Preparation for the Messiah and Second Advent (400 years)

From the time of their return from exile until the coming of Jesus, the Jews met with many foreign beliefs, and they incorporated some of the ideas into their theology and way of life. This tendency broadened the scope of their religious culture but also threatened its purity.

In the 400 years following the papal exile and return, the Christian Church also encountered new modes of thought, such as those introduced through the Enlightenment.

These, too, have had both beneficial and adverse effects on the interpretation of the Bible and the relationship of the Church to the secular world. The Jews rebuilt the Temple and solemnly devoted themselves to the Law of Moses during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah.

A parallel event took place in Christianity through the works of Reformers such as Luther and Calvin, who reconstituted the concept of the Church based on pious individual faith centered on the Bible.

Thus, we can see a consistent pattern throughout the last 2,000 years of Christian history that recapitulates that of the Israelites in the Old Testament. We will now turn to a more detailed examination of the modern era as the period of preparation for the Second Advent.

Two Currents in Modern History

The two great movements of the first part of this period, the Renaissance and the Reformation, were the revivals, respectively, of Hellenism and Hebraism.

The Hellenistic revival was humanistic, secular, and outward, while the Hebraic revival was biblical, spiritual, and inward. This was another expression of the principle of Cain (in the Renaissance) and Abel (in the Reformation).

It is important to note that both the Cain-type and the Abel-type approaches have an aspect of the whole truth. The Cain-type view emphasizes the body, reason, empirical evidence, and justice in the here and now, while the Abel-type view emphasizes the spirit, faith, revelation, and justice in the afterlife.

Aspects of both views are necessary in the creation of God's ideal, in which both heart and body, faith and reason are satisfied. Conversely, both views of life can be abused to create tyrannies and exploitation, whether of the atheistic or religious variety.

The Cain-type trend in the 18th century was characterized by the Enlightenment, which represents the rationalistic, liberal, humanitarian, and scientific trend of thought.

This movement penetrated every aspect of life: religion, literature, the arts, philosophy, the sciences, and political establishments.

It found expression in various forms in various parts of Europe. Enlightened religion, in the form of Deism, emerged in England. The Deists generally rejected formal religion, miracles, and supernatural revelation.

Later, Darwin's evolutionary concept was introduced, challenging the biblical account of creation. Ludwig Buchner and Ernst Haeckel championed a mechanistic materialism that left no room for God.

Furthermore, the atheistic philosophy of dialectical materialism instituted by Marx and Engels exerted a great influence in Europe and prepared the way for the advent of Communism.

On the other hand, the Abel-type view of life was represented by such phenomena as Pietism in Germany, led by Philipp Spener and Herman Francke. The Moravian Brethren, led by Count Zinzendorf, revived the study of the Bible and emphasized living by the words of God. George Whitefield and John Wesley preached their fiery revival message across Britain, and it was under their impassioned leadership that the Great Awakening swept the country.

They stressed transforming, regenerative change—conversion—and founded the Methodist church. In America, fervent preachers like Jonathan Edwards also led revivals, and the Great Awakening electrified the people in many parts of the nation.

The mystical enlightenment of George Fox led him to form the Society of Friends, or Quakers, in which deep and simple faith was practiced. Emanuel Swedenborg, another spiritually gifted leader, explored the mysteries and wonders of the spirit world.

Through his monumental writings, he revealed the unseen reality and helped people to experience the immediacy of God's presence.

The philosophical systems of Kant, Fichte, Hegel, Schelling, and Schleiermacher helped to mold a spiritually constructive view of life, in contrast to the contemporary mechanistic and materialistic theories.

Industrial Revolution

Meanwhile, the Industrial Revolution began in England. Striking changes in economic structure were produced by the transition from a stable agricultural society to modern industrialism.

Machines had been made of wood and driven by water and wind power. In the 18th century, the change to steam power was made by James Watt. Other inventions included the spinning frame and the power loom.

England became the world textile center. Coal mining and steel production gained paramount importance. The effect of industrialism has been worldwide; whole nations have been transformed by this revolution.

The providential purpose behind the Industrial Revolution was to better economic conditions and to improve the physical environment in preparation for the New Age.

Emergence of Democracy and Imperialism

The American Revolution established the first national democratic government, inspired by the principle of inalienable human rights granted by God to all human beings.

The fruits of the Protestant emphasis on individual faith and responsibility thus fused with the Enlightenment's emphasis on human rights and resulted in a God-affirming republic that guaranteed religious freedom and minority rights.

On the other hand, during the French Revolution, which started in 1789, the monarchy was ousted, and the First Republic was established. It was inspired by atheistic philosophers whose motive was to destroy absolute monarchy and replace it with relatively unbridled popular rule.

This resulted in much bloodshed born of a spirit of revenge, mob rule, and anti-religious feeling. Imperialism emerged in the West with the rise of the modern national states and the age of exploration and discovery. As the Industrial Revolution progressed, it became necessary for those states to find new markets and sources of raw materials.

Through colonies, European hegemony was introduced by force, with an assumed superiority over the native peoples. The Spanish, Portuguese, British, and French, motivated by mercantilism, built vast empires.

Missionary Movement

In addition to the sweeping changes in the outward conduct of life, there were two outstanding religious developments: the organization of worldwide Protestant missions and the rapid expansion of the Sunday School movement. In missionary activity, the Catholics had long shown the way through the Jesuit movement.

When the Dutch established trading stations in the East Indies in the 17th century, they encouraged missionaries to follow them.

The Church of England felt a responsibility for the American Indians and organized the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in New England.

European empires sent Christian missionaries to colonies; thus, even imperialism helped to evangelize the remote parts of the world. The Quakers sent missionaries to the West Indies, Palestine, and various parts of Europe.

The Moravians vigorously fostered missions during the 18th century. The Baptist Society for Propagating the Gospel among the Heathen sent William Carey to India. In 1795, an interdenominational group formed the London Missionary Society.

Several other denominational missionary societies were formed. To match the vigor of British efforts at expansion of the Christian world, the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions was formed. Similar organizations were subsequently formed in other American churches.

Denmark, Germany, France, and Switzerland also founded such societies. Robert Raikes organized the first Sunday School in England in 1780. Following this, the Sunday School movement became a significant feature of the religious life of the 19th century. It spread rapidly through the British Isles, the European continent, and the North American continent.

In 1907, the World Sunday School Association was organized. These missionary movements had a pronounced quickening effect on the life of churches all over the world, and the entire climate of Christian life was changed.

They brought the awareness of Christ and his prophecies to the world to prepare the people for the Second Coming. With the dawn of the 20th century, incalculable benefits to Christendom as a whole were realized from the development of worldwide fellowship among Christians of every culture and color.

The 220th-century movements toward unity are a clear expression of God's will that mankind be united at this time.

The establishment of the League of Nations and then of the United Nations, the formation of the Common Market, the desire for integration, and the recent ecumenical councils and church mergers are unusually vivid signs of the current transition from division and separation to union and unity.

Mass communication media and faster means of travel have drawn people together from opposite parts of the globe. In this advancing world situation, we see the pattern of divine preparation.

Both the hearts of people and their physical environments have been constantly developed so that people may be ready for the Cosmic Event, the Second Advent of the Lord.

Birth Pangs of the Messianic Era

During the last century, there were three universal events of great note: World War I, World War II, and the Cold War. Let us examine the providential significance of these events regarding the Second Advent.

There are always political, economic, and ideological factors behind the outbreak of wars, but these are external causes. In light of the dispensation of restoration, there is providential significance, or inner cause, as well.

World War I

Conflict arose between Austria-Hungary and Serbia when a Serbian national assassinated the Austrian Archduke Ferdinand. This conflict was vastly intensified when Germany, a great military power under Wilhelm II, joined forces with Austria-Hungary and declared war.

Wilhelm's ambition was to expand his dominion from Germany to Europe and throughout the world. Following his threatening declaration, nations aligned themselves either with Germany and the Central Powers or against Germany, with the Allies. In this struggle, the Allies represented the forces of Abel and the Central Powers, the forces of Cain. By defeating the Central Powers, the Allies frustrated the intention of Wilhelm II.

Wilhelm's dream of world domination was not unique in the long history of would-be conquerors. However, because of Wilhelm's time in history, his role was one of special symbolic significance.

Wilhelm's plan was the Satanic imitation of Adam's mission of perfection and dominion. With Wilhelm's defeat by the Allies, a condition of indemnity was made on which the Formation Stage of the final dispensation could come.

World War II

The primary political causes of World War II were the aggressive policies of the Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, and Japan. Both Japan and Italy were anti-Christian and anti-democratic and played a Satanic role.

Hitler, with his National Socialism, believed that he had established German domination for a thousand years, and therefore should rule what he considered the inferior races.

Hitler, with his ambition to rule the world under false principles of racial superiority and anti-Semitism, was the satanic imitation of Jesus, who sought to establish one world under God. With the victory of the Allies, indemnity was paid, by which the Growth Stage of the final dispensation could be revealed.

The Cold War

The third great universal threat was the emergence of the Soviet Empire, with its anti-Christian ideology, as the greatest single power on the Eurasian continent.

The ambition of Stalin to bring the entire world under the Communist yoke, thwarting the fulfillment of God's providence, represented the world of Satan as opposed to the world of freedom and good, which the Lord of the Second Advent will establish under God.

Communism represented the final fruit of the most satanic elements in the Cain-type view of life: absolute denial of God, the totalitarian state in which civil liberties must be sacrificed to the "dictatorship of the proletariat," and the suspension of the right to private ownership and thus the abrogation of the blessing of personal dominion over creation.

Furthermore, the Marxist-Leninist ideology affirmed a doctrine of world conquest led by the Leninist parties centered on the Soviet Union. For this reason, Communism can never ultimately co-exist with Christianity, democracy, and the principle of responsible economic freedom.

In this final struggle, the Communist bloc represents Cain, and the Democratic powers represent Abel.

Joseph Stalin represented the completion stage of the satanic attempt to establish a unified world based on false principles antithetical to God's Principle.

In Satan's third attempt to fulfill his ambition, he must be conquered, either militarily or spiritually. If a spiritual victory is gained, military conflict will be unnecessary and unthinkable.

If military victory is achieved, it must be followed by spiritual victory. Through this final conflict, good will subjugate evil to bring about a unified world. The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 signified the beginning of the end of the Soviet Empire and the world movement of Communism.

It is now only a matter of time before the Communist ideology disappears as a real force on the world scene. In this Satanic world, the false always appears first and imitates the truth, thus confusing people.

God's final dispensation, that of the Second Advent, has developed in three stages. The first stage was the birth of the Lord of the Second Advent. This was preceded by the opposing force of Wilhelm II, who caused World War I.

The next stage was the start of the New Messiah's ministry, which was preceded by the emergence of Hitler, who caused World War II. The completion stage is the initial fulfillment of the Lord's mission, the role of Jacob in the scope of world restoration, which was marked by an event in 1960.

This was preceded by the opposing force of the Communist regime of the Soviet Union, centered on Stalin. As Jesus was confronted by three temptations in the wilderness, so mankind in the last stage of God's providence had to endure three global trials.

The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years before entering Canaan.

The 40 years following World War II represent the period in the wilderness for the whole of mankind, which is about to enter the universal Canaan.

Nations suffer from hunger, fear, and insecurity both physically and spiritually, just as the people of Israel suffered all these things in the wilderness. Confusion and chaos prevail universally.

However, the universal Canaan is now near, and the travail of the universal wilderness will soon come to an end. The sheep of God will hear His voice even amid the chaos, and the wise virgins will know the coming of their Bridegroom even at midnight. (Matt. 25:1-13)

Contrary to what many may think in the face of such widespread world turmoil, international crises, and chaos, we are today living in a most glorious age. Those who are alert may see the dawn of the New Day.