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 204 -
The animal miracle of Raphael.
After that, the discussion was more about natural things, and in the course of the conversation our innkeeper made the remark that this region possessed now the finest grass of the whole environment that can hardly be found on any other place on Earth. But the flocks of the inhabitants of this city and environment were very small, and even if the flocks were 100 times bigger they still would find food in abundance.
2
On this, I said: "Your flocks could also be increased in a miraculous manner but this would be even more eye-catching to the people than all the other things, because everyone who has now 10 sheep in the field would be very surprised if his shepherd would suddenly bring home 1,000 sheep instead of 10, and the owner of the sheep would not even be able to give shelter to them because his sheep stable has only space for 20 sheep at most. So search and buy a great number of sheep and other animals. In 2 years, counted from now, they will multiply in a good manner. You can easily keep the grain when you reap it, for you have sufficient space for it, but you will hardly succeed in keeping the house animals, and therefore we will leave everything as it is now.
3
You can see that rather big pond from here, and close to that one, there are another 6 with which the whole environment can be sufficiently irrigated. In the deep waters of the ponds you will also find a great number of fishes which the inhabitants of this city and environment can use for their livelihood. The fishes from the pond, which we can see from here, will however be the property of the supreme judicial city officer, the innkeeper, the Apollo priests and the few Jews, so that each one of you that I just mentioned will have the right to fish one fourth from the pond. But let no one do it excessively, but only as many as he needs, so that no one will disadvantage the other by being very greedy. The fishes in the pond are of a very noble kind by which the water of the pond will not get dirty."
4
Then the 4 parties thanked Me for this gift and vowed that they accurately would keep that precept. And the supreme judicial city officer would also take care to establish that same order for the other ponds and also maintain them.
5
While several were still discussing among each other about this miracle as to how it was possible to immediately fill the ponds with fishes, Raphael stood up and said to the supreme judicial city officer and the innkeeper: "This is for the almighty will of the Lord in us as easy to do as to make a desert turn green in one moment, for it is the same to immediately call animals into existence, no matter of what kind, or numberless grasses, plants, kinds of grain and fruit trees.
6
Because whatever a spirit - from the will of the Lord - imagines in himself and wants it to exist, it is there at once. But the thoughts of a pure angel spirit are of course much more different compared to the thoughts of a human being.
7
Man can only think about and imagine the outer forms and make all kinds of fantasies about them, but what the forms from the smallest to the greatest must contain inside, and how they should be build to be capable of living, no man can imagine. And that is why he also cannot direct his will in such a way to bring the forms to life and make them active with the spirit of his will. But a perfected angel spirit can do that, and a less perfected one can also do that to a lesser degree.
8
To speak with you in an earthly manner, my dear supreme judicial city officer, that difference is almost the same as between a sculptor who is formed in all the rules of the art and another person who is possibly also capable of cutting out a very imperfect image from a piece of wood - but what a difference between such image and the one from the hand of a skilled artist.
9
And if there are already on this Earth such various degrees in the development of human beings, how much more will this be the case in the Kingdom of the spirits.
10
Look, at present an elephant is the biggest but also the most intelligent animal on Earth and can, when he is well trained by men, be made useful for all kinds of servile work. There was a time when these kinds of animals lived also in this region.
11
But since these regions became in the course of time more and more infertile by the many wrongdoings of men, that animal traveled further to the south to those regions where it could find the right rich food for itself. However, as a result of the departure of that animal these regions lost many important earthly advantages.
12
But if you wish, my dear friend and brother supreme judicial city officer, I can provide you in one moment with a male and a female, and you surely will be able to find enough food for them. Now look down to the environment of the pond, and you will already see a male and a female there.
13
Later you can send your helpers to them with a few breads. Then they will follow the helpers to your own stable which has enough space for these animals. Then mow the grass of the big field which is yours. Let it dry and bind it in bundles. Then let the helpers go out with the animals, and they themselves will bring the hay in the barn. And so you will be able to gradually train them for several other works."
14
The supreme judicial city officer thanked Raphael for this miraculous present and said: "A few of my helpers know very well how to train these animals, for they even brought such animals from India to Rome, and the emperor kept them a certain time to take care of these animals. After that, they were of service to my father and his servants who are also loyal to me here."