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SCRIPTURES
Chapter 2
God calls out the Teacher of Righteousness – The coming of God and the heavenly hosts
– The Teacher fears because of sin – Michael speaks: “your prayers are heard” – The
book and the balance – Speaking to the house of Christ – “You have imagined a vain
thing” – “Upon my house shall it begin” – Teacher sent to call people to repentance
– The Teacher proclaims himself unworthy – “Let not your heart be heavy, neither
let it be afraid” – Mysteries of dispensations and Arch-Angels revealed – Lucifer
and the war in Heaven – Walking with God upon a sea of glass
1 Now there dwelled in the land a certain man in whom God took great delight, for he cared not for the pretenses of churchgoers, neither cared he for the opinions of any man.
2 And the Spirit of God descended upon him in a vision, saying: “Get up into a high mountain and there build an altar, for the Lord shall surely come unto you.
3 For as one man speaks with another, even so shall the God of all men commune with you above the altar; as one man beholds another, even so, you shall see the Lord of Hosts.”
4 And he went straightway unto a high mountain which the Lord had shown unto him in a dream; in a lonely place went he, and there he built an altar of stone, and when he had finished, he knelt himself down to await the coming of the Lord.
5 And there came suddenly the Lord of Hosts, standing above the altar, and his glory shown round about him, and above him in the air were gathered the heavenly hosts singing: “Glory to God in the highest, and to the Lord forever, Amen!”
6 And there were with the Lord of Hosts, Cherubim to keep the altar and with them the Holy of Holies, and there stood about the Lord, Seraphim mighty and strong and in their hands the sword of the Lord.
7 And there was about the Lord of Hosts the clearness of eternity and under his feet a blue pavement like unto sapphire. And in his right hand he held a book and in his left hand a balance, and there came from before the presence of the Lord a consuming fire, that no unclean thing should come before him.
8 And there came from among the heavenly hosts six mighty ones whose brightness and glory were like unto the sun, and the first they called Michael, the Prince of the Most High God, and by his side stood forth Gabriel and Raphael.
9 And with a loud shout, they cried: “Maranatha, Maranatha Emmanuel.” Which in the language of God means: The Lord has come, the Lord has come; God is with man.
10 And the man, seeing all these things, fell to the ground before the altar and hid his face from before the Lord of Hosts, for with great fear did he tremble before the presence of God; by reason of his many transgressions would he hide himself from the heavenly hosts.
11 Then did Michael come from before the presence of the Lord and lifted the man upon his feet and spoke to him saying: “Surely your prayers are heard in Heaven, and even now are you made clean of all transgression. Come now and let us hear the words of the Lord, for he desires to speak with you.”
12 Then was the man taken before the Lord and was made to stand with his feet upon the pavement which was like unto a sea of glass.
13 And the heavenly hosts in silence stood; the sword of the Lord did the Seraphim sheathe beneath their wings, and the earth in stillness grew.
14 And the Lord took the book and the balance and called forth one of the mighty ones, even Ariel. And the mighty one received from the Lord the book and the balance, and he came and stood before the man and did speak to him, saying:
15 “Do you know this book? It is the Book of Judgments which the Lord has kept concerning all the doings of this people, for their pretenses rise continually before the Lord. For this cause came he forth from the sanctuary that you may be sent forth to build his kingdom among many people, that you might organize, direct, and establish the tabernacle of God upon the earth.
16 For thus shall you speak to the house of Christ: ‘Thus saith the Lord your God: You are weighed in the balance and are found wanting. For you have broken his covenant which he did make with you; his sanctuary have you corrupted, and his words which were spoken unto you by the mouth of many witnesses have you defiled.
17 Behold, you have imagined a vain thing; you have taken counsel presumptuously. For you have declared aloud, even in the secret chambers of the heart have you caused to be written: What need have we of God, for we are at ease in Zion. For Zion prospers, all is well.
18 Behold, my people have sown unto themselves great wealth and prosperity, and they have forgotten the Lord their God. Hear now, O house of Zion, the words of the Lord.
19 For what is property unto God that he should give consent to pride? What does it profit if you should gain the whole world and lose your soul? Has he not spoken, is it not written that he who has eternal life is rich already?
20 Come now, even everyone, and answer. Let us reason together. Who has persuaded you to trust in the arm of flesh and to forget the Lord your God? Why have you supposed that worldly riches are as some great gain, when you are poor towards God?
21 Therefore, because of your many pretenses shall the judgments in this book be brought against you. In a day that you think not of shall the indignation of the Lord be kindled against you.’
22 Thus shall you bring them to a remembrance of all those things which are written among them already, saying:
23 ‘Behold, vengeance shall come speedily upon the inhabitants of the earth, a day of wrath, a day of burning, a day of desolation, of weeping, of mourning, and of lamentation; and as a whirlwind it shall come upon all the face of the earth, saith the Lord.
24 And upon my house shall it begin, and from my house shall it go forth, saith the Lord.
25 First among those among you, saith the Lord, who have professed to know my name and have not known me, and have blasphemed against me in the midst of my house, saith the Lord.’
26 For this purpose have you been called and elected to bring my people to repentance, that they might receive anew the words of eternal life, that they might fulfill the promises which God did make unto their fathers, that the children of the kingdom might receive the election of grace and not be cast out.”
27 Now when the man heard these words, he knelt before the Lord, saying: “My Lord, I am not worthy to be your servant unto this people.
28 For, behold, they have cast me out from among them, for by the word of sacrifice which you did speak unto me from my youth have I been cast aside as a thing unclean.
29 Will these people even now hear the words which you would have me speak? Behold how they have set their hearts against me; as an evil man am I counted.”
30 And the Lord, being filled with compassion, spoke saying: “Why is your heart heavy? Did you not covenant with me from the beginning to follow the Lord wherever he should lead you?
31 Let not your heart be troubled; neither let it be afraid, for I have prepared for you a way, and I shall go before you continually; by my own hand shall I lead you.
32 For in the beginning were you chosen to organize, direct, and establish the children of my kingdom upon the earth. And if you will but obey, you shall receive again exaltation upon exaltation in the kingdom of your Father, even God.
33 Hear now this mystery and understand, for in the beginning did the God of Heaven set forth the dispensations. And he placed over them seven mighty ones to be Arch-Angels of the heavenly hosts.
34 You are one of these, and in the beginning were you foreordained under the hand of God, even the Father of All, to accomplish a mighty work.
35 Behold, you are the elect and chosen one. In the beginning did you war mightily against the Fallen One and by your diligence prevail.
36 For in that day came Lucifer, whose countenance was beautiful above all others, and by his words did he lead many to rebel, that he might take by force the kingdom and the glory unto himself.
37 In that day were my sons and daughters divided, and one third did follow the words of the deceitful one, and with great fury did they rage; upon the plains of Kuristan did they gather to war against God.
38 And on the day of battle stood forth seven mighty ones, captains of the heavenly hosts: Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Ariel, Azrael, and Suriel, and with all their might did they leap into battle, and behind them were many valiant ones.
39 And there came a mighty trump and behold, one like unto the Son of Man and with him many Seraphim, fierce in battle.
40 And, behold, God prevailed against the Fallen One and with judgment did he bind together the disobedient and cast them out. And God wept for Lucifer and the host that followed after him.
41 Hereunto have I brought you to remembrance; therefore, fear not what men shall do unto you nor the evil which men shall speak, for I shall walk with you whithersoever you go; by my right hand will I uphold you.”
42 Thus spoke the Holy One unto the man and when he had finished speaking, he took the man by the hand and walked with him upon the sea of glass and there went with them six mighty ones, and many things did they speak of, which things it is not permitted to write, nor the tongue of mortal man to utter.
43 And when all was complete, the heavenly hosts in glory ascended, and before the altar the man did kneel; and when he had finished all that he was commanded, he took the altar, stone by stone, and scattered them round about, that none would know the place thereof.
WISDOM 2