The Household of God
Volume 2
Rise and spiritual prime of the first world empire Hanoch
- Chapter 149 -
THE OFFICE AS MORTIFICATION BEFORE GOD AND THE WORLD. ENOCH'S SPEECH ON THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE LIFE IN GOD AND THE LIFE IN MAN. THE STRANGER'S QUESTION ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A CREATED BEING AND A CHILD OF GOD
Thereupon Enoch said to Abedam: "Dear brother, I notice more and more that you were not exactly wrong in your first speech today to the father Adam and me.
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"But the laying down of our offices is surely not so easy as you think. For, had our fathers appointed us we could have done this without further ado.
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"But behold, since the almighty, holy Will Itself has called us personally through Him Whom it has pleased to carry your name, the laying down of our offices is not so easy as you think. For as long as we must recognize that the high Abedam was the Lord God Zebaoth Himself, we must also carry willingly and lovingly under all circumstances the burden, which He laid upon us.
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"For He has certainly not given us the office for our worldly glorification, but for our constant humbling before Him and also before the world.
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"However, if we recognized, or rather could recognize, that the high Abedam was not the One as Whom through word and deed He revealed Himself, I shall be the first to follow your advice.
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"But I think this will no longer be so easily achievable. For who can speak as He spoke and who perform such deeds as He performed before our eyes? Who has ever discovered such love in a man and who ever felt such bliss in a man's proximity as we all have felt in His?
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"Behold, for these only too weighty reasons we cannot possibly help believing that He was the One as Whom He revealed Himself to us faithfully.
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"And since we are thus bound to believe this, we must bear in all love, gratitude, patience, gentleness and great humility the burden He Himself imposed on us.
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"But we can both be sure of this: He surely did not do this for our perdition.
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"So do not believe that this is the cause of our trouble, but this is His will, and so it will be all right, this being His will. It will not be to our disadvantage, but surely only to our advantage; and so let us remain in His most holy name what He has called us to be. Amen."
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Abedam received this speech by Enoch with great approval and said: "Yes, yes, dear brother, no matter how I look, think and talk, in the end there is nothing left for me but to act in the way you have just indicated; for in my whole life I could not have uttered anything more clever.
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"Now I also believe firmly that He will surely not withhold wisdom from him to whom He gave an office.
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"But look, the strangers are waiting for your answer; finalize your business with them and say whatever comes into your mind. Talk them down so that they will leave us again as soon as possible; for these two are quite aggressive.
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"So see to it that we get rid of them quickly."
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Thereupon Enoch turned to the stranger and said to him: "Listen, dear brother, your objection is so right and good and true that it cannot be refuted, -, only it does not quite seem to fit here; for there surely is an endlessly great difference between our life and the life in God.
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"Our life, even under the most perfect conditions, will remain a restricted one, whereas the most holy, most perfect life in God is an eternally freest and absolutely unrestricted life. For God there exists no death, but before Him, everything is subject to His will, not only life, but also judgment or death, as seen from our standpoint.
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"Before God everything is alive; before God no judgment can endure, but only His eternal order, which is He Himself in His freedom.
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"However, all created beings by virtue of this His free order exist in Him, depending on the conditions of this very same free order.
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"Consequently we, as His created beings, cannot translate our restricted conditions to Him, thereby elevating ourselves to the same level with Him.
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Thus the Creator can well look after all the needs of His created beings; whereas we do enough by merely fulfilling His most holy will.
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The sun rises and sets and brings us the day; can we change it? Whether the sun does this by virtue of judgment or owing to a free, living volition, is of little concern to us; for we know in any case that it can pass only along the path mapped out by His order.
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"And this is how more or less matters stand with us humans. Although we can freely walk about the ground of the earth, no one can leave the ground and freely rise to the clouds of heaven.
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"So I reckon you should let matters rest with my erstwhile statement and not come up again with a new objection. You should take heed of this."
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And the stranger replied: "Dear Enoch, you have well spoken, this I will grant you; but besides I would also like to learn the difference between created beings and the children of God.
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"If there is none, you are absolutely right; however, if there is one, you will have to be prepared to either take back your words or change your Opinion.
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"So tell me, or I will not leave you in peace."
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Here Enoch began to be even more taken aback. But Abedam said: "O patience, do not forsake me now!
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"If he comes with yet another such objection, he shall have me to deal with. Truly, I will talk him down and drive him beyond all mountains. He shall remember such a speech from my mouth.
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"Brother Enoch; just now compose yourself. Then leave the arguer to me in case he comes up with another such objection.
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"My proof is sure to drive him beyond all mountains. - Brother, surely you do understand me?"