The Words of Joong Hyun Pak
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The Words of Joong Hyun Pak |
I will start by reading one Bible scripture from Rev. 22: 1-5. In 1989, Father said a new era has come and we can now enter Canaan with True Parents and the True Family, the second generation. The Bible says that Canaan is the land of milk and honey. Do you know of any geographical textbook that describes a place where milk and honey flow day and night? Milk symbolizes life. Babies drink milk from the mother's love, so milk means new life and true love. Also, honey makes our tongues very happy, so honey means happiness and joy. That means Canaan is flowing with true love and true life -- a very joyful, happy world. It is our challenge and destiny to build Canaan.
Today my topic is: "Why God chose Canaan." I want to show the connection between the old Canaan, Israel, and the New Canaan, Korea. Palestine, where Canaan was located, is by the Mediterranean Sea. God promised Abraham and his family that they would soon go to a new land. God removed Moses from Egypt and brought him to Canaan. God also brought Jacob back to Canaan from Haran. After the Babylonian Exile, all the Israelite people returned to Canaan. After Jesus was born, he and his parents escaped to Egypt and then returned to Canaan. During Jesus' ministry of establishing the Kingdom of Heaven on earth, he walked the area of Canaan. Actually, this area is a desert -- very hot, dry and undeveloped. Why didn't the chosen people stay in the more developed areas instead of always coming back to Canaan to establish God's ideal kingdom? We need to understand why God chose Canaan.
As Joshua, Caleb and the Israelites passed through the Jordan River into Canaan, so our Unification Church members must follow True Parents and cross the modern day Jordan River -- the Pacific Ocean -- to Korea.
If your family has one small bedroom, would you put your children in the coldest or the warmest part of your room? Where does this motivation to give the best place to your children come from? From your parental heart, don't you think? God feels the same way. He sent His beloved son Jesus Christ to Canaan. What was God thinking? Surely, He must have prayed deeply about where to send His son. Why didn't God send Jesus Christ to Siberia, or to Central America? Why did God specifically send him to Palestine in the Middle East?
If we study a geographical map of the Holy Land, we will find a mountain called Mount Hermon, which is always covered by snow. In Psalms 133: 3, the Israelites refer to this mountain as the "Mountain of Praise." Jesus met Moses and Elijah there at the Transfiguration and they discussed Jesus' last days on the earth. Peter suggested to Jesus that they live there forever because it was so beautiful and peaceful. Jesus later prayed with the three disciples and cried with blood, sweat, and tears on this mountain before he was crucified. Thus, this mountain symbolized God. The snow melts from this mountain and forms streams which flow down to one small lake named the Sea of Galilee.
The Sea of Galilee was produced from volcanic action. It is only about five kilometers wide. The water is always pure and clear; many kinds of fish live there. Do you remember Jesus Christ's miracle of two fish and five pieces of bread being multiplied to feed 5,000 people? These two fish came from the Sea of Galilee. Many people moved to this area because of its beauty and balmy climate. The Sea of Galilee was like a mother's womb where the Kingdom of Heaven on earth could be born. Jesus Christ grew up in this kind of environment. Here, he declared the coming of God's new kingdom and called for the imminent establishment of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. The movement of water from Mount Hermon to the Sea of Galilee to the Jordan River creates a natural give and take that sustains and nourishes life. This circulation makes the Sea of Galilee a sea of life.
The River Jordan then flows into the Dead Sea, which is ten times bigger than the Sea of Galilee. Unlike the Sea of Galilee, water flowing into the Dead Sea has no outlet; it stagnates and becomes extremely salty. Fish cannot live in its water. People cannot flourish in such a place, either. Therefore, what is the difference between the two seas? The Sea of Galilee always receives and then gives out, but the Dead Sea just receives, giving to no one. To sustain human life there must be good circulation of the blood and oxygen. Between husband and wife, and parents and children there must always be constructive give and take.
Father's plan is to give economic and ideological help to stimulate development and exchange all over the world. For example, at the Seoul Olympics, many gifts were given to the Chinese, Russians, and the Eastern Bloc representatives; Father loved and took care of them.
So what is the meaning of restoration? God would like to forgive mankind and recreate the original ideal of give and take, where God would love man and man would give love back to God. But man broke this relationship through failing to fulfill his responsibility. Instead, Adam and Eve had give and take with Satan. In restoration, then, we must severe this give and take relationship and re-establish our original position as children of God with God as the absolute subject. True Parents' purpose in coming is to teach us the vital meaning of the law of give and take. True Parents have always shown sacrificial love toward us. God trusts True Parents to always communicate with Him and follow His Will. If we follow them 100%, we can restore the original give and take action with God. This is the meaning of salvation. The Kingdom of Heaven on earth is where we have cut from Satan's dominion and reinstated God's true dominion. We no longer follow Satan's will, but rather follow God's original ideal of love. In this kingdom, love flows vertically and horizontally between God and us, True Parents and us, husband and wife, and parents and children. In such a kingdom, we could live in a very humble house, surrounded by a humble environment, but would feel that we are in heaven because of the trust and love between each other. True give and take of love with God and the world -- this is the meaning of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth.
Let's think about the background of Jesus. He lived most of his lifetime near the Sea of Galilee. Jesus' most important sermons and parables were taught in Bethlehem. Jesus called eleven disciples from that area. The Sea of Galilee, or sea of life, is therefore the starting place of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. After his resurrection Jesus called spiritually to Mary Magdalene saying, "Please come to Galilee. I'll meet you there." It was near Galilee that Jesus gathered and reorganized his disciples during the 40- day period after his crucifixion and resurrection. Finally, he ascended to God at the Sea of Galilee.
What is the sea of death? The Dead Sea is the symbol of such immoral cities as Sodom and Gomorrah. Also, Joshua and Caleb attacked Jericho, which is near the Dead Sea. In addition, Jesus was tempted three times, suffered and fasted near the Dead Sea. Judas Iscariot came from this area. Finally, Jesus was persecuted and crucified by the people of this region. The Dead Sea and the Sea of Galilee are completely opposite each other.
Today, some ministers may say, "If you come to my church and pray to God, He will give you blessings -- money, health, whatever you want." Such a pleasant message! Many people want to find an easy way to God. In contrast to this, we must make many conditions and pay much indemnity to receive our blessing. The most important condition Father asks of us is: "Did you love God? Did you love the people? Did you love the environment?" Members receive the blessing after a seven year condition of loving give and take with God, mankind, and the environment. True give and take is fulfilled in marriage. The purpose of our Holy Wedding is so that we can understand more deeply the wonderful principle of give and take action of love between husband and wife and in the family.
What about the New Canaan -- Korea? In North Korea there is a very famous mountain called Mount Pekdu that is quite similar to Mount Hermon; it also has a very high elevation and snow- covered top. It is considered to be a very holy place. Pekdu means "white head" and therefore is a symbol of an old man, or God. This mountaintop has a crater lake called Ch'Onji, which means "sea of God." In ancient times, the Korean people believed that the son of God dwelt on that mountaintop. Similarly to Mt. Hermon, the snow melts and flows down into this lake. It creates many streams and rivers which are sources of life. This mountain and the surrounding area were considered to be the dwelling place of God. A Korean creation story refers to this mountain.
In 1397-1450 A.D. in Korea, King Sejong designed a new Korean alphabet and language that could be easily learned by all Koreans. He was an amazing person, a godly man who studied very hard as a teenager. He was always concerned with the people and the nation. He became king at the young age of 23 and ruled Korea for 30 years, dying at age 53. During those years he was an amazing administrator. King Sejong dedicated his reign for God, for history, and for the Korean people. True Parents came from this heritage.
Revelations 21 tells us a new heaven and new earth will appear and the old heaven and old earth will fade away when the Lord of the Second Advent appears. Father was born in 1920, and Korea gained independence in 1945. Then in 1988, Korea hosted the Olympic Games in Seoul. Through Korea the world could see an example of harmonization, through breaking the barriers between communism and democracy, rich and poor, powerful and powerless, east and west, and south and north. God taught us about give and take action at the Seoul Olympiad. True give and take action results in the harmonization of people. Jacob and Esau's victory came when Jacob gave gifts of love to Esau and they embraced each other. Now Father is back in Korea and creating the New Canaan. He is fulfilling the national level of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth.
Father has also given so much to America on behalf of God. But if we only receive God's grace, love and support, and do not give Him anything in return, we become like the Dead Sea. Father has been imploring America to repent and to end its give and take with Satan and begin true give and take with God. What is the meaning of repentance? It is the true give and take action with God. Through this give and take America should help the hungry countries, liberate others from communism, and support the difficult countries. Father began many moral movements, projects to help poor people, and conferences to take care of ministers. He is teaching the true meaning of give and take.
He taught us to dedicate and give ourselves for others. We have to help God -- that's the meaning of give and take. Now, Father is teaching Korea (just as he did America) to help North Korea, Red China and Siberia, or perish! Father wants to make a city of peace at the DMZ.
As I read previously in Rev: 22, Jesus showed John the most important condition to create the New Canaan -- the water of life must always flow to all nations. You and I must bear abundant fruit from our relationship to True Parents. As we become beacons of light, then God's Kingdom will go on forever. In order that the New Canaan become truly prosperous there be true give and take action. We must unite together, practice true love, and convey the Divine Principle and Godism to the people of this nation. We must have true give and take action with New York City in order to foster hope and success. We will gain a true love victory by loving them, serving them and pouring out our concern for them. We must always give the water of life, like a mountain stream. New York City is like the Rome of 2000 years ago. America has had both a good and bad influence on the world. Father's hope is that New York will help resurrect America and then America will give to the world. We have two major responsibilities: to change New York and to support the harmonization of North and South Korea.
We have learned the true principle of give and take action today, and now we will make a new determination to live for this principle of life, so that we all can receive amazing blessings from God and our True Parents!