Many people talk about love and practice love and they feel happy and warm when they hear the word “love.” Love is so much precious to everybody and everybody wants to have some. But if we ask what love is, each person gives a different answer. Then what is the true love that we must learn? Since we are talking about the love of God and the bible, we must think love in the perspective of God. Many times and all through the bible, God teaches us to love.
John 13:34 A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
John 15:12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
Then what is the love Jesus wanted to teach us? People says: love is helping others, providing the poor, taking care of sick, giving contributions, donating organs, etc… In the perspective of the world, all these and numerous other things can be considered as love. Then are these the love Jesus wanted to teach us? Did Jesus provide necessities to people such as food, clothes, or shelters? No. The bible teaches us these are not the true love God wanted to teach us.
1 Corinthians 13:1 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
Here God is comparing the love with many things to show the supremacy of love. Love is greater than speaking tongues, the gift of prophecy, wisdom and knowledge, and also Paul says that love is greater than “contributions, donation of money and possession, self-sacrifice for the sake of others.” It means the concept of love of the people of the world is not considered as the love in the perspective of God. God clearly defines that love is different from donating money and possessions or sacrificing even his own body. These are not love in the eyes of God. Then what is the true love God wants to teach us?
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
The love God wants to teach us is the love through which eternal life and salvation can be given to the people. Even though we give food, clothes, but if our action does not lead people to eternal life, it is nothing in the eyes of God. Even though we sacrifice our own life for the sake of others, but if our action does not produce eternal life in others, it is nothing in the eyes of God. Even though a person has great knowledge and know all the mysteries, but cannot save one soul, all his wisdom and knowledge are nothing. God think the true love is an action which leads people to eternal life.
However a tree may look good and beautiful with strong branches and thick leaves, if it does not produce any fruit it is nothing. It is the same with all human activities. However may it look good and righteous, if they do not lead into eternal life, it is like a beautiful tree with no fruit which would be cut down in the end. Then what is the act of love we must learn from God so that we can produce the fruit of eternal life? One young man asked Jesus how to enter into the eternal life.
Matthew 19:16 Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.”
The only act of love which is truly meaningful in the eyes of God is obeying the commandments of God. The only good thing we can do to enter into eternal life is following the commands of God. That is why Jesus said to people that they must follow his command to show the true love they had toward God. He said, “If you love me, obey my commands.” In the world of sin and death, God came and taught us to show love to him and also to the peoples of the world by obeying the commands of God because the commands of God can lead us to eternal life.
In this lawless world, Christ Ahnsahnghong came for the second time and teaches us to love one another just as I loved you. God gave his own life to save souls and give them eternal life and now teaches to show the same love to others. Now we must know the true laws of God which can lead us to eternal life and must obey them and teach them to people so that they may also be able to receive eternal life by obeying the commands of God. Jesus commanded us:
John 6:53 Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”
For eternal life, God said that we must eat his flesh and drink his blood through the new covenant of the Passover. Without the love and sacrifice of God in the Passover, nobody can have eternal life. Now if we want to show and practice the love God gave us, we must obey the command of God by keeping the Passover. And also deliver the Passover to the people so that they can also receive eternal life by keeping the commands of God. Then we may be able to fulfill the command of God: Love one another as I have loved you. Father and Mother loved us and granted us eternal life through their love and sacrifice of the Passover. Now we must follow the love of God by leading people to eternal life through the Passover and then we can practice the true love God showed us.
Tomorrow is the Sabbath, which we must keep holy in accordance with the words of God in the bible. There is a story in the bible which shows the earnest mind of God who wants us to learn the importance of the Sabbath. It is a story of manna. Manna was the bread from heaven given to the Israelites in the desert so that they would not go hungry. But manna was not given as just food for them, but it was God’s way to teach a lesson to his people: The Sabbath. In the time of Moses God gave his people Ten Commandments and one of the commandments was about the Sabbath.
Exodus 20:8 Remember the Sabbath by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord you God. On it you shall not do any work.
After giving this command he wanted to make sure that his people kept this command. And he planned a way to train them about the Sabbath so that the keeping of the Sabbath would become a habit for them. Next 40 years in the desert he taught about the Sabbath every week by using “manna.” For six days, he gave manna and let people gather them from the ground, but on the seventh day he did not allow anybody to go outside to gather manna because there was no manna on the seventh day or the Sabbath. Instead they should gather twice the amount of manna on the sixth day so that they could provide them on the seventh day without working to gather the manna. He had done this for 40 years week after week.
Manna was not given only as physical food, but also as spiritual food. What was God’s will in granting manna to the Israel people?
Exodus 16:21 Each morning everyone gathered as much as they needed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted away. 22 On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much—two omers for each person—and the leaders of the community came and reported this to Moses. 23 He said to them, “This is what the Lord commanded: ‘Tomorrow is to be a day of sabbath rest, a holy sabbath to the Lord. So bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Save whatever is left and keep it until morning.’” 24 So they saved it until morning, as Moses commanded, and it did not stink or get maggots in it. 25 “Eat it today,” Moses said, “because today is a sabbath to the Lord. You will not find any of it on the ground today. 26Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any.” 27 Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it, but they found none. 28 Then the Lord said to Moses, “How long will you refuse to keep my commands and my instructions? 29 Bear in mind that the Lord has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Everyone is to stay where they are on the seventh day; no one is to go out.” 30 So the people rested on the seventh day.
God eagerly desired that God’s people would keep the Sabbath and that is why he trained them to know the importance of the Sabbath through manna. Through manna God was teaching his people the importance of the words of God just as Jesus said, “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every words that comes from the mouth of God.” Manna was a good example God gave to us to teach us the importance of the words of God: “Remember the Sabbath by keeping it holy.”
This was not the lesson given only to the physical Israel people, but the spiritual Israelites so that they can also keep the Sabbath holy. We must not think unimportant what God told to be important. Jesus said that he was the Lord of the Sabbath and showed us an example of keeping the Sabbath holy. And the Second Coming Christ Ahnsahnghong taught us the Sabbath is the day of rest we must keep. Now our Heavenly Mother is showing us an example keeping the Sabbath holy. Why? Does God need to take rest? To be made holy? To be blessed? No. Then why? Who needs all these things, rest, blessings, and holiness? They are what WE need. Therefore, it was given for our benefit. Let us keep the Sabbath and eat the bread of life, the words of God. God will grant the eternal rest in heaven to those who obey his commands.
The bible teaches the lessons through the physical things of the earth. Since human beings cannot perceive the spiritual world, God always teaches human beings through something they can understand, things they can see and know in everyday life. Since the family system in heaven is indescribable with human knowledge, God simply uses the terms used in an earthly family such as father, mother and children.
Also God uses historical figures to teach us the Christ. One of the characters of the Old Testament used to represent Christ is King David. Then why is Christ represented as King David? It is because Christ and King David share certain characteristics. Since we don’t know Christ, who is spiritual, we must take a look at King David first to know who the Christ is. By looking at the life and work of physical King David, God let us know the Christ who would fulfill those works of David spiritually. Let us find out the relationship between Christ and David through Zion, the city of David.
The Life and Work of King David
Then why is the Christ called King David? Let us first take a look at the life and work of King David.
2 Samuel 5:4 David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years. 5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years. 6 The king and his men marched to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites, who lived there. …. 7 Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion—which is the City of David. 9 David then took up residence in the fortress and called it the City of David. He built up the area around it, from the terraces[b] inward. 10 And he became more and more powerful, because the Lord God Almighty was with him.
Jesus Coming as King David
This is the work of David: he became king at the age of 30 and ruled his people 40 years and built Zion, the city of David for him and his people as a dwelling place. This work of David was given to us as prophecy, so that we would be able to know the Christ who would come and fulfill the prophecy spiritually. 2000 years ago, Jesus came King David and fulfilled the prophecy:
Luke 1:32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.
The Spiritual Kingdom of God
He came as David to reign over his people establishing a kingdom. But we should not think all these things spiritually. Then what is his throne and what was his kingdom?
Luke 22:29 And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me.
Jesus definitely received a kingdom from God and gave it his disciples, but in the physical sense none of the disciples were kings ruling over a physical kingdom. Therefore, we must know the spiritual meaning behind it. Then how did Jesus fulfill the work of David? Then what is the spiritual kingdom Jesus established? The Zion, the city of David David established as dwelling for him and his people. Then what is the spiritual Zion Jesus should establish as spiritual King David?
Isaiah 33:20 Look on Zion, the city of our festivals; …. 21 There the Lord will be our Mighty One. …. 22 For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; it is he who will save us.
Jesus Establishing Zion
What is the spiritual Zion? It is a church that keeps the festivals of God. And God himself is dwelling as king, giving laws of God to his people. So Zion, the spiritual dwelling place of God and his people is a church where God’s people gather together and keeps the festivals of God. Zion is the true city of David which spiritual King David, Jesus must establish on this earth for his people. So God’s people must go to Zion and then they can learn the laws which God gives for his people so that they can receive the salvation.
Then did Jesus establish Zion as King David? If we take a look at the ministry of Jesus, he was establishing Zion by keeping the festivals of God such as Sabbath (Luke 4:16), the Passover (Matthew 26:26), Tabernacles (John 7:2), etc…. When he kept these festivals of God, he was actually establishing Zion, the City of David. Then at what age should Jesus establish Zion? At the age of 30 just as King David who was anointed as king at 30. After baptism Jesus started his ministry at 30.
Jesus Ministry as King David
Luke 3:21 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too….Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry.
He started his ministry at the age of 30 to fulfill the work of David. To make it complete he must preach the gospel for 40 years just as King David ruled over his people 40 years. But Jesus fulfilled this part of prophecy incompletely to open a way for his second coming. When he came for the first time, he taught gospel only three years, not 40 years. By leaving the prophecy unfulfilled, he was preparing for his second coming to fulfill all the prophecies of the bible so that he may be known as spiritual David.
Second Coming Christ Coming as King David
Then in the last days, when he is coming back again, there are several clues given to us so that we can know who the Christ is, who is coming as King David. Then what are the works that must be fulfilled by the Second Coming of Christ? First, he must start his ministry at 30, and complete the throne of David by working for the gospel for the unfulfilled 37 years of the throne of David. And he must establish Zion, the City of David and must teach his people the festivals of God.
Christ Ahnsahnghong, King David
Then who fulfilled the prophecy of the bible? Christ Ahnsahnghong. He got baptized at the age of 30 and finished 40 year reign of David by completing 37 years of unfulfilled throne of David. On top of all these things, the most important feature of David fulfilled by Christ Ahnsahnghong is the City of David, Zion. Zion had been in ruin during the Dark Ages, when the laws of God was completely abolished by the work of Satan. Nobody could bring back the festivals of God.
This was also done to fulfill the prophecy because according to the prophecy it is only David himself (Christ) who would be able to establish Zion, the City of David by restoring the all the festivals of God as it was written in the Book of Revelation: “See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He (Christ) is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.” No one can open the bible and teach the true laws of God except for the Second Coming Christ who is coming as David. Through the fulfillment of all the prophecies, we can truly tell that Ahnsahnghong is the true Christ testified in the bible!
Paul said that people had to wait for the second coming Christ to know the truth. There is no one else who can know the truth except for the second coming Christ. Now let us find out the Christ who would appear as the Root of David.
1 Corinthians 4:5 Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts.
Sealing of the Bible
What are the things hidden in darkness? It is the truth of the new covenant. The truth of the new covenant Jesus established with his blood was abolished the work of the Satan and one by one all the truth of the new covenant was forgotten and lost during the dark ages. Instead of the laws of God, people are following man’s teaching and tradition. And instead of worshiping God people are worshiping Satan in the last days, practicing adultery and lawlessness. In this situation there could be no salvation. Jesus already foretold that this world would be filled with lawlessness through the parable of the weeds and wheat.
If we look at the customs of the churches today, they are following all the man’s traditions instead of God’s commands. Jesus kept Sabbath, Passover, and all the festivals of God with his disciples to give them blessings of the eternal life, but all these precious truth of the new covenant was changed into Sunday worship, Christmas, Easter, and all the man’s festivals which was not originated from God or the bible. Jesus clearly warned against following man’s tradition in the book of Matthew 15, “You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.” (Matthew 15:7)
Disappearance of the Truth of the Bible
Apostle John saw that all the peoples of the world are following Satan and obeying the commands of man, letting go the commands of God.
Revelation 13:3 …The whole world was astonished and followed the beast. Men worshiped the dragon (Satan) because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast (Anti-Christ)…
God’s people worship God by following commands of God, but in the last days, deserting the commands of God, people are worshiping the dragon and the beast by following man’s teaching and tradition. The truth of the new covenant was completely sealed up, and nobody knows the truth and obey it. The truth or the good seeds are completely covered with the falsehood or weeds. Then who is the one who will restore the truth back to the world so that people can follow the truth. It is only the Root of David who can bring the hidden truth into light in the last days.
The Root of David and Unsealing the Bible
Revelation 5:2 Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. 4 I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. 5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
The Bible is sealed with the seven seals. The number “seven” means “completion or perfection” and the seven seals means a perfect and complete seal. Then who can open this complete seal which was done by God?
There is only one who can open the seal of the scroll or the bible and reveal the truth in the last days, that is, the Root of David. Then who is the Root of David?
Who is the Root of David?
There is no one who can restore the truth of the new covenant except for the Root of David, Jesus who is coming in the last days-The Second Coming Christ. The Second Coming Christ comes as the Root of David and he is the one who can open the bible and teach the truth of the new covenant. That is why Paul said not to judge anything until the appointed time for the second coming Christ. Today there is one who brought the truth of the new covenant by opening the seven seals of the scroll: Christ Ahnsahnghong. Christ Ahnsahnghong restored the truth of the new covenant Jesus established on the night of the Passover. Then who is Christ Ahnsahnghong? He is the one who we must wait.
Christ Ahnsahnghong, the Root of David
Christ Ahnsahnghong came as the Root of David and taught us the truth of the new covenant, the true commands of God we should keep. Let us keep the Passover with a thankful mind! And also He saw us the reality of the new covenant, the Heavenly Jerusalem Our Mother. Let us give thanks to Father and Mother for coming as the Spirit and the Bride to us to give us salvation.
Since man are flesh and blood, we tend to see the outward and physical things only without perceiving the inward and spiritual things behind. But if we do not consider the unseen things working behind, our life and everything on this earth do not make any sense. In a desert if you see a house, you know that somebody built it at some point even though you cannot see anybody around. It is the same with the physical world we are living now. We can see the earth, the solar system, our galaxy, the universe, and even more and how can a person say that there is not a creator or a maker. Even though you cannot see, you must believe that there must be someone who created all these things.
[Seen&Unseen] Every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. (Heb 3:4)
To teach us the invisible world, the bible was given to us. Even though you cannot see the subway system running underground a city, but you can exactly know where it is by looking at the map of the city. In the same way, the bible was given as map to teach us the invisible spiritual world. Then what does the bible says about mankind? Are they just flesh and blood? And is there nothing after death? To know all these things correctly, we must understand about the visible and invisible side of a man. Man is not just physical, but he is also spiritual.
Genesis 2:7 The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
When God created man, he used two different materials: the dust and the breath of life. What do they represent? The dust represents our body which was formed from this earth. And to this physical body, God gave the breath of life or the spirit given from God of heaven. So man is not only physical, but also spiritual; man is not only from the earth, but also from heaven. Among these two materials, then, what is the essential part of man? Body or spirit (or soul) of the man?
Matthew 10:28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
Through this teaching of Jesus, we can see that the soul still exist even after the destruction of body. The body was given as clothe or house so that the soul of man can stay in there while they are living on this earth. That is why Apostles call the body as tent or temporary house, but they will receive permanent house or eternal body at heaven. Just as a clothes wears out and we should change it regularly into another one, the body wears out and goes back to the dust of the ground. However, our soul’s journey still remains. Even though the body was given from the earth, the soul was given from the heaven by God. Therefore, even before our body was given on this earth, our soul had already existed in heaven and sent by God from heaven to this earth into this body.
About this the bible gives many testimony about the souls of man.
Proverbs 8:22 I was given birth, before he made the earth or its fields or any of the dust of the world…..and when he marked out the foundations of the earth. Then I was the craftsman at his (God’s) side.
King Solomon, the writer of the book of Proverbs says that he existed even before the creation of the earth and he was with God next to him and witnessed God’s creation of the earth. About a king of Tyre, God testifies that he was an angel of heaven before he came down to this earth.
Eze 28:13 You (a king of Tyre) were in Eden, the garden of God;….. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared. You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you.
God teaches us that the king of Tyre was once an cherub or an angel in heaven and he was cast down to this earth because of the sin he committed against God. This story was not given only for Solomon and the king of Tyre, but they were given to represent all human beings living on this earth. Solomon and the King of Tyre were men formed with body and soul and like them all of us are made of body and soul. Our body was given on this earth, but our soul had existed before the body and once they were in heaven with God until they were sent down to this earth.
Through this God is teaching us that we must not just look at the physical things, but rather we must work for the invisible spiritual part of us too.
2 Corinthians 4:17 For our momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Paul teaches us that we should pay attention to the spiritual things above rather than physical things of the earth because earthly things are temporary, but the heavenly things are eternal. We must remember that we were already in heaven even before the creation of this physical world. That is the place we belong to and we should go back after this short life of this earth is over. To lead to the eternal world, God Ahnsahnghong and Heavenly Mother came down to this earth and taught us to set our eyes for the spiritual world in heaven.
According to the bible the laws of God comes from two different places. First, there is Mt. Sinai where the law of Moses came from for the physical Israelites.
Nehemiah 9:13 “You came down on Mount Sinai; you spoke to them from heaven. You gave them regulations and laws that are just and right, and decrees and commands that are good. 14 You made known to them your holy Sabbath and gave them commands, decrees and laws through your servant Moses.
God proclaimed the Old Covenant from Mt. Sinai. Then what is the law which would be given from Mt. Zion? Is it a physical mountain in Jerusalem? Or does it have some spiritual meaning?
This was the law given to the Israel people from Mt. Sinai when they were coming out of Egypt after freed from 430 years of slavery. But according to the bible there is another law that is coming out of Mt. Zion. What is this law from Zion? What is Zion? Does it represent the city of Jerusalem where the city of David was built by King David? Or Does it have some figurative representation? All these questions are very important because all the law coming from Mt. Zion is a prophecy concerning the last days and the people who are living in our time must know the law from Zion for the salvation.
Micah 4:1 In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and peoples will stream to it. 2 Many nations will come and say, Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
This is a prophecy concerning the last days and God is teaching his people directly on this mountain Zion. Then what is the teaching of God? In another version of the bible it says directly like this, “Then God will teach us his way of living. And we will follow him.” (ERV) The teaching coming from Mt. Zion is the law that gives us “living” or eternal life. That is why people who are living in the last days must go to Mt. Zion and they must learn the way of living directly from God there. Then what is Mt. Zion? Is it Jerusalem in Palestine and should we go to Jerusalem to learn the way of living? The bible says that it is not a physical Zion we should go to, but a spiritual Zion.
Hebrews 12:18 You have not come to a mountain that can be touched ……22 But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven.
Paul teaches us that Zion is not a physical place, but a spiritual one: assembly of God’s people, or the church of God’s firstborns who will inherit the kingdom of heaven. Then what is the spiritual Zion where God’s people gather together and they can learn the way of living from God?
Isaiah 33:20 Look upon Zion, the city of our festivals….
The laws of God coming from Zion are the festivals of God such as Sabbath, Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, etc… They gather together on Mt. Zion and keep the festivals of God (the seven festivals in three times) according to the new covenant which was established by Jesus Christ 2000 years ago. Through the festivals God is teaching them the way of living: the forgiveness of sins and eternal life through the Passover, eternal rest in heaven through the Sabbath, the gift of the Holy Spirit through the Pentecost…
It is only World Mission Society Church of God (or WMSCOG) where God’s people gather together and keep all the festivals of God according to the direct teaching of God, Christ Ahsahnghong and Heavenly Mother. World Mission Society Church of God is the city of the living God and joyful assembly of angels and God’s firstborn. Come to Zion and learn the way of living and follow the teaching of God!
When the Israelites started the journey to the land of Canaan promised by God, they had to go through many different situations. Sometimes they had to suffer hunger and thirst, and also they had to make a long and seemingly endless journey in the desert without any expectation that they would finish the journey soon. In the time of test in the desert, instead of overcoming the hardships and sufferings believing in the promise of God, they fell into the habits of grumbling and complaining and almost all of them could not enter the promised land and died in the desert.
Our life of faith on this earth is a spiritual journey in a spiritual desert. As in the physical desert where there is not much water or food and where almost everything is lacking, we are living in the spiritual desert where many things are scant and unfavorable and where we have to face many difficulties and hardships. In the journey through the desert, God is training us to make us strong and more obedient and ultimately he wants to give us blessings of the eternal inheritance of the kingdom of heaven after the journey is over. Only those who endured to the end will be able to enter the spiritual Canaan, the promised land of God where there is no sorrow, sufferings, and no death.
Once one pastor I knew told about the cactus faith. In the desert of Arizona, where there is no water or shade under the scorching heat of the bare and unrelenting sunlight, even though all other plants withers and dies under the summer heat of the daytime, the cacti spread their hands towards the heaven and endure all the sufferings in the silent perseverance. It does not complain or grumble, but despite the harsh environment or the lack of necessities it grows tall and strong. Surprisingly, it can live up to the lifespan of 200 years.
When he mentioned about the faith of cactus, he was revealing the truth we must remember. This earth is not the land of plenty or joy to us, but rather it is land of test and suffering to make us strong and obedient to remember and follow the promise of God. When this life of endurance is over, God will grant all the spiritual blessings he promised to those who have overcome. The harder the storm comes and the more unbearable the heat becomes, the more patient we should be depending on God with the mind of prayer and obedience. This was the message what he wanted to tell us:Have the cactus faith and overcome the world.
2 Thessalonians 1:3 We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing. 4 Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. 5 All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering.
When our faith grows and we are made perfect, God who looks into the heart of each man will grant his blessings as he had already promised through the bible. Thanks to Heavenly Father Ahnsahnghong and Heavenly Mother New Jerusalem!! Give us the faith of cactus so that we may bear good fruit of patience and endurance.
The bible says that Jesus came as spiritual Moses to teach Israelites the Laws of God, just as Moses was sent to teach the Israelites the laws of God.
Acts 3:20 20 and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus. 21 Heaven must receive him until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets. 22 For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you. 23 Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from their people.’
Is a cross an object of worship?
Through this we can see that Jesus came as prophet like Moses to fulfill the work of God. Just as Moses were leading God’s people out of the land of slavery, Jesus was sent by God to set his people free from the slavery of sin and death. The life and work of Moses was given to us to teach us the work of Jesus. There is a wonderful example taught by Jesus himself.
John 3:14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”
Jesus is comparing his crucifixion to the bronze snake Moses lifted up in the desert. What kind of relationship is there between the two events? To understand this we must first look at the work of Moses and then the work of Jesus. In the desert because of the lack of food and water, people started to complain and grumble, causing the wrath of God, who sent deadly snakes to kill grumblers.
Numbers 21:6 Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. 7 The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.
When people repented of their sins, God relented and gave them salvation.
Numbers 21:8 The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.
God could have done many different things to save them. He could have simply removed all the snakes from them, or he could have given different objects or ways to save them such as say, “Forgive me,” loudly, or jump three times, or stand up on your head… But rather God commanded Moses to make a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. And when a person is bitten by a snake he could look at the snake and live. Then what was it that could give them life in this story? A pole, a bronze snake, jumping, shouting, standing on your head…? No. The promise of God given to the bronze snake: “Anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.”
But foolishly Israelites started to worship the bronze snake, thinking it has certain power to heal people for about 700 years until the time of King Hezekiah.
2 Kings 18:3 He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father David had done. 4 He removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it. (It was called Nehushtan.)
Finally, 700 years later King Hezekiah realized that it is just an idol and broke the bronze snake into pieces calling it Nehushtan or a piece of bronze. This story of the bronze snake in the time of Moses was working as prophecy to be fulfilled by the work of Jesus. Jesus is comparing his death on the cross to the bronze snake. Moses made the bronze snake to give people life, but it was not the bronze snake itself that could give them life, rather, it was the words of God contained in the bronze snake. The bronze snake was just a tool chosen by God at that moment to give them life. But Israelites started to depend on the bronze snake for their life, rather than the words or commands of God which could truly give them life.
Making a cross is fun!?
It was the same with the cross. Jesus gave precious promises of God for the eternal life to his people. To fulfill the promise he must sacrifice himself.
Hebrews 9:16 In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, 17 because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living.
For the life of his people he made a will or covenant on the night of Passover, promising them the forgiveness of sins and eternal life and to fulfill the will the one who made the will must die. And to fulfill his promise, Jesus chose the crucifixion as tool. Here what is important for the salvation is to keep the words of God in the Passover, not the cross which was only a piece of wood used as tool to complete the promise. But what did people started to do? They started to worship the cross just as Israelites started to worship the bronze snake. As Hezekiah broke the bronze snake into pieces, we must now get rid of the cross. And to the obedience to the words of God, we must keep the Passover of the new covenant which gives us the salvation.
We must be like King Hezekiah who broke into pieces the bronze snake, which was pleasing in the eyes of God. How much God would feel pleased when we get rid of cross from us which is considered as detestable things in the eyes of God. These are the true teachings of Christ Ahnsahnghong and Heavenly Mother.
In the old days, princes and princesses had to learn certain manners they should have to be royal family in those days. They had special way of talking, acting, behaving, and doing every little thing in the palace. The most prominent example was that they should not act as if they were in urgent need to do something. However they are in a hurry, they should never run around; however they are hungry, they should not gulp down food or drink. Whatever they do and whatever situation they might be in, they should act in reserved and courtly manner to show decorum and dignity. If they lost their manner in front of others, it was considered as disgrace, lowering themselves to the position of common people.
Through this customs of the world, Heavenly Mother also told us that there are heavenly customs and manners that we should learns as citizens of heaven who are considered as princes and princess of the royal family in heaven.
1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Philippians 3:20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.
As a royal priests and citizens of heaven, what kind of manner and customs should we have? How can we know what is the proper way of talking, acting, and treating each other? Just as princes and princesses had special books explaining the courtly manner in the times of dynasties, we also have guidebook and guidelines given to us so that we may learn the heavenly culture: that is, the Bible. The bible teaches us the attitudes of people of heaven. They should have love, endurance, peace, contentedness, etc…
Mother eagerly wants to take us to our new home. But we are not ready to make the journey. Even though the appointed time is drawing near, Mother is waiting patiently for us to change.
When Mother taught this for the afternoon sermon of the Sabbath, I came to realize how much Mother wants us to change. If it is not necessary for us to go to heaven, why would Mother told us to learn the heavenly culture and practice all the godly behaviors. She was emphasizing that it is necessary for us to learn all those good attitudes. Through this teaching I come to realize many things. Mother is still on this earth in the world of pain and suffering for her and it is because we are still not ready. We did not change our sinful and worldly nature completely and in this condition we cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven and receive salvation. And Mother is waiting until we are ready to go.
Long time ago I once read a story of a mother swallow and babies. As the winter is drawing near, all the migrant birds including other neighbor swallows left the place one by one, but one swallow family could not go back to the south to find a warmer place to spend the winter. And it was because one baby swallow was not ready to take the long travel to the south. It was sick in bed and the whole family had to wait until it got well. Finally, just before the cold wind blew and the first snow came, they could make journey to the south long after everybody left the town.
Our Heavenly Mother is also waiting because we are not ready and still we are weak to make the journey. And because of us, our older brothers and sisters are all waiting too so that we can get ready. Now I think I should learn all the heavenly customs and make it into a habit to practice them so that I can be accepted as God’s children in heaven. Now I can feel how the mother swallow must have felt as the winter was drawing near, bringing cold wind and heavy snow. All the family could be in danger if they did not head toward south immediately. Our Heavenly Mother must be feeling the same way as the appointed time for the prophecy is drawing near. Everybody should be ready to make the journey, but Mother is worried because her children are still not ready. Now we should realize what Mother wants and comfort her by changing ourselves to resemble heavenly citizens, God’s holy sons and daughters.
Mother does not want to leave any of us behind and that is why she is still waiting.
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
2000 years ago, God himself came down to this earth in the flesh and dwelt among his people. Even though there were many wise men, scholars, and philosophers in those days, nobody could recognize the Christ and receive him. If they could, they would have received the salvation and eternal life in heaven. Rather they rejected him and persecuted him, calling him as a man who claimed to be God. Even though there were many rabbis, teachers of the laws, and religious leaders, they could not know the Christ with their own wisdom. That is why the Christ is called the mystery or secret which a man cannot know with his wisdom or understanding or knowledge.
Colossians 2:2 ….. in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
No man could know the Christ with his own wisdom and understanding.
1 Corinthians 2:20 Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him,
2 Corinthians 4:3 And even if our gospel is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
Who is a wise-man? A man like a socrates? Even though there were many wise men in the time of Christ’s first coming, they rejected him. They could not know Christ through the wisdom of the world. It is the same now. Who would be able to recognize the Second Coming Christ when he appears?
Even though there were many scholars who studied the bible many years, they could not know this mystery, Christ. It would be the same in the last days when the Second Coming Christ comes. There would be many scholars, wise men, and philosophers, but no one will recognize the Christ who comes as man in the flesh. They will stumble and fall down on him. Just as Jesus said, “Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me,” the same thing will happen when he comes for the second time. That much is it hard for people to know the true Christ. About his second coming Jesus already prophesied that he would be rejected when he comes.
Luke 17:25 But first he (the Second Coming Christ) must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.
Just as he suffered many things in his first coming, he would suffer many things and be rejected by people in his second coming too. Why? It is because there would be nobody who can recognize the Christ when he comes. If we cannot have wisdom to know Christ through the wisdom of the world, then what kind of wisdom should we have?
2 Corinthians 2:6 We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
The bible teaches us we should have the wisdom of God to know and understand the mystery of God. Then how can we have the wisdom of God so that we can know the mystery of God, Christ?
2 Corinthians 2:10 10 these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.
Only those who have the Spirit of God in them can have the wisdom of God and understand the mystery of God. Then how can we have the Spirit of God in us? God says that our eyes are veiled or blinded by our sins and cannot understand the spiritual things, but once our sins are forgiven through the blood of Christ by keeping the Passover, then God puts his Spirit in us to give us the wisdom and understanding coming from God. Just as the temple could be purified through the blood of animals so that the Spirit of God can dwell in the temple, our body of temple can be purified through the blood of Christ and contain the Holy Spirit of God in us. And through the Spirit God gives us wisdom and understanding so that we can know the mystery of God, Christ.
Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ,
About this Christ Ahnsahnghong taught in his book, The Mystery of God and the Spring of the Water of Life.
Unless we become one body with Jesus through the Holy Supper of the new covenant, we cannot know His mysteries. If we become one body with Jesus, His Spirit will be in us and we will come to know the deep things [mysteries] of God. (p. 66)
How clear it is!! Now God is inviting all the peoples of the world to come to God and keep the Passover and then God will lavish on them the Spirit of wisdom and understanding so that they may know the mystery of God, Christ. Therefore, God is teaching us if we think we are wise, now we must become foolish to get the wisdom of God. We should get rid of the worldly wisdom and fill ourselves with the wisdom of God because the foolishness of God is wiser than the wisdom of the world. When we become wise with the wisdom of God, we can know Christ.
Ephesians 1:17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.
We should cleanse our body of the temple through the Passover so that God’s Spirit can dwell in us to give us wisdom and understanding to know Christ Ahnsahnghong and Heavenly Mother New Jerusalem. Give thanks to God Elohim!
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