JESUS AND THE SECOND COMING Rev. Sun Myung Moon Message from Prison I am going to speak to about some new revelation from God which is very vital to the understanding of all Christians. I will also frequently mention the chosen people of Israel. I am sure there are many Christians and Jewish people audience. I dearly love all Christian brothers and sisters, and I have high esteem for the Jewish people. I beg you to understand before I begin that what I will say in on way reflects my personal feeling. I am only bearing witness to the truth. Sometimes testimony to the truth is a painful task. Yet it is a mission it is my duty to fulfill. The content of my message tonight may be contrary to your previous understanding. Some things may be very new to you. Sometimes it seems as if in the providence, God is enjoys seeing people clash. Jesus was a messenger of God who criticized people for being blasphemers and being like serpents and he certainly made some people angry. If Jesus had told the people of his time that they were wonderful children of God, would he have been killed? Without exception the others saint like Confucius and Mohammad also declared to the world something in didn’t want to hear. May I ask you to think over seriously what you hear? What would have happened if the nation of Israel had wholeheartedly accepted Jesus Christ? Imagine the nation of Israel united with Jesus. What would that have meant? First of all, Jesus would have been killed. People would have glorified Jesus is a living Lord. They would have then gone forward to Rome with the living Christ, and Rome could have received the son of God his own centuries for Jesus disciples to win Rome. Jesus never won the chosen people of Israel, and he never gained the support he needed from them. He came to erect the Kingdom of God on earth, but instead he had to caution his disciples even to keep his identity a secret because people did not accept his legitimacy as the messiah, and he therefore lacked the power to be King of Kings. Today we have much to learn, and we must not believe blindly. We must know the hidden truth behind the bible. Jesus was crucified, and not his own will, but by the will of others. Jesus Christ was killed because humankind would have not faith in him as messiah. I am making a bold declaration; Jesus did not come to die. Jesus Christ was murdered. Leaders of the most prepared religion delivered him to be crucified. The Roman governor Pilate wanted to release Jesus, but he was forced to release Barabbas instead. What a pity! What a tragedy! This may shock and astounding news to you, but if you are only surprised, then you have missed my purpose. People living at the time of Jesus Christ made a terrible mistake. But do you think they were so much more ignorant and less aware than we are today? No, not at all. They learned the Old Testament word and memorized the Mosaic Law. Based on their understanding. Jesus did not meet the qualifications to be Messiah. The nation of Israel at the point was is very difficult position. If they wanted to fulfill the Law and the Prophets, they had to abandon the Law of Moses as they understood it. Two thousand years of tradition had been based on the Old Testament. It very, very difficult for people just to wake up one morning, completely revises their interpretation of the Law, and totally accept Jesus Christ as the son of God. Those leaders who had their eyes riveted to the letter of the Law simple missed the spirit of the Law. Let us look into Old Testament and examine the prophecy of Malachi;” …..I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the heart of the fathers to their children and the heart of children to their fathers…” (Mal. 4:5-6) The of Israel knew God’s promise clearly. They knew it by heart. And they expected the coming of Elijah before the Messiah appeared. When the Messiah did come, naturally they ask, “Where is Elijah? “ Elijah had been a prophet who performed miraculous work about 900 years before Christ. And it was written he ascended into heaven in a chariot of fire. Since Elijah ascending into heaven, He was expected to return from heaven. Did such a miracle happen before the coming of Jesus? Did the people hear any news about the arrival of Elijah? No, they did not. But what they did hear one day was the voice of Jesus Christ declaring that he was the only begotten “Son of God” And Jesus spoke not timidly, but with authority and power. Such a man could not be ignored. This presented a great dilemma for the people. They immediately asked. “If this is the Messiah, then where is Elijah?” They earnestly expected the Messiah at that time, so they were also waiting for Elijah. They believed he would come straight down from heaven, right out of the sky, and the Messiah would come soon after, in similar manner. So when Jesus proclaimed himself as a Son of God, the people who heard him became a puzzled. If there had come no Elijah, then there could be no messiah. And no one had told them that Elijah had come. Jesus disciples were also confused. When they went out to preach the gospel, people persistently denied that Jesus could be the son of God because the disciples were unable to prove that Elijah had come. They confronted this problem everywhere they went. The disciples of Jesus were not educated in the Old Testament. Many learned people rebuked them when they went out to preach, asking, “Do you not know the Old Testament? Do you not know the Mosaic Law? The disciples were embarrassed when they were attacked through the verses of the Law and the prophets, One day they came back to Jesus and put the question to him; “…why do the scribes say that the first Elijah come?” He replied, “Elijah does come, and he is to restore all things; but I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not know him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of man will suffer at their hands. “Then the disciples understand that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist. (Mat. 17:10-13) According to Jesus, John the Baptist was Elijah. This is the truth. We have determined the truth according to the words of Jesus Christ. But the disciples of Jesus could not convince the elders and the chief priests and scribes of his fact. The only authority that supported such a notion was the word of Jesus of Nazareth. That is why the testimony of John the Baptist was crucial. But alas, John himself denied that was Elijah when he was asked! His denial made Jesus seem to be liar. Read the bible: And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priest and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you? ” ….. And they asked him, “Are then? Are you Elijah? “ He said, “I am not. “Are you the prophet? “And he answered. “No, “(John 1:19-21) John himself said, “I am not Elijah. “ But Jesus had said. “He is Elijah. “ John made it almost impossible for the people to know that Elijah had come. But Jesus declared the truth anyway. He said, “…if you willing to accept it, he John the Baptist is Elijah who is to come. “ (Mat. 11:14) Jesus knew that most people could not accept the truth. Instead they questioned the motivation of Jesus. In order for Jesus to seem like the Messiah, Elijah had to come first, so the people thought he was lying for the purpose of his own self-aggrandizement. The Son of God became more and more misunderstood by the people. This was such a grave situation. In those days, the influence of John the Baptist was felt in very corner of Israel. But Jesus Christ was an obscure and ambiguous figure in his society. Who was in the position to take Jesus words as the truth? This failure of John was major cause of the crucifixion of Jesus. John the Baptist had already seen the spirit of God descending upon the head of Jesus Christ at the Jordan River. At the time he testified. “I saw the Spirit descend as a dove from heaven, and if remained on him. I myself did not him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, “He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit, “And I have seen have borne witness that this is the Son of God, “(John 1:32-34) Yes, John the Baptist bore witness, and he did the job that God intended for him to do at the time. But later on, doubts came to him, and he finally succumbed to the many rumors circulating about Jesus. One such rumor called Jesus fatherless, an illegitimate child. John the Baptist certainly heard that rumor, and he wonder hoe such a person could be the Son of God. Even though he had witnessed to Jesus, John the Baptist later become suspicious and turned away from him. If John the Baptist had truly united to Jesus Christ, he could not move the people to accept Jesus as the Messiah, for the power and influence of John was very great on those days. I am telling you many unusual things, and you me ask by what authority I am speaking. It is the authority of the bible, with the authority of revelation. Let us read the bible together, and see word by word how John the Baptist acted. Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said him. “Are you he to come, or shall we look for another? “ (Matt. 11:2-3) This was long after he testified to Jesus a Son of God. How could he ask, “Are you he who to come as the Son of God? “After testimony of the Spirit to him? Jesus was truly sorrowful. He felt anger. Jesus refused to answer John the Baptist with a straight yes or no. He replied instead, “Blessed is he who takes no offense at me, “Let me paraphrase what Jesus meant: “John, I am sorry that you took offense at me. At one time you recognized me, but now you doubt me. I am sorry your faith has proved to be so weak. “After incident, Jesus spoke to the crowds concerning John. He put a rhetorical question to them: “What did you go out into wilderness to behold? A reed shaken by the wind? Why then did you go out? To see a man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, those who wear soft raiment are in kings’ houses. Why then did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written, Behold, I sent my messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee.’ “(Matt. 11:7-10) Here Jesus affirmed that John was Elijah, the one called by God to turn the people to the Messiah. He praised John from this perspective, conclude with words, “Truly, I say to you, among those burn of woman there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he, “ Matt. 11:11) Conventional Christian interpretations have never fully explained the meaning of this verse. The mission of the prophets through the ages was to prepare for or testify to the Messiah. Prophets had always testified from a distance of time. John the Baptist was the greatest among the prophets because only he was prophet contemporary with the Messiah, the prophet who could bear witness, in person, to the living Christ. But John failed to recognize the Messiah. Even the least prophets then living in the heavens knew Jesus was the Son of God. That is why John, who was given the greatest mission, and failed, because less than the least. Thus, Jesus was saying, “ John, you went out to the wilderness to serve as the greatest of prophets---you went to find the Messiah, the Son of God. You have seen everything but missed the vital point, the core of your mission. You indeed failed to recognize me and failed to live up to God’s expectation. It is God who expects of you ‘to make ready for the lord a people prepared.’ You have failed.” Jesus said, “From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and men of violence take it by force. “ (Matt. 11:12) John the Baptist was chosen instrument of God, destined to be the chief disciple of Jesus, not by force,” but by providence. He failed in responsibility, and Simon Peter, by the strength and force of his faith, earned that central position for himself. Other men stronger and more and more violence in faith than John the Baptist fought relentlessly on the side of Jesus for the realization of God’s Kingdom of earth. The devout men who righteously followed John the Baptist did not become the twelve apostles and seventy disciple of Christ, as they were to have. If John the Baptist had become the chief of Jesus, those two together would have united all of Israel. But the truth is that John the Baptist did not follow the Son of God. One day John’s followers came to him and asked, “Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you bore witness, here he is, baptizing, and all are going to him.” (John 3:26) They carried concern in question: Look at all the people going to Jesus. What about you? “John the Baptist replied, “He must increase, but I am decrease. “ (John 3:30) Usually Christians interpret this message as a proof of John’s humble personality. This is an incorrect understanding of the significance of his words. If Jesus and John the Baptist had been united, their destiny would have been to rise or fall together. Then Jesus could not increase his reputation while John’s own prestige diminished! The lessening of his own role was what John feared. John once stated that the Messiah was the one “…whose sandals I am not worthy to carry,…” (Matt. 3:11) Yet he failed to follow Jesus ever after he knew that Jesus was the Son of God. John the Baptist was a man without excuse. He should have followed Jesus. God sent John as a forerunner to the Messiah. His mission was clearly defined, “… to make ready for the Lord of the people prepared.” (Luke 1:17) But because of John’s failure, Jesus Christ had no ground upon which to start his ministry. The people had not been prepared to receive Jesus. Therefore, Jesus had to go out from his home and work all by himself, trying to create a foundation on which the people could believe in him. There can be no doubt that John the Baptist was a man of failure. He was directly responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. You may again want to ask me, “With what authority do you say these things?” I spoke with Jesus Christ in spirit world. And spoke with John the Baptist. This is my authority. If you cannot at this time determine that my words are the truth, you will surely discover that they are in the course of time. These are hidden truths presented to you as new revelation. You have heard me speak from the Bible. If you believe the Bible you must believe what I am saying. We must therefore come to this solemn conclusion: The crucifixion of Jesus was result of human faithlessness. The most egregious and destructive lack of faith was to be found in John. This means that Jesus did not come to die on the cross. If Jesus had come to die, then he would not have offered that tragic and anguished prayer in the garden of Gethsemane. Jesus said to disciples: “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me,” And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, “My father, if it possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as will, but as thou wilt, “(Matt. 26:38-39) Jesus prayed this way not just once, but three times. If would certainly have prayed instead, “Father, I am honored to die on the cross for your will,” But Jesus prayed asking that this cup pass from him. If his prayer came out fear of death, such weakness would disqualify him as Son of God. We know of the courageous deaths of many martyrs throughout Christian history and even elsewhere, people who not only overcome their fear of death, but made their final sacrifice a great victory. Out of so many martyrs, how could Jesus alone be the one to show his fear and weakness, particularly if his crucifixion was the glorious moment of his fulfillment of the will of God? Jesus did not pray this way from weakness. To believe such a thing is an outrage to Jesus Christ. The prayer of Jesus at the garden of Gethsemane did not come from his fear of death or suffering. Jesus would have been willing and ready to die a thousand times over if that could have will of God. He recognized with God together in the garden, and made one final plea to God, because he knew his death would only the prolongation of the dispensation. Jesus wanted to live and fulfill his primary mission. It is a tragic misunderstanding to believe that Jesus prayed for a little more earthly life out of the frailty of his human soul. Young Nathan Hale, in the American struggle for independence, was able to say at the time of his execution, “I regret that I have but one life to give for my country!” Do you think Jesus Christ was lesser soul than Nathan Hale? No! Nathan Hale was a great patriot. But Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Think this over. If Jesus came to die on the cross, would he not need a man to deliver him up? You know that Judas Iscariot is the disciple who betrayed Jesus. If Jesus fulfilled God’s will with his death on the cross, then Judas should be glorified as a man who made the crucifixion possible. Judas would have been aiding God’s dispensation. But Jesus said of Judas. “The Son of man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born. “(Matt. 26:24) Judas killed himself. Furthermore, if God had wanted His son to be crucified, He did not need 4,000 years to prepare the chosen people. He would have done better to send Jesus to a savage tribe, where he could have been killed even faster, and the will of God would have been realized more rapidly. I must tell you again, it was the will of God to have Jesus Christ accepted by the people. That is why God labored in seed and anguish to prepare fertile soil for the heavenly seed of Messiah. That is why God established His chosen people of Israel. That is why God sent prophet after prophet to weaken the people of Israel to ready themselves for the Lord. God warned them and chastised them; He persuaded them and scolded them, pushed them and punished them because He wanted His people to accept His Son. One day Jesus was asked, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God? Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God,
Posted on: Sun, 23 Mar 2014 18:21:56 +0000
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