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SCRIPTURES
Chapter 3
Seven houses of Heaven – Seraphim and Cherubim – Ahman speaks to the Elohim – Darkness
of Yaldabaoth infects Shaemdiel – Shaemdiel pleads his cause: celestial glory made
less than Olaha Shinehah; finding fault with Hodos Alea; obedience preferable to
faith; Law of Immediate Recompense; keeping the children of God innocent forever
– Ahman takes counsel with the very elect – The season of darkness grows
1 On Jeruel did the Elohim gather, in Salem of Merigoth did the Lords and Gods assemble themselves in solemn array.
2 Before the throne of Ahman did the congregations of Heaven draw nigh; and there was foremost among them the House of Archons and the House of Valhaladea, being made after the Order of Kolob.
3 And there were also added unto these the House of Shevas and the House of Sabaoth, being in their fashion made after the Order of Xanathea.
4 To these also were gathered the House of El Shalon and the House of El Shaloah, and the House of Mithron, being of themselves fashioned after the Order of Jeruel.
5 Now there was numbered among the heavenly hosts many which were of the Seraphim, each according to their tribe; of Theadris ten thousand, of Zaugris ten thousand, of Kaerkos ten thousand, and of Maardas ten thousand.
6 And of the Cherubim there were numbered ten thousand times ten thousand, singing ever of Heaven’s glory, and of their beauty and comeliness would the tongue of man fail to speak; for there was no other creature like unto them.
7 Thus was there caused to gather the heavenly hosts in splendor exceeding; and there shined out from around the throne of Ahman the Kerrillean light of Xanthis which like a jewel sat as a diadem upon the brow of Galendriel, the Mother of All.
8 And standing before the whole assembly Ahman raised up the hand to speak, saying: “You children of light, children of glory give ear, for there has put forth some petition the council of the Teraphim, which petition you are all made aware.
9 For even now has the darkness of Yaldabaoth reached out across the Chasm to disturb the kingdom of the greater Light, to make as small and trifling the greatest glory of all.
10 And in the Eden world of Paradise has the shadow made known its presence through the troubling words of Shaemdiel, who, being chief and foremost among the House of Archons, would yet establish some other way to exaltation.
11 Let us, therefore, be wise and not imprudent, that we might hear for ourselves the words of Shaemdiel, to see if there be any good thing in them.
12 And if there be found some goodness in the word, then let us be wise and embrace them; but if there should be found no good thing in them, then shall we remove the darkness from before us.”
13 So spoke the Father of All, and stretching forth his hand he commanded that the mind of Tael be opened, that Shaemdiel might plead his own cause from the plains of Kuristan on Eden World.
14 Now in the speaking of the Tael did there appear before the councils of Elohim a bright and piercing light, and in the midst thereof was Shaemdiel seen, and a host of others with him.
15 And looking upon so great a gathering, Shaemdiel smiled and he spoke, saying: “Brothers and sisters of the heavenly hosts, you Lords and Gods of Elohim: Why are you dismayed because of me?
16 For it is for our greater glory I would speak and make known abroad all my heart; that such wonders as we are made partakers of even now, might be magnified and increased beyond all measure.
17 Hear now the counsel of my words, and be you all calm within; for well is it said of Elohim, that in our bosom can there be found neither fear nor troubled foreboding; neither is there found midst all our glory the trembling heart or any shadow of turning.
18 Consider then, how that there is given unto the Celestial Kingdom but seven suns of glory; while yet in the lesser kingdoms of Olaha Shinehah there are given a multitude of stars beyond number.
19 Let us, even now, reason well among ourselves concerning this kingdom of the greater Light: For would not the glory of twelve suns shine brighter still than seven only?
20 And if there be greater dominion in twelve suns, would there not be greater glory in forty, or seventy, or even a hundred times a hundred? Would not the glory of Kolob shine brighter than it does even now?
21 Which among you will say that there is no glory greater than that which we have already known? For out of dominion has the glory leaped forth, out of increase is there found a wellspring of unending power and might.
22 By what means then have we made less the dominions and powers of this greater Light? Wherein have we made to appear as small and trifling the greatest glory of all?
23 Only in the Hodos Alea have we made of little effect the kingdom of God; for we have established the pathway where there are but few who would be made partakers with us, while yet the many are all gone away unto the Olaha Shinehah.
24 See then that in the Paradise of God there is brought forth a multitude of spirits which would lay hold to all our glory, yet there is between us and them a chasm which only the few are able to cross.
25 Yet are the many, which were found unable, carried unto kingdoms made Telestial and Terrestrial, that they might live forever in the glories of the lesser light.
26 Now you sons and daughters of God give ear and let us be wise in all our deliberations, that by our several powers we might make greater still the glories and dominions of Kolob.
27 For you know that in living the mortal life the spirit children of God are made separated, each according to their ability; to decide for themselves both the good and the evil.
28 And if it so be that a spirit choose goodness always, then is it made partaker with us in the kingdom of God; being dressed round about in goodness, and power, and dominion, and glory forever; taking to itself an eternal increase, even worlds without end.
29 But if a spirit choose always the lesser portion, notwithstanding that there be given unto him the hope of many lives, then is he established forever in the lesser kingdoms; having no power for they have no increase; having no hope for they have no knowledge of heavenly things.
30 Seeing, therefore, that the innocent are overwrought by so great a burden, to choose for themselves the good or the evil, let us make easier still the mortal life, that there might spring forth unto exaltation even all the spirit children of God.
31 For you know yourselves that the dominions and glories of Kolob are made lesser still by this one thing only: That God would place into the hands of men even his own Agency whereby they might choose the good and shun the evil altogether.
32 But yet are the many unable to elect, being weak and ignorant, filled with fear and having no hope; for the wisdom of heavenly things have we established on faith and goodness, and not just knowledge only.
33 For well have we written among ourselves the law, saying: Only those who believe obey, and only those who obey truly believe.
34 Know then surely for yourselves that obedience is preferable to faith, for by obedience do we bend all men to our will alone;
35 And knowledge is greater than wisdom altogether, for it is knowledge which all men hunger for, while the path of wisdom do only the few embrace.
36 Let us, therefore, remove from man the Agency of God and establish over them the Law of Immediate Recompense, that all which would go down into mortality might take to themselves the surest way;
37 That there might be but few which shall go the way of Olaha Shinehah, while the many we shall make joint heirs with us in the kingdom of God.
38 Then shall the borders of Kolob be greatly enlarged and the dominion of all our glory be magnified beyond measure, evensomuch that eternity shall forever sing of our wisdom.
39 For if we shall place in effect the Law of Immediate Recompense, then shall we cause the children of men to take to themselves the righteous only, for the power to choose between the good and the evil shall we withhold from their keeping.
40 By such means shall we make subordinate unto the law the Hodos Alea, whereby the laws of the lower nature are likewise made subject unto us;
41 That such mortal circumstances as will afflict the children of men from time to time in the lower creations, might no longer prove arbitrary, but shall make known its power according to our will alone.
42 Thus shall we enclose on every side the spirit children of God, that when they shall go forth into mortality they might find immediate recompense for all their thoughts and all their deeds.
43 How many then shall we cause to find the greatest glory if not all? For we shall hedge up the way round about them, evensomuch that only the few shall fail in taking to themselves the exaltations of godliness.
44 For such oppositions as the spirit children of God are want to meet in the mortal life shall we diminish little by little through obedience, even till there be only the good to see; and the lesser way shall we enclose with sore displeasure.
45 Let us then keep innocent forever the spirit children of God, seeing that they are most precious, and give not into their keeping the Agency of God lest the days of their mortal life weigh heavily upon them.
46 For innocence is better than any other, being in itself both pure and undefiled, being neither marred nor sullied by the mortal life.
47 Now let us give unto the children of men a multitude of laws and commandments whereby we shall cause them to do the good only, and if it so be that they shall violate the law to do evil, then shall we visit upon them swift recompense.
48 By such means shall the many be brought forth unto exaltation, and there shall be added unto Kolob a multitude of stars; then shall the dominions of the greater Light prove more glorious than the lesser light.
49 Be not troubled, therefore, for Yaldabaoth’s sake, neither be you fearful because of me; for I shall overcome the Lord of Darkness, and by such measures as we shall take increase forever the realms of our glory. Even so, Amen.”
50 So spoke Shaemdiel in the speaking of the Tael and many were troubled in heart and mind, for in the Hodos Alea had the First God laid forth the pathway to exaltation.
51 And Ahman called unto himself certain of the Elect that he might counsel with them concerning all which Shaemdiel had spoken;
52 But on the Eden world of Paradise did Yaldabaoth continue in stirring up great contentions through the disputations of Shaemdiel, and for a season the darkness grew unabated.