Chapter 1

The Age of the Providence to LayThe Age of the Providence to Laythe Foundation for Restorationthe Foundation for Restoration

The Providence of Restoration The Providence of Restoration in Adam’s Familyin Adam’s Family

Section 1

A. The Foundation of Faith

The conditional object sacrificial offering

Reason that Adam Could Not Make the Offering

1) Adam stood in the position to serve two mastersunprincipled.

The central figure Adam?

2) Fallen Adam was the very sinner who caused God’s heartache and grief.

Satan GodSatan God

Adamfirst offlock

elderbrother

youngerbrother

separation ofgood and evil

AbelCain

fruit ofthe soil

Reason that Cain and Abel Represented Evil and

Goodness, Respectively

Adam — ultimately to become Eve’s spouse

AA — never to be Eve’s spouse

heartfelt longing to return to God’s bosom

excessive desire to enjoy what it was not yet time for her to enjoy

original relationship

Eve’smotivation

1) AdamEveAA

Spiritual Fall Physical Fall

AA Eve Adam

The second act of love was more in line with the Principle and more forgivable than the first.

Abel (second fruit) signifying Eve’s second fallen act of love with Adam

Cain (first fruit) signifying Eve’s first fallen act of love with the Archangel

represents goodnessin a position to relate with God

represents evil in a position to relate with Satan

2) In the original, Principled world, God intended to raise up the eldest son and have him inherit the birthright.

Therefore, God chose to deal with Abel.

Satan took Cain.

Satan felt a strong attachment to the elder son.

Satan’s position, the “ruler of this world”

Examples from the Bible:

Gen 4:6,7 Cain had a base to relate with Satan.

Ex 12:29At midnight the Lord smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt...

Gen 25:23... “ the elder shall serve the younger.”

the central figure Abelthe conditional object the first of his flockF/F

B. The Foundation of Substance

The indemnity condition to remove the fallen nature

Cain Abel

God

AdamAA

God

AA Adam

1) Failing to take God’s standpoint

Cain should have taken God’s standpoint by loving Abel.

2) Leaving one’s proper position

Cain should have received God’s love through Abel, respecting him as God’s mediator.

3) Reversing dominion

Cain should have obediently submitted to Abel and accepted his dominion.

4) Multiplying evil

Cain should have received the Will of goodness through Abel and multiplied goodness.

Instances corresponding to the situation of Cain and Abel:

Jer 17:9The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately corrupt...

- person good leader, good friend

- fallen people all things

- body (Rom 7:25) mind (Rom 7:22)

However, Cain killed Abel

Cain repeated the sin of the Archangel; re-enacted the very process that had given rise to the original (fundamental) fallen nature.

failed to lay the F/S.

C. The Foundation for the Messiah in Adam’s Family

Due to the Fall, Adam lost:

God’s purpose of creation = the Three Great Blessings

perfection of individual character

husband and wife (parents)

dominion over all things

multiplication of children, family

F/F: symbolic offering

F/S:substantial offering

indemnity condition for the restoration of all things

indemnity condition for the restoration of the children

indemnity condition for the symbolic restoration of human beings

indemnity condition for the restoration of the parents

Adam

Cain Abel

parent

children

Adam

Cain Abel

Cain killed Abel failure of Adam’s family

D. Some Lessons from Adam’s Family

1) God’s predestination of the accomplishment of the Will: conditional (God’s 95% + human 5%)

God could not instruct Cain and Abel on how to properly make their sacrifices because it was their portion of responsibility.

2) God’s predestination of the Will: absolute

3) Fallen people must constantly seek for anAbel-type person.

God’s predestination of human beings: conditional

(Abel Seth)

The Providence of Restoration The Providence of Restoration in Noah’s Familyin Noah’s Family

Section 2

Noah himself could make the symbolic offering.

on the foundation of Abel’s loyal and faithful heart in making an acceptable symbolic offering

A. The Foundation of Faith

1. The Central Figure

Noah

a righteous man in the sight of God

Adam

Cain Abel Seth

Adam

Abel SethCain

Noah

a descendant of Seth, who had been chosen to replace Abel

2. The Conditional Object

The ark(Gen 6-8)

120 yrs 7 days 40 days 40 days 7 days 7 days 7 days

arkannouncement

of the flood

floodjudgment tops of the

mountains

raven 1st dove 2nd doveolive leaf

3rd dove

the ark the cosmos

three decks three stages of the growing period

symbols

8 members of Noah’s family

Shem

Noah

Ham Japheth Cain

Adam

Abel Seth

to restore through indemnity the8 members of Adam’s family

Noah God

his family members humanity

animals natural world

symbols

God’s Purpose for the 40-Day Flood Judgment

Flood judgment:To raise up a family who would relate only with Him.

40 days:

4PF x 10 generations = 40 defiled by Satan

“40” the number of separation from Satan to restore F/F

The Meaning of the 40-Day Period of Judgment

and the Events Surrounding the Ark

Amos 3:7“Surely the Lord God does nothing, without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.”

40-day period of judgment corresponds to the period of chaos before the creation of the universe (Gen 1:2).

The events surrounding the ark symbolized the entire course of history following God’s creation of heaven and earth.

raven Satan

symbols

3rd dove LSA (the third Adam)

olive leaf spiritual salvation

2nd dove Jesus (the second Adam)

1st dove the first Adam

Noah disembarked from the ark and walked upon the earth

Rev 21:1-4Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God ... “Behold, the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away.”

the new Jerusalem will descend from Heaven and the dwelling of God will be with men.

Rev 21:1-4Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God ...

3. The Numerical Period

120 years, 40 days, 21 days, 40 days

B. The Foundation of Substance

Adam

youngerbrother

elderbrother

F/F

GodAdam

Cain Abel

Ham

condition of oneness with Noah’s heart to stand in Abel’s position

Shem

youngerbrother

elderbrother

F/F

Noah

Shem

Noah lying nakedindemnity condition to restore Adam’s family

Ham showed that he was still in Satan’s lineage

condition for Satan to enter.

Ham could not restore the position of Abel

could not establish the F/S.

Ham’s failure — ashamed of Noah’s nakedness and acted to cover it up.

C. Some Lessons from Noah’s Family

1) Criticism and action from a self-centered viewpoint failure

God’s predestination of human beings: conditional

2) God’s predestination of the accomplishment of the Will: conditional (God’s 95% + human 5%)

We need humility, obedience and patience to walk the path toward Heaven.

The Providence of RestorationThe Providence of Restoration in Abraham’s Familyin Abraham’s Family

Section 3

A. The Foundation of Faith

1. The Central Figure

Abraham

Abraham could not inherit the “Will” centered on Noah unless he first restored through indemnity all the conditions Noah lost due to Ham’s sin.

Conditions Noah Lost Restoration through

Indemnity

10 generations from Noah to Abraham

1) 10 generations from Adam to Noah

400 years from Noah to Abraham

40-day period of judgment

symbolic offering in faith and loyalty

2) Position of the father of faith

Abraham, first son of Terah, an idolmaker

Ham, second son of Noah

2. The Conditional Object

a. Abraham’s Symbolic Offering

The Condition for Abraham’s Symbolic Offering

Abraham Noah’s positionrestore Adam’s position

Pharaoh Sarah Abraham

evilkings

Lotwealth

sister brother

Satan Eve Adam

humanitynatural world

sister brother

Three symbolic offerings:

Heifer

goat ram

dove pigeon

1) Conditional objects to restore all that Cain and Abel were supposed to accomplish through their sacrifices,

Significance of Abraham’s Symbolic Offering

1) Conditional objects to restore all that Cain and Abel were supposed to accomplish through their sacrifices, and all that Noah’s family was trying to accomplish through the dispensation of the ark

2) Symbol of the cosmos completed through the three stages of the growing period

- The dove represented the formation stage.

Mt 3:16And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him.

Jesus came to bring completion to the O.T. Age (formation stage of the providence).

- The ram represented the growth stage.

Jn 1:29The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

Jesus commenced the N.T. Age(growth stage of the providence).

- The heifer represented the completion stage.

N.T. Age (growth stage): the age of the brideC.T. Age (completion stage): the age of the wife

Judg 14:18And the men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down, “What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion?” And he said to them, “If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have found out my riddle.”

=heifer wife

3) To restore horizontally at one time all the indemnity conditions of the vertical providence through the three generations of Adam, Noah and Abraham

Significance of Cutting the Sacrifices

1) Separation of Abel and Cain

birds of prey = Satan

heifer

goat ram

dove pigeon

4) Consecration by draining out the blood of death

3) Separation of the world of good sovereignty out of the universe ruled by Satan

2) Separation of good and evil through the 40 days of flood

b. Abraham’s Offering of Isaac

1)This was the third providence to lay the F/M:

Why God Could Work the Providence Again

through Abraham, Who Had Failed?

Adam’s family Noah’s family Abraham’s family

2) Satan invaded two generations in succession (Adam Cain)

3) Based on the accumulated merit of the faithful heart of Abel and Noah, who succeeded in the symbolic offerings

taking back two generations in succession on the heavenly side

The Condition for Abraham’s Offering of Isaac

Abimelech Sarah

sister

Abraham

brother

male and female slaves, sheep, oxen

Abimelech Sarah Abraham

Hagar Abraham Sarah

IssacIshmael

God ordered Abraham to offer his only son, Isaac, as a burnt offering.

Hagar

Ishmael

Abraham

Isaac

Sarah

c. Isaac’s Position and His Symbolic Offering from the Viewpoint of the Will

The unity of Isaac with Abraham in their fidelity to God’s Will

Isaac’s inheritance of Abraham’s mission

Abraham’s loyalty combined with that of Isaacmade the offering successful and both separated from Satan

Abraham offered the ram, provided by God as the substitute for Isaac.

In fact, this was the symbolic offering by which Isaac restored the F/F.

B. The Foundation of Substance

elderbrother

youngerbrother

AbrahamHagar Sarah

IsaacIshmael

21 yearsdrudgeryin Haran

LabanLeah

Rachel

elderbrother

youngerbrother

Jacob

RebekahIsaac

change

Esau

The Conditions for Jacob to Stand in Abel’s Position

1) Restored the birthright from Esau and the blessing from Isaac

2) Restored his family in Haran

3) Restored wealth and triumphed in wrestling with an angel

The Indemnity Condition for Esau to

Remove the Fallen Nature

1) Love Jacob

2) Respect Jacob as his mediator to God

3) Obediently submit to Jacob’s directions

4) Multiply goodness by inheriting goodness from Jacob

Through Jacob’s courage and wisdom, his brother Esau could surrender to him.

victorious F/S

C. The Foundation for the Messiah

Why the Messiah was not sent, although the F/M was already established?

F/M is the foundation to:

- restore heavenly sovereignty- liquidate the original sin

nationallevel

nationallevel

God’s sideSatan’s side

familylevel

nationallevel

compared to nationallevel

familylevel

Adam1

Noah2

Abraham3

- national level F/M

familylevel

400 years

slavery inEgypt

Moses2

Abraham1

nationallevel

- indemnity for the failure of Abraham

D. Some Lessons from Abraham’s Course

1) God’s predestination of the accomplishment of the Will: conditional (God’s 95% + human 5%)

3) Failure of the human portion of responsibilityprolongation of the providence

a greater indemnity condition

4) Cutting the sacrifices in twoEach person must divide oneself as an

offering to separate good from evil.

2) God’s predestination of human beings: conditional