Sec XIII Cha 61-64 MEM Ministry John the Harbinger

[Anne Terri]

GOD'S LIVING BIBLE - THE THIRD TESTAMENT - RESEARCH LIBRARY

The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus Christ - The Christ of the Piscean Age
1920

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SECTION XIII Chapters 61-64

MEM

The Ministry of John the Harbinger

Chapter 61

John, the harbinger, returns to Hebron. Lives as a hermit in the wilds. Visits Jerusalem and speaks to the people.

1. It
came to pass when John, the son of Zacharias and Elizabeth, had
finished all his studies in the Egyptian schools that he returned to
Hebron, where he abode for certain days.
2. And then he
sought the wilderness and made his home in David's cave where many years
before, he was instructed by the Egyptian sage.
3. Some people called him Hermit of Engedi; and others said, He is the Wild Man of the Hills.
4. He clothed himself with skins of beasts; his food was carobs, honey, nuts and fruits.
5. When John was thirty years of age he went into Jerusalem, and in the market place he sat in silence seven days.
6. The
common people and the priests, the scribes and Pharisees came out in
multitudes to see the silent hermit of the hills; but none were bold
enough to ask him who he was.
7. But when his silent fast was done he stood forth in the midst of all and said:
8. Behold the king has come; the prophets told of him; the wise men long have looked for him.
9. Prepare, O Israel, prepare to meet your king.
10. And that was all he said, and then he disappeared, and no one knew where he had gone.
11. And there was great unrest through all Jerusalem. The rulers heard the story of the hermit of the hills.
12. And they sent couriers forth to talk with him that they might know about the coming king; but they could find him not.
13. And after certain days he came again into the market place, and all the city came to hear him speak; he said:
14. Be not disturbed, you rulers of the state; the coming king is no antagonist; he seeks no place on any earthly throne.
15. He comes the Prince of Peace, the king of righteousness and love; his kingdom is within the soul.
16. The eyes of men shall see it not and none can enter but the pure in heart.
17. Prepare, O Israel, prepare to meet your king.
18. Again the hermit disappeared; the people strove to follow him, but he had drawn a veil about his form and men could see him not.
19. A
Jewish feast day came; Jerusalem was filled with Jews and proselytes
from every part of Palestine, and John stood in the temple court and
said,
20. Prepare, O Israel, prepare to meet your king.
21. Lo, you have lived in sin; the poor cry in your streets, and you regard them not.
22. Your neighbours, who are they? You have defrauded friend and foe alike.
23. You worship God with voice and lip; your hearts are far away, and set on gold.
24. Your priests have bound upon the people burdens far to great to bear; they live in ease upon the hard earned wages of the poor.
25. Your lawyers, doctors, scribes are useless cumberers of the ground; they are but tumours on the body of the state;
26. They toil not neither do they spin, yet they consume the profits of your marts of trade.
27. Your rulers are adulterers, extortioners and thieves, regarding not the rights of any man;
28. And
robbers ply their calling in the sacred halls; the holy temple you have
sold to thieves; their dens are in the sacred places set apart for
prayer.
29. Hear! hear! you people of Jerusalem! Reform; turn
from your evil ways or God will turn from you and heathen from afar
will come, and what is left of all your honour and your fame will pass
in one short hour.
30. Prepare, Jerusalem, prepare to meet your king.
31. He said no more; he left the court and no one saw him go.
32. The priests, the doctors and the scribes were all in rage. They sought for John intent to do him harm. They found him not.
33. The common people stood in his defence; they said, The hermit speaks the truth.
34. And then the priests, the doctors and the scribes were sore afraid; they said no more; they hid themselves away.

[Anne Terri]

Chapter 62

John, the harbinger, again visits Jerusalem. Speaks to the people. Promises to meet them at Gilgal in seven days. Goes to Bethany and attends a feast.

1. Next day John went again into the temple courts and said,
2. Prepare, O Israel, prepare to meet your king.
3. The chief priests and the scribes would know the meaning of his words; they said.
4. Bold man, what is the purport of this message that you bring to Israel? If you be seer and prophet tell us plainly who has sent you here?
5. And John replied, I am the voice of one who cries out in the wilderness, Prepare the way, make straight the paths, for, lo, the Prince of Peace will come to rule in love.
6. Your prophet Malachi wrote down the words of God:
7. And I will send Elijah unto you before the retribution day shall come, to turn again the hearts of men to God, and if they will not turn, lo, I will smite them with a curse.
8. You men of Israel; you know your sins. As I passed by I saw a wounded bird prone in your streets, and men of every class were beating it with clubs; and then I saw that Justice was its name.
9. I looked again and saw that its companion had been killed; the pure white wings of Righteousness were trampled in the dust.
10. I tell you men, your awfulness of guilt has made a cesspool of iniquity that sends a fearful stench to heaven.
11. Reform, O Israel, reform; prepare to meet your king.
12. And then John turned away and as he went he said,
13. In seven days, lo, I will stand at Gilgal, by the Jordan ford, where Israel first crossed into the promised land.
14. And then he left the temple court to enter it no more; but many people followed him as far as Bethany, and there he tarried at the home of Lazarus, his kin.
15. The anxious people gathered all about the home and would not go; then John came forth and said,
16. Reform, O Israel, reform; prepare to meet your king.
17. The sins of Israel do not all lie at the door of priest and scribe. O think you not that all the sinners of Judea are found among the rulers and the men of wealth.
18. It is no sign that man is good and pure because he lives in want.
19. The listless, shiftless vagabonds of earth are mostly poor and have to beg for bread.
20. I saw the very men that cheered because I told the priests and scribes of their injustice unto man, throw stones and beat poor Justice in the streets.
21. I saw them trample on the poor dead bird of Righteousness;
22. And you who follow after me, you commoners, are not one whit behind the scribes and priests in crime.
23. Reform, you men of Israel; the king has come; prepare to meet your king.
24. With Lazarus and his sisters, John remained for certain days.
25. In honour of the Nazarite a feast was spread, and all the people stood about the board.
26. And when the chief men of the town poured out the sparkling wine and offered John a cup, he took it, held it high in air, and said,
27. Wine makes glad the carnal heart, and it makes sad the human soul; it plunges deep in bitterness and gall the deathless spirit of the man.
28. I took the vow of Nazar when a child, and not a drop has ever passed my lips.
29. And if you would make glad the coming king, then shun the cup as you would shun a deadly thing.
30. And then he threw the sparking wine out in the street.

[Anne Terri]

Chapter 63

John, the harbinger, visits Jericho. Meets the people at Gilgal. Announces his mission. Introduces the rite of baptism. Baptises many people. Returns to Bethany and teaches. Returns to the Jordan.

1. And John went down to Jericho; there he abode with Alpheus.
2. And when the people heard that he was there they came in throngs to hear him speak.
3. He spoke to none; but when the time was due he went down to the Jordan ford, and to the multitudes he said.
4. Reform and in the fount of purity wash all your sins away; the kingdom is at hand.
5. Come unto me and in the waters of this stream be washed, symbolic of the inner cleansing of the soul.
6. And, lo, the multitudes came down, and in the Jordan they were washed, and every man confessed his sins.
7. For many months, in all the regions round about, John pled for purity and righteousness, and after many days he went again to Bethany; and there he taught.
8. At first few but the honest seekers came; but, by and by, the selfish and the vicious came with no contrition; came because the many came.
9. And when John saw the repentant Pharisees and Sadducees come unto him, he said,
10. You children of the vipers, stay; are you disturbed by news of coming wrath?
11. Go to, and do the things that prove repentance genuine.
12. Is it enough for you to say that you are heirs of Abraham? I tell you, no.
13. The heirs of Abraham are just as wicked in the sight of God when they do wrong as any heathen man.
14. Behold the axe! and every tree that bears not wholesome fruit is cut down at the roots and cast into the fire.
15. And then the people asked, What must we do?
16. And John replied, Accept the ministry of helpfulness for all mankind; spend not upon your selfish selves all that you have.
17. Let him who has two coats give one to him who has no coat; give part of all the food you have to those in need.
18. And when the publicans came up and asked, What must we do? John answered them,
19. Be honest in your work; do not increase for selfish gain the tribute you collect; take nothing more than what your king demands.
20. And when the soldiers came and asked, What must we do? The harbinger replied,
21. Do violence to none; exact no wrongful thing, and be contented with the wages you receive.
22. Among the Jews were many who had been waiting for the Christ to come, and they regarded John as Christ.
23. But to their questions John replied, In water I do cleanse, symbolic of the cleansing of the soul; but when he comes who is to come, lo, he will cleanse in Holy Breath and purify in fire.
24. His fan is in his hand, and he will separate the wheat and chaff; will throw the chaff away, but garner every grain of wheat. This is the Christ.
25. Behold he comes! and he will walk with you, and you will know him not.
26. He is the king; the latchet of his shoes I am not worthy to unloose.
27. And John left Bethany and went again unto the Jordan ford.

[Anne Terri]

Chapter 64

Jesus comes to Galilee, and is baptised by John. The Holy Breath testified on his messiahship.

1. The news reached Galilee, and Jesus with the multitude went down to where the harbinger was preaching at the ford.
2. When Jesus saw the harbinger he said. Behold the man of God! Behold the greatest of the seers! Behold, Elijah has returned!
3. Behold the messenger whom God has sent to open up the way! The kingdom is at hand.
4. When John saw Jesus standing with the throng he said, Behold the king who cometh in the name of God!
5. And Jesus said to John, I would be washed in water as a symbol of the cleansing of the soul.
6. And John replied, you do not need to wash, for you are pure in thought, and word, and deed. And if you need to wash I am not worthy to perform the rite.
7. And Jesus said, I come to be a pattern for the sons of men, and what I bid them do, that I must do; and all men must be washed, symbolic of the cleansing of the soul.
8. This washing we establish as a rite--baptism rite we call it now, and so it shall be called.
9. Your work, prophetic harbinger, is to prepare the way, and to reveal the hidden things.
10. The multitudes are ready for the words of life, and I come to be made known by you to all the world, as prophet of the Triune God, and as the chosen one to manifest the Christ to men.
11. Then John led Jesus down into the river at the ford and he baptised him in the sacred name of him who sent him forth to manifest the Christ to men.
12. And as they came out of the stream, the Holy Breath, in form of dove, came down and sat on Jesus' head.
13. A voice from heaven said, This is the well-beloved son of God, the Christ, the love of God made manifest.
14. John heard the voice, and understood the message of the voice.
15. Now Jesus went his way, and John preached to the multitude.
16. As many as confessed their sins, and turned from evil ways to ways of right, the harbinger baptised, symbolic of the blotting of sins by righteousness.