Understanding the Book of Revelation
This is the first part of a three part series on the Book of Revelation, seen from the perspective of the esoteric or mystic tradition.
Revelation 21: 1; 10; 23-24: referred to John’s vision of a “new heaven and a new earth,” with a “holy city, Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God…‘Behold the dwelling of God is with men…and they shall be his peoples.’” Jerusalem “the city has no need of sun or moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God is its light and its lamp is the lamb. By its light shall the nations walk.”
Jerusalem means "new Peace," from the Hebrew root words "Jeru," meaning "new" and "Salem," meaning "peace." Salem was the kingdom ruled by Melchisedek, the "King of Peace" and the "Prince of the Most High" in Genesis 14:18, and further elaborated in Hebrews 7: 6-7. Jesus was "a Priest in the Order of Melchisedek." (Hebrews 5: 6; 10 and 6:20, Psalms 110: 4)
Jerusalem means "new Peace," from the Hebrew root words "Jeru," meaning "new" and "Salem," meaning "peace." Salem was the kingdom ruled by Melchisedek, the "King of Peace" and the "Prince of the Most High" in Genesis 14:18, and further elaborated in Hebrews 7: 6-7. Jesus was "a Priest in the Order of Melchisedek." (Hebrews 5: 6; 10 and 6:20, Psalms 110: 4)
I suppose the Masters established the pattern for world peace and harmony during the time of Jesus, 2000 years ago. But the pattern was muddled and lost to the majority who were zealous for the “truths” of their respective religions and therefore became divisive. Nonetheless, the basic doctrines were passed on in secret societies and masked in the Revelation and other biblical verses. The tenets were summarized here, with biblical references interjected along with other mythologies, scientific discoveries and works of modern “esoteric” writers.
The early Christians (whether Essenes, Nazarenes, Gnostics or Cabbalists) shared common beliefs, which had similarities with Buddhism and Zoroastrianism.
First, God was ineffable: “No one has seen the Father” (John 1: 16-18). If the “Supreme Being” remained hidden, then an intermediary (called “Lord”) made the covenant with Abraham and gave the Ten Commandments (Galatians 3:15-29).
Second, God gradually manifested through a series of emanations: “The kingdom of heaven lies neither here nor there, it lies within” (Romans 1: 20).
Third, somehow a distortion occurred (variously identified as the work of Satan, the Zoroaster Ashriman and the Buddhist Mara).
Fourth, “as above, so below;” what went on in deeper and higher realms (the macrocosm) had a correspondence in lower realms (the microcosm).
Fifth, messengers (anointed ones) and angelic hosts came to show the way to salvation: “enlightenment” through a path within. The annointed ones are variously called Messiah, Christ (Christos), and Avatar.
Cabbala documents recounted the attempt of mystics to pass the “seven halls of creation” using the throne chariot of God, known as the merkaba.[1] The Christ, the morning star or Venus (“Love”) in Revelations 22:16 was the bridge that linked humanity to the next higher dimensions. “I have come as light of the world, that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness” (John 12: 46). By providing the template of Love, the Christ enabled greater light to enter the world: “to all who receive him, he gave power to become children of God; who were born, neither of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth…glory of the only Son from the Father” (John 1: 9-14).
In Revelation 5: 6; 9, the Christ was the Lamb with “seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the Seven Spirits of God,” who, by his “blood didst ransom men for God from every…people and nation, and has made them a kingdom and priests to our God.”
What were the seven spirits of God? In Isaiah 11: 2: “And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might; the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.” The “seven spirits” referred to levels of emanations of the Father (from the highest to lowest), and the stages of awareness of a person, starting with the lowest. From the (a) fear of the Lord (out of ignorance), one would rise up in consciousness, achieving: (b) knowledge, (c) might, (d) counsel, (e) understanding, (f) wisdom, and finally, (g) God-realization or the “Spirit of the Lord.”
Mysticism
For every biblical puzzle, correct understanding was predicated: “The wise will understand” (Daniel 12: 10); “let him who understand reckon” (Revelations 13: 18; Matthew 24: 15); “If anyone has ears, let him hear” (Revelations 13: 9); “This calls for a mind with wisdom” (Revelations 17: 9). Understanding and wisdom were the fifth and sixth states of the “seven spirits of God,” which related to mysticism.
W.T. Stall considered “mysticism” as a universal phenomenon, i.e., it could be found in every country, culture, religion and age. Despite differences, the common elements were more striking. The elements were:
(a) Unity of consciousness
(b) Union with divinity
(c) Paradox of unity and duality, and
(d) Blessedness, coupled with realness.[2]
The unity of consciousness referred to a unifying vision. In the mystical experience, all differences and multiplicity (captured by the ordinary consciousness) were transcended. There was a union with divinity; one experienced the paradox of unity amidst the duality. The unity may be the perception of one’s psyche or the perception of the structure of the world beyond the physical. This universal mode of perception related to “illumination,” a feeling of being blessed and in touch with what is real, like the feeling of giving birth, sex orgasm, and listening to music.
As a subjective experience, illumination would be ineffable, i.e., it could not be proven. The experience of a revelation would be personal and only the descriptions of the feelings could be shared, not the grandeur feeling itself. This may be like the difference between knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge or understanding of the natural laws and processes in the physical world could be shared. But to attain wisdom, the individual must be attuned to feel the experience of wisdom. Wisdom would require a state of being attuned to that deeper state, like a tuning fork could only resonate to a similar vibration.
The apostle Paul gave the key to understanding: “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all that I have, but had not loved, I gain nothing” (1 Corinthian 13: 1-3). The heart was the one that connected with creation; the heart represented Love; in turn represented by Venus, the Morning Star. By using the heart to connect, understanding and wisdom would flow.
Book of Revelation
How do we decipher the messages of the Book of Revelation? “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day and I heard behind me a loud voice…saying, write what you see in a book” (Revelations 1:10). John (in c. 100 AD) was in a state of illumination (i.e., mystic state) attuned with the Holy Spirit; he shared his visions through allegories. The Revelation, being allegorical, most likely contained in itself the key (“code”) to correct understanding. Thus, understanding implied (a) the use of mental reasoning to tune in with the setting; and (b) intuition, the “heart,” to appreciate the wisdom behind the revelations.
The Revelation was full of Hellenistic allegories. Understanding therefore implied an appreciation of Greek mythology. For instance, Hades was alluded to: “I have the key to Death and Hades” (1:18); “and behold, a pale horse and its rider’s name was Death, and Hades followed him (6:8). Hades (Roman Pluto) was the Greek god of the underworld who held the Book of Life and acted as judge for those who died. He abducted Kore (Roman Persephone), the “keeper of light.” Among many attributes, Hades meant “to see,” i.e., to transcend the underworld.
The apocalyptic beasts (13:1-4; 11-12) were also similar to the Greek mythical giant monster sons of Gaea (Earth) that sprung from the blood and entrails of the mutilated Uranus (Sky God). The monsters attacked Olympus, with Zeus and the Olympians unable to defeat them. Fulfilling an oracle that they will succumb only to a mortal, Heracles (Roman Hercules) defeated them, aided by Athene, (Roman Minerva), warrior-goddess of wisdom.[3] The oracle symbolized that humans, through wisdom, were destined to be like the gods.
The apocalyptic beasts (13:1-4; 11-12) were also similar to the Greek mythical giant monster sons of Gaea (Earth) that sprung from the blood and entrails of the mutilated Uranus (Sky God). The monsters attacked Olympus, with Zeus and the Olympians unable to defeat them. Fulfilling an oracle that they will succumb only to a mortal, Heracles (Roman Hercules) defeated them, aided by Athene, (Roman Minerva), warrior-goddess of wisdom.[3] The oracle symbolized that humans, through wisdom, were destined to be like the gods.
From a Cabbalistic viewpoint, the key was in the introduction and conclusion of Revelation: “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty (1:8).” “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end” (22:13).
The verses paralleled an inscription found in the temple of the Egyptian goddess Isis at Sais in Egypt: “I am all that has been, that is, and that will be.”[4] Alpha and Omega were also the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. It reflected the ancient Ouroboros (“tail devourer”), the snake that was swallowing or biting its own tail. It first appeared in Egypt in c. 1600 BC, but was probably older. It carried the message that Creation was a cyclical process of birth, death and rebirth.
The gap or point when the serpent mouth touched its tail was the passage to the “eternal.”[5] The Revelation pointed to and explained the beginning, i.e., Genesis.
(Note: Apparently, organized religion, particularly, the Roman Catholic Church, prevented the truth of the Revelation from coming out because it would render a kingdom on earth as unnecessary. It would prevent the earthly Empire from expanding in the name of religion. In J. Viau, “Egyptian Mythology,” [Larousse Encyclopedia of Mythology, pp. 22], the word Harseisis is the Greek for the Egyptian Hor-sa-iset, i.e., “Horus, the son of Isis.” Heresy came from the word Harseises. The ideas of the Gnostics and Cabalists were considered as heresy.)
The gap or point when the serpent mouth touched its tail was the passage to the “eternal.”[5] The Revelation pointed to and explained the beginning, i.e., Genesis.
(Note: Apparently, organized religion, particularly, the Roman Catholic Church, prevented the truth of the Revelation from coming out because it would render a kingdom on earth as unnecessary. It would prevent the earthly Empire from expanding in the name of religion. In J. Viau, “Egyptian Mythology,” [Larousse Encyclopedia of Mythology, pp. 22], the word Harseisis is the Greek for the Egyptian Hor-sa-iset, i.e., “Horus, the son of Isis.” Heresy came from the word Harseises. The ideas of the Gnostics and Cabalists were considered as heresy.)
[1] Caravella, pp. 12-13; Drunvalo Melchisedek, The Ancient Secret of the Flower of Life, Light Technology Printing, Sedona, Arizona, 1998, pp. 4-5; Adolphe Franck, Die Kabbala (trans. by Gelinek, Paris, 1845), pp. 47; 75, cited in Blavatsky, pp. 348-350. From Caravella, merkaba meant “chariot of light and sound.” Melchisedek: it came from 3 ancient Egyptian words. Mer referred to two counter-rotating fields of light spinning in the same space, generated by certain breathing patterns. Ka referred to the individual spirit and Ba referred to the body or physical reality. Merkaba is a vehicle of light that can take spirit and body from one dimension to another, shaped like a disk, fifty to sixty feet in diameter. In Blavatsky, the merkaba ensured reception of the “Word.” The Merkaba was imparted to a candidate only as a mystery, orally, “from mouth to ear.” 2 Kings 2:8-12 described the merkaba during the ascension of Elijah.
[2] W.T. Stall, “Mysticism and Human Reason,” in James Ogilvy, ed., Self and the World, Readings
[3] L. Guirand, “Greek Mythology,” in Felix Guirand, ed., Larousse Encyclopedia of Mythology, translated from French by Richard Aldington and Delano Aimes, Batchworth Press Limited, 1967, p 97
[4] Philip Gardner & Gary Osborn, The Serpent Grail, Watkins Publishing, UK Isis was the goddess of life and healing, symbolizing eternal life. Isis was also the serpent “Queen of Heaven” who guided souls through the “Halls of Amenti,” another name for the Underworld. The Egyptian pharaohs carried a serpent crown upon their head as a symbol of wisdom.
[5] Ibid, p. 12
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