The following are the reasons why I joyfully expect the entrance into the Lord’s Kingdom part 2

The following are the reasons why I joyfully
expect the entrance into the Lord’s Kingdom

(Part two: Ever increasing usefulness or redeeming
and creative activity in the Spiritual Kingdom)

‘He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.’    Luke 16:10-12

‘I have given also you a talent; administer it well and properly, so that I may receive it back from you with interest when I return! You have now been set over a small thing, but then you shall be set over great things; for he who is faithful in small things will also remain faithful in great things.’     As received from our Lord and Father, Jesus Christ, by His servant the prophet Jakob Lorber and written in his ‘The Great Gospel of John – 9/30’ J.Lorber

‘Well, My beloved brother Martin, you have been quite successful as a fisherman. You cought for Me three nice little fishes from the deep water of the sun, which gives Me great joy. It is obvious that you are more successful with our fishing here than you were on Earth! Therefore, I will have to make you a real fishermen in the waters of the sun. You are now becoming quite strong and really useful with My brothers Peter and John, who, at all times, are My chief fishermen in the whole infinity.

This time you have really excelled, and it is the first true joy that you have given Me. For, until now, scarcely any of the fishermen sent to this world of light have succeeded in catching any beings of this world into the net of love. Their wisdom is great, and their beauty has already disabled many a fisherman. You, however, have excelled as a true master, and since you have managed small things so well, I will now set you over greater things.’        As received from our Lord and Father, Jesus Christ, by His servant the prophet Jakob Lorber and written in his ‘Bishop Martin 144:5, 6’

‘The angels love everyone, and desire nothing so much as to render service, to teach, and to lead into heaven; this constitutes their highest delight.’ E.Swedenborg ‘Heaven and Hell – 450’

My second greatest joy on this Earth, next to already mentioned Living Presence of my beloved Jesus Christ (see another page on this Blog, namely: http://mylifewithoutandwithjesuschrist.wordpress.com/death-where-is-your-sting/the-following-are-the-reasons-why-i-joyfully-expect-the-entrance-into-the-lord%E2%80%99s-kingdom-part-one-being-at-home-with-jesus-christ/ ), would be taking a loving care, or serving and ministering to all my brothers and sisters (Matthew 20:26-28), i.e. children of Him Who is Father of us all (Malachi 2:10; Matthew 6:9)!

Consequently, just as I have a strong feeling and accompanient perception that this great contentment, happiness, bliss and indescribable peace which I feel in my beloved Jesus' Living, although on this Earth still invisible (John 20:29), Presence would be multiplied when one day, there in that Eternal Kingdom, I would be in His immediate vicinity, or WITH HIM VISIBLY PRESENT in our House of Love, to wit, when mine and His Fatherly House will become as ONE HOUSE ['(Bishop Martin): My house and the Lord's house are not two houses, but only one – a House of Love... There you will always find the Lord in our midst as the forever holiest and best Father among His children who love Him above all else.' As received from our Lord and Father, Jesus Christ, by His servant the prophet Jakob Lorber and written in his ‘Bishop Martin – ‘ 202:4’], in the same manner I am sure that all these profound and elevated spiritual states that I experience while serving those of His children that He entrusted to me (John 21:15-17) will be increased immeasurably, to wit, in proportion as my God-given abilities would be more and more developed and perfected,

'Whatever we perfected spirits wish, will happen according to our love, wisdom and freedom, either instantly or gradually within a certain order. For through our love for God we are completely within His to us (according to our level of maturity) recognizable and bearable wisdom and might. Thus God's love is also our love, His wisdom our wisdom, His will our will and His might our might. – Yet there are still unfathomable depths in God which no created spirit will ever penetrate. And if he were capable of doing so, he would not be happy, for then he could no longer expect increasing bliss out of God.' As received from our Lord and Father, Jesus Christ, by His servant the prophet Jakob Lorber and written in his 'The Great Gospel of John – 7/68: 7 on'

also, as my fields of redemptive,

‘…And you will be able to participate in the work of salvation, for this will be your activity in the kingdom of the beyond when you are sufficiently mature enough to be assigned an activity. You will bring light into the darkness, because you have experienced yourselves how agonising it is to live in darkness and how much happiness the light has given you. No redeemed soul will be inactive, and therefore every soul will be integrated into the host of those who carry out redemption work…. For they all are motivated by their love to help those who are wretched in returning to God, for Whom they are now tirelessly active and work because they share His will and are full of love for Him…’  (As received from our Lord and Father, Jesus Christ by His humble maidservant Bertha Dudde, nr. 6662, October 5, 1956)

‘Due to its redeeming activity its own happiness intensifies at the same rate.’  (As received from our Lord and Father, Jesus Christ by His humble maidservant Bertha Dudde, nr. 3627, December 15, 1945)

and creative activity would expand,

‘Although infinity has forever no end anywhere and thus is truly endless in all directions, yet there is nowhere in its endless depths and distances the tiniest spot where God’s Spirit of wisdom and might would not be present. The true children of God, the holy Father from eternity, as well as in the pure love for their fellow beings, shall hereafter, in the Father’s great house, receive the might and power to keep filling infinite space with more and more new creations.’      As received from our Lord and Father, Jesus Christ, by His servant the prophet Jakob Lorber and written in his 'The Great Gospel of John – 1/140:5'

'All the denizens of this My supreme Heaven have the same great destiny. But naturally those are the busiest who dwell closest to Me in My very OWN HOUSE, just as those vital nerves of man closest to the heart are – and must be – the most active.'     As received from our Lord and Father, Jesus Christ, by His servant the prophet Jakob Lorber and written in his 'Robert Blum – from hell to heaven – 2/287:8'

and they (= those 'in need' or 'still unredeemed souls' and also a 'spiritual protégées') themselves will grow in number [= I am thinking for myself, 'Well, there is no bigger joy to any natural parent than to have as many as possible children in his/her household, i.e. to be surrounded with them whom he/she loves with all his/her's soul and to whom he/she provides everything they need for their welfare; and as this blissful sensation that arises from 'giving and receiving' love between parents and children grows proportionaly as their number grows and their moral quality and spiritual perfection are progressively developed, in the same manner, this eternal or never ending parental and brotherly service, i.e. giving love to, and receiving it from, all those who will be entrusted to us surely would also be the cause of never ending joy and bliss which of course will grow in proportion as their number would grow and they themselves become more and more godlike beings! What I have on my mind was expressed through Jakob Lorber in the following manner: '(The Lord): God's highest blissfulness is a human being developing in His Order. In him, God finds Himself again.' The Great Gospel of John – 2/6:3; and this very 'Father-Son', which also includes 'Teacher-student', spiritual situation overmatches and surpasses in every possible way that above pictured and to everybody known natural or earthly 'happy family' situation; in yet another words, if I am here entrusted with let's say 14 souls, or 'spiritual children', and this very situation gives me sometimes such a joy and bliss that I hardly could describe it in the words, I can only try to imagine what awaits not just me but any of His faithful followers and workers in the beyond where this family of the souls could grow in number infinitely! = Isaiah 64:4 + 1 Corinthians 2:9, 10 :) ],

'The angels of the highest heaven are entrusted with the preservation of all the worlds and are their top governors and leaders. Often such an angel is the lord and regent of an entire solar region.

However, in order to qualify for such a regency he must first learn a great deal and pass through many a school. An angel who accomplishes his task successfully and is able to keep the respect of the different spirits subordinate to him, is given an ever-increasing sphere of action.'     As received from our Lord and Father, Jesus Christ, by His servant the prophet Jakob Lorber and written in his 'Robert Blum – from hell to heaven – 2/295:13'

which of course happens, and must happen only gradually!

'Every spirit is in the beginning allotted only a small and simple field of action. If he faithfully and very diligently attends to this, he is soon set over greater things.' As received from our Lord and Father, Jesus Christ, by His servant the prophet Jakob Lorber and written in his 'Robert Blum – from hell to heaven – 2/295:4'

Not to mention how this gradual and never ending maturation and progression in power and in might, of which I am particularly fond of a godlike power of will,

‘(The Lord): Behold, the earth’s children are closest to Me because there I have personally in the flesh made them My foremost children. Therefore, they are here – after Me – the ones who ‘judge the twelve tribes of Israel’, which in the highest, heavenly most comprehensive and spiritually most profound meaning says as much as: To these My children it is given by Me to rule, explore and judge (arrange) with Me infinity and all the countless creations in it. And the children from the other stars are at their disposal just as the members of the body are always ready to serve the will of the spirit. Therefore, these spirits form with one of My children, taken on the large scale of love-activity, as it were, one person with all the necessary members required for the use of his will.

Thus, a child of the Earth out of Me represents a perfect will of countless other spirits from the stars who as such have their own will too and can act freely according to their pleasure, yet, in cases of love-activity, all of them are pervaded by the will of My chief children. Then billions of them are like one person the spirit of whose active will is one of My children.’ 

As received from our Lord and Father, Jesus Christ, by His servant the prophet
Jakob Lorber and written in his 'Spiritual Sun – 2/2'

i.e., it's exercise or the way it works,

‘How I can so quickly and easily accomplish many a thing, you will understand when you consider that spirit, as the principle pervading the innermost of all beings and things, can also handle all matter most effectively and successfully. Besides I, as an archangel, have a multitude of servants, all of them at any moment dependent on My will. If I will something in agreement with the Lord, this volition is conveyed to the innumerable servants subordinate to me and they will instantly be prompted into activity and perform the demanded act easily and quickly. I myself, as it were, personally am not doing anything, but through my will multitudes are from the depth of their being prompted to action, all the more so since all action has been planned and prepared long ago – first by the Lord and then by us, which can then for you, if necessary, become an externally visible effect. And behold, this is the way everything comes into existence if our will stimulates and urges the primal nature spirits forthcoming from our thoughts to a certain action arranged in this or that way.’ 

As received from our Lord and Father, Jesus Christ, by His servant the prophet
Jakob Lorber and written in his 'The Great Gospel of John – 5/2:4 onward'

and consequently, in ability to be lovingly active for our beloved Father,

‘While I am speaking with you here, I am simultaneously in countless other suns and worlds, acting there as I am here, in the name of the Lord, fulfilling His holy will as best I can. And the same applies to an even greater extent to the Lord Himself, as well as to Peter and to all perfected citizens of heaven. Do you comprehend it now?’            As received from our Lord and Father, Jesus Christ, by His servant the prophet Jakob Lorber and written in his 'Bishop Martin – 132:3’

and for the benefit of all His children, i.e. our fellow brothers and sisters, is in itself a most beautiful reality, because it offers to each of us an amazing possibility of eternal and infinite progress in godlikeness and subsequently in bliss, because no matter how high would be the level of perfection that we may possibly achieve, we will never be able to reach His Own Perfection, and that is in itself a most perfect situation for us :) (Matthew 5:48; Luke 6:36).

Not to mention the following, that in its most perfect form, this love-service includes being active TOGETHER with our beloved Heavenly Father Jesus, and what a ecstasy that must be my dear friends:

'In your full rebirth you shall sit beside Me upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel – which means that you will one day in My heavens be active together with Me for the everlasting benefit of all men of this Earth and other worlds also. You will be as active as I am, as for leading and guiding men here and also in the beyond. For the true Kingdom of Heaven and its growing bliss consists solely in ever-increasing true love activity.'    As received from our Lord and Father, Jesus Christ, by His servant the prophet Jakob Lorber and written in his 'The Great Gospel of John – 5/259:2'

Truly, sometimes when I channel these feelings from the angels present with me ('When angels are with men they dwell, as it were, in their affections.' E.Swedenborg 'Heaven and Hell – 391'), and when together with this I am given to know beyond any doubt that this most beautiful employment in fact never ends in all eternity, but simply is ever growing and expanding and with it also this supreme bliss of being unselfishly useful to all those who are in need,

‘Angelic life consists in use, and in good deeds of charity. For angels never feel happier than when they are informing and teaching spirits that stream in from the world, or when they are ministering to men and are preventing the evil spirits with them overstepping the mark, and inspiring men with what is good; also when they are arousing the dead into the life of eternity, and after that introducing such souls into heaven if they are capable of it. The happiness they find in all this is more than can possibly be described. Angels in this way are images of the Lord; they love their neighbour more than themselves; and this is what makes heaven heaven. Consequently angelic happiness consists in use, stems from use, and is proportionate to use, that is, to the good deeds of love and charity. As for those spirits who had adopted the idea that heavenly joy consisted in being idle, and that in idleness they would be experiencing eternal joy (about this wrong idea which is unfortunately held by many in the Christian world, see please additional texts about ‘Heavenly joy and happiness’ which are taken from E.Swedenborg’s revelations!), they were allowed - once told all this to make them ashamed of that idea - to perceive what such a life was really like. They perceived that it was an utterly dreary kind of life, and destructive of all joy; and that after a short while they would find it repulsive and nauseating.’        E.Swedenborg ‘Arcana Coelestia – 454’

i.e. who are yet unredeemed,

'You have heard already on Earth that My harvest is great, but that there are still too few labourers (Matthew 9:37, 38). So this is the place where you shall become My true labourers and helpers for bringing in the harvest, and this in the way many of your brothers have already done. Here you will neither plough nor harrow, nor will you be cutting the corn or working the vineyard and picking the grapes. All this is here only an inner correspondence for the loving-activity you will be from here practising for the benefit of the brothers on Earth [‘Every giving and strength-receiving soul has entrusted protégées on Earth or in the beyond for which it cares lovingly with tireless dedication. It has to try to mentally guide its protégées into the truth, it has to influence their thoughts and thus create clarity but without forcing the will of those souls, and this requires immense patience and love…’ (Bertha Dudde, nr. 2553, November 16, 1942)]. However, not only for the brothers on Earth. Here I will speak with you in the broadest sense and tell you: I have still many flocks that do not live on Earth, but in their own way on countless other earths and celestial globes. All of them must be guided into the fold of eternal life (John 10:16).

Therefore, I am now giving you My power in abundance so that you can, wherever I send you, work as if it were I Myself. I could, of course, do all this Myself, but I allot this work to you so that your bliss by My side my keep growing from eternity to eternity. When I send one or the other of you for this great purpose here or there, you shall be able, the same as I, to view all the natural world from its innermost depth right to its outer crust and vice versa. What you will have to do in such a mission you will always be fully aware of. And so I have now shown you your great destiny enabling you to act in the most perfect way according to My love, wisdom and power.'     As received from our Lord and Father, Jesus Christ, by His servant the prophet Jakob Lorber and written in his 'Spiritual Sun – 1/61'

I only wish that I can convey those states of mine in words, because what and how I feel in those moments is giving me the impression that then I surely must be 'caught up to the third heaven' (2 Corinthians 12:3, 4), together with those ('Every man in respect of his spirit, even while he is living in the body, is in some society with spirits, although he does know it, if a good man he is by means of spirits in some angelic society, if an evil man in some infernal society; and after death he comes into that same society.' E.Swedenborg 'Heaven and Hell – 438') who are eternaly occupied with this Great Redeeming Activity!

*

Nevertheless it must be added and emphasized here, because of those who are outside of this experience and who are, consequently, of the opinion that this way of acting, i.e. feeling and thinking, presupposes so to speak a ‘merit-seeking attitude’, or ‘being as such because of the promised rewards’ that were mentioned above, that this is in no way the case here as our Lord and Father beautifully explained in the following revelation:

Received through the Inner Voice by His maid-servant

Bertha Dudde, proclamation nr. 7126, May 21, 1958

Knowledge of the blissful as well as the wretched state (Excerpt)....

You cannot imagine the happiness in the kingdom of light, neither can you imagine the torments which the souls have to endure in the realm of darkness. Yet time and again you are informed of both through My Word, thus you are not entirely without knowledge. However, whether you believe it or not is up to you, nevertheless you will determine your own fate when your soul leaves the body and enters the kingdom of the beyond. For as soon as you believe what you are told time and again by My Word you will also live your earthly life accordingly, for no believer will irresponsibly live for the moment, everyone will make an effort to live according to My will, even though his weak will can often make him fall….

On the other hand, however, his way of life should not purely be determined by the fear of darkness or an expectation of beatitudes in the kingdom of light, for this by itself would not influence the state of his soul very favourably; but the devoted person will dwell on it and be impelled from within to lead a God-pleasing life, only a person possessing a so-called conventional faith is calculating, who certainly has knowledge of My Word but who more or less only fulfils everything due to outside pressure, due to commandments or regulations, and complies with these commandments for the sake of the promised reward or feared punishments. True faith, however, will establish the connection with the One in Whom the human being believes. And then he will also feel responsible towards Me and try to live in accordance with My will on Earth…. because he wouldn’t want to sadden Me and also because he feels My love for him and would like to prove himself worthy of this love….

Yet the knowledge of the blissful as well as the wretched state which a soul can expect after physical death shall enhance the human being’s sense of responsibility; he shall know that he is not living his earthly life pointlessly, he shall not be able to say that he had not received any advice about the consequences of a right or wrong way of life (1 Corinthians 9:24-27) . And at the same time he shall also be informed of the purpose, which consists of the said state the soul can achieve. Hence he also has to know what this state entails. However, evidence of this cannot be given to you, yet time and again a seriously striving person will indeed receive verification from the beyond which then will no longer force him to believe because only a devoted person may experience such, or it is intended to serve those of little faith as merciful evidence, whose weak faith needs a little support but who voluntarily want to live according to My will on earth…’

The same was also described through the parable by that greater than great Apostle of Jesus Christ:

Three seekers

‘The story is told of a wise man who met three pilgrims on the road. The first was pale and withered and cringing with fear. The wise man asked him, “Why are you in such a frightful state?” Haltingly, the man answered: “All that I have ever done wrong haunts me. I fear the consequences of all the evil I have done knowingly or unknowingly. I am afraid that I will suffer the eternal punishment of naraka, what men call hell.” The wise man spoke to him, saying: “It is sad and distressing that you do not turn your heart and thoughts to God, who alone is the source of all wisdom. Instead, you live in continual fear of hell. So your pilgrimage is not genuine. You are trying to offer your pilgrimage as a bribe to God, so that you will not be punished for your sins. You will never find peace along this path.” The second pilgrim was consumed with worries and doubts. The wise man asked him, “Why do you seem so sad and worried?” The pilgrim answered, “I desperately want to find the bliss and peace of the heavenly realm, but I fear I will not find it.” The wise man rebuked him sharply, saying: “It is shameful that you fail to think of God’s creative power and love. This alone should fill your heart with great awe and thankfulness. Instead, you are consumed by your own desire for peace and joy. You only pray in order to gain fulfillment of your own selfish desires. Such prayer is worthless and will never lead you to peace.” Afterward, the wise man turned to the third pilgrim who radiated joy and contentment. “Friend,” he asked, “what is the secret of your joy and peace?” The pilgrim answered: “My heart is filled with joy, and I am filled with thankfulness to God who has opened the way for me to know His Presence and find unity with him. May he open my heart more and more so that I can love and serve Him with heart and soul and strength and so that I can worship Him for love alone.” Sadhu Sundar Singh 'Wisdom of Sadhu'

***

But to achieve this 'supreme and desirable god-like position' in that great Spiritual Kingdom, we must endeavour to be, and in fact become, a most active already here on Earth, to wit, only through our most active life of love in accordance with His revealed Will, or His Word, will His Divine spark which lies dormant in our soul awake and permeate our whole being making us again what we once were, namely, Divine children, in whom all from God our Father received characteristics, abilities or 'talents' are fully developed and manifested:

‘Ahab: What man has not initially acquired himself from the properties given him at the outset, no God can give him without ruining him. To God, of course, all things are possible, but thereby man does not gain anything.

Who does not know himself first, how can he know another and, finally, even God? That would be my principle. Am I far off the mark, Lord?’

Say I, ‘No, friend Ahab, you have in truth hit the nail firmly on the head. Thus it is! What man does not acquire for himself independently with the abilities bestowed on him, God cannot and may not provide without judging him.

Therefore, all of you should not be just idle hearers of My Word, but diligent doers, only then will you begin to notice its blessings within you.

For life is action and not stagnation of the powers on which life depends. And so life must be preserved even for eternity through the constant activity of all its powers…

…Only activity upon activity for the common good of people brings you salvation. For all life is the fruit of God’s constant, never tiring activity and therefore can only be maintained and preserved for eternity through proper activity whereas nothing but death does and must result from inactivity.

Place your hands on your heart and feel how it is constantly active day and night. The life of the body depends solely on such activity. Once the heart stops, that would mean the end of the natural life of the body, I should say.

And just as the rest of the physical heart obviously constitutes the total death of the body, this same rest of the soul’s heart is the death of the soul.

The heart of the soul, however, is called love, and its pulsating expresses itself in true and full love-activity.

Thus constant love-activity is the never wearying pulsebeat of the soul’s heart. The more actively the heart of the soul pulsates, the more life is generated in the soul and once thereby a sufficiently high degree of life, this awakens therein the life of the Divine spirit.

This - as the very life, because the untiring supreme activity itself - then flows into the soul that has become equal to it through love activity, and everlasting imperishable life has fully commenced within the soul.

And look, all this arises from activity…’    As received from our Lord and Father, Jesus Christ, by His servant the prophet Jakob Lorber and written in his 'The Great Gospel of John – 1/220:4-8, 221:6-12'

On the contrary, if we neglect to do that, we are rather to lose all our inherent or latent God-given powers and we will have to wait for a very very long time until we would be able to regain them again, as we are told in these two most significant parables, of which first one reads:

14  For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.

15  And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.

16  Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.

17  And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.

18  But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.

19  After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.

20  And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.

21  His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

22  He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.

23  His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

24  Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:

25  And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.

26  His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:

27  Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.

28  Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.

29  For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.

30  And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Particularly, or viewed verse by verse, the spiritual meaning of this first parable would be as follows:

‘For the LORD gives to all who are in the church the knowledges of truth and good from the Word, with the faculty of perceiving them. Verses 14, 15.

And by these knowledges and this faculty, some procure to themselves much intelligence and wisdom, and others procure some, and others none. Verses 16, 17, 18.

Wherefore at the LORD's coming, they who had procured much intelligence and wisdom, and they who had procured some, are accepted of the LORD, and gifted by Him with dominion over all evils and falses, and admitted to conjunction of life with Himself. Verses 19-23.

But they who had procured none are then deprived of the truths which they had possessed in the memory only, and not in the life, and become principled in mere falses separated from all good and truth. Verses 24-31.

For not having joined charity to faith, they think harshly of the Divine Mercy, and act from mere natural fear, which obscures the knowledges of heavenly truth. Verses 24, 25.

Whereas they ought rather, by those knowledges, to have procured to themselves charity, and thus have attained conjunction of life with the Lord. Verses 26, 27.

Therefore those knowledges are taken away from them, and conferred on those who apply them to the reformation of their lives. Verses 28, 29.

And they who have lived in faith alone without charity, are deprived of all the truths of faith, and all the goods of charity, having their lot with those who are in mere evils and falses. Verse 30.’

J.Clowes ‘The Gospel according to Matthew’

Second parable reads as follows:

11  And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear.

12  He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.

13  And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.

14  But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.

15  And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.

16  Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds.

17  And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.

18  And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds.

19  And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities.

20  And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin:

21  For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow.

22  And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow:

23  Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury?

24  And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds.

25  (And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.)

26  For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him.

27  But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.

Luke 19:11-27

Particularly, or viewed verse by verse, the spiritual meaning of this second parable would be as follows:

‘For the LORD is willing to communicate to all the knowledges of truth and good from the Word, with the faculty of perceiving them, vs 11, 12, 13.

And this, notwithstanding the force of hereditary and actual evil on the part of man, which is opposed to the Divine Love and Wisdom, vs 14.

Every one therefore, sooner or later, must give an account of his application of those knowledges, vs 15.

On which occasion it becomes manifest, that some procure, to themselves much intelligence and wisdom, and others procure some, and others none, vs 16 to 21.

And that they who procure none are deprived of the truths which they possessed in the memory only, and not in the life, vs 20 to 27.

Since they think harshly of the Divine mercy, and accuse it of expecting more from man than he has the ability to perform, vs 21.

Whereas this their idea of the Divine mercy ought to have led them to exert themselves the more in procuring charity and the good of life, vs 22, 23.

And inasmuch as they have not made the use of the knowledges which they possessed, therefore those knowledges are taken away from them, since it is an eternal law, that they who are in the good of charity shall sooner or later be enriched with truths, whereas they who are in falses derived from evil in the other life are deprived of all truths, vs 24, 25, 26.

At the same time they are deprived of all spiritual life, vs 27.’  

J.Clowes ‘The Gospel according to Luke’

Internal or spiritual meaning of these parables was fully explained to us via E.Swedenborg in whose writings we read as follows:

‘The reason why the numbers ten and five are adopted in the above parable (Luke 19:11-27) is, because ten signify all and all things, and five some and some things; by the ten servants whom the nobleman, who was going into a far country, called to him, are meant all who are in the world, specifically who were of the Church, for by the nobleman is meant the Lord, and by journeying into a far country is meant His departure out of the world, and on this occasion as it were absence; by the ten pounds which he gave to the ten servants for trading, are signified all the knowledges of truth and of good from the Word, with the faculty of perceiving them, for the pound, which was silver and money, signifies the knowledges of truth and the faculty of perceiving them, and to trade signifies to procure to themselves by those knowledges intelligence and wisdom. They who procured much to themselves are meant by the servant who from the pound gained ten pounds; and they who procured some to themselves are understood by him who from the pound gained five pounds; by the cities which were given them are signified truths of doctrine, and by possessing those cities is signified intelligence and wisdom, and consequent life and happiness; hence it is evident what is signified by ten cities and by five cities. Inasmuch as they who procure to themselves nothing of intelligence are like foolish virgins (Matthew 25:1-13), who only possess truths in the memory, and not in the life, they are deprived of them after their departure out of the world; but they who possess truths both in the memory and in the life, enrich in themselves intelligence to eternity, therefore it is said that they should take the pound from him who gained nothing by it, and should give it to him who had ten pounds.’             E.Swedenborg ‘Apocalypse Explained – 675’

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‘A certain nobleman went into a far country. A merchant in the Word signifies those who have the knowledges of good and truth, and merchandise signifies those knowledges themselves; in regard to these significations the case is this. All who are reformed and regenerated are gifted with charity and faith from the Lord, but every one according to his faculty and state; for the evils and falses with which man has imbued himself from infancy are the things which render it impossible for one to receive the like gift as another; those evils and falses must be vastated, before man can be regenerated. In proportion to the quantum of celestial and spiritual life which remains after vastation, in the same proportion this quantum may be illustrated by truth, and enriched with good; the remains, which are goods and truths from the Lord stored up with man, are what then receive life. Goods and truths are acquired from infancy even to the time of reformation, with one person more, with another fewer, and these are reserved in his internal man; neither can they be brought forth, until his external man be reduced to correspondence, which is effected principally by temptations, and by several kinds of vastation; for before the corporeal principles which are contrary to them, as are the things of self love and the love of the world, become quiescent, the celestial and spiritual things, which are of the affection of good and truth, cannot flow in. This is the reason why every one is reformed in the way of application to his state and faculty, as the Lord also teaches in the parable concerning the man who "went into a far country, and called his own servants, and delivered to them his goods, and to one he gave five talents, to another two, and a third one, to every one according to his proper faculty. He who received five talents traded with them, and gained other five talents; in like manner he who received two, he also gained other two," Matt 25:14, and following verses; also concerning the ten servants to whom he gave ten pounds, that they might trade with them, Luke 19:12, and following verses.’        E.Swedenborg ‘Arcana Coelestia – 2967’

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‘He who does not know that there is any internal sense of the Word, which does not appear in the letter, will be much surprised at being informed, that numbers in the Word also signify things, principally because he cannot form any spiritual idea of numbers; nevertheless that numbers flow from the spiritual idea, which the angels have, may be seen, AC 5265; but what the ideas are, or what the things are to which numbers correspond, may indeed be known, but what is the ground of that correspondence, is as yet unknown; as what is the ground of the correspondence of twelve with all the things of faith, and of the correspondence of seven with holy things, also of the correspondence of ten, and likewise of five, with goods and truths stored up in the interior man from the Lord, and so forth. Still however it is sufficient to know, that there is a correspondence, and that by virtue of that correspondence all numbers in the Word signify something in the spiritual world, consequently that a Divine [principle] also is inspired and lies concealed in them; as for example, in the following passages where mention is made of five; as in the Lord's parable concerning the man who went abroad," and delivered to his servants their property, to one five talents, to another two, and to a third one ; and he who received five talents, traded with them, and gained other five talents; in like manner he who received two, gained other two; but he who received one, hid his lord's silver in the earth, Matt 25:14 and following verses. He who thinks no further than the literal sense will of necessity conceive that these numbers, namely five, two, and one, are only assumed to give the parable its historical form, and that they involve nothing further; when yet there is an arcanum contained in these very numbers; for by the servant who received five talents are signified those who have admitted goods and truths from the Lord, thus who have received remains; by him who received two are signified those who in advanced age have adjoined charity to faith; and by him who received one are signified those, who maintained faith alone without charity; concerning this latter it is said, that he hid his Lord's silver in the earth, for by the silver, which is predicated of him, in the internal sense, is signified the truth which is of faith, AC 1551, 2954, for faith cannot make gain, or bear fruit, without charity; such are the contents of those numbers.

The case is similar in the other parables, as concerning the man going into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, in that he gave to his servants ten pounds, and said to them, that they should trade with them until he came; when he returned, the first said, Lord, your pound has gained ten pounds, to whom he said, well done good servant, because you have been faithful in the least, be you [ruler] over ten cities. The second said, Lord, your pound has made five pounds, to whom also he said, be you likewise over five cities; the third had laid up the pound in a napkin, but the Lord said, take from him the pound and give to him who has ten pounds," Luke 19:12, and following verses. In this parable in like manner ten and five signify remains, ten, abundant remains, five, fewer; he who laid up the pound in a napkin denotes those who procure to themselves the truths of faith, but do not conjoin them to the goods of charity, who thus procure nothing of gain or of fruit.’  E.Swedenborg ‘Arcana Coelestia – 5291’

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As I am aware of the fact that verses from Matthew 25:28-30 and Luke 19:24-26 are the source of many misunderstandings because majority of the people stick only to the literal meaning of those words and are not acquainted with the spiritual realities to which those words are corresponding, I will copy-and-paste additional explanations of E.Swedenborg about this particular theme through which, I hope, reader will gain even more clear perception of this important spiritual reality:

‘By the man is here meant the Lord, and by His travelling into a far country is meant his departure out of the world, and on that occasion, as it were, absence. By the servants whom He called, are meant all who are in the world, specifically those who are of the church; by the talents which He gave them, are signified all the knowledges of truth and of good from the Word, with the faculty of perceiving them, for the talent, which was silver and money, signifies the knowledges of truth and the faculty of perceiving, and to trade signifies to procure to themselves intelligence and wisdom by those knowledges. They who procure much to themselves are meant by the servant, who from five talents gained five other talents; and they who procure nothing of intelligence to themselves, are meant by the servant who hid his lord's talent in the earth; the reason why the talent was to be taken from him who procured to himself nothing of intelligence, and was to be given to him who procured much, is, because man after death, when he becomes a spirit, brings along with him all things, and every particular, which he had imbibed from the Word, and from the doctrine of the church. But they who by those things have procured to themselves nothing of intelligence are interiorly evil and therefore abuse the goods and truths of heaven and of the church, which they possessed merely in the memory, to acquire dominion, and to do evil to the simply good who are in the ultimate heaven. This is the reason why those truths and goods are taken away from them, and are given to those who have many, inasmuch as these latter do not abuse them, but perform uses by them. That they who in the world do not procure to themselves spiritual intelligence by the knowledges of truth and good from the Word, are evil, is evident from this consideration, that all are born into evils of every kind, and that those evils are not removed except by Divine Truths from the Word, namely, by their application to uses, and thus the reception of them in the life. Wherefore it is said to those who gained, "Well, good find faithful servants, because you have been faithful in a few things, I will make you rulers over many; enter you into the joy of your Lord, verses 21, 23; and to him who gained nothing, "Cast you the unprofitable servant into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Verse 30.’    E.Swedenborg – Apocalypse Explained – 675 (see also nr. 193)’

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 ‘They who come into the other life are all brought back into a life similar to what they led in the body, and afterwards with the good, evils and falses are separated, that by goods and truths they may be elevated of the Lord into heaven; but with the wicked, goods and truths are separated, that by evils and falses they may be brought into hell, according to the Lord's words in Matthew, "Whosoever has, to him shall be given, that he may have more abundance; but whoever has not, even that which he has shall be taken away from him," Matt 13:22. Luke 19:24, 25, 26.’             E.Swedenborg ‘Arcana Coelestia – 2449’ 

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‘The scientifics of truth and of good, belonging to those of the Church, who are acquainted with the mysteries of faith, and yet have lived a life of evil, are transferred to those who are of the spiritual church. This is signified by the Lord's words in Matthew, "The Lord said to him, who went away and hid his talent in the earth, take the talent from him and give it to him that has ten talents," &c. Matt 25:25, 28, 29, 30; see also Luke 19:24, 25, 26. The reason is, because the knowledges of good and truth with the wicked are applied to evil uses; and the knowledges of good and truth with the good are applied to good uses; the knowledges are the same, but the application to uses determines their quality with every one. In this respect the case is as with worldly riches, which with one person are applied to promote good uses, with another to promote evil uses; hence riches with every one acquire a quality according to the uses to which they are applied.’ E.Swedenborg ‘Arcana Coelestia – 7770’ (see also ‘Arcana Coelestia – 9330’)

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‘It is with difficulty that man, during his abode in the world, can come into the conjunction or union either of good and truth, or of what is evil and false, for so long as he lives in the world, he is kept in a state of reformation and regeneration; but after death every man comes into one or the other, because he can then no longer be reformed or regenerated, remaining then of such a quality as his life had been in the world, that is, of the same quality with his ruling love. Wherefore if his life had been that of the love of evil, every truth is taken away from him, which he had procured to himself in the world from his teachers, from preaching, or from the Word, and when this is taken away he imbues what is false, and in agreement with his own evil, as a sponge imbibes water; but if his life had been a life of good, every false principle is removed, which he had received in the world by hearing and by reading, and had not confirmed in himself, and in its place is given truth, which is in agreement with his good. This is meant by the Lord's words, "Take from him the talent, and give it to him that has ten talents," &c. Matt 25:28, 29. Luke 19:24-26.’   E.Swedenborg ‘Divine Providence – 17’

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‘Unless evil be separated from good, and good from evil, man can neither be in heaven nor in hell, when yet every man must either be in one or in the other, and cannot be in both; unless therefore evil was separated from good, and good from evil, he would at one moment be in heaven, at another in hell, and whilst he was in heaven he would act in favour of hell, and whilst in hell he would act in favour of heaven, thus he would destroy the life of all around him, heavenly life with the angels, and infernal life with the devils. Hence it is that the Lord, after man's decease, when he becomes a spirit or spiritual man, separates good from evil and evil from good; good from evil with those who are interiorly in evil, and evil from good with those who are interiorly in good, agreeable to his own words, "To every one that has shall be given, "&c. &c.’  E.Swedenborg ‘Divine Providence – 227’

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The parable about entrusted pounds was also explained in no uncertain terms by our Heavenly Father Himself, although from little bit different angle, through His mighty prophet Jakob Lorber:

Called and chosen

Look, this statement has to be considered and understood this way: all men on this Earth are called and predestined to light and life, but not everyone can be chosen to be a teacher of men, because this would also not be good at all for men. Would it be good for men – whose main destiny it is to serve one another – if they possessed everything and were capable to make everything? Thereby men would not need each other anymore and neighborly love would be nothing but an idle and meaningless word, as I have explained to My disciples already many times. Then men would not even need a language anymore. What would be the use of it if nobody would need anything from the other?

[2] I tell you that with such a sameness in men’s talents and their abilities and appearance, their places to live, and their possessions, and having the same enlightenment, that they would still be on the level of animals, and actually even below of that.

[3] In order that human beings may be human beings and not animals, everything has been distributed among them in a great variety. One has this, the other one that, and therefore one has to come to the other to be for him a teacher or a helper in one thing or another.

[4] And so also in the sphere of recognition of the inner light of life there must be a few special elect ones to show the true light of life to the many called ones, and the called ones should then listen, believe and act in accordance with what they are taught by the chosen possessors of light.

[5] If however, the called ones faithfully accept what they are taught, they are in quite as good a position as the elect and often even better, for an elect who carries the living light within him but does not live in accordance with it, will later on be summoned to a stricter account of his badly used talents than the one who was only called and had only to listen, to believe and be willing to act.

[6] Look, the chosen ones are My helpers and the called ones are My servants and children.

[7] But to show you even more clearly that a chosen one is on this Earth in no way better than a called one, I will make it more clear by means of a parable. So listen to Me.

[8] There was once a king who for his household had 10 first helpers. At one time, this king had to make a long trip to take possession of a new kingdom that came under his care.

[9] But before he left, he called the 10 helpers to him, gave each of them 10 pounds and said: ‘Make good business with this until I come back.’

[10] When the citizens (called ones) heard about this, they got angry with the king because with his departure he also did not give them any pounds and talents to manage.

[11] They even send messengers after the king saying to him: ‘We do not want this king anymore to rule over us, because why should we be less than his helpers while we also have served him just like his helpers.’

[12] However, the time came when the king came back, after he had taken possession of the new kingdom. When he was back in his fortress, he soon called the same helpers to him, those to whom he entrusted money, to see how much each one of them had gained with it.

[13] The first one came to him and said: ‘Lord, look, your pound has gained 10 pounds.’

[14] Then the king said to him: ‘Well done, useful helper. Because you were loyal in everything, you will now rule over 10 cities.’

[15] After this, another helper came, who said: ‘Lord, your pound has gained 5 pounds.’

[16] And the king said to him: ‘For this you will rule over 5 cities.’

[17] Then came a third one, the least good one out of the 10 helpers and said: ‘Lord, see, the pound that you entrusted to me, I saved it in a sweat cloth until your return. I was afraid of you because you are a hard man, because you take what you did not put away and you reap what you did not sow.’

[18] Upon this, the king spoke: ‘Listen, I judge you according to your own words. You are a rascal. If you knew that I am a hard man and take what I did not put away and reap what I did not sow, why then did you not put my money at the bank, so that at my return my money would have earned interest?’

[19] Upon this, the king spoke further to those who were with him as helpers: ‘Take from this rascal the pound and give it to the first one who already has 10 pounds.’

[20] And the helpers said to the lord: ‘O king, this one already has 10 pounds. Why must he receive also this 1 pound?’

[21] I Myself reply upon this to you all: who has, to him shall be given even more, so that he will have abundantly. Him who however, has not, from him will be taken away even that which he had. Those however who did not want that the king should rule over them, have sinned, and therefore they shall be strangled with all the night and darkness of the judgment and the death of the soul.

[22] You see my friend, this is how matters are with Me, and that will not change. To the one who has, will be given much more until he has abundantly. From the one however who has not, from him will be taken away even the little that has been entrusted to him, and it will be given to the one who already has a lot.

[23] But the many called ones, who did not want to listen to the voice of the helpers and did not want that the Lord of light and life should rule over them and bring everything to life, those will be strangled by the darkness in their own heart. The lazy helper will however have to wait long until he will be entrusted again another pound.

[24] And do tell Me now how you like this parable. Do you agree with the king or not?”

Criticism of the magician concerning the parable of the entrusted pounds

The magician said: “Lord, I have come to the point now where reason has left man and will make men’s hair stand on end of even the most patient of us. You surely are not the king who, like a tyrant takes where he did not deposit anything and wants to reap where he did not sow? Because it seems to me that it is exactly from You that everything is originating and that it is precisely You who sowed everything, and therefore, You also can take and reap everywhere because everything is Yours and also has to be Yours.

[2] The fact that the offenders are punished is totally correct to me because it is exactly the godly longsuffering that is intolerant, because in this way the wicked one wins more and more time and space to bring about his cruel acts, while the one who is behaving well comes into a still greater misfortune, he finally loses all faith and is forced to put the entrusted pound into the sweat cloth of his need and gives it honestly back to the severe, unmerciful lord. Yes, in that sense it is of course better to be a called one than a helper.

[3] It is completely true that the zealous helper will also receive his reward according to his works, but the fact that the somewhat slower and fearful helper receives totally nothing for the returning of his pound, this I find very hard of Your king.

[4] I love people and I do not like to see anyone suffering, especially when he did not really deserve it, because he is not an evil person. The helper who gave the 1 pound in the sweat cloth back to his lord exactly as he received it, did apparently not have the same perception and intelligence of the first helper, and also not even of the second one who with the 1 pound earned 5 pounds. Because if he had the same intelligence, then he also could have earned 10 or at least 5 pounds, but because he lacked perception, the right intelligence and therefore the necessary courage he did not dare to do anything else with the 1 pound than to leave it untouched and give it back to his lord. I really can still see nothing evil and I would like to ask You explicitly what happened further to this helper who was called a rascal by his lord.”

[5] I said: “Well, that person stayed the way he was before: a very simple and common helper, because he did not possess any ability out of himself for an important task. For also a chosen one receives exactly like any other person only the ability or the talent, which he then has to develop, so that his free will would not suffer any harm.

[6] The one who develops his received talent as zealous as possible, possesses then also a true treasure, and to him will be added more and more. The one however who did not develop it and did not want to pull himself away from his laziness can only blame himself, because by keeping the pound in the sweat cloth he finally becomes even more foolish than those who did not want that the king of light should rule over them.

[7] For this reason, such lazy helpers do not progress and such called servants persist in their darkness, and the worst that finally can happen to them is that the noise of the bright day wakes them up from their sweet sleep. Or does the sun first have to send messengers to those long sleepers to ask if it suits them that it would rise above the mountains? Look, the sun will not do that because of the universal order that sustains the worlds. Even less will the king of light and life do that.

[8] The one who receives the pound did surely also receive the command of the king. Whether the helper conforms to it, will depend on his free will, and the king is not guilty of the laziness of the helper, but only the helper himself, because the king of the light knows all too well which talents he gave to a helper. And therefore, it is always the king who is right and not the lazy and slow helper, and this is certainly not an imagined justice.

[9] Think about this carefully now, consider this image deeply and tell Me then if according to you the king is an unmerciful tyrant. Did you understand Me well now?”

[10] The magician said: “Yes, that o Lord, I did understand well now, and Your parable is therefore completely coming into the light while only as image it was difficult to understand. Thus, he who recognizes a special talent within him must develop it in all earnest, namely by and out of himself. If he has done this, then he surely will receive the other things of the king of light and so he will be able to become a true teacher of many people that You identify as the called ones. Because the one who was already a teacher for himself will also more easily be a teacher for others. The one however, who was already lazy for himself will all the more be lazy for others, and he also will have nothing from what he eventually could teach his fellowmen. And therefore, it is very true and just that to the one who has, will be given much more so that he will have in abundance. But from the one who has not, will also be taken away that which he had. This is now perfectly clear to me.’     

As received from our Lord and Father, Jesus Christ, by His servant the prophet
Jakob Lorber and written in his 'The Great Gospel of John – 7/124, 125’

Lorens N.

(October 9-14, 2009)