The Household of God
Volume 1
The early history of mankind
- Chapter 73 -
THE HUNGRY TIGER
When Asmahael had ended his speech, Adam rose and praised Asmahael's great humility at the bottom of which there was more wisdom than in Sethlahem and all his children. Then he turned once more to Enos and Kenan and told them to invite the children of the midday for the approaching Sabbath "that they may turn up still before sunrise for the morning's burnt offering which we must, want to, and shall bring to Jehovah!"
2
The two promptly complied and then the children brought refreshments for the patriarchs of the main line, who partook of food and drink and gave also Asmahael to eat and drink.
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When the beast saw them eat and drink, it became restless and began to open its jaws and lash out with its tail
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Then Adam said to Enoch: "Dear Enoch, look at the beast; what does this mean? Do calm it down; otherwise it would not be good to continue our journey with it. Amen."
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Enoch immediately got up and said: "Do you think that such a beast lives on air or eats grass? Oh no, that is not within its order. But it does need food; so bring three alive unclean animals that it may appease its hunger."
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Soon three bucks were brought along and Enoch said to Asmahael; "Look, here is food for your beast of burden. Dismount and bring it the food, and offer the guard symbolically your impurity from the lowland to be swallowed up."
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And Asmahael did as suggested by Enoch in the presence of the patriarchs.
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But as Asmahael brought the three bucks to the beast it did not touch any of them, but lashing out with its tail pushed them away and began to roar mightily.
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Everybody now got frightened, except for Enoch, who had not partaken of any of the refreshments, but instead in his heart refreshed and strengthened himself with My love.
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Adam spoke again to Enoch, saying: O Enoch, make sure that you do not misinterpret this; for the beast is rejecting the nourishment offered by you. Advise us, if you will, what to do, for I am beginning to fear for Asmahael. How gruesomely it is rearing and roaring, and it is setting about with such fury as if it would like to devour all of us. Therefore, advise and help us if you will and can do so."
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Then Enoch stepped up to the beast and said to it: "Calm down, for I do understand your attitude. But in order to let also the others understand it, may your broad and long tongue be loosened! And so make known your concern and what made you adopt such a threatening behavior."
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And the beast walked boldly into the midst of the patriarchs and from its wide open jaws came the clearly intelligible words:
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"Listen, you men who are blind and hard of hearing! It is true that I am very hungry as I have not been able to catch for myself any prey for three days and so in my need I shall have to consume the unclean food brought for me. However, I could not do this before I had been enabled to tell all of you, except for one, how extremely unfair and unrighteous it is of you to take God's gifts into your mouths before you have asked the holy Giver for His blessing and then thanked Him in all humility and love for this great dual gift.
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"Are you blind fools not aware that there no longer grows any clean grass on earth, suitable as a food for the immortal that they may not perish?
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"Should it then not be your most ardent wish to have the great, holy Giver always purify and bless for you every food for the benefit of your life?
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O shame upon you, you close witnesses of the omnipresence of the Most High! You are called to bear witness to Him and yet are able to forget Him when it is most important for you to remember Him!
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"O how ungrateful your freedom full of life is, and your love for Him consists only in words, so that even I, a ravening beast, am filled with just indignation seeing this evil in the children of God. You are inclined to curse the lowlands, yet there is so much ingratitude in your own depth that even you will be bringing the greatest harm to the lowlands physically if you do not become more concerned with the gratitude and true love in your hearts.
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"I was to swallow up the impurity of Asmahael, but I tell and advise you to place rather that of your ungrateful hearts upon the bucks so that I may be not only a carrier of Asmahael but also of your great ingratitude!
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"Now, Asmahael, bring me the bucks and do as you have been advised by the patriarchs, namely, place the curse upon the bucks so that the penitent patriarchs may leave this place purified and you and I with them. So be it!"