The Great Gospel of John
Volume 2
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
Second Journey of the Lord: Nazareth - Cave at Bethabara (First Feeding of the People) - Mountain of Prayer - Walking on the Sea of Galilee (Peter's test of faith) - By ship to Genneseret in the bay with the same name
- Chapter 138 -
School for self-denial in the beyond.
Says Jarah: "I have understood it indeed, but the thing nevertheless is very sad for me and all humans, because hardly one out of a thousand shall have the full strength to confront the world in the way it pleases You!"
2
Say I: "This nevertheless is why I have come into the world, so that through My doctrine and deeds I place the means with which he can easily overcome the world into every man's hand!"
3
Says Jarah: "This would be alright, - but there are upon the Earth immense numbers who may not hear of Your word even in a thousand years! How will these guard against the world during such long periods? They surely are as much humans as we Jews!"
4
Say I: "It is with the nations of this Earth as with a father's children individually: some, born into the world sooner than others, are brought up differently by the father than those who have hardly come to see the world's light three, four or five years ago. The eldest son has already become a man of strength, and a daughter become of child-bearing age; besides that there are a couple of children of your age, whilst three are still being weaned. Tell Me whether it would be wise of the father if he were to treat the children in the cot the someway he treats the strong, grown-up son!"
5
Says Jarah: "This would of course be very foolish of such a father!"
6
Say I: "Well then, see, that is why some nations come to My doctrine only later! They are not ripe for it yet, but shall become so at the right time, and My doctrine shall also reach them. - Do you understand that?"
7
Says Jarah: "Oh indeed, that I understand quite well; but what destiny awaits those nations in the beyond who have not matured yet?"
8
Say I: "This you shall get to see at once! Look, there towards the midnight sky is a star of a somewhat reddish light; grasp it into the eye of your emotion as you did with the previous one, directing your physical eye there too, and in that star you shall receive the nicest answer to your question!"
9
Jarah does so, saying already moments later: "Oh Lord, almighty Creator of heaven and the worlds, this is a much bigger world still than the previous one, and in what splendid light it is bathed! But the light is bright-red tinged, with a little gold, whereas the light of the previous world was pure white. But now the light of this world is getting unbearably intense! Ah, now I have the inhabited land of this world! Oh, here it also is indescribably glorious! What diversity! Cute, gently rising mountains enclosing the most marvellous and fruit-studded valleys! There are sorts of huts visible in the valleys, consisting of only a roof that is supported with well-ordered pillars of a ruby shine; but such huts run in interminable rows uninterruptedly over the mountain-crests, and no matter how distant my view, I see nothing other, with every hut resembling the next like a man's eye the other! As I seem to note, the oval roofs are resting on ruby pillars of about seven mens' heights, but each pillar also is like the next one! Nothing is yet visible of humans or any other living beings, but they would have to be present: for this already the extra ordinary cultivation of the vast expanses of lands testifies!
10
But it nevertheless is intriguing that in such an otherwise super magnificent world, everything resembles itself! One fruit tree resembles another to a hair's breath, as does one flower another; everything is set in rows and one cannot for anything in the world find something outside this order.
11
This of course all gives a marvellous impression, affording a friendly look, but in the long run such monotony must seem boring to people of our kind! But now I have arrived in front of such hut and behold, there people of our kind inside! One is standing upon a podium preaching whilst the other hundred listen to him with great reverence!
12
In the adjacent hut I see more people, in pleated apparel, eating at table, yet around the eating ones there are a lot standing who seem to be plagued by hunger, yet receive nothing to eat! Ah, in the third hut I am seeing some really beautiful lasses! They are standing around stark naked, having a good time with worthless-looking men, moving up and down. In the background a great number of seemingly lust-filled youths are massing, beckoning the beautiful girls over, but the youths are receiving no attention and are not too happy about it.
13
Ah, these are peculiar domestic arrangements! As much as one hut may resemble another externally to a hair's breath, that much do the occupations inside appear to differ, and this surely is strange!? But if in this immense world things are universally as in the area I just beheld, then I prefer our little Earth, - except for the wicked people!"
14
Say I: "All that you are seeing now is only a school and exercise house in self-denial and overcoming of self. Move on with the eyes of your feelings, and something different will show itself to you!"
15
Jarah does so and shrieks so loudly that the deeply slumbering ones nearly were woken, had not My will sunk them back to sleep.
16
I asked Jarah what made her shriek like that.
17
Says Jarah: "Oh Lord, the splendour and the majesty there again sur-passes everything that human sense ever could grasp! Here a palace stands so huge and high as the highest and biggest mountain, on Earth! The walls are all of precious stones. A thousand upon thousands of golden stairways and galleries decorate this huge palace on the outside, which tapers upwards into a veritable point. The palace right around is sleuthing with the most splendid gardens, within which the sheer diversity constantly challenges the eyes to further admiration. But there are in the gardens also lovely lakes, upon which a great artworks are floating, probably for entertainment, but not guided by anyone, and noticed even less.
18
Lord, what is all this supposed to be? Who are the occupants of this huge palace, and what are all these works of art floating upon the beautiful lakes?"