nl-Chapter 9 - Stories and Figures of the People of Israel

II. A Retrospective on the First and Second Periods of Revelation

The Story of the Fall

1. The historical tradition concerning 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 Time." It is a living parable of those first human beings who lived on earth. Their purity and innocence enabled them to feel the caress of Mother Nature. There was a friendly relationship among all beings and an unrestricted brotherhood among all creatures. (105, 42)

2. In a divine parable, I inspired the first humans so that they might gain an initial understanding of their destiny, but the meaning of My revelations was misinterpreted.

3. When you were told of the Tree of Life from which man ate—the knowledge of good and evil—it was only meant to make you understand that man—once he possessed sufficient knowledge to distinguish between right and wrong, and thus became responsible for his actions—began from that point on to reap the fruits of his deeds. (150, 42)

4. You know that God said to mankind: "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth." This was the original law given to you, O people. Later, the Father not only called upon people to multiply and for the human race to continue growing, but also for their feelings to become ever more generous and for their souls to unfold and develop unhindered. But if the first law had as its goal the proliferation of the human race—how can you then assume that the same Father would punish you for having obeyed and fulfilled a commandment of His? Is it possible, people, that such a contradiction exists in your God?

5. Behold what a materialistic interpretation people have given to a parable in which you were spoken to only of the awakening of the soul within man. Therefore, fathom my teaching and no longer say that you are paying for the guilt that the first inhabitants of the earth incurred through their disobedience toward their Father. Have a higher conception of divine justice. (150, 45-46)

6. Now is the time when you can understand My words, "Be fruitful and multiply," namely, that this must also be done spiritually, and that you are to fill the universe with your good works and luminous thoughts. I welcome all who wish to draw closer to Me—all who strive for perfection. (150, 48-49)

Free Will and Original Sin

7. You tell Me that because of your free will, you have fallen into mistakes and errors. To this I reply that through this gift, you can rise infinitely far beyond the point from which you began your development.

8. In addition to free will, I placed My light within the spirit of every soul so that no one would go astray; but those who did not wish to hear My voice, or who, in their desire for spiritual light, did not turn inward, were soon seduced by the countless beauties of human life, lost the support of My law for their soul, and were bound to stumble and fall.

9. A single transgression brought about many painful consequences, precisely because imperfection is not in harmony with divine love.

10. Those who, submissive and repentant, immediately returned to the Father and humbly asked Him to purify them and absolve them of the transgressions they had just committed, the Lord received with infinite love and mercy, comforted their spirits, sent them out to make amends for their mistakes, and confirmed them in their mission.

11. Do not believe that all returned meekly and repentantly after their first disobedience. No, many came full of pride and resentment. Others, filled with shame and aware of their guilt, sought to justify their transgressions before Me, and far from purifying themselves through repentance and reform—which are proofs of humility—they chose to create for themselves a life according to their own ways, outside the laws prescribed by My love.

12. Thereupon, My justice took effect—but not to punish them, but to improve them—not to destroy them, but to preserve them eternally, by offering them a comprehensive opportunity to perfect themselves.

13. How many of those first sinners still fail to free themselves from their blemishes; for from one fall to another they have sunk ever deeper into the abyss, from which only the observance of my law will be able to save them. (20, 40–46)

The Flood

14. In the early days of humanity, innocence and simplicity reigned among people; but as their numbers grew, their sins also became more numerous and unfolded ever more rapidly—not their virtues, but their transgressions against My law— , due to their development and their free will.

15. Then I prepared Noah, to whom I revealed Myself from spirit to spirit, for I have engaged in this dialogue with people since the beginning of humanity.

16. I said to Noah: "I will purify the souls of mankind of all their sins; for this purpose I will send a great flood. Build an ark and have your children, their wives, the children of your children, and a pair of every kind of animal enter it."

17. Noah obeyed My command, and the catastrophe came to pass according to My word. The evil seed was uprooted, and the good seed was preserved in My storehouses, from which I created a new humanity that bore the light of My righteousness within itself and knew how to fulfill My law and live in accordance with good morals.

18. Do you think that those people who met such a painful death perished both physically and spiritually? Truly, I tell you: no, My children. Their souls were preserved by Me and appeared before the Judge, their own conscience, and were prepared to return once more to the path of life, so that they might attain spiritual progress upon it. (302, 14–16)

Abraham's Willingness to Sacrifice

19. It will not always be necessary for you to drain the cup of suffering to the dregs. For it is enough for Me to see your faith, your obedience, your resolve, and your intention to follow My command that I may spare you the most difficult moment of your trial.

20. Remember that Abraham was asked to sacrifice the life of his son Isaac, whom he loved dearly; and that the patriarch, overcoming his grief and his love for his son, was about to offer him up in a test of obedience, faith, love, and humility that you cannot yet comprehend. Yet he was not permitted to carry out the sacrifice of his son, for in the depths of his heart he had already proven his obedience to the divine will, and this was sufficient. How great was Abraham's inner joy when his hand was stopped by a higher power and prevented him from sacrificing Isaac! How he blessed the name of his Lord and marveled at His wisdom! (308, 11)

21. In Abraham and his son Isaac, I gave you a parable of what the Redeemer's sacrificial death would mean, when I put the love Abraham showed Me to the test by asking him to sacrifice his son, his dearly beloved Isaac.

22. Upon proper reflection, you will recognize in that act a similarity to what the sacrifice of the "only-begotten Son"

* for the sake of the world's salvation. * This biblical expression means: the Son of God born into the world (or incarnated).

23. Here, Abraham was the embodiment of God, and Isaac the image of Jesus. At that moment, the patriarch thought that the Lord was demanding his son's life from him so that the blood of the innocent might wash away the sins of the people, and although he loved the one who was flesh of his flesh deeply, his obedience to God, as well as his compassion and love for his people, weighed more heavily on him than the life of his beloved son.

24. The obedient Abraham was on the verge of delivering the fatal blow to his son. At the moment when, overcome with grief, he raised his arm to sacrifice him, My power held him back and commanded him to sacrifice a lamb in place of his son, so that this symbol might remain as a testimony of love and obedience. (119, 18-19)

Jacob's Dream of the Ladder to Heaven

25. Do you know the significance of that ladder which Jacob saw in his dream? That ladder symbolizes the life and development of souls.

26. Jacob's body was asleep at the time of the revelation, but his soul was awake. It had risen to the Father through prayer, and when his soul reached the regions of light, it received a heavenly message that was to be preserved as a testament of spiritual revelations and truths for his people, which is all of humanity; for "Israel" is not an earthly but a spiritual name.

27. Jacob saw that the ladder stood on the earth and its top touched the heavens. This indicates the path of the soul's upward development, which begins on earth with the physical body and ends when the soul unites its light and essence with that of its Father, far from any material influence.

28. The patriarch saw angels ascending and descending on that ladder. This symbolized the ceaseless cycle of birth and death, the constant coming and going of souls in their longing for light or with the task of atoning and purifying themselves, so that upon their return to the Spiritual World they might rise a little higher. It is the path of spiritual development that leads to perfection.

29. That is why Jacob saw at the top of the ladder the symbolic figure of Jehovah, indicating that God is the goal of your perfection, of your striving, and the highest reward of infinite bliss—as recompense for arduous struggles, long sufferings, and the perseverance to reach the Father's bosom.

30. In every stroke of fate and trial, the soul always found an opportunity to earn merits in order to ascend. In each trial, Jacob's ladder was always symbolized, urging you to climb another rung.

31. This was a great revelation, O disciples, for in it the Spiritual Life was spoken of to you at a time when the soul's awakening to the worship of the Divine, the High, the Pure, the Good, and the True had barely begun.

32. That message could not have been intended for just one family, nor even for a single people; its essence was spiritual and therefore had universal significance. Precisely for this reason, the voice of the Father spoke to Jacob: "I am Jehovah, the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac. The land in which you are now shall I give to you and to your seed, and this seed shall be as numerous as the dust of the earth. You will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south, and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your descendants." (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 their way to Egypt. Joseph was still young, yet he had already shown signs of a great gift of prophecy. Envy took hold of his brothers, who got rid of him, thinking they would never see him again. But the Lord, who watched over His servant, protected him and made him great in the sight of the Pharaoh of Egypt.

34. Many years later, when the world was plagued by drought and famine, Egypt, guided by Joseph's counsel and inspiration, had stored up sufficient provisions to withstand the calamity.

35. It came to pass that the sons of Jacob came to Egypt in search of food. Great was their consternation when they realized that their brother Joseph had become a minister and advisor to Pharaoh. When they saw him, they fell to their knees at his feet, filled with remorse for their transgression, and they recognized that their brother's prophecies had come true. The one they had thought dead stood before them, full of power, virtue, and wisdom. The prophet whom they had sold proved to them the truth of the prophecy that the Lord had placed on his lips even as a child. The brother whom they had tormented and sold forgave them. Do you understand, people? Now you know why I have said to you on this day: When will you recognize Me, as Joseph was recognized by his brothers? (90:2)

The Desert Journey of the People of Israel Under Moses

36. In the "First Age," 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, unbelief, and materialism, some blasphemed, others fell away, and still others rebelled. Yet Moses spoke to them in this situation with wisdom and patience, so that they might not violate the will of the Most High, but rather be humble and obedient toward that Father who—without regard to their disobedience—caused manna to fall from heaven and water to gush from the rock. (343, 53)

37. Moses had provided sufficient proof that the true God was with him; yet the people wanted even more evidence, and when the messenger had led the multitudes to the foot of Mount Sinai, he invoked the power of Jehovah, and the Lord honored him and granted him great signs and wonders.

38. The people wanted to hear and see the One whom Moses heard and saw through his faith, and so I revealed Myself to the people in the cloud and let them hear My voice for hours on end. Yet it was so mighty that the people thought they would die of fear; their bodies trembled, and their souls shuddered at that voice of justice. Then the people implored Moses to ask Jehovah not to speak to His people anymore, because they could no longer bear to hear Him. They realized that they were still far too immature to be able to communicate directly with the Eternal One. (29, 32, 34)

39. Strengthen your soul in the great battles of life, just as the people of Israel were strengthened in the desert. Do you know how vast the desert is, which seems to have no end, with a merciless sun and scorching sand? Do you know what loneliness and silence are, and the necessity of keeping watch at night because enemies lie in wait? Truly, I tell you, it was there in the desert that the people grasped the greatness of believing in God, and where they learned to love Him. What could that people have expected from the desert? And yet they had everything: bread, water, a home to rest in, an oasis, and a sanctuary to lift their souls in gratitude to their Father and Creator. (107, 28)

Elijah's Struggle for the True God

40. In the "First Age," Elijah came to earth, drew near to the hearts of men, and found them fallen into paganism and idolatry. The world was ruled by kings and priests, and both had turned away from the fulfillment of the divine laws and led their peoples down paths of error and falsehood. They had erected altars to various gods and worshiped them.

41. Elijah appeared in those days and spoke to them with words full of righteousness: "Open your eyes and realize that you have desecrated 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 to Him, and acknowledge Him. Put away your idolatry and lift your eyes above every image with which you have represented Him."

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

43. And Elijah said, "It will not rain again until my Lord signals the hour and my voice commands it," and as he said this, he departed.

44. From that day on, the earth was dry; the seasons meant for rain passed without any rain falling. There was no sign of rain in the sky; the fields felt the drought; the livestock gradually withered away; people dug into the earth in search of water to quench their thirst, but found none; the rivers dried up, the grass withered because it succumbed to the rays of a scorching sun, and the people called upon their gods, begging them to return that element to them so they could sow and harvest seeds that would sustain them.

45. Elijah had withdrawn by divine command, praying and awaiting the will of his Lord. The men and women began to leave their homeland in search of new lands where they would not lack water. Caravans were seen everywhere, and in every place the earth was parched.

46. The years passed, and one day, as Elijah lifted his spirit to the Father, he heard His voice saying to him, "Go to the king, and when I give you the sign, the rain will fall again upon this land."

47. Elijah, humble and full of obedience, went to the king of that people and displayed his power before the worshippers of the false god. Then he spoke of the Father and of His power, and the signs appeared: lightning, thunder, and fire were seen in the sky; whereupon the life-giving rain fell in torrents. Once again, the fields were clothed in green, the trees were full of fruit, and there was prosperity.

48. The people awoke in the face of this evidence and remembered their Father, who had called out to them and admonished them through Elijah. Numerous and very great were the miracles of Elijah at that time, intended to rouse humanity. (53, 34-40)

The Twelve Tribes of Israel

49. Do not believe that prophets, pioneers, and spirits of light existed only among the people of Israel. I also sent some of them to other nations; yet people regarded them as gods rather than as messengers, and created religions and cults around their teachings.

50. The people of Israel did not grasp the mission they had toward other nations and slumbered on a bed 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 yet another tribe consisted of fishermen and sailors. Another was entrusted with the spiritual worship of God, and thus each of the twelve tribes that made up the people fulfilled a different task, which together set an example of harmony. But truly, I tell you, the spiritual abilities you possessed in those earlier times, you still possess. (135, 15-16)

The Prophets and First Kings of Israel

52. The prophets spoke with great truthfulness; almost always they came to earth in times of confusion and straying. They warned the peoples and called them to repentance and conversion, announcing great judgments of justice if they did not turn to the good. On other occasions, they foretold blessings for adherence to and obedience of the Divine Law.

53. Yet what those prophets spoke was an exhortation to practice goodness, justice, and mutual respect. They did not reveal the life of the soul, its destiny, or its development. Not even Moses, whom I chose to make My representative and through whom I delivered the Law for all time, spoke to you of spiritual life.

54. The Law of the Father contains wisdom and justice. It teaches people to live in peace, to love and respect one another, and to prove themselves worthy in My eyes as human beings. But Moses did not show humanity what lies beyond the threshold of physical death, nor what the atonement of disobedient souls entails, nor the reward for those who are wise and diligent in their life's mission.

55. Later, David reigned, filled with spiritual gifts and inspiration, and in his moments of exaltation, in his raptures, he heard hymns and spiritual songs from which he composed the Psalms. With them, he was to invite the people of Israel to pray and to offer their Lord the best sacrifice of their hearts. Yet David, with all his love and inspiration, could not reveal to the people of the " " the wondrous existence of souls, their development, and their destination.

56. And Solomon, who succeeded him in the kingdom and likewise demonstrated the great gifts of wisdom and power that had been bestowed upon him—for which he was loved and admired, and whose counsel, judgments, and proverbs are still remembered today—if his people had turned to him and asked: "Lord, what is the nature of spiritual life? What lies beyond death? What is the soul?"—Solomon, in all his wisdom, would not have been able to answer. (339, 12–15)