The Periods in Providential History and the Determination of Their Lengths
The Periods in Providential History and the Determination of Their Lengths
- When a period of history repeats the events of a previous period, albeit with differences in scope and degree, the two periods are called parallel providential periods.
- The principal cause behind these parallels lies in God’s providence of restoration.
- Let us examine the main factors which determine the formation of parallel providential periods.
- Parallel providential periods recur because of repeated dispensations to restore the foundation for the Messiah.
- Accordingly, the factors which determine the formation of parallel providential periods are.
- First, the three conditions necessary for the foundation of faith (the central figure, the object for the condition and the numerical period of indemnity).
- And second, the indemnity condition to remove the fallen nature, which is necessary to restore the foundation of substance.
- Two characteristics of parallel providential periods stand out.
- First, the lengths of the parallel providential periods are determined based on a fixed number of generations or years of the indemnity period necessary for restoring the foundation of faith.
- Second, the parallels in history are shaped by the other three providential factors.
- The central figure and the object for the condition offered for the foundation of faith.
- And the indemnity condition to remove the fallen nature for the foundation of substance.
- According to the principle of predestination, since God absolutely predestines His Will, He surely will realize it one day.
- However, whether God’s Will is fulfilled through any particular individual is conditional upon the fulfillment of his portion of responsibility, which is in addition to God’s portion of responsibility.
- Accordingly, when the Will is not fulfilled because the responsible person fails, God will choose another person in a different era to take his place.
- God will continue His work until its complete fulfillment, prolonging the providence in the process.
- According to the Principle of Creation, God is a being of the number three.
- All things created in His likeness manifest themselves through a three-stage process with respect to their mode of existence, movement and growth.
- Therefore, whenever the providence of restoration is prolonged, it may extend to as many as three stages.
- A central figure responsible for the providence of restoration must fulfill, in a short time, all the indemnity conditions which his predecessors tried to fulfill.
- If this central figure also fails in his mission, all the indemnity conditions he tried to fulfill are passed down to the next person entrusted with the same responsibility.
- The conditions which accumulate in the course of providential history due to central figures’ failures to complete their responsibility are called vertical indemnity conditions.
- The task of the central figure to fulfill all these conditions in a short time is called horizontal restoration through indemnity.
- Since the work of restoration in Abraham’s family was the third attempt in the providence to restore the family foundation for the Messiah, the Principle required that his family accomplish God’s Will without fail.
- Hence, when Abraham failed to complete the horizontal indemnity conditions, he completed them vertically through the generations of Isaac and Jacob.
- And God could still credit him with having fulfilled, in his own generation.
- This type of restoration is called horizontal restoration through indemnity carried out vertically.
- A central figure has to fulfill one or more numerical indemnity periods in order to restore the foundation of faith.
- God exists upon His Principle, which has a numerical aspect.
- The universe, with human beings at its center, was created based on numerical principles to be the unfolding of the dual characteristics of the invisible God as His substantial object partner.
- The first human ancestors were to become complete by passing through a growing period characterized by certain numbers, thus laying the foundation of faith.
- In their perfection, they were to embody the quality of these numbers.
- Hence, restoration of the foundation of faith requires not only that we offer an object for the condition, symbolizing the universe in bondage to Satan.
- But also that we pass through a numerical period of indemnity to restore the numbers defiled by Satan.
- The first human ancestors were to lay the foundation of faith based on significant numbers, including 12, 4, 21, and 40, which represent numberical growing period.
- When they then accomplished the purpose of creation, they would have become the perfect embodiments of the quality of these numbers.
- Yet due to their fall, all these numbers were claimed by Satan.
- Therefore, the central figures in providential history must fulfill numerical periods of indemnity to restore the numbers 12, 4, 21, an 40.
- God chose Noah to shoulder the providence 10 generations and 1600 years after Adam.
- After the failure of the providence of restoration in Noah’s family, God waited 400 years, until another 10 generations had elapsed, before calling Abraham to carry the burden of the providence.
- Set according to the number of generations, the period from Noah to Abraham was parallel to the period from Adam to Noah, and was to restore that earlier period through indemnity.
- Because Abraham failed in his offering, the indemnity periods could not be restored horizontally.
- They then had to be restored vertically: by prolonging the fulfillment of His Will through Isaac and Jacob, God worked to fulfill in succession indemnity periods to restore the numbers 12, 4, 21, and 40.
- The Age of the Providence of Restoration, which was the age of image parallels, was to restore through indemnity the Age of the Providence to Lay the Foundation for Restoration, the age of symbolic parallels.
- The 400-year period of slavery in Egypt was the time in which God had the Israelites separate Satan once more in order to recover the foundation of 400 years defiled by Satan due to Abraham's mistake.
- The 400-year period of the judges was from the time the Israelites entered Canaan until the enthronement of King Saul.
- The 120-year period of the united kingdom was formed as King Saul became faithless, and God's Will to build the Temple was prolonged through the two 40-year reigns of King David and King Solomon.
- The 400-year period of the divided kingdoms of north and south was the time when the united kingdom was divided into Israel in the north and Judah in the south due to their faithlessness.
- The 210-year period of Israel's exile and return was the time when the Jewish people were taken as captives in Babylon for 70 years and then gradually returned to their homeland for 140 years.
- The 400-year period of preparation for the advent of the Messiah was from the time Jewish people returned from exile to their homeland of Israel.
- And, based on Malachi's prophecy, began as a nation to prepare for the Messiah until the birth of Jesus.
- The Age of the Prolongation of the Providence of Restoration has been to restore through substantial parallels the Age of the Providence of Restoration, the age of image parallels.
- As the periods of this age were to restore through indemnity the corresponding periods of the previous age, these periods proceeded in a parallel fashion, both in order and in length.
- The 400-year period of persecution in the Roman Empire, until Christianity was established as the state religion in 392 A.D., was the substantial parallel to the Israelites' 400-year period of slavery in Egypt.
- Its purpose was to restore that earlier period through parallel indemnity conditions.
- The 400-year period of regional church leadership, until the enthronement of Charlemagne in 800 A.D., was to restore the 400-year period of the judges through parallel indemnity conditions.
- The 400-year period of the divided kingdoms of east and west began with the division of the Christian empire in 919 and ended in 1309, when the papacy moved to Avignon, in what is now southern France.
- Its purpose was to restore the 400-year period of the divided kingdoms of north and south through parallel indemnity conditions.
- The 210-year period of Papal exile and return began in 1309 A.D., when Pope Clement V was forced to move the papacy from Rome to Avignon, and ended with the Protestant Reformation in 1517.
- Its purpose was to restore the 210-year period of Israel's exile and return through parallel indemnity conditions.
- The 400-year period of preparation for the second advent of the Messiah began in 1517 with Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation and has lasted until the eve of the Second Advent of Christ on the earth.
- Its purpose has been to restore the 400-year period of preparation for the advent of the Messiah through parallel indemnity conditions.