Jesus’

Life

Book 3

Max Seltmann

Recommended chronological reading list:

(with regard to Jesus’ life in flesh and Spirit, up to the time of the book of Revelation.  All books are written by Max Seltmann, unless otherwise indicated. The book marked with bold, is the book currently opened.)

1. Childhood years of Jesus (Jakob Lorber)

2. Book 1 – John the Baptist

3. Book 2 – John the Apostle in his youth with Jesus (Love overcomes Part 1)

4. Book 3 – Jesus’ Life

5. Book 4 – Jesus’ Life

6. Book 5 – Jesus’ Life

7. Book 6 – Jesus’ Life

8. Book 7 – Jesus’ Life

9. Book 8 – Jesus’ Life

10. Book 9 – Jesus prepares for His ministry Part 1

11. Book 10 – Jesus prepares for His ministry Part 2

12. Great Gospel of John, Volumes 1 – 10 (Jakob Lorber)

13. Great Gospel of John, Volume 11 (Leopoldt Engel)

14. Book 11 - Good Friday

15. Book 12 - Judas Iscariot in the beyond

16. Book 13 - On the road to Emmaus

17. Book 14 - The Risen One!

18. Book 15 - The New Life in man

19. Book 16 – At Bethany – story of Theophilus

20. Book 17 - Ascension

21. Book 18 - Pentecost!

22. Book 19 - Among the first Christians

23. Book 20 - Divine guidance of the first Christians

24. Book 21 - The chamberlain from the Orient

25. Book 22 - The God-spark and Saul's conversion

26. Book 23 - Awakening the Divine life

27. Book 24 - Experiences with Jacob, Part 1

28. Book 25 - Experiences with Jacob, Part 2

29. Book 26 - Experiences with Jacob, Part 3

30. Book 27 - Experiences with Jacob, Part 4

31. Book 28 - Naeme

32. Book 29 - John the Apostle as a guide (Love overcomes Part 2)

33. Book 30 - John the Apostle as a guide (Love overcomes Part 3)

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Table of Contents

1. A day in the house of Joseph 4

2. At the building site 6

3. Jesus and Mary 8

4. Witness of an arch-angel 10

5. A visit to Joseph in the workshop 11

6. Jesus’ conversation with John, son of Zachary, on a solitary mountain top 15

A day in the house of Joseph

"Awake, you sleepers! - The day dawns, and already the rosy shimmering lamb clouds announce the awakening of a new day!" - cries Jacob, the youngest son of Joseph, and in a short time all but the aged Joseph is on his feet.

"Where is Jesus!" asks Mary, "has He returned tonight?"

"We did not see Him," they answer the sorrowful mother, and each word penetrated deeply into her soul, causing pain, and yet immediately afterward, also reassurance.

Silently the family, without Joseph, sat down at the large table in the spacious parlor, and with a psalm of praise they began their morning meal, which consisted of soup. Shortly after, each went to his work, for the aged Joseph kept order.

Mary was still sitting at the table when Joseph came and kissed her and asked about Jesus.  Tears fell from Mary's eyes.  Silently Joseph went back into the chamber.  Then Mary heard Joseph praying, saying, "Oh Jehovah, You great living God!  Kneeling, I look up to You, offering You thanks for Your great abundance of grace through all my earthly life.  Obediently and willingly I took it all upon myself and recognized in it: Your righteousness and Your order!  But, Lord, now I no longer understand You.  Give light! Give clarity!  Give strength so that I can persevere in the trials of grace that You, great God, have decreed upon us!  Take You Yourself the guidance into Your hands and lead us out of trouble and doubt!"

Mary knelt beside Joseph, and through her heart, filled with motherly love, a stream of love flowed to Jesus, who was far away.  Thus both remained absorbed in adoration until Joseph said: "Lord! As Jacob once did, so I will remain kneeling in prayer until You have graciously helped!"  Then, all at once, the chamber is filled with a delicious fragrance, and comfort enters the sore hearts.  "Jehovah! Be praised and glorified!", with these words Joseph rises; wordlessly both reach out their hands in mutual understanding.

"Oh Joseph," says Mary, "forgive me for becoming weak in faith!  Continue to be my support, that I may strengthen Jesus in His struggle for life!" -

Then the door opens, the long-awaited One enters and reverently greets the mother and foster father.

"My son," says Joseph, "you light of my eyes!  You support of my age!  Behold, your mother suffers for you; she suffers - because she loves you beyond measure.  Can you not muster the strength to pull yourself together? - Why don't you come here to us, who have fought many a battle of faith victoriously.  Jehovah will help you too!  Therefore be our dear son and become like your brothers."

Jesus answers seriously: "My Joseph, and you, My mother!  Behold, My struggle goes much further than yours!  You dear ones can not help me, I am dependent on myself.  For, if I were to use your help, I would have to return to you all the time.  But where do I go when you are no longer?  Do not think, My faithful Joseph, that I will ever go to a rabbi nor to a high priest.  No!  For all take their strength from outside!  But I seek and find this strength from within!  The more I overcome all obstacles, the more I make room for the love of God in the troubled bottom of my heart, the more sweet will be the abundance of the great living source in the very house of my heart.  Therefore forgive me!  I cannot and must not act differently, if I want to become 'My own I', which shall be reflected in the universe, in all places, as 'the mighty order of God' in the human heart! And the time is still coming when you will understand me".

The two look at each other, and their eyes contemplate - just for a moment - the dormant magnificence in Jesus. “Leave us alone”  - Jesus says - “I am going with Joseph to the brothers”

At the building site

What were they doing in the meantime?  They went out sprightly, and it was to Jacob as if the day would become so beautiful again.  And nevertheless their talking and worrying was only for Jesus.  Jacob, as the calmest, said: "Everything has it's time!  Everything will find it's solution!  I still do not believe and grasp that everything that we were allowed to experience and know, should already be over.  Because we humans like to stop halfway, but God never!  What He begins, He carries out gloriously!  And you can say what you want.  All the glories experienced with Jesus remain unforgettable to me and nourish my hope: Everything will be all right!  Let us let Jesus go. - What He misses in work, He catches up with doubly afterwards; and in His absence often just as much was finished as when He was present."

The brothers had to agree with Jacob, but Joel said: "We'll miss Him for sure today, because we wanted to finish today!"

Having reached the building of the house, all goes to work; but to Jacob's sorrow, the work does not progress, for in vehement words the brothers express their displeasure because Jesus was absent.

Higher and higher the sun rose, and noon was no longer far away; there comes the silent Joseph with the even more silent Jesus.  A short greeting, and the two new arrivals silently join in the work - and now the brothers had to acknowledge, the work went twice as fast.

A heavy beam had to be pulled up, and it seemed as if the strength was not sufficient. Then Jesus urged toward Joseph, saying to him: "Take My place there!"  Then - a push - a lift - a jerk - the beam was up.

The brothers looked at each other in amazement.  In Jacob's heart, however, a string of joy trembled so that it was reflected on his face.  Astonished, the brothers also looked at this, but they remained silent.

The midday meal was now taken in silence.  Old Joseph lay down in the shade and soon fell asleep.  The brothers talked quietly about the work still to be done.

But Jesus knew no rest. It seemed as if He wanted to catch up on the three missed days, and the others let him have His way, knowing that Jesus would not tolerate contradiction and was generally difficult to access for a conversation.  So they went back to work too, but had to see that Jesus had achieved an extraordinary amount in half an hour.  The work continued quietly and without a word, and by the late afternoon, it was finished.

But the one who did not go home with them, was Jesus!  "I still want to go to a distant neighbor, to look around for work, but by bedtime I will be home again."

So they bid farewell to their brother in love, whom they had hurt so often - but Jacob still asked: "Couldn't we go together?  Mother is reassured when she knows that I am with you.  For you have become quite quiet lately."

"Speak no further, My Jacob, for what one does not know, one should not reject. Unfortunately, you are wasting the best of your strength by your much talking and wrong doing.  Why do you not always give glory to God in your hearts and recognize the high goals that God has set for you?  Therefore, My brother, ask nothing more.  Love your brothers and make no exception with Me.  Greet the Mother once again!  I will come home this very day."

Back home, Mary's eyes sought Jesus; and new pain flashed through her heart when her beloved Jesus did not return home with them.

Jacob then gave greetings and related the words of Jesus.  Joseph said: "Yes, let us give thanks and glory to our Lord and God of hosts.  For His ways and His thoughts are different from ours.

And you, Mary, do not spoil Jesus any more, for He is no longer a child.  He can give us more than we need, and it is weakness when we worry about Him.  I watched Jesus today, as I have done many times before, in all He does.  In spite of a sleepless night, He is the most lively, and His needs are only half of ours.  Here God has definite plans! Therefore we bow our minds and believe His promise: The time is coming when our God will speak an even more beautiful language than in times past!"

Mary is silent, because her sorrow is greater than her faith, because she is a mother and only wants to live for her son, although much suffering and sorrow has already fallen on her heart.

Jesus and Mary

But it seemed to her that Jesus did not want to see anything of this sorrow; and she could not talk to Him either, because then He looked at her and went out silently, and after that often stayed away from the house for many hours, even for days, without food, without a place to sleep.  "What is going on in Jesus?  Why doesn't He speak to His mother?  Am I not worthy, or where did I hurt Him?" - so the thoughts circled in Mary and did not let her rest.  "But today I will ask Him for sure" - she resolved - and then prepared the night meal.

Hours passed - and all came to a rest.  Mary sat down on the bench in front of the house and waited for Jesus, who came after a short time.  Silently He greeted His mother - and sat down beside her; silently, minutes after minutes passed.  Mary's heart clenched painfully; then at last Jesus spoke, "Why are you so sad and let worries weigh you down?  Have you forgotten the great service God has done you?  Why do you make My struggle so difficult?  You are the only person who could understand Me!  Not I have changed - it is you!  I am still the same as before, only I must first pay back my share to the earth, to which I am also tributary.

Therefore - as long as these fetters still exist, I must wrestle - wrestle with it and I am alone!  Leave all your human thoughts and desires aside, for what you think could serve Me for My happiness, would be the misfortune of mankind!  The fight is not meant for Me, no, it is meant for all the earthly-human!  I do not seek to strive for human goals, but Divine ones!  And therefore give Me your hand and banish all sorrow; (softly: - - even greater will break your heart one day).  Therefore leave all wishes and nurture only one hope: That 'in Me', 'God - and man' would unite!  Only then can I reach the goal.  Then I can also bring about people who, like Me, strive for a single goal in order to attain eternal life.  Now be calm and believe: soon it will be time; but I still have so many things to do before I can begin.

When I was still a child, I possessed all your love that could separate from your own self.  Then you trusted God, the Eternal.  You were given proofs of grace in rich abundance, and gratefully you pressed Me to your heart.  Today, when I need you a thousand times more, today, when I wrestle with the negating powers in Me, I encounter non-understanding everywhere.  And that is why I am so lonely and will also remain lonely until the release comes.  Then you will all rejoice!

Then what is written will come true: The smallest - is lifted up to the highest.  Who in humility, as small - bows before God!  But pride – comes to a fall!

Be assured, Mary, the bliss of heaven begins only there, where humility and submission before God are paired!  And all heavenly splendor pours into the heart, which can childlike - only believe, without wanting to know!  Therefore do not stop Me; the fountain in Me must trickle, so that the course of the world is again arranged into the laws of the eternal order of God!"

"Jesus!" Mary exclaims in fright, "what are you up to?  Stay in the house and do not bring new sorrow!  What do you need to worry about new powers?  What do you want to change here on earth?  Look at me!  I, your mother, love you so much; spare me further sorrow!  How soon the aged Joseph can leave us to return home to his fathers, then I have only you!  It is over with the great hopes. -

I must often think of the past; how Jehovah stood by us and sent us visible angels.  He must have arranged it differently in His plan!  For when I think of when I received you: You were supposed to be a light in the darkness.  But today you almost do not know that you have a mother, you are deaf and dumb and you turn to other people.  Oh Jesus!  My Jesus, my heart is breaking with pain!  Oh, if you had heard your foster father this morning lamenting before his God, you would most certainly find yourself back with us - and be our good, dear Jesus'.

"Stop it, woman!  Oh Mary, you do not know what you want!  If I were to give in and do your will, I would certainly not fulfill God's desire!  God's desire and will lives in Me like a seed, and so I must nurture it.  I am not looking for 'new forces', oh no!  It is 'the old original power', which is to be uncovered in the human heart.  Therefore I ask you - be quiet and let Me be quiet too; one day you will be rewarded for your love, sorrow, hardship.  Still a short time, then the way is also paved and the path is cleared to this original power within.  Then you will follow Me, but not forced, but driven by the Spirit I am struggling for, which I have to free from all dross and mental attachments.  And this is so hard, so hard! -

Oh Mother, understand Me this time - Do not let Me ask completely in vain!  Be great and strong and look at Him Who chose you!  Oh Mother!  Bless Me, your son!  Today I still am; whether I can say it again, is uncertain.  For a greater, mightier One has chosen and seized Me, so that the enemy of all life may be deprived of all his weapons.

Look down to Me: I kneel before you and profess a son's love.  And what have you done until now?  My body you nourish, but My soul longs for a love that is alive and understanding; and this to such an extent that you would be frightened!  Believe Me, My mother, a longing lives in Me and cannot be satisfied until I am detached from all soul-perishable existence!  It is the Spirit that shiningly shows Me the way to the fullness of power and life - in Me!  And shows with even greater clarity also all the obstacles to this goal!

And a great obstacle was My childlike, yet blind love for you!  I wanted to overcome it - but not offend you!  I wanted to wrestle, fight, but you should not see anything of it!  I wanted to make you happy as a good son, and yet I did not succeed.  Because I Myself stopped it, until I Myself now got through to the free, open fight with all these negating powers - in Me.

That's why I left you, hurried into the forest's silence and on mountain heights and found Myself truly only through the ever stronger love-spirit in Me, which admonishes and urges to the highest haste.  I do not get tired - if I do not want!  I do not hunger - if I do not want!  But My heart cannot be silent yet - if I want; there are still too many earthly desires.

Now I have openly made clear to you My inner life and also My goal.  Bless Me!  I need your love!  But keep silent in front of the brothers and do not show that you are grieving over Me.  Do not promise Me, but promise yourself.  And Jehovah's Spirit and love-breath hover around you and strengthen you, until the completed victory!  Good night!"

Witness of an arch-angel

Hastily Jesus disappeared into the house, but in Mary all His words, which echoed so powerfully in her soul, were heard once again.  Then, after minutes of silence, a flash of lightning tore the night apart, and a figure in bright light stood before the frightened mother.

"Do not be afraid, you who are in pain!  You are honored before all mothers, since you will still experience all the glories of the eternal love of God!  Great things are yet to come for you and for all the world!  You should not forget this, for listen: The victory has fallen on Jesus! The whole hell rages and leaves no stone unturned to determine Jesus to do something - which He won from 'foreign forces'.

And the worst thing for us is that we see the battle and we are not allowed to help. Where Jesus stands alone, the opponents stand in great numbers.  You too, dear mother, stood on the side of the opponents and made the victory of our Lord and God - in Jesus - more difficult.  Therefore, strengthen yourself in my light and in my words and let there be only love and hope where faith is missing.  Then the gate will be opened to all good in you; and in this strength, will you also find truly sufficient power.  And whoever works from this strength, has not worked in vain.

Now I must go again until God the Lord calls us again - to continue to serve you in His Eternal Love.  Then we hasten in sweet, holy desire and may continue to nourish the germ in your breast.  Let us continue to persevere!  And so I remain in humility your blessed servant Gabriel.  Amen!"

A visit to Joseph in the workshop

"Greetings, brother from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob!"  With these words, an old man with long flowing hair and beard extends his hand to the aged Joseph.  "At last I may greet you, for I am longing to speak with you!  Already two days ago I was here, but your wife referred me to you with my heart and question-need."

"Be most welcome in the Lord, dear brother Andrew!  May the Spirit of Jehovah give enlightenment so that we may understand each other.  I know my wife already told me about your arrival, but I assure you in the name of Jehovah that you have a totally wrong picture because of my Son Jesus.  Why do you care about Him?  And even if Jesus goes away from home and stays away from us for a long time, He is too good a Son to bring shame on us who are of the tribe of David.  But come and rest!  Perhaps you will speak with Him yourself, for He is in the house at breakfast."

The old Jew is trembling and distressed; it is only out of love for the house of Joseph that he has come here again today; after all, he has long been nurturing a thought, the fulfilment of which is so important to him; and that is why he was more concerned than usual about Joseph and Jesus.

Just then Jesus enters the workshop, greets briefly, looks penetratingly at Andrew with His big eyes and then wordlessly offers him his hand.

Andrew held it tightly, as if he did not want to let it go again, then he said to Jesus: "My dear young friend and brother from God!  I am drawn to you as if you were my son!  I share in the joy that your parents have in you, but unfortunately I must also experience the painful fact that you do not exercise that holy seriousness in your duties, which God - through Moses - had conveyed to us and all the people.

I have come to make a proposal to you and your parents.  You know that I call a large property my own, and in this great and mighty time, when the army of the pagans, the Romans, threatens to destroy all faith and good customs, I need a reliable young man.

You know, I have no male seed, only my daughter Edith is with me; and it has become lonely and desolate in my house since Jehovah called my wife to the kingdom of death. Behold, dear brother Joseph, you are old, like unto me; your sons do your trade; even without you, they get on very well, and know their work; yet you are poor, and your ground has not increased.

I do not want to blame your often too blind love and false modesty, with which you sometimes, instead of benefiting, only harm yourself.  Therefore let wisdom speak at last - and come to us, you, your wife and Jesus, your youngest son.  But all the rest we leave to Jehovah, the Lord."

Joseph looks at Andrew for a long time; then he indicates to him with emotional words that this is just not possible, - "because Jehovah wants us to remain here in Nazareth.  But let us also ask Jesus once!"

Jesus, who was listening to the whole conversation, immediately comes up to the two old men, bows before Andrew and speaks: "Every word from My mouth is useless, because in your heart and in your mind I am nothing else than the spoiled darling of My mother and as such would have no will.  But there you are enormously mistaken!  And if you think: you could need a son like Me as a daughter-husband, be assured that I may never think of it, because My life has a higher goal!

But because you are honest and you, Andrew, have come to us with good intentions, let us talk about what alone is needed - now - and for all time to come.

You, so righteous Joseph!  How could you so easily forget the great proofs of God's grace?  And you, Andrew, you righteous according to the law of Moses, how is it that the promises of Jehovah are not enough for you?  Are you not both at the age when you should have long since left all anxiety, questions and worries?

You, Joseph, see in Me the great task solved: that, through tremendous, gruelling struggle with Myself, I develop abilities and a will to which you must bow.  And consequently it should be clear to you: That God, the Eternal, as the great, true love, nevertheless did not allow all successfully conducted struggle in vain.  For His love has true wisdom as it's basis.  And that I now stand before you, not as your son, but as the one who can say: Still a short time, then all struggle will have an end!  Then I will build a way that leads straight to the true goal of mankind!  And this holy way is called: Redeeming love for all still bound life!

You, Andrew!  Your longing is to be happy and not to want to see the misfortune of others.  That is why you fear for your daughter Edith, whom you love beyond all measure and wish her the greatest happiness.  And in her youthful happiness you want to forget your age and the approaching death.  But have you ever known true happiness in your life?  No, and again I say no to you!  For in the intoxication of passion, which knows no love, you have smoldered!  What have you done so far to reward the goodness of Jehovah, which made you rich and great before all the world?  Have you ever known what it means to be rich?

Behold, I will give you a name that is rich!  His name is JESUS, and he stands before you.  I am rich!  For what I possess does not belong to the earth's power - and never 'the world' will envy Me for My possession, because it can not see it!  But only few hands reach out for this high possession, which is called 'freedom'! To be free - in the will and want!  To be free - in all doing and acting!  To recognize no power - except the divine one in man and out of man - that is wealth above wealth! Therefore go home again and examine your possessions, whether they are so solid to remain with you after the death of your body?  And then perhaps you will be able to understand the meaning of My words!

"Joseph," exclaims Andrew, "I knew that your son, by being alone so much, had acquired crazy ideas and fantasies, and had put aside all clever and clear thinking in order to make a name for himself as an eccentric.  Do not think, dear brother out of Abraham, that all these stories that are doing the rounds about Jesus are pleasing to the house of Jehovah and the high priest.  For there is no such case known in the whole history of Israel; and truly I cannot understand that you have let this come so far!  For just from you we knew only fear of God and faith.  But it is not too late!  Offer up all your influence, together with your wife, and come to me!  For in another environment, Jesus will change, and we will still reach the goal."

"Dear brother Andrew," Joseph answers seriously, "there was no need for so many words, because you know Jesus too little and I know Him too well. Just what we want, He does not do!  How my wife has worried, struggled and fought!  How we prayed, and do you know what we achieved?  The certainty: Jesus is called to something else!  I do not yet know how everything will turn out in the future; and who knows whether I will still have to experience much of it?  But this one thing is certain: Jesus is different from us!

For example: We pray or sing our psalm;  Jesus goes alone on the hill!  We all hunger and are weary after the day's burden and toil - Jesus seems to have a nature like iron!  We all feel the need to speak out, - Jesus never!  Not a single word can you hear from Him. And I have long been surprised that He addressed so many words to you.

We, for example, talk now and then about the future;  Jesus not once.  But when a sick person or a beggar comes into the house,  Jesus is with him and gives him comfort and alms.  And so I have observed Jesus in all His doings and creations, without once having reason to reprove.

A troop of Romans comes along the road and stops in front of the well.  You know yourself how strictly it is forbidden to give bread or water to the poor hungry and thirsty prisoners.  What does Jesus do?  He goes out with bread and water - a look at the Romans - and they tolerate that Jesus refreshes the prisoners.

And how I was worried about this deed;  but Jehovah was gracious to us.  We did not suffer any disadvantage.  On the contrary, my sons received well-paying employment from the Roman commander afterwards.  And so I live in the knowledge: Silence is the very best thing here.  If Jesus is silent all day, I will also be able to be silent, even if my mouth wants to talk so much.

At this moment, Mary enters and looks questioningly at the three men because everything was so quiet and still in the workshop.  Then she greets the guest warmly, goes to Jesus and tells Him that she needs Him to give her a hand.

Jesus answers in a modest way: "Stay here for a few moments; there were negotiations about me, and if you want to go with Joseph to Andrew, I will stay here until the urgent life in me commands to work and to create!  It is still bad, very bad with mankind, who on the one hand only wants to gain many advantages with his goods.

On the other hand, it is just as bad when a person carelessly leaves the ground that has nourished him for years and brought him happiness and many a beautiful thing.  For it is only in the fulfilment of his duties that man detaches himself from the spirit of worry and allows trust to mature, first in himself and then in the eternal God and Creator.  And so many things come about as if by themselves.

Dear friends and also you, Mary!  I am sure of success, because already "A New Life" announces itself in My breast.  But I consider only that as 'life', which you all cannot grasp yet!

For it is not a human will that brings about this success!  No - an earnest overcoming of own desires!  I do not hope for tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, no - I count on today!  I want to fulfill the tasks, which life puts to me today.  And for this God, the Eternal, gives me the strength and the success!  Look at this large piece of wood; it takes at least 2-3 hours to drill a large hole through it.  But I just put the iron on, turn it by hand - and the work is done.

But how long do you think, dear friend, that I needed for this feat?  Years were necessary to strengthen My will in such a way,  that these powers arranged themselves in Me in such a way, as though a second man in Me rushes to My help with gigantic powers. But this you will learn to understand only later.  Therefore be calm and quiet and do not talk about Me, but also do not get angry with Me!  Happy is the man to be praised, who is not to be brought out of his calmness and inner peace by anything approaching him - no matter whether in this or that way, so that the man learns to reckon with the help, which presents itself to him as if by itself – inside himself!

And with that, let us end our conversation.  Come, Mary, I will grant you your wish. God's blessing with you!  But you, brother Andrew, be Joseph's guest today!  But I still have many things to do, which I must not tell you for the sake of your peace.  Greet your daughter Edith, I know she knows Me and loves Me in her own way.  I love her too, but only as I love you.  Therefore, every other desire is to be killed, even with the use of what you call happiness.  The goal I strive for is necessary so that in the future all people strive for only this one goal: To become one with God.  And if opposition piles up on opposition, obstacle on obstacle, I am so far through to know that all this can be pushed aside by the innermost peace and sublimity in God.

Nothing, nothing at all, may separate us from this sacred pull towards God, so that God may become present to us in all His love and power - inwardly.  But as long as God and man are still two, Satan can triumph.  Only when God and man have become one, everything that separates is overcome!  Then I can be in all places!  Then the awakening, joyfully working, glorious life, which makes all happy, will announce itself everywhere - in and from God!  Do not pray contrary, but keep My words; one day they will be a light, a signal, to adjust also you to this Divine Spirit of all life!

Happy are you, Joseph, because you have prevailed and are no longer a hindrance to Me!  And great are you, Mary, before God - because you humbly bow to My will!  But the enemy of all life is on guard, I knew it long ago!  You also hold fast the slogan: 'With God: everything - without Him: nothing' and now God commanded!  Amen!"

Jesus’ conversation with John, son of Zachary, on a solitary mountain top

Among high mountains, sitting on a rock, Jesus looks at the magnificent constellations that the sky presents to His eyes.  It is night, and His eyes wander pensively into the distance; only the lowlands can still be seen from the forested heights.  Again and again His eyes search for a point, only to look up to the sky again, as if disappointed.  A light slumber now overcomes Jesus, and He does not resist the sleep - after all, He is already the third night on this mountain height ...  The stars fade, and a light dawn, as well as the emerging life of the forest birds, announce the beginning of a coming day.

Jesus awakes. - Shivering, He wraps Himself more tightly in His cloak, and His gaze again seeks the spot in the lowland.  Still nothing is to be recognized; - there Jesus sinks down on His knees, supports His head on His forearms and begins to pray:  "Holy Father! You love of all love! - You Life of all life!  I am immersed in silent adoration in this morning hour.  But behold, I need You!  Your strength is needed!  I see the way and I brightly see the tasks that still await Me as man!  But I need the consciousness that You are in Me, that You live in Me; no longer as a second life - beside Me, but as My own life!  Oh Father! Also in this new coming day, everything - even the least, shall be a testimony to Me: You are with Me - and in Me!  Amen!"

Jesus rises, and again His look goes to the point, which now presents itself in the twilight as a hollow way, above the road, a vulture circles, in order to pounce on a prey offering itself to him.  Then Jesus opens His mouth, and as if to Himself He says: "Also you, greedy vulture-souls will one day be redeemed, when the seed has been sown and the enemy has been overcome!  Oh you poor earth - with the still poorer inhabitants!  How happy you would be, if the enemy of all life as a peaceful shepherd of yours - would fulfill the will of God!  But, oh good Father, for Your love and Your purposes the time is not yet!"

Jesus walks around and looks unceasingly at the newly rising sun as if immersed in embers.  And higher and higher the sun rises to glow and shine in the white light.

Jesus stretches out His arms as if to bathe Himself in the light, then turns around and suddenly sees His shadow: His outstretched arms, His body from the foot to the head represented - a cross!  "Oh you cross!  You symbol of humility, you sign of powerlessness, you the emblem of the eternal God-creation!  In your sign I will conquer!"

And Jesus, shivering a bit, again sits down on a stone to continue looking for the hollow way.   "Will he come?  Will he follow the move of the Spirit?" - wonders Jesus, to say again, as if praying to Himself: "Oh You Eternal Love!  It is Your will: he shall be Mine! Open wide both our hearts, that we may be mature for use in Your service!"

Along the hollow way, as if guided by an invisible hand, a young man comes to hurry with quick steps toward Jesus.  His face is reddened, his pulse and his breath go fast and heavy - he has run, without rest and respite, through rocks and forest, through grass and brushwood at night, to be there at the place where Jesus is now sitting.

"Let me rest with You, brother of my heart, and let me ask: What does this mean?  For already for three days I have been drawn to You, but doubts about myself arose, since I knew You in Nazareth with Your loved ones.  And the urge grew stronger, and so I left my father's house, where mother was now frightened, and went to the mountains.  Suddenly it was as if the urge in me became strength and certainty, as if invisibly a finger showed me the way through many, many obstacles.

And now - thank Jehovah - now I am here!  Now I finally realize: You need me!  Let me know, why only and for what?  Tell me, brother of my heart, would it not have been more comfortable and more beautiful at home than up here in this wasteland, where there is no life?  Above us the sky, deep below us - the homeland.  Here, like two abandoned by God, without food and without shelter.  Say, what is the meaning of all this?"

Jesus gently answers him: "John!  Give Me your hands and let Me look into your dear, faithful eyes!  I know you are without falsity, and yet I am in great fear and sorrow for you. Let Me speak out in peace, you also look at Me - firmly, so that all misgivings depart and you see 'the core of My soul'!  Behold!  Up here in this pure mountain air, surrounded by pious beings, we are detached from the pressure that the depths exert on all hearts.  Tired, even worn out by hunger and thirst - there are no possibilities to satisfy us - here it is a small thing for the spirit to strengthen and refresh us.  Here our souls become more suitable to receive the noble food and the high gifts - directly from the hand of the eternal God.

I called you - you came! Remember the conversations of our fathers!  Remember what we talked about so often during the short visits!  But you forgot - and let yourself be taken in by what your mind said to you!  Did you still not feel that you remained poor and restless inwardly despite all your honest will and desire?  Behold, you and I are called to greater things than you can ever imagine!  Let me tell you how I have fought and struggled; but it cannot be put into words.  But remember: I was always very serious about this great, mighty goal of life!  But do you believe so firmly that God, the Eternal, must come to meet you in order to give you His gifts of grace?  Brother!  There you are greatly mistaken!

By His endless, blessed grace-leadings we are both called to bring back lost life to Him!   And everything lost now lies in our hearts as endless, eternally never-fading good out of God! But only the slightest trait, the smallest love for the perishable does not allow this gracious being to appear in us!  I have recognized this mission of ours, I have seen the richness of power and fullness in our spirits, and now I am strengthening more and more in the will to turn away from everything earthly.

Therefore, dear John, look into your own heart.  There is the cradle and the resting place of the eternal love out of God.  And only there, where this love is, there the new life develops from it.  Everything you see is inwardly sick, mortally ill, and you can run through the whole earth - no helper is to be found!  The helper lives only in us as an inconspicuous smallest atom and wants to be nourished and cared for by our love for this 'new life out of God'.  And now see, you will ask: With what shall I nourish this God-life in me?  The answer to this is not easy.  It is: With that which you sacrifice in earthly desires, with that which you take away from your own spiritual being!  But then all inhibiting forces are ready to serve you.

I need you - as My herald!  As the one who has to draw people's attention to what is coming: As Divine life - in Me - to all people!

You know the temple and it's hypocritical activities.  You know the Scripture and all promises.  You have known for a long time that in Me the eternal Love wants to embody itself on this earth in this time.  And yet you hold on to the rigid law.  Behold, if God has given you powers that you can reject sin, you must not think that all people are created that way.  Have you already lived through all the depths of your soul and can you call the means your own with which you are able to heal the sick brothers?  No!  It would be a false delusion!  For All your faith, activity and work can only be based on what you have learned in the temple and in the schools.

One does not need to be a sharp mind to judge all that is wrong and false; and one does not need to be an enlightened one to recognize all evil.  But the time has come when everything divine in man shall be revealed!  But it can only be revealed to us in the light of our true, serious, holy service to God, and by sacrificing everything earthly to our own ego - and this in all people.  Therefore look around you: Rays of light surround us, in order to let us recognize in the light that everything that wants to live - must be soaked by the light.  Because light is that, which promotes all growth!  Light is what opens the darkness in our soul!  And it is light, which lets us recognize also everything harmful in us!”

"Dear Brother Jesus!  Your love is great!  I feel this now in this hour; but I cannot understand You yet.  I do remember Your earlier speeches concerning our future, and I still remember that You described my end as unsatisfactory, saying: 'A victim of your self-love'.

But my head got all confused when I thought about your all too serious words spoken in great love - and so again today in this morning hour.  Only now do I realize again where we actually are, and all the mysterious things that drew me here. Oh Jesus, I am afraid here in this wasteland; let us turn back!  On the way we can discuss what you want me to do.  Come away from here and don't let me ask you in vain."

"Oh John!  If you will not understand Me today, then you break a support, a hope in Me!  Behold, three days I sit here in expectation - and now you are here, do you take no part in My struggle?  You feel My love - and it does your heart good; but now you show that you do not yet know true love in yourself.

Love is only 'love' when no doubts arise, for love dares nothing where it is still weighed!  Only 'true love' puts everything into action, without misgivings.  But the guide of this holy love must be: God's light and wisdom!  Therefore, much, even everything of your own must die in you!  And so speak out further!  But remember: In all events there were always two!  When Adam was put on this earth as lord, as representative of God, there all created was to him in a state like man to woman.  Adam = the Divine-witnessing, - the creation = the giving birth.  But by his own fault, by his love for his own ego - for Divine tasks! - all this glory in him - over all earthly forces of creation, perished.

Then Adam (as the begetter) should find himself 'in the woman'; therefore God united all creatures in Eve.  But Adam perished together with his wife.  Until today, God the Eternal, carried the care for all fallen and bound life - Himself.  Now, in both of us, finally all conditions are fulfilled, where we, like Adam and Eve, and as pure as they were in the beginning, can have a blessing, a fertilizing effect on the lost inner life of mankind - and then as if by itself, on all creatures!  And so we both face great tasks! I know Mine, and I show you yours.  Now it depends on the success.

I am already at the end of My great fight!  I want to support you and show you your gloriously great goal.  Because, brother John, if you fail in this great, mighty time, then another test will come upon you, which will be even more mighty!  Behold!  Do you have 'Me' in such a way - that you could say: "I and you are one"?  Then I (as love) am everything to you!  And you (as the understanding for this love) are the first to bring forth 'fruits' of eternal existence.  Later you will have to search first - and will sometimes err - and all tests of your faith will be calculated exactly according to the measure you have strength to bear in you.  So speak, and be open to Me!"

John is silent.  Finally he confesses: "Dear brother Jesus!  The deep meaning of your speech is incomprehensible to my limited mind.  You now put me before questions and tasks for which I am still too unworthy.  Look for someone better!  One who has the right understanding for this great, tremendous love that you have just shown me. - I cannot go against my nature and cannot live a life that is still foreign to me.  See, you know my upbringing: strictly according to the rules of the laws of Moses.  But this love, for which you want to stand up, is too fanciful for me, and I fear you will suffer tremendous shipwreck.

What you present to me in your life as a struggle to overcome your flesh and your self-love, is puzzling to me.  You want to reach the goal: To present a life out of God - and do you want to pave a way that makes us humans the helper and savior for everything that has gone astray?  Oh my Jesus!  You good, dear man!  Remain what you are, and you will serve yourself best!  Do not think that You will break the temple's power!  Do not think that the guardians of the temple will believe You!  I know this only too well, and it is precisely because of this that life with them has made me so hard and rough.

I am well aware that I do not want to sin; and if I have sinned during the day, before night falls, I have atoned in sackcloth and ashes.  But of love, of forbearance, of kindness - I have never heard anything except from you, from your and my mother; - and my father is long gone.  Believe me, if I could destroy the temple, I would do it, because sin dwells there very powerfully.  But I am only a man, - and therefore I will also remain true to my resolution and will announce "the coming of heaven" to all people!

What you carry in you as love-power and -force, is certainly a longing in me.  Yes, I suspect great things in you!  But knowledge is more important to me than foreboding.  And therefore - choose others, who follow you voluntarily!  For You are the Lord in Your nature and being!  I - only Your servant.  Therefore, oh Jesus, let me still today enjoy the right to call You brother!   Let me embrace You one more time and kiss Your mouth and Your faithful eyes!  And from this memory I will draw when life grips me hard.  Oh my Jesus, my brother!"

"Come, My John, to My breast!  Spiritually I have always chained you to Me, for I love you - love you so dearly!  Seize the spirit in Me and feel the consecration of this holy morning hour!  Drink yourself full and let all doubts disappear, for only one thing is necessary!  And this is: Know Me!  Know the Spirit of light and life in Me.  Then you are equipped to the mission, to pioneer for Me.

Well, I will look for brothers who will together unite in themselves what actually you should represent.  Look, I could influence you in such a way as I drew you up here; but in the future I may not do this either, because the enemy of all life possesses too many spies. Therefore only that can be the right thing, which takes place in free love of heart.  And therefore enjoy this hour rightly!  For now it is the Spirit of love that unites us and wants to strengthen the will for holy work in us.

Whether I can speak to you again in this sense depends entirely on your attitude, your state of heart.  If you want to be and remain my faithful John, then banish all assertiveness and all self-righteousness.  For it is a hundred times better to suffer injustice than to do it. And if you truly want to arise and work in this Spirit of love, then live in such a way that none of your fellow humans leaves your side disappointed.  Heaven's power and blessing will only belong to the heart that can bow in humility before the Lord God.  For only the heart that is permeated by His Spirit will be able to work in the service of this love.  Oh My John, now overcome all doubts and make yourself free!  Our time is here, and everybody is in need of help!

Look at this beautiful land, in it's silent forests, peace still dwells.  But let people come, - and all peace is gone.  They no longer know what peace is - and what serves peace! They do not know what love is - and what serves love!  And thus we prepare ourselves for joyful serving in this love.

Do not ask - where and when to serve?  In your heart the answer will be given to you! But if you go - without me - your way without love through this earthly life - then I will also learn to bend to it and will not be an obstacle to you in your self-chosen service to the great Divine work.

Now I have made My desire known to you.  Choose for yourself!  And as your work - so your reward!  Now let us part.  The way back is easy and free for you!  But I will remain here on this height until the night, in order to strengthen Myself even more and to unite with the holy God-being - in Me.  So take My blessing of love and remain mindful of these words of your Jesus!  Amen."

John almost cannot separate, because for the first time in his life he feels what it means to 'separate'!  With tears in his eyes, he still calls out in farewell: "I’ll wait for Your call, oh faithful Jesus! - and ‘God be with us’ - until we meet again!”

With hurried steps John disappears in the hollow way - and Jesus is alone!  Alone!!! And His lips murmur: "Oh John, if you had stayed here out of free love!  We would no longer have parted until the victory!  But even this must be overcome today!  And at night, when I no longer will meet any people, then I will hurry home to the longingly waiting mother.

Oh God!  Oh Father!  Oh You Love!  How I thank You that My mother understands Me and asks no more!  Her gentle hand on My head gives strength, is balm to My sore soul. Thank You, oh glorious Father, for glorifying Yourself in Mary's heart as the great, all-understanding Love, and for making Me feel the great, mighty, glorious goal!  Many dark days may still pass, but the hardest has been overcome.  Oh, how happy I would still be if Joseph, like Mary, learned to understand Me!  But, heart, now you must be silent, so that God may speak in you!"  And thus be ended this scene on the mountain.

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Table of Contents

1. A day in the house of Joseph 4

2. At the building site 6

3. Jesus and Mary 8

4. Witness of an arch-angel 10

5. A visit to Joseph in the workshop 11

6. Jesus’ conversation with John, son of Zachary, on a solitary mountain top 15