Sunsets Into Sunrises
Bishop Martin - The Progress of a Soul in the Beyond
- Chapter 185 -
THE SAGE EXPRESSES HIS JOY AND GRATITUDE. THE INUNDATED ORCHARDS. SATAN'S EXPULSION THROUGH PETER AND MARTIN.
1
(Following these words from Me, the sage says, full of happy excitement): "O Lord, O Father, full of love, kindness, glory, might, power, and holiness, this gives us the best guarantee that You will never leave us. For he who eats with us makes it clear that he will stay with us. And so will You, as You have promised us earlier. Praise and glory to You forever, and our deepest gratitude!"
2
Now they all hurry outside to fetch plenty of select food from the gardens to display before Me.
3
But, as they step outside, a great disappointment awaits them, for the water that was forced out by the immense fiery swelling is now covering all the rich orchards. They are, therefore, unable to gather anything at all from the usual abundance of the large gardens, and they return to Me quite depressed, whereupon the sage speaks:
4
(The sage): "O Lord, forgive us! As You can see, the evil fiery bubble has flooded our orchards with dirty seawater so that we cannot get anything at all from them. Do drive away this evil flood, and then we shall be able to immediately comply with Your wishes."
5
(Now I call Martin and Peter, and say): "My brother Peter, and you, too, Martin: Go outside, fight the flood, and destroy the evil fiery bubble so that these here are not delayed in carrying out My wishes. Should the evil one disregard your first summons, command him in My name for a second and third time. If he still remains obstinate, then make stern use of the celestial power you possess. So be it!"
6
Peter and Martin bow to Me and hurry outside, together with the sage. Out there, Martin is amazed at the spectacle presenting itself, and says:
7
(Martin): uAh, that lo.w and infamous scoundrel! Tell me, brother Peter, will this semi-eternal arch-beast never cease to do evil and commit infamies?
8
You shrug your shoulders, brother, as if to say: 'The Lord alone knows that.' Yes, yes, you are right, but if that scoundrel will not obey us immediately, it will have to pay dearly for its stubbornness. The celestial power bestowed upon us by the Lord will teach it where in the future not to play its evil tricks. Shall we call out together, brother, or will you do it alone? Or shall I do it for both of us in the name of the Lord?"
9
(Says Peter): "You do it in the name of the Lord for both of us."
10
(Says Martin): "All right, I shall try! And now listen, you evil flood and you infamous fire-bubble, but mostly you ancient, most wicked Satan: Return instantly to the order laid down by the Lord or you have to expect a just and very severe divine judgment! Amen! Three times: Amen! Amen! Amen!"
11
This call is answered by a shrill burst of laughter and these words:
12
(Satan): "You wretched blowfly of a bishop! You who are ten thousand times less than nothing want to command me to withdraw! Neither God, nor all His heavens, will get me to retreat - much less you, wretched nonentity!
13
But from pure magnanimity I am warning you, and the rest of the blowfly rabble, to find some holes to hide, or else you will get a taste of the very warm dish which in a moment will be cooked in my big pot.
14
Not that I want to take revenge on you nonentities, for a mighty lion does not catch flies. What I am doing here is necessary for the preservation of my creation. But so that you nothings may not perish, flee from here and do not ever again dare to threaten me! Do not push my great patience to extremes, for woe betide you if it comes to an end!"
15
Martin is furious at Satan's insolence and cannot think in a hurry what to reply.
16
(Peter, however, admonishes him and says): "You must on no account be angry, for that is exactly what he wants you to be. That one must be handled in quite a different way. Look, I shall get him to withdraw immediately, and that very calmly! I shall only say to him gently: 'Satana, the Lord Jesus Christ be with you, too!' And look, already the flood is retreating, the fire-bubble is shrinking to a nothing, and he is silent and must obey my celestial power, even though he does so furiously!"
17
(Says Martin): "I would not have thought that that monster would give in so soon. Is that the effect of the celestial power? I imagined that to be quite different. I thank you, brother, for this truly heavenly-wise lesson. It has made me considerably wiser.
18
Look, the water has completely retreated, and there is also no trace left of the fiery swelling. Praise and glory to the Lord forever! I think now that that evil scoundrel of a Satana, or a Satan, will not so soon dare approach us again."
19
(Says Peter): "Never mind that, he has already been taught worse lessons than this, but in no time he was back with some new trick. It will not be long before he will cause us more trouble. However, if nothing else will drive him away, we shall just have to resort to the power from the heavens again, and the victory will be ours. Remember this well, brother, and act accordingly next time!"
20
(Then Peter turns to the sage, who is still standing before them quite amazed, and says to him): "Your gardens are free again. Now you may do the Lord's bidding."
21
The sage bows deeply and then hurries to the orchards to fetch food and drink.