The Household of God
Volume 2
Rise and spiritual prime of the first world empire Hanoch
- Chapter 49 -
THE INNERMOST, TRUE INTENTION OF THE MESSENGERS AS REVEALED BY ABEDAM
And the other eleven promptly went to Adam and then to the stranger and did, albeit a little fearfully still, what Garbiel had done before, and in the case of the stranger found miraculously verified what Garbiel had drawn their attention to.
2
While they were thus secretly wondering in their hearts, Abedam summoned Garbiel and asked him:
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"Garbiel, do you still remember the question I asked you when you had reached the summit of the heights?"
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And Garbiel, a little bewildered, said after some reflection: "Yes, right, right, you asked us a somewhat peculiar question on the height, whereupon we gave you a silly and peculiar enough answer.
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"Yes, yes, right; only I cannot just now remember what the question was. There was something in it of an intention and a meaning, only I can no longer remember whether the intention was in the meaning, or the meaning in the intention.
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"I do, however, distinctly remember the second part of the question, namely: 'Why did you come here?' but the first part I can no longer quite get together.
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"Meaning and intention are surely quite close together; but how? This, for my humble self, is a totally different question.
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"Truly, it is quite peculiar: It was even actually discussed amongst us before and now I could not remember it even if someone would bite me in the neck!
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"No, in my whole life I have never been so stupid. To be unable to sort this out!
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"Dear, to me still unknown friend! I am not so stupid otherwise. But the erstwhile great fear made me almost forget my own name. And so I can surely be excused for not being able to answer the first part of your question.
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"You will surely still remember the question. Would you not make it known to us once more?
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"Perhaps we shall now find a more humble answer to it than the one our boundless, inflated folly did on the height.
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"Provided it be your will; but pray do not be angry or annoyed because of it."
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And Abedam, promptly granting Garbiel's request, gave him the full question once more.
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Now Garbiel jumped with joy because he had the question again and began to speak forthwith as follows: "Yes, yes, this is what it was: 'What is the meaning of your intention; and why did you come here?'
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"Well, dear friend, since you asked me, with your kind help we have the question again; what, then, shall be done with it?"
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Thereupon Abedam decided, saying: "Well, since you have the question again, give me the answer to it. Behold, this is the whole reason why I wanted to know from you whether you still remember the question."
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Now Garbiel began to ponder over it and then said: "Yes, as far as the second part of the question is concerned, we were sent to the height there to seek advice on behalf of all the people as to whether we should stay here during the night - as was usually the custom - or not, because today everything is proceeding in a different manner and there will be no burnt sacrifice in the evening.
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"Behold, this is the whole reason for our coming here or, in other words, this is all concerning our coming to the height, and will maybe also be the meaning of our intention.
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"What other meaning there may still be behind the intention, this, dear friend, I could not possibly explain to you; therefore, be good enough to kindly tell us what you are aiming at."
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To this Abedam replied: "So listen: You have correctly answered why you came to the height. But this was not your true purpose; it lay in that your heart was filled with secret anger; protected by the second question, you wanted to find out why today, without your knowledge and intent, there were such changes made in the celebration of the Sabbath. Behold, is it not so?
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"Since I soon recognized you and, anticipating you, asked you about it, you promptly implied your intention by talking to Me rudely. Is that not so?
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"You only wanted to ask in loud words whether you should stay or go home. But as to the meaning of your intention, you merely wanted to make secret inquiries wherewith to gratify your secret anger which you would vent before the patriarchs later, namely, on the next dispute-day (on Tuesday) when the patriarchs always lend a willing ear to your complaints. Is it not so?"
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And Garbiel, like the others beside him and quite taken aback, was silent, no longer able to utter a word.
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Thereupon Abedam said to all of them: "Now follow Me and Adam to the height all of you; there you shall first fortify yourselves with food and drink having had no sustenance today as yet, and then we will cheerfully exchange some good words concerning the meaning in My intent. Amen."