The Increase — Melchizedek Is Here

The  Increase

Melchizedek  Is  Here

Grace Van Duzen  August 6, 1977

This is a privilege tonight to stand with you in this Holy Place and see what happens. I have a number of references, as I usually do, throughout this Book — The Bible. It is always so thrilling to see how they weave together. Last Sunday in a service Martin spoke about words and the significance of the words and of our use of them, their vital significance in our living. And something came to my mind with regard to some words and the letters in those words.

As you may or may not know, before the Bible was translated, in its original form [Hebrew] there were only consonants; there were no vowels, and in translation the vowels had to be put in. Actually I think the translators did a masterful job. But this is interesting to me. There are the consonants, framework you might say — a skeleton — and the vowels supply the spirit, you might say the spirit substance, and this makes a vital difference to how the word comes out — what kind of substance. So I thought I would use an illustration. [Grace wrote on blackboard the letters]  M L K (CH)  Now those have no vowels in them and there are several ways that we can put vowels in and get different words. One of them, M  E  L  CH  izedek. The first part of the word really is the name there — Melchi.  Zedek is an ancient form from which has come Zadok, which means priest, so you really have “Priest of the Most High God”, this (Melchi) meaning “Most High God.” Notice Zedek and Zadok — again you have vowels to make it different, haven't you? Or another great one but rather obscure, perhaps: M A L A CH I, the last prophet in the Old Testament, looking toward the New Testament — a very definite connecting link. He prophesied with regard to Elijah, and so on.

Or you could have something else: A M A L E K. Everyone here who has been to a Bible class knows all about Amalek. You could spell it satan or the devil, or one of those things. “Amalek”. In the Bible it says that God would have war with Amalek from generation to generation. Well, as so often in the Bible, it is completely backwards. “God drove Adam and Eve out of the Garden” — He didn't, of course. Adam and Eve drove themselves out of the Garden, and it is Amalek that has war with God from generation to generation. God doesn't fight back but Amalek fights anyway. M O L E CH — just to keep Amalek company! — was a pagan god used in human sacrifice, with a fire inside, etc. So we have exactly the same skeleton here but different substance. We could say this — Amalek and Molech — is substance, but it isn't really, because it destroys itself; it is self‑destructive.

Here is the substance [M E L CH izedek] but they have the same consonants, you could say perhaps the bones. Ezekiel wrote something about bones, dry bones. And there was a valley full of them, the great valley of the world, and it was full of the dry bones; many, many, many — the great numbers are emphasized, that there were many dry bones. They were very painful because bones rattling against each other are not comfortable, and this is the state of the world, and the substance very shortly disintegrates and disappears, dissolves. So we have the disintegration, the self-destruction, and ultimately the death, of the dry bones in the valley. And do you remember that there was a question asked? Man did not ask the LORD but the LORD asked man, and He said: “Son of man, can these bones live?” And man said, “Well, for heaven's sake, you know the answer; why are you asking me?” I paraphrased that a little bit. He said, “Lord, thou knowest.” And the LORD asked him again: “Can these bones live?”

Then Ezekiel got the vision. And in Ezekiel: “And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above ... and the breath came into them, and they lived.” The breath didn't come into them until there was substance; the flesh came up upon them — the substance. And as we so well know, man has tried to put the substance into the bones, cover them up and make them nice; but the increase, according to the function on this one level, very limited. So what happens? Well, we have lots of dry bones in the valley — population explosion, it's called. And the Law always works and takes care of these things, but is there anything left afterward? When there is too much substance on one plane the Law works to take care of it and equalize and even things out, so it is self-destruction.

There is a reference in the wonderful Book of Job, where it says that his, Job's substance was increased in the land. The very nature of this substance is that it increases. If that increase is on that very limited level which man thinks he is, a physical being, what is the increase? Well he's got to have more land, or more houses, or more machinery, or more people, or something; or in the physical sense maybe the flesh doesn't know when to stop, and of course taken far enough that is self-destruction. So if this is the increase there is no answer. The increase on each level is the answer, the wonderful substance in the land, in this land, in the body on earth; the Promised Land, we say, individually or collectively the Body of God on earth, on this planet. And it is increased in the land. It is not increased rightly after we leave this sphere of things — then we meet our Maker and all sorts of things — but in the land is where the increase needs to be, and on each plane of being. Remember Job had seven sons and three daughters, the negative triune world. They ate and drank with each other. Here was the substance on every level and the nature of that substance is to increase; but it is an ascending process, isn't it? It's not constantly increasing the physical substance. Rightly it is an ascending process where substance from one level begins to blend and move with that of the upper level — heaven to heaven. You've got seven heavens so you have this constant movement, not up and then down but constantly ascending and descending — a beautiful picture of the substance of the LORD.

Amalek presents a different picture. As I mentioned already, here is the self-active function, the increase on this level, and it is always a getting process: “Now I will get more and more and more”; and it is self-destructive. Of course the fighting against God is the getting process. There are so many wonderful texts in the Bible which apply, apply to just about anything, but I am reminded of the words of Samuel, who let none of his words fall to the ground. If something is falling to the ground it is not in an ascending cycle, it seems to me, and I wonder how many words would be categorized as falling to the ground. We think of idle words, yes — but that is rather an easy description of gossip, isn't it? kind of a nice word, idle words, but they are not nice — or deliberately malicious, spiteful, critical; these all fall to the ground. The substance is utterly wasted, there is nothing there, and we all know that once those words are spoken and fall to the ground there is nothing really to be done about it. We all know how we would like to take back that word more than anything — you can't do it.

That reminds me of another thing here with regard to Amalek. A Class member in this most recent Class, toward the end of our time together, shared something with me regarding Amalek. He had a Jewish background and in his pattern at least — I don't know how universal it is — there was a kind of ritual, I presume, with regard to Amalek, this ancient thing in their history of Amalek, the hated Amalek who tried to destroy them over and over and over. And his pronunciation of the word was “A mol ech” and they would pronounce the word, his own people — “Amalek!” — and then, in gesture, erase it. This was the whole purpose, erasing Amalek, or they would write it down and scrub it out. How futile! This is what the world has been doing generation after generation — keep Amalek alive but rub him out. Why not forget Amalek? We could look to the real substance! But I thought that was very interesting and he saw the analogy, he really found something in this, this young man. But when the word ceases to be uttered, the idle word that falls to the ground, let it fall; and we don't have to erase it, we cannot erase it. Once it is there, that's it, and then something else must begin. But just simply to let Amalek go; it is the only way. Just let him go.

It seems like this is what has been done and continues to be done in the consciousness of man in the earthly hereditary pattern, isn't it? Do the wrong thing and then change it, over and over and over. It seems like all the time is taken up with this; we don't have confessionals here but maybe a sort of an equivalent. But to constantly utter “Amalek” and then do away with it — why don't we quit having to do away with it? Why don't we stop having to change what we do, to right the wrong? And if something happens which may be the result of some wrong function it is a wonderful thing to see right away. “I know the factors that made that happen.” And there is a whole different feeling. If it is an accident there is not the reaction to it: “How did this happen? Why me?” But to really be able to see, instantly I mean, not sit down and think about it; that might help but I am talking about an instant revelation where you say, “I know why that happened!” And not just with respect to the physical thing of leaning on the towel bar and going down with it! but the instant recognition of something much deeper. That is good and there is a clean feeling of a new beginning, of something gone; but that is a different thing from keeping the word “Amalek” in consciousness and then erasing it, because this has been the function ever since man fell. It stays in consciousness; we must always utter “Amalek” and then get rid of it — utterly impossible. Because if this is the word: Melchizedek, that one cannot be there. They cannot occupy the same space.

The Priest of the Most High God

In the Psalms it speaks of each one as being a Priest forever after the Order of Melchizedek. This is the same word as the Master's when He said, “I am the vine, ye are the branches.” It was the same as in His marvelous Prayer of Intercession: “I in them, and thou in me” and they are one, all together in agreement — because this substance is what we have been hearing about: first obedience, then agreement, then spiritual expression. And it is really a thrill to see here in this Holy Place, in this very exquisite Valley, true agreement; many, many experiencing this as never before. I think there is a feeling in the self-active thinking pattern of the world that to agree with somebody, to really let down the bars and maybe find something in what somebody else is saying, this is weak. Oh no, it is very strong! This is strength because then there is a body functioning and not just individuals — substance — and that real genuine substance of agreement is followed by the next step, spiritual expression, the substance which ascends, the increase. This is the increase of the substance and without it there is nothing but bones.

Our Master uttered some very wonderful words which to me apply also in this analogy here, and that was “Go and bring forth fruit, that your fruit should remain.” And in Proverbs: “Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the first fruits of all thine increase.” I have often wondered why the “first fruits” were so great; the first fruits were always dedicated. To me there is a key herein the Master's words: “Bring forth fruit” but “your fruit should remain.” And if the first fruits are given to the LORD it remains; you don't have a second, third, fourth, or whatever. The first fruit remains and that is the fruit. Here — Melchizedek — this fruit remains. The substance is increased. That is its nature. It doesn't increase to a certain point and then, “Now we've got it; we can put it in a bank and we get interest” or whatever. Well that's all fine on this level but it is a constant, it is a characteristic, of the substance, it increases. And that is life, isn't it? That is eternal life, everlasting life, whatever we want to call it — not ascending after death and then maybe the descending cycle again in incarnation somewhere. I am not knocking that; it has probably had to be. However, the increase of the substance is life, the constant ascending and descending substance, not up and down and up and down — one thing.

The sun shines on the just and the unjust but it seems to me there is a difference with respect to what the just and the unjust do about it. The result isn't the same. The radiation is constant, that which comes down from God out of heaven, we say. But there is nothing on earth without that which blends with that which is coming down, and this is the increase, the substance of one level, and the increase, the refined substance in another level; and all the levels have their own increase, their function. “Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the first fruits of all thine increase,” that it may remain.

There is another beautiful passage in the Bible and that is in the Song of Solomon. We don't use many passages from this beautiful Book, and this is not the one that we usually use, although if you have been to my class you know I always mention it, and this is from the fourth chapter. To me it is a beautiful portrayal, first a picture of man the way he has made himself to be on earth, his state of consciousness which is separate from the Creator, from God, from the LORD, however we want to put it. It is pictured as a female, rightly, the negative aspect, the means whereby God could be on this planet. It is a picture of this negative body individually or collectively which has removed itself from the Creator, inasmuch as His effectual function through this creation is concerned. “A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed.” That is a very tight picture. And “a garden inclosed” would be more rightly translated “a garden closed” — “barred” would be a right word. “A spring shut up, a fountain sealed.” All the wonder of this magnificent creation is rendered ineffectual purely because man has shut himself out and in essence shut out the LORD. “A spring shut up” is quite a picture to me. A spring is that which bubbles up out of the ground, isn't it? I was wondering what happens when a spring is shut up; it must have to find devious ways in the darkness. Maybe we can think of the subconscious realm, devious and dark, but there is nothing sparkling or bright as that which comes forth from a spring. This has been shut up. Of course the spring shut up dries up altogether in season; it doesn't go on forever that way. “A fountain sealed.” This struck me very particularly because of some other wonderful words which Martin spoke, last Sunday again, with regard to the Book of Life.

This was from Revelation, the seven-sealed book — and here we have a fountain sealed. And no man was able to look upon that book which was sealed or to loose the seals, and here you could say we have a fountain with seven heads. I think a fountain is a beautiful description, very apt, of the Seven Spirits, and we may think of them as the physical counterpart, because there is the counterpart on every level. A fountain — something which comes forth directly — and even if we look at the physical counterparts here, or the seven seals, seven ductless glands, we see “ductless,” a fountain; no ducts, no canals, but directly into the bloodstream. Here are seven fountains! And the marvelous Seven Spirits before the Throne of God have been sealed. Here is the secret to life, as it has been put “life everlasting”, life as long as it is right to be on this planet. How very different so-called life has become through that which has been shut up and sealed.

And there was one way by which the seals could be opened in the book and that was at the hand of the Lamb. The Lamb took the book out of the hand of the Creator, and here, we have been hearing, is spiritual expression, the one way whereby life can be lived on earth the way it was created to be. We are not talking about some foreign, strange way; it is the only natural way, really, that man was ever created to be in. Everything else is completely unnatural, and yet all the other ways, the devious ways, and the distorted self-destructive ways, are accepted as being natural; they are the thing. Nothing is more certain than death, or all those things that lead to death. Human beings always utter “Amalek” and then try to get rid of him, never just let Amalek be gone and let the Priest of the Most High God have expression, collectively but individually, because each is a Priest of that Most High God. The Order of Melchizedek is the design. “I am the vine, ye are the branches.” That is the order; that is the design; and each is rightly a Priest forever after that Order.

There is more to this text: “Thy plants are an orchard of pleasant fruits.” This of course is the Word of the LORD to His creation. “Thy plants are an orchard of pleasant fruits, with all trees of frankincense” and a lot of other beautiful spices, “myrrh”, with all the chief spices. “A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters.” I am reminded of the word in Genesis at the time of Creation: “And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden.” Here again is the recognition that all these trees are in the Garden, but the Garden has been closed, barred. And perhaps we think of a garden with trees, wonderful trees, all that is available, all that is necessary for man, not only his sustenance on earth but his marvelous enjoyment. But it was all meant to be for the pleasure of the LORD, and of course man has thought of his own pleasure, which means that to get this he must do things in a different way than the LORD might do them, so the Garden has been closed. And here is reference to these trees, these marvelous sources for all life on earth: “A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters.”

Again, in John, the fourth chapter, the Master said, “Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” Everlasting life, a well of living waters — this is while we are living, not a dead God that you see when you are dead but a living God while we are living; here is where the living waters are. And He said this well springs up, “shall be in him a well of water” — that is where the well is, that is where the spring is, that is where the fountain is — “in him a well of water springing up” in every moment “into everlasting life.” Water has been looked upon as truth but, you know, it's used everywhere really, if you look into it, as substance, first substance or whatever. “The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters,” and that doesn't just mean water. Here was whatever substance was necessary in that creation.

I am reminded of Elijah, when fire came down from God out of heaven “and licked up the water that was in the trench” — substance. This is the process of ascension, isn't it, again? Fire from heaven, this marvelous transmuting substance which man can't touch; that one he can't touch and manipulate. It transmutes and it licks up the substance — a picture of the transmuting process, of that which refines and causes to ascend, that doesn't fall to the ground. He says there would never be any more thirsting when this well is present, this which springs up in each moment; no thirsting, no wanting. Here is the absolute provision in every moment within each one.

Now this female aspect that we have been talking about speaks in the Song of Solomon, the negative capacities, the body, mind, heart; the sister, spouse, now the bride. And in Revelation we have the Bride of the Lamb, and the Lamb is the spiritual expression, and here is the negative aspect of that expression; in other words what we are, rightly. Here is this voice now: “Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out.” In a few words we see something very precise. “Awake” — that's a very positive action. We have been hearing a lot about waking up and it is positive; we even heard that it could be a shock. “North wind” — here is the positive expression as opposed to the south. Here is the north wind, very often the strong thing. The south is often warm and nice and kind. But here is the north wind, and its action, the positive action, is invited: “Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south.” “Come, thou south” — here is the negative, absolutely essential. Here is the union, unified radiation, the blending. But there is the action of the negative aspect taken here or nothing would happen. Awake and come, and the spices thereof flow out.

Those trees established in the Garden which have not been allowed to be used — “Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits.” His Garden. And the Garden has been thought of as one's own. Man has taken the Garden to be his own, his own possession. The action has been of course man stealing, and he eats the fruits, and he doesn't know how to handle the fruits of that action. That should be rightly, and must be rightly, in the hands of the LORD. And so the invitation is “Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits,” the first fruits that remain, the result of the right action on earth. Melchizedek means King of Righteousness, Prince of Peace — righteousness covering the face of the earth, the fruits of the Garden in the hands of the LORD. And of course, as we know, man has messed around with the fruits, the results of action; he takes this as the seed for further action, and so the same thing is continued over and over — “Amalek, be gone!”

There is another word here, the Word of the LORD after the Bride speaks, and He says, “I am come into my garden.” “I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse: I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk: eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved.” See the perfect steps, the perfect action here. The Bride is in place, and the LORD is in position to effectively function on earth, to operate again in spiritual expression. And we can see, oh so clearly, how this is true. In agreement, the way is easy. In spiritual expression, the substance is present and we quickly see that manipulating it is utterly futile. Nothing happens; we don't get anywhere! But, when the substance present, it is like magic because the LORD is again in operation; He's in business, and that business is marvelous, and it is not some mysterious business up in the sky. This business right here is taken care of so easily, so smoothly; to the human mind it is miraculous, simply because it said it couldn't be done. But here it is, the substance. And the word of the LoORD in victory certainly comes through these beautiful words: “I am come into my garden.” It has been a long time, in the sense of earthly heredity, according to that viewpoint, since “I am come into my garden.”

Then the next automatic function is “O friends, eat” — then it is passed on. Now we can let it cover the face of the earth. Here is the increase of the substance. “Eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved.” That is the Word of the LORD, and who is the LORD? All who are letting this be an absolute reality on earth, not fictional anymore but factual. Then the invitation is extended, strong and sure: “Eat, O friends; drink, yea drink abundantly, O beloved.” And this is the Word of the LORD spoken on earth.

Another very beautiful verse in the New Testament, words spoken by the Master: “I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.” And this is it! l am come into my Garden, and I eat and drink of the fruit of this vine, which is the expression of the body of mankind on earth, but it is the Body of God on earth now, again. That is why He comes into His Garden and that is why all the pleasant fruits and the wonder of this magnificent world, the earth, then is available to Him. And how great is our privilege to be here on earth, on this planet, right now! I have no desire for a spaceship to take me somewhere else because this one is ruined. It so quickly comes back into place when the LORD is on earth to let it happen, to make it happen because we let Him do the job. It very quickly comes back because this is what it wants to do. I suspect that Amalek is happy to get out of there!

The Law works and we are here in this most marvelous position to let it be restored to that One. And we know what His joy is like; we don't have to imagine it; because we have the one who leads us here in the way [Martin], and there is no more beautiful sight than that smile on his face when he is allowed to say, “l am come into my Garden. They are doing it.” There is no more joy actually, no greater joy on earth, than to share in this Law of the LORD which is righteousness, right function. It is the other way that is hard — good and evil.

So I count it all joy and a great privilege to move with each one of you in this place, in the generation of that substance which never falls to the ground. Perhaps we wouldn't speak so often or so much if none of our words were to fall to the ground. I think that is entirely possible. Simply multiplying words seems to lead it in a certain direction; have you noticed? It can start off so nice. We are only saying nice things about people, but there is something about saying things about people that leads into a certain area, and I know we all know what I am talking about. Idle words fall to the ground and that establishes a downward cycle. How marvelous to be able to say with Samuel: “None of my words fall to the ground.” The substance is allowed to be in the ascending cycle to meet that which is coming down from the LORD, and then there is Light.

This is Light, and the darkness flees away and everything that is identified with darkness flees away fast. How good it is to share the words of the LORD in these days, “Behold, I come quickly,” and the response is quick and eager: “Even so, come, LORD.” We can only say that when we are one with that expression, “Behold, I come quickly,” and let all that is not part of this flee away. Darkness flees away when the light is there. It doesn't crawl out; it's gone! You don't even see it go. The light is on and the rest is gone. Melchizedek is here. And Amalak is gone.

Melchizedek Is Here

The LORD is in His Holy Place. Let all the earth keep silence before him. And we share His word, "I am come into my garden. I have drunk my wine. Eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved." And that is our Word that goes forth to all. He called them friends. And how many friends there are waiting to eat and drink abundantly that which we are right here in position to know right now. Could there be any greater blessing, or any greater mission, or job to do, on the face of the earth?

© emissaries of divine light

Absolute Individual Responsibility

Absolute  Individual  Responsibility

YouTube Audio

Martin Cecil  May 28, 1980

“And when he [the Comforter] is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.” The Comforter is designated variously as the Holy Ghost and the Spirit of Truth. This particular passage indicates the manner of the coming of the Kingdom, or the Government of God on earth, by reason of human beings. Usually when this particular passage is considered it has seemed as though what might occur would be something quite separate and apart from human beings. There has been, generally speaking, very little awareness of the part which must be played by human beings if this is to occur. We claim to have seen something of this and have offered ourselves, at least in some measure, to the coming of the Kingdom. In actual fact we have perhaps begun to see that there is really no other reason for our presence on earth.

The coming of the Kingdom, or the Government of God by reason of human beings on earth, makes the Lord God Almighty known by His name Jehovah. Jehovah's presence in the world reproves the world. This reproof is the coming of the Kingdom, the establishment of the government of God. The world is reproved, according to the statement in the passage which I read, “of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.” Here are three levels of human experience. The first one, sin, may be seen as the broadest. It is considered by Christians and others that all human beings are sinners, and this indeed is the fact of the matter. The other classifications, while present in all people, therefore needing reproof, may also be seen as being somewhat more selective. First of all, the mass of mankind: sinners all. Then the righteous, or self-righteous, may be seen as represented by those who were referred to as scribes and Pharisees long ago. They have vastly multiplied in numbers in these days but still are included in a more selective group, primarily centered in self-righteousness. And finally judgment. The prince of this world provides an overall control in the lives of human beings, but of course human nature centers particularly in those who are in positions where this control is exercised in a more specific sense. There is something of an upside-down pyramid here: the broad base, sinners all; the self-righteous in the middle; and those who represent the prince of this world, in positions of leadership, at the inverted apex. Here is the upside-down state of human experience, reverse polarity we might say.

And so the coming of the Comforter, because there are those present who are in fact the Spirit of Truth in action on earth, reproves the world. There has been heretofore very little to reprove the world, very little to provide a contrast to the present state of affairs. What has been done in some measure is to weigh one aspect of the present state of affairs against another aspect of the present state of affairs; but this, while it may have emphasized reproof in the consciousness of some people, was certainly not the reproof that is required. “When he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.” Here is the provision of an absolute contrast to the present state of affairs, whether that present state of affairs is considered to be good or bad. The statement was made long ago, “Behold, I make all things new”—a totally new state of affairs, not merely judgment, the weighing of the efficacy of one aspect of the present state of affairs against another.

“Of sin, because they believe not on me.” Now we see a certain responsibility that we rightly carry if the Spirit of Truth actually fathers all that we think, say and do. The sin which characterizes the human race is the sin of subjection to what may now be referred to as human nature. That is the sin; that is the violation of the Truth; that is the lie upon which human beings base all their living experience—perhaps it might be said, not deliberately so for most, but it is simply the fact of the matter. Earthly heredity governs on earth, springing out of the mass consciousness and coming to focus in each individual in a personal sense. Obviously here is something that needs to be reproved, and so we undertake, on the basis of the expression of the Spirit of Truth, to do just that. That reproof is not laying blame upon other people or telling everyone how wrong they are, but merely revealing the contrast in our own living of what the truth is, so that the lie is made apparent. That is the only way that reproof is offered. We do have this opportunity constantly to the extent that the Spirit of Truth fathers all that we think, say and do. Individually we can discern in some measure just to what extent this is so; however unless it is so, there is no reproof offered. So we share the responsibility of government in this way, extending spiritual government to all people to the extent that the Spirit of Truth fathers all that we think, say and do. The contrast hasn't been all that remarkable thus far because there has been heretofore quite a mixture, a mixture that was inexcusable, mind you, absolutely inexcusable, because we all know considerably better.

Yes there has been human nature in our experience, as in the experience of all people, and this has been there because of what might be referred to as reverse polarity. There has been subjection to human nature; I suppose it might be described as subjection to hell rather than to heaven. All of you have firsthand experience, I am sure, of hell. There are those who look to hell as an experience in the future—and of course it may be—but I don't think any of us could dispute the fact that it has been the experience in the past, and even possibly to some degree in the present. Subjection to hell is one alternative that has been accepted enthusiastically by people for a long time. The other, of course, is subjection to heaven. What is it that experiences this subjection? It is the common human experience, certainly, that hell should prevail, and as I say, seemingly people most enthusiastically make sure that this is the case. Of course most like to excuse themselves and say they can't help it: the world is full of hell; therefore we must be subject to it. But who are the “we” who are subject? I suppose this might be describable as flesh people, human beings in other words, who have the opportunity of being subject to hell and therefore bringing forth hell in the world, or being subject to heaven and therefore bringing forth heaven in the world. The absence of heaven has been obvious enough, making the presence of hell obvious enough.

So there is the opportunity of either being polarized downward or polarized upward. This is just a way of describing the two different states which are capable of being experienced. In some measure we have experienced, tentatively at least, something of the upward polarity so that the possibility of Spiritual Government might be present: a government for which, in that polarity, we would be absolutely responsible. Human beings are a little reluctant to accept such a responsibility, except possibly in the human nature state. They try to impose a government of some kind in the human nature state, some aspects of which are deemed to be good and some aspects of which are deemed to be evil. But we are not concerned with that; rather with the Heavenly Government, something that has been virtually unknown in the experience of human beings.

So, accepting this responsibility, we may offer what is necessary by our own living to reprove the world of sin. “Of sin, because they believe not on me,” is what was said by the One who is presumed to have spoken these words. Sin obviously is the failure to accept that quality of responsibility which was demonstrated by the One who spoke those words. He came, as He said, in the Name of the Father, but it was obvious that He accepted the responsibility for what was to be done absolutely. He accepted that responsibility Himself; He didn't say that it was going to be done by somebody else. “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” “I am the resurrection, and the life.” That is the acceptance of an absolute responsibility. All human beings are sinners; they couldn't do that. That's true, as long as they remain sinners, as long as they remain upside down. But if we were to undertake to stand on our feet, the right way up, then that absolute responsibility would be a natural acceptance in our own individual living, in our circumstances, in our own environments. We're not looking to anybody else at all. We do not imagine that we cannot do what we are here to do because of the behavior of somebody else. Certainly that wasn't an attitude that was taken by Jesus on earth. He came to do what He came to do and He finished the work. Virtually everybody tried to prevent Him from doing what He came to do, but He did it nevertheless. And that is the absolute responsibility that is required of those who make possible the reproof, first of all of sin, on earth.

It is assumed by people everywhere, even though they may not be able to define it in terms, that there is nothing else to be done but to be subject to human nature: you can't help it; that's the way it is. That's the way it seemed to be, because apparently there was no other alternative. The alternative that was demonstrated two thousand years ago by one man has become subsequently a myth, having very little relationship to what is applicable and experienceable to human beings in any generation up to this present one. But we're all here, capable of experiencing what is needful. We have seen this in some measure and have undertaken to let it happen. I would not wish to judge in the matter as to how effective we have been thus far, but I think we can all acknowledge that our experience could be more effective now than it possibly has been in the past. Maybe now is the time. I don't know of any other, do you?

Anyway, here we are, with the responsibility of Spiritual Government within the scope of our consciousness. That's right, isn't it? We know about it. We know that this is the reason for our presence on earth, even though we may have retained a few distractions heretofore; but we know very well, being honest, that there isn't really any other alternative than to accept and acknowledge this Spiritual Responsibility of Government, the coming of the Kingdom. The Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of Heaven, obviously has not yet put in any adequate appearance insofar as human beings are concerned, simply because no one has accepted the responsibility for it. That's the only reason. The usual view is that one is waiting for the LORD to do something. Nonsense! We've been sitting around on our butts, sometimes springing into action but usually to support some human nature view of what would be a good imposition upon other people, which is not the way by which the world is reproved. The world is reproved because the proof of the Truth is made abundantly evident regardless of what anyone else is doing. There it is, right there.

It was in fact abundantly evident through Jesus. It was for this reason that He ran into the difficulties that He did. They weren't difficulties insofar as He was concerned. They didn't prevent Him from fulfilling all that was possible under that particular circumstance. He didn't use any excuses. So likewise with us now. The world is to be reproved of sin; that is, of the human nature state, because there is another state made evident. There is no reproof until that other state is made evident. That other state is made evident because there is belief on Jesus Christ, if you want to put it that way. There is an acknowledgment, an acceptance, of what it was He did and therefore of what it is that is required of us to do: the assumption of absolute responsibility for Spiritual Government in our own living on earth. That doesn't have to be imposed on anyone else. Others may be forced into making a choice of either liking it or lumping it, but we are aware of our own spiritual responsibility and therefore of what integrity really is: to reprove the world of sin because Absolute Responsibility is taken for Spiritual Government, spiritual expression in living. And no longer is the sin of human nature the quality of our experience.

Then there is the matter of righteousness, or what could well be referred to as self-righteousness, the righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees. These two words indicate something. There are two main aspects to this matter of self-righteousness. One of them might be called secular and the other religious. I'm sure everyone is very aware of the self-righteousness in the religious field. The Pharisees of long ago were totally unwilling to be honest in considering the Truth that was demonstrated before them by reason of the presence of Jesus. Their sole concern was to put Him down, supporting the cultic beliefs that were current at that time, mainly the Jewish beliefs. These were seen as being more important than the Truth. At least this is what actually was the attitude on the part of those concerned. They may not have seen it that way but that's the way it was, and that is the way it still is. If you have undertaken to be honest and to reveal the Truth in your own living, did you ever run into that sort of self-righteousness? “You're not a Christian!” Well what is a Christian? Maybe you're not a Hindu, or a Moslem, or a Buddhist! There is a tendency to self-righteousness everywhere. The world needs to be reproved of that in the religious sense, where people are so self-satisfied with their beliefs and reject the Living Truth every time. This is done in the religious field, but it is also done in the secular field. I suppose the Pharisees might refer to the religious field and the scribes to the secular field, in this sense. There are all kinds of good professional people who may not be particularly religious, but they get to be pretty self-righteous too, don't they? Even politicians on occasion!

So there are lots of good people around. Some of them claim to be religious, some don't; but still they're very self-satisfied with their own attitudes and viewpoints. There are many such people. The world needs reproving of righteousness. The reproof was no longer available when Jesus was no longer present. “Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more.” In other words the contrast wasn't there anymore. Now, it needs to be there if there is to be the reproof: the absolute contrast, the revelation of the reality of righteousness which doesn't push itself forward as being righteous but is in fact righteous, the right expression of spirit, the Spirit of Truth in living at that particular level, the level of oh-so-good human beings.

And finally there is the matter of judgment: “Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.” Well, as we have noted already, the prince of this world is universal in the human world, but there are those who claim to themselves particular positions of power and authority in the human nature world. The world is to be reproved of judgment. This level of human government must be reproved. Do you think that means that you seek out the higher-ups in the human nature world and confront them with something, words? I doubt if that would be very effective, and it would be an imposition, wouldn't it? No, this relates to our own living. This relates to the government, the authority, of our own living, something absolute, where nothing of the self-righteous state, or of the sinful human nature state, or of this matter of judgment, controls anymore in our expression in momentary living. The control is in the Spirit of Truth. It doesn't come to us from below; it doesn't come to us from the environment; it doesn't come to us from other people. It springs forth momentarily because our polarity is upward, because there has been the absolute acceptance of responsibility, the responsibility of Spiritual Government in our own living—not trying to impose that Spiritual Government upon anyone else, not even that person who is so close that he or she is a source of irritation. We do not indulge in judgment. A person is irritated and looks around for an excuse for that irritation, and he sees the other person who is not behaving the way he should, therefore “I am excused for my irritation. I am excused for my failure to provide absolute spiritual expression in the government of my living.” There is no such excuse anywhere, at any time.

To what extent are we in position to participate in Spiritual Government? To what extent are we in position to reprove the world? Again, we do not see that reproof as telling the world anything but as revealing the quality of the Spirit of Truth in action in our own living, that's all. We will find that that is something very powerful and very absolute. We may also find that it stirs something up in other people, opposition even! Well that's their business; we don't have to get into a battle about it. He that takes the sword shall perish by the sword. We can trust the Law. Let it work, that accepting our position of Spiritual Government we may reprove the world by reason of what is revealed in our own momentary living.

We have said this for a long time, but I don't think too many have recognized what the power of momentary living is in fact, when it is the absolute expression of the Spirit of Truth. There is a power there of which human beings have known virtually nothing. I think we still have a good deal of confidence in the powers of human nature. It may still be imagined that nothing will really be achieved unless we exert at least some of these powers. It's probably considered that we would be wide open to destruction should we not hedge ourselves about to some extent with the armor of human nature.

“Faith”—an interesting word, isn't it? Perhaps we've shied away from it a little, but where is our faith in actual fact? What is our experience, in other words? Our experience may be that we have developed a certain expertise in the realm of human nature and we feel pretty competent in certain ways. Of course we occasionally get out of our depth too. Would it be safe, actually, to relinquish the safeguards of human nature—we all have them still—be absolutely exposed in the expression of the Spirit of Truth? Well look what happened to the Master on earth! Yes, look what happened. He apparently was absolutely exposed, but was He in fact? Is that what proved to be the case? Not at all. He was in command. He was in the place of authority. He was willing to let it work out that way because it was the only way that human beings would permit, if they were not to be utterly destroyed. He showed a great deal of mercy and patience in that. He let it work out the way it did, having the absolute assurance that's the way it could work out. It did—not for human beings in general, because they were unwilling that it should work out for them, but it worked out for Him. There in fact was the proof. But that's a bit of a fancy nowadays, isn't it? So far in the past, long ago. Did it really happen? Was He really there? Was the resurrection a reality? Or was someone there to snatch His body out of the tomb and give Him an attunement so that He could then emigrate to India or someplace? What stuff and nonsense there is in the consciousness of human beings in the state of human nature!—filthiness and darkness; nothing is seen that means anything.

Let there be reproof. Let the world be reproved because we accept the absolute responsibility for it individually. Yes, people like to get lost in the crowd: “Oh we'll all do it!” Oh no you won't, not unless you do it as an individual. Let each individual do it and then we all do it. There certainly is something more that happens when there is a collective body, yes, that's true; but there isn't any collective body until the individual does it. But individually speaking there have been so many distractions, so many excuses, so many reasons for following out the human nature ways of doing things. And they look so good sometimes, don't they? They have in every generation, and the world has remained in hell.

So the door of reproof is opened to the extent that there can be found within the four billion population of the earth just a few who will take individual responsibility and do it. And taking that individual responsibility, we do find that we are part of a body. Yes that is true. We don't go off in all directions like an atomic explosion of some kind. We find that we are contained, a part of a greater whole. But we only find that out when we have taken individual responsibility; otherwise it is merely a matter of form. Yes, we find ourselves associated with one another in the Emissary ministry, this peculiar cult. That's what it becomes merely on the basis of form. But if it is a matter of individual responsibility it isn't a cult. It is a cult if we are trying to get other people to take the responsibility. That's why Christianity is a cult, because Jesus is supposed to take the responsibility. Well, He did! He did it. What about the rest of us? So, assuming our individual positions of responsibility and absolute authority for the Spirit of Truth in expression in every circumstance, we play our part, then, in reproving the world. We don't imagine that we're going to be alone in this; certainly there are others who are going to do it too. They will be more likely to do it if we do it.

So we have the Spiritual Government of the world in our hands. We can either let it slip through our fingers or we can take hold of it in the absolute sense, so that we do not take the attitude that anyone else but oneself has that responsibility. We know there is plenty of room for others to take theirs, but that is their business. Our business is to take our own. And taking it, we find ourselves included in the overall responsibility that is being taken because of others too. We share this to the Glory of God, and it is thus that all things are made new. What that statement means is presently unknown. I don't think most of the implications even have come within the range of real understanding yet. What is going to happen in the world? We don't particularly need to know, do we? We do not if we assume our responsibility now in the absolute sense for the Spiritual Government that emerges in our own living: no more sin, no more subjection to the human nature impulses that arise, no more desire to exhibit any self-righteousness, and certainly no more judgment.

Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in the earth of our own living as it is done in the Heaven of the Spirit of Truth. This is the coming of our Kingdom, which is indeed the Kingdom of God. It only comes when it is our Kingdom and not merely His.

© emissaries of divine light

I Have Prophesied As The LORD My KING Hath Commanded Me

“I Have Prophesied As  The LORD My KING  Hath Commanded Me”

YouTube  Audio

Valley  Of  Dry  Bones

Uranda   January 3, 1954

We come to the first Sunday of the New Year—January 3, 1954. And it is a new year—our Sunday morning hour of Meditation—and I thank God for the privilege we have of gathering in the Spirit of His Presence. This morning I have a text which, taken from Ezekiel, I feel is particularly appropriate in the beginning of this New Year. In preparation for our further meditation, let us have a moment of devotion.

Our gracious LORD and Holy KING, we thank Thee for the privilege we have of coming before Thy Throne in this hour with yielded bodies and minds and hearts, that the instrument of being which Thou hast created us to be may so respond to Thy Will and yield to Thy Control, by reason of our love response that Thou mayest cause all things, whatsoever they may be, to work together to perfection in and through and for each one who loves and serves Thee, whosoever, wheresoever he may be, that Thy Kingdom may come into the realm of form, and that all peoples may come to know that Thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory forever. We thank Thee for the blessings of the year that is passed, and for the sacred responsibilities of the year that has begun, and we would move forward in the spirit of Thy Presence, giving evidence of the Presence of the One Who Dwells, that in thought and word, in attitude and deed, we may Glorify Thee and be a blessing to our brother man. In the Christ. Amen.

I have chosen a text which, in times past, we have considered once or twice, the

Thirty-Seventh Chapter of Ezekiel

 

The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD,

and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones,

And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley;

and, lo, they were very dry.

And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live?

And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest.

Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them,

O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.

Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones;

Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live:

And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin,

and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that

I Am The LORD

So I prophesied as I was commanded:

and as I prophesied, there was a noise,

and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.

And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them,

and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them.

Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind,

Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath,

and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.

So I prophesied as he commanded me,

and the breath came into them, and they lived,

and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.

“The hand of the LORD was upon me.” Isn't that a good state to be in: to have a consciousness and awareness of the fact that the hand of the LORD is upon me? “And carried me out in the spirit of the LORD.” Have you ever been carried out in the Spirit of the LORD into new fields of vision, understanding, and comprehension? Have you ever been carried out of the state where you were into a new state?

Human beings reading these words ordinarily think of some strange phenomenon in which an individual, a man was perhaps standing here and suddenly he shoots off up into the air and goes somewhere else. I don’t think of it that way at all. “The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones”—in the midst of the valley which was full of bones. What is this valley. To me it is the valley of the world, of human beings. And when we look out into that world pattern, in the world situation it is rather dry, and it reminds us of a valley of dry bones, because human beings are rattling around this way and that, accomplishing what? Are there the proper relationships? Do we see the true body of mankind. The answer is, No.

And the LORD “caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry.” What does this dryness signify? A lack of livingness, a lack of life. And in the world as it is we see a tremendous lack of life. “And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live?” How many times have you asked that question of yourself? Did you ever sit in your car, parked at the curb of a busy street an watch people go by—all kinds and shapes and colors, people going this way and that, some appearing to have a goal and others acting aimlessly—and did you ever ask yourself, “Can the world be saved? Can all this mass of humanity be healed of their limitations? Can they be drawn into a pattern of the Divine Design? Can they begin to live in any true sense? “And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered”—and here is the perfect answer—“O Lord GOD, thou knowest”—Thou knowest the answer. “Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them…”

Now before we go further let us remember what the word prophesy means. So many people imagine that prophesy means primarily foretelling future events. That may be included in some cases, but that is not the true meaning of prophesy. To prophesy mean to let the Word of the Lord be spoken on earth, about any subject, any thing, whatever it may be—and action comes in the realm of prophesy also. A prophet is one who allows the words of the Lord and the actions of the Lord to be given expression on earth. A true prophet is any individual who allows his lips to form and express the Word of the Lord in relationship to any subject, any thing whatsoever it may be—past present or future. So, when the Lord commanded Ezekiel and said, “Prophesy upon these bones”, we recognize immediately that he was instructed to let the Word of the Lord come through his lips so that that Word would have meaning to the dry bones. And “he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.” Now there we have a perfect illustration of the meaning of prophesy.

“O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live.” When we look at the world situation with human vision, human feelings and attitudes, realizing the chaos that is everywhere present, the suffering and the misery, the limitations of every sort, it seems to the human mind that this is indeed an impossible task. But it is no more impossible than the human concept of gathering dry bones together in a very dry valley and causing them to live. In fact, every human being upon the face of the earth who has not yet come into the body of formation Divinely designed, so that he or she has begun to live in the Divine sense, is one of these dry bones in the dry valley of the world pattern.

“Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live”—and this reminds us of another statement: Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I create all things new. “And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD. So I prophesied as I was commanded”—even as I have done, and you are here. “I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them.”

Here we see the beginning cycles of the healing ministry which we share—the gathering together of the bones to form the skeleton of the body of mankind, the body of Christ, or the Christ Spirit, on earth. But that body begins to take form before there is breath in the body—and so it has been. And when we look back along the way, as far as your own participation in this Program is concerned, do you find that this statement is true? “So I prophesied as I was commanded, and as I prophesied, there was a noise.” Did you ever hear a noise, of ideas, and concepts, and reactions, and rebellions, and questionings, and wonderings, and trying, pushing, pulling—all kinds of things? “A noise, and behold a shaking.” Now did any of you ever feel shaken? Did you? Did you ever find a shaking in the process of your being gathered together? Did you ever find your old patterns of idea and concept shaken? Did you ever find yourself shaken? I do not think there is one here who can answer, “No.” And so, there was a noise and there was a shaking, and the bones came together. Witness—here you are!

“And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above:”—or on the outside—“but there was no breath in them.” And we are reminded of the statement in the story of creation, “The LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground.” But he was an inert form—and the LORD breathed the breath of life into man’s nostrils, and man became a living Soul. He was therefore, before that point, a dead soul; he was a soul but not a living Soul. So, in our own experience there has been a gathering together of the bones, and the sinews have appeared, and the skin above, or on the outside. The forming has been working out exactly as the picture is portrayed here. But, there is one thing yet which is needed and that is the Breath of Life, that you may, in the full, complete sense be Living Souls; or, in the unified pattern, a Living Soul, in the sense of the body of mankind.

We recall that we have used the illustration before, of many members of one body, and the same portrayal is used here—many members of one body, the body of mankind which becomes, in the final analysis, the One Christ Body. And the Christ is a Spirit. The Christ Spirit when it fills the body causes that body to be the Christ Body. But until the Christ Spirit is in the body, controlling all the members of the body, it is only a potential not an accomplished fact as the Body of Christ. And here, the statement is, “but there was no breath in them”—the Breath of Life.

“Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind”—and the wind; the air is a symbol of the Spirit, as you will recall; and the wind is air in action. Therefore wind symbolizes Spirit in Action. “Prophesy unto the wind.” That is, let the Word of the Lord be expressed to the Spirit, in control of the Spirit. And is that not what is needed in our lives here, in the beginning of this new year, that the Spirit may be in action in us, working through us on earth?

“Then he said unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the Four Winds, O Breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.” Many people—an exceeding great multitude. And they stood up upon their feet—they became upright as noble men and women—and they lived; and living is not dying. Living signifies that the pattern has been changed, the cycle has been changed, no more moving in the wrong direction, but in a controlled pattern of the Spirit, moving toward the fulfilment of the goal established by the Divine Design. As we live and serve here on Sunrise Ranch, or in whatsoever place is required of us—as Kathy and I journey into the field in this year—what is the burden of our realization?

We see with our eyes how responding ones everywhere are being drawn into groups, bone to his bone; how sinews are being formed; multitudes of people of every church, every group, every color on the face of the earth; people are being drawn together in a realization that there is and must be something more than that which has been. But in spite of all of this, in spite of the revivals, in spite of the urgings to attend church, in spite of all the efforts at social betterment, human progress, it is not yet a living thing. It has not been caused to feel the controlled action of the Breath of the Spirit of God. We see the coming together of bone to bone, the development of the sinews and the skin appearing above, and this is taking place all over the world at this present time. It is being promoted by every earnest, sincere endeavour which motivates human beings of every race and color and creed—they are all having a part, one way or another. But we know that in that pattern, while it is a part of the Program, that in and of itself is not enough. The first part of the prophesy is in action on a global scale now—but what of the second part of the prophesy?

“When I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them. Then said he unto me”—now He says unto us—“Prophesy unto the wind”—unto the Spirit in Action, not the Spirit of God in some static state far away—“Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the Four Winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great” multitude.

It is not required of us that we do that which others have done.

If we simply repeat in action that which others are doing,

what is our excuse for living, for being here?

It is not that we are to simply do what they do,

achieve what they have achieved and are achieving.

If we cannot add something to that program, if we cannot increase it in some fashion,

then we are of no value.

So, we begin to see here in graphic portrayal that to which we are called in service in the earth in this present time—that in this valley of the world where the dry bones are coming together, the sinews are being established, and the skin is appearing above—that which results may not be merely a dead body to again decompose, not merely the same old round reaching the same old ceiling, ending in the same old futility; but that there may be the actual manifestation of the second step of the prophesy, that there may be such an outpouring of the Spirit of God in action in the valley of the world that the breath, the Four Winds, the Four Aspects of the Spirit in action may appear in and through the body of mankind, and that that body of mankind may live; that men an women everywhere may stand up upon their feet, revealing more and more that nobility of Being which is of God, of the Divine Design; revealing that full stature in Christ, that grace of life and function by which all may come to know what it means to be a part, not only of the body of mankind but of the Living Body of Christ on earth.

For the body of mankind as it is in the world is in fact a dead or dying body, a body subject to death. It is slain, but the victory of the Living Christ, the victory of the resurrection and the life remains to be made manifest in this body of mankind which extends over the face of the whole earth. This step beyond, which was signified in its beginning essences in what is called the Day of Pentecost—as the Master put it, “And ye shall receive power, after that the holy spirit is come upon you.” Man has not yet received that power. Man, in the sense of mankind, is subject to all of these ills—the threats of war and destruction, the threats of disease of every sort. But “ye shall receive power, after that the holy spirit is come upon you” said our LORD on earth. And here we have the Word of the Prophesy:

“Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath”—the Spirit of God in action—and “I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them”—not merely upon them, not merely round about as a breeze that blows, but the breath came into them, and being in them permitted the Spirit in action in them, an action which the flesh should share, an action which the mind should share, an action which the whole man or woman should share—the Spirit of God in action shared by all that we are. And as soon as we begin to realize this, and recognize that it is the Pattern of the Divine Design for our living service on earth in this new year, we find that we need not proceed blindly as if uncertain of the goal or the purpose, but we can move wisely, with understanding and comprehension letting this prophecy be fulfilled in us, because we share the prophecy, because we ourselves let the Word of the Lord be spoken on earth, because we ourselves let the action of the Lord appear, and because by reason of that the Spirit on earth is a controlled expression.

The wind, yes—but the wind, Spirit in Action under control, coming from the Four Winds to accomplish something. I am the resurrection and the life, the victory of the Living Christ—the victory over death, the victory in life, the Spirit of the Living Christ rising above the limitations of this world. And so it is in us, through us, for us, and for all who will share it in this day and in this hour, and in the days of this new year that we may move forward in confidence to know and to share the Victory. So let it be, now and always.

So is it established, and so shall it be accomplished, and no man can alter or change it except for himself; for the fulfilment is sure and certain for the body of mankind, for all who let themselves share in the forming of the new body of mankind, even as it is written “Behold, I make all things new.” And this new body of mankind is being formed out of the valley of dry bones, that in season it may appear a living, breathing, vibrant form for the expression of the Spirit of the Living Christ on earth, to the Glory of God. And then shall it be, according to the promise, that heaven and earth are One; and in the recreation it shall be as in the beginning when the Lord GOD created the heaven and the earth, and they were One. And God saw that which He had made and it was good. So shall it be, and now is it taking form. And in this time of our living it is being accomplished.

We thank God, therefore, for the privilege of sharing in the Angels’ Song—Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. In this new year, may the joy and heavenly prosperity of divine riches be upon you, and be made manifest through you, that you may know the joy of this new year. As one who reveals the Shekinah of our KING, the evidence of the presence of the One Who Dwells, that that evidence may be made manifest on earth here and now, so is it established and so shall it be accomplished—and no one can alter or change it except for himself. And in this,

I have prophesied as the LORD my KING hath commanded Me

Aumen

 

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