The Household of God
Volume 2
Rise and spiritual prime of the first world empire Hanoch
- Chapter 245 -
ENOCH'S SPEECH ON THE NATURE OF FOOD. AN ADMONITION TO MODERATION (3rd February 1843)
When all the aforementioned had arrived in Lamech's house, Lamech asked Enoch if it was not time for taking a meal.
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And Enoch replied to Lamech: "Brother, your nature desires it in keeping with your old habit; thus let it be done according to your desire. But do not worry about us as we do not feel the need for a meal as yet, for we are still more than appeased by the Lord's great love and grace, which fell to our share so abundantly on this day.
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"For behold, man does not live alone from the material bread, but rather from the Word of God.
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"When you eat the material bread and are thereby appeased and nourished, ask yourself: 'Why and how did the material bread or the material food as such appease and nourish me?',
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"And you will receive this always valid answer within you: 'Because also the material food issues from the eternal, almighty Word of God.'
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"Now look, if already the consolidated and firmly imprisoned Word of God appeases and nourishes, how much more will the free, unfettered, living Word, directly from the mouth of God, be able to achieve.
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"We ourselves have issued from God's Word, and thus there can be for us nothing more nourishing and appeasing forever than this very living Word of God.
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'Thus man does not live alone from bread and other material food, but rather from every Word issuing from God's mouth.
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"This does not mean that man shall not enjoy the natural food, for God created it for this purpose and has even eaten it with and before us visibly; only it must not become our main need.
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"Look, Lamech, also this is comprised by the order of divine things.
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"But I tell you: Be always moderate in the enjoyment of natural food; for in it lies a great temptation.
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"You can fully believe me: Eating the natural bread and the fruits of the soil we must take great care not to smother the immortal spirit through their gross sensual encumbrance.
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"For you can already clearly see with greedy children how through this very greediness they become stupid and no longer capable of any spiritual achievements while the more moderate children soon turn into fine thinkers.
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"Just as this is visibly the case with children, it is even more the case with the adult human who is capable of fully developed passions still alien to the child.
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"I tell you, dear brother Lamech, in the natural food you take in what is natural, and this is not spiritualized in you, for it makes your spirit more material; but in the Word you imbibe what is spiritual and this appeases, nourishes and strengthens the spirit for eternal life.
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With the natural food the body is nourished but the spirit is oppressed and coerced to fast; but through the spiritual food both gain: The spirit becomes strong and mighty and its senses become infinitely acute, and the body becomes through the spirit supple, moderate, enduring and stays strong like a well-woven garment made from fine, but all the more tough and strong threads.
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"In the material food there are wicked spirits and once man has taken in too many of them they become master of his own spirit, undermining its essence just as the wicked beetles and worms undermine a tree destroying its essence and finally ruining it completely.
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The spiritual food, however, is to the spirit a reviving rain from heaven, under which very soon it will bloom into a gloriously strong and sweet smelling flower of eternal life.
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This, brother Lamech, you shall always observe and teach both yourself and your people accordingly!
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"Having learnt this gladly and willingly, you may have a proper meal prepared for us all, - but all in moderation. Amen."