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 49 -
The manifestation of the old and new Jerusalem.
When all directed their eyes upwards, the sky became glowing and blood-red and one could see the city Jerusalem on the glowing ground, besieged by Roman warriors, and out of the gates of the city flowed blood. Soon afterwards the city stood in bright flames and a dense smoke was lying over the whole wide horizon. Soon afterwards the city could not be seen anymore, but only a steaming mountain of rubble. In the end this also disappeared and one could see an infertile desert, where wild hordes built a place to live. After this the manifestation disappeared and terrible screams of fear could be heard from the city, and Nicodemus thought that an uprising was apparently going to take place in the city.
2
But I calmed him and said: "This is still far away; but from now on between forty and fifty years it will happen this country and this city, since it did not want to recognize the time of its great merciful trial, will be completely destroyed. - But now wait for last event! Only then will we go into the house and discuss it. But for now pay further attention to what you will see!"
3
Upon this My directive all looked again to the firmament, and the column of light once more came down from the sky to the earth, but not at the place where it originally arose out of the twelve columns, but on the opposite side towards the west, and the light was now many times brighter than before. Soon afterwards it started to divide, but not into the twelve columns, but out of the countless many parts a very large city was formed, whose walls consisted of the twelve main types of precious stone and spread an extremely manifold light lustre to all sides. And this city had twelve gates visible, through which countless many people from all parts of the world strolled joyfully in and out.
4
High in the air above the city, as if of rubies and emeralds a script was formed according to the old Hebrew style, and read as follows: 'This is the new city of God, the New Jerusalem, which will descend from the heavens to the people, who have a pure heart and a good will; they will live there together with God and for ever praise His name.' This script, as well as this whole appearance, could only be seen by those who were with me on the mountain, but by no one else in the whole country.
5
After all present erupted with cheers of delight and started to formally worship Me loudly, the appearance vanished and I admonished everybody, that they should worship God in the silence of their hearts, and not with loud, noisy words like the Pharisees, which do not have any value before God. They stopped it and contemplated in the silence of their hearts.
6
After a little while I said: "It is now the middle of the night, and we will go inside the house to and have some bread and wine. Then I will give you a short explanation about the appearances you have seen."
7
Upon these My words all went back into the house, whose large dining hall was still completely lit.
8
After we were seated in good order in the dining hall at our tables and Lazarus and Nicodemus were seated next to me, bread and wine was brought in sufficient quantities to the tables, and I asked all to take in a little refreshment. And all took bread and wine and ate and drank with joy.
9
After we have strengthened ourselves, our Nicodemus had a closer look at the various guests at the tables, and noticed the seven temple clerics who sat together with the slave traders at a smaller table, and said to Me, a little embarrassed: "Lord, over there I see priests of the temple only too well known to me! Where do they come from? Will they not betray us? Can we trust them?"
10
Said I: "Friend, those who are with Me once, do not have anything to do anymore with the temple down there! They have been send here by the temple in disguise, to observe Me and what I do; but they recognized the truth and left the temple for good. In a few days they will, together with several others, depart with those high Romans over there for Rome to be looked after there, and as such you have nothing to fear from anybody who might want to betray you, because you are here; therefore you can rest assured."
11
Nikodemus thanked Me for such clarification, took another piece of bread and ate without a care, after which he took a mug full of wine and drained it completely.
12
After our Nicodemus had been strengthened, he said to Me: "Lord and Master, since everything has come to rest and You have promised us to shortly give us a light about the appearances which occurred today in such miraculous manner, I would like to ask You to fulfil Your promise!"
13
Said I: "This I will do; but when I have completed speaking, you should not ask Me any further questions, but each and everyone should think by himself about what I have said, and it will be for his soul of more use than long questions! And thus listen!"