The Words of the Hwang Family

Milestones On The Road Of The Providence

Sun Jo Hwang
May 20, 2004

Excerpted from a speech to elder members taking part in a special pilgrimage to the holy grounds in conjunction with the celebration of our church's fiftieth anniversary.

I would like to thank you all again for your active participation in this holy pilgrimage event, which is being held as one of the commemorative projects for the historical fiftieth anniversary of the founding of our church.

Our fiftieth anniversary is tremendously significant from the providential viewpoint. True Parents are initiating advances in the providence based on this anniversary. From this fact alone we can understand how very important the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of our church is. We are preparing and developing projects to commemorate the anniversary and to create a foothold for our movement to reach greater heights.

On this occasion of celebrating fifty years, I would like to take a look at how the providence has developed throughout history and how it will further develop in the future.

When did True Parents arrive at the final destination of the providence of restoration? They reached it on December 31, 2000. That was the year in which the history of the providence of restoration came to an end. Father turned eighty that year. In 2000, True Parents celebrated the fortieth anniversary of their Holy Wedding and the twelfth anniversary of the proclamation of the Foundation Day for the Nation of the Unified World. It was the eighth year of the Completed Testament era, and the third year since the proclamation of the Sabbath for the Parents of Heaven and Earth.

It was not simply the start of the new millennium; the year 2000 was a historic one in which God's providence of restoration was concluded. In other words, the period comprising the Old Testament age, the New Testament age and the Completed Testament age came to an end in 2000; and the long-awaited era of Cheon Il Guk began in 2001.

With the dawn of the age of Cheon Il Guk, the train of the providence of restoration has been changed and upgraded to a deluxe car and sightseeing buses. Until then, True Parents had been the drivers of the train of the providence of restoration and we, the blessed families, have been the passengers. But with that destination reached, and with the opening of the age of Cheon Il Guk, True Parents, who have completed their responsibilities, will now take the car to a new destination. Our blessed families, who had been the passengers on the train, must inherit True Parents' responsibility and bring their tribes to this final destination on the buses.

In this case, we the tribal messiahs, the fourth Adams, are the drivers; the passengers on our buses are our tribes who need to be restored. We all must become fourth Adams, True Parents' representatives, in order to inherit the whole of True Parents' glory and go to the final destination with our tribes. By the new final destination I mean the realization of Cheon Il Guk.

A new age centering on the kingship of heaven, in other words, God's fatherland and the era of the peace kingdom, was to be established on earth, when everyone is brought to that final destination. That was the year 2001: the era of the original ideal of creation centered on God -- God's kingship -- was established in 2001.

The putting down of the roots of Cheon Il Guk occurred during the three-year period between the Coronation Ceremony for the Kingship of God on January 13, 2001, and the year 2003. It was the formation period for the root, from which the tree of Cheon Il Guk, the era of Cheon Il Guk, will emerge.

True Parents held seven major speaking engagements or tours during the period from 2001 to 2003. Through these providential events the root was able to firmly position itself in the ground. In 2004, the first shoots of the tree emerged from the ground, substantially revealing Cheon Il Guk to the world.

In the end, each of our blessed members must take responsibility for his or her tribe, become true parents and harvest the fruits of the providence in order to see the complete realization of Cheon Il Guk on earth. True Parents have created the Peace UN (IIPC) and now must eliminate national boundaries, free this world from strife and create the kingdom of heaven on earth. They have said this will be done by 2012. Thus, it is now spring in the original, ideal creation, where God's original ideal of creation can be substantially seen. Amidst these changes, True Parents are asking us to begin a new life.

The path to the establishment of Cheon Il Guk

This year, Father has often emphasized that we need to cut ourselves away from the false olive tree and engraft to the true olive tree. True Parents are the true olive tree, and we are false olive trees. The false olive trees can be reborn as true olive trees only by being engrafted by the true olive tree. Reborn as true olive trees, we must go to the wards and neighborhoods in our hometown to engraft onto our tribe, the false olive trees, and restore them to complete the tree of Cheon Il Guk. This will be completed by 2012.

Thus, this is not the age of True Parents' responsibility but the age of our responsibility. To summarize, Father walked the path of the Messiah for forty years and was married in 1960 in the Holy Wedding. True Parents then walked another forty years on the path of the Messiah and finally brought the entire providence to a conclusion in 2000.

Since True Parents completed the entire providence in 2000, the new age, Cheon Il Guk, formed based on God's kingship, could begin in 2001. During the three years until 2003, the internal foundation was laid for Cheon Il Guk to take root, and the kingship of the invisible God was established through the substantial True Parents' kingship of the blessed families.

With all blessed members reborn as fourth Adams, they can restore their communities and neighborhoods (tong and ban), and tribes, and with the inauguration of the Peace UN worldwide and the development of activities for the realization of peace, the entire providence for the realization of Cheon Il Guk can be completed by 2012.

Now we have passed through the three-year period during which the tree of Cheon Il Guk could be firmly rooted in the ground, and we find ourselves in the fourth year of Cheon Il Guk with shoots coming up from the ground.

On midnight of January 1, in the fourth year of Cheon Il Guk, on the occasion of the thirty-seventh True God's Day, Father proclaimed God's fatherland and the era of the peace kingdom and since then has driven the providence with the passion of a hurricane.

I might describe the opening of God's fatherland and the era of the peace kingdom briefly by saying it means the world of God's sovereignty has now fully begun. In 2004, the world of God's sovereignty should manifest itself concretely in society and culture.

The providential fruition of the era of Cheon Il Guk

Let's now take a look as to how this process will develop. As elucidated in the Principle, the providential relationship of Cain and Abel plays an important role in manifesting God's fatherland on earth.

If the natives of Canaan, who belonged to the realm of Cain, had welcomed and served the Israelites, who were in the realm of Abel, when the Israelites of the Old Testament age settled in Canaan, they could have abandoned their blind faith in Baal and belonged to a society centered on God. In the same way, the Israelites, as the suzerain people of the Yahweh faith, should have educated the natives of Canaan who belonged to the realm of Cain, but they failed. From this, we can see that the providence of Heaven can only be established when the Cain-type leaders serve and attend the Abel-type leaders. In conclusion, Cheon Il Guk can be immediately established on earth only when the Cain-type leaders and Abel-type providential leaders of a nation come together in attendance of True Parents.

So that is why we had the "Cain-type" leaders take charge of the historic events held in the months of January, February and March this year -- events such as the IIPC Activity Report Rallies for Mayors and District Leaders, the IIPC Activity Report Rally for Cities and Provinces, the National Level IIPC Activity Report Rally, the IIPC Activity Report Rallies for Youth Leaders, and the Crown of Peace Awards, in which representatives from the sphere of politics of the second Israel and of the religions--including Islam, Judaism and Christianity-offered Crowns of Peace to True Parents.

A historic transformation in the providence came upon us in the months of April and May. That important turning point was the 44th anniversary of the first True Parents' Day and the 50th anniversary of the founding of our church. During the period from April 19, the 45th True Parents' Day, to May 1, the 50th anniversary of the founding of the church, True Parents concretely established four providential initiatives related to Cheon Il Guk.

The first was the consecration of the Holy Scripture of Heaven 1. On April 18, True Parents designated the Holy Scripture of Heaven. They have said that these are the Word of God for Cheon Il Guk, and reported that to Heaven. This has tremendous providential significance.

God's ability to create came through the Word. The Creation was accomplished through the Word. The Fall was losing the Word, and recreation is recovering it again. Thus, the first factor that identifies the Messiah is whether he has the truth, the Word of God.

True Parents came to earth with the Principle. The Principle integrates the teachings of the Old Testament and New Testament. Strictly speaking, it is a syncretism of the Old and New Testaments. In terms of the history of restoration, we have the Old Testament and New Testament. The Principle integrates the teachings of both and unravels their complexities. In the end, the Principle is not the Completed Testament; it is a fusion of the Old and New Testaments.

In 1997, the fourth year after the beginning of the Completed Testament era, The Completed Testament Age and the Ideal Kingdom, and Blessed Families and the Ideal Kingdom (books I and II) were designated the Word of God for the Completed Testament era by True Parents. After passing through the three eras-the formation level Old Testament era, growth level New Testament era and perfection level Completed Testament era-the world under God's sovereignty, the era of Cheon Il Guk, began. This was in 2001. And on the occasion of True Parents' Day on April 19 this year, the fourth year of Cheon Il Guk, True Parents designated the Holy Scripture of Heaven the Word of God for Cheon Il Guk.

This world was created on the foundation of the Word. The same can be said of the process of recreation. With the establishment of the Word of God for Cheon Il Guk, we are at an important turning point where the order, culture, laws and institutions of Cheon Il Guk will be made based on these teachings.

Proclamation of Ahn Shi Il

Second, the Family Pledge has been perfected. My Pledge was established in 1961 during the era of restoration through indemnity and had been our confession of faith until 1994. That was a time when we were in the middle of an intense struggle with Satan, and thus the contents of the verses in My Pledge were about defeating the enemy Satan. Even in the lyrics of one of our favorite Holy Songs we find the words "Chase away the power of Satan.... In the blue Pacific waters, cleanse the sword that brought the victory." This is historical evidence of that age in which we had to fight an intense battle against Satan. After passing over the perilous hill of restoration through indemnity and entering the Completed Testament era, True Parents established the Family Pledge as our new confession of faith. Not a single line in the entire Family Pledge mentions fighting the enemy Satan.

Right after establishing the Family Pledge in 1994, Father said, "My Pledge was combative in nature, because the age was one of battling against Satan. But the Family Pledge is not combative because we are ushering in an age of peace on earth centering on God."

Since then the Family Pledge has developed in stages and now on the occasion of True Parents' Day, April 19, it was made complete by the addition of "of the family" in part two and "and the realm of being completely free [seokbang]" in part eight.

Third, on April 13, during Hoon Dok Hae at East Garden, Father proclaimed the era of the realm of being completely free [seokbang]. This means that we are in an age of having been set free that would exceed the value of an age of liberation. What is the meaning of seokbang? Father explained it like this: "Liberation [haebang] means obtaining one's freedom when the time comes, but seokbang is obtaining one's freedom through grace, even if the time has not yet come." "Liberation" [haebang] is the realization of external conditions, but becoming "completely free" [seokbang] suggests an internal transformation. In this way, True Parents proclaimed the era of being completely free, symbolically showing that the satanic lineage has been changed at its root.

In particular, we should accept the proclamation of the age of seokbang as a revelation from God that indicates that the substantial culture of Cheon Il Guk is clearly settling onto earth.

Fourth, Father proclaimed Ahn Shi Il. This indicates a revolutionary transformation.

God's world has continued through institutions and traditions on earth, through the Word of God for the Old, New and Completed Testament ages and the culture and institutions of each age. In the same way, in this era of Cheon Il Guk we need to have culture and institutions and the Word of God that are in accord with this new age.

During the Old Testament age, the Sabbath day was based on Mosaic Law. The Jewish people could do nothing during the Sabbath; this was the commandment and tradition. To eat, one must cook, but this was considered work, so the Jews would prepare the meals for the Sabbath the previous day. Illnesses could not be treated on the Sabbath. There are hundred of clauses that dictate the behavior of people during the Sabbath.

In the New Testament age, the commandments of the previous age developed into a social order, which led to the creation of the Lord's day. On March 3, 321, Emperor Constantine designated the Sabbath a day of rest. Sunday was created, and ever since, this day has been observed by people throughout the world.

The traditions of Cheon Il Guk are eternal

As we leave the Completed Testament age and enter the age of Cheon Il Guk, this lasting Sabbath culture has now been changed. During pledge service on True Parents' Day, True Parents established and proclaimed Ahn Shi Il.

Father declared, "In the past, God rested every seven days, because He did not have sovereignty, but now He can rest every day. That is why we have to change the meaning of the Sabbath. Instead of resting every seven days, every day will become a Sabbath day and the day of starting those days of rest will be on every eighth day, the number of new beginning. Thus, Ahn Shi Il will be observed every eight days."

Based on True Parents' Day, Father designated the period after the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the church the "era after the coming of heaven." Since then, True Parents have observed Ahn Shi Il every eight days.

Although the world is unaware of it, Ahn Shi Il, designated by True Parents, will become a tradition of Cheon Il Guk that will be observed for eternity, like the tradition of the Sabbath during the Old and New Testament eras that is being observed by people of the world today.

Since proclaiming the day of the attendance of safe settlement, True Parents have held remarkable providential rallies and proclamations every time that day has come around, thus building the tradition of Cheon Il Guk.

On May 5, Father proclaimed Ssang Hab Shib Seung Il [The day of the victory of the number ten that is the combination of two parts]. Since all things on earth are made in pairs, they must be tied together as one in reconciliation to begin the new age.

On the third Ahn Shi Il on May 13, True Parents presided over a rally for harmony and unification between the Yongnam and Honam 2 regions of Korea. This rally was not simply an event to bring the Yongnam and Honam regions together in harmony; it was a historic event to tie together north and south, the young and old generations, left and right wings and all other conflicting elements, and to bring about harmony and development.

Tomorrow, May 21, we will hold a declaration rally for absolute values for the sake of harmony and unification. In this way, True Parents are investing everything to establish this new tradition of Ahn Shi Il.

Ever since True Parents proclaimed the "era after the coming of heaven" on May 1, many remarkable events have occurred day after day here in Yeosu centering on True Parents. The same can be said for the rally that will be held tomorrow. It was decided in accordance with conditions set by True Parents and the providential plan.

True Parents' desire is to establish and expand the culture, new institutions and traditions of Cheon Il Guk here in Yeosu centering on Blue Sea Garden, in this land soaked with True Parents' devotion and where they are residing. Therefore, True Parents' desire for you who were there at the start of the Unification Church and who pioneered in the early years, is to once again begin anew with True Parents in the central position, in this time, this era after the coming of heaven. We are truly living in a tremendous new age.

Beloved members, no matter how thick the darkness may be, it will dissipate with the coming of light. No matter how great the fear of death may be, it cannot overcome life. You may all think that you have walked on this path of God's will in darkness and unwelcome by all people. But I tell you God and True Parents remember you, and your lives have been ones of light.

Amidst this world, which has been buried in darkness for billions of years, we alone have overcome countless bouts of pain and suffering to establish the tradition of eternal light. Now we have made a new beginning to make this light a volcano that can scorch the entire world.

Now is the time. An entire mountain can be burned down by a single match; in the same way this spark of Cheon Il Guk, which will ignite the entire universe, has begun from True Parents and FFWPU. True Parents have come to Yeosu in order to bring this new culture of Cheon Il Guk safely in this world. Everyday after Hoon Dok Hae, Father has been going out to sea to set conditions.

Beloved members, please remember that the culture, institutions and traditions of Cheon Il Guk are being established on earth. I ask you all again to return to the districts and neighborhoods in your hometowns and do your best.

Thank you.


Endnotes

1 Cheon Seong Gyeong is the book's Korean title. The book has yet to be translated into English.

2 Sometimes bitter antagonism exists between people from the Honam region (southwestern South Korea, mainly North and South Jeolla Provinces) and those from the Yeongnam region (southeastern South Korea, mainly North and South Gyeongsang Provinces).

 Download entire page and pages related to it in ZIP format
Table of Contents
Information
Tparents Home