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Mysteries of Genesis
Chapter 6
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[Mysteries of Genesis]
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Chapter VI
The Promise of Salvation
Genesis 15, 16, 17, and 18
THE PROMISE of salvation is for everyone. But man must
attain it. Man must be like a child at school. He must
study the lessons and pay attention. Those who are
following Jesus find that they have lessons every day, in
mind must listen to inspiration, and like Jesus, must pray
all night when the big problem comes up. If they are
faithful to the Spirit they always gain the victory. The
teacher is the Holy Spirit, and all get their lessons in
their own way, some through inspiration, some through
dreams, some through visions, some through flashes of
understanding. Spirit uses the avenue most accessible and
open to the student.
This avenue may change. In fact it often does as man
unfolds. The majority of students get understanding through
the quickening of their own spiritual mind, but as a rule
they do not have faith enough to make it powerful. Here the
Spirit comes to the rescue and confirms the new
understanding in dreams, sometimes in visions. As one
cultivates a knowledge of the symbols and a regular word is
established the leading becomes definite. All doubts are
erased from consciousness. Thousands of persons in this age
and day have attained a state of mind in which they commune
regularly with Christ.
To be saved according to the standard set up by
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Jesus we must sit with Him upon His throne in the kingdom
of heavens. This kingdom is to be attained, not after we
are dead but while we are still in the body.
Faith in things spiritual is not born full-orbed and
perfect. It has its stages of growth in man. The parable of
the mustard seed is applicable in this as in many other
instances. Up to the time of Abraham man had a primitive
consciousness of Spirit. The story of Abraham shows us how
the consciousness of soul and of the soul's relation to God
dawns in the race mind, beginning a long period of growth
that reaches perfection in the Christ demonstration on the
part of Jesus. Therefore Abraham's history and his varied
experiences are to be read as having to do with the
evolution of the soul. The early stages of this soul growth
are symbolized in the experiences of Abraham, the typical
man of faith.
The earliest growths of faith are not deeply rooted. We
find Abraham at first living in a tent, which indicates
that faith had not yet become an abiding quality in the
consciousness of man. Through certain activities of the
mind faith takes a firmer hold and finally establishes the
"firmament" mentioned in the 1st chapter of Genesis.
Abram and Sarai, as they were called before their names
were changed to Abraham and Sarah, were both old and had no
children. Symbolizing faith and soul, respectively, they
were as yet without visible fruit (manifestation). Deep
within his heart Abraham cherished an intense desire for a
son as heir to his own growing faith and the perpetuation
of his own spiritual vision. This desire was later to lead
to a test of his
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faith in the reality of the unseen and in the power of
Spirit to bring the unseen into visible manifestation.
Not only was Abraham to be himself blessed and given a
great name, but he was to be a blessing to the race in
turn. This required something positive of him; namely the
establishment of a faith in the invisible good as being
present and active to the exclusion of a negative faith in
or acceptance of appearances. Thus the promise of God to
Abraham was not alone the promise of a son to gratify his
personal desires; it was a promise that, with a spiritual
background to his life, the impossibilities confronting the
natural man would no longer exist and were to be put out of
mind. Abraham was the founder of the faith that "with God
all things are possible."
Abraham's son and the great nation that he was to father
were thus first formed in Abraham's mind by faith in the
all-potency of Spirit. The formation of the Christ, the
Son, in the individual follows the same law and involves
the whole man, spirit, soul, and body. The changes that
take place in the mind and in the body of one who begins to
exercise the faculty of faith should occasion no surprise.
Sense states of mind have formed groups of cells and fixed
them in consciousness in certain relations that are not in
accord with spiritual law. The activity of faith in mind
and body breaks up these crystallized cells, builds up new
combinations and establishes them in the body in divine
order and harmony. Thus the soul (Sarah) that seems barren
of fruit is by faith in Spirit made to bring forth joyously
(Isaac).
Gen. 15:1-11. After these things the word of Jehovah came
unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear
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not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great
reward. And Abram said, O Lord Jehovah, what wilt thou give
me, seeing I go childless, and he that shall be possessor
of my house is Eliezer of Damascus? And Abram said, Behold,
to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my
house is mine heir. And, behold, the word of Jehovah came
unto him saying, This man shall not be thine heir; but he
that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be
thine heir. And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look
now toward heaven, and number the stars, if thou be able to
number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.
And he believed in Jehovah; and he reckoned it to him for
righteousness. And he said unto him, I am Jehovah that
brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this
land to inherit it. And he said, O Lord Jehovah, whereby
shall I know that I shall inherit it? And he said unto him,
Take me a heifer three years old, and a she-goat three
years old, and a ram three years old, and a turtle-dove,
and a young pigeon. And he took him all these, and divided
them in the midst, and laid each half over against the
other: but the birds divided he not. And the birds of prey
came down upon the carcasses, and Abram drove them away.
This is a lesson of encouragement to those who are faithful
yet see no visible fruits of their faith. Jehovah said,
"Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great
reward." Whoever works under the divine law is protected,
and the result is sure to come. Active faith in the
spiritual powers of Being is productive of tremendous
results: "I will multiply your seed as the stars of
heaven." The outward evidence of the inward reality may be
delayed because we are holding in mind some idea that
prevents the manifestation. It is estimated that the best
telescopes reveal
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as many as two billion stars. This illustrates the
generative power of faith working in the formless substance
of spiritual being. Things of form are limited and can
bring but limited reward. Working in the formless, one is
working in the free range of the whole expanse of the
heavens, and the results are like the innumerable stars,
beyond all computation.
The fulfillment of this faith in God may not come at once.
A way may be opened in the consciousness for its descent
into externality. But keep on believing. "He believed in
Jehovah; and he reckoned it to him for righteousness." Then
find out why you do not have the visible evidence. Abram
asked for specific evidence. He said, "O Lord Jehovah,
whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?" Then follow
instructions for a sacrifice. Some ideas on the sense plane
must be sacrificed, especially those that have been holding
back the demonstration. A heifer, a she-goat, a ram, a
turtledove, and a young pigeon are mentioned. These
represent ideas of physical strength, human will, and
subconscious resistance. The idea of physical strength
should be given up for the realization that its source is
spiritual. Sacrifice your human will, and the divine will
will work its perfect way in you. Deny away all
subconscious resistance to the workings of divine law. Let
peace and patience pervade your mind, while ever knowing
that swiftness is characteristic of all spiritual action.
Look for a swift fulfillment of all that you are holding in
faith, and if it be delayed, know that some sacrifices are
necessary. In all this process continue to drive away, by
denial, all the "birds of prey," as Abraham did. Faith is
quickened and increased by a denial of all inability, which
seems real to the mind of sense. Affirm
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that the boundless, limitless power that creates the stars,
can accomplish in your world all that it has promised or
that you have desired.
Abraham's greatest desire was to bring forth a son. Our
greatest desire is like unto it, for it is to bring forth
the Son, the Christ, in our consciousness and in our life.
God's promise applies in both cases, and the method is the
same: the limited ideas of sense must be sacrificed for the
limitless power of Spirit.
In a dream God revealed to Abraham that his descendants
should be sojourners in a strange land (Egypt) for four
hundred years, and should then come into Canaan with great
substance and power to claim it as their own country.
God's promises are not vague nor veiled in mystery. If they
seem so or if anything about our religion seems hazy or
indefinite to us, it is because our understanding has not
been developed sufficiently to comprehend the fullness of
it. Through his repeated contacts with God Abraham grew in
understanding; in like manner we also grow by continually
"practicing the presence."
Eliezer, steward of the house of Abraham, represents the
highest intellectual concept of the Deity. The name Eliezer
means "God is my help," "God is my success." Eliezer of
Damascus points to the will, which directs the temporal
affairs of the illumined ego (Abraham). The power of the
will in the management of one's house or body is so
important that egotism results, and the spiritual man sees
that this must not be perpetuated, so he asks for a "son,"
a projection of his exalted ideals; which was fulfilled in
Isaac.
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Gen. 15:12-21. And when the sun was going down, a deep
sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, a horror of great darkness
fell upon him. And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety
that thy seed shall be sojourners in a land that is not
theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them
four hundred years; and also that nation, whom they shall
serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with
great substance. But thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace;
thou shalt be buried in a good old age. And in the fourth
generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity
of the Amorite is not yet full. And it came to pass, that,
when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold, a smoking
furnace, and a flaming torch that passed between these
pieces. In that day Jehovah made a covenant with Abram,
saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the
river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:
the Kenite, and the Kenizzite, and the Kadmonite, and the
Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Rephaim, and the
Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Girgashite, and the
Jebusite.
Abraham's vision is fulfilled in the enslavement of the
Children of Israel for four hundred years in Egypt and
their final deliverance.
The sun represents the light of Spirit, but we sometimes
have periods when this illumination is obscured ("the sun
was going down") and we become negative in consciousness
(Abraham fell into a "deep sleep" or stupor). Thus we make
contact with the subconscious (land of Egypt), in which
region abides substance. The realm of the subconscious
needs the enlightenment of Israel; Israel also needs
substance to complete its manifestation.
The name Kenite means "of or belonging to Kain,"
"possessions," "welding." The Kenites are
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thought to have been a tribe of the Midianites; therefore
like the latter, they represent the carnal consciousness of
man. However they possess an element not possessed by the
Canaanite nations that were to be utterly destroyed. The
thoughts represented by the Kenites of our text, though
seemingly of the carnal or sense man, contain a measure of
judgment, discrimination, and impulse toward good that
brings about their final upliftment into salvation. (One of
the meanings of Midian is "judgment.")
The name Kenizzite means "centralized strength,"
"possessor," "hunter." The Kenizzites represent the
thoughts of man having to do with the animal phase of his
nature, with animal strength and activity.
The name Kadmonite means "primeval," "prototype,"
"eternal." The Kadmonites represent error, carnal thoughts
about life.
The name Hittite means "broken in pieces," "sundered,"
"terror." The Hittites represent thoughts of opposition,
resistance, and fear.
The name Perizzite means "rustic," "dweller in the
country." The Perizzites lived in the hill country of
Canaan, like the Canaanites. These tribes represent
thoughts in the subconscious mind that seem to be at enmity
with Spirit, but they are fundamentally part of the
principle and when so recognized can be redeemed and become
part of the perfect man. This is exemplified by the
Israelites making friends with the Kenites.
(For Rephaim see interpretation of Gen. 14. For Amorite,
Canaanite, Girgashite, and Jebusite see interpretation of
Gen. 10.)
Euphrates means "fruitfulness." These tribes and nations
represent the fruits of sense consciousness.
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Gen. 16:1-15. Now Sarai, Abram's wife, bare him no
children: and she had a handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name
was Hagar. And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, Jehovah
hath restrained me from bearing; go in, I pray thee, unto
my handmaid; it may be that I shall obtain children by her.
And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. And Sarai,
Abram's wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her handmaid, after
Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave
her to Abram her husband to be his wife. And he went in
unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she
had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes. And
Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I gave my
handmaid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had
conceived, I was despised in her eyes: Jehovah judge
between me and thee. But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy
maid is in thy hand; do to her that which is good in thine
eyes. And Sarai dealt hardly with her, and she fled from
her face.
And the angel of Jehovah found her by a fountain of water
in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur. And
he said, Hagar, Sarai's handmaid, whence camest thou? and
whither goest thou? And she said, I am fleeing from the
face of my mistress Sarai. And the angel of Jehovah said
unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under
her hands. And the angel of Jehovah said unto her, I will
greatly multiply thy seed, that it shall not be numbered
for multitude. And the angel of Jehovah said unto her,
Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son; and thou
shalt call his name Ishmael, because Jehovah hath heard thy
affliction. And he shall be as a wild ass among men; his
hand shall be against every man, and every man's hand
against him; and he shall dwell over against all his
brethren. And she called the name of Jehovah that spake
unto her, Thou art a God that seeth: for she said, Have I
even here looked after him that seeth me? Wherefore
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the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; behold, it is between
Kadesh and Bered. And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram
called the name of his son, whom Hagar bare, Ishmael. And
Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare
Ishmael to Abram.
Abraham and Sarah did not doubt God's promise of a son, but
as yet their faith in the all-creativeness and all-power of
God was weak. The spiritual child (Isaac) is brought forth
only through faith.
Abraham took Sarah's maid Hagar and had a son by her. The
name Hagar means "wanderer," "fugitive," "to flee one's
country." Metaphysically Hagar represents the natural or
animal soul in man, which is a servant to the higher, more
spiritual soul represented by Sarah. The thoughts of the
animal soul are not lifted up to a very high plane and are
therefore likely to be sensual, selfish, or unholy, which
reacts to produce a state of fear or uncertainty
(wanderer). This sensual must give way to the spiritual. It
cannot stand in the presence of the Christ Truth but flees
before it. In development from the lower to the higher
there is often a seeming contention between the spiritual
and physical. (Sarah cast out Hagar.)
Hagar's son, being the fruit of the union of faith with
natural will and affection on a lower plane of expression,
was not recognized by Jehovah as an heir of the promise.
There is an important lesson in this for everyone who is
growing in faith and seeking to bring forth the fruits of
Spirit according to the promise. No true spiritual
demonstration is made unless the divine law is recognized
and obeyed. When we try to demonstrate
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through our own personal will and effort, we find that we
fall short.
Paul gives us an interpretation of this allegory in
Galatians 4:21-31. He calls Sarah the freewoman and Hagar
the bondmaid. We who are born of Spirit in the Christ
consciousness are sons of the freewoman and the "children
of promise." Those born of the bond-maid (the outer or
material) are of the flesh and are cast out from the
inheritance of Spirit.
Beer-lahai-roi ("the well of the living one who seeth me,"
"the well of the vision of life") was the name of "a
fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the
way to Shur," where the angel met Hagar when she fled from
Sarah. Beer-lahai-roi represents the recognition by the
individual that his life is divine, is spiritual ("the well
of the living one that seeth me"), and is for the whole
man. Even the outer or physical man and the human side of
the soul are sustained by the life of God, "the living
one." It was beside this well that the Lord met Hagar and
instructed her to return to Sarah, and also blessed her son
Ishmael, who was yet to be born. Ishmael refers to the
outer or flesh consciousness. Isaac (who later lived by
this well) symbolizes divine sonship. When it is understood
that there is but one life and that it is everywhere
present in its fullness, the entire man will be lifted up
into eternal life.
Beer-lahai-roi also symbolizes God as the guiding light of
both the inner and the outer man (the well of the vision of
life).
The name Bered means "strew," "scatter," "seeding." Bered
represents the sowing of ideas (seed thoughts) in the mind
that the individual may begin
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to act on them consciously and make them fruitful.
(For Shur and Kadesh see interpretation of Gen. 20:1.)
Gen. 17:1-8. And when Abram was ninety years old and nine,
Jehovah appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am God
Almighty; walk before me, and be thou perfect. And I will
make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply
thee exceedingly. And Abram fell on his face: and God
talked with him, saying, As for me, behold, my covenant is
with thee, and thou shalt be the father of a multitude of
nations. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram,
but thy name shall be Abraham; for the father of a
multitude of nations have I made thee. And I will make thee
exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and
kings shall come out of thee. And I will establish my
covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee
throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant,
to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee. And I
will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land
of thy sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an
everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
"I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be thou perfect."
According to the Scofield Bible, the word Almighty is a
translation of the Hebrew El Shaddai, one of the names
applied to God in the Old Testament. El means the "Strong
One," and shad means "the breast, invariably used in
Scripture for a woman's breast. Shaddai therefore means
primarily 'the breasted.' God is 'Shaddai' because He is
the nourisher, the strength-giver, and so, in a secondary
sense, the satisfier, who pours Himself into believing
lives."
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It was revealed to Abram that he should henceforth be
called Abraham, which means "father of a multitude." The
change in name always denotes a change in character so
pronounced that the old name will no longer apply to the
new person. We read that Jacob's name was changed to
Israel, Simon's to Peter, and Saul's name was changed to
Paul. The change of name applies to everyone who changes
from sense to Spirit, as is indicated in Revelation 2:17:
"I will give him [that overcometh sense] a white stone, and
upon the stone a new name written, which no one knoweth but
he that receiveth it." The new name, Abraham, "father of a
multitude," when we apply it individually means that our
faith is to be expressed by bringing the multitude of our
thoughts into the realm of Spirit and under the guidance of
the Christ.
Through Abraham God called His "chosen people." Some have
thought that God's choice of a particular nation or race is
out of harmony with the idea of fatherly love and
impartiality toward all His children, and so have rejected
part of God's purpose before they understood it in its
wholeness. Justice to all is seen when the "elect" (select)
are considered in their rightful place in the divine plan
of redemption. The Jews are the seed of Abraham, and
through them is the whole human race blessed by the coming
of Jesus.
When Abraham (faith) first catches this large vision of his
good, multiplied "as the stars of the heavens," he is not
concerned with details, which will work themselves out
later. The particular channel through which this great
expression would come was not revealed to Abraham in the
first promise. The specific thing, the birth of a son to
Sarah to be called
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Isaac, was a much later revelation. All the facts in
connection with the call of Abraham, his experiences, and
the several promises made to him by Jehovah God are very
important to us, for the great plan of redemption cannot be
understood without them. All these promises have not been
fulfilled even yet, but the word of God stands sure, and
there can be no failure in their fulfillment.
Jehovah on His first contact with Abraham made him a
certain promise, namely that his descendants should become
a great nation in which all the people of the earth would
be blessed. This was rather abstract and indefinite:
Abraham was to leave his old life and environment, give up
his home, and go into a new and unknown land (state of
consciousness).
Jehovah made His second appearance to Abraham when he was
camped under the oak of Moreh, in the land of Shechem. At
that time he was on his way down to Egypt, keeping the
commandment "Get thee out of thy country . . . unto the
land that I will show thee." Here he received Jehovah's
promise "Unto thy seed will I give this land." This shows
us that Abraham is progressing in understanding, that God
is becoming more definite to him, and the promise more
specific.
Jehovah next appeared to Abraham after he had separated
himself from Lot and returned to the land of Canaan. This
time the promise was still more definite, namely that
Jehovah would give him and his seed forever this very land
that he saw and walked upon, to the eastward, westward,
northward, and southward. Nothing indefinite or theoretical
about that! Yet the promise was still indefinite as regards
the descendants, who were to be as numerous as the dust of
the earth.
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The indefinite nature of this part of the promise was due
to Abraham's lack of understanding and complete faith, for
somewhere in his mind was a doubting thought caused by the
fact that his wife Sarah was barren. When we doubt God's
promises by speculating how He can keep them, or when we
set up limitations on His power, we of course fail to
comprehend, and the promises seem vague and indefinite.
Canaan means "lowland"; it symbolizes the body. The
redeemed body is the Promised Land, and when man
rediscovers this lost domain all the promises of the
Scriptures will be fulfilled.
Gen. 17:9-14. And God said unto Abraham, And as for thee,
thou shalt keep my covenant, thou, and thy seed after thee
throughout their generations. This is my covenant, which ye
shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee:
every male among you shall be circumcised. And ye shall be
circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be
a token of a covenant betwixt me and you. And he that is
eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every male
throughout your generations, he that is born in the house,
or bought with money of any foreigner that is not of thy
seed. He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought
with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant
shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. And the
uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of
his foreskin, that soul shall be cut off from his people;
he hath broken my covenant.
Circumcision is symbolical of the cutting off of mortal
tendencies, and is indicative of purification and
cleanliness. One is circumcised in the true inner
significance of the word only by being thoroughly purified
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in soul. Then, the glory of the inner soul's cleansing and
purifying action works out into the outer consciousness and
the body and sets one free from all sensual, corruptible
thoughts and activities. "Circumcision is that of the
heart, in the spirit not in the letter." Thus man becomes a
new creature in Christ Jesus.
Circumcision is the first step toward the eventual
elimination of generation. This was fulfilled in the life
of Jesus who taught and demonstrated regeneration. He
spiritualized both soul and body, and thus made the great
demonstration over death. "Verily I say unto you, that ye
who have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of
man shall sit on the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit
upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel."
Gen. 17:15-21. And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy
wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall
her name be. And I will bless her, and moreover I will give
thee a son of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be
a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall be of her. Then
Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his
heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is a hundred
years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?
And Abraham said unto God, Oh that Ishmael might live
before thee! And God said, Nay, but Sarah thy wife shall
bear thee a son; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I
will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting
covenant for his seed after him. And as for Ishmael, I have
heard thee: behold, I have blessed him, and will make him
fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes
shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. But my
covenant will I establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear
unto thee at this set time in the next year.
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The name Sarai means "bitter," "contentious," "dominative."
The name Sarah means "princess," "noble woman," "noble
lady." Sarai's name was changed to Sarah. In spiritual
symbology woman represents the soul or intuitive part of
man. Sarah is the higher phase of the soul. In Sarai the
soul in contending for its rightful place in consciousness;
the individual is just recognizing the fact that his
affection and emotions are in essence divine and must not
be united with material conditions but with Spirit. In
Sarah this is more fully realized and expressed.
The name Ishmael means "whom God hears," "whom God
understands." Metaphysically Ishmael represents the fruit
of the thoughts of the natural man at work in the flesh.
However, God hears and understands the outer man of flesh
as well as the inner man of Spirit, for he too must be
redeemed from error and corruption. The name Ishmael can
also be said to denote that state of consciousness which
recognizes God but which, because of the seeming opposition
of the outer world, does not express itself according to
the highest standards. In other words, Ishmael represents
personality, which has its real source in the I AM but
which goes wrong in its activity.
In its struggle to attain light, understanding, in
contacting the outer or manifest world, it becomes involved
in error.
The Lord Jehovah established His everlasting covenant with
the promised heir of Abraham and Sarah, whose name was to
be called Isaac.
Gen. 17:22-27. And he left off talking with him, and God
went up from Abraham. And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and
all that were born
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in his house, and all that were bought with his money,
every male among the men of Abraham's house, and
circumcised the flesh of their foreskins in the selfsame
day, as God had said unto him. And Abraham was ninety years
old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his
foreskin. And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when
he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. In the
selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son.
And all the men of his house, those born in the house, and
those bought with money of a foreigner, were circumcised
with him.
When Abraham received the light in regard to circumcision
he not only conformed to the law himself but he ordered all
the male members of his family to follow his example.
Metaphysically interpreted, this means that the central ego
(Abraham) catches the light or lays hold of the dominant
idea and transmits it to all states of consciousness in its
domain.
Critics have accused religion of being too general,
abstract, and idealistic. Some have said that the teachings
of Jesus are not "practical" in this age. These critics are
invariably looking at religion from a general and abstract
point of view. They consider such promises as the one made
to Abraham that he should be the father of a great nation,
with descendants as many as the stars of heaven,
allegorically rather than the terse and very definite
promise "Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son."
From a careful study of Genesis, especially the story of
Abraham, we should be able to see that our religion is
either a purely speculative philosophy or a practical
principle applicable to daily living, depending on our
point of view and our understanding of it.
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Gen. 18:1-5. And Jehovah appeared unto him by the oaks of
Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;
and he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men
stood over against him: and when he saw them, he ran to
meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself to the
earth, and said, My lord, if now I have found favor in thy
sight, pass not way, I pray thee, from thy servant: let now
a little water be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest
yourselves under the tree: and I will fetch a morsel of
bread, and strengthen ye your heart; after that ye shall
pass on: forasmuch as ye are come to your servant. And they
said, So do, as thou hast said.
Here we have a most interesting account of another of
Jehovah's appearances to Abraham. This time Abraham was
sitting "in the tent door," inactive because of "the heat
of the day." The tent was pitched under the oaks of Mamre,
and Jehovah's appearance here was the most definite of all.
The oak tree denotes something strong and protective. In
many places in the Bible God's protection is compared to an
oak tree. We are told that God is our strength, our
deliverance, our refuge from the storm. The name Mamre
means "fatness," "firmness," "vigor," "strength," and Mamre
symbolizes endurance, renewed life, and abundant substance.
Thus we see that faith (Abraham) has in and around itself
everything needful for growth and for its firm
establishment in consciousness.
"He lifted up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood
over against him." Faith must "lift up" its eyes above all
material things and look to the spiritual as the source of
all. Having done that, it will perceive the truth in its
triune aspect. Abraham saw Jehovah as "three men." Jehovah
is always the central figure,
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but we must not lose sight of the fact that, although the
one Mind is the omnipresent source of all, it manifests
itself as a trinity of spirit, soul, and body, or spirit,
consciousness, and substance. When faith lifts up its eyes
and catches this vision, then indeed hath Jehovah appeared
unto it, and His promises are sure and clear.
Abraham's bringing water to wash the feet of his guest or
guests symbolizes the necessity of purifying the
consciousness by the use of denials. The "morsel of bread"
for the strengthening of the heart represents substance in
its relation to the renewing of one's inner strength and
courage; also the necessity of using affirmation (eating
bread) for the growth of the soul. Abraham recognized the
triune aspect of Jehovah in manifestation, for he talked to
the three men as though they were one man, whom he
addresses as "my lord." This "my lord" is the I AM.
If by faith in Spirit we receive the higher ideas and
entertain them as though they were realities instead of
"figments of the imagination," as the faithless term them,
we thereby open the way for a new state of consciousness.
Many Truth seekers try to visualize God by thinking of the
divine master Jesus and surround themselves with pictures
of Him to aid the eye of faith.
Jehovah goes into the details of His former promise to
Abraham (faith) at greater length because through his faith
he has now comprehended God in a more particular and
practical way. At the time of the former promise Jehovah
was understood in an abstract and transcendent way, and His
promise was abstract and vast in scope: that Abraham should
be the father of multitudes. Now Abraham (faith) sees God
in His
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triune manifestation as spirit, soul, and body, like unto
"three men," which is a definite and practical conception.
The promise is renewed and made specific in its terms.
Abraham is to be the father of a nation, because his wife
Sarah is to give birth to a son. This is a definite promise
that cannot be misunderstood by Abraham or long postponed
by Jehovah.
Since the human race is made up of individuals all
patterned after the one divine-idea man, we can see in the
history of these Bible characters the story of their own
spiritual development both as individuals and as a race.
Our understanding of the life of Abraham will not be
complete unless we consider it in both these relations to
us.
Gen. 18:6-15. And Abraham hastened into the tent unto
Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine
meal, knead it, and make cakes. And Abraham ran unto the
herd, and fetched a calf tender and good, and gave it unto
the servant; and he hasted to dress it. And he took butter,
and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it
before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they
did eat. And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife?
And he said, Behold, in the tent. And he said, I will
certainly return unto thee when the season cometh round;
and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard
in the tent door, which was behind him. Now Abraham and
Sarah were old, and well stricken in age; it had ceased to
be with Sarah after the manner of women. And Sarah laughed
within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have
pleasure, my lord being old also? And Jehovah said unto
Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a
surety bear a child, who am old? Is anything too hard for
Jehovah? At the set time I will return unto thee,
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when the season cometh round, and Sarah shall have a son.
Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was
afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.
The feast that Abraham set before Jehovah symbolizes the
new vital forces in the bodily organism (tent)--which
shares in the spiritual unfoldment--producing a new state
of consciousness (Isaac) in spite of what seems advanced
age or deterioration of bodily vigor. Isaac represents the
pleasure and joyousness of life. The incredulity of Abraham
and Sarah symbolizes the doubts of the natural man.
Gen. 18:16-33. And the men rose up from thence, and looked
toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on
the way. And Jehovah said, Shall I hide from Abraham that
which I do; seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great
and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall
be blessed in him? For I have known him, to the end that he
may command his children and his household after him, that
they may keep the way of Jehovah, to do righteousness and
justice; to the end that Jehovah may bring upon Abraham
that which he hath spoken of him. And Jehovah said, Because
the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their
sin is very grievous; I will go down now, and see whether
they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which
is come unto me; and if not, I will know.
And the men turned from thence, and went toward Sodom: but
Abraham stood yet before Jehovah. And Abraham drew near,
and said, Wilt thou consume the righteous with the wicked?
Peradventure there are fifty righteous within the city:
wilt thou consume and not spare the place for the fifty
righteous that are therein? That be far from thee to do
after this manner, to slay the righteous with the
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wicked, that so the righteous should be as the wicked; that
be far from thee: shall not the Judge of all the earth do
right? And Jehovah said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous
within the city, then I will spare all the place for their
sake. And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have
taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, who am but dust and
ashes: peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty
righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five?
And he said, I will not destroy it, if I find there forty
and five. And he spake unto him yet again, and said,
Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said,
I will not do it for the forty's sake. And he said, Oh let
not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: peradventure there
shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it,
if I find thirty there. And he said, Behold now, I have
taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: peradventure there
shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not
destroy it for the twenty's sake. And he said, Oh let not
the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once:
peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will
not destroy it for the ten's sake. And Jehovah went his
way, as soon as he had left off communing with Abraham: and
Abraham returned unto his place.
The time has now arrived in the development of spiritual
consciousness when faith (Abraham) must be fully awakened
to the truth that all belief in the expression of
sensuality must be entirely put away. Sodom is to be
destroyed. But the man of faith is not yet entirely out of
his sense consciousness. Sodom ("hidden wiles") represents
an obscure or concealed thought habit. Gomorrah ("material
force") represents a state of mind adverse to the law of
Spirit. These wicked cities of the plain are located within
man, and before he can come into a realization of the
promised "son"
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that he desires so much he must consent to a thorough
purification from the sins that go on in them. The
purification is by fire and must be absolutely complete.
The remainder of the chapter concerns Jehovah's revelation
to Abraham of His intention utterly to destroy Sodom and
Gomorrah because of their great wickedness; also Jehovah's
agreement to save Sodom if only ten righteous men could be
found in it. The tendency to plead to be allowed to keep
old habits of thought on the ground that there is some good
in them is a characteristic of man's early stages of
development. We try very hard to save some of our secret
habits and sense thoughts. At first we reason that there
must be quite a few good things in the old thoughts, ideas,
and ways. Then we are a little less sure about there being
"fifty" and we come down to "ten." But there are not even
ten righteous, and the old consciousness must be destroyed.
Error must be wholly wiped out of the consciousness, and
the sooner we consent to accept the fullness of the
regenerative law the sooner we shall enter the kingdom.
Sodom represents the very lowest form of sense desire in
the procreative center. Today we derive from the word Sodom
the name of an unmentionable vice. Yet the spiritual-minded
Abraham persisted in the belief that there must be some
good in Sodom. Jehovah showed him otherwise. The tendency
to plead that there must be good in sense habits persists
very strongly. We cannot conceive why these functions,
which seem so necessary to the reproduction of the race,
should not be under the divine law. We have not yet
awakened to the fact that they are but an external and
counterfeit expression, a degenerate imitation, of divine
reproduction.
Page 163
Do not hold the thought that your so-called natural
functions are divine. They are great mysteries to the human
consciousness, to be understood when we have acquired
spiritual wisdom. The race has gone through some strange
experiences, and wonderful revelations come to those who
get beneath the surface of things. There are those walking
the earth today who could startle the world with
revelations of Truth about the things right under our eyes
that we do not see. Resolutely turn your back on all the
forms of sense thought and seek no excuse for them. Then
you will gradually begin to see the light within the light.
All these incidents, men, and places represent states of
consciousness in the individual. The men represent the
human desires that are still attached to the senses (Sodom
and Gomorrah); the incidents denote their method of
operation, and the places indicate their sphere of activity.
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