula, a new eternal culture must be formed through the history of a new millennium. This is indemnity for the failure in the Roman peninsula.

Then, why is a peninsula important? The Mediterranean is like a woman's womb. It is woman's private part. That's why they established the Atlantic cultural sphere. The Korean peninsula is like a man's genital. Japan is described as a woman, and dominates the Pacific cultural sphere today. That's why I started fish farming in the Pacific Ocean, Alaska, and South America. The reason why I started this is that the natural resources from the ocean have a direct relationship with the land resources. Proportionally speaking, resource-wise, the ocean dominates the land. It is a different shape, but water can be compared with the land's air, and fish symbolize the land's people.

So, from now on, as in the Roman peninsula, which generated the Atlantic cultural sphere, centering on the Korean peninsula we are entering into the new era of kingship, an ideal era of the unified cultural sphere. This is God's providence.