9. Stories and Personages of the People of Israel

The Third Testament 
II. Retrospection of the First and Second Revelation
Chapter 9 - Stories and Personages of the People of Israel
The Story of Original Sin

1 The historical tradition of the first human beings who inhabited the earth was passed down from generation to generation until it was written down in the book of the "First Times". It is a living parable of those first human beings who lived on earth. Their purity and innocence enables them to feel the caress of Mother Nature. There was a friendly relationship between all beings, and among all creatures an unrestricted brotherhood. (105,42)

2 In a Divine Parable I inspired the first men so that they would gain a first knowledge of their destiny, but the meaning of my revelations was misinterpreted.

3 When the tree of life was spoken to you, of which man ate, the knowledge of good and evil, it was only to make you understand that man - when he had enough knowledge to distinguish between right and wrong and thus became responsible for his deeds - from then on began to reap the fruits of his works. (150,42)

4 You know that God said to men, "Grow and multiply and fill the earth". This was the initial law that was given to you, O people. Later the Father not only urged men to multiply and that the human race should continue to grow, but that their feelings should become more and more generous and that their Spirit should take an unhindered unfolding and development. But if the purpose of the first law was the expansion of the human race - how can you suppose that the same Father would punish you because you obeyed and fulfilled a commandment from Him? Is it possible, people, that such a contradiction exists in your God?

5 See what material interpretation men gave to a parable in which there was spoken to you only of the awakening of the Spirit in man. Therefore, establish my teaching and no longer say that you pay the debt which the first inhabitants of the earth incurred through their disobedience to their Father. Have a higher conception of Divine Justice. (150,45-46)

6 Now is the time when you can understand my words, "Grow and multiply", that this must also be done spiritually, and that you must fill the universe with your good works and lightful thoughts. I welcome all who want to come closer to me - all who strive for perfection. (150, 48-49)

Free will and original sin

7 You tell me that because of your freedom of will you have fallen into error and mistakes. To this I answer you that through this gift you can rise infinitely far beyond the point from which you started out at the beginning of your development.

8 Besides the freedom of will, I gave my light to every Spirit in his conscience, so that no one would go astray; but those who did not want to hear my voice, or did not want to enter into their inner being in the desire for spiritual light, soon let themselves be seduced by the innumerable beauties of human life, lost the support of my law for their spirit and had to stumble and fall.

9 A single offense had many painful consequences, and this is because imperfection is not in harmony with Divine Love.

10 Those who immediately returned to the Father devotedly and repentantly, asking Him meekly to cleanse them and absolve them of the transgressions they had just committed, the Lord received them with infinite love and mercy, comforted their Spirit, sent them out to make amends for their faults and confirmed them in their task.

11 Do not believe that after their first disobedience they all returned meek and repentant. No, many came full of pride and resentment. Others, ashamed, in recognition of their guilt, wanted to justify their transgressions before Me, and far from purifying themselves through repentance and mending - which are proofs of humility - they decided to create for themselves a life according to their own way, outside the laws that my love prescribes.

12 Thereupon my righteousness came into effect - but not to punish them, but to reform them - not to destroy them, but to preserve them eternally, giving them a full opportunity to perfect themselves.

13 How many of those first sinners still do not succeed in freeing themselves from their stains; for from one fall to another they fell deeper and deeper into the abyss, from which alone the exercise of my law will save them. (20, 40-46)

The Flood

14 In the early days of mankind innocence and simplicity prevailed among men; but as they increased in number, their sins, too, due to their development and freedom of will, became more numerous and unfolded ever faster-not so their virtues, but their offences against my law.

15 Then I prepared Noah, to whom I made myself known from Spirit to Spirit, for this dialogue I have taken up with men from the beginning of mankind.

16 I said unto Noah, I will cleanse the Spirit of men from all their sins: for this purpose I will send a great flood. Build an ark and let your children, their wives, the children of your children and a couple of every kind of animal enter into it".

17 Noah was obedient to my commandment, and the catastrophe came in fulfilment of my word. The bad seed was uprooted, and the good seed was kept in my granaries, from which I created a new humanity, which carried the light of my righteousness within it, and knew how to fulfill my law and live in the observance of good morals.

18 Do you think that those people who found such a sorrowful death perished physically and spiritually? Verily I say to you, no, my children. Their spirits were preserved through Me and were awakened before the judge of their own conscience and were prepared to return again to the way of life so that they might attain spiritual progress on it. (302, 14 - 16)

Abraham's willingness to make sacrifices

19 It will not always be necessary for you to empty the cup of suffering to its end. For it is enough for me to see your faith, your obedience, your resolution and your intention, to follow my commission, that I spare you the most difficult moment of your trial.

20 Remember that Abraham demanded the life of his son Isaac, whom he loved very much and whom the Patriarch, overcoming his pain and love for his son, was about to sacrifice in a trial of obedience, faith, love and humility that you cannot yet comprehend. But he was not allowed to finish the sacrifice on the son, because he had already proved on the bottom of his heart his obedience to the Divine Will, and this was enough. How great was the inner rejoicing of Abraham when his hand was stopped by a higher power and prevented him from sacrificing Isaac! How he blessed the name of his Lord and admired his wisdom! (308,11)

21 In Abraham and his son Isaac I gave you a parable of what the sacrificial death of the Saviour would mean when I tested the love that Abraham had for Me by asking him to sacrifice his son, his beloved Isaac

22 On right reflection you will see in that act a resemblance to what was later called the sacrifice of the "only-begotten son". - God for the salvation of the world.

- This biblical expression means: the Son of God born (or incarnated) into the world.

23 Abraham was here the embodiment of God, and Isaac the image of Jesus. At that moment, the Patriarch thought that the Lord therefore required the life of his Son from him, so that the blood of the innocent would wash away the sins of the people, and although he deeply loved him who was flesh from his flesh, obedience in him to God, as well as mercy and love for his people, was more serious for him than the life of his beloved Son.

24 The obedient Abraham was close to executing the deadly thrust against his son. The moment he raised his arm in pain to sacrifice him, my power held him back and commanded him to sacrifice a lamb instead of his son, so that that symbol might remain as a testimony of love and obedience. (119, 18 - 19)

Jacob's dream image of the ladder to heaven

25 Know ye the meaning of that ladder which Jacob saw in the dream? That ladder symbolizes the life and development of spiritual beings.

26 The body of Jacob was asleep at the time of revelation, but his Spirit was awake. He had risen to the Father by means of prayer, and when his Spirit reached the regions of light, he received a heavenly message, which was to be preserved as a testament of spiritual revelations and truths for his people, which is all mankind; for "Israel" is not an earthly name, but a spiritual one.

27 Jacob saw that those leaders stood on the earth and their top touched heaven. This indicates the path of spiritual ascent, which begins on earth with the flesh body and ends when the Spirit unites his light and essence with that of his Father, far from any material influence.

28 The patriarch saw that on that ladder angels ascended and descended. This symbolized the unceasing birth and death, the constant coming and going of the spirit beings in their desire for light or with the task of atoning and purifying themselves, in order to rise a little higher on their return to the spiritual world. It is the path of spiritual development that leads to perfection.

29 This is why Jacob saw the emblematic figure of Jehovah at the top of the ladder, indicating that God is the goal of your perfection, your striving, and the highest reward of infinite bliss - the reward for hard struggles, long sufferings, and the perseverance to reach the bosom of the Father.

30 The Spirit always found in the blows of fate and trials an opportunity to acquire merit in order to ascend. In every trial, the leader of Jacob was always symbolized, calling you to climb another rung.

31 This was a great revelation, O disciples, for in it was spoken to you of spiritual life at a time when the awakening of the Spirit to the worship of the divine, the high, pure, good, and true had hardly begun.

32 That message could not be intended for one family, not even for one people; its essence was spiritual and therefore had universal significance. For this very reason the voice of the father spoke to Jacob: "I am Jehovah, the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac. The land where you are, I will give to you and your seed, and that seed will be as numerous as the dust of the earth. You will spread out west and east, north and south, and all the families of the earth will be blessed in you and your seed." (315, 45-50)

Joseph and his brothers

33 Joseph, son of Jacob, had been sold by his own brothers to some merchants who were on the way to Egypt. Joseph was still small, yet he had already given proof of a great gift of prophecy. Envy took hold of his brothers, who got rid of him in the belief that they would never see him again. But the Lord, who watched over his servant, protected him and made him great with Pharaoh of Egypt.

34 Many years after, when the world was plagued by drought and famine, Egypt, guided by the advice and inspiration of Joseph, had stocked up enough to withstand the visitation.

35 And it came to pass, that the sons of Jacob came into Egypt in search of food. Great was their dismay when they realized that their brother Joseph had become a minister and advisor to Pharaoh. When they saw him, they fell on their knees at his feet, full of remorse for their transgressions, and they realized that their brother's prophecies had come true. He whom they thought was dead was here before them full of power, virtue and wisdom. The prophet whom they had sold proved to them the truth of the prophecy which the Lord had put on his lips as a child. The brother whom they had tormented and sold forgave them. Do you understand, people? Now you know why I told you on this day When will you recognize Me, as Joseph was recognized by his brothers?

The desert migration of the people of Israel under Moses

36 In the "first days" Moses stood at the head of Israel, to lead it through the desert into the land of Canaan for forty years. But out of disobedience, disbelief and materialism some blasphemed, others became apostates, and still others rebelled. But Moses spoke to them in this situation with wisdom and patience, so that they would not violate the Supreme Will, but would be humble and obedient to that Father who, without looking at their disobedience, let the manna fall from heaven and water spring from the rock. (343,53)

37 Moses had given enough proof that the true God was with him; but the people wanted more testimonies, and when the messenger had brought the crowds to the foot of Mount Sinai, he called upon the power of Jehovah, and the Lord honored him, granting him great proofs and wonders.

38 The people desired to hear and see him whom Moses heard and saw by his faith; and so I revealed myself to the people in the cloud, and made them hear my voice for hours. But it was so mighty that the people thought they would die of fear; their bodies trembled, and their spirits shuddered at that voice of righteousness. Then the people begged Moses to ask Jehovah to stop speaking to his people, because they could no longer listen to Him. They realized that they were still far too immature to communicate directly with the Eternal. (29,32 + 34)

39 Strengthen your Spirit in the great battles of life, as that nation of Israel was strengthened in the wilderness. Do you know how wide is the desert, which seems to have no end, with a merciless sun and burning sand? Do you know what loneliness and silence and the need for nightly watch is because the enemies lie in wait? Verily, I tell you, there in the desert it was where that people grasped the greatness which consisted in believing in God, and where they learned to love Him. What could that people expect from the desert? And yet they had everything: bread, water, a home to rest in, an oasis and a sanctuary to raise their Spirit in gratitude to their Father and Creator. (107,28)

Elijah's fight for the true god

40 In the "first time" Elijah came to earth, and drew near to the hearts of men, and found them addicted to paganism and idolatry. The world was ruled by kings and priests, and both had turned their backs on the fulfillment of the Divine Laws and led their peoples into paths of error and falsehood. They had built altars to various gods and worshipped them.

41 Elijah appeared in those days, and said to them in words full of righteousness, "Open your eyes and see that you have profaned the law of the Lord. You have forgotten the example of his messengers and have fallen into cults unworthy of the living and mighty God. It is necessary that you awaken, look upon Him and acknowledge Him. Eliminate your idolatry and lift up your eyes above every image with which you have portrayed Him".

42 Elijah heard my voice saying to him, "Depart from this evil people. Tell him that for a long time no rain will fall until you command it in my name."

43 And Elijah said, "There will be no more rain until my lord indicates the hour and my voice commands it," and in saying this he departed.

44 From that day forth the earth was dry, and the seasons appointed for rain passed away, but the rain came not. In the sky there were no signs of rain, the fields felt the drought, the cattle died away little by little, men dug in the earth for water to quench their thirst without finding it; the rivers dried up, the grass withered because it succumbed to the rays of a scorching sun, and men called on their gods and asked them that that element return to them to sow and reap seeds that would nourish them.

45 Elijah had retired by divine command, and prayed and waited for the will of his Lord. The men and women began to move away from their homeland in search of new lands where they would not lack water. Caravans could be seen everywhere, and in all places the earth was parched.

46 The years passed, and one day, when Elijah lifted up his Spirit to the Father, he heard his voice saying, "Seek out the king, and when I give you the sign, the rain will fall on this land again.

47 Elijah, humble and obedient, went to the king of that people and showed his power before the worshipers of the false god. Then he spoke of the Father and of his power, and there the signs appeared: Lightning, thunder and fire were seen in the sky; then the life-giving rain fell down in torrents. Again the fields were covered with green, the trees were full of fruit, and there was prosperity.

48 The people awoke in the face of this proof, and remembered their father, who through Elijah called and exhorted them. In those days the miracles of Elijah were numerous and very great, to shake up mankind. (53, 34 - 40)

The twelve tribes of Israel

49 Do not believe that there were prophets, forerunners, and spirits of light, only in the bosom of the people of Israel. I have sent some of them also to other nations; but men understood them as gods and not as messengers, and created religions and cults around their teachings.

50 The people of Israel did not understand the mission they had toward other nations, and they slumbered in a camp full of blessings and comforts.

51 The father had formed it as a perfect family, in which one tribe had the task of defending the people and maintaining peace; another worked the land, and another tribe consisted of fishermen and sailors. Another was entrusted with the spiritual worship of God, and so each of the twelve tribes that made up the people fulfilled a different task, which together set an example of harmony. But verily, I tell you, you still have the spiritual abilities you had in those earlier times. (135,15 – 16)

The prophets and first kings of Israel

52 The prophets spoke with great truthfulness, almost always coming to earth in times of confusion and aberration. They warned the nations and urged them to repent and be converted, announcing great trials of righteousness if they did not turn to good. On other occasions, they foretold blessings for obedience to the Divine Law.

53 But what those prophets spoke was an exhortation for the exercise of goodness, justice, and mutual respect. They did not reveal the life of the Spirit, its purpose and development. Not even Moses, whom I chose to make my deputy and through whose mediation I handed over the Law for all times, spoke to you of spiritual life.

54 The Father's law contains wisdom and justice. It teaches man to live in peace, to love and respect one another, and to prove himself worthy as men in my eyes. But Moses did not show mankind what is beyond the threshold of physical death, nor what the reparation of disobedient spirit beings is, nor the reward for those who are wise and diligent in their life's work.

55 Later David reigned, full of spiritual gifts and inspirations, and in his moments of exaltation, in his raptures, he heard hymns and spiritual songs, from which he made the psalms. With them he was to invite the people of Israel to pray and to offer the best sacrifice of his heart to his Lord. But David, with all his love and inspiration, could not reveal to the people the wonderful existence of the spirit beings, their development and their goal.

56 And Solomon, who followed him in the reign, and likewise proved the great gifts of wisdom and power which had been bestowed upon him, for whose sake he was loved and admired, and whose counsel, judgments, and proverbs are still remembered today-if his people had turned to him and asked him, "Lord, what is the nature of spiritual life? What is there beyond death? What is the Spirit?" - Solomon in all his wisdom could not have answered this question. (339,12 – 15)