The Great Gospel of John
Volume 10
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
Der Herr in der Stadt am Nebo
- Chapter 197 -
The ascend and descend of the angels.
When I had said that, everyone emptied his cup of wine after which we all stood cheerfully up and went to the mentioned mountain on which - as you already know - Moses, My first great prophet, died.
2
Within a little half hour we were already on the mountain where the view was now more pleasant than in the morning, for it was now also clear in the whole western region and free from haze, and we could see the whole Jordan Valley and a big part of the Dead Sea and the whole region of the Mountains of the Lebanon, and of course also many cities, places and villages, as well as the old city of David, Bethlehem, and further up Jerusalem.
3
There was a conversation of about an hour about the history of the Promised Land, and that it must have been one of the most blessed countries on the whole surface of the Earth.
4
I finally said: "Yes, you are right, but soon things will look very different in this country. Some of you and your children will personally experience that this earthly paradise of the Jews will be changed into a desert. Because since this people did not recognize the time of their big trial and did also not want to recognize it, after the big time of mercy there soon will come another time of judgment, and many Jews will be driven out into the whole world, and many will also flee to you in these 60 old cities.
5
When you will find people of good will, keep them with you and accommodate them. However, let the stubborn ones go their own way. I will bless the whole environment of this region of yours and make it fertile, so that you can keep big flocks and cultivate much barley and also wheat. You also will be able to grow vineyards and reap a reasonable quantity of good wine."
6
On this, the Pharisee Barnabas said: "According to Your word, o Lord and Master, the old prophet was indeed right when he said: 'The region of Hauran will be trampled down by gentiles, but when the Lord of Glory will walk His feet on it, it will turn green again and become a fertile land."
7
I said: "Yes, yes, so it will be, but not yet in general, because before this vast region of Hauran will entirely become a fertile land, a very long time will still be needed. But this highland will be fertile in the whole environment for a few hundred of years in those places that I visited and where I met fertile hearts of men. But when the hearts of men will become hard and dry again, also this region will look like the hearts of the people."
8
On this, the Pharisee Dismas said: "O Lord and Master, I also read in the Scripture that when You are on the Earth, the Heavens will be open and Your angels will float up and down and serve You. How should we understand this?"
9
I said: "I think that this should not be so difficult to understand for you since you yourselves saw Moses and an angel at his side this morning here. Besides, this part of text of the prophet has also another meaning which is actually the only completely true one.
10
Look, the Kingdom of Heaven, which is actually the Kingdom of God, does not exist in its outer splendor for men, but it is inside man. And those people who have accepted this Kingdom of God within themselves - the Kingdom which I brought to them Myself - are in their heart, which is full of love for Me and their fellowman, firstly Heaven itself that is now open, and secondly the angels themselves, who ascend and decent between Me and them, serving Me in their love.
11
Because what you call Heaven is as such no Heaven but completely world and was created by Me for the period in which the people must bear their test of freedom, but when you will have taken off your own world together with your flesh, this outer, now visible world will practically not exist anymore for you. Then you will be inhabitants of a much different world which not I created for you out of Me or out of yourselves, but which will be created for you out of yourselves, and this for everyone according to the kind of love that he has for Me and his fellowman. Just like you, My dear friend and supreme judicial city officer, have heard yesterday evening from the mouth of your father who died already 10 years ago and whom I let appear before you.