The Formation of the Number of years and Generations in the Providential Age for the Foundation of Restoration

Chapter Formation and Length of each Age in the History of Providence

Section II

The Formation of the Number of years and Generations in the Providential Age for the Foundation of Restoration

1. Why and how is the Providence of Restoration prolonged?

We have previously discussed the fact that God's providence of restoration had been prolonged from Adam to Noah, to Abraham, to Moses, finally coming down to Jesus. Due to the faithlessness of the people, Jesus died without completely accomplishing his purpose. The providence of restoration is therefore being prolonged to the time of the Second Advent.

Why then is the providence of restoration prolonged? This is a question to be solved only by the theory of predestination. According to the theory of predestination, God's will is predestined to be fulfilled as an absolute. Therefore, the will, once set up, must eventually be fulfilled. However, since the fulfillment of the will centering on any person is relative, the will would be fulfilled only when God's portion of responsibility and man's portion are combined. Accordingly, when God's will is not fulfilled, because the person with the mission of fulfilling the will fails to accomplish his own portion of responsibility, God will set up another person, in a different age, in his place. Then He will work His providence of fulfilling the will without fail. Thus, the providence of restoration is prolonged.

Next, we must know the manner in which the providence of restoration is prolonged. According to the principle of creation, God is a being of the number "three", and all things created in His image and likeness present themselves through courses in the number three, either in their aspect of existence, their movement, or their process of growth. Therefore, to fulfill the purpose of creation by establishing the four position foundation and performing circular movement, they must pass three points, by fulfilling the three objective purposes according to the three-stage action of origin, division and union. Meanwhile the providence of restoring the purpose of creation is that of recreation through the Word, so it may be prolonged to as many as three stages in the prolongation of the providence of restoration, according to the principle of creation.

In Adam's family, when the "substantial offering" by Cain and Abel ended in failure, the will was prolonged three times, through Noah to Abraham. Upon Abraham's failure in his "symbolic offering", the will was prolonged through Isaac to Jacob. The courses of the restoration of Canaan centering on Moses or Jesus were prolonged three times each. The ideal of erecting the temple, due to King Saul's mistake, was prolonged through King David to King Solomon. God's ideal of creation, left unfulfilled through Adam, was prolonged three times, through Jesus, the second Adam, to the time of the Second Advent. One proverb says, "If not done at first attempt, it will be sure at the third.", thus verifying the principle found in our actual life.

2. The Vertical Condition of Indemnity and Horizontal Restoration through Indemnity

The central figure in charge of the will of the providence of restoration cannot succeed and accomplish the mission of his predecessors unless he can restore through indemnity, in his time, all the conditions of indemnity which the persons in charge of the same missions, in the providential course until this time, tried to set up. Accordingly, when this person again fails to accomplish this mission, the conditions of indemnity which he failed to set up would be handed on to the next person with that mission. Those conditions, historically accumulated and added to by the failure of the persons in charge of the providence in the providential course of restoration, are called "vertical conditions of indemnity". When they are restored through indemnity centering on one who has a specific mission, we call this "horizontal restoration through indemnity".

For example, in order for Abraham to accomplish his mission, he would have had to horizontally restore through indemnity all the vertical conditions of indemnity which Adam's and Noah's families had tried to set up. Abraham's sacrifices with the three offerings at once on the altar were to horizontally restore through indemnity the vertical conditions of indemnity, which had been prolonged through the three stages of Adam, Noah, and Abraham. Consequently, the three offerings symbolized all the conditions which Adam and Noah had failed to set up, and which Abraham himself was to set up.

Since Jacob had to set up the condition of restoring through indemnity, at once and horizontally, the vertical conditions of indemnity for the 12 generations from Noah down to himself, he had 12 sons and multiplied them into 12 tribes. Likewise, Jesus also had to restore through indemnity, horizontally and at one time, centering on himself, all the vertical conditions of indemnity left by the numerous prophets in charge of the providence of restoration in the course of the 4,000 years of providential history.

For example, Jesus set up the 12 apostles and 70 disciples to restore through indemnity belonging to Jacob's course, in which God worked His providence, centering on the 12 sons and 70 kinsmen, and Moses' course, in which God worked His providence centering on 12 tribes and 70 elders. Again, Jesus' 40 days of fasting and prayer were to restore through indemnity (at once and horizontally centering on himself) all the vertical conditions of indemnity in setting up the 40-day separation from Satan necessary to establish the foundation of faith. Seen from this aspect, a person in charge of the providence of restoration stands not only as an individual, but also as the representation of all the saints and prophets who have previously been on earth with the same mission. At the same time he represents the sum total of the historical fruit of all of them.

3. Horizontal Restoration through Indemnity carried out Vertically

Next, let us study what horizontal restoration through indemnity carried out vertically is. As already stated in detail in the section on the providence of restoration centering on Abraham's family, Abraham's case corresponded to the third one in the providence to restore the family level foundation for the Messiah. Accordingly, Abraham was, at that time, under the condition in the Principle to fulfill the will by all means. Therefore, he had to restore through indemnity, at once and horizontally, all the vertical conditions of indemnity accumulated by the failure of Adam's and Noah's family. However, Abraham failed in his symbolic offering, and the mission had to be prolonged to the next stage. Here, God had to set up Abraham, who failed, in the position of having succeeded, and also had to set up the vertical prolongation of the providence of restoration, in the position as if it were horizontally restored through indemnity, without any prolongation. In order to work His providence in such a way, God had Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob set up the condition of indemnity, all as a unit centering on the will, though they were three different individuals, as was discussed in the section on the providence of restoration centering on Abraham. Thus Abraham, Isaac and Jacob formed a unit, seen from the will. Therefore, Jacob's success was Isaac's success, while it was also Abraham's success. Consequently, even though the will centering on Abraham was prolonged vertically to Isaac and then to Jacob, it was regarded as being horizontally restored through indemnity, centering on Abraham, without any prolongation, when we see it from the viewpoint of the will.

Therefore, we must regard Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as the one man, Abraham, centering on the will. In consequence, it was as if the will was fulfilled in one generation of Abraham. In the Bible (Ex. 3:6), God is called "the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.", thus indicating that those three generations were one when seen from such a viewpoint.

In this way, when Abraham failed to set up the horizontal condition of indemnity centering on himself due to his failure in the symbolic offering, God, after all, put the case in the position as if the vertical conditions of indemnity, set up while vertically prolonging the program through the three generations of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, were horizontally restored through indemnity within one generation, centering on Abraham. Therefore, it is called the "horizontal restoration through indemnity carried out vertically".

4. The Mathematical Period of Indemnity to restore the Foundation of Faith

In the "Introduction" to Part II, we discussed that in order for the central figure, who is to set up faith, to restore the foundation of faith, he must restore the mathematical period of indemnity for it.

Let us here study the reason for this.

God's form is also mathematical. Therefore, the world of creation, centering on man, is the substantial object of God, with his dual essentialities mathematically developed. For this reason, the development of science, which is searching for the principle of created things on the horizontal plane, is possible only by mathematical research.

The first human ancestor, thus created, was to become a substantial being, mathematically perfected, by setting up the foundation of faith, only after having undergone the mathematical period of growth. Since the world of creation, as such, fell into Satan's dominion, man, in order to restore it, must restore through indemnity the foundation of faith, by setting up conditional objects symbolizing the world of creation, and then sitting up the mathematical period of indemnity to restore the number invaded by Satan.

Then, by what number was the human ancestor, before the fall, to set up the foundation of faith originally, and what kind of mathematically perfected substantial being was he to become?

According to the principle of creation, nothing can exist without establishing the four position foundation. Accordingly, Adam and Eve, who were in the period of immaturity, also continued their existence by establishing the four position foundation. Meanwhile, this four position foundation, with each position undergoing three stages of growth, producing the total number "12", would altogether fulfill 12 objective purposes. Accordingly, the period of growth, which was the period for Adam's establishing the foundation of faith, was truly the period for the completion of the number "12".

Therefore, first, the first human ancestors, who were in the period of immaturity, had to establish the foundation of faith by the number "12". However, due to their fall, this was invaded by Satan. Therefore, the central figure who is to restore this through indemnity in the historical course of the providence of restoration, cannot establish the foundation of substance to restore the substantial being having perfected the number "12", unless he can restore through indemnity the foundation of faith by setting up the period of indemnity to restore the number "12".

For example, the 120-year period of Noah's building the ark, the 120-year period of the providence of restoration of Canaan, centering on Moses, the 120 years from the time Abraham was called until the time when Jacob set up the condition enabling him to restore the birthright from Esau, the 120 years of the United Kingdom in the Old Testament Age for the restoration through indemnity of the previous period, and the 120-year period of the Christian Kingdom in the New Testament Age are, without exception, periods of indemnity to restore the number "12".

Next, Adam and Eve, in their immaturity before the fall, were supposed to complete the four position foundation by entering the sphere of God's direct dominion, the fourth stage, only after having undergone the three stages of the period of growth. Consequently, the period of growth, in which they were to establish the foundation of faith, was also the period for the completion of the number "4".

Therefore, the first human ancestors, who were in their immaturity, should have become the substantial beings having perfected the number "4", by setting up the foundation of faith through the number "4" and by accomplishing the four position foundation. However, due to their fall, this was also invaded by Satan. Therefore, the central figure to restore this through indemnity, in the historical course of the providence of restoration, cannot establish the foundation of substance to restore the substantial being having perfected the number "4", unless he can restore through indemnity the foundation of faith by setting up the indemnity period to restore the number "4".

As already discussed in detail (cf. Part II, Ch. 1, Sec. II, 1.2--252), the 40-day judgment concerning Noah's ark, Moses' 40-day fast, the 40-day period of spying in Canaan, the 40-day fast and 40-day resurrection of Jesus were all periods of indemnity for the restoration of the number "4", to restore the foundation of faith.

Again, the period of growth is also the period for the perfection of the number "21". Therefore, the first human ancestors, in their immaturity, had to become the substantial beings having perfected the number 21, by establishing the foundation of faith through the number 21, and thus fulfilling the purpose of creation. However, due to their fall, this also was invaded by Satan. Therefore, the central figure to restore this through indemnity, in the historical course of the providence of restoration, cannot establish the foundation of substance to restore the substantial being having perfected the number 21, unless he can restore through indemnity the foundation of faith, by setting up the period of indemnity to restore the number "21".

Let us then study why the period of growth becomes the period for the perfection of the number "21".

In order to know the meaning of the number "21", we must first understand the significance in the Principle of the numbers "3", "4" and "7". God, who is the subjective being with the dual essentialities combined (and perfected), is a being of the number "3".

The perfection of a creature means to establish the four positions by becoming one body with God. Therefore, in order for an individual man to be perfected, he must establish the Four-Position foundation by forming a trinity with his mind and body combined, in harmony, centered on God. Likewise, in order for a couple to be perfected, they must establish the Four-Position foundation by forming a trinity with the man and woman united, centered on God. And, in order for the world of creation to be perfected, all things must establish the four position foundation, by forming a trinity with men and all things combined, in harmony, centered on God.

Also, in order for the created things to establish the four position foundation by becoming one centered on God, they have to undergo the three stages of growth, thus fulfilling the three objective purposes. For this reason, we call the number "3" either the "heavenly number" or the "number of perfection".

Thus, when a subject and an object form a trinity by becoming one harmonious united body centered on God, the individual body then decides his position, as a creature furnished with the four directions of north, south, east and west, by establishing the four position foundation. In that sense, we call the number "4" the "earthly number".

Thus, when a creature establishes the four position foundation by going through the growth period of three stages and is perfected as an existence with a nature in time and space, he becomes a substantial being who has perfected the number "7", the sum total of the heavenly number and earthly number. This is why the whole period of the creation of heaven and earth became 7 days.

When we see the whole period of creation as one period, it becomes the period for the perfection of the number "7". Therefore, we may regard a certain period for anything to be perfected, as the period for the perfection of the number "7". Thus, if we regard the three stages (formation, growth, and perfection) forming the period of growth each as a single period, each period would become the period for the perfection of the number "7". We can then understand that the whole period is also the period for the perfection of the number "21".

The following are examples of the indemnity period of the number "21", which the central figures for the foundation of faith set up. During the period of the flood in Noah's day, God had Noah send out the doves three times in order to foreshadow His providence of three stages. By making the time spaces 7 days each, the whole period seen from the will became 21 days (Gen. 7:4, 8:10, 8:12). When Jacob set up the providential period of going into Haran and again returning to Canaan, in order to set up the course of the restoration of Canaan on the family level, he needed also 21 years, that is, three times seven years. Further, for the period of restoring through indemnity Jacob's 21 years, the period of the Israelites' captivity in Babylon and their return encompassed 210 years. The period of the popes' captivity and return also took 210 years.

The period of growth is also the period for the perfection of the number "40". Therefore, fourth, the first human ancestors, in their immaturity before the fall, had to become the substantial beings having perfected the number "40", by setting up the foundation of faith through the number "40", thus accomplishing the purpose of creation. Nevertheless, this was invaded by Satan due to their fall. Therefore, the central figure to restore this through indemnity could not establish the foundation of substance to restore the substantial being having perfected the number "40", unless he could restore through indemnity the foundation of faith, by setting up the period of indemnity to restore the number "40".

Let us then study why the period of growth becomes the period for the perfection of the number "40". Before we can know this, we must first understand the significance of the number "10". If we divide the three stages of the period of growth into three stages each, it makes a total of nine stages. The basis in the Principle of the number "9" lies here.

Incidentally, the things of creation which were divided as God's substantial object through the mathematical development of His invisible dual essentialities can fulfill the purpose of creation only when they become one body with God, by returning into the sphere of God's direct dominion, the tenth stage, after passing through the nine stages of the period of growth. Therefore, we call the number "10" the "returning number". God set up Noah ten generations after Adam to set up the period of indemnity for the restoration of the number "10" in order to have him return again to God.

Meanwhile, the four position foundation centered on Adam and Eve would become the foundation which had perfected the number "40", by each position going through the "10" stages of the period of growth and thus completing the mathematical period of growth of the number "40" in total. Therefore the period of growth is also the period for the perfection of the number "40".

Some examples of the indemnity period of the number "40" set up for the restoration of this foundation, in the historical course of the providence of restoration are: the 40-day period from the time when Noah's ark came to rest on Mount Ararat until he sent out the doves; Moses' 40 years in Pharaoh's palace; his 40 years in the wilderness of Midian; the 40 years in the wilderness for the nationwide restoration of Canaan, and so on.

Here, we can understand that the number "40" in the providential course of restoration through indemnity has two kinds of character. One is the number "40", with the number "10", which is the returning number, multiplied by the number "4", which fallen man must restore through indemnity. The other is the number "40" to restore through indemnity what Adam, before the fall, had to set up, as previously declared.

Meanwhile, the 40 years in the wilderness for the restoration of Canaan on the national level was the period to restore through indemnity Moses' 40 years in Pharaoh's palace and his other 40 years in the wilderness of Midian. At the same time, it was also the period to restore through indemnity the 40-day spying and Moses' 40-day fast. Accordingly, this 40-year period, as discussed above, was to restore through indemnity both numbers "40" of different characters at the same time.

This phenomenon occurs when the central figure to set up the foundation of faith horizontally restores through indemnity all the vertical conditions of indemnity at the same time. And, when the providence to restore through indemnity the number "400" or to the number "4,000", according to the rule of multiplication by a multiple of the number "10". The 400 years from Noah to Abraham, the 400-year slavery in Egypt, and the 4,000 years from Adam to Jesus are such examples.

According to what we previously discussed, let us summarize what kind of mathematical period of indemnity must be set up in order for the central figure in the providence of restoration to restore the foundation of faith. The first human ancestors should have fulfilled the purpose of creation, by setting up the foundation of faith according to the numbers "12", "4", "21", and "40", and by becoming the substantial beings who had perfected these numbers. However, due to their fall, all these were invaded by Satan.

Therefore, the central figure to restore these through indemnity in the historical course of the providence of restoration cannot establish the foundation of substance for the restoration of the substantial being who had perfected all such numbers by restoring the foundation of faith, unless he sets up a mathematical period of indemnity to restore the numbers "12", "4", "21" and "40".

5. The Period of Time-Identity centering on the Number of Generations

God chose Noah 10 generations (1600 years) after Adam, and set him up as the central figure to restore the foundation of faith. We must understand the significance of the "1600 years" and the "10 generations" as the indemnity period to restore certain numbers.

We have previously discussed that the number "10" is the "returning number", and that the period of growth is also the period for the perfection of the number "10". Therefore, the first human ancestors should have become the substantial beings having perfected the number "10" by going through the period for the perfection of the number "10" through the accomplishment of their own portions of responsibility.

However, due to their fall, all these things were invaded by Satan. Therefore, in order to work His providence of restoration for the substantial being who has perfected the number "10", the number which enables man to return to God, God must have the central figure set up the period of indemnity to restore the number "10". In order to have man set up this period of indemnity to restore the number "10", God called Noah ten generations after Adam and set him up as the central figure for His providence of restoration.

We have previously discussed that the first human ancestors could have become the substantial beings having perfected the number "40" only by undergoing the whole period of growth which served as a condition for perfection of the number "40". Incidentally, fallen man cannot be set up as the central figure to restore the substantial being having perfected the number "40", unless, by establishing the four position foundation, he sets up the period of indemnity to restore the number "40", which Adam should have set up. Consequently, each position of the four position foundation must set up the period of indemnity to restore the number "40". Therefore, all those must become the period of indemnity to restore the number "160", and since this must be set up during 10 generations as the returning number, all those must be the period of indemnity to restore the number "1600". It was because the fallen man had to set up such a period of indemnity to restore the number "1600", that God chose Noah 1600 years--which was "10" generations--after Adam.

After His providence of restoration centering on Noah's family had ended in failure, God again chose Abraham after "400" years, which was "10" generations, and set him up as the central figure for His providence of restoration. Consequently, the period from Noah to Abraham was the period of time-identity to restore through indemnity the period from Adam to Noah, centering on the number of generations.

We have already discussed how this period became "400" years (cf. Part I, Ch. 1, Sec. III, 1--41). God had Noah set up the 40-day judgment period to accomplish the whole purpose of the mathematical restoration through indemnity, by the 1600 years or ten generations. However, this 40-day judgment period was invaded by Satan due to Ham's mistake. God was therefore compelled to have the central figure in charge of His providence of restoration set up again the period of indemnity to restore this.

Since God had worked to restore the indemnity period for the restoration of the number "160" in each generation after Adam, having it continue for ten generations until Noah, he also had to set up, as the indemnity period to restore the judgment number "40", each of the ten generations from Noah to Abraham, which formed the period identical to the former.

However, because He could not set up the indemnity period for one generation with only 40 days, God had His people set up the indemnity period for one generation with 40 years, in order to indemnify the failure in the 40-day judgment with the 40-year period, according to the law of indemnity. This was similar to the Israelites' restoration through indemnity of their failure in the 40 days of spying with the 40-year period of wandering in the wilderness (Num. 14:34). Since God's providence of having the people set up the one generation with 40 years lasted for 10 generations, 400 years were needed for the whole period of indemnity.

6. The Providential Period of Horizontal Restoration through Indemnity carried out Vertically

As already clarified above, the central figure in charge of the providence of restoration must horizontally restore through indemnity all the vertical conditions of indemnity. Therefore, the longer the providential history is prolonged, the heavier become the horizontal conditions of indemnity which the person of a later generation in charge of the providence of restoration must set up.

In the providence of restoration centering on Adam's family, God started His providence of restoration for the first time. Naturally there was no vertical condition of indemnity as yet. Accordingly, they could establish the foundation to receive the Messiah very simply, by Cain and Abel offering the symbolic sacrifices, and by Cain's offering substantial sacrifices through establishing the condition of indemnity to remove the fallen nature in obedience to Abel.

Consequently, they could also restore the mathematical period of indemnity to restore the foundation of faith, by the period of offering symbolic sacrifices and substantial sacrifices. Because the mathematical periods of indemnity remained as the vertical condition of indemnity, as a result of the prolongation of the period for the providence of restoration due to the failure of the offerings in Adam's family, the central figure who had to set up faith after Adam had to establish the mathematical period of indemnity to restore the numbers of "12", "4", "21", and "40" in order to restore the foundation of faith.

Accordingly, Noah was in the position, horizontally, to restore through indemnity that condition of indemnity. Therefore, for the mathematical period of indemnity to restore the foundation of faith, he had to set up the following periods: the 120 years for the period to build the ark, the 40 days for the period of flood judgment, the 21-day period (three times seven days) which he set up in order to send out the doves (Gen. 7:4, 8:10, 8:12), and the 40-day period from the time when the ark rested on Mount Ararat until he sent out the doves (Gen. 8:8-12).

Due to Ham's failure, such mathematical periods of indemnity, set up by Noah, were again invaded by Satan, thus remaining as vertical conditions of indemnity. Therefore, Abraham had to restore that period through indemnity, horizontally and at once, through a symbolic offering. However, Abraham also failed in the symbolic offering, and could not restore those periods through indemnity. Thus, in order to restore this period as the horizontal period of indemnity carried out vertically, God again had to set up the period of indemnity corresponding to each number of "12", "4", "21", and "40" by extending the fulfillment of His will to Isaac and Jacob.

The providence of restoration centering on Abraham lists the following: 120 years from the time Abraham left Haran, until the time when Jacob took the birthright from Esau; the 40 years after that, until jacob was Blessed by Isaac with the birthright, and then again by God on his way to Haran (Gen. 28: 10-14); the 21 years after that until the time he returned to Canaan with his wives, children and his wealth after having completed his drudgery in Haran (Gen. 31:41); and the 40 years from Jacob's return to Canaan, until he went into Egypt to visit Joseph who had been sold. All these were the horizontal periods of indemnity carried out vertically to restore the foundation of faith. In this way, the length of the period of horizontal restoration through indemnity carried out vertically was decided.