The Great Gospel of John
Volume 7
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
The Lord on the Mount of Olives. (cont.) Gospel of John, Chapter 8
- Chapter 174 -
Explanation of Isaiah 2, 6-22. Mercy. Revelations of the new Light.
I said: "Good then, so listen further to the Word. The words of the prophet are as follows:
2
'You, Lord, have nevertheless permitted that Your people have abandoned the house of Jacob, because Your nations are now worse than the foreigners from the east. They also are now committing sorcery just like the Philistines, and from the children of the foreigners they are accepting many as their own. Their country is full of silver and gold, and there is no end to their treasures, and their country is also full of horses, and there is no end to their chariots. Also, their country is full of idols, and they, the people, are worshipping the work of their hands, which their fingers have made. For that, the people are bowing down and for that, the nobleman is humbling down. That, You, o Lord, will not forgive. You faithless people, go then to the rocks of the mountains and hide yourselves in the earth, for fear of the Lord and for His lovely majesty.' (Isaiah 2:6-10).
3
These 5 verses belong together because they show the miserable state of the church or God's house on Earth. And this applies as well to the Jews who were here before this time, as to those who will come after us.
4
The laziness in the execution of God's commandments is however the reason why I permit that My people leave the house of Jacob on the Mountain of the Lord and is precisely doing what the most rude and laziest nations are doing, who are dwelling in the eastern countries as wild animals.
5
And what the Pharisees are doing, as well as the Jews, the descendants will do also. They will set up many days to which they will attribute special power and influence, and whoever will go against it, will be persecuted by them with fire and sword. They will also practice divination. For money they will predict happiness and misfortune to the people, and by that, they will let themselves be extremely honored and be paid, because such a useless work is finally more profitable than with the plowshare and the sickle.
6
To increase their income that they are earning with their useless work, they will, just like the Pharisees now, send out their messengers throughout the whole world, and will make the foreigners as their own children. Those were already as dark gentiles good for nothing. But when then they will adopt the real worldly doctrine of the Philistines, they will become even a 100 times worse than what they already were. For this reason, their dark country will be filled with silver and gold, and their hunger for the treasures of this world will know no end, and have no purpose, nor their lust of power and war - what the prophet is expressing in the image of the horses and the countless chariots. Also, their territory over which they are ruling will be full of idol statues and temples, like with Solomon the wise one, who also started this way. Despite the personal warning of God he let idol temples be constructed around Jerusalem for his foreign women. Before the idol statues, those blind fools will bow down, and the work of their own hands and fingers they will worship in the foolish belief that God will be pleased with it. And whoever will not do that, will be persecuted unto life and death. Because many kings, in order to give their throne more luster, will support the nonsense of the worldly Philistines, and will persecute with fire and sword the friends of Light and the living Truth of which there are always only a few.
7
And see, then the Lord will come and punish those nations who have seduced so many people in His name.
8
Then the true, living Light will suddenly appear from all sides, and the friends of the night will be defeated forever. They will flee to the rocks indeed (to the great and mighty of the Earth) and will bury themselves under their infertile soil, out of fear for the Truth and the majesty of the Lord. But this will be of little help to them.
9
Because now speaks the prophet further again and says loudly: 'For, all high eyes (pride to rule) will be humiliated and all high lords will have to bow down, because in that time only the Lord will be high and continue eternally forever and ever! (Isaiah 2:11). Because the day (light) of the Lord Zebaoth will walk over all that is proud and high and most of all over all that has been exalted in the world in order to humiliate it. (Isaiah 2:12). So, also over all the proud cedars of the Lebanon (priests) and over all oaks in Basan (most important pillars of the priesthood of idolatry during all times). (Isaiah 2:13). Over all high mountains (rulers) and over all exalted hills (all courtiers). (Isaiah 2:14). Over all high towers (generals) and over all strong walls (armies). (Isaiah 2:15). Also over all the ships on sea (those who are controlling the rudder of the state) and over all the - according to worldly standards - important work (the big national industry). (Isaiah 2:16). And that will happen in order to let everything bow down what is high for the people, and to humiliate all high-ranked people, so that in that time only the Lord will be high. (Isaiah 2:17). In that time the idols will be completely finished. (Isaiah 2:18). Yes, then also, one will go into the rocky caverns and in the canyons of the Earth (hidden places of the mammon), and this out of fear for the Lord and for His lovely majesty (the light of the eternal truth), when He will prepare Himself to frighten the Earth (punishments). (Isaiah 2:19). Yes, in that time everyone will throw away his silver and golden idol statues in the holes of the moles and the bats (Isaiah 2:20) - which idol statues he made for himself to worship - to crawl away easier into the clefts of the rock and canyons out of fear for the Lord and for His lovely majesty, when He will prepare Himself to frighten the Earth. (Isaiah 2:21). But that will be of no use to anyone. Therefore, leave such man alone who has breath in his nose (breath in the nose refers to worldly pride), because you do not know how high - worldly speaking - he can be.' (Isaiah 2:22).
10
Well, here you have now the easy to understand whole explanation of the second chapter of the prophet Isaiah. The last verses you easily can explain yourselves, once you have well understood the meaning of the first ones.
11
But I tell you that it really will happen within a short time and then again entirely after about 1.900 years, because when man will have been given a complete freedom of will then in My decree there is no other way to successfully counteract from time to time the human laziness than only this one, because that laziness is the root of all sins and vices. Did you all understand this very well?
12
Now this will produce less joy in you, and even less for the future nations when this message will be given to them again in their great misery and during the time when one nation will rise against the other to destroy it. But the following chapter will give us more light.
13
But tell Me now how you have understood this very important matter. I say 'very important' because as My future followers I want to especially emphasize that you and your disciples should guard yourselves against laziness. Now speak about the spirit that you have met in Isaiah. After that we will pass over without difficulty to the third chapter."
14
The disciples and also the others who were present said unanimously: "Lord, whatever You order, will and permit is certainly good, wise and just, because You as Creator and Master of men and all things in the world know best of all what is best for men anyway. If silver, gold, precious stones and beautiful pearls were completely harmful for Your people then You would not have created such evil things.
15
Who, besides You, knows if without those exciting matters, men would not have become much lazier than they are already now with all those countless excitements, and in course of time will even become worse. However, if a lot of people, out of a too great love for these excitements, will become true devils among men because they let themselves be blinded by the false glitter of the gold, then You still have an infinite number of ways to chastise them by those that are in Your service. And so, we are of the opinion that at the end of the times of the world everything will still have a good ending according to Your secret, eternal decree.
16
We, as Your chosen disciples, will certainly do our utmost best, according to Your decree, to encourage the people to be active in the right way, and to inspire and to stir them up for it. If in the course of time they will also be equally careful with their descendants, is of course a very important different question. But then, You Yourself will surely let everything happen in such a way that it will be for the best of the people, be it wars, epidemics, high cost of living, famine or peace, good health and blessed fruitful years and times. And with this we now have openly expressed our opinion to You, o Lord, and we ask You to continue with the explanation of the prophet."
17
I said: "This time I am completely satisfied with what you have all said, and because you have well understood the explanation of the second chapter of the prophet we simply can now also continue to the third chapter. So listen to Me."