Foundation Day

From Egypt to Canaan

Lancaster Gate

19th January 2013

The course to restore the substantial Canaan under the leadership of Christ at the second advent

While Moses could enter Canaan only in spirit, Joshua walked the national course as a substantial course and actually conquered the promised land. Likewise, while Jesus has been restoring Canaan as a worldwide spiritual realm, Christ at the Second Advent is to complete this third worldwide course as a substantial course and build the actual Kingdom of Heaven on earth. Christ at the Second Advent must realize, on earth, God’s ideal which was left unfulfilled at the First Coming.

Jacob

The pattern for the natural subjugation of Satan

Moses

Joshua

JesusTrue Parents

Family National World

What were the Hebrews doing in Egypt?• Abraham’s faith in God’s promise “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to

number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.

Genesis15:5-6

• Abraham doubts God’s promise “I am the Lord who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans

to give you this land to possess.” But he said, “O Lord God, how am I to know that I shall possess it?”

Genesis 15:7-8

Restoring the foundation of faith

Dove & pigeon

Ram & goat

HeiferGod

Abraham

Central person

Offering

Completion

Growth

Formation

What did the offerings represent?Previous symbolic offeringsGenerations: Adam, Noah, Abraham

Why the heavy ‘punishment’?

Condition

Satan God

Curse Blessing

Condition decides ownership

Greater indemnity Lesser indemnity

Satan claimed 400 year period Noah Abraham

Foundation of faith

Foundation of substance

Foundation for the Messiah

Offering - Word of God

Moses

40 years

Remove sinful natureUnity between Moses and Hebrews

National foundation to receive the messiah

And the Word became flesh

Divine grace + Human will → God’s will

What does this mean in practice for the individual?• Foundation of faith

• Living a life of prayer, study, tithing and a clear conscience

• Foundation of substance• Saying sorry to anyone you have hurt or

offended• Forgiving anyone who has hurt or offended

you

What does this mean in practice for the society?• Foundation of faith

– A spiritual community so that when the messiah comes they can understand him

• Foundation of substance– A spiritual community in which there is

freedom of belief– Cain does not kill Abel– Rule of law

What was life like in Egypt?

• Jacob took family into Egypt

• Prospered and multiplied

• Now there arose a new king over Egypt who did not know Joseph.

Exodus 1:8

• Building projects– Ramses, Pithom

• SlaveryGoshen where Hebrews thought to have lived

What is a slave society like?

• Someone’s property– Bought and sold

• No freedom– Movement– Religion– Work

• No family life

First national course to restore Canaan

What should have happened next?

God

MosesHebrews

1. Loved Moses2. Respected Moses as mediator3. Listened to Moses4. Multiplied goodness

“Who made you a prince and judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid, and thought, “Surely the thing is known.” Ex. 2:14

What did happen?

1st national foundation to receive the messiahfailed

Canaan 21 days

Why 21 days?• Egypt to Canaan• Time from ark landing till Noah left• Time to reach maturity – 21 years• Dwells in direct dominion of God• Hebrews to move from slavery to freedom

in 21 days• From obedience to responsibility• Is it possible?• What needs to change?

Where is all this happening?

Ramsees

•

21 days route

Moses fled

Second national course to restore Canaan

What conditions should be established in the second course?

God

Moses

Foundation of faithCentral person: Moses

Object: Word - tablets

Time period: 40 years

Hebrews

Foundation of substanceHebrews should

Love,

Respect,

Listen to and

Multiply goodness

Exodus

Second course of restoration into Canaan

The first foundation for the tabernacle

God woos the Hebrews

“You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed hearken to my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”

Exodus 19:4-6

How did the people respond?

So Moses came and called the elders of the people and set before them all these words that the Lord had commanded him. All the people answered together and said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do.” And Moses reported the words of the people to the Lord. And the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I am coming to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and may also believe you for ever.”

Exodus 19:7-9

Words, words, words . . .• 7 pictogram writing

systems– Elite hierarchical societies

• First alphabet was Semitic– Equal society – literacy– Western & Indian alphabets

descended from it

• Kingdom of priests• Study word of God

– Equality before God & law– Equality of access to law

Proto-Sinaitic script 1950 BC

How did the people prepare to receive God?• 3 days of purification• Consecration - prayer• Wash and clean

clothes• Apologised to and

forgave family, friends, neighbours and enemies

God descends on Mount SinaiExodus 19

How was the covenant made?

Moses rose early in the morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve pillars, for the twelve tribes of Israel. And he sent young men to sacrifice oxen to the Lord. And Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he threw against the altar. Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. And they said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will attend him.” And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.”

Exodus 24:4-8

Becoming the people of God

Foundation day of the Jewish people 3500 years ago

Fifty days after Exodus

Pentecost – Foundation of the Christian church

Celebrating the covenant

Moses and Aaron, and the seventy elders of Israel went up and saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a pavement made of sapphire, clear as the sky itself. But God did not raise his hand against these leaders of the Israelites; they saw God, and they ate and drank.

Exodus 24:9-11

The elders before the throne of God

What was change of lineage?

• Change of identity to the people of God

• Change from Satan’s way of life to God’s way of life

What is Satan’s way of life?

• False sense of identity• Things are purpose of life• Bad language• Workaholic or fun loving• Disrespecting parents

What is Satan’s way of life?

• Violence and murder• Promiscuity• Stealing• Lying• Envy

The Ten Words challenge Satan’s tradition and

establish the minimum for living a righteous life

The Ten Words

1. I am the Lord your God. You shall have no other gods before me

2. You shall not make a graven image

3. You shall not take the Lord’s name in vain

4. Remember the Sabbath

5. You shall honour your father and your mother

The Ten Words

• You shall not murder• You shall not commit adultery• You shall not steal• You shall not bear false witness• You shall not covet

Development of the moral life

“You shall not wrong a stranger or oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 22:20)

Earliest appearance of empathy in ancient world

Empathy and compassion the basis of morality

What is the Biblical attitude to the law?I rejoice in following your statutes

as one rejoices in great riches. I shall walk at liberty,

for I have sought out your precepts. How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Your statutes are wonderful; therefore I keep them. Streams of tears flow from my eyes, for your law is not followed.

Psalm 119

Law as mitzvah (act of human kindness)

• Tikkun olam– “Repairing the world” or “perfecting the world.”

• Performing ritual mitzvot hastens the messianic age

• Strengthens good spiritual forces• Makes people better which influences

society and thus the world

What was the holiness code?

• “Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the Lord your God. Keep my decrees and follow them. I am the Lord, who makes you holy.”

• “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: 'Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.’”– Many laws on sexual relations, sexual purity– Justice, animal welfare, etc.– Good diet and healthy lifestyle

Foundation of faith and substance

God

Moses

Foundation of faithCentral person: Moses

Object: Word - tabernacle

Time period: 40 days

Hebrews

Foundation of substanceHebrews should

Love,

Respect,

Listen to and

Multiply goodness AbelCain

Foundation of faith

• Central person: Moses

• Offering: Word - tablets

• Time period: 40 days scouting by 12 spies representing 12 tribes

Moses sends out 12 spies

Foundation of substance

“We came to the land. It flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. Yet the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified.”

Caleb said, “Let us go up at once and occupy; for we are well able to overcome it.”

Numbers 13:27-30

Satan invades

• “We are not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.” So they brought to the people of Israel an evil report.”

• People lamented• “Let us choose a captain and return to Egypt.”• Only 2 spies, Joshua and Caleb, argue against them12

spies

God

Moses

Moses pleads with God

God: “How long will this people despise me? I will strike them and disinherit them, and I will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they.”

Moses replied: “The Egyptians will hear of it.”

Moses reminded God of what he had said, “The Lord is slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity . . . Pardon the iniquity of this people.”

Numbers 14:11-13, 18-19

40 days becomes 40 years

“According to the number of days in which you spied out the land, forty days, for every day a year, you shall bear your iniquity, forty years, and you shall know my displeasure.” Numbers 14:34

• All those over 20 years old to die in the wilderness

• Some decide to enter Canaan immediately– Defeated

Korah’s rebellion

•  Korah and 250 chiefs of the congregation They assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! For all in the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?” Numbers 16: 2-3

Third foundationfor the tabernacle

Three failures to lay foundation for the

tabernacle

Satan invades the second national course to restore Canaan

Third national course to restore Canaan

Foundation of faith and substance

God

Moses

Foundation of faithCentral person: Moses

Object: Word - tablets

Time period: 40 years

Hebrews

Foundation of substanceHebrews should

Love,

Respect,

Listen to and

Multiply goodness

M e d i t e r r a n e a n S e aC A N A A N

Rameses

E G Y P T

Mt. SinaiM I D I A N

SINAI PENINSULA

Wandering in the wilderness

Kadesh-barnea

40 years

Jericho

Starting out from Kadesh

Miriam died there and was buried there. Now there was no water for the congregation; and they assembled themselves against Moses and Aaron.The Lord said to Moses, “Take the rod and tell the rock before their eyes to yield its water.”

Numbers 20:1,2,8

Moses strikes the rock

Moses makes a mistake

“Hear now, you rebels; shall we bring forth water for you out of this rock?” And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his rod twice; and water came forth.

And the Lord said, “Because you did not believe in me to sanctify me in the eyes of the people, you shall not bring this assembly into the land I have given them.”

Numbers 20:10-12

Why was this a problem?

Moses

=

Messiah

Restored Adam

Rock without water

Rock with

water

Rock with

water

First strike

Second strike

=

Messiah

Restored AdamFallen Adam

Joshua inherits Moses position as Abel

So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay your hand on him. Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire assembly and commission him in their presence. Give him some of your authority so the whole Israelite community will listen to him.”

Numbers 27:18-20

Spying out Jericho

• Two spies go to Jericho• Rahab the prostitute

hides them• They report back:

“Truly the Lord has given all the land into our hands; and moreover the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of us.”

Joshua 2:24

Rahab and the spies

Setting out for Canaan

• 3 days before Jordan• Ark crossed the river• Took 12 stones• Built altar• Circumcised people• Celebrated Passover• Met commander of

the army of the LordCrossing the River Jordan

with the Ark of the Covenant

Capture of Jericho

• 40,000 soldiers• 7 priests blowing

trumpets• 6 times circled city• 7th day shouted• Walls came down• Defeated 31 kings

Circling Jericho with trumpets and Ark

The national level foundation

to receive the Messiahwas established

Settled in Canaan

• Loose confederation• Charismatic

leadership – Judges• God was their King• Gideon told them, "I will

not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The Lord will rule over you.”

Judges 8:23

• Ruled by law• Justice chief value

“The government of the Israelites was a federation, held together by no political authority, but by the unity of race and faith, and founded, not on physical force, but on a voluntary covenant. The principle of self-government was carried out not only in each tribe, but in every group of at least 120 families; and there was neither privilege of rank, nor inequality before the law. Monarchy was so alien to the primitive spirit of the community that it was resisted by Samuel.”

The History of Freedom and Other Essaysby John Acton

The people demand a king

• People said to Samuel: “We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.”

• God replied to Samuel: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.”

Samuel 9

What will the king do?

• God warned the people that a king would:– Conscript their sons as soldiers– Turn their daughters into servants– Take best fields and vineyards– Take one tenth of harvest– Take one tenth of flocks–“You shall be his slaves”

How did David inherit the throne?

Saul

Jonathan David Goliath

Satan

Samuel

Providence for the start

AbelCain

Won love and respect

Offered his position

Filialpiety

Tried to kill

Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul.And Jonathan gave his robe and armour and sword and bow to David. I Samuel 18:3-4

Filialpiety

Own sons corrupt

Reign of Solomon

Song of SolomonProverbs of SolomonBuilt TempleTemple completion of Exodus

How did Solomon build the temple?

King Solomon conscripted labourers from all Israel—30,000 men. He sent them off to Lebanon in shifts of 10,000 a month, so that they spent one month in Lebanon and two months at home. Adoniram was in charge of the forced labour. Solomon had 70,000 carriers and 80,000 stonecutters in the hills, as well as 3,300 foremen who supervised the project and directed the work.

I Kings 5:27-30

How was the tabernacle built?

God spoke to Moses saying: “Speak to the Israelites and have them bring Me an offering. Take My offering from everyone whose heart impels him to give . . . They shall make a Sanctuary for Me and I will dwell in them.”

Exodus 25:2,8

Solomon’s family problems

Now King Solomon loved many foreign women, along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women,  from the nations concerning which the LORD had said to the people of Israel, “You shall not enter into marriage with them, neither shall they with you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in love.

I Kings 11:1-2

What came next?

He had 700 wives, princesses, and 300 concubines. And his wives turned away his heart. For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father. So Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and did not wholly follow the LORD, as David his father had done.

I Kings 11:3,4,6

God’s judgement

And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods. But he did not keep what the LORD commanded. Therefore the LORD said to Solomon, “Since this has been your practice and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes that I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and will give it to your servant.

I Kings 11:9-11

Why did the kingdom split?

• Jeroboam chosen by God to rule 10 tribes– Ahijah the prophet (I Kings 11:27-40)– ‘If you walk in my ways . . . I will be with you.’

• Rehaboam inherits kingship from Solomon• Jeroboam and tribal leaders

– “Your father made our yoke heavy. Lighten the yoke upon us and we will serve you faithfully.”

• Rehaboam replied:– “I will add to your yoke; my father chastised

you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.”

Division

How was the kingdom divided?

What can we learn from this?• Solomon had reversed the Exodus by

reducing the Israelites to servitude• Solomon had become a new Pharaoh• Solomon was sexually immoral• Solomon became an idol-worshipper

What can we learn from this?• Indemnity means restoring the original

position• We will find ourselves in a similar situation

to historical people. We have to overcome the temptation to make the same mistakes

• This is not inevitable• This is not easy• Restoration is not repeating the mistakes

of the past but trying to do things right