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 39 -
The opinions of the young slave. Russia's future.
Thereupon I quickly got up and the three appointed with Me, and we went to our youths, which we found very calm and with cheerful hearts; since they had always a lot to tell each other, regarding the unusual things what each of them had seen and noted during their long journey, and how such had a bearing on their present salvation. Some had dreams, others had visions either on earth and or in the sky. And so the youths pleasantly amused each other for a few hours, without noticing that the end of the day had approached.
2
When we entered their quite spacious room, they were completely overwhelmed with joy and all of them shouted: "Be greeted, you, our one and only true father; since you have given us good bread and good drink, you have freed us from our hard bonds and have clothed our naked bodies beautifully, and therefore you are now our only right and true father, and we all love you now above all! But we can no longer love our hard parents so much; since they never have done any good to us, except to fattened us for a while, in order to be able to sell us for a hefty sum of money. We do not wish them any harm, but we wish that they will soon come to realise, that it is highly unjust for people to sell people or even parents their children like domestic animals to profiteering merchants. But since we have now found such an extremely good father, we want to forgive our parents the old crimes which they committed against their innocent children, which you, hard merchant Hibram, can tell them back home, if there is only one drop of honest blood left in your veins."
3
Lazarus and Agrikola were quite surprised over the great determination of this address to Me and partially to the slave trader Hibram; because I gave them the gift of understanding the language of these northern youths, as well as to speak their language, since this was extremely necessary, so that especially the Roman could better communicate with them. I also could have given this ability to all these youths; but this would not have been so good for them, since through a more advanced language they also would have more quickly and completely gained the knowledge of all kinds of bad habits, bad manners, sins and vices. But if they had to learn the Roman language bit by bit, since in the end the Roman took all the youths to Rome without leaving any behind with Lazarus, they would be educated in My teachings by the Roman in their own language, which in turn would provide them with continued protection against the follies of Rome; and therefore everything was good as I had arranged this matter.
4
After these youths have properly discussed everything with us, and Hibram gave them the firm assurance that he will back home provide in the best way possible for their friends who have been left behind, and that he in future will not trade in humans anymore, for which promise all youths of both gender showed their thankfulness, I said to them to come with Me to the outside, which made them very happy.
5
As we were outside, we saw the beautiful countryside towards the direction of sundown, and the youths, drunken with delight, said that they never before have seen such beautiful scenery.
6
And one of the boys, who had a special outstanding ability to think and to speak, said: "Verily, in this land, which is so beautiful and warm, the people must be much closer to the good God than from where we were born; because there it is only for a short time warm and then for a long time so cold, that the water turns into stone and the whole surrounding becomes a sad look! Therefore the people are closer to the evil God and thus are evil and bad. Since there, the people does not love each other and everybody strives to cause some bad to his fellow man. The strongest there is a terrible lord over the weaker people, forces them to do the heaviest work for him, and does not pay them any wages. Verily, this must be caused by the evil god! And you, Hibram, are also such a strong lord; hence in future, when back home, you should not allow yourself to be taken prisoner in your soul and in your mind by this evil god and do not bring him anymore sacrifices, but sacrifice to the good God of this country, then our country will also become beautiful and warm as this country here.
7
Because, I think, the good God is a lot mightier than the bad, who can kill the water and turn it into stone, but cannot dissolve and revive it. Here you have found the good and mightiest God; take Him with you in your heart and sacrifice to Him only, and He will bless our large country! But if you again sacrifice to the evil God back home, then our country will never become as beautiful and warm as this one."
8
These childlike wise words of the youth moved Hibram to tears, and he promised the youth most ceremoniously, that he will punctually carry out his advice and wish and that he will never again sacrifice to the evil God; instead he will make known the good God he got to know here to all his subordinates and show them how they can and should sacrifice to Him only.
9
At this opportunity he made all the youths aware, how also they should diligently strive to better get to know the only true God and to revere and love Him above all, and when they have perfected the knowledge of the good and only true God, they should not forget their home country.
10
Also this the youths promised and the speaker said: "Once we have the good and only true and above all mighty God's blessing and strength within us as these people here, - as we have convinced ourselves most astonishingly -, then we will easily find our way back home and will also return home; because then His spirit will show and guide us the best and shortest way home. But without such an almighty leader and protector, we would never be able to find our far away country, which has been made even more difficult, because for four days we have been transported away from our home country on carts with blindfolded eyes and with clay covered ears. Therefore, give up this evil practice; since it is very terrible, to leave as a slave your home country, even if it has an unfriendly appearance, blindfolded and deaf for ever. Remember also this, powerful Hibram, lording over the poor people at home through out the land!"
11
Here the youth turned to Me with a loving face and said: "O you, our good father and most wise and mighty and by the good God filled man, full of might and strength, you also must tell Hibram, that he should do what we poor children have told him frankly with an open heart and through my mouth, and he will do it with greater certainty, since it seems that he has a great regard for you! If he does this at home, then also our country will become so beautiful and warm as this country, and the evil god will not be in the position anymore, to kill the water and to cover the large country with cold snow, - which gives the people there quite a hard life.
12
O good father of us all, be not only merciful to us, but also to those, who are living in our bad country and often have nothing to eat other than the dried meat of wild animals and fish! If I, in the name of all present here who praise you as the good father, have made an improper request, you can punish me; since you certainly have no shortage of might and power, dear, good father, as we all have convinced ourselves already!"
13
I said: "Why so! From eternity I never have punished any being, except that it punished itself, - much the less will I ever punish you for your good and noble heart. On the contrary, I say to you: Within seven years you will return to your country, and from your loins I will awaken a nation that will rule and lead the wide countries of the north for over a thousand years in My name. But your later descendants will not be able to maintain the ruling power, because they will become coarse and extremely power-hungry. However, you do not have to worry about it; since I will choose the leaders as I need them. But the empire will always stay the same with only minor changes; but in later times the leaders will live not in Asia, but will build their permanent residence in Europe. Therefore be very diligent in everything and learn everything that is good and bring My light to the still very dark north!
14
The winter of nature will continue to rule the earth; however, this does not matter. As long as your hearts stay warm through the love to God and to your neighbour, then your dead streams will thaw and bring much blessing to your country. But you must allow yourselves to be instructed in all that is good and true by those, who will take you to Rome, and you will after seven years, full of blessings, return to your country. And once you are back in your home country, do good to those who caused you evil, and thereby you will bring a great blessing to your country! - Did you understand this well?"
15
All affirmed this and promised to keep to it.
16
And I said: "With that we have achieved a good purpose, so let us get back into the house!"
17
With that all were fully content, and we went back into the house because of the approaching foreigners, were we found Helias in a fiery conversation with the angel.