The Household of God
Volume 2
Rise and spiritual prime of the first world empire Hanoch
- Chapter 53 -
ON THE WAY TO THE HEIGHT. BESEDIEL'S QUIET REFLECTIONS ON NATURE AND HIS REMARKS CONCERNING THE LORD'S HUMAN ASPECT. GARBIEL'S GOOD REPLY
And they all rose promptly, full of the greatest reverence, and followed Abedam and Adam up to the already familiar height. They were all trembling all over, partly with excessive bliss and partly with excessive fear of the holiness, might, strength and power of God, but also partly urged by the ever-increasing love in their hearts for the holy Father.
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Garbiel's brother, walking behind him, said very quietly to Garbiel: "Listen, brother! When I now look at this firmament studded with countless stars, - and we all have heard through Seth, Enos and quite clearly through Enoch that these stars are all unbelievably great, luminous worlds, - brother, and I am inspired by the thought: 'Besediel, look, there ahead of us the omnipotent, exceedingly Holy One Who created all these countless and immensely great wonders, is walking! One holy thought from Him and the vast, endless space will soon be empty, buried in its own eternal, infinite night. And again a holy thought from Him Who is walking there, and new glorious creations will begin to shine through the great infinity!', - O brother, what an inexpressible feeling takes possession of my heart!
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"You asked us a while ago whether we still did not see who the stranger is.
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"Oh, I tell you that I noticed it already when He first came and it was clear to me that behind Him there must be hidden something inexpressible. For His eyes and His mouth told me this even before He had said a most holy word to us.
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"Or have you ever seen such eyes and such a mouth?
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"What dignity, what holiness, what power, might, strength and authority are there most clearly expressed. Who would not want to expire for bliss as soon as He gives him a closer look; and how loving and inviting is His countenance seen from a short distance!
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"At a greater distance from Him His expression assumes more and more holy earnest and thereby something which is indescribable.
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"I hardly know if what it arouses in my heart is more of a holy, sublime reverence or more of the profoundest contrition and the greatest longing to draw ever closer to Him, indeed, if that be possible, to be completely at one with Him!
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"And once you come closer and closer to Him, how quickly you lose all feeling of unfamiliarity and instead a never before felt holy love begins to fill the heart so that life and extinction express themselves simultaneously in endless bliss.
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O brother, I ask you, who are much wiser than I am: Have you not had the same impression?
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"Having already told me so much, would you not also tell me how far I shall trust in my feeling or how far it may still be intermingled with errors? If you know something, tell me promptly!"
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And Garbiel said to his brother Besediel: O brother! Trust your feeling; but at the same time believe that this is not out of you, but that it flows in all holiness into your heart out of Him, Who is leading us all to the sacred height, - yes, brother Besediel, to a height which is not only a height in earthly terms, but endlessly more: A height of the innermost eternal life out of Him. This I am feeling.
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O brother and you brothers all, expand your hearts promptly, throwing out all useless earthly stuff and making them roomier and emptier to receive all the great treasures which have already been, and will still be, showered upon us in abundance!
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"But, dearest brother, forget your exalted thoughts for the time being; for truly, it seems to me that the too endlessly exalted could also be too endlessly holy for our still uncleansed hearts.
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"If, however, one amongst us all is, or wants to be, occupied with something in his heart, let him actively cleanse it through true repentance and love for Him Who is leading us.
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"For behold, we are all close to our destination; all the patriarchs are already falling on their faces at the sight of Him Who is leading us.
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"Oh behold, behold, how they are now all surrounded by a holy light; how the height is now shining with light!
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O brothers, do weep and pray; for here it is holy, holy, holy!
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O you my poor, sinful heart, - will you be able to bear the coming revelation, the light of the eternal God, the holy Father?"