The Harvest
by unknown
This book was written in service to the Sacred and the Immaculate Heart. It’s intended for free distribution; however, for-profit production is permitted if credit isn’t taken for the work.
Thank you, Mrs. LeDuc, for believing in and spreading news of the book before the first word was written.
Dedicated to those with ears to hear. That you may not be deceived now, or in the time to come. Amen.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. The Primordial
II. The Perspicuous
III. The Saviour
IV. The Revelation
V. The Painting
The Harvest
“FATHER,… this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. God our Saviour desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. There is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” – than the name of JESUS.
–Catechism of the Catholic Church
The Primordial
The Trinity.
Once upon a time, but truly before time, God existed. He was before anything. No created thing knows his beginning. He exists in Himself. Three in Person but One, He is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost…the Trinity. The Son is from the Father, and the Holy Ghost proceeds from them both. Each is equally God. They share all. He is infinite, eternal, above all, incomprehensible, inscrutable, invincible, immeasurable, indivisible, glorious, majestic, powerful, immense, wise, holy, just, beautiful, great, good, strong, living, true, present everywhere but undetectable outside his will, tireless. He is infinitely perfect and beyond our understanding: the one, true God. And He is alive and well.
Before God Created anything, it was just Him. None of the heavens existed. Nor were there any angels to fill them. The Universe didn’t exist either. Nor did any human or creature exist to inhabit it. Not one atom or electron or spirit existed. Only the Godhead was. And, He was and is perfect, and He was in want or need of nothing. He wasn’t hungry, or lonely, or feeling that something was missing. God was whole, perfect, infinite, and complete. But God decided to share his bounty. He willed to bring into existence what we know of as life and everything in and beyond it. And, He willed to do it in and with a certain order. This order would reflect his pleasure and everything’s purpose…nothing would be created without one.
At the beginning of the order of creation, in God’s mind, was the God-Man: the second Person of the Trinity would assume flesh and become visible. In Him would be united the Divine and the human…the hypostatic union. Through this union would come the most beautiful harmony, order, and communication between God and man. Through the Incarnation of the Word, divinity and humanity could be united as closely as possible, so that through Him man might have access to and relationship with God. Moreover, through the hypostatic union, the soul and humanity of Christ could be filled with every possible gift and grace. Human nature would consist of the ability to know God, to discern between good and evil, and to choose between the two. So, truly God and truly man, and the Head of all creation…the Source of everything.
Next in the order of creation, in God’s mind after the Word Incarnate, was his Mother. In her He would be conceived by the Holy Spirit, and she would clothe Him with flesh from her flesh. In order for this flesh to be uncorrupted and free from the consequences of sin, she too would have to be free from sin including original sin. This is only logical, and is immediately visible if the heart is humble and is free of the blinding influence of pride which seeks to deny anything higher than one’s own state. The Immaculate Conception is a grace from God, preordained in His foreknowledge of original sin, necessitated by the fall of man from original justice, and something to be lifted up to the heavens in praise, and not pushed down to the depths in wickedness. It is a part of our history, and without it the Lamb of God would’ve been a blemished Lamb, so to deny his Mother being free from sin is to deny much.
Following the Queen of Heaven was the rest of creation. The universe and the earth were to be made primarily for the Incarnate Word and his Mother. Also included in this creation would be the subjects of the King. These subjects would include the human race and the angels. In a manner of speaking, the human race was in God’s mind first because the Divine was to be in union with the human, not the angelic. However, the angelic nature would in fact be superior to human nature, for it would more closely resemble the Divinity. Christ would be the head of both humanity and the angels, as would his Mother by her dignity as Mother of the Word and her foreseen merits. As for the angels, their numbers or hosts would be divided into nine choirs and three hierarchies to include the Seraphim, Cherubim, Thrones, Dominations, Virtues, Powers, Principalities, Archangels, and Angels.
Finally, God saw the good and the bad. Both angels and man would receive the gift of free will; however, some would use it to orient themselves toward God, and others would use it to orient themselves toward self. As a reward for the good, He would create the Empyrean Heaven where his glory would be revealed. As a punishment for the bad, He would create hell in the earth. He foresaw the fall of certain angels and the first man, along with his judgment which would follow both. As for the angels who would fall from grace, there would be no remedy. As for the fall of Adam and Eve, the first humans, there would be a remedy which God would provide for in his providence. A remedy for man but not angel may on the surface seem unjust, however the fall of angel and man would occur under different circumstances.
The angels who fell from grace were without remedy because they saw the Light but chose darkness, whereas man is born into darkness and is called to grope for and ultimately find the Light. If man sees the Light revealed but rejects it, then he too is left without remedy (Mark 3:28-29). God is the only source of life, so if we reject God then what remedy can we expect to find? All of creation is compelled to love and obey our Creator God in truth, for He is the source of life. Opinions are for those who don’t know the truth about something, and some opinions and accepted truths are doubtful or even offensive; for example, that the earth is flat or that Jesus was married and had children. Pursuit of the truth and debate amongst opinions are pleasing to God if done in a spirit of goodwill. However, we are prone to error without the light of revelation. A great example of this is when science changes its conclusions or mistakes theories for dogma.
In the light of revelation, we can visit the beginning of God’s work. God created heaven and earth. The earth was void and empty, darkness was upon the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God moved over the waters. He made light, and divided it from the darkness, and there was evening and morning the first day. When I was a child, I was taught that Monday was the first day of the week, and Sunday was a time for play and rest. However, I was always divided on Sundays because they felt like a Monday to me. I was torn between the Spirit prompting me to start the week’s work and the world prompting me to recreation and leisure. It wasn’t until I was a young man that I learned that Sunday is in fact the first day, as confirmed by both the Spirit and history found in Jewish teaching and tradition.
Heaven wasn’t void or empty on the first day because the angels were also created and filled it. However, the earth was void and empty, and in its center were left huge cavities to serve various purposes. In the light of revelation, we see that God also made light. Some might wonder, “But He didn’t make the sun yet!” However, we see that the heavens weren’t empty, and it can be said that the heaven above was full of angels, and the heaven below was full of light-emitting matter and energy that would become stars. Angels are sometimes referred to as stars; for example, the seven stars of Revelation 1:20, and they’re often called to illuminate mankind’s mind with the light of revelation. At this moment in time, we see God dividing the light from the darkness producing the first day, just as He divided the faithful angels from the unfaithful on this same day. And so, the morning followed…when God would shift his attention to earth and its future pilgrims.
Destiny came swiftly upon the angels, while for man it can take a lifetime. The angels were created, and God revealed his will to them. Some responded positively, and some responded negatively. As for the angels who responded positively, they remained with God in heaven. As for those who responded negatively, they found themselves heading in the only possible direction: down to the earth (Revelation 12:3-4). The center of the earth is God’s basement. It’s where He stores that which is not participating in life, neither the mortal life nor the blessed first resurrection (Revelation 20:1-6). And this space is kept by those counted as unworthy of a higher service: the fallen angels (Revelation 9:1-11). And it is from here that sulfuric evil spirits proceed into spaces and bodies left open and unguarded.
The angels which fell from grace were led by the dragon, one known by many names. This spirit tempts with a broad road and many paths, and his names fill them all. One third of the lights in heaven found space in the dragon’s wake and followed his lead in rebellion. They set themselves against God, and consequently found themselves without a place in heaven. All these apostates were thrown down to the earth. Conquered, the dragon was ignited to fury, and he set his rage upon the awaited work of God: man. It would be within the confines of time that man would breathe, think, and walk …a pilgrim from the temporal to the eternal. The Devil would desire eternity to execute his rage, but it would be within these very confines that he would need to execute his plans (Revelation 12:12). Time exacerbates rage, and it’s this spirit that awaits us all at the beginning of our journey.
Man mustn’t lay full blame on the enemy, for we will do our own part to bring about destruction and misery. The dragon, the ancient serpent, was full of disordered love. God created him out of nothing, and yet he desired to be something in his own right. It is illogical for an angel or man to think of himself before God, for God was before us and created us. The gift of logic could’ve assisted Satan and his followers, but instead they followed their own disordered passions. Among these passions was pride. Had they yielded to the picture before them then humility could’ve shone instead. Upon this foundation of humility, they could’ve built gratitude. Instead, they thought only of themselves, all limited creations, and consequently were consumed with dissatisfaction, ambition, and greed. And so, by their own iniquity, they fell…a warning to us all.
The dragon fell, and with his tail he brought down a third of the stars. These stars were angels from not one but all the choirs or hierarchies in heaven. They stumbled on a stone, and their fall was great. This stone was what God intimated to them. First, God revealed to the angels a bit about Himself including his triune nature, that He created them, and that they should love Him and serve Him in this same love. Second, God revealed to them that He would create mankind, that the second Person of the Trinity would assume man’s nature, and that human nature would be raised above the angelic through this union. Third, God revealed to them that the God-Man would incarnate in the womb of a woman, that his mother would be entirely human, and that she too would be raised above the angels and man as Queen of Heaven.
The dragon and a third of the stars stumbled three times leading to their fall. First, the angels were asked to submit to one God in three Persons. Although revealed, this is an eternal mystery requiring faith and humility. Second, they were asked to submit to a Person both God and human. The angelic nature is superior to the human, so this command also required faith and humility. Third, they were asked to submit to someone entirely human, and specifically a woman. In the order of creation, God isn’t created and was before all, angels were before man, and man was before woman. To a third of the angels, the command to submit to the God-Man was difficult, but to submit to a woman was an outrage. Lacking in faith, humility, and gratitude, the first command was disconcerting, the second provoked them to rebellion, and the third set them ablaze.
Following the revelation of God’s will, the dragon and his followers had their opportunity to respond. This wicked angel persuaded a host of others to resist their creator. He set himself as their head with their own government separate from the God-Man. He also desired to be the head of all angels and man. Moreover, he desired that the union to elevate humanity be consummated in him. He also declared the persecution and destruction of the woman who would clothe the God-Man with flesh. This angel would work for the end of all of God’s works pertaining to her. These rebels, acting with complete freedom of will, set themselves against God’s will. With God’s permission, the other angels resisted these, and the latter lost their place. And so, the snake was cast down to the earth. Satan would end his journey where man would begin his, and man would eventually hope to take his place among the stars.
The void left by the fallen angels will be filled. God created everything for a purpose. Purpose and function go together, thus necessitating the replacement of the fallen angels for the kingdom and God’s pleasure. A loss for one person can mean an opportunity for another, and the earthly life is an opportunity to be proven for the heavenly life. Once in my youth I saw a vision of a square, roofless structure sitting high upon a mountain. I would later read about New Jerusalem and its dimensions in the book of Revelation (Revelation 21:16). There is a mystical component to this, and a physical component. The heavenly City of Cities is the cornerstone of the kingdom, and heavenly nations are entering it. Jesus prepares our place in the kingdom (John 14:2), and some are called and chosen to live, love, and labor in and among this city.
It may sound presumptuous to say that there are voids to be filled that were once occupied by angels. There are many false doctrines making such claims, including sometimes identifying the souls filling these voids. However, lies and falsehoods don’t void the truth. Facts are established on the testimony of two or three witnesses (2 Corinthians 13:1). Jesus said people will be like the angels at the resurrection (Matthew 22:30). A second witness asserted that man can be “transferred to an equality with the angels” (Summa Theologiae, First Part, Question 108, Article 8, Objection 3, Thomas Aquinas). A third witness testified to seeing the good angels thronging quickly together into the fallen angels’ places, and then God decreeing “the reign of strife until their vacant thrones are filled” (The Life of Jesus Christ and Biblical Revelations, Volume One, 1. Fall of the Angels, Anne Catherine Emmerich).
Mankind can now hope for a place previously occupied. In Romans 11:17, Apostle Paul wrote about an olive tree with a rich root that had branches broken off and then wild branches from another tree grafted in their place. This was in reference to some of Israel rejecting the Messiah which resulted in an opportunity for the Gentiles. The rejection that occurred on earth also occurred in heaven when some of the angels also rejected the Son of God. So, just as the Gentiles can hope for a place previously occupied, those called to Christ can also hope for a higher station. The rebel angels’ fall is only to the enrichment of man, should man labor to profit from it. This labor begins with the call and follows by entering God’s harvest field and working by the grace that flows from and through the rejected Christ.
The call to the angelic is upon man. In Revelation 2:1, Jesus instructs John to write to the angel of Ephesus. He’s of course referring to someone human as physical modes and methods of communication are for those living in the physical world with physical senses. These stars of the lampstands are humans working in an angelic capacity, in this case likely a bishop. This capacity is the room in one’s life made free by subjecting the flesh to the spirit. In Romans 11:24, Paul again refers to an olive tree. The branches on a cultivated tree belong to it, and behavior natural to a tree is natural to its branches. However, a branch from a wild tree, which is grafted on, has a wild nature which is unnatural to its new host. Fortunately, just as a root provides for a tree and all its branches to bear fruit in due time, so will Christ do the same for everyone regardless of origin.
Jesus said that many are invited, but few are chosen. One of the ways in which we can answer the call to the angelic is through religious vows. These include poverty, chastity, obedience, and even enclosure. None of these practices need to be exclusive to those called to religious orders. For example, married couples can practice chastity. At different times in the world’s history, and in different places in the world, sexuality has fluxed between being a creative act with God in mind and being a carnal act for pleasure and/or profit. This has been true both outside and inside of marriage. However, it is within the power of every couple and of every individual to orient oneself towards the Spirit and away from the flesh for at least a time to practice chastity. Never practicing abstinence or mortification is a missed opportunity to become closer to Jesus.
The path between being invited and chosen is an arduous one. Many things will set themselves in the way, including ourselves. Fallen humanity has its ego, and some ravage and plunder in the name of dominion. Some are consumed by the most unholy of passions. The path to salvation is sometimes in what we don’t do…finding rest in God’s understanding, patience, and long-suffering as the flesh runs its course without harming anyone. Nature justifies nothing. There’s a difference between a caterpillar and a butterfly. A single instance of such a critter is one spirit between two bodies separated by a rebirth process: the chrysalis. In the first body, it eats and eats and eats, consuming all. But the other dazzles in the air. Humanity has the same path before it, should it choose the Father in Heaven rather than the father of lies.
Satan, the father of lies, was cast to the center of the earth after rebelling against God. His heart was set on rage and revenge, and his attention was upon man. These wasps left earth’s caverns and caves and spread throughout the earth, thus infesting it. At this point, Christ made his first intercession for man to the Father, and the Holy Trinity discussed his request. As a result of this meeting, Christ was raised up as the first and final solution. Also raised were those who would imitate and suffer for Him. God also revealed that He would allow evil to run its course through man; however, only to the merit of those who would resist it and to the judgment of those who would cause it. As a reward, those who suffer in his image will be counted among the good angels and enjoy the places the others lost. As a punishment, those who resisted Christ in their life will understand their wickedness after their death.
God’s battle against Satan was fought and won before man was even created. So, you see, this was all decided before-hand. Christ isn’t just the object of a religion…He was before anyone was even born. And the meek shall inherit the earth. Thus, God will have the final victory and will share it with those who opened their heart to his solution and plan: the Christ. So, you see, resisting Christ is a serious offense. Someone may appear to be on top of the world. They may even be leading others and in great numbers. They may even do some good things, and they may feel that their good works and circumstances justify them. They may feel that their success in the world confirms that they’re good people. However, they are seriously mistaken. Among all their works and treasure can be found enmity to Christ.
God had the victory, but Christ would still need to die for humanity in order for mankind to have the victory. All space, time, and matter are before God. He sees all, and his attention to detail is perfect. The right person for a job is a person who cares enough to spend themselves on the details. Sometimes it’s necessary to rush and to not make a project out of a small task, but only if you’re aware of which details don’t need attention. Those who reject Christ aren’t paying attention to the details. They’re blinded by life and are rushing to the immediate reward. All sin, large or small, has consequences which must be paid for. Either God pays for them, or humanity pays for them. If you reject the Christ, then you’re rejecting God’s currency. If you reject the Christ, then you need to pay the bill. It’s a great presumption for a created thing to reject the designs and provisions of its creator.
Two-thirds of the angels held their stations. These were the angels which responded positively to God’s revelation. They remained with Him in Heaven and would receive a great honor and prize. Some of these humble, meek, and submissive servants of the Lord were appointed as ambassadors of Christ and his mother and as ministers of the mysteries. For example, the angels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael were among these. Other angels were appointed as guardians of souls. All these angels who work with God are the friends and helpers of mankind. The proud, stubborn, and rebellious angels were excluded from this beatitude. All these angels who work against God are also the distinct enemies of mankind. God separated the light from the darkness and the good angels from the bad, so it’s wise to remain separate from this fallen cohort.
It was at this moment in history that God recorded many secrets in a scroll. The scroll was then closed and sealed with seven seals. Many things were written here pertaining to God’s salvific plan: the Ten Commandments, the Incarnation, the Gospel, the seven sacraments, the power of Christ to pass on the necessary graces to his people to fulfill his will including the Great Commission, and many others. We will see this scroll again after the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth’s ascension into Heaven following his life, death, and resurrection (Revelation 5). The Lamb of God will break the seals after executing God’s hidden plans perfectly, thus revealing that which was hidden from primordial times (Revelation 6). So, God made his plans and hid them from all prying eyes. No amount of pursuit, discourse, or science by angel or man can ever ascertain that which only revelation can and will unveil.
Having been cast down, the enemy began making their own plans. Satan and his confederates assembled inside the earth for several days. These days correspond to the second through the fifth day of creation. On the first day, we saw God create light and separate the light from the darkness, just as we saw the angels created and then separated. On the second day, we see God create the sky (or atmosphere) which separated the waters above (or clouds) from the waters below (or seas), just as we now see the heavens above separated from the infernal regions below along with their occupants. On the third day, we see the appearance of land and plants. On the fourth day, we see the making of the stars, sun, and moon. It would be in this domain that man would seek out God and his goodness. However, it would be in this same domain that the fallen angels would attempt to carry out their diabolical plans and iniquity.
The Devil and the other apostates wrapped up their hellish, unholy council on the fifth day. God too neared the completion of his work with the creation of the sea animals and birds, followed by the land creatures and animals the following day. God was filling his creation with blessings, but his enemies planned to fill it with curses. A place of great beauty and richness would be turned into a battlefield, caught between love from above and hate from below. As God prepared the place of man’s pilgrimage, his enemies moved forward with their war plans. The ultimate goal of their plans was revenge against God, and their strategy would be to inflict injury by hurting that which He loved: humankind. And so, Satan lay in anticipation, ready to pounce upon his coming prey. He was prepared to bring death and had only a short time to wait.
Satan would spring his trap in Paradise. This Paradise is the garden in Eden, located in the east. No longer accessible by humans, it’s a fertile plain, gently undulating, and covered with vegetation. It’s a place of great beauty and pleasure, charming and radiant, and where the first man and woman would be its caretakers. In its center rises a fountain, a river that rises and ultimately flows out to four branches. Throughout the garden are assorted plants, trees, animals, and birds. Separate abodes were prepared for the first man and woman: a hill for the former and a valley for the latter, as if one could fill the other. Separate places and spaces were also prepared for each animal according to its kind. The garden is delightful and resplendent, much of it appearing as if made of light.
Two trees of great distinction stand in Paradise. These are the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. In the center of the garden is a body of water with an island in it which is reachable by a pier. On the island is the tree of life, and on the island and pier are other beautiful trees. Before the pier stands the tree of knowledge. On either side of the tree of knowledge are the abodes of the first humans: Adam to the right and Eve to the left. So, the tree of knowledge stood in between the abodes of the first man and woman, and also in between the tree of life and the rest of the garden. Adam and Eve would be under the command to be fruitful and multiply, but they would also be instructed to not partake of the fruit of the tree of knowledge. In this way, they would be required to wait on God and his instruction in order to fulfill his command: a practice of obedience and also an opportunity for a deeper relationship with their creator and master.
The time for mankind was near. Like the rest of creation, humans would be made to be fertile and multiply. On the third day of God’s creation, the earth brought forth vegetation that would bear seed and fruit trees that would bear fruit containing seed. On the fifth day, God created life in the sea and air and commanded them to multiply. On the sixth day, God created life on land including humans, and gave the latter seed-bearing plants and seed-bearing fruit for food. A human being bearing fruit looks like a healthy marriage or ministry. Humankind bearing fruit looks like a life-oriented, giving community. The power to multiply is found in the seed which is found in the fruit, and the second person of the Trinity would later curse a fruitless tree, thus prophesying the fate of a nation and its city (Mark 11:12-14). God would have expectations.
God would put mankind over his creation. He would create them on the sixth day, and they would have a full day before their labor would begin on the eighth day. Some imagine heaven as a place free of the requirements of labor. However, if nobody worked in heaven, then how would prayers get answered? The kingdom of God is full of purpose and the labors that go with it. Our present-day experience of labor can be of great difficulty, toil, unnecessary problems, and many other negative things. However, this isn’t because labor is bad…it’s because of sin. In fact, the call to serve is a great honor and privilege in the kingdom of God. God gave man dominion, and to rule is to serve (John 13:12-17). In the world, some labor in the hope of someday being free of work. However, in the kingdom of God, a person labors in order to participate in life and to share their wonderful gifts with others.
God would create mankind in his own image, male and female, where a wealth of God’s attributes would be found between the genders. Moreover, everything God would create would have a purpose and would fit into the order of creation: some first and some last. The first man in God’s mind is his Son Incarnate, Jesus: the second person of the Trinity and the Christ. The first woman in God’s mind is the Son’s mother, Mary: the predestined, living Ark of God’s Covenant. Jesus and Mary are the example for all of us: the original, model, and prototype. Humanity is the copy. For example, Adam would be born of the virgin earth, just as the Christ would be born of the Virgin. However, in order that Jesus and Mary, the King and Queen of creation, would arrive to find a place and people prepared for them, they would follow rather than precede the creation and multiplication of their subjects.
God would provide for mankind’s needs. On the third day, the earth brought forth vegetation and trees, and the following day God provided a regular source of light for them to fulfill their purpose. On the sixth day, He would command mankind to be fruitful and to multiply and would also give them seed-bearing plants and seed-bearing fruit as food: strength for strength. However, He would also command them to not eat of the tree of knowledge. Obedience and the lesser virtue of prudence would demand they wait for instruction. In the garden, a place of grace, Adam would exercise his dominion by naming the animals and Eve would be drawn from him. He would eventually lose this dominion by taking things into his own power; however, God would provide a remedy.
The stage is set. On day one, corresponding to Sunday, the heavens exist, and the earth and sea exist as a dark globe. The first “let” declaration is made, and the angels are created and separated following the rebellion, and God adds natural light to creation. On day two, God creates the atmosphere. On day three, God creates the land, plants, and trees. At this point the atmosphere hasn’t yielded rain yet, but God would plant a garden in Eden, and a river would rise up and water the surface of the ground. Among the trees in the garden would be the tree of life and the tree of knowledge. On day four, corresponding to Wednesday, God creates the moon and stars to illuminate the night sky and the sun for the daytime. On day five, God creates the sea animals and birds. It’s on this same day, day five, that hell’s council closes.
The play begins. On day six, God creates the land creatures, wild animals, tame animals, and humans. He makes the first man, Adam, out of the dust of the earth, the dust coming from outside the plain of Eden in an area known today as Jerusalem. He then places Adam in the garden of Eden to tend it and leads the animals before him so that he might name them. God then makes Eve out of a part of Adam. Adam learns an appreciation for his wife, for God wisely gives him a short time with the creatures first. Adam names the animals, an exercise of his dominion, but he doesn’t name Eve until later. God would later declare that Adam would rule over her, and Adam would then give her a name; however, this would only happen because of their future disobedience and fall and not as part of the original plan or design. The creation of the first man and woman is complete.
The creation of Adam and Eve was hidden from Satan. God had formed Adam out of the dust of the ground. He was then placed in the garden by God. Later that day, Eve was drawn from Adam’s right side from the same location on Jesus’ body that would be pierced by a lance. She was built out of a rib taken from Adam’s side. This is why Adam would proclaim that Eve was bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh…similar down to the marrow. Of important note, Satan was only allowed to see them after they were brought together. As far as he knew, Eve may have given birth to Adam, thus fulfilling the prophecy of the God-Man. Their identify was hidden, just like the contents of the sealed scroll in heaven, leaving Satan uncertain as to both God’s plans and his works. However, despite his uncertainty as to their identity, Satan saw God’s love upon Adam and Eve and wanted to deprive them of it.
Satan’s opportunity to attack had arrived. His chosen attack vector would be God’s command to not eat from the tree of knowledge. His first step would be to initiate contact with mankind and begin a dialog. He would target the woman first because the incarnation of God would be God and man, whereas all women would be completely human and therefore more vulnerable in his estimation. Satan would initiate the assault, and the vehicle carrying his destructive payload would be the serpent, the most cunning of wild animals. After the fall of man, the snake would be cursed to crawl through the dust on its belly. However, before the fall of man, the snake could stand upright. The fossil record shows hind legs in snakes, and some snakes still have tiny ones. It would be through this proxy that Satan would disguise himself and begin his evil work.
Satan fought for mankind’s soul while hanging from a tree. It was in the garden of Eden, Paradise, that Satan launched his hellish attack. The serpent ran up the tree of knowledge to Eve’s line of sight. Clinging to the tree with its hind legs, it leaned towards her. Here began the discourse between fallen angels and mankind. The serpent tempted Eve to consume fruit from the tree of knowledge which she did. She then handed some of the fruit to Adam who also consumed some. The deed was done. The serpent glided down the tree and ran off, while Adam and Eve were left alone with knowledge received outside of God’s will and help. Throughout history, many people have attempted to initiate dialog with “the other side” and have found themselves in bad company. Let this serve as a word of caution and fair warning to those initiating, participating in, and in the company of such endeavors.
Jesus would also fight for mankind’s soul while hanging from a tree. The tree of knowledge was located in the middle of the garden of Eden. Similarly, we too might encounter temptation and the doctrines of devils in the center of our lives and in the ordinary course of our days. Satan offered breaking from God followed by judgment and death; however, the Messiah would offer a renewed relationship with God through forgiveness and healing. Adam and Eve opened themselves up to the wrong relationship and information, just as we do to this day. As a result of this, the Christ would be hung from a tree in man’s stead (Acts 5:30), his fate being the cross. However, thanks to Him, the cross would become a tree of life. Its fruit would be the Eucharist: The Lord’s body and blood, crushed and squeezed out through his Passion.
Adam and Eve succumbed to the enemy’s assault. God gave man dominion over life in the sea, air, and land. The devil and his cohorts were not given this dominion. Jesus would later refer to Satan as the ruler of this world (John 12:31). This could only come about if mankind forfeited their estate. Mankind had its beginning at the center of a paradise provided for by God, but now they found themselves to be the center and subject to their surroundings. They found themselves to be naked, having taken everything into their own power by acting outside of and contrary to God’s will. Moreover, humanity was now in communication with the fallen angels. Just as practicing divination using a spirit board can bring an unclean spirit into one’s life, so too did this dialog at the tree of knowledge bring humanity into communion with the infernal host.
Adam and Eve were devastated. The pangs of guilt came over and upon them, and they became self-aware. They covered themselves with loincloths made of leaves and hid. God had blessed them and had told them to be fertile, to multiply, and to expand their dominion. God intended for them to be fruitful, to reproduce, and to practice their God-given authority. However, they disobeyed God and now covered the very part of their body which they would ultimately use to fulfill his command. Souls who encounter the dark, negative side of the supernatural will often experience affliction which can include all kinds of torment. These torments can affect all parts of a person’s being. Adam and Eve fell to the enemy and took on a means to an end which they weren’t prepared for. Consequently, they were left confused instead of informed and crushed instead of empowered under the weight of it all.
On the seventh day, God rested from his work. This day corresponded to the first Saturday, the final day of the first week. God blessed it and made this day of rest holy. This was also the day on which Satan labored to bring unholiness to mankind via the first lie and temptation. At the end of this day of rest, God returned to check on his creation. Adam and Eve heard him walking at “the breezy time of the day”, likely referring to the time shortly before sunset. This time counts as the beginning of the following week, or week two of creation, as ancient Israel considered sunset to be the beginning of a day. So, God returned to Adam and Eve on Saturday evening, or the beginning of Sunday, just as a farmer might check on his fields, animals, and equipment the night before the following day’s work. This was the beginning of the eighth day and the period following God’s creation.
So, on the eighth day, God returned to his work. This day corresponded to the second Sunday, the first day of the second week. He made the first man and woman on Friday, and on Saturday He rested. That Saturday night, the beginning of Sunday, like a good master, He returned to check on his servants. Like a good master, He visited the caretakers of his estate to make sure everything was good for the following day. Sadly, He returned only to find his servants hiding. Rather than being prepared, He found them devastated by the infernal enemy. Adam and Eve should’ve spent their day of rest in a state of grace and gratitude all the while faithfully awaiting the return of their master while enjoying his bounty. Instead, they spent their day of rest communing with the wrong company and overstepping God’s intended provision.
Having found his servants a disaster, God set about making things right. Adam and Eve’s appearance had changed. Having experienced a negative transfiguration, they fled their abode. They left the summit of Paradise and descended to a distant plain. It was here that they hid…apart. Of course, the ancient serpent was delighted and celebrated all of this. God called for them, and initially they obeyed their fear and remained hidden, but He continued to call for them and soon they came forth. God asked for an accounting and ultimately cursed the snake. He also divided the woman and her offspring from the snake and its offspring (Genesis 3:15). This followed the pattern of creation, God having divided the light from the darkness on the first day, the waters in the sky above from below on the second, and the waters below from the land on the third.
The enemy’s victory was short-lived. God is always present in our lives with an eye on our end goal and a desire to help us get there. We can’t speed up God’s plan, but we can delay its progress, sometimes indefinitely. Adam and Eve made a mistake; however, they didn’t harden themselves against God and his will. Therefore, grace could still be restored. God introduced Adam and Eve to pain: Adam through labor and Eve through childbirth. He also introduced them to death: the inevitable outcome of their life. Following their trespass and the ensuing pains of guilt, Adam and Eve had felt compelled to cover themselves with leaves; however, God covered them with garments of skin. Of course, something probably had to die for this to be possible, a foreshadowing of God’s future sacrifice. Adam and Eve were then expelled from the region, and the way to the tree of life was left guarded.
Adam and Eve descended to the antediluvian earth. I imagine it must’ve felt a lot like a Monday. Well, that’s a coincidence…it probably was Monday! God rested on the first Saturday, He returned to Adam and Eve on the second Sunday, and here we are at the beginning of the week. In John 21:18, Jesus talked about having your clothing chosen for you and heading off to a place that isn’t your first choice. That sounds a lot like a job to me. Our bodies are a shelter to our spirit, and our homes are a shelter to our bodies. Adam and Eve were self-aware, their bodies were covered to conceal their insecurity, and they were in a place that felt far from their original home. They would now need to labor and sometimes fight to have and maintain their life and some semblance of security. Adam and Eve found themselves at the beginning of a work week, and there would be much to do and to learn.
Adam and Eve’s new domain was very different from the one they descended from, including their relationship to it. Adam and Eve were created in God’s image and were given dominion, but now they were subject to death and slavery. God can control the weather and the sea with the spoken word (Mark 4:39); however, a fallen mankind needs to seek shelter. Moreover, don’t imagine the world of the past based on the present. Earth’s climate, the distribution of land and water, and the existence and expression of all life has changed. After the fall, nature was transfigured along with mankind including the enormous, glorious beasts. Humans had become capable of murder, and even nature itself became in parts vicious and turned inward, consuming one another for life. Despite all this, our transcendent God would remain immanent.
Life on the earth would continue to change. As a fallen mankind’s dominion increases, the health of ecosystems and the diversity and size of wildlife tends to decrease. In fact, there is a direct correlation between the size of a life form and the existential threat humans pose to it as both seek out habitation and resources. In addition to these pressures, there would also be a planet-wide flood that would renew both the earth and life upon it. The adaptations of created pairs and other life would soon be wiped out, and the earth’s climate would cool resulting in a new epoch of dominion and diversity. So, it isn’t beyond the realm of possibility that humanity once encountered lifeforms very different from those of the present, including seemingly exotic creatures known today as dinosaurs.
With God, changes on the earth can occur very quickly. He can create things in an instant, just as He can heal and rebuild those same things in an instant. It would be foolish to believe in God’s creative power but not miracles, just as it would be foolish to believe in miracles but not God’s creative power. For example, the best doctor in the world can heal nothing. It’s the body that does the healing. Even the smallest cut in a person’s skin is beyond the power of modern medicine to heal. God gave the body its power, and mankind is still learning about what was created. However, despite mankind’s shortcomings, he sometimes believes himself to be the judge of both God and his works. In fact, some individuals have set themselves over everything, judging who God is, what God has done, when He did it, and how He did it. God gave mankind science to learn about creation; however, mankind will sometimes weaponize even this to be free of and usurp his authority and power.
God quickly brought forth his creation in a week, and it quickly changed after the fall. Life’s struggle, change, deterioration, and ultimate death came upon man and all other life. Even the sun now goes through stages and has an expiration date. And, just as humankind would find terrible expressions, so would everything else. The land, sea, and air can be a violent place for both humans and all life. The first child of Adam and Eve would become a murderer. It isn’t hard to imagine some of the first creatures quickly becoming vicious predators in their own turn. Just speaking in practical terms, at the time this paragraph was written, there are a myriad of expressions of the dog. Many of these expressions, or breeds, happened in one human generation.
Humans have lived through all these changes. Science attempts to date creation and history; however, it has yet to reconcile its findings to revelation. Dating techniques vary widely, sometimes by millions or even billions of years. The process can be humbling; for example, when brand new rock created by volcanism is dated as millions or even billions of years old. It’s also been said that certain creatures lived but died out millions of years ago. Two examples of this would be the triceratops and the coelacanth. However, soft tissue from a triceratops horn was once found in an environment prone to decay which was confirmed by scientists with different worldviews. Coelacanths, despite science once believing them to have died out millions of years ago, continue to be caught by fishermen. The fullness of life is found from the Father, through the Son, and in the Holy Spirit. Let us all embark on a passionate, free, life-oriented journey unto discovery.
Sadly, people are sometimes persecuted for bringing certain facts to light. A scientist was once persecuted by some members of the Catholic Church for saying that the earth revolved around the sun. He was correct, and those who persecuted him will have to answer for it, assuming they haven’t already. The same goes for everyone who teaches what is false or conceals what is true. We should all be aware that human conclusions may be wrong, either partially or completely. Truth is light, and teaching that which is false casts darkness which is where evil finds its abode. We don’t want to help the enemy, for we will be held accountable for what we pass on (James 3:1). Look at the pterodactyl and the pelican. They may seem very different, but one is not more exotic than the other. Science sometimes wants to relegate life to the past as denizens of ancient ages. However, dating methods aren’t perfect and therefore aren’t perfect for determining change.
God created light, and we merit eternal life by living in it and loving that which is good. The Father, Abba, generates. He does so from nothing, and nothing leaves science with its ego in check. The King of Kings came disguised in humility, meekness, and submissiveness. However, He will return in glory, power, and authority. The proud, stubborn, and rebellious love to use the gift of life as they see fit, including dismissing revelation for their own desires and conclusions. However, the hard science of the hard-hearted is riddled with human imperfections and is brittle before the Spirit. The world’s facts will be reduced to error, just as a rock is reduced to dust. And the one who bet their soul on their gamble before eternity will be dashed to pieces and crushed (Matthew 21:44).
God is a master craftsman. He made plants in one day. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve tried to grow a plant from a seed, and it takes a lot longer than a day. God also made human beings in one day. Years ago, I was living on a vegetarian diet, and I had a cut on my finger that wouldn’t heal. So, I ate an egg, and the cut healed within a day or so. An entire chicken comes from a single egg, and my body was able to find what it needed in that egg to heal. Even so, my body couldn’t heal itself from nothing and it took time to do a small thing compared to recreating itself. God can bring forth things quickly, just as an expert carpenter can build something out of wood faster than an inexperienced child can. It’s that simple. So, why eliminate God and miracles from the narrative for the sake of “science”? What is there to be gained from removing the creator from his creation except to assume his place?
God crafted humans. It’s beyond the power of the flesh to understand God and all his works. However, He gave humans an imagination so that we might put a toe in the ocean of the wonder that is Creation. There are objects in the nighttime sky that science says are millions of light years away. And yet, we can see their light now. Does this mean that the universe is millions of years old for light to have traveled all that way, or does it mean that perhaps everything was once together and proceeded from God? In Genesis 1:1-5, we see the beginning and God and God’s creative action and light and the goodness of the light and its separation from the darkness. In John 1:1-5, we again see the beginning and the Word and God’s creative action through the Word and through him life and light and its ongoing victory over darkness. We see by revelation.
Adam and Eve’s new workplace was a far cry from their previous home. Don’t imagine a large field full of wild strawberries and grazing animals ripe for the yoke. Instead, imagine a land full of unyielding soil and wild animals, the latter sometimes being enormous in size and dangerous and having just went through a negative transfiguration along with our first parents. This period in primordial history might give renewed meaning to our understanding of a difficult home, school, or work environment. And don’t forget the invisible dragon and its cohort on the prowl, hell-bent on the pair’s destruction and mightily armed for the task. Yes, it sounds like a Monday. Is it better to jump into a cold lake, or to first put in a toe and then slowly wade in? Either way, the first pair of humans would have to adjust quickly.
Adam and Eve set about their work. They labored both for their food and to bring forth the next generation. They suffered greatly and longed for deliverance from the enemy by the promised Offspring of the woman (Genesis 3:15). Eve first gave birth to Cain, then Abel, and then a daughter named Awan. Eve would then give birth to Seth and a second daughter named Azura. From the marriage of Cain and Awan came Enoch (not the prophet Enoch), and from the marriage of Seth and Azura came Enosh. So, Cain’s line would follow through Enoch, and Seth’s line would follow through Enosh. The first family lived in huts partly situated in the earth and covered with foliage. They wore skins over their shoulders tied at the waist, had orchards of fruit and fields of grain and milk from animals like sheep, and prayed and gave thanks at meals.
Dinosaurs walking by Adam and Eve’s farm may seem unlikely. In fact, you might give me the same look I receive from some Christians when I tell them that Jesus has appeared to me. Jesus appeared to many people after his resurrection and in different ways…why is it strange now? Have you ever seen an ostrich run? Imagine a giant reptilian version of an ostrich in primordial times, something like Tyrannosaurus Rex, running after prey. Man is accustomed to dominion, so sharing the earth with an intimidating beast like T. Rex might trigger a cowardly rebuttal. However, in 2 Samuel 21:20, Israel battled a twelve-fingered and twelve-toed giant not too long ago! I’d much rather defend my farm against an enormous animal instead of an intelligent, prehensile, armed giant prepared for war. As for Adam and Eve’s farm, we can see that agriculture began quickly, not after thousands of years or longer.
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The Perspicuous
The Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit.
The Saviour
The Creator, the Redeemer, and the Sanctifier.
The Revelation
The daughter of the Father, the mother of the Son, and the wife of the Holy Spirit.
The Painting
The unholy trinity.
Noah’s prayer for those suffering due to paranormal phenomenon (The Book of Jubilees 10:3-6)
God of the spirits of all flesh, who has shown mercy unto me, and has saved me and my family from evil and eternal death, and has not caused me to perish as You did the sons of perdition; for Your grace has been great towards me, and great has been Your mercy to my soul; let Your grace be lift up upon my family, and let not wicked spirits rule over them, lest they should destroy them from the earth. But please bless me and my family, that we may increase and multiply and replenish the earth. And You know how Your Watchers, the fathers of these spirits, acted in my day: and as for these spirits which are living, imprison them and hold them fast in the place of condemnation, and let them not bring destruction on the family of your servant, my God; for these are malignant, and created in order to destroy. And let them not rule over the spirits of the living; for You alone can exercise dominion over them. And let them not have power over Your children from now on.
The End
…of the beginning (of eternity).
If anyone claims to be the author of this book, do not believe them. See you on the other side.
My holy and divine law is despised in the management of the iniquitous affairs of state, which are as hostile as they are contrary to my Providence.
–The Mystical City of God
Additional Resources
The Bible
The Book of Enoch
Book of Jasher
Book of Jubilees
The Catechism of the Catholic Church
The various recordings of Anne Catherine Emmerich
The Mystical City of God, Mary of Agreda
The various revelations through Bridget of Sweden
Divine Mercy in My Soul (diary of Maria Faustina Kowalska)
The Life of Mary, Raphael Brown
Follow your heart, for…
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened (Matthew 7:7-8).
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