The Great Gospel of John
Volume 8
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
The Lord and His adversaries
- Chapter 122 -
The Lord explains psalm 93.
Now the Innkeeper thanked Me once more also for this lesson and closed the closet, after which we entered the eastern hall. Also this one protruded with all kinds of treasures and historical objects in which the Romans took much pleasure.
2
And our Agricola said: "Friend, you and your parents and grandparents must have been very silent about what you possessed and are still possessing now, because otherwise we in Rome had to hear something about it, for these treasures have a double value, firstly they come from noble metals, pearls and very precious gems, and besides that they have for you Jews a great historical value."
3
The innkeeper said: "Mighty lord, it is also necessary in more than one respect to be very silent about it, not so much because of the Romans but surely because of the priests. For if these would know about it, they would not leave me in peace in this house already for a long time, and out of pursuit of gain they also would drag one or the other thing away from here, but we do not give ourselves away by saying what things there are, although the priests have asked us about one or the other thing. And also, I have not so much trouble with the priests now because I have placed all my possessions under the protection of the Romans. But on this upper floor I seldom accommodate travelers since they easily can be accommodated on the ground flour and on the first floor and I still have other secondary houses where I also can accommodate many travelers. I also do not have to be afraid of thieves and robbers, for as you have seen, this house is firstly surrounded by strong, high ring walls over which cannot be climbed, and secondly there are too many honest people who live in this region, and the thieves and robbers do not come in the neighborhood, and so these treasures can well and safely rest here. But there is another plate with a psalm. Does the Lord want to translate it for us?"
4
I said: "Yes, yes, that will be wiser than to admire these old treasures too long, which have no value for the soul and for the spirit. If in future times you will gather treasures, then gather those that cannot be destroyed by rust and cannot be gnawed away by moths. To what advantages are to man all treasures of the whole world if thereby he suffers damage to his soul? If by the love for dead worldly treasures the germ of death is laid in the soul by which the soul passes into the death of matter, then who will save him from the iron grip of judgment, which has become the love and the illusory life of the soul?"
5
The innkeeper said: "O Lord and Master, surely with God all things are possible?"
6
I said: "Indeed, this is surely so, but in eternity everything progresses much slower than in this world where everything lasts always only a very short time, changes fast and easy and stops forever to exist in the manner as it was before.
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In the kingdom of spirits there is however no more flow of time, and there you cannot say: 'Today I will do this and tomorrow that', but everything lies already as an accomplished deed and as a complete work in the soul. And if this is of an evil kind, then from where does the soul who lives on have to acquire new elements and a new insight to change in himself that which is evil.
8
Although, also there, it will be given to the souls to change themselves, but there it will often take extremely long for those souls who sank away too deeply into the world, and finally still little will be achieved with certainty, because love is the life of the soul. If it is spiritual and is consequently good according to God's order, then the soul has also a true and perfect life in himself and lives on completely in great clearness, and this is then already a real eternal life, but if the love in the soul is material and dead because he is judged, then also the life of the soul is the same as that love in him.
9
Such a life cannot be a true but only an illusory and deceiving life. And because this is how it is, it is therefore also no eternal life, because in his evil nature he cannot live on, but must change himself either for the good or in the worst case for the thoroughly evil, which is the hard judgment of 'must' and the actual eternal death. And to deliver himself from these hard bonds will be just as difficult as a hard stone that will change itself into pure streaming water.
10
Therefore, do not love the world, but flee it in its tempting nature and make use of its treasures for good works, then you will receive by that the true treasures for soul and spirit.
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And now let us see what David has written previously on the stone plate, which is fixed in the wall here before us.
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What is written there, sounds as follow: 'The Lord is King and richly adorned (with love, wisdom and might). The Lord is adorned and has established a Kingdom (the Kingdom of God on Earth), as far as the world reaches, and arranged in such a way that it must remain forever. From that time the chair (of truth and life) stands firm. You, o Lord, are eternal. The water streams lift up themselves, the water streams lift up their roaring, the water streams lift up the waves. The waves of the sea are great and roar terribly, but the Lord on high is still greater. Your Word is a right teaching, and the holiness is the adornment of Your house forever.'
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Look, this is how the very short but extremely meaningful psalm sounds with its rich content, which is spreading its hidden light now in this time, and is also already illuminating the future.
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The chair of the eternal truth is now indeed established for the whole Earth and will also continue to exist, but the water streams of the hypocrites and liars, of the Pharisees and false prophets lift themselves also up and begin to roar more and more strong against the truth that came from the Heavens to the people of this Earth, and they lift up their waves of power against the light to extinguish it. Also the waves of the sea have become great and roar terribly.
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This refers to the coming great battles between light and darkness, but the truth of the Lord stands above them and will finally conquer over everything that is false and evil. The weapon will be the pure Word from God's mouth, a right teaching of life which will remain forever, for as God is eternal and mighty, so also is His Word. And as the holiness is God's light and adornment, so it is also of His Word and His teaching.
16
But the house of God is not the dead temple in Jerusalem but the people who hear God's Word, absorb it in themselves with joy and act accordingly. Now I have read this psalm to you and have explained it, but it is now up to you to tell Me openly if you have also understood this psalm correctly."
17
Then the innkeeper said: "O Lord and Master, who would not have understood it? For what David has written from his spirit that was inspired by God, stands now indeed actually in a wonderful way before us and discloses also the distant future for us as well as the present time. Although, the roaring of the water streams and the great waves of the sea do not please me at all, but what can be done against it and how can it be avoided? For as long as the world must remain what it is, namely a purifying valley of tears for the soul of men, and as long as day and night will alternate on the Earth and man will have his free will, it will also hardly become light in the assemblies and in the hearts of men. Salvation to the one who receives the light and who, for the happiness of his house, will then keep it in the house and will take well care of it."
18
I said: "You are right about that, but he who has a true light in his house and will take care of it, must not hide it completely, but from time to time at a good opportunity he should let it shine also outside of the house. If many houses will do that, also the darkness of the spirit in the world will be much less and the night itself will be as the day. But let us now still look at the other rooms on the second floor of this house, for the Romans would gladly like to see everything."