The Age of Providential Time-Identity

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

Section I

The Age of Providential Time-Identity

What is the "age of providential time-identity"? When we look into the course of human history, we often find that a certain historical course, similar to that of a past age, is repeated in later ages, although there may be some difference in degree and scope. Historians, seeing such phenomena, say that history progresses in a spiral of repeating identical patterns. They never know the cause, however. If a certain age is a repetition of the historical course of the previous age, that age is called the "age of providential time-identity". The reason for calling this the age of providential time-identity will be explained later in detail, but it is mainly because all those phenomena are originally based on God's providence of restoration through indemnity.

Why then does the age of providential time-identity occur?

All the facts occurring in the course of fulfilling the purpose of God's providence of restoration have formed human history. However, when a certain central figure who has been walking the providential course fails to carry out his portion of responsibility, the age of providence centering on that person comes to an end. Nevertheless, since God's predestination for the will is absolute (cf. Part I, Ch. 6--193), God would set up another person in place of the former, and establish a new age to restore through indemnity the foundation to receive the Messiah. Since this new age is one of restoration through indemnity of the historical course of the previous age, the same course of history needs to be repeated, and thus the age of providential time-identity is formed.

Meanwhile, the persons in charge of the providence of restoration must restore horizontally through indemnity all the vertical conditions of indemnity belonging to the previous age. Therefore, as the vertical conditions of indemnity increase with the prolongation of the providence of restoration, the conditions of indemnity to be set up horizontally become heavier and heavier. Accordingly, the age of providential time-identity will also gradually become different in its content and extent. This is the reason the forms of the respective ages of providential time identity are not exactly the same.

In the meantime, when we classify the three stages of the period of growth by type, the formation stage is the symbolic type, the growth stage is the image type, and the perfection stage is the substantial type. Therefore, the ages in the providential course of restoration identically repeating these types have reproduced similar types of history. That is, when we divide the whole period of the providential history of restoration from the viewpoint of time-identity by type, the providential age for the foundation of restoration is the age of symbolic time-identity, while the providential age of restoration is the age of image time-identity, and the providential age of the prolongation of restoration is the period of substantial time-identity. Next, we must know the factors which form the age of providential time-identity. The ages of time-identity repeat themselves because the providence to restore the foundation to receive the Messiah is being repeated. Accordingly, we may first list, as the factors which help to create the age of providential time-identity, three conditions for the restoration of the foundation of faith: the central figure for this foundation, the necessary conditional objects, and the mathematical length of the period. Secondly, we can list the condition of indemnity to remove the fallen nature in order to restore the foundation of substance.

The ages of providential time-identity formed by such factors exhibit the following two characteristics:

First, the providential time-identity is formed by the factor of the number of the years or generations which make up the mathematical period of indemnity to restore the foundation of faith. The providential history of restoration was the history of God's providence (through men), which involved repeatedly restoring through indemnity the foundation of faith. This foundation had been lost because the central figures in charge of the providence failed in carrying out their portions of responsibility. Thus it has been necessary to repeat the providence to restore through indemnity the mathematical period of faith. After all, the ages of providential time-identity have repeatedly formed identical types through the repetition of certain numbers of years or generations. The purpose of this chapter is to handle the questions concerning this process.

Second, the providential time-identity is formed by the factors of the historical facts in the providence such as: the central figure and the conditional objects to restore the foundation of faith, and the condition of indemnity to remove the fallen nature for the restoration of the foundation of substance. Since the purpose of the providence of restoration is to establish the foundation to receive the Messiah, the providence to restore this foundation should repeat itself if the providence is prolonged.

Meanwhile, the foundation to receive the Messiah can be established only by restoring first the foundation of faith through the symbolic offering, and then the foundation of substance through the substantial offering. Consequently, the history of the providence of restoration has been a repetition of the providence of restoring the symbolic offering and the substantial offering. Therefore, the age of providential time-identity is formed centering on the historical facts in the providence, which have been efforts to restore these two kinds of offerings. Questions concerning this will be discussed in detail in the following chapter.