And God said...

Chester sat quietly meditating by the contemplation pond as the Sabbath began. In this part of the India the twilight was short lived. It was a warm night and the frogs were competing with the insects on who could make the most noise. It wasn't the noise that distracted him, it was a question that refused to completely form in his mind. As he contemplated the events of the past months, he knew that soon he would have to leave. He felt he had learned much yet he also felt he had so much left to learn. He began reciting in his mind the seven wisdoms; Eternity, Infinity, Awareness, Oneness, Balance, Faith and Holiness. He had been taught by the Master to begin each Sabbath by contemplating the seven wisdoms. It was the concept of Oneness that seemed to nudge his mind closer and closer to a question. In concert with his contemplation the frogs seemed to be in perfect unison; One God. Yet why did the concept of One God seem contradictory to him? He mentally reviewed the lessons of the Master. His mind focused on one of his first lessons. When the Master taught him the true meaning of Genesis 1, he realized that one important concept was left unexplained. If there is just one God, why does it say God said let us make man in our image, after our likeness. Who is us? The question, now fully formed, prevented any further progress in his meditations. With a sigh he unfolded from his meditation position and made his way down the path to the Master's home.

* * *
The Master looked up from his reading as Chester cleared his throat. He could tell by the look on his face that he wanted to talk. Motioning to the chair next to his he waited. "Its funny I hadn't thought of this before, but if there is only one God, why does Genesis quote God as saying, 'let us make man in our image?' Who is this 'us' speaking?"

The Master looked proud. "You ask well. I was wondering if you would ever ask this important question. It shows progress on your part to ask. Once again we will need a Bible and the concordance. You know where they are."

Chester smiled. As the time came nearer and nearer to his departure, these sessions with the Master had become less frequent. It seemed that the Master was content to leave him to his meditation practice. Little did he realize that soon he would miss the luxury of having nothing better to do than meditate all day. After lifting the books from their spot on the shelves he placed them on the table next to the chairs that they would be sitting at. The Master didn't reach for the books. Instead, he began in his teaching voice. "The Buddhist teach that an omniscient Buddha comes around every 25,000 years or so. They say that Siddhartha Buddha was the seventh such Buddha. The ancient religion now called Hinduism has a history that goes back at least 50,000 years. Yet what is described in Genesis, beginning in verse 2 happened only about 6,000 years ago."

Chester frowned. "Well yes. That is one of the first things you taught me. The rebellion of Lucifer is why God came down to repair the Earth. That explains why we can have a fossil record that goes back 3.6 Billion years and why the Genesis account of creation is also true at the same time. How does that explain God in the plural?"

The Master replied. "The answer to your question is also why Jesus was killed."

To Chester this did not make any sense. He never got used to the Master speaking in riddles. Instead of loosing his cool and starting an argument like he used to, he sat patiently and waited for the Master to continue. Soon the Master filled the silence with a suggestion. "Turn to John chapter 10 and read to me verses 30 to 36."

Chester turned to the passage and read it out loud. "John 10:
30 I and my Father are one.
31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.
32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?
33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.
34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?
35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;
36 Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?"

Looking up he said. "I know that Jesus is the son of God. I know from John 1 that he was the creator God before he came down to Earth in the flesh. That still doesn't explain God saying 'let us,' does it?"

The Master pointed at the Bible he was holding. "Jesus was quoting a scripture from the Old Testament. Now turn to Psalm 82:6 and read it to me."

Chester flipped back to Psalms and read. "Psalms 82:6 I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High. "

The Master continued his instruction. "Use the concordance and tell me what Hebrew word was translated as gods in the verse you just read."

Chester was used to the drill by now and quickly found the proper reference. "It says it is from the Hebrew word Elohiym and that it is the plural of Elowahh, meaning God. Hmmmm."

"Now turn to Genesis and find the scripture that reads 'God said let us' and tell me what is the Hebrew word that is translated as God from the Hebrew."

It took a moment for Chester to find the scripture. It was in Genesis 1:26 and it read, 'And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.' After finding the original Hebrew in the concordance, Chester frowned and looked up. "It says God in English but the Hebrew word is Elohiym, which is a plural noun."

The Master laughed. "If your translators had done there job right it would have read. 'And the Gods said, let us make man in our image, after our likeness'" The Master let his words hang in the air as Chester struggled to understand.

Finally Chester just shook his head and held out his hands palm up. "I give up."

The Master laughed. "Do you think that the God of all eternity that has always existed, which is omnipresent and which pervades all of reality looks like a man? You've memorized the definition of Brahman. What is it?"

Chester quickly quoted. "Brahman is the transcendent absolute being that pervades and supports all reality. That which is Absolute, fills all space, is complete in itself, to which there is no second, and which is continuously present in everything, from the creator down to the lowest of matter." He rattled the definition off quickly and with an obvious sense of pride.

The Master shook his head. "You have memorized well, but they are just words if you do not have comprehension of their true meaning. How can the Eternal Transcendent God that pervades all matter look like you or me?"

Chester frowned and looked dumbly at the Master. "I guess I never thought of it quite like that."

"Do you remember the story of Enoch?"

Instead of answering right away, Chester flipped to the chapter in Genesis that spoke of Enoch. He read out loud verse 24 of chapter 5. "And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him." He then turned to Hebrews and read, "Hebrews 11:5 By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, "and was not found, because God had taken him"; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

The Master hinted further. "Read..." The Master looked up for a second as he tried to remember the exact scripture. "Mathew 17:1-9"

Chester began to get the feeling he wasn't going to get an out and out answer from the Master but was going to have to figure it out from all the clues he was getting. Finding the scriptures he read, "Matthew 17:
1 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,
2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
3 And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.
4 Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.
5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.
6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.
7 And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid.
8 And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only.
9 And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead."

The Master teased Chester. "Are we there yet?"

Chester shook his head. "Sorry, not there yet. Not even close. All of these scripture are of events way after the events of Genesis."

The Master said, "Okay, I'll give you one more hint. Read to me Romans 8. To make it easier for you, read it in the New International Version. I have a copy over where you found the King James. After Chester got the other Bible he instructed. "Read Romans 8:14-21"

"Romans 8:
14 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, 'Abba, Father'
16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.
17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Future Glory

18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
19 The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed.
20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God." Chester commented. "I remember these scriptures. You explained they showed that it is our true destiny to become God just as Christ is God. You also explained that it was Lucifer whose will subjects mankind to bondage. But this verse speaks of our God potential still to be realized."

The Master was patient. "Chester, how long has man as we know it been on the planet?"

"Well, its estimated that Cro-Magnon man was about 40,000 maybe 30,000 years ago. Lets see, Neanderthal arrived about 100,000 maybe 150,000 years ago. Some say possibly even longer ago than that. But, the first proto-man was at least 2 million years ago."

The Master prodded further. "And why did Lucifer rebel?"

"Because he discovered that God was creating God beings that would forever be more glorious than even he was."

"Well, how do you think Lucifer came to this discovery."

Chester suddenly slapped his forehead with the palm of his hand. "Of course, when men started achieving their God consciousness it became obvious to Lucifer why God had created a universe that could evolve beings such as man. I remember you telling me the legends of ancient Hindu Yogis who had become so pure in thought and deed that they became gods."

The Master leaned forward, his eyes shining as he watched his student understand. "The Bible records Enoch becoming a God, right? Well, what religion do you think Enoch was practicing 5,000 years ago? Judaism? Christianity? No, of course not. Enoch practiced what we would call Shaivism today. Remember the Dance of Shiva?"

Chester exclaimed. "Right. Just because Enoch was translated into immortal life after God repaired the Earth doesn't mean others hadn't done it before. That was how Lucifer learned of God's true purpose for man!"

The Master sat back with a look of triumph on his face. "Now tell me my stubborn student. Who said 'let us make man in our image, after our likeness?' Who? Hmmm?"

Chester laughed so hard he could hardly answer. It seemed so obvious now. "The men and women who had become god-beings in the centuries leading up to the rebellion of Lucifer were the gods repairing the Earth so that the rest of mankind could be born! So they could be born and have their opportunity to become gods also!" Chester leaned back and shook his head at his own denseness."

The Master and Chester both sat in silence, grinning and enjoying the moment.

The Dance of Shiva

Chester's Oral Tests

The Parable of the Kings Diamonds

Sabbath and the Buddha

Zen - Blended religion

The Gospel of Buddha

God (A Modern Perspective)

God's Sacred Name

Was Christ God in the Flesh?

God Talking To You

God's Creation and The Dance of Shiva

Buddha: Atheist or God?

Reincarnation: The Original Plan of God

Sabbath: The Amended Plan of God part 1

Resurrection: The Amended Plan of God part 2

The Sabbath is a Rehearsal

Sabbath and the Buddha

The Tao of Sabbath

Seven Sabbath Meditations

How to Meditate

Advanced Meditation

The Parable of the King's Diamonds

Chester's Oral tests

And God said...

Understanding God

The Aquarian Gospel of Christ

Jesus Christ

Is Krishna also Christ?

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