The Formation and Length of each Period in the Providential Age of Restoration

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

Section III

The Formation and Length of each Period in the Providential Age of Restoration

The providential age of restoration is the age to restore through indemnity, as the image time-identity, the providential age for the foundation of restoration, which is the age of symbolic time-identity. Let us now study the formation and length of each period.

1. The Four Hundred Year Period of Slavery in Egypt

Noah established the foundation of faith on the foundation of separation from Satan by the 40-day judgment. This foundation was nullified because of Ham's failure, and God, in order to set up Abraham in the same position, commanded him to offer symbolic sacrifices on the foundation of having restored through indemnity the 400 years. However, due to Abraham's failure in the offering, the foundation was again invaded by Satan. Thus, God had the Israelites undergo the 400-year slavery in Egypt for the separation from Satan again, in order to restore the 400-year foundation invaded by Satan (Gen. 15:13). This period we call the "period of slavery in Egypt" (cf. Part II, Ch. 1, Sec. III, 1--262). This period was that in which to restore through indemnity, by the image time-identity, the 1600 years from Adam to Noah, out of the period of symbolic time-identity.

2. The Four Hundred Year Period of Judges

In I Kings (6:1) it says:

In the four hundred and eightieth year after the people of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, which is the second month, he began to build the house of the Lord.

When we see that the fourth year of King Solomon after the 40-year reign of King Saul and the 40-year reign of King David was said to be the 480th year after the people of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, we can understand that it was approximately a 400-year period after the Israelites' return from Egypt into Canaan, until the time King Saul was enthroned. This period we call the "period of Judges".

The Israelites, centering on Moses, had to stand on the foundation of separation from Satan by the 400-year slavery in Egypt, in order to restore on a national level the position of Abraham, who had been set up on the foundation of separation from Satan by the 400 years from Noah. But, due to the faithlessness of the Israelites who returned to Canaan centering on Joshua in place of Moses, this foundation was again invaded by Satan. Because of this, the Israelites had to separate themselves from Satan again so that they could restore through indemnity again the foundation of the 400-year slavery in Egypt, which was invaded by Satan. The period set up again for that reason was the 400 years of the period of the Judges, from the Israelites' return into Canaan until the time King Saul was enthroned.

This period could restore by indemnity, as the image time-identity, the 400-year period from Noah to Abraham.

3. The One Hundred and Twenty Year Period of the United Kingdom

With the development of the providential age of restoration in order to restore by indemnity the providential age for the foundation of restoration, Abraham, who started this providential course, was in the position of Adam, while Moses was in Noah's position, and King Saul in Abraham's position. Abraham was the person to complete the providential period for the foundation of restoration, and at the same time was the person to start the providential period of restoration. Therefore, Abraham had to set up first the family level foundation to receive the Messiah and, on this, he had to set up the nationwide foundation to receive the Messiah. Just as God had to realize, by all means, the family level foundation to receive the Messiah at the time of Abraham, because it was His third attempt, He now had to realize, by all means, His providence to set up the nationwide foundation for the Messiah at the time of King Saul, because it was also His third attempt.

Abraham did not realize this will since he failed in his attempt to horizontally restore by indemnity, centering on the symbolic offering, the periods of 120 years, 400 days, 21 days, and 40 days, which were the mathematical periods of indemnity to restore the foundation of faith, set up at the time of Noah. Now, in order to restore these as the horizontal period of indemnity carried out vertically, Abraham again set up the 120 years, 40 years, 21 years and 40 years.

Likewise, King Saul, who, nationwide, restored by indemnity the position of Abraham, also tried to restore horizontally by indemnity, by erecting the temple and centering on it, the periods of 120 years (Moses' life consisted of three 40-year periods), 40 days (period of fasting), 21 days (period of the first nationwide restoration of Canaan), and 40 years (period in the wilderness), which were the mathematical periods of indemnity to restore the foundation of faith of Moses' time.

However, King Saul also fell into faithlessness, thus failing to fulfill this will (I Sam. 15:11-23). In order to restore those periods as the horizontal period of indemnity carried out vertically, as in the time of Abraham, God set up the 120 years of the period of the United Kingdom, the 400-year period of the Divided Kingdoms of North and South, the 210-year period of the Israelites' captivity and return, and the 400-year period of preparation for the coming of the Messiah, finally to receive the Messiah.

Therefore, the period of the United Kingdom was the period to restore by indemnity the 120 years in which Moses set up, three times, the foundation of faith for the nationwide restoration of Canaan.

Let us study this more concretely. After the Israelites centering on Moses had stood upon the foundation of separation from Satan by the 400-year slavery in Egypt, Moses set up the foundation of faith by his 40-year life in Pharaoh's palace. Then he attempted to lead the Israelites into Canaan to erect the holy temple. But, due to the faithlessness of the Israelites, this course was prolonged to Moses' 40 years in the wilderness of Midian, and then to the 40-year period of wandering in the wilderness.

Likewise, after the Israelites had stood on the foundation of having restored the 400 years of slavery in Egypt through the 400 years of Judges, King Saul had to set up the foundation of faith by restoring, with his 40-year reign, the 40-year life of Moses in Pharaoh's palace; then he had to erect the temple. However, King Saul fell into faithlessness (I Sam. 15:11-23), and as in the time of Moses, the will of erecting the temple was prolonged to the 40 years of King David, and to another 40 years of King Solomon, thus making the 120-year period of the United Kingdom.

This period was the period to restore by indemnity, as the image time-identity, the 120 years from the time of Abraham's departure from Haran until Jacob took the birthright from Esau. Accordingly, just as the will for Abraham was prolonged to Isaac, and then to Jacob, when it was realized, King Saul's ideal of the temple was also prolonged to King David, and then to King Solomon, when it was finally fulfilled.

4. The Four Hundred Year Period of the Divided Kingdoms of North and South

King Saul attempted to horizontally restore by indemnity Moses' 40-day fast for the restoration of the words, by realizing the ideal of erecting the temple during the period of his 40-year reign.

However, due to his faithlessness, this period had to be restored as a horizontal period of indemnity carried out vertically. This was the providence behind the 400-year period of the divided kingdoms of Northern Israel and Southern Judah, which lasted until the Israelites became captive in Babylon.

This period could restore by indemnity, as the image time-identity, the 40-year period from the time when Jacob had set up the condition of taking the birthright from Esau by some bread and pottage of lentils until he again received the blessing from Isaac and from God (Gen. 28:13) and entered Haran.

5. The Two Hundred and Ten Year Period of the Jewish people's Captivity and Return

The Northern Kingdom of Israel, due to the people's faithlessness, was taken captive by Assyria. After that, the Southern Kingdom of Judah, due to its faithlessness, was also taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylonia. After spending 70 years as captives in Babylon, they were at last liberated by a royal decree from Cyrus, the king of Persia, after Babylon's fall to Persia. The Jewish people later returned to Jerusalem, and Nehemiah, leading the remaining Jews, returned and built the walls again. They then entered the period for the preparation to receive the Messiah, centering on Malachi the prophet, according to Malachi's prophecy (Mal. 4:5). This was the 210th year from their captivity in Babylon, and about the 140th year from the time of their liberation. The sum of those periods is known as the "period of the captivity and return of the Jewish people".

By realizing the ideal of the temple, King Saul tried to horizontally restore by indemnity the 21-day period in which Moses first attempted to lead the Israelites into Canaan. However, since he failed, due to his disbelief, the 210-year period for the Jewish people's captivity and return came about in order to restore this period as the horizontal period of indemnity, carried out vertically.

Meanwhile, this period was that in which it was possible to restore by indemnity, as the image time-identity, the 21-year period of Jacob's drudgery in Haran (Gen. 31:41). The first 7 years Jacob spent in order to take Leah, the second 7 years in order to take Rachel, and the third 7 years from then until the time he returned to Canaan.

6. The Four Hundred Year Period of Preparation for the Coming of the Messiah

The Jewish people, after having returned to Canaan, their homeland, rebuilt the temples and walls, and thus stood as a nation to receive the Messiah according to the prophecy of Malachi the prophet. The 400-year period from that time until the birth of Jesus we call the "period of preparation for the coming of the Messiah".

King Saul attempted to horizontally restore by indemnity the 40-year period in the wilderness which the Israelites, centering on Moses, spent in their third course of restoration into Canaan, by realizing his ideal of the temple. But, due to his faithlessness, this again ended in failure, and the 400-year period of preparation for the coming of the Messiah was set up, in order to restore this period as the horizontal period of indemnity, carried out vertically.

This period was again that in which to restore by indemnity, as the image time-identity, the 40-year period from Jacob's return from Haran into Canaan until he visited Egypt to meet Joseph, who had been sold by his brothers.