I Saw By Night
from Pittsburgh Summer Sessions Service Number Four
Uranda August 18, 1941 Monday Evening
As we consider the Book of Books, we know that we could turn to any place, from cover to cover, and find that which is well worthy of our attention. I wish to consider with you many passages, as the need may arise, and tonight I would like to select a passage from one of the minor Prophets of the Old Testament. Some people take the attitude that we have arbitrarily, and without sufficient cause, determined that there are three outer Planes, for instance, or that other symbols in the Bible mean what we say they do. You, of course, have come to realize that there is very definite meaning in every symbolical expression in the Bible. There are those who try to say that we are not literalists, we do not take the Bible literally enough; but as we examine into it, we find that we are the ones who do take the Bible literally for exactly what it says. The only difference is, some people do not notice what it says. There is a difference, and this particular text is interesting and helpful, not only from the standpoint of opening the way for further consideration of symbolism, but also, to help you to an understanding and appreciation of that which is essential in the outworking of your daily lives here and now.
In the First Chapter of Zechariah, beginning with the 8th Verse, I read: “I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom; and behind him were there red horses, speckled, and white. Then said I, O, my Lord what are these? And the Angel that talked with me said unto me, I will shew thee what these be. And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, These are they whom the Lord hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth. And they answered the Angel of the Lord that stood among the myrtle trees, and said, we have walked to and fro through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest.”
This text means what? We read, “I saw by night.” How many of you have been called upon to see by night? In other words, in the night when there was not a clear vision, when there was not a fulness of understanding, when you felt yourself to be enfolded in darkness. Many people have taken the meaning of that simply to be, that he had a vision at night — during the evening part of the day. Some kind of a dream. “I saw by night.” We do not say that it does not mean that he had a vision or dream. All I am pointing out is that when he says, “I saw by night,” that gives us an opportunity to begin to understand the glorious truth that it is possible for you to “see by night.” You do not have to wait until the full dawn has broken upon your own consciousness, or upon the world. You can see by night, no matter how dark the darkness of the world, no matter how dark it is, for you can see by night — there are certain things that you can so see, and so it is for each one of us to reach a point where we can say, “I saw by night.”
Every Emissary who has come along the way as far as you have, to be drawn here together with one accord, in one place, is able to say that, because as you look back along the way, is it not true that you can say that in the night of your own darkness, in the time when you felt the greatest need for Light, that you in that night, saw something? Is that true? You agree? Then you can say you saw by night — and if you have seen by night, so also may all Responding Ones everywhere see by night. They do not have to wait until they have the fullness of Consciousness. You can begin to see where you are, and in this you find added encouragement. Some of you sometimes have felt that you wished you could see more, that you wished more Light, that you could see further, or had greater understanding.
In the place where you are, even if it be somewhat dark, you can see all that is essential to you. No matter how dark the place in which you find yourself, you can still see, you can still work, there is still something that can be done. You cannot say, no matter how dark the place, that there is nothing that you can see or do — therefore, be patient, rejoice that you can see by night, and be unconcerned about what you cannot see. If you learn to be unconcerned about what you cannot see, and rejoice in seeing what you can see by night, all will be well. And so we have the words, “I saw by night.” What do such words mean to you? They should call forth meaning and understanding, such as I have outlined to you.
“I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom; and behind him there were red horses, speckled, and white.” Some people, if they read that sentence wrongly, could come to the conclusion that the red horses were speckled and white. That wouldn’t make sense, would it? They wouldn’t be red horses if they were speckled and white. There are three kinds of horses mentioned — red horses, speckled horses, and white horses. Red is a symbol of the Physical Plane, and white is a symbol of the Spiritual Plane — Spiritual Expression of Being — and the speckled symbolize the Mental Plane; and obviously it is a mixture of both, isn’t it? A mixture of red and white. Consequently, we see that here we have three kinds of horses mentioned — red horses, speckled horses, and white horses, and they tell us something about the three Planes of Being. That is obvious to begin with. What do horses represent? Power. Horses represent Power, some kind of Power. Whenever you find a horse used as a symbol in the Bible, it means or represents some kind of Power; and the color tells you what kind of Power — so we are considering the Power of the Physical Plane, the Power of the Mental Plane, and the Power of the Spiritual Plane. Is that right? Is it very clearly stated?
Now, when he saw by night, what did he see? Behold a man — nothing very strange about that — riding upon a red horse. Isn't that the way men usually ride, upon a red horse? They are attempting to use Physical Power to accomplish whatever they want to accomplish. Human beings who ride upon red horses seek to use Physical Power only, to accomplish that which they wish to do — and this man is attempting to use physical power for the accomplishment of his desires. Where is he? “… and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom.” Did you ever feel as if you had found the bottom, as if you had struck bottom — gone down just as far as you could because you found the bottom and there just wasn't anything any lower? I wonder how many of you have felt that way, as if you had been in the bottom? Now, we find that the man who was attempting to use physical force to accomplish what he wished to do was in the bottom. That is where we would expect to find him, isn't it? You couldn't expect to find a man who was attempting to use physical force to accomplish what he wished to do, anywhere but in the bottom, clear down as far as he could go. That is not the way of Release in Reality.
What do we note here, what do we find out about the bottom, the low point, as far down as one can go? “He stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom.” The Lord always provides something to bring comfort and peace and understanding and direction wherever you may be, even if you have struck bottom — and there you find the myrtle trees. When you hear the words, “the myrtle trees,” what does it make you think of? Do you feel a Peace? Do you feel as if the Peace of God were being made known? Can you think or speak of the myrtle trees without having a realization of that which God has so provided for a way of Release from the bottom? Even in the bottom there are the myrtle trees.
Blessed Ones, if you just remember that, no matter how far down you go, no matter how low you may feel — sometimes it's pretty low, isn't it? — even if you are Emissaries. Perhaps that is pretty well past for you now; we trust it is, but there have been times when you have, in the past, felt a bit low. Is that right? I wonder if I could get any agreement on that point? All right, remember then that even in the bottom, the Lord provides a way of Release, because there you find the myrtle trees, always. Wherever you are; whatever the conditions; whether in the night or otherwise; there are ways of release which the Lord has provided for the Faithful Ones — and so in the bottom, we find the myrtle trees.
“And behind him were there red horses, speckled, and white.” Notice that these three horses were behind the man who was using the physical force only. In Revelation we read the words, “I turned to see the Voice that spake with me.” So also do we find here, that as long as a man using physical power, refusing to turn around, keeps going on his own way, according to his own fancy, he will never see that there are speckled horses, and white horses also. He will just depend upon the red horses. Consequently, the individual who is depending upon physical force to achieve that which is essential in his life, has first, the great necessity of turning around to see what is behind, because the individual functioning in the outer spheres of being in the outer world, is looking away from the Center of Being out into the outer world — and it is only as the individual turns his back upon that which is of the outer concern, and sees what is behind him, that he can begin to be aware of the speckled horses and the white horses.
Now, some people say that they cannot see the white horses, all they can see is the red horses and the speckled horses, Physical Power and Mental Power. They feel that Spiritual Power is not practical in the outer world at this time, but the text says, “… there were white horses.” There is Spiritual Power which may be used — used where, how, under what conditions? “Then said I, O, my Lord, what are these? And the Angel that talked unto me said unto me, I will shew thee what these be.” Now notice. He did not say, “I will tell you what these are.” He said, “I will shew thee what these be.” Something you are to see. You are to be shown what these things are, not just told, but to be shown. How are you to be shown, how are you to find out? Let us note now what happens.
“And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered and said. These are they whom the Lord has sent to walk to and fro through the earth.” We immediately find the Key to those who are riding red horses. They are the ones — of course, the other horses are included, but first, those red horses are the ones whom the Lord has sent to walk to and fro in the earth. Who is it that has been sent into the earth? Those who have been sent into the earth to walk to and fro are the God Beings within all human beings upon the face of the earth, without exception. And what are these, and how do they manifest? It is clear that they manifest through the expression of the Physical Plane, the Mental Plane and the Spiritual Expression Plane — through the Trinity of the outer Being. Is that clearly stated? When the outer expression tries to accomplish by itself, separately, from a physical standpoint, it finds itself in the bottom; but even in the bottom, at the low point, the Lord has provided the myrtle trees.
You know, every time I hear the words the myrtle trees, there is a strange sweet music in them for me. I wonder how many of you feel that same way? The myrtle trees. Just the very name touches something down deep inside of one. So we find that those who walk to and fro in the earth, whom the Lord hath sent, the God Beings, answered the Angel of the Lord that stood among the myrtle trees and said, “… we have walked to and fro in the earth, and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest.” That is, it is not functioning according to that which is the Will of God, it is failing to function. The earth is not accomplishing, in other words, that to which it has been called, that for which it has been Created, because human beings are self-active, attempting to use physical force to achieve their ends. They do not realize that they are in the bottom, nor do they realize the opportunities which are offered to them by the myrtle trees.
Blessed Ones, as you will go your ways again, after this Summer Session, I wonder how many of you will be in the earth as the myrtle trees? The world is in its bottom, in its low point, in its hour of darkness. Will you, in your manifestation, in your activities, in your Radiance of Love, your steadfastness of Being, be as the myrtle trees, revealing the Way to Responding Ones — giving assurance, drawing with the Fire of your Love, those who are willing to Respond? Isn’t it a Blessed thing to be in the night, in the bottom, as the myrtle trees? We do not have to feel that we must be clear up on top in the Light, where there is no darkness. Let us then be content and willing and joyous to be the myrtle trees in the bottom, in the darkness as the world is, and truly, to that degree, all will be well and you will come to know what it is to Love and Serve the Lord, and find all things working together in Perfection, in and through and for you here and now.
The Illuminating Word
Martin Exeter December 13, 1987
The human mind is the means by which the light may shine. We have spoken of Lucifer, the light-bearer. The transparent mind allows the already existing angelic light to shine through. The mind is not an entity of itself, as it tries to be in the human state. Trying to be an entity of itself, it becomes satan; it lands up in darkness. The state of the human mind, in the peoples of the world as we now know it, is darkened. The light is still present — we're still alive — but the light shines in the darkness and the darkness comprehends it not. We are aware of this state, the state where there is a separation between the heaven and the earth of the individual human being. That separation has taken place because satan, the darkened mind, has usurped the position of the true identity, the true identity which isn't Lucifer but is revealed by the fact of Lucifer's presence, because Lucifer is the light-bearer, the identity-bearer. It makes possible the experience of the true identity.
We are very much aware of the real nature of our responsibility mentally. The light determines what is thought. The light determines, therefore, what is said and what is done. Here is the process of creation. Creation comes through thought. It has continued to come through the thoughts of human beings in this fallen condition, but very sluggishly. It takes a great deal of the sweat of the brow to get anything done. We all know that, in this human state. We've struggled with it and exhausted ourselves at the business. But where the thought which moves through the mind is not generated by the mind but is generated by the light, it's easy and there is a natural flow. And all creation has occurred on this basis within the range of the responsibility of man. It would be very risky, wouldn't it, if presently your thoughts during a day were immediately to take form! So it's useful that a certain sluggishness has put in an appearance. But they do take form after a while, and they come back to haunt us. What a wretched state.
How wonderful to have the mind transparent so that the light may be born, the fitting light of the moment may be born, the fitting thought of the moment, primarily, may be born — not generated because one is thinking so desperately, as human beings do in an endeavor to control all their circumstances, but the thought which is the creative thought coming down from God out of heaven into the earth. How? Through the mind. That's what it's for — not to do its own thinking and to mess things up constantly on that basis, but to become transparent so that the light may be born. The light may be carried, yes, but also born into expression, and the first expression comes through thought. There is something which precedes the thought, mind you, but the first awareness that one may have of what it is that is moving comes through conscious thought. Conscious thought is controlled thought, controlled by the design in heaven, controlled angelically. That thought may safely take form, and it will do so. I'm sure you have found already that when there is that thought, what is thought very quickly takes form. The world is transformed on this basis, not by manipulation either mental or physical but by the flow of creative thought out of heaven into the earth by reason of a transparent mind. The transparency of mind cuts human beings down to size. The usual view is that value comes because a mind is very capable of generating its own thoughts. But that all dissolves, and there is a totally new state, a new heaven. Out of the new heaven the new earth springs, and the basis of that coming forth is the flow that occurs through the transparent mind.
The light shines and, in the shining, transforms. Creation occurs by reason of the shining of the light. Re-creation occurs in this way. Insofar as human beings are concerned, the only way that there may be participation in creation is when the facility for the shining of the light is available to that shining. And the facility is the human mind, not merely the conscious mind but the unconscious mind as well. The light is apparent consciously, and it transforms by reason of the radiation. We are familiar with the process: radiation, response, attraction, union, unified radiation. This is a mental description of something which happens continuously when the mind is in place to let it do so. There is radiation and there is consequent transformation. It is not only what may be deemed to be spiritual light, but it is literal light also. When the light shines, the flesh is revealing of it and is transformed by it. But it is not possible for it to occur individually without it at the same time occurring collectively. The collective shining of the light is what clarifies and restores the flesh to the point where the light may be intensified so that the transformation occurs. However, the flesh is the last along the line. The light only comes to the flesh because there is a transparent mind, and it is the transparent collective mind that permits the intensity of radiant light to be of such power that the very flesh may be transformed. All these things work in the creative process, if we trust the creative process and let it work. Moving together in the assumption of individual responsibility for the light, the fulfillment comes. It is the creative thought that brings forth the creation. We have an enormous responsibility in this matter.
The importance of the light may be easily seen. Mention was made of loving the light, which is what is essential. If you love darkness more than you love the light, well you'll stay in the dark. But loving the light implies loving the Word — the illuminating Word. This has always been stressed, hasn't it? Finally there are those who suddenly seem to have become aware of the vital nature of the Word — not of the printed form in and of itself but of the radiance which is made available in this way. It's made available in other ways too, and it's made available rightly through each of us and all of us continually. But to appreciate the light and to know the nature of it, it must be loved above all else. In the light is the one identity, the one I am. So there is natural love for the light and consequently a delight to bathe oneself in it, because thereby it is found that as the substance of one's own external being resonates with the light, it is resonating with one's own true identity. And one's own true identity consequently emerges. It can never emerge except by reason of the light, because that's what it is. And in the radiance of the light the truth is known: “I am the door.”
“I am the open door”
How quickly the creation occurs as that steadfast light is maintained individually and consequently together. It is maintained individually in spite of pockets of darkness. The sole concern is to let the light shine. Most people don't imagine that they are in the dark when they are. So one has to be convinced on that point; otherwise it would seem as though there was no need for the light. One must come to an awareness that one is in the dark. Then there is the recognition that the light must shine and there is consequently a willingness to let the light shine. And behold the darkness vanishes away. So in every circumstance, in every moment of our living, let your light so shine.
© Emissaries of Divine Light
