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CHRISTIAN HISTORY

Six periods of time

We saw the pattern of 6 stages of time in the history of the Jewish people. This pattern is symbolic and prophetic. When we look at Christian history, we will see a corresponding six stages.

These stages will not be symbolic but literal periods of time that will match within 2 or 3 percent the corresponding time period in Jewish history. The time periods in Jewish history prophesy the pattern God will use in preparing the Christian world for the coming of the Third Adam.

God created man on the sixth day. The number six is symbolic for man. Satan has claimed that number. Because it took six days to create the world or six periods of time, God has used six periods of time to restore man.

We learned earlier there are 3 stages in the growth period -- formation, growth, and completion. Each of these stages has 3 stages.

Man fell at the top of the growth stage in the Growth Period. This stage is the sixth stage or completion level of the growth stage, the second stage in the Growth Period. To restore man there will be therefore six stages of time to bring man back to the point of the fall. At this point we are reborn through the Messiah and grow to perfection by following the principle that the Messiah teaches us and he lives by.


Just as the Israelites had been persecuted for 400 years, Christians were persecuted by the Romans. Christians were considered a dangerous sect or cult. St. Paul himself was a persecutor before God struck him off his horse as he was traveling to a city to persecute Christians. He was converted to Christianity and witnessed to thousands.

For three hundred years Christianity grew in the Roman Empire. During that time they were sometimes persecuted. But God was behind this minority religion and it kept growing. Then God gained a major victory in 312 A.D. when God the emperor Constantine had a vision. While leading his army he saw a cross of light in the sky and an inscription:"By this sign, conquer. He won the battle at Milvian Bridge and was converted to Christianity. In 313 he issued the Edict of Milan, a decree of toleration toward the Christian sect.

In 392 Theodocius I made Christianity the state religion of the Roman Empire. If it required 400 years for Christianity to become the state religion, what if Jesus had been able to lead the early disciples to Rome. In his lifetime, the Roman Empire would have turned to God. Today there would be no religion called Christianity, because Jesus would have united the world into one family under God.

"I am coming soon"

Why did Jesus say to his disciples he would return soon by coming in a dramatic way on the clouds? There are two reasons. First, Jesus knew if he spoke clearly about another man coming as a Second Messiah there would be too much confusion caused by so many people saying they were the one. 

The other reason was that Jesus wanted to keep the disciples faith at a high point. He knew that the disciples and all mankind would suffer because of the terrible mistake of the crucifixion. If he told the disciples clearly of the coming persecution, he was afraid they would lose their heart and zeal. Rev. 22:20 says,"Surely I am coming soon." And in Matthew 10:23 Jesus said, "...for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel, before the Son of man comes." In Matthew 16:28, he said,"Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom." In these passages Jesus was saying that the Second Coming would take place very soon. Of course, Jesus did not return in their lifetime. Why did Jesus lead them to think he would?

Jesus wanted Christianity to survive the terrible persecution it had ahead of it. Because the disciples felt Jesus' return was imminent they were encouraged and remained dedicated and had the strength to build the early Christian Church.

Historians have discovered that Jesus was actually born in 4 B.C. 392 from 4 B.C. is 396 years which matches the 400 years of slavery in Egypt within 2 or 3 percent. Just as God sent a liberator, Moses, to the Israelites, God sent the liberator Theodocius to the Christians. Theodocius was flawed like Moses. Moses was not able to enter Canaan because of his mistakes and Theodocius was not able to keep the Roman Empire as God's central nation. We have written a separate book on why God abandoned Rome and moved His focus to the Germanic peoples who he hoped would build a Holy Roman Empire. You can read the entire book, Why Rome Fell: God's Providence from Jesus to Sun Myung Moon at www.DivinePrinciple.com. 




Jewish History                     Christian History

400

Preparation 2nd Adam

.

210

Jewish Captivity

.

400

Divided Kingdoms

.

120

United Kingdom

.

400

Period Of Judges

.

400

Persecution In Egypt

Persecution in Roman Empire


 


 

The second period of Jewish history was the 400-year period of Judges, a feudal period. Christianity also went through 400 years of a feudal era called the Dark Ages ruled by Patriarchs. The five most influential Patriarchs were the bishops of Rome, Constantinople, Antioch, Alexandria, and Jerusalem. The Bishop of Rome eventually became the leading patriarch and was called "Pope."

The period of Judges ended when Samuel anointed Saul King. The period of Patriarchs ended when Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne King on Christmas day, 800 A.D.

392 to 800 is 408 years. Again, Christian history matches Jewish history by 2 to 3 percent.


Jewish History                     Christian History

400

Preparation 2nd Adam

.

210

Jewish Captivity

.

400

Divided Kingdoms

.

120

United Kingdom

.

400

Period Of Judges

Period of Patriarchs

400

Persecution In Egypt

Persecution in Roman Empire


After the 400-year period of Judges came the period of the United Kingdom. Likewise, Charlemagne created a united Christian Kingdom.

Charlemagne's favorite book was Augustine's City of God and he felt he had a mission to unite Europe and create a model Christian empire. Under his charismatic leadership he encouraged the building of schools. It was like a renaissance but, unfortunately, the Kingdom was divided after three generations under the leadership of his son, and later his grandsons. The period of the United Christian Kingdom ended in 919 when Henry I was crowned. Eight hundred to 919 is 119 years. This compares with the 120 years of the Israelite United Kingdom.

 

At the end of the United Kingdom of Israel, the chosen people were split into two camps -- North Israel and South Judah. Likewise, the chosen people, the Christians, were divided into two camps, the East Franks which became Germany, and the West Franks, later to become France.

The dates in the Parallels of History are not arbitrary. They are precise. For example, if we study what historians say of the period around the year 919 we see that the Principle is true. For example, the book History of Germany begins by saying, "In the year 911 the German tribes elected a Frankish duke to be their King. After his early death their choice fell upon the Saxon duke Henry, who was successful in compelling homage of the remaining tribes (in 919). These events revealed the will of the scattered German peoples to form one corporate whole; they laid the foundation of the German State, and may be regarded as the beginning of German History.

And as for the history of France we read in an encyclopedia, "The development of France as a nation was a long process, the first stage of which is the division of the Carolinian Empire. The Carolinian empire was the empire of Charlemagne's family."

Germany was the Abel side and France was the Cain side in this division. There was also division, called the Great Schism, between the Pope of Rome and the patriarch of Constantinople. Today the division in Catholicism is between the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Church.

During this period the Roman Catholic Church grew in strength. The Pope was as powerful during the Middle Ages as many Kings. But the church became corrupt with its wealth and power. And just as God sent prophets to Israel and Judah to chastise and raise the people, God sent monastics such as St. Bernard, Thomas Aquinas, and St. Francis to bring reformation but many church leaders continued in corruption.

Because the Israelites refused to listen to the prophets, Israel was invaded. Likewise, because the Christian Church did not listen to God's messengers, the Holy Land was invaded. Crusades were formed to preserve them but each was unsuccessful.

The end of the Jewish Divided Kingdoms came when Judah was taken captive and exiled to Babylon. In Christian history, the divided empire ended in 1309 when the Pope was exiled to Avignon, France. The 390 years from 919 to 1309 correspond to the 400 years in Jewish history.

The King of France moved the papal court from Rome to Avignon to keep close watch over the Pope. This period of exile lasted from 1309 to 1377. This period of nearly 70 years is called the "Babylonian Captivity of the Church." After 70 years of exile in Babylon, the Israelites were freed and went home. After 70 years papal exile, Christianity tried to rebuild itself. But there were troubles. At one time the church had three Popes. Order finally was established, but the church government fell into corruption again.

In Jewish history, after the Babylonian captivity and return, a reformer, Malachi appeared. After the papal captivity and return, the German, Martin Luther, another reformer appeared in 1517.

The Christian captivity and return lasted from 1309 to 1517, a total of 208 years. This matches the 210-year period of Jewish captivity and return.

Four hundred years after Malachi came the period of the preparation for the Second Adam. Likewise, God spent 400 years after Martin Luther to prepare the world for the Third Adam.


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