Forty-Year Wilderness Course preceding the Worldwide Restoration of Canaan
Excerpt from Speech, “Absolute Faith and Absolute Love”
October 9, 1994
Look at Moses. If the Israelites had gone to Canaan by way of the land of the Philistines, it would have taken only twenty-one days. I checked this fact, and it was really the case. Had they gone to the direct route, it would have taken a short time period. However, all of the Israelites were afraid of the Philistines and hesitated to go that way. This was why they had to walk across the divided Red Sea and go through Sinai Peninsula to return to Canaan. They had to go the opposite way.
Also, they faced the Red Sea in front of them after God led them out of Egypt. What does it mean to come to the Red Sea that blocked their way? At the same time, they are facing the great danger of the Egyptian army chasing right behind them. Moses faced an extremely grave situation. Where should this people go as they leave Egypt, with the future goal of building a nation? How serious was Moses facing this situation? Moses risked his life in order to divide the Red Sea. Providentially speaking, it was not good to divide the Red Sea. This may become a condition by which Satan can claim them. If the people become faithless in the future, their path will be blocked. The course of indemnity will be more difficult to resolve if you accumulate more failures. Any failures and attitudes of disbelief remain as baggage. They will be future barriers.
They should have followed the original plan and passed through Mt. Sinai and arrived at Kadesh-barnea on the twenty-first day. However, it took eighteen months. The plan was to organize the people within a few months in order to cross the Jordan River. However, Moses struck the rock twice there, which caused a major problem. Because of this unfaithfulness, the forty-day wilderness course turned into 40 years, during which all of the first generation Israelites perished and became prey. The people who could not unite with Moses became prey to eagles. By the same token, those first generation Unification Church members stand in the same position, where if you fail to unite with me, you will become prey to eagles. You must know this.
So-called second generation! If you do not understand why your fathers and mothers failed, you are not in a position to complain that you don’t have money for education or you are poor. This time (Now the age when you are living) is equivalent to the time period of living in the desert. It is the 40-year wilderness period. We are living the 40-year wilderness course facing the restoration of Canaan at hand. All of us—young children, old people, people with qualification to become kings, refugees and beggars—must go there together. There is no difference—high or low—in social status. I am a king of all beggars. You cannot own a house even for your children.
I did not allow giving a salary to anyone until 1972 when I left for America. Without our own country, who can give you a salary? You are going through the wilderness period, so who can provide you with salary? You must make ends meet with your own efforts. Like the Israelites, who ate manna and quail, you must resolve your issue by your own efforts. I have walked this path in exactly the same situation that you all are in. You must know that history is alive.