[262] World Scripture - The Kingdom of Heaven - 1. The World of God’s Sover

[대태양/김현수]

The Kingdom of Heaven

The millennial Kingdom is an ideal world without evil or sin, a world in which God’s sovereignty is fully manifest. Hope for its advent can be found to some degree in every world religion, but it is most strongly expressed in the scriptures of Judaism and Christianity, as a firm promise of God. Sometimes the term Kingdom of Heaven denotes a spiritual ideal, a state of bliss in the afterlife (See Chapter 5: Heaven), but that sense of the term does not do justice to the most thoroughgoing eschatological visions. In this respect, Father Moon gives numerous clear teachings about the Kingdom to be established on earth. He has dedicated his life to fulfill God’s calling to build that kingdom—not as a future vision but as a realistic program of human renewal.

These passages survey the Kingdom of Heaven from several perspectives. First, it is a world of God’s absolute sovereignty. We note that this need not imply anything about the political system of such a world. No regime in history, even if it claimed to be instituting God’s theocratic rule, has come anywhere close to the Kingdom in the true sense. God’s dominion is by love, not political power. It is where goodness is vested with authority for its own sake, and God can rule through the hearts of good people.

Second, the Kingdom is a transfigured world—a new heaven and new earth—where all people live as one great human family. Giving and sharing is the norm; selfishness is unheard of. People know intimately the heart and will of God, rejoice in living by heaven’s norms, and have no inward impediments to doing good. It is a world of peace, where nations no longer make war and people enjoy a life free from crime or oppression.

Third, the Kingdom requires a transformation of the self. Even if the world were at peace, if we still felt conflicted and disturbed, we would not feel comfortable and might continue to dwell in a private hell. Likewise, even though we might live in the most delightful environment, we could not enjoy it if our family were full of conflict and strife. Father Moon teaches that the family is a fundamental unit of the Kingdom.

Fourth, the Kingdom is a very natural place, free of artificiality or the constraint of external laws, because the spontaneous promptings of the heart would all be good. It is a place of dazzling beauty, where people’s minds are like crystal, emanating divine light. Creation rejoices, as citizens of the Kingdom care for the environment with love and sensitivity to nature’s ways.

Finally, the Kingdom transcends death. When the earthly world and the spirit world are united, the barrier of death will come down, allowing people to freely communicate with their loved ones on the other side.

1. The World of God’s Sovereignty

World Scripture

The Lord will become king over all the earth; on that day the Lord will be one and His name one. Zechariah 14.9

The sovereignty on that day will be God’s. He will judge between them. Qur’an 22.56

We therefore hope in Thee, O Lord our God, that we shall soon behold the triumph of Thy might, idolatry will be uprooted from the earth, and falsehood be utterly destroyed. We hope for the day when the world will be perfected under the dominion of the Almighty and all mankind learn to revere Thy name; when all the wicked of the earth will be drawn in penitence unto Thee. O may all the inhabitants of the world recognize that unto Thee every knee must bend, every tongue pledge loyalty. Before Thee, O Lord our God, may they bow in worship, and give honor to Thy glorious name. May they all acknowledge Thy kingdom, and may Thy dominion be established over them speedily and forevermore. For sovereignty is Thine, and to all eternity Thou wilt reign in glory. Daily Prayer Book, Alenu (Judaism)

Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever.” Revelation 11.15

Teachings of Sun Myung Moon

Once the sovereignty of Satan is expelled from the earth, then God, the eternal and absolute Being transcendent of time and space, will establish His sovereignty and His truth. In that day, God’s truth will be absolute, and hence the purpose which it serves and the standard of goodness which it sets will both be absolute. This cosmic, all-encompassing truth will be firmly established by Christ at his Second Advent. (Exposition of the Divine Principle, Fall 4.3)

Did you find your original homeland? You did not. Actually, you never had it. Your original homeland is the Kingdom of God on earth. Is there any nation on earth that can qualify as the nation of the original homeland? No, there is no such nation. Then, where can we expect to establish the original home nation? It should encompass the whole planet Earth. It shall be the Kingdom of God on earth and the Kingdom of God in heaven as well.

Three major elements are required to establish a country: sovereignty, land, and people. Does God have sovereignty anywhere in the world today? No! Does God have a land to govern? No! Are there any people in the world that allows itself to be governed by God? No! Therefore, we do not have our homeland. Eventually, God should have sovereignty over a nation called Earth and a people called Humanity. Until that day, this world is actually not a fit place for human beings to live. (155:26, October 6, 1964)

Father! Please bestow blessings upon this people and blessings upon all the people of the world. Please resolve the grief of the many spirit people waiting in heaven for the day of the Second Advent. May it quickly be realized—the world which Thou art able to govern, the Kingdom of peace on the earth, resolving Thy grief and Jesus’ grief.

Earnestly, earnestly we ask Thee: may the day quickly come when we can return glory to Thee and rejoice together with Thee, when the earth is filled with glory and victory for eternity. (16:52, December 26, 1965)