The Great Gospel of John
Volume 9
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
The Lord in the region of Caesarea Philippi
- Chapter 190 -
The doctor asks for the manna in the desert.
Our residents of Joppe looked at the shore of the lake and were constantly talking about Me. They also looked at the bath house and were very surprised about the many big rooms that were very efficiently equipped, as well as their cleanness. They also looked at the very big garden and praised the owner of the bath resort, the master builder and the gardener who must have constructed it. They asked some servants of the bath resort how long this beautiful institution existed, who the master builder was and from where he was.
2
But the servants were not allowed to tell anyone, and they answered the questioners that they would know from the owner of the bath resort if that would be necessary for their salvation.
3
When the 40 men had visited everything in the garden until almost the evening, being really amazed about it, they went outside again and consulted with each other about where they would spend the night. And when they saw several tents on the mountain, and a big terrace with a roof, which made them think of the temple, they asked a servant, who was close by, if they could spend the night in the tents on the mountain since they were poor people without any means.
4
But the servant said: "When the time will come to rest for the night you will be allowed, just like any other guest. However, be patient for the moment until the lords who spend almost the whole day pleasantly on the mountain will return home."
5
The healed ones were also satisfied with that and went to their table where there was still some bread and wine left. They strengthened themselves with that and talked again with each other, especially about Me.
6
And what happened in the mean time with and among us on the mountain while the poor were down the mountain and were treated, taken care of and healed according to My will?
7
Our Raphael told everything that happened down the mountain to those who were present. And the cleverness of the servant was praised, as well as later the cleverness of the fisherman of Joppe because of his reaction to the skippers of Tiberias. The disciples of John came to realize better and clearer that the inhabitants of Joppe were not healed by Me of their afflictions without having faith in Me.
8
When Raphael had finished his story, and the sun was already coming really close to the horizon, the doctor of Melita went once more to Raphael and said: "Eminent friend, since my spirit became more and more awakened and clear by the words of the Lord from your mouth, all the things that I have ever done, seen and read in books comes so lively back into my memory, that I would like to read you word by word all the books of Moses, the prophets and still many other things from the books of the Jews. And with this, I stumble on something very strange, at the time that the Israelites stayed in the desert and had to nourish themselves with the manna that daily and abundantly fell down from the sky to the Earth, except on the Sabbath.
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I do not doubt in the least now that the manna-rain was a real miracle. And so, what I find so strange is not the unmistakable miracle, but the fact that according to the precept no one was allowed to gather in 1 day more than precisely what he needed for 1 day for himself and his family. Only on Friday everyone was allowed to gather the prescribed provision of manna for himself for the Sabbath, on which day no manna fell from the sky. However, if on another day someone gathered a provision for the next day, it became spoiled, full of worms and it stank, and could thus not be eaten by men or animals.
10
Now, in this strange rule of Jehovah, given by Moses and Aaron, I cannot discover the actual wisdom of the Lord and its reason. Did it really happen this way, or is it only a symbolic, hieroglyphic kind of representation of a secret, deep-spiritual truth that will only be revealed in man when his spirit will completely rule in his soul?
11
If it was really like this, I actually do not understand why no one could gather a provision, except only on Friday before the Sabbath and not for another day. And when the manna did not get spoiled on the Sabbath, with worms and stinking, why did it happen with a provision that was gathered for another day as it is described? Eminent friend, would you also like to ignite a good light in my soul concerning this?"