Gathering of Lights #24

2000-7-24 10:37:00

Chapter Twenty Four - The Triumph of Light

Now we will review Zechariah's description of the confrontation. After Gog invades Israel - the Lights of the earth - and overcomes half of them and controls them through power of the government, "Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives (a symbol of the Lights, the pure in heart), which is before Jerusalem on the east (the mount of Olives is east of old Jerusalem) and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south." Zechariah 14:3-4

The orthodox interpretation here is that all nations will come against the little city of Jerusalem in Israel. At that time the Messiah will appear on the mount of Olives just east of Jerusalem and split the hill in two and form a great valley to shield the Israelites. Even though this literal fulfillment is possible at some future point, providing the thoughtform around the prophecy is sustained with enough potency, it is improbable in the coming cycle.

So what is the meaning here?

For our consideration the mount of Olives is not the little hill east of Jerusalem.

The consciousness of Christ will descend upon those seeking the truth with pure intent (the mount of Olives) and some will seek the teachings of the East and others of the West creating a cleavage between them. "Half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south." [Zechariah 14:4] means that the enlightenment from the inspired teachings of the East and West shall permeate the entire world, but even though the two aspects of the teachings are from the same source a cleavage shall exist just as it does today between western and eastern religion.

After this will be fulfilled the prophecy of David: "When the Lord shall build Zion, he shall appear in his glory." Psalms 102:16

We are told here that the mountain will be split in two and one half will be removed toward the north and one half toward the south. Mount Zion consists of 144,000 who "follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth" [Revelation 14:4] and when either he or his overshadowing presence returns, at this point there will be approximately 144,000 who will be ready to do his bidding to some degree even though they may not all be gathered. As the Christ solidifies his work he will have within his association about 9,000 who will have a clear enough vision of the work to be an associate teacher, ten times more than the Buddha and his 900 in ancient times.

Zechariah continues: "And ye shall flee to the valley of the (the Hebrew reads: 'my') mountains, for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee." Zechariah 14:5

We notice here that the two mountains formed are called in the Hebrew "my mountains" by God because they are two sets of people with the Christ consciousness.

We are told that the valley where the cities shall be built "shall reach unto Azal." This is a curious phrase, especially since there is no land or city called Azal mentioned in the Bible. There is an Azel whose name has an identical spelling in the Hebrew.' Obviously the name of an individual does not fit the context as used by Zechariah. It is again quite possible that he hid a meaning in the Hebrew root of the name. Azal comes from the Hebrew ATSAL which in its purest sense means "to synthesize". Azel in the Old Testament had six sons named: Azrikam, Bocherv, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obediah, and Hanan. If we take the Hebrew meanings of these names and make a sentence we have: "Help in lifting up (the Christ consciousness) and become the firstfruits (of the Lamb); then Gog will hear intelligently and open the way to serve him by condescending and reaching out to those in darkness."

This sentence is formed by connecting the Hebrew words as they are given in the scripture. Amazingly, it is an excellent definition of the work of synthesis. In other words, the valley created by the split mountains of Zion will stretch forth east and west until synthesis is achieved between the two philosophies. All the peoples in the world must eventually be synthesized into the best of the teachings of the great masters of the past from both sides of the earth.

Zechariah continues to write of future synthesis: "And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark: But it shall be one day which shall be known unto the Lord, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at the evening time it shall be light." Zechariah 14:6-7

The meaning of these words have baffled translators for ages for it is a difficult passage in the Hebrew and each translator gives a different rendering. The words "clear" and "dark", for instance are very obscure in the Hebrew and have been translated as "light and dark", "frost and cold" and thick" and others. One thing the Hebrew does imply here is contrast and that is the direction we will render the passage. To get the true interpretation one must realize that the subject under discussion is synthesis and realizing this the Hebrew gives us a much more enlightened meaning: "And it shall come to pass in that day, that the illumination (teachings) shall not be one extreme or the other, but it shall be a day of union (synthesis), a day foreseen only by God. They shall not call one a philosophy of light and another one of darkness, but the midway path shall lead to the light."

Zechariah continues: "And it shall be in that day, that living waters (teachings of peace on earth goodwill to men) shall go out from Jerusalem (those who desire peace and freedom); half of them toward the former sea (the east), and half of them toward the hinder sea (the west): in summer and in winter shall it be (all year round). And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord (one God recognized by all the earth), and his name one." Zechariah 14:8-9

Finally, Zechariah describes the destruction of Gog and his armies: "And this shall be the plague wherewith the Lord will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem (peace); Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth." Zechariah 14:12

The meaning of the possible physical externalization of this prophecy is obvious. This is a very accurate description of how a nuclear blast destroys a person. But the destruction of Gog does not have to come to this. We could apply the same interpretation here as used in Revelations chapter 19. On the mental plane the flesh is outworn ideas that will be consumed and their eyes is the old way of seeing and their tongues are the old methods of vocalizing and acting.

The next few verses are quoted from the New English Version for clarity: "On that day a great panic, sent by the Lord, shall fall on them. At that very moment when a man would encourage his comrade his hand shall be raised to strike him down. Judah too shall join in the fray in Jerusalem (in the battle against Jerusalem - Hebrew), and the wealth of the surrounding nations will be swept away - gold and silver and apparel in great abundance. And the slaughter shall be the fate of horse and mule, camel and ass, the fate of every beast in those armies." Zechariah 14:13-15 [KJV]

As the synthesis of Israel occurs Gog and his armies are hit with great panic and at that moment when an individual "would encourage his companion'' to defeat Israel may come his conversion or paradigm shift. At the next moment "his hand will be raised to strike him (his comrade) down." He will strike him down by presenting truth and enlightenment to him.

The next sentence is a curious one and I cannot find a translator who has rendered it accurate. In the Hebrew we are told that the house of Judah will join in the battle or "fight against Jerusalem". Translators do not render this as written in the Hebrew because they believe that it is the house of Judah, which is being attacked at Jerusalem. They question: "Why would Judah attack themselves? They do not realize that it is the house of Joseph in the New Jerusalem which is to be under siege and that the Jacob aspect, or negative side, of Judah could very well participate with Gog.

The scripture has two obvious correspondences. We have seen that one half of the New Jerusalem (the gathered Lights) will fall into Gog's hands. Those residing in the New Jerusalem whose consciousness is that of the positive aspect of Judah will strive to gain back that part of Jerusalem which was lost.

When Mount Zion is established in the New Jerusalem the gathered Jews (who are mostly polarized in the negative aspect of Judah) will look upon them as an upstart group and will gladly assist Gog in halting their success. Thus will the literal house of Judah fight against Jerusalem. On the other hand, those who are shifted in consciousness to the positive aspect of Judah will support Zion. Cities of Zion patterned after the New Age will eventually be built in Old Israel and as the valley of the mountains spreads to that area so will the true house of Judah be manifest in Glory. However, Old Israel will be one of the last nations on the earth to accept the pattern of Zion.

Finally we now come to the climaxing review of Ezekiel 38. The possible physical meaning of the following prophecy is obvious so in parenthesis we will indicate the mental interpretation.

"And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord God, that my fury shall come up in my face. For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking (vibration that harmonizes) in the land of Israel; So that the fishes in the sea (those polarized in the world of emotion or feeling), and the fowls of the heaven (Israelites), and the beasts of the field (those polarized in materialism), and all the creeping things that creep upon the earth (Those who lean on the arm of flesh and must depend upon an authority figure), and all the men (none shall be left out) that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at (adjust to) my presence, and the mountain (the gatherings of Gog) shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall (those with great pride will be humbled), and every wall shall fall to the ground (those who put up barriers to the truth to protect them from their ignorance will no longer find them a protective cushion). And I will call for a sword against him (Gog) throughout all my mountains (gathering places of Israel), saith the Lord God: Every man's sword shall be against his brother (This was covered in Zechariah. The sword is truth and wisdom).

And I will plead against him with pestilence (works of accomplishment that irritate Gog because the old ways will soon pass away and all things will become new) and with blood (destruction of old ways of thinking); and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the people that are with him, an overflowing rain (The knowledge they are confronted with will intensify their feelings until they symbolically overflow and the mind is forced to think with reason), and great hailstones (cold hard facts and reason that even a man of feeling cannot long deny), fire (great enlightenment), and brimstone (God manifest through men). Thus will I magnify myself and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the Lord." [Ezekiel 38:18-23]

The saga continues in Chapter 39: "Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold I am against thee (Gog is not in harmony with the I AM within), O Gog, the Chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: And I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee (The Hebrew reads: 'strike thee with six plagues'. These are pestilence, blood, rain, hailstones, fire, and brimstone), and will cause thee to come up from the north parts (the sides of the north - the east and western coast), and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel. And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand (Gog will be disarmed, not only of physical weapons, but of emotional and intellectual ones). Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands, and the people that is with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be devoured." Ezekiel 39:1-4

"Ravenous birds" is a poor translation here. John the Revelator (previously quoted) calls them "fowls that fly in the midst of heaven" [Revelation 19:17], and this is a much more accurate rendering. In fact John quotes from Ezekiel periodically throughout his writings. The flying fowls represent Israelites and the word "ravenous" does not describe them, nor is it in the Hebrew.

Gog shall also suffer loss through the "beasts of the field". These are the multitudes that are trapped in the world of materialism and when Gog does not bring home the spoil and return interest on their investment then they will demand their pound of flesh and symbolically devour him.

Ezekiel continues: "Thou shalt fall in the open field: for .I have spoken it, saith the Lord God. And I will send fire on Magog, and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I AM the Lord" (is within them). [Ezekiel 39:5-6]

The fire is truth and the Holy Spirit.

"So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them pollute my holy name any more (Israel will no longer misuse the power of God within them): and the heathen (the nations) shall know that I am the Lord, the Holy One in (within) Israel. Behold, it is come, and it is done, saith the Lord God; this is the day whereof I have spoken. And they that dwell in the cities of Israel shall go forth, and shall set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and the bucklers, the bows and the arrows, and the handstaves (javelins), and the spears, and they shall burn them with fire seven years: So they shall take no wood out of the field, neither cut down any out of the forests; for they shall burn the weapons with fire, and they shall spoil those that spoiled them, and rob those that robbed them, saith the Lord." Ezekiel 39:7-10

The actual physical fulfillment here is unlikely even if there should be a great war for very few weapons these days are made of combustible material. It would make more sense if the prophecy stated that Israel was to make a smelting factory and smelt the weapons for seven years.

How then will Israel burn Gog's weapons for seven years?

The seven years is a symbol of the transition period that those who are polarized in the world of feeling must go through when they are confronted with facts and truth that they can no longer ignore. Let us take an example. In the days of Columbus all people of feeling felt that the world was flat and that one may fall off the edge if he were to sail too far. The Pope himself declared that this was truth so all who dared question such an assumption were in danger of not only excommunication but persecution. At that time only the more enlightened would take the time to even consider that this popular "truth" may not be valid. Then only a seeker would set about teaching such a doctrine. All of the emotionally polarized would look upon such an individual as a troublemaker and possibly as being possessed. The intellectuals may admire him, but not openly support his doctrine.

Finally, the hour of truth came, as it always does. Columbus discovered America and then Magellan actually sailed around the world. Even though the world had undeniable proof that the world was round the acceptance was not immediate with all. However, the intellectuals did muster courage enough to openly side with the truth, but the emotionally polarized did not want to swallow their pride and resisted the truth with more effort than anyone. The Papacy did not recant their stand on the world being flat, but hoped it would die through lack of attention. Thus it took a number of years for the truth to "soak in" and many of the masses died in their ignorance clinging to the infallibility of the Pope. However, the next generation who were not so steeped in the old dogmas saw the ridiculousness of their parents belief and when the round earth truth became popular, then even emotional people gravitated to it.

In correspondence we have many New Age concepts in these writings that will gradually break ice as did the round earth truth. Some of these doctrines are: reincarnation, spiritual evolution, the antiquity of man and the earth, Zion, the new economic order, new concepts on relationship and so on. None of these ideas are entirely new but have all been accepted by a few of the more enlightened of the race of humanity.

When a new or unaccepted truth is presented to society it is first embraced with understanding only by the lights. The truth will strike harmonious chords within him and he will know intuitively that it is true.

Some of the philosophies that will be popular in the New Age are now permeating society to a greater extent than was even hoped for by the disciple of the mid twentieth century. Before 1975 only the intuitive person was able to grasp "enlightened'' doctrine, but 1975 marked a cycle of penetration. From this time to 2025-30 the seekers will embrace various stages of New Age thought and present it to their peers in an acceptable manner. Some time after 2025-30 will begin the seven years (or periods) of burning the weapons of Gog. During this time the old emotional fires which fight the new age will be consumed and Gog and his armies will find that they are void of instruments with which to fight the Christ consciousness After the seven years burning, the fundamentalist clinging to a certain creed or dogma will be an oddity for the ignorance of old dogmas will be clearly manifest. Then will be fulfilled the scripture: "Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide (continue to be accepted through the New Age) which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward." I Corinthians 3:13-14

The seven years are symbolic of seven periods of transition which may or may not last for that time period.

Ezekiel continues: "And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will give unto Gog a place there of graves in Israel, the valley of the passengers (trespassers) on the east of the sea: and it shall stop the noses (anger) of the passengers: and they shall bury Gog and all his multitude: and they shall call it the valley of Hamon-gog" (the uncontrolled emotion of Gog). And seven months shall the house of Israel be burying of them, that they may cleanse the land." Ezekiel 39:11-12

What is buried here is the emotionally induced dogmas of Gog as well as his hatred for the truth. This lasts for a symbolic seven month period and when the negative emotion and glamours have subsided then the "land" will be cleansed. Land is symbolic of physical things including our bodies. When negative emotion is dissipated our physical vehicles will vibrate in much greater harmony with nature and much disease will no longer consume man.

The last point of interest here, in the latter part of the chapter, is a reiteration of the great feast by the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven (Israel.) This was already covered when we examined chapter 19 of Revelations

Thus we end the commentary on the great battle of Gog and Magog vs. Zion. Let us work toward the fulfillment of these prophesies on the mental and astral levels and not the physical, for physical externalization does not have to occur in this cycle if those with vision do their part.