Chapter 3
And in heaven God appointed angel surveyors, to survey the earth and atmospherea; and astronomers, to note the place of the stars; and enumerators, to number the inhabitants of the earth and atmospherea, to grade them and apportion their places; and nurses and physicians, to receive the es’yans and administer to them; and builders of heavenly mansions; and weavers of fabrics for covering the newborn, the es’yans; and builders of heavenly ships for carrying the inhabitants from place to place. And God appointed officers and teachers, according to their grade, to all of these offices.
And when God had completed his appointments, the people were sent to their places, to begin the work allotted to them. And God called the asaphs, and he said to them:
Go down to the earth, and bring me the first fruit of the first resurrection.
And the asaphs said: Your will is our will, but what do you mean by the first fruit of the first resurrection?
God said: The spirits of the dead. The asaphs said: The spirits of the dead, who are they?
God said: When a corporean comes forth out of his corporeal body, this shall be called DEATH.
The asaphs said: Who then are the spirits of death? And God answered them, saying: O you who died in infancy, how can you learn corporeal things! Go then to my Lord, Whaga, and he will show you.
The asaphs departed and went down to the earth, and the Lord, through the ashars, delivered five hundred es’yans to the asaphs, who brought them to Hored, before the throne of God. And God said to them: Who are these?
The asaphs said: These are the first fruit of the first resurrection. Behold, we know now the beginning and the end of corporeality; the earth body of these es’yans was only a womb from which they are now delivered.
God said: Well done. Take these es’yans and feed and clothe them, for this is your labor.
The asaphs answered: Alas, we have tried to feed them with all types of food on which we ourselves subsist, but they will not eat.
God said: Alas, O you innocents! You feed on ethereal food; these es’yans must have atmospherean food, even as corporeans subsist on corporeal food. Go, then, fulfill this first resurrection; for as much as you deliver them, so will you be delivered in time to come.
The asaphs then departed, taking the es’yans with them. But after a while they returned again to God, saying:
Behold, O God, we have gathered the atmosphere of trees of all kinds, and of seeds and plants that grow on the earth, all most beautiful to our senses, and savory to the smell, and we gave these to the es’yans, but lo, they will not eat. Being alarmed, we again hastened to you for information.
God said: O you of little wisdom, knowing so much of heaven and so little of earth. Go back to the place where you brought these es’yans from, and learn what kind of food they subsisted on.
The asaphs went back with all haste to learn in reference to the food. And in due time they came again before God, saluting, saying:
What shall we do, O God? Behold, these es’yans while in the corporeal form feasted on fish and worms. How can we bring them the atmospherean part of these things?
God said: The last time you were present you said you had gathered the atmospherean part of trees, seeds and plants growing out of the earth. Why, then, can you not gather the atmospherean part of fish and worms?
The asaphs said: Alas, we have observed this difference: The trees, plants and fruits emit delightful atmospheres, most nutritious to the spirit, but that which is emitted from the living fish and living worm is foul-smelling, being only the sweat and dead substance evaporating. What, then, shall we do?
God said: Go to the place where mortals kill fish and worms; and in the same time that mortals tear these things with their teeth, snatch from their hands and mouths the atmospherean parts of the food, and give it to these es’yans. Remember, also, that little by little you shall teach them to live on other kinds of food.
And as you do with these es’yans, do this also for others afterward, remembering that what men subsist on in corporeal life, is entailed on them in spirit for a space of time after entering atmospherea; and they shall be fed spiritually with like substance. The asaphs then departed.
On the third day after that, the Voice of Jehovih came to God, saying:
My Son, behold what the asaphs have thoughtlessly done in your name! They came to the fishery and did as you directed, gathering food for the es’yans; and the es’yans stood at their side, saying: Why gather food for us? Behold, we are now strong in spirit; allow us to gather for ourselves. And the asaphs said: It seems well; do as you desire.
So the es’yans went to the fishermen and fisherwomen, who were eating raw flesh, and the es’yans laid hold of the atmospherean part, and ate a sufficiency of it. Then the asaphs said to them: You have feasted sufficiently; come away with us now.
But lo, the es’yans engrafted themselves on the fishermen and fisherwomen, and would not depart. The asaphs, not knowing what to do, called on My name. O God, quickly send to them those skilled in deliverance, so that My es’yans are preserved to everlasting life.
And God summoned those skilled in deliverance of engraftment, and dispatched them hastily with messengers to the fisheries.
Jehovih said: From the trees, fruits, flowers, grains, seeds, and roots that grow in the ground, I have created a ceaseless harvest going upward into the atmosphere, which shall be the sustenance of the spirits of men newborn in heaven. But whoever feasts on flesh on earth, shall not find spiritual food in heaven, but he shall return to the butcheries and eating-houses where flesh is eaten, and before it is rotten he shall feast on its atmospherean part. Place a guard, therefore, over the newborn, lest they engraft themselves on mortals, feasting on their feasts, and so go down to destruction.
After many days the asaphs came before God, saying: The physicians severed those who were bound, and we brought them away. Shall this be our labor, day and night, to lead these es’yans about, finding them clothes and food? For we have observed that the more we do for them, the less they do for themselves.
Jehovih spoke through God, saying: A nurse I provided for the newborn, but when he is grown I command him to provide for himself so that he may be a glory in My kingdoms. By charity alone you cannot raise man up; but be diligent in teaching him to continually try to raise himself, for in this lies the glory of manhood.
The asaphs said: If we leave the es’yans alone they will return again to the fisheries and fasten themselves upon mortals, doing nothing but eating.
God said: Near the fisheries, but in atmospherea, go and fashion a colony, and it shall be your colony in heaven. Take these es’yans there, not showing them the way to the fisheries. In the colony put them to work, weaving, making clothes and otherwise producing; but go yourselves for the food at the fisheries, and bring sufficient every day, giving only to those who labor, or to invalids and helpless ones. By this you shall inspire them to labor, which is the foundation of the growth of the spirit; and eventually they will not only care for themselves, but join you in helping others, which is the beginning of the second resurrection.
This then is the lesson you have learned, that according to the diet and the habit of mortals on earth, so must you provide the same for their spirits when first entered in heaven.
Choose therefore, from your own people, a sufficient number to make all things required for a delightful colony, whether it is food, clothing, nurseries, hospitals, place of worship, or place of dancing, and there receive all the es’yans who are delivered from the earth, raising them up in industry, virtue, wisdom, mirth, love, benevolence and adoration, and this shall be a new heaven to you all.
You are my chosen, and an example colony of all the kingdoms I shall build in my heaven. The time is coming when the whole atmosphere around the earth shall be filled with countless millions of angels born out of the earth.
Be swift in your labor; the people spring up from the earth rapidly into heaven, and every colony you now establish shall, in time to come, be a great kingdom, requiring experienced workmen. Whoever labors most efficiently for Jehovih, I will promote to wider fields.
You are one of the cornerstones of Seffas, and his house shall embrace atmospherea and the whole earth. Words are already taking root in the mouths of mortals; and for tens of thousands of years, war will reign; might against might, darkness against darkness. Hundreds of millions will be slain in wars on the earth, and their souls be thrown into chaos. Even as you saw these spirits fastening onto mortals for food, so will spirits in chaos, millions of them, fasten themselves on the battlefields, still battling; or fasten themselves on mortals, obsessing them to madness and death.