Prophets and Messengers

For as long as the kingdoms of this world have fallen short of the standards of God’s kingdom, God has raised up prophets and messengers to represent Heaven’s righteousness and call worldly leaders to account.

These men and women put their lives at risk to speak out for justice and proclaim a higher vision of community. They stepped forward believing that they could prick the consciences of the powerful, that they might listen and turn away from evil, that their nation might avoid disaster.

The role of prophet is not limited to those rare founders of religion who were especially chosen to bring God’s revelation into the world, though some like Muhammad, are called such.

People taking up the prophetic mantle include saints and righteous people of every age and in every culture, who dared to remind the rulers of their day of truths that were first revealed long ago.

Often they must recast Heaven’s message into contemporary terms. In their number we include Socrates and Mencius, and if space permitted we would add modern figures such as St. Francis of Assisi, Martin Luther, Nichiren, Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr., to name but a few. In that sense, Father Moon has been called a prophet, and some of his prophecies are included here. The prophets spoke challenging words that made powerful people uncomfortable; therefore they were persecuted, ridiculed and put to death.

Some, like Nathan and Mencius, sought to protect themselves by couching the truth in parables in order to catch the ruler’s conscience. But most were unable to keep in their ruler’s good graces.

The prophet Jeremiah, for example, was jailed several times. He revealed his inner struggle as he proceeded on his dangerous course. An attribute of prophecy is the ability to predict the future. Yet prophets are no mere fortunetellers.

Their gift gives them confidence to speak with authority on affairs of state. The prophet’s predictions are accurate because of his or her close relationship with God, in whose hand lies the destinies of the nations.

The Mission of a Prophet

Every nation has its messenger. Once their messenger comes, judgment will be passed upon them in all fairness and they will not be wronged. They will say, “When will this promise be, if you have been telling the truth?” Say, “I possess no harm nor any advantage by myself, except concerning whatever God may wish. Every nation has a term; whenever their term comes, they will not postpone it for an hour nor advance it.” Qur’an 10.47-49

Now the word of the Lord came to me [Jeremiah], saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you you shall go, and whatever I command you you shall speak. Be not afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord.” Then the Lord put forth his hand and touched my mouth; and the Lord said to me, “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth. See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.” Jeremiah 1.4-10

I am that gadfly which God has attached to the state, and all day long and in all places am always fastening upon you, arousing and persuading and reproaching you. Socrates, in Plato, Apology (Hellenism)

The word of the Lord came to me, “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. If I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you will have saved your life.”20 Ezekiel 3.16-19

I cannot and will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand, I can do no other, so help me God. Amen. Martin Luther (Christianity)

Teachings of Sun Myung Moon
What was God’s purpose in sending saints and prophets to this earth? It was to educate all people about the meaning of God’s true love by demonstrating the character and exemplary life that God desires.

Especially God wanted them to educate the political leadership, and other leaders also, that they might practice the ways of God. Together they were to realize harmony between the world of the mind [religion] and the world of body [politics and economy] centered on God’s true love.

However, as the body often does not follow what the conscience requires, many rulers did not recognize the prophets and holy men who came to them. They refused their teachings and ignored their warnings.

Who can take responsibility to solve the tragedies and evils in contemporary society: confusion of values, moral corruption, drug addiction, terrorism, racial discrimination, and so on? Can politicians completely solve them with their political power?

Politicians carry a great responsibility and burden in the decisions and choices they make. Especially in this age, when societies are more pluralistic than ever and nations are linked in a network of interdependence, it is crucial for leaders to take responsibility for making right judgments and decisions! Therefore, when leaders are about to make important decisions, I urge them to listen humbly to the voice coming from Heaven and look for solutions through following the heavenly way. (219:110, August 27, 1991)

This world needs prophets, not philosophers. You can’t deny it. Did democratic thought originate with philosophers or prophets? Who were its primary exponents? We need to analyze it and come up with a clear answer. How about communism? It was put forward by philosophers.

People of the world today follow what philosophers advocate, but we cannot completely accept their theories. From this viewpoint, the theories of the philosophers will pass away while the words of the prophets will endure. Where are philosophers? They are at universities. Where are prophets?

They are among religious believers. Do people give more respect to religion or to universities? They prefer the universities. All right then, where can we find hope, in universities or in religion? Clearly, in religion.

We can find hope in a nameless religion rather than at world-famous Harvard, Cambridge, or Oxford. Among the prophets, were many of them scholars, or were they mostly uneducated people?

They were mostly uneducated people. Yet conventionally, people put more trust in scholars than in the uneducated people we call prophets. From this viewpoint, we can conclude that the world is headed in the wrong direction. (79:334, September 28, 1975)

Churches must educate families, tribes and nations to go the right path. They are like the prophets in the past, who admonished their kings, especially when they were on the wrong track, and guided them to do right.

Likewise, God is utilizing churches as the womb to give birth to families, tribes and peoples who will lead the future world. (106:35, November 11, 1979)

Speaking Truth to Power

The most excellent jihad is the uttering of truth in the presence of an unjust ruler. Hadith of Tirmidhi (Islam)

And the Lord sent Nathan to David. He came to him, and said to him, “There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. The rich man had very many flocks and herds, but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children; it used to eat of his morsel, and drink from his cup, and lie in his bosom, and it was like a daughter to him. Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him, but he took the poor man’s lamb, and prepared it for the man who had come to him.” Then David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die; and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.” Nathan said to David, “You are the man. Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul; and I gave you your master’s wives into your bosom, and gave you the house of Israel and Judah; and if this were too little, I would add to you as much more. Why have you despised the word of the Lord, to do what is evil in his sight? You have smitten Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and have taken his wife to be your wife, and have slain him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’”23 2 Samuel 12.1-10

Mencius went to P’ing Lu. “Would you or would you not,” said he to the governor, “dismiss a lancer who has failed three times in one day to report for duty?” “I would not wait for the third time.” “But you yourself have failed to report for duty many times. In years of famine close to a thousand of your people suffered, the old and the young being abandoned in the gutter, the able-bodied scattered in all directions.” “It was not within my power to do anything about this.” “Supposing a man were entrusted with the care of cattle and sheep. Surely he ought to seek pasturage and fodder for the animals. If he found that this could not be done, should he return his charge to the owner or should he stand by and watch the animals die?” “In this I am at fault.” Mencius II.B.4 (Confucianism)

Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel; the land is not able to bear all his words. For thus Amos has said, ‘Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel must go into exile away from his land.’ ” And Amaziah said to Amos, “O seer, go flee away to the land of Judah, and eat bread there, and prophesy there; but never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king’s sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom.” Then Amos answered Amaziah, “I am no prophet, nor one of the sons of the prophets; but I am a herdsman, and a dresser of sycamore trees, and the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’ “Now therefore hear the word of the Lord. 24 You say, ‘Do not prophesy against Israel, and do not preach against the house of Isaac.’ Therefore thus says the Lord: ‘Your wife shall be a harlot in the city, and your sons and daughters shall fall by the sword, and your land shall be parceled out by line; you yourself shall die in an unclean land, and Israel shall surely go into exile away from its land.’ ” Amos 7.10-17

Has not the history of those before you reached you: the folk of Noah, and ‘Ad and Thamud, and those after them? None save God knows them. Their messengers came to them with clear proofs, but they thrust their hands into their mouths, and said, “Lo! we disbelieve in that with which you have been sent, and lo! we are in grave doubt concerning that to which you call us.” Their messengers said, “Can there be doubt concerning God, the Creator of the heavens and the earth? He calls you that He may forgive you your sins and reprieve you until an appointed term.” They said, “You are but mortals like us, who would fain turn us away from what our fathers used to worship. Then bring us some clear warrant.” Their messengers said to them, “We are but mortals like you, but God gives grace to whom He will of His slaves. It is not ours to bring you a warrant unless by the permission of God. In God let believers put their trust! How should we not put our trust in God when He has shown us His ways? We surely will endure the hurt you do to us. In God let the trusting put their trust!” And those who disbelieved said to their messengers, “Verily we will drive you out from our land, unless you return to our religion.” Then their Lord inspired them, “Verily we shall destroy the wrongdoers, and verily We shall make you to dwell in the land after them. This is for him who fears My Majesty and fears My threats.” And they sought help from their Lord, and every froward potentate was brought to naught.25 Qur’an 14.9-15

A king who does what is not righteous and not suitable is mostly praised by his subjects, for it is hard to know what he will or will not tolerate; therefore it is hard to know what is useful or not to say. If useful but unpleasant words are hard to speak to someone else, what could I, a monk, say to a king who is a lord of the great earth? But because of my affection for you and through my compassion for all beings, I tell you without hesitation that which is useful but unpleasant. O steadfast one, if true words are spoken without anger, one should take them as fit to be heard, like water fit for bathing. Realize that I am telling you what is useful here and later. Act on it so as to help yourself and also others. Nagarjuna, Precious Garland 301-6 (Buddhism)

Teachings of Sun Myung Moon
The time will come when religious leaders who speak for the will of God will rise to prominence. Religious leaders are prophets. They must stand up fearlessly, declare God’s Will, and point the way for humanity to go. (January 22, 2000)

In the period of the divided kingdoms of north and south, whenever the Israelites violated their covenant with God, straying from the ideal of the Temple, God sent many prophets—such as Elijah, Isaiah and Jeremiah—to admonish them and move them to repentance and internal reform.

However, because the kings and the people did not heed the warnings of the prophets and did not repent, God chastised them externally by sending gentile nations such as Syria, Assyria and Babylon to attack them.

During the parallel period of the divided kingdoms of east and west, the papacy was corrupt. God sent prominent monks such as St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Francis of Assisi to admonish the papacy and promote internal reform in the Church. (Exposition of the Divine Principle, Parallels 4)

The truth of God never changes; it is the same in the past, the present and the future. In Old Testament times, whenever the rulers of Israel acted wickedly, God raised up prophets to admonish them.

If the rulers heeded the prophets, obeyed God’s word, and ruled the nation according to His word, then the nation would prosper. The Christian era was no different.

In evil times God sent prophets to awaken the rulers of their age and warn them to follow God. If a ruler heeded their words, the land would revive and become prosperous. This method worked rather well until the end of the Middle Ages. But then came the modern period with the doctrine of separation of church and state, the belief that religious leaders should have nothing to do with politics. This was an omen of the nation’s downfall.

It deprived society of the channel of communication between civil authorities and God. From that time on, Satan began to sharpen his daggers. Today, I am speaking out against the mistakes of the American government. When the Carter administration made mistakes, I criticized them, saying “This is wrong.” I shook hands with President Nixon, cooperating with him not because I needed him, but to introduce God’s word to the American people.

If Nixon had listened to me, America would not have declined as it did and Vietnam would not have fallen. In 1974, I met President Thieu of Vietnam and strongly warned him that his country was on the path of ruin unless it changed direction.

I told that he would have to inspire the people of his nation to sacrifice and put up a determined fight, and that his policy of relying on America would fail. God’s way is the same throughout history. He always raises a prophet or messenger to educate the rulers and civil authorities. I did not come to America to be active in politics.

I want to educate the politicians to go in the right direction. This is my way of life. Do you think I came to America to get rich? Do you think I came here to receive abuse? I am not so foolish. I am doing this work for the sake of God’s name.

God told me plainly, “Go to America and speak out. If the leaders of the nation will not listen to you, then the young people who will become its future leaders will listen to you.” That is how you come to be here listening to me now. (93:83-84, May 15, 1977)

A Prophet Endures Rejection and Persecution

Elijah said [to the Lord], “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the people of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thy altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.” 1 Kings 19.14

“Do not preach”—thus they preach—“one“one should not preach of such things; disgrace will not overtake us.” Should this be said, O house of Jacob? Is the Spirit of the Lord impatient? Are these his doings? Do not my words do good to him who walks uprightly? But you rise against my people as an enemy; you strip the robe from the peaceful, from those who pass by trustingly with no thought of war… If a man should go about and utter wind and lies, saying, “I will preach to you of wine and strong drink,” he would be the preacher for this people! Micah 2.6-11

Jeremiah stood in the court of the temple of the Lord, and said to all the people, “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Behold, I am bringing upon this city and upon all its towns all the evil that I have pronounced against it, because they have stiffened their neck, refusing to heed my words.” Now Pashhur the priest, the son of Immer, who was chief officer in the temple of the Lord, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things. Then Pashhur beat Jeremiah the prophet and put him in the stocks that were in the upper Benjamin Gate of the temple… O Lord, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived; thou art stronger than I, and thou hast prevailed. I have become a laughingstock all day; everyone mocks me. For whenever I speak, I cry out, I shout, “Violence and destruction!” For the word of the Lord has become for me a reproach and derision all day long. If I say, “I will not mention him, or speak anymore in his name,” there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot. For I hear many whispering.

Terror is on every side! “Denounce him! Let us denounce him!” say all my familiar friends, watching for my fall. “Perhaps he will be deceived, then we can overcome him, and take our revenge on him.” But the Lord is with me as a dread warrior; therefore my persecutors will stumble, they will not overcome me. They will be greatly shamed, for they will not succeed. Their eternal dishonor will never be forgotten. O Lord of hosts, who triest the righteous, who seest the heart and the mind, let me see thy vengeance upon them, for to thee have I committed my cause. Jeremiah 19.14-20.2, 7-12

[The prophets] suffered mocking and scourging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, ill-treated—of whom the world was not worthy— wandering over deserts and mountains and in dens and caves of the earth. Hebrews 11.36-38

Teachings of Sun Myung Moon
All prophets are unusual. It takes an unusual person to walk the path of Abel in search of the way of God’s Will. Whenever a prophet appears, he acts in ways that are bizarre and out of the ordinary.

All the prophets in the Old Testament and [the saints with prophetic missions] in the New Testament Age were unusual people. That is why they were ridiculed, opposed and persecuted. (89:129, November 1, 1976)

If you are in complete accord with truth and justice, then heavenly fortune will protect you completely. Heavenly fortune will strike any power that opposes you.

Hence, if I truly become an object partner to God and dwell in a place of complete harmony with Him, then even a country such as America, or even the Soviet Union, will be struck down if it opposes me. It is because I understand this principle that I can be so bold. (214:194, February 2, 1991)

In the history of God’s providence, prophets had to exercise their divine office while in the position of servants to the king. Therefore, when they spoke out the rulers attacked them, and many lost their lives.

The Lord at the Second Coming comes as the fruit of all their sacrifices; he represents all the prophets of history as he stands in the Abel position before the world’s rulers.

Therefore, I, as the True Parent cannot be a petty person. Think about the difficult course of all the prophets of history, who shed their blood and had their heads cut off. I am to harvest that fruit. Therefore, I will speak the truth regardless. Like the prophets I also went to prison—six times in fact. Like them I always stand on the front line. (343:263, February 17, 2001)

I have been experiencing Thy reality of sorrow, feeling the heart with which Thou dost face this world of enemies. I know the sorrow of my Father who cannot come out and live in the sunshine; the situation of my Father who has worked in the shadows. I have pressed on in this way of life anxious that I might become a child who resents his Father or contradicts his Father at some point.

I know that when Thou didst find me, Thou wert anxious about it also… I have determined not to despair or disappoint Thee; though I am pursued and driven out, imprisoned with both my hands in handcuffs, though I experience the lot of a slave or the lot of a servant.

I thank Thee for Thy grace of preserving my life and letting me remain in Thy presence from the day I determined to go forth until now.

How much hast Thou worked, Father, in order to establish someone like me? How much hast Thou sacrificed for the sake of the path I must go… Realizing [the extent of] Thy toil… each time I wake from sleep I cannot but beg Thee to forgive me as though I were a sinner.

While eating, I cannot help but put down my spoon and with tears ask forgiveness for my past wrongs, and each time I lay down, not being able to control my tired body, I cannot help but scold myself for not having a mind concerned about Thee… Thou art a being to be pitied. However much we might say that fellow named Moon of the Unification Church is to be pitied, it is nothing. (30:270, March 29, 1970)

A Prophet Is Given True Visions of the Future

Surely the Lord God does nothing, without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets. Amos 3.7

Write the vision; make it plain upon tablets, so that he may run who reads it. For still the vision awaits its time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seem slow, wait for it; it will surely come, it will not delay. Habakkuk 2.2-3

O Lord, your power is greater than all powers. Under your leadership, we cannot fear anything. It is you who has given us prophetic power, and has enabled us to foresee and interpret everything. Dinka Prayer (African Traditional Religion)

It is an attribute of the possession of the absolute true self to be able to foreknow. When a nation or family is about to flourish, there are sure to be lucky omens. When a nation or family is about to perish, there are sure to be signs and prodigies. These things manifest themselves in the instruments of divination and in the agitation of the human body. When happiness or calamity is about to come, it can be known beforehand. When it is good, it can be known beforehand. When it is evil, it can be known beforehand. Therefore he who has realized his true self is like a celestial spirit. Doctrine of the Mean 24 (Confucianism)

Nanak, sitting in this city of corpses, sings the Lord’s praise And enunciates this principle: He who raised this creation and in manifold pleasures engaged it, Sits apart, watching it. Holy is the Lord, holy His justice; True shall be the judgment He has pronounced. As will its body’s vesture be torn to shreds, India shall remember my word. In ‘78 they come; in ‘97 they depart— Another hero shall someday arise. Nanak utters the word of truth— Truth he utters; truth the hour calls for.26 Adi Granth, Telang, M.1, p. 722f. (Sikhism)

Teachings of Sun Myung Moon
Fifty years ago I spoke visionary words, for example, that the in the future people could travel the world in a single day. People then ridiculed me as a madman, but they all fell away; some even went crazy.

For the past fifty years and throughout my life, I prophesied the rise and fall of the world. I am today’s representative prophet, representative educator and representative loving parent; and I am rising to the position of representative owner. (397:154, November 17, 2002)

I can predict the future of America and the future of Asia. Because we have been doing things that are needed for the distant future, it has been difficult for you to follow, to believe and to act.

But with every passing year, you are gaining a new understanding of the value of what we do. For decades the Korean people attacked me and persecuted me, but the time that I had been working for has now arrived. Hence, now the Korean people have changed their attitude. (103:110, February 11, 1979)

I predicted that communism could not last beyond 73 years, [and that is precisely what happened]. The disappearance of communism from the face of the earth is not the end of war, however.

The more difficult struggle is the struggle between religions. I have been warning more about the danger of religious war between Islam, Judaism and Christianity. I predicted it more than fifty years ago. (225:19, January 1, 1992)