The Christ Principle

2005-3-8 04:39:00

As we begin this course of study on Revelations let me make a request. I know there is some interesting material forthcoming, but please do not quote verses ahead of the study unless it is to make an important point concerning the verses in the current assignment. If we jump ahead, then, when we cover the material a second time, some may lose interest because of the repetition.

John C asks:

I don't have a problem with skipping the orthodox interpretation, but do you think there is only one "real meaning behind the symbols"? I thought you said that all scripture had multiple layers of interpretation, so couldn't there be more that one set of meanings?

There are always a number of interpretations that apply to any inspired word, but they will harmonize with the Law of Correspondences. Just because someone gives a different explanation does not mean it is true. If the exegesis does not correspond correctly then one may rest assured that it is outright wrong. For every right explanation of Revelations there are a hundred that are incorrect.

Now let us look at the verses under discussion:

After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. Rev 4:1

And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. Rev 4:2

Questions:

(1) What is the door which was open in heaven?

Ruth writes:

"The Mind or Soul Contact."

This is a good answer. Why?

Because it harmonizes with the theme of the book which is "The unveiling of Jesus Christ"

What does the door in heaven have to do with the Christ?

To understand this we must ask the question: What is the door that lies between heaven and earth, or spirit and matter?

Answer: It is the soul.

And what is the soul?

The soul is the Christ principle itself, the "Mediator between God and man."

The first great Principle of the book then is that the key to unlock the door to heaven is to obtain soul contact or find the Christ within.

(2) Why did the first voice sound like a trumpet? What is the meaning of the sound of a trumpet?

John C tells us that the voice is like a trumpet in that it penetrates us to the core. There may be some truth to this for the word "trumpet" is from the Greek SALPIGX whose root meaning imply "to shake or disturb." Another famous scripture using this word has to do with the gathering:

"And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." Matt 24:31

The messengers who gather the elect will not sound like a trumpet as the musician playing a musical instrument, but will have a message that penetrates to the core as the sound of a trumpet.

Remember one of the purposes of the sound of a trumpet is to serve as a wake up call for troops, possibly going to battle. The sound of the spiritual trumpet wakes us up to the spiritual battle we must fight so the Christ nature can overcome our earthly nature.

The sound of a trumpet in this scripture in Revelations is obviously not a musical instrument but we are told that it is a voice that is speaking to John saying: "Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter."

In other words the sound of the trumpet signifies that John was awakened to the fact that something of great importance laid before him and he needed to pay attention.

(3) What is the throne set in heaven? The throne of God can apply to three situations.

The Solar Logos (the life of the Sun) surrounded by the seven sacred planets.
The Planetary Logos, The ancient of Days in the midst of the seven planetary centers.
The Center between the eyebrows wherein we find the inner God in the midst of the seven centers of the human being.

The verse ends with "And one sat on the throne."

He who sits upon the throne between the eyebrows is the inner Christ which is master over your lower nature and reigns supreme with no one to challenge him.

The next three verses read:

And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. Rev 4:3

And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. Rev 4:4

Questions:

What did God look like?
What is the meaning of the rainbow?
Who are the 24 Elders? Do you think they are all men? What is the meaning of the crowns of Gold?

No man is free who is not master of himself. Epictetus (55 AD - 135 AD)