Month: February 2010

Eternal Lives, Chapter 16

Joseph Dewey
This entry is part 16 of 17 in the series Eternal Lives

Jesus and The Christ

Before we can appreciate who Jesus was in previous lives we must understand who he was when he lived his life as the Christ. Many there are who think they understand this, yet are far from the truth, for the real truth is so fantastic that the average man could not even keep the thought in his mind for one minute’s consideration; nevertheless, even this great matter is in the scriptures. The truth lies in that great statement by Jesus when he said: “I and My Father are one… the Father is in me, and I in him.” John 10:30, & 38

Does this mean that the Father and the Son are merely one in purpose, or does the meaning go much deeper than this?

As we examine the scriptures we see that the meaning is far different than imagined for John gives us a leading clue: “This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. AND I KNEW HIM NOT: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I coming baptizing with water. And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. and I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, UPON WHOM THOU SHALT SEE THE SPIRIT DESCENDING AND REMAINING ON HIM, THE SAME IS HE WHICH BAPTIZETH WITH ‘THE HOLY GHOST. And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.” John 1:30-34.

This scripture raises several interesting questions. First why was it that John the Baptist and Jesus were cousins, yet John said of Jesus “I knew him not”. You would think that if anyone knew that Jesus was the Christ that it would have been John for he was preparing the way for his own cousin!’ You would have thought that Mary and Joseph would have explained to the forerunner that their son was the Son of God. Why was it that God himself had to identify the Son of God to John?

The startling answer is that before Jesus was baptized by John in Jordan, the Son of God was not on the earth, but John was aware of how he was to come and he was awaiting verification of this from God. Jesus was the reincarnation of Joshua from the days of Moses but John and others were awaiting the presence of one far greater than him, and none were positive as to who it was that was going to receive this great entity in what we may want to call a divine possession, a possession that was completely voluntary. Some may refer to it as an overshadowing presence.

John knew through the Spirit that the Son of God was to be revealed through the ordinances he was performing and he was awaiting that final confirmation when he would see the Spirit descend and “remain” with some holy man. When this finally happened with his cousin Jesus he “saw and bare record that this is the Son of God.” Who then was the Son of God? Was it Jesus or the Spirit that descended and “remained” in Jesus?

Indeed it was the Spirit that John saw descending on Jesus. This entity was of such a high order that a pure body had to be prepared for him, for could not at that time incarnate directly among the Sons of Men. Thus after this great Spirit descended and “remained” with Jesus he became “one” with the Father within him and received great power yet always gave recognition to that Spirit and for three great years Jesus and the Son of God shared the same body. Even so, Jesus was a Son of God in his own right, just as the faithful are destined to be. The one who dwelt in him was often called the “Father” for the two had a Father-Son relationship.

The Book of Mormon seems to identify two entities here: “I would that ye should understand that God himself shall come down among the children of men, and shall redeem his people. And because he dwelleth in flesh he shall be called the Son of God, and having subjected the flesh to the will of the Father, being the Father and the Son – The Father, because he was conceived by the power of God; and the Son, because of the flesh; thus becoming the Father and Son. And THEY ARE ONE God, yea, the very Eternal Father of heaven and earth. and thus the flesh (Jesus) becoming subject to the Spirit (Christ), or the Son to the Father…” Mosiah 15:1-5.

The meanings to these scriptures have even more depth than we are discussing so one must keep in mind that we are viewing one aspect of truth here.

The Doctrine and Covenants gives us further enlightenment on this doctrine: “I Am in the Father, and the Father in me, and the Father and I are one. The Father because he gave me of his fullness, (The Spirit descended on him), and the Son because I was in the world and made flesh my tabernacle, and dwelt among the sons of men. I was in the world and received of my Father, AND THE WORKS OF HIM WERE PLAINLY MANIFEST. And John saw and bore record of the fullness of my glory, and the fullness of John’s record is hereafter to be revealed.” D&C 93:3-6 Why couldn’t the fullness of John’s record be revealed earlier? Why couldn’t even Joseph Smith reveal it? Because the people were not prepared and scarcely are today, for when the fullness of the record of John is revealed it will undoubtedly reveal this doctrine, and who in the church could abide such a revelation?

The scripture continues: “And I, John, bear record that he received a fullness of the glory of the Father; And he received all power both in heaven and on earth, and the glory of the Father was with him, FOR HE DWELT IN HIM.” D&C 93:16-17

A careful reading of these scriptures will reveal that the meaning is literal as well as figurative. For instance Jesus said “My Father is greater than I.” John 14:28. At one time Jesus tried to explain to his disciples that he was not working alone, that his power was not his alone, but was coming from another higher entity who he called the “Father”. He said to his disciples: “If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me Philip? HE THAT HATH SEEN ME HATH SEEN THE FATHER; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: But THE FATHER THAT DWELLETH IN ME, HE DOTH THE WORKS.” John 14:7-10

Why was it that Jesus said that the Father was greater than himself if whoever saw him also saw the Father? The two statements are definitely contradictory with any other explanation except the one presented here. If they are one being then one cannot be greater than the other, but if they were two spirits co-existing in the same body then the statement can make sense. In fact, if one will read all the scriptures concerning oneness in this light he will see this as a master key to a great mystery.

Mormons feel that both the Father and the Son look alike physically and that is why Jesus said “he that hath seen me hath seen the Father”, but when one reads the whole scripture he will see that Jesus was not teaching this principle, even if it were true. For instance, a few verses later Jesus tells us that they have seen the Father because the Father was in him, not because they both looked alike. He even went so far as to say that it was not him that did the great works they saw, but the Father, “he doeth the works”.

There are numerous other scriptures that bear witness to the dual occupancy of the body of Jesus. One of the greatest was in response to a legitimate accusation of the Pharisees against the testimony of the mission of Jesus: “The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true.” John 8:13 In making this statement they were referring to their law which said: “At the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.” Deut. 19:15 This was repeated by Paul: “In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.” II Cor 13:1

Jesus gave an interesting response: “Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go. Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man. And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: FOR I AM NOT ALONE, BUT I AND THE FATHER THAT SENT ME.. It is also written in your law, that the testimony of TWO MEN is true. I am one that beareth witness of myself, AND the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.” John 8:14-18

Here Jesus claims that he was fulfilling the law of establishing the truth of his mission with the witness of “two men” for he clearly stated “I am not alone”. Where then was the other man? This is what the Jews wondered for they asked him: “Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.” John 8:19

Later they asked him again: “Who art thou?” and he told them: “I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. And he that sent me IS WITH ME: THE FATHER HATH NOT LEFT ME ALONE… I speak that which I have seen with my Father…” John 8:25,28-29 & 38.

Along this same line he also said: “The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: For what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise…I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. There IS ANOTHER THAT BEARETH WITNESS OF ME.” John 5:19,30-32.

This dual occupancy is called an “overshadowing” by some teachers of the race. The Spirit of Christ overshadowed the body of Jesus, and Jesus was in such harmony with the Christ that he always did what was communicated to him because he realized the Christ was a higher intelligence. A rather inaccurate example, but the best available would be that of a scientist putting an implant within the brain of a friend that he wants to fill a mission for him. This implant allows the scientist to reproduce on a television screen all that his friend sees through his eyes. He is also capable of reading all of his thoughts as well as sending his own to his friend. He sends his friend on a dangerous, but important mission to a ruthless and savage people, but promises him that he will be with him and provide safety with his greater knowledge and will tell him what to do. Thus whenever the friend encounters a situation he cannot handle the scientist tells him the words to say and they are not the man’s words, but the scientist’s. The scientist decides to impress the barbarians with a few miracles so he tells his friend to do some impressive things like walking on water for example. The friend does not fear for he knows the scientist will help him with his super scientific knowledge and reverse gravity for him. Then he will tells others that the works he does are not his, but the one who sent him but they do not understand.

It is a true principle that the tactics used by evil entities are a mere distorted reflection of divine action. This is true as far as demonic possession goes. It is but a copy of divine possession, except the difference is that evil takes away free agency and God always works with complete freedom of action.

What happened in the dual possession of the body of Jesus will also happen with a number of others before the Christ walks among us again in the flesh, except this time he will come in greater glory, for this time he may eventually come in a body which is entirely his own, but before this can occur there will be a number of temporary overshadowings. Jesus said: “If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I WILL COME INTO HIM, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me on my throne, EVEN AS I ALSO OVERCAME, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” Rev. 3:20-21.

If the reward of our overcoming is having one such as the Christ enter into us and Jesus overcame in the same way, then Jesus would have had to have a second entity of higher spiritual standing come into him as part of the eternal process.

He also said: “And my Father and I are one. I am in the Father and the Father in Me; and inasmuch as ye have received me, ye are in me and I IN YOU. Wherefore, I am in your midst, and am the good shepherd, and the stone of Israel. He that buildeth on this rock shall never fall. And the day cometh that you SHALL HEAR MY VOICE, and know that I am. Watch therefore, that ye may be ready. Even so. Amen.” D&C 50:43-46.

Here we have a prophesy that we shall someday experience an overshadowing as Jesus did if we are worthy, ready and watching. Let us therefore “watch” for that day and hour when our Lord cometh –unseen like a thief in the night.
Copyright 1996 by J J Dewey

Eternal Lives, Chapter 17

Joseph Dewey
This entry is part 17 of 17 in the series Eternal Lives

The Coming of Christ

The second coming of Christ has to be the most misunderstood doctrine in all Christendom for there is not one of the sects that is even halfway preparing for it correctly and when the Christ comes he will again find his greatest response from the same type of people who received him the last time: The non religious but spiritual people, and people who were ostracized from the normal religious community.

When Jesus was with the twelve they asked him: “What shall be the sign of thy coming and of the end of the world? ”(Greek AEON or “Age”) The word “coming” comes from the Greek PAROUSIA which more correctly is translated as “presence”. This word is used by Paul to demonstrate this: “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence (PAROUSIA) only, but now much more in my absence.” Phil 2:12 We see that PAROUSIA means the opposite of “absence”. The word can also be translated as “nearness”. Thus we see that the signs given in Matthew chapter twenty-four are indications of the nearness or the presence of Christ

The three stages of the coming of Christ are:

(1) The teaching and introduction of the Christ Consciousness. The lifting up of the Son of Man or the Christ consciousness in a large group of people.
(2) The partial and/or complete overshadowing of certain disciples and groups.
(3) The appearance of Christ himself in physical manifestation.

The second step is the beginning of the presence of the entity who is Christ on the earth for He shall indeed be present even though it may not be in a body of his own to start with, and this event is actually prophesied of in the scriptures themselves.

A careful reading of Zechariah will reveal that the persons mentioned as Joshua and Zerubbabel are representative of the Christ. Keeping this in mind let us read: “Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH. For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be SEVEN EYES, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the Lord of Hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.” Zech 3:8-9

Here we have mention of Joshua who is Jesus and the stone which is laid before him who was the overshadowing Christ, the stone of Israel. Then there is the servant, the BRANCH who is the one like Moses. Finally there is a group of disciples who are “wondered at.” These persons are the seven eyes of the stone of Israel or the Christ. They are seven entities who shall experience the overshadowing presence of Christ as Jesus did. We see that when this will happen that the Lord will remove the iniquity out of the land. Thus it is obvious that it shall occur near the beginning of the new age of peace.

The seven eyes are mentioned again in the next chapter; “For who hath despised the day of small things? For they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven, they are the eyes of the Lord, WHICH RUN TO AND FRO THROUGH THE WHOLE EARTH.” Zech 4:10.

We find another mention of this in the Book of Revelation: “And in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God SENT FORTH INTO ALL THE EARTH.” Rev 5:6

Seven individuals are mentioned in another prophecy concerning Christ: “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; (Christ) whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. (He has the experience of many lifetimes.)…And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then we shall raise against him SEVEN SHEPHERDS, and eight principle men.” Micah 5:2 & 5

We see from these scriptures that there will be seven men raised up in the last days who will be called the eyes of the Lord and will run to and fro through the earth and finally that they will assist the Christ in driving back the Assyrian or the Anti-Christ forces. Altogether there will be eight principle men if we include the Christ. They will be men of wonder because these seven men will be overshadowed and will fulfill the prophecy of doing even greater things than Jesus did because the Christ will come in unto them and sup with them and the Christ has even more wisdom, experience and power than he had two thousand years ago so we can look forward to marvelous things ahead. These wonders may or may not include miracles in the normal sense. They will definitely include synthesizing and uniting people and groups to prepare for the coming of the Master.

Christ will use these seven entities as seven projections of his presence through the assistance of other Masters in his group. His spirit will shift from one person to another as His overshadowing presence is needed and will produce a tremendous effect as if there were a group of saviors on the earth.

The second stage in the presence of Christ involves a larger group of disciples wherein the Christ within them will be manifest on a larger scale. These disciples will try and fulfill the commandment given by Paul: “Let this mind BE IN YOU, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God.” Phil 2:5 In speaking of himself and faithful disciples he said: “But we have the mind of Christ.” I Cor 2:16

Many people quote these scriptures, but few believe them. If we really have the mind of Christ then we will find that all of the scriptures that apply to Jesus also apply to us. For instance, Jesus said: “And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.” John 3:13. We are also Sons of God who will ascend into heaven who have in the beginning came from heaven.

Jesus continues: “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up.” John 3:14

It is true that this corresponds to his death on the cross, but he also wanted to illustrate that each man should have the Son of man, or the mind of Christ lifted up within him so that “when he shall appear we shall be like him”. I John 3:2 We shall be like him because the consciousness of Christ is lifted up in us.

Next Jesus said: “That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:15-16.

Not only should we believe the words and works of Jesus, but we must believe in and have faith in the Son of God that dwells within us. If we do this we can have everlasting life and life at the end of the age or in the age of peace. The Son of God that can be lifted up within every man forms a part of ”Christ, the Son, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, which is ONE Eternal God.” Thus when we lift up the Son of Man within ourselves we also become the Only Begotten Son for we are an extension of the only Son there is, for all the sons of men share a oneness that few can realize. Paul tried to teach the real Christ when he said: ”For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: SO ALSO IS CHRIST…Now ye are the body of Christ and members in particular.” I Cor 12:12&27.

Thus we see that Christ is an office that is composed of all those who take upon themselves his name. Everyone who listens to the sacrament prayer should be aware of this principle for we are told to “eat in remembrance of the BODY of thy Son (Which body is composed of many members), and witness unto thee, O God the eternal Father, THAT THEY ARE WILLING TO TAKE UPON THEM THE NAME OF THY SON…” Moroni 4:3.

To take upon ourselves the name of the Son means a lot more than remembering the works of another man however great he is. It means that we are to have the mind of Christ within us and to not think it mockery to be equal with God or to be a “savior on Mount Zion”, or a Christ. This principle is illustrated numerous times in the scriptures. For instance: “And under this head ye are made free, and there is no other head whereby ye can be made free. There is no other name given whereby salvation cometh; therefore, I would that ye should TAKE UPON YOU THE NAME OF CHRIST all you that have entered into the covenant with God that ye should be obedient unto the end of your lives. And it shall come to pass that whosoever doeth this shall be found at the right hand of God, for he shall know the name by which he is called; FOR HE SHALL BE CALLED BY THE NAME OF CHRIST. And now it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall not take upon him the name of Christ must be called by some other name; therefore, he findeth himself on the left hand of God.” Mosiah 5:8-10.

Jesus repeated this doctrine when he visited the Nephites: “Have they not read the scriptures, which say ye must take upon you the name of Christ, which is my name? For by this name SHALL YE BE CALLED at the last day.” III Nephi 27:5 Again this is repeated in modern revelation: “Wherefore all men must take upon them the name which is given of the Father, for in that name SHALL THEY BE CALLED at the last day.” D&C 18:24

We shall all bear the name of Christ if we are worthy and share the title of the only begotten. We are many members, but one body, “and the saints shall be filled with his glory, and receive their inheritance and BE MADE EQUAL WITH HIM.” D&C 88:107

If we lift up the Son of Man in us as Jesus did we will indeed eventually be made equal with him.

In speaking of this group of disciples Nephi said: “I beheld the church of the Lamb of God, who were the saints of God (Not necessarily the members of any denomination), were also upon all the face of the earth; and their dominions upon the face of the earth were small… And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the power of the Lamb of God, that it descended upon the saints of the church of the Lamb, and upon the covenant people of the Lord (those who take upon themselves his name), who were scattered upon all the face of the earth; and they were armed with righteousness and WITH THE POWER OF GOD in great glory.” I Nephi 14:12-14.

What does it mean when it tells us that the saints of God will go forward with power and in great glory? Nephi gives us a perfect example when he prophesied of the mission of Jesus: “And I beheld that he went forth ministering unto the people in power and great glory.” I Nephi 11:28

Thus we may safely conclude that when the righteous in the latter days go forth with power and great glory they will go forth as saviors on mount Zion and do the works of Jesus, and possibly the greater works that he spoke of because they have lifted up the Son of man within themselves to reveal their true state as Sons of God.

The third stage of the second coming is the actual reappearance of the Christ himself. We say reappearance because he has not been gone to some far off heaven, but has been working right here on the earth for the past two thousand years for did he not say: “and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world (from the Greek AION)which means “Age.” Matt 28:20.

The Christ told us that he would be with us to the end of the age and he has fulfilled that promise by not leaving the earth. This is the field of his mission, for at present he has no stewardship on other worlds, even though the position of the Christ ministers to all worlds.

Christ has had numerous previous lives and many were great, and noble ones, but he has not worked among men in the flesh since the days of Jesus. He has done much work in organizing a nucleus kingdom of heaven right here on the earth with a group of translated beings he calls the Spiritual Hierarchy of the Earth. He and other Masters of the resurrection work constantly with mankind inspiring them to do good and laying foundations which will eventually produce peace on the earth.

Some people believe that Christ was Buddha in a past life, but he was not. Buddha was a separate entity who was sent to help bring enough enlightenment to mankind so they could accept his message of love, brought by the Christ. Christ was however Krishna in a past life who was the founder of Hinduism. Many of his acts and words are recorded in the BHAGAVAD-GITA.

Many also believe that Christ was Melchizedek and there are some indications of this in the scriptures. For instance, we are told that the Priesthood was changed in ancient times from the Priesthood after the order of the Son of God to Melchizedek making Melchizedek synonymous with the Son of God. Melchizedek was the Christ who was overshadowed by for the Ancient of days, or the first Adam to come to the earth. The first Adam is an even higher entity than the Christ for he has already been a savior on another world before he came to the earth. He has power to create a physical body an the earth at will, which in the east is called a MAYAVIRUPA.

Thus when he appeared on the earth as Melchizedek be became the “King of Salem, which is, King of peace; without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.” Heb 7:2-3 Even though Joseph Smith said that this scripture was speaking of the Priesthood, it is also true of the Ancient of Days for he has no father or mother in this world. It was revealed to me that when Abraham’s name was changed from Abram to Abraham that he was overshadowed by a higher being. Even so the person who owned the body of Melchizedek was Christ and he was overshadowed by Adam, or Melchizedek, for it is written of him (Melchizedek): “Now there were many before him, and also there were many afterwards, but none were greater.” Alma 13:19

Before Christ will come again in a physical body the first two steps have to be fulfilled as we have discussed. There has to be people spiritually prepared to meet him and since reincarnation is one of the more simple doctrines he will teach we can see that there would be few ready to accept him with opened arms, especially among the Christian world. It is written: “When the Lord shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.” Psalms 102:16 Thus we see that a Zion condition will precede his coming and not be the result of it.

When he appears this time he will not be the Jewish Messiah, for a lesser Avatar will appear to them, but he will fulfill the Messianic predictions of many of the major religions from Christianity to Moslem, to Hindu to the Buddhist. Exactly how he will manifest physically is a great mystery, but it will be one of three methods.

(1) He will be born as a natural child as happened last time. If the method of natural birth is chosen there will be no virgin birth, but he would be born as a normal child of no special appearance.
(2) He could create a physical body of manifestation which is called in the East a mayavirupa. He could manifest in this any time the world is prepared for him.
(3) He could manifest through a divine possession and share a physical body with a cooperating disciple. This was the method used with the disciple Jesus and is a closer relationship than an overshadowing. If this method is chosen then he could manifest later by methods (1) or (2) as the need may require.

At this point one would tend to object and say that the scriptures tell us that he will appear in power and great glory, but remember that is how Nephi prophesied that he would come the FIRST time, and this misinterpretation is the reason that the Jews failed to recognize him and is the reason many will fail to recognize him when he comes again. This is why it is written in the scriptures concerning the slothful: “And the Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour THAT HE IS NOT AWARE.” Matt 24:50 In other words many supposed disciples will meet and see the Christ and not even be aware of him. Indeed, we are told that the righteous “shall be looking forth for the signs of my coming, AND SHALL KNOW ME.” D&C 39:23 Most people believe they will know Christ whether they are righteous or not because the physical glory will make it obvious. They are not aware that the great glory will be spiritual as it was the first time and only the righteous shall “know” him. There will indeed be “weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth among the deceived who will not recognize their Lord whom they professed to know as the five foolish virgins hoped to be ready for the bridegroom but had no oil (Holy Spirit) in their lamps.

When he comes it will be much different and more natural than any Christian dreams and, as it was last time, the less pious among the people will be the ones who will be his greatest disciples, whereas most orthodox Christians will reject him. This is as he anticipates.

When he comes, even though it will be of a different nature than people expect, it will be found that all the scriptures regarding his coming is accurate, but will be interpreted in a different light just as they were with his first appearance.

When he is here he will not fly around like a bird, but will use airplane like everyone else and thus “he will come in the clouds”. When he begins to attract attention he will be seen on television and “every eye will see him”. He will also bring with him the “holy angels.” The Greek for Angel means messenger. Thus Christ will bring with him other great disciples who will work with him.

Because of the nature of his coming the Lord has put much stress on readiness so we can recognize him and assist him in his mighty work. We are told to “be faithful, praying always, having your lamps trimmed and burning, and oil with you (That is be filled with the Spirit), that you may be ready at the coming of the Bride groom.” D&C 33:17 Also Jesus said “Therefore, be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” Matt 24:44 Again Jesus said: “I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shall not know what hour I will come upon thee.” Rev 3:3

In other words if we are not ready and watching and seeking the Christ may pass us by and we may not even be aware which hour it was we saw him.

Hear, 0 Israel! The time is at hand when the days of marvelous works and wonders are to appear and these writings are to help prepare the lights to awaken so they can receive the marvelous things to come, for unless they awaken and be aware, Christ will come as a thief and pass them by. Let us be among the wise virgins who have oil in their lamps, or the Holy Spirit in us, so we do not lean on the arm of flesh and can be like prophets and not let the scoffing of men bother us so we can follow the light within which will lead to a recognition of the Christ. All the lights without are merely blinding lights that confuse and distort; therefore, let your eye be single that ye may be filled with light that “when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is.” I John 3:2 “Wherefore marvel not, for the hour cometh that I will drink of the fruit of the vine with you on the earth.” D&C 27:5

Yes, it would be nice to sit down and have a drink with the Christ, our Elder Brother. And some of us will do just that.

Copyright 1996 by J J Dewey

To read “Reincarnation & Mormonism” go HERE

To read “Reincarnation & the Bible” go HERE

The Gathering of Lights, Chapter 4

Joseph Dewey

Radiation

Seven other planets in our system have taken part in a great interplay. These are called the “seven sacred planets” in esoteric literature. At present, they do not have physical life on the surface as we know it, though they may have had in the past, but spiritual life forms inhabit their higher spheres. For the present, our solar system can only have seven radioactive planets and remain stable, and our earth is next in line for such transfiguration. When this transition occurs a highly evolved radioactive planet will be drawn out of its orbit and join (most probably) with Jupiter as one of its moons. Then a new planet on the arc of descent will cloth itself in matter and come into physical being to take the place of the one which has departed. This new planet is already created and exists in a higher grade of matter that is not yet seen by our physical eyes.

These seven radioactive planets are a correspondence to the “seven Spirits which are before his throne.” Rev 1:4 The Sun is the correspondence to the throne. Then on the microcosmic level we have the “even Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.” Rev 5:6 These are seven Avatars who personify the energies emitted by the seven great planets.

On the macrocosmic side we have the seven Rishis of the great bear, commonly known as the seven stars of the Big Dipper as the positive representatives of these energies and the seven stars of the Pleides as the negative correspondence. The seven sacred planets are as representatives of the Great Bear and the seven corresponding energies within the Sun interplay with the Pleiades. The interplay of forces must always be between positive and negative polarities. There is also an interplay between the seven stars of the Great Bear and the Pleiades. Astrologers have intuitively called the seven “sisters of the Pleiades” the “wives of the Great Bear. Indeed they represent female energies relating to the male energies of the Big Dipper. The throne of God in this case is represented by one of the stars of the Big Dipper. Remember that one of the pointers on the big Dipper is a double star so there is one extra star for the throne.

On a larger scale we have the galaxy of the Milky Way itself. There are seven divisions among all these stars which represent these seven energies on the positive side and seven others which interplay on the negative side with a great governing star representing the throne. This star is called Kolob in the Mormon scriptures. There are other clusters of stars till which correspond to the twelve signs of the Zodiac on a higher scale.

You will notice that there are certain numbers which are associated with divinity in the scriptures an other inspired writings: 1, 3, 7, 12, and multiples thereof. We have the “one God”, the three personages of the trinity, the seven spirits before the throne, seven days, seventy missionaries, seven loaves of bread, we are to forgive 70 times seven, the apostles chose seven helpers, the Book of Revelations is to the seven churches, John saw seven angels with seven trumpets and even a beast with seven heads.

Concerning the number twelve we find that there are twelve tribes of Israel. Joshua selected twelve men to cross the river Jordan and Jesus (Greek for Joshua) selected twelve apostles. Jesus’ first words were recorded at the age of twelve, there were twenty four (2 x 12) Elders before the throne and Christ had with him 144,000 (12 x 12000) saints.

All of this will hopefully give the reader a perspective so we can approach the subject of Israel with the correct humility for becoming an Israelite and approaching radioactivity are correspondences. Perhaps “becoming an Israelite” is an erroneous wording here for the power of Israel is in every man. “Recognizing the Israel within ourselves” may be a more correct term, for until it is recognized it is as if it did not exist. We’re like the prodigal son who thought he could no more be a son, for he felt sure his father would disown him, but to this joy the father welcomed him with opened arms.

Israel consists of those great beings who radiate the will of God throughout our galaxy yet realize the great injunction of Christ: “if any desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.” Mark 9:35. No other presence in our solar system demonstrates this law more faithfully than our Sun. Everything in our solar system is dependent on it, and receives from it much more than it gives. The Sun, being first, becomes the

last in the system to receive. Thus Israelites in human form within the Kingdom of God follow this same general principle. They often leave their own planet and seek to serve others not so highly progressed on the Path. Our Earth has been the recipient those who prevail as god, gods from the sky, or Israelites a number of times. These Israelites have passed the candle lighting the God within many others native to this earth creating the foundation for a great light that is beginning to fill this little planet.