THE THIRD BOOK OF ABRAHAM
The
Third Book of Abraham is the final part of the trilogy of the life of the Patriarch Abraham. The
First Book of Abraham, the account found in the Bible, was passed on orally to Moses who made the first written record. It is both a highly condensed history as well as being written in a special format to enable easy memorisation, it being both an exoteric (historical) record as well as an esoteric one containing, like the rest of the Pentateuch (Torah), a secret Hebrew code. The
Second Book of Abraham, which resembles in many respects the apocryphal
Book of Jasher, is a mesoteric text, whose origin and historicity is uncertain but is probably reasonably accurate. It was obtained by the Holy Order in a corrupted form and was retranslated by inspiration by the Presiding Patriarch, Lev-Tsiyon. The
Third Book of Abraham, which does not resemble any other known account of the life of the Patriarch, is believed to be a pseudepigraphical parable whose purpose is to convey spiritual truths rather than to render a precise historical account (3 Abr.75:33). Thus the 'Abraham' of the
Third Book of Abraham is a personification of the ideal New Covenant Patriarch in all dispensations, and especially of the Millennial Theocratic Order. Judith and her sister-wives are likewise personifications of the ideal New Covenant Matriarch, and the Holy City a type of the Millennial Zion and indeed of the firstborn heaven itself. Like the story of Lazarus and Dives and many other parables related by the Saviour in the New Testament, therefore, the
Third Book of Abraham should not be used to establish historical facts but as a mirror of the soul, a manual for the patriarchal life, and a spiritual current to allow the aspirant firstborn soul to make contact, through meditation, prayer and holy living, with our Father in heaven. That it contains historical elements is undisputed, though to what degree will probably not be known until the perfect day when all is revealed in its entirety.
The
Third Book of Abraham was received by the Presiding Patriarch of the Holy Order, Lev-Tsiyon haEfrayim, under remarkable circumstances. He relates: "This revelation was the most intense of all the revelations I have received during my ministry and came at extraordinary speed and under the most unlikely conditions. It was not premedit- ated. It came in literally thousands of small chunks during the course of several normal working days. I would wake up and start writing immediately for five or ten minutes, take a shower, write for three or four minutes, and write the odd verse here and there whilst eating breakfast. I would then make my way to the underground railway station, pause on a park bench, write for two or three minutes, board my train, and write for 10-15 minutes on the way to work. I would write for two or three minutes whilst waiting for my tram, and then for another eight or so minutes on the tram. I would arrive at work and make preparations for the day. If I had the odd half minute free, I would carry on writing. Then the day's work would begin. I would start teaching a class, give them an assignment, write for two minutes, and return to my lecturing. This would occur throughout the day with maybe 70 to 80 snippets being written down. At the end of a long working day I would sit down and, if lucky, write for half-an-hour to an hour, in between correcting school work and preparing lessons for the next day. The same proceedure would be repeated on the tram and train on the way home. Once home I would sit down and read the day's work from my journal to my family who would wait with eager anticipation each evening to hear the unfolding story. At least 80% of the book was written in this manner without the opportunity for review save at the end of each day. It was an exhillarating experience for the book was dictated by the Spirit faster than I could write it down. Yet I was never under any sort of compulsion and, if tired, could lay it aside and resume at will. Not until it was finally finished did the powerful impulse behind it ebb away. Never has a revelation like this come since, though there have been ones of comparable length such as the
Cosmic Principle which was written almost continuously for two days and after which I suffered terrible shoulder pains for many months afterwards. Only the firstborn text called the
Letter of Judith to Biyqah, which is of the same genre as the
Third Book of Abraham, come in such an intense manner, though this was considerably shorter. Together these two documents represent the heart of what the
Chavurah Bekorot, or
Holy Order, stand for. Of all the revelations I have received, these two were probably the most satisfying personally for they are true reflections of my own heart and desires for the Kingdom of our God, as well as being the substance of what we firmly believe will come when Yahshuah haMachiach (Jesus Christ) returns to establish His millennial kingdom upon the earth. The
Third Book of Abraham is therefore a clarion call for the patriarchs and matriarchs of the House of the Firstborn" (Lev-Tsiyon haEfrayim).
The following is only an extract of the book.
Kadesh-biyqah
Saturday, 6 December 1997
Abram is called by God to leave the cave in the wilderness. His anguish at leaving his mother.
1. And now I, Abraham, speak somewhat concerning the days of my sojourn in the City of Noah and Shem, which is also called the City of Melchizedek, for it was founded upon the principles of the Holy Order of God, which Order is after the Son of God, who shall come in the meridian of time and redeem mankind from the curse of Adam.
2. And behold, the City is also called amongst those who dwell within her walls, Salem, which by interpretation meaneth the City of Peace; for all who abide within her are at peace, each man with his neighbour and with his God.
3. When I was ten years of age the Lord awoke me from my sleep, saying: "Abram, Abram, arise quickly!"
4. And I arose from my bed which was in the cave in the mountains north of the city of Ur, and said: "Lord, thy servant heareth."
5. And the Lord said unto me: "Depart into the wilderness, and turn thou not back.
6. "For I am taking thee unto the Holy City, that thou mayest be fully endowed after the Order of the Ancients, to arise a prophet of the Most High God."
7. And I, Abram, did as I was bidden, yet my heart grew exceedingly heavy on account of my mother Amthelo and my nurse Edna, whom alone I had known, save for my father Terah and my brothers Haran and Nahor who were wont to visit us each month for a few hours only.
8. Therefore my heart was exceedingly pained that I should be separated from my mother and nurse, who in loving kindness had suffered these ten long years in the wilderness for my sake.
9. And I began to weep in my heart, for I knew not when I should see them again, or feel their tender embrace.
10. But the Spirit of the Lord rested upon me, and comforted me, saying: "Weep not, Abram, for thou shalt return unto them again."
11. And I was comforted, and straight way rose as I had been bidden by the voice of the Lord, and departed from the cave.
Abram leaves the cave and is met by an angel of the Lord.
1. Outside the cave and the protection thereof I began to fear, for the night was dark and the sounds of the beasts were not far distant.
2. But I set my feet forth, nothing doubting, and headed into the desert.
3. And though I had wandered these long years in the mountains and knew them as a shepherd knoweth his sheep, yet I feared, for I had never before ventured so far from the cave.
4. But behold, I had not long been walking when a Messenger of Light stood before me, dazzling white in his raiment.
5. And he said unto me: "Fear not, Abram, for I am a messenger of the Most High God. And I have been sent to take thee unto the city of thy fathers."
6. Therefore was my soul made exceedingly glad, and the sorrows I had felt at leaving my mother and nurse, and the fear of the night, soon departed from me.
7. For my soul found great peace in the presence of the messenger, who took me by my hand and led me into the depths of the desert.
8. And if there had been wild beasts round about, these fled, and I became no longer aware of the dangers of the night, for my soul was raptured by the beauty and comliness of the angel's presence.
9. And for how many days we travelled I do not know, for I felt neither fatigue, hunger nor thirst. We did not pause to rest but continued onwards to our destination.
Abram and the angel arrive at the Holy City. Its light and glory. Abram is temporarily blinded.
1. And it came to pass toward eventide that we came unto the City of Salem which sat atop a mountain and was surrounded by other mountains.
2. And as the sun set, I beheld a light coming from the highest part of the city, toward the centre. And I knew this was the Temple of the Lord.
3. The Light ascended into the heavens like a pillar which grew more brilliant as the sun disappeared behind the mountain until its radiance illuminated the entire city.
4. And the light of the Temple shone in every street and in every house, such that there was no darkness anywhere.
5. I marvelled greatly, for I had never before seen such a thing.
6. And behold, there were no shadows either, for the light was everywhere.
7. Its source was everywhere, even Almighty God.
8. As we approached the gates of the city from the east (for there were four gates) I heard, as it were, the humming of bees, which sound remained always.
9. But it was not a sound hard to the ears, for it was soothing, such that after a while I could hear it no longer, though I perceived it was always there.
10. As we approached the east gate there was a sudden increase in the humming sound, and the gates silently swung open as we passed in.
11. The light that greeted my eyes blinded me, and behold, I could only see, as it were, the colour of blood, so powerful and burning was the light.
12. I stood in the city, whether alone or with the angel I cannot tell, for my sight had entirely departed from me.
13. Yet I was without fear, knowing that I was in the City of God of which I had been told in night dreams.
14. And it came to pass that my sight was gradually restored, and I could see numerous people dressed in white.
15. And they looked upon me, and smiled, and I could feel their love, as of numerous souls all embracing me at the same moment.
16. My heart leapt for joy like a doe and I was filled with a burning desire to remain in the city forever, even though I had only seen the smallest part of it, and had dwelt therein for only a few minutes.
17. Now the messenger who had brought me these many days unto the city had departed, and I saw him no more.
18. And whether he went to another part of the city, or returned unto the heavens above, I cannot tell, for I never learned further of his whereabouts or even his name.
19. And I was to learn this lesson many times, that the servants of the Most High God are bashful, revealing little of themselves, that they might rather reveal the God of Heaven, whose likeness they wear like a mantle.
20. They speak little of their works and deeds, and say only that which is expedient at any time.
Abram is put in the care of Judith and taken to the Temple. He is introduced to Noah.
1. Now after that my sight was recovered, and I had seen the many souls of the city, and partaken of their love, I was approached by a young maiden of my own age who was called Judith.
2. And she took me by the hand and led me unto the Temple of the Most High God which stood in the centre of the Holy City.
3. And behold, the sweetness of her spirit was as a brook of refreshing, cold water to my soul, for I had never seen any child in the days of my youth, having known only my mother Amthelo and nurse Edna, and my father Terah and my elder brothers Nahor and Haran.
4. And when I saw her I at once loved her, and desired to be united with her always.
5. And it came to pass that I was led to the Temple doors and usshered into the holiness of the House of Yahweh.
6. And Judith led me unto a great chamber whose walls were of polished stone like unto marble.
7. And each stone was a light, perfectly fitted into place, such that everywhere there was light.
8. Across the great chamber was a veil of light that had the appearance of cloth, but which one could pass through.
9. And that which lay across the veil was invisible to me though I could sense the presence of souls beyond it.
10. And Judith said unto me: "Abram, let us enter into the presence of my father Noah."
11. And she knelt upon the ground, and bade me to do the same, saying: "Father, I have brought thy son Abram who seeketh thy presence."
12. And I was usshered across the veil of light and into the presence of Noah.
13. When I saw my father Noah I was atonished at the glory that was round about him; his eyes shone like diamonds and his hair seemed to issue a light all of its own.
14. And again the blindness that afflicted me when I entered the city for the first time returned, but my sight was restored more quickly this time, for though I had been in the city this short time, I had begun to grow accustomed to the light.
15. And as my sight again returned unto me this second time, I saw my father Noah, and the greatness of his age.
16. Yet he was as the fount of youth and the spirit of eternity dwelt with him.
17. And he spake unto me, saying: "Come forth." And I drew near unto him.
18. And behold, he took me up into his arms, and lay my head on his breast, and said unto me:
19. "Blessed art thou, Abram, for the Lord hath brought thee unto His City and unto the Church of the Firstborn where thou shalt remain until thou art called to depart therefrom."
20. And so saying, he began to weep, and embraced me the more strongly, for he had waited these many years for the one who would bring forth the seed of the Messiah.
21. For he had witnessed the fall of generation after generation of his posterity as they embraced the wicked orders of Nimrod;
22. And he groaned within these long years as his flesh and blood had turned away from the true and living God and followed after Satan.
23. Therefore was his joy full.
24. And he became as a father unto me, even a father after the spirit, for my earthly father Terah had not walked in the paths of righteousness but had gone awhoring after gods of wood and stone.
25. Therefore I had become fatherless.
Abram is taken to father Shem (Melchizedek) who betrothes Judith to him.
1. And it canme to pass that father Noah said unto me: "Abram, thou art young, yet thou shalt be inducted into the mysteries of the Lord God of Heaven and of His Christ, for this is according to the grand design of the Heavens.
2. "Therefore go unto thy father Shem who shall instruct thee in the ways of righteousness, that God may raise thee up a priest after His Name, to administer in His sanctuary."
3. And thus I departed from the presence of Noah, and was taken unto another chamber in the House of the Lord.
4. Now it came to pass that Judith remained at my side this entire time, and had not departed from me. And I spake unto her, saying:
5. "Judith, wherefore hast thou been sent unto me, to walk by my side? For when thou art with me it is as though we are one. If thou departest from me, I shall surely perish!"
6. And Judith smiled at me and said: "Abram, I am Judith and I am Abram, for we are one."
7. And I was greatly perplexed, not comprehending her speech, which was as another language unto me.
8. For I knew nothing concerning the New and Everlasting Covenant of marriage, neither understood I the affairs of the heart. Therefore I was inncocent.
9. Now when Judith took me into the chamber of Seth, she began to draw away from me, and it was as though a rib had been torn out of my breast. And the pain therein was terrible.
10. Whereupon Judith returned unto my side, and the pain departed at once.
11. "Abram," father Shem said unto me, "I am Shem, and I am thy father. Therefore approach me."
12. And I approached him, and knelt at his feet, saying: "I am thy son, my lord."
13. And he laid his left hand upon my head, and his right hand upon the head of Judith, who had ever remained by my side and had knelt down with me.
14. And Shem said unto me: "Upon your heads I seal the blessings of the fathers, that ye may arise as husband and wife in the Covenant of the Fathers."
15. And in this manner were Judith and I betrothed......
Seth instructs Abram in the mysteries of the Firstborn.
1. Now Shem was like unto his father Noah in the holiness of the Lord and they were as one, even as all the fathers are one with the God of Heaven.
2. He was a King and High Priest in the House of the Lord, and the King over the city of Salem according to the Priesthood.
3. And because of his exceeding great righteousness, he was also known as the King of Righteousness, like unto his father Noah.
4. And therefore was he called Melchizedek in the House of the Lord, according to his spiritual stature.
5. I remained subject unto him all my days in Salem.
6. Never was he unjust unto me, but his mercy and loving kindness ever embraced me, and caused me to love him the more.
7. And thus he taught me the mystery of the fathers, and their oneness; wherefore the love of one was as the love of all.
8. Often Seth taught me alone but at other times I was taught with others of my age, that I might not boast of my special favours on account of my high and holy calling, but remember that I was created from the same dust as my fellows.
9. Therefore I was taught somewhat concerning the grace of humility, which is the chief grace.
10. And I could have had no better tutor than Shem.
The perfection of the Holy City compared with the fallen condition of the world.
1. Now it is not expedient that I, Abraham, should write all that transpired in the City of Salem, for the days of man are short and it is not expedient that everything should be recorded.
2. But I give unto those who shall read this record a few words concerning my family, and the great joy thereof, that those likewise called unto unto the Holy City might be similarly blessed.
3. And I give these words unto the elect, for they who are of the world will not comprehend them, but reject them.
4. I, Abraham, was highly blessed of the Lord while I dwelt in the Holy City, for He gave unto me many souls into my watchcare, some who were of my flesh, and others who were not.
5. Therefore was my family exceedingly happy, and all were wont to praise God night and day.
6. Now those who have not dwelt in the Holy City cannot ever understand or know the peace and spiritual prosperity thereof, for never was there jealosy, contention or any manner of strife that afflicteth the children of men.
7. Neither can the world understand the purity of the Holy City, for the world is carnal, sensual and defiled, not comprehending the ways of holiness.
8. Never in my soujourn in the Holy City did I, Abraham, fall into temptation, for there was no temptation in the Light.
9. But when I left the city in my fiftieth year, and returned back into the world to do the work which I had been called to perform by the Lord God of Heaven, I was subjected unto all manner of temptation, being no longer surrounded by the light of holy beings.
10. And my judgment was not always sound.
11. Nevertheless the Lord prospered me and saved me from great sin because of the foundation of light that I had received in the Holy City; therefore was I saved from a fall.
12. Therefore when ye are in the world, be ye not overly discouraged, for it is not easy to win the perfection of God when ye are surrounded by trials, temptations and suffering.
13. Nevertheless the Lord God calleth you unto perfection; and what the Lord commandeth, a man can do, if he will exercise true faith.
Abram and Judith marry and receive seven daughters.
1. Now Judith was a perfect wife unto me. In our sixteenth year we entered the full mystery of marriage, and she conceived, and bare me a daughter.
2. And again she conceived, and bare me a daughter, seven daughters in all did she bare me;
3. And I was filled with the joy of the Lord.
4. And through Judith raised up the Lord seven matriarchs who to this day serve in the Holy City.
or Judith 1
The manner of dress in the Holy City. The Three Priesthoods.
1. And now I, Judith, wife of Abraham, speak concerning the manner of dress of the children of Zion, even the inhabitants of the Holy City.
2. And behold, our dress was simple, that the heart might not boast nor the eye exalt itself, for we were a people of one mind and one heart, being subject unto the laws of father Noah and father Shem, who were subject unto the Most High God, with whom they conversed daily as one man converseth with another......
or Judith 5
Sarai submits to the dress standards of the Holy Order. Abram protects Sarai because of the Promised Seed.
1. And behold, after a period of time, Sarai began to lose much of her pride and haughtiness, which were her chief weaknesses, and began to walk after our manner.
2. Therefore she also began to dress as the rest of us and knew a greater peace of soul.
3. And therefore did all of Abram's wives begin to imitate one another; and we were greatly blessed.
4. Nevertheless, Abram greatly feared for Sarai, not only because he loved her (and we learned that he loved us all equally), but because he feared for his seed, having been promised the seed of Messiah, but not having seen it manifest until the Most High God gave us Isaac.
5. Therefore he feared in his weakness that if he should lose Sarai, he should also lose the promised seed.
6. Therefore he feared to displease God.
7. This we did not at first understand, for some supposed that he loved Sarai more than he loved his other wives.
8. But we came to understand that it was because of the promised seed that he protected Sarai, and therefore he was wholly innocent of any mistrust we may have had toward him at sundry times.
9. And because of his fear, he occasionally made errors of judgment, not fully relying upon the omnipotence of the Most High God.
10. And we, too, being mortal, made many errors of judgment, that were a great sorrow unto our husband Abram, who loved us with an exceedingly great love, that the world cannot know.
11. Therefore we were greatly blessed and highly favoured of the Lord......
or Judith 7
Judith speaks of her marriage to Abram. The problems with Hagar and the conflict with Sarai. Hagar does not become a part of the Holy Order.
1. And now I, Judith, do testify unto the elect who shall read this work that my marriage was a time of great joy unto me; and I rejoiced in my lord Abram, who showered affection upon me, and withheld not.
2. Yet he was also a strict husband, and would not depart from the laws of the fathers in any wise.
3. And though later some of his wives would seek special favours of him, and employed every charm and womanly wile they could muster, he would not be moved.
4. For he understood the souls of men; and especially he understood the souls of women, having been instructed by the Most High God as well as by the several wives of father Shem.
5. Therefore he was righteous in all his ways, notwithstanding some whom he took to wife after we had left the Holy City who sought to entice him to follow more after the ways of the world.
6. And behold, our greatest trial came on account of Hagar, the daughter of Pharaoh, King of Egypt.
7. Hagar was young and beautiful; and Pharaoh gave her unto Sarai to be her maid, exhorting her to raise her as her own daughter.
8. For seven years did Hagar dwell with us in Egypt until our departure from that land at the commandment of the Most High God.
9. How Hagar had been given unto Sarai; therefore she was raised by Sarai like unto a daughter.
10. And Sarai (who had, by this time, been renamed Sarah) could not conceive, being barren.
11. Therefore, being impatient to bring forth the promised seed, and lacking the faith that would remove her barrenness, she gave unto my lord Abram her maidservant Hagar to wife.
12. And Hagar was fifteen years old.
13. And when our lord Abram went into her, she straight way conceived, and was lifted up in the pride of her heart.
14. For Hagar was a wild spirit, having much zest for life, a daughter of the soil.
15. Nevertheless she was saved from a fall by the angel, and continued to dwell with us, until the day that her son Ishmael attempted to slay Isaac; therefore she was sent to dwell in the desert of Arabia.
16. Now I, Judith, was given to understand by the Spirit of the Lord that Hagar was sent unto us that we might be strengthened in the ways of holiness.
17. And behold, Hagar did not entirely divest herself of her wildness, though she settled down in her maturer years.
18. The Most High God, knowing of the disposition of my sister-wife Sarai, sent Hagar unto us therefore for her (Sarai's) salvation.
19. For without the opposition of Hagar, Sarai would not have learned all the secrets of godliness, for at first Hagar was a daughter unto her, and then a sister-wife.
20. And therefore she did wrestle with her pride.
21. Now Hagar was faithful unto Abram, and though she attempted to flee from our camp after that she had conceived, this was on account of Sarai who attempted to abrogate her responsibility as a spiritual mother, and spake harshly unto Hagar.
22. Now after that she had returned unto our camp, she remained faithful unto Abram and her sister-wives all the days of her life.
23. And my Lord Abram loved her.
24. And behold, Sarai and Hagar were reconciled.
25. And thus peace was eventually restored unto the household of Abram.
26. Hagar never entered into the Holy Order, nor several of the concubines which my lord brought from the City of Ur.
27. All remained with him and became his wives.
28. And they were content with their lot, for this was what they desired.
or Judith 8
Abram takes a second wife, Kadar. The unity and love of sister-wives. Kadar placed in charge of the temporal affairs of thehome and Judith of the spiritual. The unity of doctrine in the family. Judith keeps the family record.
1. In the twentieth year of my lord Abram did my sister Kadar become my sister-wife.
2. Now Kadar was born in the City of Shem, as were all those who were of the Seven, and it was on account of the fact that we were raised in the Holy City that there was no strife between us.
3. And we, being sanctified by the love of our lord and husband Abram, were never led into the temptation of jealosy or fear, for we knew that Abram was an upright man without partiality toward any wife.
4. Therefore we were one, loving each other in the pure love of God, which cannot be known outside the New and Everlasting Covenant of Marriage.
5. Therefore we could not be apart from one another; and when one lay with our lord and husband Abram, were the others glad.
6. And this condition obtained throughout all our years together, and obtaineth even unto this day.
7. Therefore are we exceedingly blessed for we have learned concerning the joy and unity of the Firstborn, even the highest mansion of our Father-God.
8. Few there are who are called thereto, and blessed are they.
9. Now Kadar was small and comely and was continually at work with her hands, being blessed of the Most High God in all manner of arts.
10. And because of her love of such work did my lord Abram place her in charge of the running of our household.
11. Now I, Judith, am somewhat taller, and therefore we were different also in appearance.
12. And behold, all the household of Abram are different, and no two are the same (save two twins).
13. Nevertheless we are united in our love of the Most High God, and of His people, and of our lord and husband Abram.
14. I, Judith, was placed in charge of spiritual instruction, and Abram commanded me that I should ensure that all the sister-wives and children thereof should come to a knowledge of the heavenly mysteries.
15. And though some of these were written down upon stone, and upon clay, and upon wax, and upon parchment, it has always been our custom to write the Word of the Father upon our hearts and minds, and this by the pen of the Holy Spirit.
16. Therefore we came to rely not on that which was written on material things but on that which was revealed by the Great God of all;
17. And thus there was never contention over doctrine and practice, for that which we received, we received from Heaven.
18. And the more important part of our law was inscribed upon the walls of the Temple, that all might read thereof.
19. Therefore what we do, and say, and teach, and preach, is one, for we know of only One God and one doctrine.
20. Now these things are not possible in the world, where the veil between Heaven and earth is thicker;
21. Therefore, after we left the Holy City, we also took written records with us.
22. Nevertheless we Seven had the Word engraven upon our souls as a perpetual memorial.
23. And our communion with each other, and with our lord Abram, and with our children born to us in the Holy City, was by inner means.
24. And we comprehended each other, and the Lord our God.
25. Therefore what we write is but the smallest part of the wholeness that is within us; and only if ye partake of our spirit, which is the Great Spirit of the Most High God, will ye comprehend our love and faith.
26. Now those who are the elect daughters of the Most High God will recognise our words;
27. But those who are not shall scorn them and seek after lesser love, and learn to be satisfied therewith.
28. Therefore are these words for the firstborn, and for those who will reverence the Firstborn even though they may not partake of our light.
29. Now my lord Abram hath bidden me that I should keep this record for the spiritual children of Abram.
30. Therefore I write this with joy, knowing that through our testimony we may enter into fellowship with those who shall come after us in the flesh.
31. And I am Abram's; therefore is this record Abram's, for we are of one mind, heart, and flesh. Therefore is this record of us all.
or Judith 9
The two marriage endowments. Kadar asks to marry Abram.
1. And now I, Judith, write somewhat concerning the marriage endowments of the Holy City and the Order of the Ancients.
2. There are save two endowments that are known amongst us, and these are betrothal and marriage, for former being after the manner of the spirit, and the latter after the manner of the flesh.
3. Both of these belong unto the New and Everlasting Covenant of the Father, and are everlasting.
4. Therefore we do not enter into this lightly, for all things that are of the Holy Order of God are deep.
5. And we know and accept only that which is true and abiding.
6. Now as I have said Kadar was my sister both as pertaining unto the flesh and after the spirit; nevertheless we had different mothers, and therefore is our appearance different.
7. Now it is the practice in the Holy City to seek permission to marry from the fathers; and these were fathers Shem and Noah.
8. Therefore Kadar, beholding my happiness and the righteousness of Abram, sought the blessings of the fathers, for she desired to be one with us.
9. Therefore she sent word unto father Shem, who was the King and High Priest in the City of Salem, and sought his blessing.
10. And when she had thus obtained the blessing of her father, she went unto Abram, saying:
11. "Abram, I am Kadar, the daughter of Shem. I have walked in the footsteps of my father Shem all the days of my life and I desire the blessings of the fathers;
12. "Therefore if my lord will favour me in his sight, let him take me unto his bosom and be one with me.
13. "And I will obey him and all his statutes all the days of my life, and for eternity, for they are the ordinances and statutes of the Most High God whom I have served since I was small."....
15. And my lord Abram said unto her: "I have heard good reports of thee from my wife Judith, and she saith that thou art true unto the covenants of the Most High God.
16. "And behold, the Spirit of God beareth witness unto me that thou art righteous, and true, and loyal.
17. "Therefore will I take thee unto myself, and love thee, and cherish thee, in the bonds of the New and Everlasting Covenant of Marriage.
18. "Therefore go unto my wife Judith and subject thyself unto her, and learn of all the ways of the fathers, that thou mayest arise into our joy."
19. So saying he took Kadar up into his arms and kissed her on both cheeks.
20. And behold, her love for him was full and overflowing.
or Judith 10
The betrothal of Kadar to Abram.
1. Therefore Kadar came unto our home and dwelt with us, and subjected herself unto me.
2. And I was as a mother and a sister unto her, instructing her in all the ways of holiness.
3. And....my lord and husband Abram summonsed us, and said unto Kadar:
4. "Beloved Kadar: the Hour of Betrothal hath come.
5. "Therefore prepare thyself that we may enter into the mystery of marriage and know the joy and peace and the fathers."
6. And Kadar embraced him, and kissed him on the mouth, and returned unto me that I might prepare her for her betrothal.
7. Now Kadar was young and innocent as pertaining to many of the things of life, but her faith and purity made her wise.
8. And as adjudged by the young women of the world she was a noble and wise one.
9. Therefore did my lord Abram receive her unto himself.
or Judith 12
The Temple Ordinance of Betrothal, Part I.
1. Now it came to pass that after we had done these things I asked Kadar if she had brought forth her whole spirit as an offering unto our lord.
2. And I questioned her again, and asked if she were prepared.
3. And when she had said that she was prepared, we departed from the bathing room and went unto the veil of the Bridal Room.
4. Now our lord and my husband had likewise prepared himself for he also had bathed in another place.
5. And he clothed himself with the robes of the Patriarchal Priesthood.....
7. Therefore when we had come up unto the veil of the Bridal Room, we took each other by the hand, and I called out: "Abram!"
8. And Abram said across the veil: "Who calleth?"
9. And I said unto him: "Judith and Kadar."
10. And Abram said: "Why hast thou come, Judith?"
11. And I said unto him: "I have come to bring thee Kadar, that she may be betrothed unto thee, my lord."
12. "And Abram said: "Why hast thou come, Kadar?"
13. And she replied unto him: "I have come to be betrothed unto thee, my lord."
14. And we heard the voice of Abram saying: "Enter ye into my presence."
15. And thus we crossed the veil and stood before our lord Abram.
16. Now my husband Abram stood tall and erect before us, and my heart quickened as I gazed upon him, for the Spirit of the Most High God rested upon him.
17. And I was glad that Kadar would partake of this Spirit as I had.
18. And Kadar gazed upon him also, and rejoiced in her heart that she was permitted to enter into our mystery.
19. And we held each others' hands.
20. Abram came up unto us; and he took hold of the hem of my veil and lifted it over my head that he might behold my face....
21. And he laid his hands upon my shoulders and kissed me upon the mouth.
22. And when he had kissed me upon the mouth, he likewise lifted the veil of Kadar by the hem thereof, and laying his hands upon her shoulders, kissed her upon the mouth also.
23. And then he spake as he was moved by the Spirit of God, and blessed us.
24. And his face was as crystal waters.
25. We gazed at him and were one with him.
26. And these are the words that he spake unto us:
27. "O my beloved ones, my fair ones, great is the desire in my heart for you, for ye are daughters of the Most High God whom I love and serve.
28. "I love you with an everlasting love, and desire to clothe you with that love, which is the pure love of Messiah, the Son of God, who shall come upon the earth and save all flesh.
29. "I am yours forever, and I covenant before you, and before the Most High God and all His angels, that I will give you my whole mind, my whole heart, and my whole spirit.
30. "Will ye in turn, my beloved ones, give unto me your whole mind, your whole heart, and your whole spirit?"
31. And we said unto him as one voice: "Yea, my lord, and we will give unto thee even our very lives."
32. And Abram said unto us: "My heart is pained, my soul yearneth for our reunion; return unto me, my ribs, that I may be whole again."....
41. And Abram said unto Kadar: "I embrace thee in the Light of the Messiah, my love.
42. "Never depart from me nor the Light of the Father."
43. And Kadar said unto him: "I embrace thee in the Light of the Messiah, my love. I will remain with thee forever, rib of thy rib."
or Judith 13
The Temple Ordinance of Betrothal, Part II.
1. And Abram said unto me: "Judith, my love, return unto my breast, my rib, and be one with me."....
12. Now the Holy Spirit had worked so powerfully upon us that our eyes were as a fountain of tears.
13. Therefore we rejoiced in God our Saviour in our hearts, and thanked Him for this exceeding great love that He had poured upon us.
14. And in this manner were we sealed up unto Abram, our husband.
15. And behold, each time a new wife was sealed up unto Abram, we were all sealed up again unto him, by ordinance.
16. For whenever another entered our family, we began, as it were, anew.
17. Therefore we were bound unto him again, and unto our new sister-wife.
or Judith 14
The Temple Ordinance of Betrothal, Part III.
1. And now Abram seated us upon thrones and began to wash our feet, and this in token of humility, that he might serve us all his days.
2. And this ordinance we do in token of the Messiah, who shall come, descending into the world to reconcile it unto the Father.
3. Therefore he washed our feet.
4. Now the chamber, even the Bridal Room, was made of white stone, and shone as the brilliance of the sun.
5. And Kadar and I had decorated it with flowers and all manner of beautiful things in token of the Garden of Eden, which is the Paradise of our first parents.
6. Therefore was the place exceedingly beautiful and pleasant unto the eye.
7. And there was a great spiritual tranquility.
8. Now after that Abram had washed us, he took us by the hand and bade us rise.
9. Therefore he arose, and stretched forth his hand.
10. I took the right hand of Kadar and placed it in the right hand of my master.
11. And he, taking my right hand, placed it upon his and Kadar's;
12. And he took hold of a white cord and began to bind our hands together.
13. And he said unto me: "Art thou, Judith, willing to receive Kadar as thy sister-wife, to be united forever in the bonds of the New and Everlasting Covenant, to love, cherish, uphold, and sustain her, as you both shall love, cherish, uphold and sustain me?
14. And I said unto him: "Yea, my lord."
15. And he turned unto Kadar and said: "Art thou, Kadar, willing to receive Judith as thy sister-wife, to be united forever in the bonds of the New and Everlasting Covenant, to love, cherish, uphold and sustain her, as you both shall love, cherish, uphold and sustain me?"
16. And Kadar said unto him: "Yea, my lord."
17. Therefore were Kadar and I sealed together in our own right under the wings of the Covenant of the Ancient of Days, to be companions and helpmeets unto each other as the wives of our lord and husband, Abram.
18. And thus having been bound together and with our lord, did Abram loosen the cord that bound our three hands together.
19. And we did kiss each other upon the cheeks, and we again kissed our husband upon the mouth.
20. And we embraced each other, Kadar and I, for the love between us was so strong.
21. And we became one in the Spirit of the Most High God.
or Judith 15
or Judith 16
The Temple Ordinance of Betrothal, Part V.
3. And he said unto her: "Give me thy right hand, Kadar, my love."
4. Therefore she gave him her right hand, and he placed a ring upon the third finger, saying:
5. This is a token of our betrothal, for a ring is a circle, having neither beginning nor end. Therefore is our marriage eternal."
6. Now the ring was made of gold, which is emblematical of purity, even the holiness of God.
7. And upon the ring was stamped the emblem of the Firstborn.
8. And the Firstborn is Messiah, even Jesus Christ, who shall bind together the righteous and scatter the wicked.
9. Therefore is Messiah the seal of our marriage, for He is the centre thereof.
10. And when Abram had placed the ring on the finger of Kadar, we fell to our knees, and began to pray to the Most High God, and to offer up the praises of our hearts.
11. And we knelt in a circle, with arms around each other, praising our God in the Name of His Son.
12. Thereafter we arose and sang praises and rejoiced again in the abundance of love and grace that He had given us.
13. And our husband Abram kissed us on our mouth again, and led us from the Temple of the Most High God, and unto our home.
14. And our home was a temple also; therefore we had not left the Temple, for the Spirit of the Lord's House was continually with us.
or Judith 17
The Law of Betrothal and the ages at which a virgin may be betrothed and married. The Law of Chastity.
1. Thus was my lord Abram betrothed unto Kadar....
3. Now betrothal is not marriage after the flesh, but is marriage after the spirit; therefore did Abram not go in unto her.....
7. Therefore they were perfectly chaste, and justified in the eyes of the Most High God.
8. Now the Law of the fathers said that no man could marry a maiden under the age of sixteen years, that she might grow unto maturity....
12. And thus we lived by the Law....
18. And thus we were taught to become masters of the flesh, subjecting the desires of the flesh unto the law.
19. And because we subjected the desires of the flesh unto the law, which is the Light of Messiah, we were blessed;
20. And carnality was never found in the Holy City to divide its holiness and light asunder.
or Judith 18
The blessedness of the betrothal and marriage of Kadar.
1. Now the discipline of betrothal is impossible for the world to comprehend, because the world is sensual and devilish. Therefore the world cannot understand us.
2. Therefore Kadar dwelt in our house as a wife of my lord Abram after the spirit;
3. And Abram lay in her bed at the allotted times, and embraced her, and loved her.
4. And thus their love waxed in strength, and the love between Kadar and I grew also.
5. Therefore were we blessed.
6. And Kadar became as a mother unto my daughters and rejoiced in my seed with me.
7. And there was not a happier family upon the face of the earth.
or Judith 19
Abram has fifty daughters in the Holy City. The true order of patriarchal love.
1. Now I am Judith, and I bare unto my lord Abram seven daughters.
2. And behold, Abram bare fifty daughters through his seven wives in the City of Salem, and all remained in the city after that we had returned unto the world.
3. Yea, and most had already wed by the time we had departed, and some had also raised grandchildren [for Abram].
4. Now my lord Abram also came to adopt twelve sons, some in the Holy City (for their fathers had gone forth from the city to bear witness of the Most High God and had died martyrs unto the faith and are now in the Paradise of God) and others in the world, chief of which was Eliezer of Damascus, whom he appointed his heir, for he had no male issue.
5. Therefore by the time of my lord's fiftieth year were we an exceedingly large family.
6. And we learned somewhat concerning the joy of multiplication.
7. And my lord and husband did truly multiply and replenish his wives [with light], and behold, as our family grew, so also did his love for us multiply.
8. Never at any time did we become strangers unto him for we always abode in his bosom.
9. Therefore we came to more fully understand the love of the Most High God, and of His Son, and how it is that holy beings love all men and women everywhere, both the good and the bad.
10. And it is only because the love of man waxeth cold on account of disobedience, and because he will not always obey all of God's law, that he cannot comprehend the true order of love;
11. Therefore he knoweth not his Maker and worshippeth gods after his own imagination, each god after his own disposition.
12. Now there are not many amongst the children of God who are able to live the Law of the Ancients, for not all are willing to sacrifice everything in order to receive the highest sanctification of all.
13. But my lord Abram, who despised the things of the world and considered them as dross against the holiness of the Most High God, was willing to sacrifice all.
14. Therefore he sought for wives after his own disposition, who would lay down all, and receive every blessing of the fathers.
15. And we also, desiring this great love, sought wives for him also, that we might enter into the full mystery of the Church of the Firstborn which we began to taste.
16. Therefore we thirsted and hungered after the fullness.
or Judith 20
The three degrees of Patriarchal Marriage. The true order of plural relationships.
1. Now there are many orders of patriarchs, each order being after the disposition of the various types of soul, and also their willingness to enter the fullness of every covenant, sacrificing the personal desires of the flesh and of the fallen nature for the sake of that which is spiritual.
2. And it was because of our desire for the fullness of the spiritual that we wives entered into the New and Everlasting Covenant of Marriage, for we knew that all things temporal must pass away and that that which abideth in the Paradise of God is spiritual.
3. Therefore it did not matter unto us how many wives our lord Abram had, for we did not measure marriage after temporal things, but after the depth and quality of love that this marriage gave unto us.
4. And we discovered that it was better to spend one night alone with a true patriarch every two weeks than it was to spend each and every night with a man endowed after the world.
5. Therefore our time was precious, and we squandered it not, whether it was in the presence of our husband Abram, or with each other, or with our children, or with the saints.
6. Therefore we numbered our days and became aware of all that we thought, felt and did.
7. Therefore was all laziness banished from us as we grew in sensitivity, love, and zeal, for as we grew in these things, so we came to resemble the Heavenly Mothers above, and to commune with them across the veil.
8. And because the daughters of the world envy us these qualities they are wont to criticise us, for their own shallowness and loneliness is revealed by our love.
9. Nevertheless we do not raise the voice of criticism against them, for no-one can understand our mystery who hath not come unto it.
10. And behold, the sons of the world desire what we have, but not for righteousness' sake, for they are carnal, sensual and devilish, and feel only after their lusts.
11. Therefore the marriages of the world we have no intertest in, for most are adulterous and blasphemous;
12. Yea, for the sons and daughters of men lust only after each others' flesh, to despoil one another, and to be consumed in selfishness.
13. But our marriages, even the marriages after the Holy Order of God, are pure and undefiled, for our object is the glory of the Father, to multiply His love upon the face of the earth, and to raise a godly seed.
14. Now as pertaining to the Orders of Patriarchs there are many, which shall not be recorded here, but they are of three main types.
or Judith 21
The thirteen wives of Abram after the Holy Order. His wives who were not after the Holy Order.
1. Now these are the wives of my lord and husband Abram: Judith, Kadar, Rea, and Rua; and we four entered together into the first degree of the Order of the Ancients.
2. And behold, Abram took unto himself also Anavah, Haguth and Kamar; and we were the Seven who dwelt with Abram in the Holy City, and entered into the second degree of the Order of the Ancients.
3. And through our loins did Abram obtain fifty daughters.
4. Now after that we had left the Holy City, Abram took unto himself Sarai, Kehah, Darash, Dea, Sabea and Kannah.
5. Therefore had he thirteen wives in all after the ordinances of the Holy Order.
6. And therefore we entered the third degree of the Order of the Ancients.
7. And Abram also took unto himelf Hagar and Keturah, who were not after the Holy Order, and who dwelt amongst us; and there were others who were not of our Order.
8. This therefore is the family of Abraham.
9. And he had three hundred and twenty eight daughters, and eight sons, after the flesh.
10. Therefore were we faithful both after the flesh and after the light of holiness.
3 ABRAHAM 30
or Judith 22
The marriage of Kadar to Abram.
1. And now I, Judith, return unto the marriage of my sister-wife Kadar, who was betrothed unto our husband Abram and became one with us in the spirit.
2. And she dwelt with us for two years.
3. At the end of the second year, Abram summonsed his two wives into his presence, and said unto Kadar:
4. "Beloved wife Kadar: the hour of full marriage hath come.
5. "Therefore prepare thyself that we may enter into the mystery thereof and know the exaltation and joy of the fathers."
6. And Kadar embraced him, and kissed him tenderly upon the mouth, and came up unto me that I might instruct and prepare her for the mystery of love after the flesh.
7. Therefore I instructed her in the Wisdom of the Ancients, that she might love our lord not only with her heart and mind but with her whole flesh also, that we might know as a family the fullness of the joy of the fathers.
or Judith 23
The Temple Ordinance of Marriage, Part I.
1. Now this was the manner of the marriage....
6. And so we went up unto the Bridal Room and stood before the veil, as before.
7. I took the hand of Kadar, and she called out: "Abram!"
8. And Abram said across the veil: "Who calleth?"
9. And Kadar said: "Thy wives Kadar and Judith."
10. And Abram said: "Why hast thou come, Kadar?"
11. And Kadar said unto him: "I have come with my sister-wife Judith to be fully married unto thee, my lord."
12. And Abram said unto us: "Enter into my presence."
13. And thus we crossed the veil and stood before our Lord, Abram.
14. Now the Temple chamber had been prepared as before with the choicest flowers from the gardens of Salem.....
19. Therefore we gazed upon him and drank with our spirits the love that issued from him.
20. And we held each others' hand.
21. Abram stepped forward and lifted the veil of Kadar over her head that he might gaze upon her.
22. And taking her up into his arms, he kissed her gently upon the lips.
23. Likewise he lifted up my veil, embraced me, and kissed me on the lips.
24. And he blessed us as he was moved upon by the Spirit of the Lord.
25. And we looked upon his countenance, and we were one with him.
26. And these are the words that he spake unto us:
27. "O my beloved ones, my fair ones, great is the desire in my heart for you, for ye are daughters of the Most High God whom we love and serve.
28. "I love you with an everlasting love, and desire to clothe you with that love, which is the pure love of Messiah, the Son of God, who shall come upon the earth and save all flesh.
29. "I am yours forever, and I covenant before you, and before the Most High God and all His angels, that I will give unto you my whole mind, my whole heart, my whole spirit, and my whole body.
30. "Will ye in turn, my beloved ones, give me your whole minds, your whole hearts, your whole spirits, and your whole bodies, nothing withholding?"
31. And we said unto him as one voice: "Yea, my lord, we will give unto thee even our very lives."
or Judith 24
The Temple Ordinance of Marriage, Part II.
1. Now as we finished speaking a veil descended from above so that our lord Abram was concealed from us.
2. Therefore were Kadar and I alone, separated, as it were, by an impenetrable veil.
3. And a great heaviness fell upon our hearts for we felt our separation from our lord and master, he whom we loved with all our souls.
4. Therefore we began to weep, for it was as though Abram had suddenly departed from us.
5. And we understood that this was an allegory of our separation at birth into the world of mortality.
6. Therefore we remembered.
7. And we waited, as it seemed, for an eternity.
8. And behold, all was still in the Temple.
9. Now, as we were waiting at the veil, waiting to hear our master's voice, the part of the room in which we stood began to grow dark, until all light had departed.
10. Nevertheless we could see that there was still light on the other side of the veil, though it was dim unto us on account of the veil.
11. Now after that we had stood at the veil a few minutes, and seen the light depart, and felt the great burden of separation in our hearts, we began to desire to be reunited with our husband Abram with an exceeding great desire.
12. And I, Judith, said unto my sister-wife Kadar: "Beloved Kadar: we cannot be reunited with our husband Abram unless we also enter into the world of flesh, and lose our sight.
13. "Therefore we must take upon ourselves the veil of forgetfulness and enter into flesh."
14. Therefore I took a white handkerchief and bound the eyes of Kadar that she was in utter darkness.
15. And I likewise bound mine own eyes that I could not see.
16. And we stood facing the veil, at the place where the veil openeth.
17. And I said unto her: "Beloved Kadar, now must we wait until our lord Abram taketh us across the veil."
18. Therefore we waited.
or Judith 25
The Temple Ordinance of Marriage, Part III.
1. And it came to pass that our lord Abram came across the veil, but we did not behold him, for our eyes were covered.
2. Therefore we waited in faith and longing.
3. And it came to pass that we heard our lord come through the veil, but we saw him not.
4. And he took hold of my right hand (for I was the oldest) that I might know he was summonsing me.....
8. And the room was exceedingly bright, such that I could not see at first, for I had dwelt in darkness this long time.
12. Therefore he took the oil and anointed my head...
17. And I rejoiced that I could once more become his in the flesh, for I was already his in the spirit by holy ordinance.
18. And now, having thus anointed and kissed me, he motioned me to (do) likewise....
20. And I likewise kissed him, as he had kissed me....
25. And I stood to one side while Abram crossed the veil again to fetch Kadar, for she was younger than I as to years in the flesh.
26. And whenever there was a marriage in our family, my lord would bring the eldest across the veil first, and the youngest last.
27. And this he did not because he esteemed one wife greater than the other, but in token of our birth into mortality.
28. Now Abram inducted my sister-wife through the same ordinance;
29. And when he had anointed and kissed her, he set her beside me, and placed her hand into mine, that we were again together.
30. And never was one word spoken.
or Judith 26
3 ABRAHAM 35
or Judith 27
The Temple Ordinance of Marriage, Part V.
4. ...."My beloved Judith: art thou willing to give this woman, Kadar, unto me, thy husband, as my lawfully wedded wife in the bonds of Holy Matrimony from this time forth and for all eternity?"
5. And I said unto him: "Yea, my lord."
6. Therefore I, Judith, took the right hand of Kadar and placed it into the right hand of my husband Abram.
7. And Abram placed his thumb upon the seal of the fathers upon the ring on the finger of Kadar as he held her hand.
8. "I, Abram, take thee, my beloved Kadar, by the right hand and receive thee unto myself as my lawfully wedded wife in the bonds of Holy Matrimony from this time forth and for all eternity, with a covenant and a promise that I will wholly live all the laws, rites and ordinances pertaining unto this Holy Matrimony, in the New and Everlasting Covenant, doing this in the presence of God, angels, and my wife Judith, of my own free will and choice."
9. (If there were other wives present, would Abram mention all by name.
10. And he would ask all of them in turn if they were willing to give the new wife unto him, and would pass the hand of the new wife from one to another until the most recent wife had received it;
11. Wherefore she would place it in the hand of Abram).
12. And Abram spake unto Kadar, saying:
13. "My beloved Kadar: art thou willing to wholly give thyself unto me, to be my lawfully wedded wife in the bonds of Holy Matrimony from this time forth and for all eternity, with a covenant and a promise that thou wilt wholly live all the laws, rites, and ordinances pertaining unto this Holy Matrimony, in the New and Everlasting Covenant, doing this in the presence of God, angels, and my wife Judith, of your own free will and choice?"
14. And Kadar said unto him: "Yea, my lord."
15. And Kadar laid her left hand upon the right thigh of Abram, and Abram laid his left hand upon the head of Kadar, and said:
16. "In the Name of the Messiah, Yahshua haMashiach [Jesus Christ], I pronounce thee my lawful wife from this time forth and for all eternity.....
19. "Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, that you may have joy and rejoicing in the light that thou bringest forth and in your posterity in the Day of the Lord Yahshua [Jesus].
20. "I claim for thee all these blessings, together with all other blessings pertaining to the New and Everlasting Covenant, through thy faithfulness to the end, in the Name of Yahweh, the Father, through His Son, Yahshua the Messiah. Amen."
21. And when he had thus spoken, he kissed Kadar upon the mouth.
22. And I, Judith, was standing to the side of Kadar.
23. And after that Abram had kissed Kadar on the mouth, I kissed Kadar on her cheeks;
24. And behold, she kissed me on my cheeks also.
or Judith 28
The Temple Ordinance of Marriage, Part VI.
1. Now these were the ordinances that we performed in the House of the Lord in the marriage of my sister-wife unto my lord Abram.
2. And we observed the same pattern always, save for Rea and Rua who were betrothed upon the same day, and also married upon the same day.
3. Therefore were the ordinances slightly changed, for behold, they entered the covenants at the same time and could not be separated, for they were twins in the spirit.
4. And also Abram would change the words as moved upon by the Holy Spirit, for we had regard for the meaning more than the words.
5. Therefore was every marriage slightly different.
6. Now after that Kadar and I had entered into full covenants of marriage with our lord, Abram beckoned us to be seated around the table that was prepared in the room.
7. And the table was known amongst us as the Table of Covenant and Love, for we were to pass through one more holy ordinance, the highest of them all.
8. Now this last ordinance was called amongst us the Meal of Messiah, for it was a love feast.
9. And behold, from the very beginning hath God instituted this feast that those who are sanctified by His Light might know the depth of His love and joy.
10. Therefore the fathers regularly partook of this feast, for they desired to partake of this joy and love, and share it with others also struggling to master the fallen world.
11. Therefore is this feast especially sacred unto us.
12. Now after that we had sat around the table, and after some moments of contemplation as to what we were about to do, our husband Abram arose and spake, saying:
13. "My beloved ones, O my fair ones, great is my joy that I may sup with you this day, and that I may represent the Messiah in His holy ordinance.....
22. And he explained the deeper meaning of these emblems;
23. And then we partook of them, and were filled.
or Judith 29
Judith sings a psalm for Kadar on her wedding night.
1. Now after that we had partaken of the emblems of Messiah, we were filled with the Holy Spirit, such that there was not one part of our frame that did not rejoice.
2. Therefore we embraced one another. And we were one.
3. Therefore did we depart from the Holy Temple.
4. And my lord and master took Kadar and lay with her, and broke the veil into her temple chamber, and entered therein.
5. And also she became fully my sister-wife.
6. And the heart of Abram was made glad, even unto rejoicing;
7. And therefore was my heart made glad also.
8. For in Kadar received my lord a greater quickening of the Holy Spirit.
9. And therefore when I lay with him, was I also quickened.
10. And therefore was Kadar my gain also.
11. And as my lord and husband Abram lay with his new wife Kadar on their wedding night, so did the Holy Spirit rush into me, and this at the time that the Holy Spirit rushed into Kadar.
12. And behold, the spirit of prophecy came unto me, and my bosom swelled for my sister-wife Kadar.
13. And these were the words that came unto me:
14. "O Kadar, my sister, my love for thee transporteth my soul and I am filled with light.
15. "The Light of Messiah floodeth my house.
16. "I am one with thee in love; thy joy is mine.
17. "Let us be brought unto Abram with gladness and rejoicing.
18. "And let us fall down before him together, one in worship.
19. "For as he is in thee, I also am in thee.
20. "As he is in thee, one flesh, thou also art in me, forever one.
21. "I take thee in my arms and kiss thy face;
22. "With oil of perfume I anoint thy head, and hands, and feet.
23. "My tears of joy and glory mingle with thine.
24. "Thou art my exultation, O Kadar, even as he is;
25. "And we are all in the love of the Father and the Mothers.
26. "I am in thee and thou art in me, because thou art in Abram, and I am in Abram.
27. "Therefore we are one.
28. "May the Name of the Great God of Heaven be praised!
29. "He is my salvation, thy salvation, our salvation.
30. "He is the God of Abram.
31. "Therefore do I rejoice."
or Judith 30
Kadar gives birth to seven daughters. Kadar's psalm for Judith.
1. Now it came to pass that Kadar conceived and bare Abram a daughter; therefore did the whole household rejoice.
2. And Abram gathered in his family and we celebrated with song, dance, and feasting, as we had so done for my daughters.....
7. Now Kadar grew in grace and works, and was an helpmeet unto me, and I unto her.
8. And behold, upon the occasion that I lay with my lord after that the seven days were passed --
9. For it is the custom of a Patriarch to lie seven days with his newly wed,.... before returning unto the usual pattern --
10. Kadar was also filled with the Holy Spirit as he went in unto me.
11. And these are the words which she wrote:
12. "O Judith, my sister, the sound of thy voice is a heaven of love.
13. "I think on thee and I am filled with the sweet tenderness of light, which sanctifieth me.
14. "Why do I love thee in my spirit as I love our lord? -- he who is my all in all, more than my life.
15. "For Abram is my being, his love is in me, even when he is with thee.
16. "His love for me openeth the fountain of love within me, and he and I are one.
17. "And yet when I think of thee, O Judith, thy love filleth me also.
18. "And most holy mystery for me, his great love and tender passion for thee filleth my soul with ecstasy, until I am utterly overwhelmed, and my heart seemeth that it would burst.
19. "O praise the Name of the Most High God!
20. "Praise His Holy Name!"
21. "Praise the Name of Messiah whose love engulfeth my soul!
22. "For we three are one; and we are all one with the Great Father of All.
23. "O my sister-wife, my glory, sealed unto me through his love for thee in me.
24. "I will never release thee from embrace.
25. "Grow in me, O Judith, my sister, and swell up within me unto the fullness, that I may also love him with thy love, and so we may love our lord Abram even more.
26. "Thy love for our husband consumeth my soul, and in words I cannot explain, I am consumed in the Fire of the Heavens.
27. "O may we be lifted up into his bosom as one flesh together, my sister-wife, my friend, my companion.
28. "And may our love for him, and for each other, bring glory to He who sitteth in the Highest Heavens, Who hath so generously shed this love in our souls.
29. "Hallelujah! Praise His Name forever!"
30. And behold, we would often share these words with each other, that we might never lose the precious gift of love that we had received.
31. Therfore we strove the more diligently to forget ourselves and think only of serving each other.
32. And we met often in prayer, and song, and dance; and often we would embrace each other, and demonstrate through our works the verity of our words.
or Judith 31
The law of menstruation, or the Days of Preparation.
1. Therefore was the marriage of Kadar unto my lord Abram consummated, and the light of our household multiplied.
2. Now behold, we never lay with our clothes upon our bodies when we went up unto our beds; therefore we slept naked.
3. And before we went up unto our beds we bathed ourselves, every one, and perfumed our bodies, even if our lord did not lie with us;
4. And this that we might always be prepared for him, just as we are always prepared to receive the Messiah when He cometh, for we know not when He shall dwell upon the earth.
5. Therefore were we always naked, save in the days of the issue of blood.
6. And these days we spent alone from our husband, purifying our spirits in prayer and meditation even as our bodies were being purified by the issue of blood.
7. Therefore it was forbidden by the law that we should be touched in a manner that would arouse the passions;
8. Therefore the days of bleeding are known amongst us as the Days of Preparation.
9. And these days are consecrated unto the Most High God, and unto Him alone, when we are upon our beds, that our love for our husband might never grow greater than our love for God.
10. For with so much love in our family it was often easy to forget the Giver of that love.
11. Therefore we sister-wives came in especial remembrance before God at this time each month, and at the times established by the law in the hours of daylight;
12. For we prayed morning, noon, and night, in secret and as a family.
13. And we also prayed as were moved so upon to do by the Ruach haQodesh [Holy Spirit].
or Judith 32
Abram marries Rea and Rua. The circumstances of their birth. Their paslm of love to Abram.
1. Now in his twenty-fifth year our lord and husband took unto himself two more wives; and their names were Rea and Rua.
2. Now Rea and Rua were twins, and in appearance it was hard to tell them apart.
3. Now Kadar and I were dark-haired and our eyes brown, but Rea and Rua had blonde hair; and their eyes were as blue as the ocean.
4. Now the bond of love between them was much as the bond between Kadar and I;
5. Nevertheless they had not entered into the depth of our love and desired it with all their hearts.
6. Therefore they sought the love of Abram.
7. Now Rea was the quieter of the two, and behold, she became known in the Holy City as the friend of strangers, for she was companionable with all people and a lover unto my lord Abram.
8. For this is the meaning of the name Rea, even one who is a companion, friend, and lover.
9. Now Rua was filled with much energy and was never still;
10. She worked like a slave and never seemed to tire.
11. And behold, she was always praising God with her lips before friends and strangers;
12. And this is the meaning of her name, which is one who maketh a joyful noise.
13. And she loved to dance before us, and our lord Abram, not that she might bring glory unto herself, nor exalt herself in the eyes of Abram, but that she might worship the Most High God with all her might, mind, and body......
or Judith 34
Judith testifies of her love for God. A psalm of Judith.
1. And now I, Judith, feel to bless the Name of God Who hath visited me with such great love through the endowments.
2. And I am bound to my lord Abram as though we were one soul.
3. And behold, we are one soul, I and my sister-wives with me, even though we are separate.
4. Therefore I praise my Maker, and sing unto Him the Song of Zion.
5. Now great is the holines of the Most High God, and glorious is the radiance of His Son!
6. I have known Him since the days of the Holy City, even unto this day in these my latter years.
7. Therefore I write a psalm of Judith, that ye may know of my love for God:
8. "Drops of my blood fell from my bleeding heart upon parchment.
9. "And I called it my psalm unto the Most High God.
10. "And I offered it unto Him, and He received it in love.
11. "He gave me in return the blood of His broken heart to drink, and the bread of His Body.
12. "And He called it the Word.
13. "And I received it in love.
14. "The Saviour took my heart, as one plucketh a flower.
15. "Yea, He tenderly took my heart in His sacred hand, and crushed it.
16. "And from its broken petals came the sweet fragrance of my love, the perfume of my worship, and scented His hand.
17. "But we were His children -- let us suffer for Him, O God!
18. "We spake as children -- we will never sin nor in any way forsake Him!
19. "We thought as children -- we will never cleave but to His Light, His love!
20. "We understood as children -- He is our Saviour and we are His elect.
21. "But the nails of knowledge already pierced His Holy Heart.
22. "And He blessed us with His unscarred hands, calling us to His service, His election, to Himself.
23. "And we sang and we shouted -- and the tears of the Holy Ones fell as rain.
24. "We left Salem for the world;
25. "We left the fragrent, fertile fields of home.
26. "We learned to hurt.
27. "We learned to weep.
28. "We learned to be deaf, blind, and numb.
29. "We ate bitter herbs in the wilderness of our wanderings, scattered in the vain imaginings of our hearts.
30. "And we were lost.
31. "But He came and found us, heard our pleadings and our cries.
32. "Yea, He came unto us in the time of love, and He covered us with the crimson mantle of His love.
33. "He washed away our filthiness with His tears and anointed our souls with the oil of His own joy: His Holy Glory;
34. "He names in us His Name, the Word of Love.
35. "And He called unto His, the Daughter of Zion, the Virgin of Salem, the Bride.
36. "O, how we loved Thee! Name of the Living God.
37. "O, how we knelt and kissed Thine unmarked feet.
38. "We pledged that we would never cause thee pain -- the tears of the Father and Mothers fell like dew of rain.
39. "Never forsaking, we will honour Thee -- prayerful tears fell upon Thy feet, molten tears of the Mothers fell upon Thee.
40. "And we left Heaven's Light, and we were scattered, in the dreams of the imaginations of our hearts.
41. "And we erred, and we suffered, and we wandered, and wept.
42. "And we cried like little children in the night -- and the Father's and Mothers' tears fell with ours, for they knew.
43. "And Thou camest unto us, and wiped away our tears.
44. "And we kissed Thy feet.
45. "And our blindness was healed, and we saw the wounds of our names written in Thy feet.
46. "And Thou blessed us with Thy wounded hands, and we loved Thee,
47. "O, how we loved Thee, Name of the Living God!
48. "He bade us come unto Him, the Holiest of Holies, Most High Son of the Most High God, King of Kings, Lord of Lords.
49. "And we, seeing, saw Him.
50. "And we, hearing, heard Him.
51. "And we, feeling, felt Him in our hearts.
52. "And we knew Him.
53. "We gave ourselves unto Him as scented petals at His Holy Feet, pierced with the nails of knowledge.
54. "And again He blessed us with hands in which our names are forever written.
55. "And our tears fell as rain, healing the wounding of His Holy Heart.
56. "O Lord, Husband of the Bride, the Church of the Firstborn, O let us come unto Thee;
57. "O let us come and be endowed of Thee, O Living Bread and Wine;
58. "Bid us come unto Thee.
59. "And He said: 'Come. Come, one by one, that each may feel, and see, and hear, and become One, even with they who are forever One.'
60. "One by one we gathered unto Him, into Eternity."
or Judith 35
Judith testifies of Christ and the love of her husband Abram.The darkness of the marriages of the world.
1. Now I, Judith, have searched the mystery of God all the days of my life.
2. And behold, how sweet is His mystery!
3. I have seen Him with mine own eyes, and seen visions in the night, even to the beholding of the Son whom our descendants shall slay because of their great wickendness.
4. And O, how my heart grieveth within me that our flesh should one day descend into such hatred and darkness that they would inflict such pain on Him Whom we love!
5. For I have seen His face and gazed into His heart.
6. And it is only because of the love that I have found in marriage that I have been able to pierce the veil and behold my Redeemer!
7. Yea, for a husband in the New and Everlasting Covenant of Marriage is a shadow or type of the Messiah;
8. And the Messiah is the revelation of the Father, the Most High God, the greatest of all.
9. Therefore I rejoice in my husband, who revealeth the Messiah unto me by his righteousness and exceeding great love.....
14. And I love and adore this holiness wherever I may find it.
15. Now I have found the holiness and love of God in many souls, and have been greatly blessed, for I have thereby been shown the holiness of God.
16. Therefore I have sought the holiness of God on my own, as His daughter;
17. But never have I found a revelation of the greater love save through my husband and my sister-wives;
18. Therefore through the New and Everlasting Covenant of Patriarchal Marriage have I been able to taste somewhat of the fullness of divine love.
19. Therefore have I sacrificed everything for it, and I will not exchange it;
20. For what has light to do with darkness?
21. And behold, the marriages of the world are as darkness unto me.
22. Nevertheless, they are light unto those who know not of our mystery.
23. Therefore I rejoice for them and for the Light of Messiah that they are able to find.
24. Nevertheless I grieve that they cannot know our great love, nor enter into our fellowship.
25. Therefore I am alone when I am with them.
26. Now, after having known such a great and wonderful light, I was thrust into the world, that I might fully comprehend the awfulness of the world.
27. Therefore when we left the Holy City and entered into the cities of men, was my soul crushed because of the poverty of Light in the world.
28. And often I wept because of the world.
29. And were it not for the Great God above, and His Messiah, and my husband Abram, and my sister-wives in the covenant, and for all the saints, would my soul have been utterly destroyed by sorrow.
30. For we are an exceedingly sensitive people, and will not allow the world to numb our souls.
31. Therefore I sought out the Church of the Firstborn that I might be nourished in the world and not be utterly overwhelmed by it.
or Judith 36
The spontaneous affection of the family of Abram.
1. And so I would exhort all who read this record, especially those who must labour in the darkness of the world, to cast out all that would numb the soul, and turn to the Messiah;
2. To love their husbands and wives with all their souls, and to serve the saints.
3. For I know that the Great God of Light is an eternally refreshing fountain of living water.
4. And likewise my husband, who drinketh of these waters, imparteth these waters unto me that my thirst may always be slaked.
5. And he is gentle, tender, and kind unto me; he never turneth me away.
6. Therefore I shower him with my love, as in a rainfall;
7. And whenever I see him and I am with him, I caress him, for I desire to be with him also.
8. And this is also the disposition of all my sister-wives in the Covenant.
9. Therefore we are often found embracing one another, for we cannot contain our love.
10. And when we cannot be with out lord and husband, we shower our affection on each other, and our children, and upon all, unto each according to the boundaries established by the Holy One.
11. Therefore we are continually giving of ourselves, and idleness hath no place to exalt our lower natures, or to disturb the harmony of the Light.
12. For we have learned that as a man or woman giveth unto one, so she can more easily give unto a third;
13. And if she can give unto three, so she can more easily give unto the fourth.
14. Therefore we are able to give unto many, and never tire, for Messiah continually filleth us up.
15. And it is as though we have given nothing, for we always have enough, and more.
3 ABRAHAM 45
or Judith 37
Rea brings a new understanding of affection into the family.
1. Now Rea was such a soul, and she taught us much concerning spontaneous giving.
2. And behold, whenever she came upon our lord and husband, Abram, she would fling her arms around him and smother him with kisses.
3. Now at first Kadar and I thought this improper, but our lord rebuked us, saying that the fount of love should never be quenched.
4. Nevertheless we were not to impose ourselves on one another against our will.
5. And if my lord Abram was in an embrace with Kadar, or Rua, or myself, Rea would not come up unto him, unless he bade her, or we had departed.
6. And if he bade us, we obeyed, for we know of his holiness before God.
7. Now my lord never turned us away, for his love was overflowing.
8. Therefore we never feared that he might withhold from us, for he was as an open door.
9. And because he lived strictly after the law he was always full, and never tired of us, even though we were wont to be a burden unto him in moments of weakness and selfishness.
10. Therefore be bare us all and never turned us away.
11. Therefore we love him, and see Messiah in him.
or Judith 38
There are many kinds of patriarchs. Abram the only true patriarch after the departure of the Holy City. Few true patriarchs in the last days.
1. Now it came to pass that in the City of Salem there were many true patriarchs after the Holy Order of God, for only in such an environment is it possible for the heavenly society to flourish.
2. But in the world it is more difficult on account of the darkness and unholiness everywhere.
3. And behold, after that the Holy City of Salem was taken into heaven, our family was the only family upon the whole face of the earth living the fullness of this Order;
4. And though there were a few who lived lesser degrees of this Order, none came up unto the fullness.
5. And it hath been made known by the Lord unto my husband Abram that after he shall be taken from the earth in death, that there shall not be a true patriarch upon the whole face of the earth for an exceeding great number of generations, until Messiah cometh and establisheth the same.
6. And he hath also made known unto me that the generations of true patriarchs after the Messiah shall be persecuted and destroyed, that the earth shall once again be barren of the true Order.
7. And not until the end times, before the return of Messiah and the re-establishment of the Holy City upon the earth in great power and glory, shall true patriarchs be known again.
8. And before Messiah cometh again they shall be so few that they will be numbered on the fingers of one hand.
9. Nevertheless from these few shall the Light of Messiah shine forth in all its glory and become a blessing unto multitudes.
10. Therefore many of the daughters of God shall come up unto them and desire to be one with them, even as we are one with our lord Abram.
11. And behold, they must begin even as father Noah began before the great and terrible flood;
12. And the earth shall be deluged again, but not by the seas, but by fire.
13. And the ark of safety shall be the Light of the Holy Order, which is the Light of Messiah.
14. Therefore blessed shall they be who come up unto this Order and partake of the fruits of sacrifice made by the first patriarchs.....
or Judith 41
Abram marries Anavah. The Psalm of Anavah.
1. And now I, Judith, return unto my account of our days in the Holy City, whose memories yet evoke great desirings in our hearts.
2. Nevertheless we are reconciled to being in the world until the Heavenly City bids us to return, and we have put off this mortality for a far greater glory.
3. Now the family of Abram had increased to thirty-three souls, and we sister-wives, even I, Judith, Kadar, Rea and Rua, had grown into a deep and abiding love;
4. Wherefore we no longer spoke of Rua and Rea as the Twins, for now we had become an especial Four.
5. And in my lord's twenty-nineth year he took unto himself Anavah to wife, which name meaneth Gentleness, for she is an exceedingly tender and gentle soul.
6. And her touch is as the touch of healing.
7. And whenever she would lay her hand upon an infant or a child in distress, it would immediately be at peace.
8. For it was as though a stream of light issued from her fingers.
9. And when she layed hands upon the sick, they would instantly be healed.
10. And behold, our fragile constitutions experienced much sickness in the world after that we had left the City of Salem.
11. Therefore was Anavah a great blessing unto us.
12. Now Anavah is tall, yea, even as tall as our lord Abram, which thing is not usual amongst us, as the women are generally shorter than the men.
13. Nevertheless she is tall; and her hair is long, even flowing beneath her shoulders.
14. And though we have little regard for the outward form, we look upon her as a symbol of towering strength;
15. And her tallness concealeth the great inward gentleness of her soul.
16. Now when Anavah entered our family (she was twenty-one years of age) and the old covenant was done away, and a new covenant entered into between the five wives and our lord Abram, there was a great change in our household.
17. And the new spirit that entered therein filled us with delight and gladness, for we knew and sensed that we were walking toward the inward reality of the Second Degree of the Patriarchal Priesthood.
18. And it came to pass that after my lord and husband had wed Anavah, that she wrote a song;
19. And the spirit of that song hath ever been sung by us sister-wives as a token of our love and adoration of our husband.
20. For Anavah brought a new meaning of gentleness into our lives, and hath blessed us;
21. Therefore we rejoice that she hath become a part of our mystery.
22. And behold, this is the psalm, or song, of Anavah:
23. "Abram, I have kissed thy holy mouth.
24. "I kiss in worship and awe the lips which have never uttered guile.
25. "Thy mouth hath become as the very fountain of living truth, for the Living Truth is in thee.
26. "That which hath flowed forth from thy holy lips hath all men fed, for they are the words of our God and His Messiah.
27. "O Messiah, how I love thee!
28. "Thy holy lips have called the worlds into their being, they have taught and healed us;
29. "And they call to life the dead.
30. "O most Holy Messiah, I praise Thee that thou hast infused light into our husband, for he revealeth Thee unto us!
31. "O Abram, with desire I have kissed thee;
32. "May I ever in this offering reverence thee, that in kissing thee I may draw forth light from thy fount, which thou givest unto me so freely.
33. "And thou, also, draweth upon the fount that is within me, the living fount of Messiah in us both.
34. "Yea, I do drink deeply of thee, my love.
35. "And when the Light of Messiah toucheth me, I partake of the Sacrament of His Love, O hallowed Sacrament!
36. "Therefore when I commune with Messiah, I commune with thee;
37. "And when I commune with thee, I commune with Messiah.
38. "And I love thee, my lord, because thou lovest Messiah;
39. "And thy passionate love for Messiah is my passionate love for thee.
40. "Therefore are we One in Him.
41. "And when I see the love of Messiah in thee, O Abram, I would fain swoon;
42. "For in drinking deeply of thy love, I become drunk.
43. "In thee, my being, I become.
44. "I return unto thy side, never to depart again.
45. "O blissful union!
46. "Thy kiss resteth not on the portals of my lips but maketh us one, as one temple of one soul.
47. "O my love, thy mouth is my law, for it is the Law of Messiah.
48. "Thou art a word of life for thy beloved ones who live in thee.
49. "And thy word is a word from the Great Word, who giveth life that all may live forever more.
50. "O my lord, Abram, take thou this humble offering, my kiss."
or Judith 42
A Psalm of Abram. Worship in the family of Abram.
1. Now when Anavah sang this song before us sister-wives and our lord Abram, we did begin to weep, for the Holy Spirit had wrought so powerfully upon us.
2. And Anavah went up unto Abram and kissed him deeply;
3. And we also kissed him, for we could not contain the love within us.
4. And we clung around him, and around each other, for so great was our desire to be one.
5. And therefore we lifted up our praises before the Most High God, and sang the Psalms of the Family of Abram.
6. And this we do often, that our love might always swell within our breasts.
7. And behold, after that Anavah had sung her song, and we had kissed and embraced our lord and husband, and begun to praise our Maker, Abram began to sing a prophesy also, saying:
8. "I will arise early in the morning of the Day of the Lord, to lift up my voice in song.
9. "Yea, I will praise the living God with all life and breath, for He is the New and Everlasting Song.
10. "Arise up early, O Zion, put on thy armour of beautiful garments, put on the Lord God of Noah, the majesty of His Priesthood.
11. "Take up the sword of God, the double-edged sword of His Word, and thrash out the nations.
12. "Gather the saints unto His army and go forth as One, clear as the sun, fair as the moon, a terrible army with one Ensign, the banner on which is written the Everlasting Name of Messiah.
13. "O angels and apostles of the Living Word, rise up early and sing and shout!
14. "For this is the Day of the Most High.
15. "Fill the earth with the life and breath of Thy Song, O God, that the nations may hear and rejoice.
16. "Sing together with us; Hosanna, Holiness to the Lord Most High!"
17. And our lord fell upon his knees and worshipped the Most high God and His Messiah with his whole mind, heart, and soul.
18. And we also prostrated ourselves upon the ground and worshipped the father of Lights.
19. And we worshipped, as it seemed to us, as for an eternity;
20. For we were in the unity of the Church of the Firstborn.
21. Now such times of oneness, joy, peace and worship were exceedingly common amongst us in the Holy City;
22. Therefore we rejoice that we have this foundation in the Living God.
or Judith 43
Abram marries Haguth. The Psalm of Haguth.
1. And now I, Judith, speak somewhat concerning Haguth, the sixth wife of my lord Abram, for she is much after my own nature.
2. For she loveth the deep things of the mind and of the mystery of creation.
3. Now my lord took Haguth to wife in his thirty-fifth year;
4. And Haguth was thirty-eight years of age.
5. And Haguth is the only wife who is older than our lord.
6. Now when Haguth was received into our family, my lord commanded her that she should labour with me as a teacher of the mysteries;
7. And behold, her knowledge and enlightenment was a great blessing unto me, and she greatly assisted me in my labours.
8. Now the name of Haguth meaneth Meditation, for Haguth would spend many hours in meditation that she might commune with the Great Father through His Word.
9. And she was an exceedingly still soul, not given to outpourings of emotion like unto the rest of us;
10. Nevertheless she was one with us, and embraced us, and taught us somewhat concerning the quiet realms of the Spirit.
11. And though I, Judith, am more disposed to reveal the intensity of my love outwardly than Haguth, and though Haguth is not quick to reveal the deeper feelings of her soul, yet I know that the intensity of her feelings is as great as ours;
2. And behold, when she is alone with our lord Abram, she is more disposed to open the floodgates of her soul.
13. And I suppose this is on account of her age, for she came into our family later than the rest of my sister-wives.
14. Now when Haguth was wed unto our Lord Abram she also wrote a psalm;
15. And it is known amongst us as the psalm of Haguth.
16. And these are the words that she wrote:
17. "Before my lord Abram came unto me, I was with him in the bosom of the Father of Lights;
18. "And before he was born, he was called heir.
19. "I beheld the Lamb of God, slain by the Father's love.
20. "I beheld the Father nurchuring Him in His Breast, and holding Him tenderly to His Heart.
21. "O precious Messiah!
22. "The Father loved Him, and He became Love, the image of the Eternal Father.
23. "O Messiah, Son of God the First and the Last, first of His Words, Vessel of Eternal Lives --
24. "O Word of Salvation, Messenger of the Covenant, I praise Thy Name!
25. "Thou lovest us all, even with Thy father's love.
26. "And as we went to and fro, and sang, and danced, and ate, and thought, and sometimes wandered from the thought of Thee, we were never from Thy thoughts, O Holy One.
27. "By the sight of Thy Holy Eye we were Thy song, Thy dance, Thy food, Thine every thought.
28. "We were the throbbing of Thy Holy Heart.
29. "The Father vested Thee in Holy Robes and put on Thee the Name of God.
30. "O Holy Messiah, Thou hast given me my lord Abram again, most precious jewell in my heart!
31. "I dared not come unto him, but I watched him from afar, yearning to be touched and loved by him.
32. "For I saw Thy love in him, Holy Messiah, and I desired to be with him.
33. "Yet Thou gavest Him unto me, precious Lord, and my yearnings and my dreams were fulfilled in him.
34. "And now I am a passion song.
35. "We yearn to love Thee, Holy Messiah, when we see Thy love, though it be but a particle because of our blindness.
36. "Many eyes and hearts turned elsewhere when they laid on Thee the crown of gold;
37. "But there were those who loved Thee, who sought to serve Thee by telling the others of the Living Word.
38. "And they were named in Thy Name and written in Thy Book.
39. "And we moved as a constellation through Thy realm whilst Thou didst steadfast stand, loving us to life.
40. "And our moving was ever-more around Thee.
41. "Stars of the morning, we called Thee the Morning Star;
42. "And we learned to speak Thy Father's tongue, becoming children of the Holy One
43. "And Thou wast our First Word, and became our Song.
44. "And we danced and moved before Thee in Thy Name.
45. "And we loved Thee, and Thou breathed life into us, the Breath of Life.
46. "And we partook of Thee, Firstfruits of Thy Holy Father's love.
47. "And Thou became at last our only thought.
48. "O Abram, in thy warmth and smile I came, and I loved thee and touched thee.
49. "O Abram, Abram, my love.
50. "O Messiah, in the greatness of Thy Father's love, we were baptized into Thy Holy Arms, pressed to the fount of all life, held to the heart-beat of Creation.
51. "And our tears mingled, and our spirits melted into one.
52. "No longer separate, we became a part of Thee --
53. "And the Body of the Fathers, One.
54. "O holy mystery, Abram, my lord;
55. "Messiah, My King;
56. "Father, My God.
57. "How can I tell You apart?
58. "O wonderful mystery, sweet to the taste, I understand, O Lord!
59. "For when we are sanctified by Thy love, we become a part of Thee!
60. "The Mystery of the Firstborn is mine. Hallelujah!
61. "And with the Holy Hand we were ordained and dressed in royal robes of healing light.
62. "And again in earth, we come again to Thee to be baptized in Thy Name and Self, and be dressed in the Holy Garments of Thy Word.
63. "O Abram, exalted husband before us all, our all in all, everlasting to everlasting, bosom of eternity.
64. "We learn again to speak our Father's tongue, to live and move and breathe again in Thee, ribs of thy bosom.
65. "Thou hast called us heirs again in thee, ribs of thy bosom.
66. "Thou hast called heirsin endless lives with thee.
67. "But, holy, thou art our heir for us; and our increase we give unto thee.
68. "O Light of the Fathers, Father of all Lights be, by Thy love slain, live by our love for Thee.
69. "O Sire of Sires, Holy of Holies, we are by, for, through and in Thee, only Thee."
70. And when Haguth had spoken these words she fell silent, and her eyes were red from tears.
71. Therefore Abram took her up into his arms and kissed her, saying:
72. "Blessed art thou, O Haguth, for thy love of God and His Messiah, for He hath blessed thee with a great pool of light.
73. "I love thee, Haguth, because of thy love for God;
74. "And I love thee because of the love of God which burneth in my bones."
75. And he released her from his embrace and said unto us:
76. "My beloved ones, my fair ones, bones of my bone, and fleshes of my flesh, come unto me."
77. And we each embraced and kissed him in turn.
78. And behold, our joy was full.
or Judith 44
Abram marries Kamar. The Psalm of Kamar.
1. Now Kamar was the last wife which our lord and husband Abram took in the Holy City.
2. And this was in my lord's fourty-first year.....
5. And thus she is known as Kamar, which meaneth Yearning.
6. And before she became a part of our union she wrote a psalm also, in her fourteenth year;
7. And these are the words of her song:
8. "Dare I love thee, Abram, son of Shem?
9. "As dust loveth the sun in all its lowly longing, I love thee.
10. "As the small field lily looketh up unto the sun, I look up unto thee.
11. "Though I be bruised, though I be torn within, though I be covered with dust, Messiah healeth me, and comforteth me, and saith I shall be thine.
12. "Yea, and though I be smitten and all broken before thee, yet I dare to love thee, to look upon thy face.
13. "Indeed, my lovely one, where else can I look?"
14. And she treasured these words in her heart.
15. But, being too afraid to say them unto my lord, she wrote them upon parchment, and gave it unto him at the door of the Temple.
16. For seven days she waited with a trembling heart until Abram summonsed her into his presence.....
18. Therefore she dared not look up into his eyes.
19. But when Abram spake her name, in the softness and tenderness of the love of the patriarchal light, her fear began to dissipate, and she lifted up her eyes into his loving face.
20. And he stretched for his arms and embraced her;
21. And she was, as it were, in Paradise.
22. And after she had remained with him some minutes, he blessed her, saying:
23. "Sweet Kamar, young flower of the gardens of Salem:
24. "The Most High God bless thee and keep thee.
25. "Go unto thy father Shem and take counsel from him."
26. Therefore she straight way hurried unto the Temple and conversed with Shem, and he consented that she should become Abram's wife.
27. Therefore was she betrothed and married unto Abram according to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.
28. And she waxed strong in holiness.
or Judith 45
The family of Abram enter the Second Degree of the Patriarchal Priesthood. "The Seven".
1. Now these are the seven wives of my lord and master which we received in the Holy City....
3. And behold, this was his fourty-nineth year.
4. And when my lord had passed our family through this degree, he was given a New Name by father Shem:
5. And behold, he was caled the HEART OF ZION....
7. Therefore are we in the Heart of Messiah, and we are known as the Heart of Zion.
or Judith 46
The United Order in the Holy City. The professions and occupations of its citizens.
1. Now by this time, even the forty-nineth year of my lord, had our family grown exceedingly large on account of our numerous daughters.
2. But there was not one son, which greatly perplexed us, for there had never been such an exceedingly large family in the Holy City with so many daughters and no sons.
3. And because our family grew, we were given a larger home to meet our needs.
4. And the distribution of wealth in the Holy City, whether it be houses, or food, or clothing, or any manner of material substance, is under the control of the Council of the Twelve Patriarchs, who distribute according to need, for we abide the Holy Order where all things are held in common.
5. Therefore no man is held above another in wealth, for it is not expedient in the eyes of the Most High God.
6. Therefore were all our temporal needs provided.
7. Now every man and woman worked in the Holy City, each according to his or her skills.
8. And we were a highly industrious people.
9. Nevertheless the first duty of each woman was to her family, that she might raise up a righteous seed unto the Most High God.
10. And there were numerous skills that were sought after, for there were craftsmen in wood and stone, clothmakers, those skilled with dyes, farmers, herdsmen, masons, cleaners, administrators and judges.
11. And the Supreme Judge in the City of Salem was Noah.
12. And the Council of the Twelve Patriarchs are the chief magistrates of the Holy City.
13. And there were teachers, and physicians, and musicians and artists.
14. And behold, it was common that each man should have more than one skill;
15. Therefore our lord Abram served as a herdsman, and as a teacher, and as a magistrate.
16. Now in the Holy City we were not paid for our services, but each family received what it needed.
17. And those who would not work in the spirit of the Holy Order were brought before the magistrates;
18. And if they would not labour, then they received not of the substance of those who did.
19. And if a man began to sin in this area, he would invariably begin to sin in others;
20. Therefore if he did not repent, he would be cast out of the Holy City into the hostile and uncaring world where the fallen laws of Nimrod prevailed.
21. Therefore there were few who did not live the laws of the Holy Order, for they knew the source of their happiness and contentment.
22. Now the Holy City was an exceedingly clean and orderly city for we dislike the disorder and filthiness of the world.
23. Therefore when our father Noah located the City of Salem he chose a place high where it is cooler in the winter but hath pleasant summers.
24. And he chose a place where there were numerous springs, which he called the Springs of Salem because of the refreshing waters thereof which bring peace unto the flesh in the heat of the day.
25. Now the waters of Salem are collected in great pools in the city and they are sent unto the several houses, and unto the fields for irrigation, by means of channels, some beneath the streets, and some above.
26. And there were also wells from which we could draw colder water when we had need of it.
27. Now at night the city required no lights, for we used not torches and lamps as the cities of the world do, for our light is the Holiness of the Most High God.
28. And this is a light that is perceived by the natural eye and illuminateth everything.
29. Now if a man or a woman transgressed the laws, the light within his home would diminish;
30. And the darkness would stand out, even as a light standeth out in the world.
31. Therefore was all unrighteousness exposed at the beginning, and none could hide.
32. And for food we ate all manner of fruits, and herbs, and cereals, and nuts, and vegetables, yea, and all things good.
33. And we made cheese and butter from the milk of cows and goats.
34. And our raiment we made from the wool of sheep.
35. And we ate no meat until we came into the world.
36. And behold, there was food in abundance, for we blessed the soil and did all our labours unto the glory of the Most High God.
37. And we women also worked and laboured in the fields when there was need;
38. And we were exceedingly industrious with our hands, for we know this is the will of the Most High God toward us.
39. And we teach our children the skills of the Holy City from a small age, and assign them duties in our homes.
40. Bwehold, our homes were as temples, being made of stone and wood.
41. And we cleansed our homes each day that the dust of the air might not accumulate in their walls, nor the earth come from without.
42. And at our door there was always a jug of water and a basin;
43. And whenever any came into our home, their feet would be bathed.
44. And this was done by the children or by one of the wives or by a man-servant or a maid-servant.
45. Now we also had servants, and these were often unmarried men and women who would be assigned unto our homes to assist with the children and the cleaning thereof if a family had many responsibilities.
46. Yea, and we had nurse-maids also;
47. And behold, I, Judith, was also a nurse-maid when I was small, and my lord Abram served as a man-servant.
48. And thus we are instructed from a young age concerning the importance of service.
49. For it is required by the law that every unmarried boy and girl shall serve from half to one year as a domestic servant, that they may behold the workings of at least one other family.
50. Nevertheless, they sleep in their natural family's home.
51. And all are taught several skills that they may arise knowledgeable in all skills and sciences.
52. And so there was always perfect equality amongst us, and none lorded it over another.
53. Therefore we were a free and happy society.
54. And there were many thousands of souls who dwelt in this blessed Order.
or Judith 47
The trials of adapting to tent life in the world. The house of Abram in the Holy City.
1. Now our home was continually a delightful place to dwell in;
2. And we remember often the beauty and peace thereof.
3. And the Lord God was merciful unto us for when we left the Holy City for the world we spent some time in houses in the lands of the Chaldeans and the Egyptians.
4. But in the Promised Land we have ever lived in tents;
5. And the change was great for the Seven to begin with, and also for Sarai who was accustomed to the great and wealthy homes of Ur.
6. Therefore we had to learn somewhat concerning the nomadic way of life, which thing was exceedingly difficult for us in the beginning.
7. Therefore were Kehah, Darash, Dea, Sabea and Kannah greatly blessed never to have lived in the Holy City, for they did not struggle with the life in the wilderness as we did, for they had been born and raised in tents.
8. And it was only because of our love from the Most High God and His Messiah, and our love for Abram and each other, that we endured;
9. And behold, the love we had was sufficient, and we were happy.
10. Now our home in the Holy City was exceedingly beautiful;
11. And each family had its own home.
12. And ours was an exceedingly large home with many rooms, one room for each wife....where we slept and worked, and the one for our lord Abram where he could be alone.
13. And there were rooms for the children.
14. And also there was a large room where we gathered together to work, and pray, and worship, and entertain others.
15. And there were other rooms where we cooked, and bathed, and ate.
16. Now every family in the Holy City was organised slightly differently, even though each observed the same law and abode the same Order.
17. And this is because of the different characters of each soul.
or Judith 48
1. Now in my lord's fiftieth year we were bidden by the Most High God to depart from the Holy City and unto the City of Ur.
2. And this account is written in the other books of Abraham, therefore I write them not here.
3. Now there was much heart-ache in the days before our departure, for no-one desired to leave Salem.
4. But we were busy in our preparations, yea, all fifty-eight souls, for we laboured tirelessly making tents and gathering provisions.
5. Therefore our whole family departed, with many who came with us.
6. Now we were not to see any of the inhabitants of the Holy City again for many years;
7. And behold, we were reunited with our father Shem when my lord brought him tithes after the great battle of the kings.
8. Now after we had been in the world many years we returned unto the Holy City once more.
9. And, O, how great was our joy!
10. And those who were not of the Seven, namely Sarai, Kehah, Darash, Dea, Sabea, and Kannah greatly marvelled.
11. And those wives who were not of the Holy Order camped outside its walls.
12. And it came to pass that we of the Seven left our daughters therein and their children;
13. And they did not return with us into the world again.
14. And therefore we were sorrowful to depart from them;
15. Nevertheless we rejoiced that they would be spared the further trials and sufferings of the world.
16. Now we had come up unto the Holy City because of a night-vision which my lord Abram received.
17. And Noah appeared unto him, saying:
18. "Abraham, my son; return thou with thy family unto the Holy City for the Lord our God shall take it away from the earth unto Himself."
19. Therefore the next morning our lord Abram commanded us to take up our tents and provisions, for we were to return unto the City of Salem.
20. Now we of the Seven could not contain our joy for we wrongly supposed that we were being called to depart from this mortal sphere into a far better one.
21. But Abram said unto us: "My beloved ones, it is not as ye suppose.
22. "For the Great God of Heaven hath declared that the Holy City is to be taken from the earth and be received into His bosom, for it is altogether too pure to remain in this sphere.
23. "Nevertheless my work is not complete, for I must yet bring forth the seed of the Messiah, whom Satan seeketh to prevent or destroy.
24. "Therefore we depart unto the Holy City that I may receive all the keys of the High Priesthood and bid farewell unto my kinsmen."
25. Therefore our hearts grew heavy within us;
26. Nevertheless we longed to see our old home again.
or Judith 49
The enlarged family of Abram return to the Holy City. The painful farewell. The Lamentation of Judith. The Holy City is taken from the earth. The Lake of Salem. Abram builds an altar.
1. Therefore we went up unto the City of Salem and travelled for many days.
2. And when we saw the Holy City with our eyes, our souls leaped for joy.
3. And it was as beautiful and magnificent as the day we had left it.
4. After we had left those not of the Holy Order outside the city in their tents, the Thirteen and our children, and our lord and husband Abram drew up unto the West Gate.
5. And we heard the gentle humming sound of the city, and we beheld the great light within.
6. And as the doors thereofopened, and we walked in upon our naked feet (for the ground was holy), I entered, as it were, a dream.
7. And we were all transported into the Twelfth Heaven in our spirits, for we were enraptured.
8. Yea, and our hearts burned within us, and our tongues whispered words of praise, for the Spirit had so engulfed us.
9. And behold, Sarai, Kehah, Darash, Dea, Sabea and Kannah had all fallen prostrate upon the ground -- and they were as if they were dead -- for never before had they known such great holiness.
10. And we heard the sound of voices in our spirits, and they were the voices of Sarai, Kehah, Darash, Dea, Sabea and Kannah, for they had lifted their hearts up in a song of praise, being envelloped in a vision of numerous concourses of angels and heavenly choirs.
11. And it came to pass that we Seven saw and heard all these things.
12. And we knew that we were ready to cross the last veil.
13. Now the Six who were upon the ground were not afflicted with blindness as was Abram when he first entered the Holy City, for they had all closed their eyes and prostrated themselves upon their faces.
14. Having thus entered the Holy City and partaken somewhat of its glory, our lord Abram took us into the Temple and we stood before father Noah.
15. And behold, great was the joy of father Noah when he saw how our lord Abram had multiplied.
16. Therefore was his joy full.
17. Now Noah blessed us all and bade us be true and faithful unto the Most High God, for upon the morrow the Holy City would be taken from off the earth, never to be seen by us again, nor by the world until Messiah cometh to establish His Kingdom forever.
18. Therefore after we had feasted with fathers Noah and Shem, and with a great many from the Holy City;
19. And after we had all embraced one another, and bade a tearful farewell unto our daughters and grandchildren, we departed out of the city and returned to our encamp- ment.
20. And as we left we wept, for the pain of the imminent separation grew and grew.
21. And behold, we tried to comfort ourselves, but we could not.
22. Neither could we sleep.
23. Therefore the whole night we remained awake, watching the glowing towers of the City of Salem.
24. And as I gazed upon the city, I began to sing a lamentation:
25. "O Salem, thou fairest, thou purest;
26. "Mother and father of all goodness.
27. "Thou brought us into the world, and now thou must depart.
28. "O Salem, Salem, beautiful city, our home, our glory, we weep for thee.
29. "Depart not from us for long, but let us be received into thy brightness again."
30. And as I, Judith, finished singing my lamentation, behold, a great pillar of light descended out of the heavens over the Holy City;
31. And so great was its brightness that the mountains and the desert began to shine as before a thousand suns.
32. And behold, as the pillar rested upon the Holy City, the earth began to heave and groan.
33. There was a mighty trembling in the mountains, and great rocks fell from the heights and descended into the valleys.
34. And behold, that great and wonderful City began to ascend into the sky, and much of the land round about it also.
35. And great rocks fell upon the ground from beneath it;
36. And the earth quaked, and there was a great sound of roaring.
37. And the City ascended in the pillar, slowly at first, but with ever quickening speed as it ascended into the highest heavens.
38. And behold, in moments it was gone, and there was a great darkness round about.
39. And there was a great stillness.
40. No longer did our natural eyes behold the soothing glow of the towers of Salem;
41. No longer could we behold the fair gates of the Holy City.
42. And behold, we were left in utter darkness, for we had not
thought to light a camp fire.
43. Therefore we lit a fire and gathered around it to warm
ourselves and dispell the darkness of the night.
44. And we sat silently, wondering about our daughters, and our grandchildren, and our loved ones who were with us no more.
45. Therefore we gazed into the fire and spake not a word.
46. Now it was not long before the sun arose and we were obliged to return to the cares of our family.
47. Therefore we did not dwell on our great loss but diligently went about the labours of the day.
48. And once the sun had fully risen we ventured forward to behold the place where the Holy City had stood.
49. And behold, where the city had stood was a great hole, and from the springs of Salem gushed forth many waters.
50. And a great lake was born from the place where the City of Salem had stood.
51. And the place was renamed the Lake of Salem.
52. And to this day a great lake abideth in the place of the Holy City;
53. And its waters are a blessing unto travellers.
54. Now my lord Abram erected an altar by the place;
55. And he gathered twelve unhewn rocks, and made an altar unto the Most High God.
56. And after he had made an altar we departed from the place, never more to return.
3 ABRAHAM 58
or Judith 50
Abram marries the eight maidservants of Sarai. The law governing concubines.
1. Now I, Judith, return unto my account of the time when we departed from the Holy City.
2. Now I say no more concerning the betrothal and marriage of Sarai unto my lord Abram for I have already written concerning this;
3. And a fuller account is to be found in the other books of Abraham.
4. Now when my lord Abram took Sarai unto wife in the land of Ur he also received unto himself many concubines, for these were the maidservants of Sarai who did not desire to remain behind in the City of Nimrod.
5. And Abram was loathe to do this because there are no concubines in the Holy Order.
6. Nevertheless he was obliged by the law of the fathers to take them under his protection, for if a woman beseecheth a patriarch to receive her, and if he cannot find fault with her as adjudged by the law, then he must receive her unto himself.
7. Therefore when the eight maidservants begged to be received into the family of Abram, he received them, for they had abandoned their worship of idols of wood and stone, and received the covenant of the One True God.
8. Therefore were they adjudged righteous.
9. Therefore they remained with Sarai as her maidservants while they tarried in the City of Ur;
10. But when they departed from the city they became the maidservants of the whole family, and served us sister-wives according to the several appointments made by our lord Abram.
11. And behold, when we were satisfied that they would be true unto us and unto our lord Abram, did my lord Abram take them unto wife.
12. And they loved our lord Abram and served him faithfully.
13. And we loved them, and they loved us.
14. And though we were of two orders, we were nevertheless one with them.
15. Therefore I make an end to my sayings concerning the concubines of my lord Abram who became his wives according to the Covenant of Messiah, for I desire only to write concerning the Holy Order.
or Judith 51
The fame of Abram amongst the tribes of the Promised Land. The King of the Perizzites gives his daughter, Kehah, to Abram to wife. Kehah is converted to the Holy Order.
1. Now it came to pass whilst we dwelt in the Promised Land that my lord Abram took unto himself to wife Kehah, Darash, Dea, Sabea and Kannah.
2. And behold, all were tent-dwellers after the several tribes that dwell in this land.
3. And it came to pass that as we conversed with the chiefs and leaders of the several tribes that dwell in the land we searched out further wives for our lord Abram.
4. Now it is the custom in these parts for chieftains to give their daughters in marriage to chieftains of other tribes that by treaty there might be peace between the tribes.
5. Now it was not our desire to follow after the customs of the world;
6. Wherefore we prayed unto the Most High God, asking Him that if it were necessary for our lord Abram to take unto himself the daughters of chieftains to wife that these would be souls after our own Order.
7. Nevertheless we were blessed on account of our reputation because of the marvelous work which God had wrought amongst the Egyptians;
8. And Abram's fame had spread throughout the valley on account of his works against Nimrod.
9. Therefore Abram was feared and respected.
10. Now Kehah is the eldest daughter of the king of the Perizzites who dwell in the Promised Land.
11. And she is like unto Hagar in appearance, but in nature she is like unto Anavah.
12. And it came to pass that when my lord Abram came unto the city of the Perizzites accompanied by several of his male servants and sons, that Kehah spied him out, and loved him from the moment she saw him.
13. And the king of the Perizzites, desiring to have peace with Abram, offered him his eldest daughter.
14. Therefore he received her as a maid-servant, and she dwelt in our camp.
15. Now Kehah knew not the Most High God;
16. Therefore she dwelt not with us, but remained on the borders of our camp.
17. And behold, she would fetch and carry water.
18. Now Kehah loved Abram; therefore she grieved that he would not receive her unto himself.
19. And she, supposing that her royal birth of the king of the Perizzites was sufficient to claim marriage unto Abram, was sorely grieved in her heart.
20. Therefore Abram summonsed her into his tent, and said unto Kehah:
21. "Beloved Kehah: I am Abram, and I am a servanrt of the Most High God whom thou knowest not on account of the traditions of thy fathers.
22. "Behold, thou art fair, and I know of thy love toward me;
23. "Nevertheless I cannot receive thee unless thou forsaketh thy gods and follow after the One Most High God, and this with a sincere heart."
24. And Kehah said unto him: "I am thy servant, my lord, to do with as thou wilt;
25. "For I was given unto thee by the hand of my father.
26. "Therefore I shall yield myself unto thy law."
27. Now the heart of Kehah was not right before us, nor before the Most High God, for she thought after the ways of the Perizzites, which are darkness unto us.
28. Nevertheless she yielded herself unto instruction from me, and she listened for the sake of Abram whom she loved.
29. And it came to pass that Kehah understood that our lord would not receive her on account of mere outward observance of our religion, therefore she the more diligently sought to know the mysteries of the fathers.
30. And she, beholding the joy and unity that obtained between the Seven and Sarai, began to yearn for the same.
31. Therefore she began to desire the light that was in us.
32. Therefore she began to thirst for righteousness and a knowledge of the Messiah who had brought us this great happiness.
33. And behold, so great was her thirst for the mysteries of the Kingdom, that her love for our lord and husband Abram began to be subjected unto her greater love, even her love of the Most High God.
34. Therefore in a short space of time Kehah entered into our mystery;
35. And we were greatly astonished at the speed of her change, for we supposed that the daughters of men would labour long and hard before they could enter into our mystery.
36. Therefore we learned somewhat concerning the grace and power of God, and Kehah became unto us a living testimony of grace.
37. Therefore was she received into our Order, which is the Holy Order, by ordinance and by sacrifice.
38. Therefore she was delivered from the darkness of the Perizzites and entered into the Light of the Firstborn.
or Judith 52
Two psalms of Kehah to Abram and Judith.
1. Now during these weeks of instruction she would only see our lord Abram at special times, and only ever in the presence of one or more who were of our Order.
2. And it is wisdom that we do this, that those of the world are taught not to think or expect after the notions of the world, but subject themselves unto the pattern of the Holy Order.
3. And by this means we prevented the world from cleaving asunder the unity of our Order.
4. And it came to pass that Abram received Kehah unto wife, and our Order grew unto nine sister-wives after the Order of the Ancients.
5. And Kehah sang a psalm of joy; and this is her psalm:
6. "My love and I are one.
7. "I am his laughter and he is my light.
8. "He is my light before God, written on all star-shadows of the night, my supplication.
9. "Oneness in bond, we are forever one.
10. "I am his harbour for his sails in the sun.
11. "He is my prayer and I his words;
12. "Through his strong mind I think.
13. "He is my daily newness, in his dawn I shall shrink in the envelloping shade.
14. "Through his lips I breathe life.
15. "Through his eyes I see.
16. "What can I give him but my love, undying throughouteternity?"
17. And it came to pass in later years that Kehah wrote a psalm unto me also, for our love multiplied as we grew closer together in our love of Abram and the God whom we serve.
18. And these are the words of Kehah:
19. "How can I tell thee of my love?
20. "How can I speak of the consuming fire that flameth upon the altar of my heart?
21. "My heart consumeth the Name of Messiah with Endless Love, and warmeth my every sense with Holy Light.
22. "And, dearest one, beloved Judith, thy name is named in His.
23. "How can I tell thee of my love?
24. "Can I sing with words His Word?
25. "Can my embrace tell its manifold blessing?
26. "Can my love evoke His Holy Name in thee?
27. "O, Most High God of Love, consummation of my Heavenly Fire, speak my love by the Word of Thy Mouth.
28. "Kiss her soul with my name in Thee.
29. "Speak Thyself the ineffable Word of Love.
30. "O Judith, we are flowers in the garden of our lord Abram;
31. "And we are enwrapped around him, our love, our joy.
32. "Thine eyes reveal the love of Abram, for he loveth thee, and he loveth me.
33. "And in all our eyes is the love of Abram;
34. "And in his eyes is the love of our Father-God, the Holy One, the Most High.
35. "Let us entwine ourselves around him, like lillies of the vale, and drink deeply of his love.
36. "Let us praise the Most High and adore His Messiah!
37. "Great is He! And blessed are we that we are one, that we are His!"
or Judith 53
Kehah preaches to Periz, her father, and to his household. Kehah's devastation when her message is rejected. Abram tries to comfort her. She is healed by an angel.
1. Now behold, Kehah, having received the testimony of the fathers, and having a desire that she might bear witness of the Messiah and to persuade her kinsmen to forsake their idols of wood and stone -- therefore she returned unto the presence of her father, Periz, and discoursed before him on the Messiah.
2. And Periz received the message in his heart privately but would not abandon the religion of his kinsmen on account of his fear that they would remove him as their king by force.
3. Therefore he feared men more than God.
4. Nevertheless he desired that his immediate household should be saved;
5. Therefore he allowed Kehah to witness unto her brothers and sisters and her mother.
6. Therefore Kehah did witness unto them but returned alone, for the Perizzites are hard-hearted and love not the ways of the Spirit.
7. And I suppose that if our lord Abram had not a reputation that they would have driven us from the land.
8. Therefore we dwelt in peace amongst them, but we had no social intercourse with them.
9. Now Kehah was exceedingly saddened that none of her household would receive her message;
10. And this was in part because the peoples of the world will not receive the words of a woman, for they consider such to be of evil.
11. Therefore we sister-wives said little save when we were amongst the women-folk of the tribes, lest we provoke the wrath of the tribes and cause their darkness to attempt to engulf us.
12. Therefore we held our tongues.
13. But this is not so amongst us, for all are considered equal amongst us in the family of Abram.
14. Nevertheless we are subject unto our lord for righteousness' sake, and this because of the will of the Most High God.
15. Now Abram comforted Kehah for many days, for she was, as it were, in a spirit of death, for she had desired with all her heart to convert her people for Messiah's sake.
16. Therefore Abram showered her with affection, and lifted her up, that she might no longer grieve.
17. And never before have I seen such grief in those who are living, and I suppose this is on account of her exceeding great love.
18. And my lord Abram, being troubled over Kehah's broken-heartedness, importuned the Most High God, that He might heal her of her great sorrow.
19. And it came to pass that an angel of the Most High God came into the tent of Kehah and touched her upon her forehead, saying:
20. "Peace be unto thee, Kehah, for the offering of thy heart hath been received by God."
21. And straight way the burden was lifted from her heart and she was healed.
22. And from that day she was at peace, and began to minister unto the family continually.
23. Unto this day hath Kehah been as the oil of healing unto those who are troubled in spirit;
24. And this is the meaning of her name, which is Healing.
25. And thus we are given to understand that the Most High God permitteth us to suffer that we may become like Him, and know His Love, and be of service unto others.
26. And we know that it is impossible to know the love of God without also knowing the suffering of God, for the two are one.
27. Therefore we have come to rejoice in our afflictions, as they severally come, for we see them as an opportunity to enter into the Heart of the Most High God, and thus know Him.
28. Now we do marvel at the works of Kehah, for she was without fear.
29. And lo, she would go into the cities of the land whenever we moved camp, trusting in the Arm of God for her protection, that she might seek out any who might be of our Order.
30. And it was on account of the works of Kehah that Darash was found and entered into our family.
or Judith 54
Darash the Kadmonite is taken prisoner by bandits and sold as a slave to the Hittites. She is found by Kehah. Abram purchases her and sends her back to her kinsmen.
1. Now Darash is a Kadmonite and is the chief midwife of the family of Abram, being skilled in the delivery of our little ones.
2. And she is skilled in all manner of arts for which the Kadmonites are well known.
3. And this is the meaning of Darash, which is Care, for she hath constantly taken care of our temoporal needs, administering medicines from herbs and selecting the best foods.
4. Now Darash was a slave of the Hittites who dwell in the northern lands.
5. And it came to pass that when Kehah saw her in a Hittite caravan journeying into Egypt, she knew at once by the Holy Spirit that she was a part of the family.
6. Therefore she hurried unto our lord Abram and reported unto him what she had seen and felt by the Spirit of the Most High God.
7. Now the caravan of the Hittites had encamped beyond our camp to rest and trade.
8. And the chief of the Hittite traders had come with his men-servants and maid-servants to trade in all manner of wares.
9. Amongst them was Darash, whom the Hittite had purchased from bandidts who had raided the camps of the Kadmonites and taken off goods, cattle, and women as plunder.
10. And the chief of the Hittite traders was making his way into Egypt where he might sell his wares, yea, and unto the tribes by the sea.
11. Now when Abram saw Darash, who was a virgin and had not been defiled by the Hittites, he likewise obtained the spirit of revelation and knew from the Most High God that Darash was one of us.
12. Therefore my lord approached the Hittite chief and offered to purchase Darash from him, but he would not yield her, on account of her skills in medicines, and ointments, and perfumes, and all manner of crafts, for she had brought him much profit.
13. Nevertheless when he saw Abram's great wealth, he began to lust after it, and started to bargain with him.
14. And it came to pass that my lord Abram and the Hittite agreed;
15. And Abram received Darash for fifty head of cattle and a portion of our treasury of gold.
16. And the Hittite was greatly surprised, for according to the weights and measures of Nimrod a slave-girl was worth considerably less.
17. And Darash also was greatly surprised and marvelled at the thing.
18. Now after that the Hittite caravan had departed and Darash had been given unto our lord Abram, Darash said unto him:
19. "Why have I found favour in my lord's eyes?"
20. And Abram said unto her:
21. "Depart in peace, for thou art free.
22. "Therefore thou mayest return unto thy kinsmen, even as thou wilt."
23. And Darash was exceedingly astonished, and knew not what she should say.
24. And those of the household of Abram who knew not the plan of God murmured concerning the great price that Abram had paid for the slave-girl.
25. And Abram spake, saying:
26. "Murmur not, my beloved ones, for ye know not the hand of God in this.
27. "Therefore be ye obedient unto my word."
28. Therefore our household was silent, for they knew that he walked with God.
29. Therefore our lord Abram sent Darash away with two male-servants, that they might be a protection unto her in her journey home.
or Judith 55
Darash returns home. Abram preaches to and converts the Kadmonites. Darash relates an encounter with an angel. Darash is given to Abram to be his wife.
1. Now when the father of Darash saw his daughter returning upon an ass accompanied by the two servants of Abram, he was overjoyed;
2. And the report of it quickly spread amongst the camp of the Kadmonites.
3. Therefore the father of Darash gave a feast;
4. And behold, there was great rejoicing in the House of Kadmon.
5. And behold, Abram had sent gifts with Darash unto the king of the Kadmonites.
6. And by this means our lord made a bond between the Kadmonites and the Abramites, for on account of his generosity and goodness, these two households have become kinsmen.
7. Having received Darash back into his household, and received the gifts sent by our lord, Kadmon sent forth his servant with the servants of Abram, inviting Abram unto his camp.
8. Therefore it came to pass that my lord Abram journeyed with the captains of his household unto the tents of the Kadmonites and was received into the presence of the king.
9. And the king greeted him warmly and bade him sit by his right hand.
10. And in this manner was Abram received as a lord of the Kadmonites.
11. And the king said unto Abram:
12. "Why hast thou thus honoured us, by returning the daughter of the chief captain of my house, and sending me gifts, since we are strangers unto one another?"
13. And Abram said: "O king, this thing I have done because of the righteousness of the Most High God Whom we worship and serve."
14. Therefore did Abram discourse unto the king concerning the Great God of All, of the Creation, of our first parents, of the fall, of the great flood, and the generations of Noah, and the great City of Salem.
15. Yea, and he spake of the great love of God, and of His Grace, and His forgiveness.
16. And he spake of the firmament of the heavens, and the sun and stars.
17. And it came to pass that the king of the Kadmonites believed the words of Abram; and the king repented of the darkness of his fathers, and desired that he and his household should be received into the Congregation of the Messiah.
18. And behold, the whole camp of the Kadmonites believed in the Word, and they were received into a lesser order of our communion by ordinance.
19. Yea, and the males of the king's family were circumcised in their foreskin in token of their covenant.
20. Therefore were our hearts made exceedingly glad when the news of this great victory for the Most High God reached our encampment.
21. And greater still was our joy when we learned also that our lord had received unto himself two more wives.
22. Now after that Abram had discoursed unto the king and his nobles on the Gospel, Darash arose and begged the king that she might have leave to speak.
23. But her father forbade it, on account of the customs of the peoples in this land.
24. But Darash begged again the king, and her father grew exceedingly wrath, and was about to lay hands upon her and cast her out of the assembly, when Abram said unto the king:
25. "My lord Kadmon, I ask that thou allowest this maiden to speak, for the Most High God hath spoken unto her and hath a message for thee."
26. And Darash was greatly astonished, for she had not spoken a word unto any man.
27. And behold, her love and respect for Abram grew.
28. And the king motioned unto Darash that she should speak. And Darash said:
29. "My lord, I am Darash, a daughter of the Kadmonites, and I have been brought up in the ways of our fathers.
30. "And I was taken prisoner by the Hittites, and sold in the market for silver and gold.
31. "And I became the slave of Pethlon, the Hittite.
32. "And he was taking me into the lands of Egypt, and Nubia, and Ethiopia, that he might increase his wealth by means of the arts which I learned from our fathers.
33. "But when we came to the camp of Abram I was spied out by Kehah, the wife of Abram, who reported the matter to her master.
34. "And Abram purchased me from Pethlon the Hittite for fifty head of cattle, and gold.
35. "And Pethlon went away rejoicing in his good fortune.
36. "And lo, I supposed that Abram desired me to be his slave and concubine.
37. "Therefore when he released me and sent me back to my kinsmen with two of his most trusted servants, I was sore amazed, for such things are not done amongst us.
38. "And behold, on our journey down the mountain we pitched our tents near a brook to pass the night away.
39. "And while I was out bathing in the brook, a messenger of light stood before me, and commanded me that I should cover myself.
40. "Therefore I covered myself and stood trembling before the messenger.
41. "And he spake unto me, saying:
42. "Darash, God hath looked favourably upon thee this day and delivered thee from the Hittite.
43. "Return unto thy father and he who purchased thee and freed thee from bondage shall preach unto thy father's house;
44. "And behold, thy father, and the king, and all his household, shall receive his word with gladness, and come to a knowledge of the True God of Heaven, Creator of all things.
45. "Speak these words unto the king that he may know with a surety that God liveth and desireth to bring salvation unto his household."
46. "And thereupon the messenger vanished and I was left with my thoughts.
47. These things I bear witness of, lying not, for I know they are true."
48. Now when the king heard these words he was glad, and there was great rejoicing in the House of Kadmon.
49. And the father of Darash also rejoiced, and desired that his daughter should be given unto Abram to wife, which thing was the will of God and also the desire of Darash.
50. Therefore was Darash given unto my lord Abram to wife, and she dwelt with us and entered into our Order.
or Judith 56
Dea, daughter of the Kadmonite king, is given to Darash as a maidservant. Dea becomes Abram's wife. Darash and Dea come into conflict.
1. Now it came to pass that the king of the Kadmonites had a young daughter called Dea....
3. And when Abram departed from the tent of the Kadmonites unto his own tent, he received of the king numerous gifts of precious stones, and skins, and vessels, and many of the treasures of the Kadmonites.
4. And he gave his daughter Dea to be a maidservant unto Darash.
5. Therefore was Dea brought unto our camp as the maidservant of Darash.
6. Now this is the psalm of Darash which she sang on her wedding night, as is our custom. And she said:
7. "Blue, is all the vast expanse of the heavens, as all the womb of the sea;
8. "Thine eyes encompass me and reveal all in me, O Abram.
9. "The light-filled air reflects thy light-filled eyes in which stars shine, suns blaze, and holy fires raise.
10. "Beryl green, O thou seer of Heaven, blue as the throne from which the living waters flow, so thine eyes shed tears of living light."
11. Now Dea had become the handmaiden of Darash according to the will of her father.
12. And behold, when she beheld the happiness of Darash, and saw the great love that obtained between her and our lord Abram, she could no longer contain her desire.
13. Therefore when Abram came into the tent of Darash, and had sat down, behold, Dea rushed up unto him, and sat upon his lap, and began to kiss him, saying: "I love thee! I love thee!"
14. And behold, she was so carried away with herself, that she repeated herself over and over again, saying the same words without variation.
15. Now my lord Abram received this token of affection without complaint;
16. But Darash was greatly angered, and said unto Dea:
17. "Get thee hence from my tent;
18. "Knowest thou not that it is forbidden for a maiden to kiss a man, save she be married unto him, or that he be her brother?"
19. And Dea was struck in her heart by the sharp words of Darash.
20. Therefore Abram said unto Darash:
21. "Forbid her not, for the customs of the land are not the ways of the Holy Order.
22. "Dea hath not sinned as thou hast wrongly supposed, but hath acted according to the goodness and desires of her heart according to our laws.
23. "And behold, in thy harshness, thou hast driven out the Spirit of the Most High God, for thou hast declared that which is good to be evil."
24. Therefore was Darash pierced through her heart with shame, and repented of her hard-heartedness, and begged Abram to forgive her.
25. Now Dea had gone without the tent and was weeping.
26. Therefore Abram commanded Darash that she should bring her in again.
27. Therefore Darash fetched Dea, and repented of her harshness before her, though her pride had been greatly bruised on account of Dea being her maidservant.
28. And Abram commanded that they should embrace and kiss each other.
29. And behold, they were obedient.
30. Now after that the tears of Darash and Dea had mingled, Abram spake again, saying:
31. "Dea, thy love is pure, and I receive it with gladness."
32. And the eyes of Dea lit up as if with the sun, and a smile grew upon her face.
33. And she was glad.
34. And Abram said unto her: "What desirest thou of me, O daughter of the Kadmonites?"
35. And she said unto him: "That I may be thine forever, my lord."
36. And he said unto her: "So be it."
37. Therefore my lord Abram sent Dea unto me to be instructed in all the ways of the Ancients that she might prepare herself to be a fitting bride unto the High Priest of the Holy Order.
38. And it came to pass that Dea waxed strong in wisdom;
39. Therefore she was wisely named Dea by her father, for it meaneth, Knowledge.
40. And today she hath become an instructor like unto myself.
or Judith 57
Youthfulness in age. Judith discourses on theology and the coming of Messiah
1. Now our betrothals and marriages in the wilderness are like unto our betrothals and marriages in the Holy City, only these things we do in tents, which become our tabernacle or temple.
2. Now Dea became betrothed unto our lord Abram in her fourteenth year on account of her great maturity in body, mind and heart.
3. And she became married unto him in her sixteenth year.
4. And behold, Dea was the last of those who were exceedingly
young to wed our lord Abram.
5. Now our lord Abram was growing in years, as we also of the Seven were.
6. Yet he was always young in his heart, and his skin was fresh and supple.
7. And this was on account of the mystery of the Light of Messiah which doth so powerfully work amongst us, sanctifying even our flesh.
8. Therefore we are all youthful, for we are in Messiah;
9. And our hearts age not.
10. Therefore age mattereth not.
11. And behold, we know that we must put aside this tent of flesh and return it unto the dust of the earth, unless the Most High God taketh us away, even as He hath taken the Holy City.
12. And we know that Messiah shall come in human flesh, and overcome it, and transform it into an imperishable tabernacle of glory.
13. And we know that we shall receive our flesh again in its perfect form.
14. Therefore the perishable flesh mattereth not unto us, save that we preserve it until it hath run its natural course.
15. And we know that the spirit is eternal and dieth not, save unto righteousness if a wicked man repenteth not.
16. Therefore we live after the spirit but press our flesh into service.
17. Now I, Judith, have been blessed somewhat concerning a knowledge of the mystery of the Messiah.
18. Therefore I comprehend the works of the flesh, and how that Messiah shall overcome the flesh, and purify it, and make it spiritual.
19. Therefore hath the ordinance of the Meal of Messiah grown within my soul, to my utter comprehension of it, even unto the rapture of my soul.
20. And I have written a psalm for the blessing of those who shall come after me, that they may comprehend my most holy devotion:
21. "This flesh must die that I might live, this seed that shall never bear fruit;
22. "This flesh of fruit, this bread, this wine of the blood of fruit must first die in me, O Lord God, that I, my own soul, might live.
23. "So this, in heavenly imagery of Thee, O God, I eat in humble reverence, all bread, and flesh, and seed this day;
24. "Thus is my every repast respite from the death.
25. "It speaketh of Thee, Thy sacrifice for me, food of Heaven eternally.
26. "Bread of Heaven, leaven my soul, blood of the Tree of Life.
27. "Give me life, seed, grow within this, the living temple of the living Light.
28. "The sacrifice of the image and the Son of the Father are not in vain.
29. "Let that which dieth in me liveth in the life I live, eternally. Amen."
30. Now behold, the Messiah is my Lord of Lords, and His glory consumeth me.
31. And often I sing unto Him alone upon my bed, and in our family, and before the Congregation of the Most High God.
32. And behold, I, Judith, relate unto you another psalm that the Most High God hath given unto me, that I may bear eternal witness of the Messiah, who is, and was, and ever shall be my Redeemer:
33. "Living Sword, Thou flaming Word of Truth, Thou cuttest asunder all who are divided.
34. "But unto they who are whole in Thee, their hearts, flaming with Thy Spirit, are open scabbards unto Thee.
35. "Thrust into us, O gently thrust, Thy Living Being.
36. "Empty we are without Thee, Holy Word;
37. "But if Thou fill us, we are but part of Thee.
38. "Thy thrust woundeth double-minded souls, but we are healed of our yearning;
39. "And we yield unto Thy Living Self which Thou doest wield."
or Judith 58
Judith relates her experiences in trial and tribulation. Her thoughts on endurance, selfishness and sacrifice.
1. Now I, Judith, have known much joy and glory on account of God and His Messiah, and the wonderful family that He hath given me.
2. But I have also known trial and tribulation as I have sought to teach the mysteries unto dull hearts and ears.
3. For few will receive them.
4. And I have laboured with the newly married wives of our lord Abram who have mot always understood in the beginning, and I have wept many tears on account of them.
5. But they have know of my desires toward them, that they are pure, for some of those who came out of the world, seeing that I had dwelt with Abram the longest, supposed that his love for me was greater than for them.
6. But because we have come before one another with contrite spirits, and because of our overflowing love for Abram and His God, and our God, we have been healed of all afflictions.
7. And we know one another because we are as an unfurled banner.
8. Therefore we see each other even as we are seen.
9. Now I would speak somewhat concerning endurance, beloved ones, that ye may learn to endure hardship with joy in your hearts.
10. Therefore I relate unto you another of my psalms:
11. "Endure unto the end -- O bitter phrase filled with wearied words of wrath and anguish, that all the tears of time cannot efface.
12. "Endure, a living sepulchre.
13. "The Lord said unto me: 'I am Aleph and Taw, the Beginning and the End.'
14. "O Holy God, Thou art Eternal Now, Fullnes of Life, First and Last, beginning and End, Author and Finisher.
15. "My death is now to enduring in the flesh, to the Death, being born to Life.
16. "In the beginning I was born of Word, of Spirit I was born and brought to this End, even to Thee.
17. "Take me to thy bosom, Finished, by Thine own Holy Hand."
18. Now the Lord our God hath passed me through many fires of affliction, and He hath burned out the dross, that my gold may be a holy offering unto Him.
19. Behold, I have learned somewhat concerning the need to die as pertaining to the selfishness of man, and to be born anew in the Messiah.
20. Therefore I have made of myself a living sacrifice, and I have learned concerning the joy thereof.
21. For selfishness is as a great burden upon the back of an ass -- therefore why should I be burdened?
22. Nay, for sacrifice is as the sweet savours of Kadmon, yea, it is sweeter than the sweetest honey, stronger than the lions that dwell in this land, cooleer than the brook Kidron, more glorious than the most heroic deed.
23. Therefore sacrifice, that ye may be bathed in the holy waters of Messiah.
24. And this I have done, and I am at peace.
or Judith 59
The record of Judith to be brought forth in the last days.
1. Now I, Judith, have become old in years, but I desire to complete this record.
2. And I know not if my record shall be preserved in the world, but [I know] it shall be preserved in the Light.
3. And I desire that it shall be brought forth as a psalm of praise in the last days when men and women shall again seek the Holy Order.
4. Therefore I set my soul in light that it may be received.
5. And who shall receive it I know not, save that he shall comprehend our mystery and be one with us in Messiah.
or Kadar 1
Kadar continues the record of Judith. The death of Judith and the grief of Abram. Judith comforts him in a vision. Kadar's psalm to the Messiah in remembrance of Judith.
1. Now I, Kadar, second wife of Abram, continue the record of my sister-wife Judith.
2. Now after that Judith had seen the Paradise of God, she gave up the spirit, and departed for that place of glory that she had seen.
3. And she could no longer remain in the flesh.
4. Now when Judith passed away in death, my love Abram wept bitterly, crying out in the agony of his soul:
5. "O my Judith, my Judith, how shall I live without thee?"
6. And as he wept upon the ground, a vision opened unto him.
7. And before him stood our sister-wife in the glory of her spirit;
8. And she shone as the noon-day sun.
9. And at once Abram was comforted.
10. And Judith spake unto him, saying:
11. "O my love, grieve not for me, for I am in the bosom of the Messiah, in the Paradise of our Father-God.
12. "Behold, we shall not long be separated;
13. "For we are eternally wed in the spirit, never to be divided."
14. And she disappeared from before him.
15. Now it came to pass that the family of Abram grieved for forty days and forty nights.
16. And though our beloved sister-wife was no longer with us in the flesh, we felt her spiritual presence continually.
17. Therefore we are comforted.
18. And we know that we shall be reunited with her again.
19. And now I, Kadar, write a psalm in remembrance of Judith, our companion and sister-wife, for she is dear unto every heart, and we yearn to be with her again:
20. "As the mother, first amongst the queens knelt at love's altar with her lord and with the Most High King of Heaven, did not our tears mingle in tenderness, in infinite compassion and joy?
21. "In oneness they did conceive light, and together we brought forth a great light.
22. "O Messiah, Firstborn and Heir, comfort us, O Thou Lamb slain even before thy birth!
23. "O that we had the stillness, the reverent silence that shall sweep through the Creation at the consummation of the Sacred Presence that shall bring Thee to birth.
24. "Nurse Him with the sweetest milk and honey, let Him be nurchured in the Fountain of the Father, baptised in His love's bosom, Firstfruits of the Firstborn.
25. "O Messiah, before Thee all the Hosts of Heaven pour out the endless flagons of their holiest hopes, the fragile vessels of their fragrent tears.
26. "O Messiah, upon Thee are our hopes transferred that Thou, O Holy One, will bring her to life once more, our belovèd Judith!
27. "Upon Thee, Holy Messiah, shall be hung all the issue and the offspring.
28. "Thou shalt become our nail, transfixing our sins forever upon a cursed tree.
29. "O Messiah, we await Thee!"
30. "O Zion, O Zion, we loved thee, and we bathed thy sacred feet with our tears.
31. "And thou becamest the reflection of Thy Holy Father, thy Mother's exulation even then, their crown of lives, spring of the their smiles and tears."
32. Therefore I, Kadar, wife of Abram, make an end to my sayings, for I am not skilled with words.
33. And behold, these words are written for me by my sister-wife, Dea.
or Dea 1
Dea continues the record of Judith and Kadar. The psalm of Kannah. Kannah's jealosy of Sarai because of Isaac. Her reconciliation.
1. Now I, Dea, tenth wife of Abram, continue this record;
2. And this is the will of Judith who hath appointed me the scribe of this family on account of my skill with the pen.
3. Therefore I write, even in the stead of Judith.
4. And now I write unto those who shall read this record the psalm of Kannah, thirteenth wife of Abram.
5. "I am like an eagle that soareth in the heavens.
6. "I behold all before me.
7. "And I spy my lord Abram, and I swoop down upon him and cover him with my feathers.
8. "The ground shaketh, and all nature singeth, as we are entwined.
9. "We sit under a tree, heavily laden with fruit.
10. "An unplucked tree, firstfruits of the season.
11. "A warmth filleth my feet and riseth like the sun rising above the mountain.
12. "My soul rejoiceth in my God!
13. "O Abram, the eagle hath descended and become a dove.
14. "My talons are taken away, and tears wash thy face for joy.
15. "The fire of wrath is become the fire of love, and I rest in thee.
16. "I wrestle no more, for I am overwhelmed by the sea of thy love."
17. Now it came to pass in the year of Kannah's betrothal unto my lord Abram that Sarai conceived and gave birth to a son.
18. And behold, this is the Promised Seed that we have long awaited.
19. And lo, the joy of Abram was unbounded, for he had waited long that he might bring forth a son who would be the lineage of Messiah.
20. Now when Kannah beheld the exceeding great joy of Abram in the year of her betrothal, she grew exceedingly jealous and angry in her soul.
21. And her heart was not right before the Most High God and His earthly family.
22. Therefore Abram sharply rebuked her; and behold, she was severely wounded in her pride.
23. And not until the day of her marriage unto Abram was she healed of her jealosy of Sarai and of her offspring, Isaac, for she knew that he loved her.
24. Therefore we have often learned this important lesson:
25. The to love one person is not to cease to love another, for the love of God is infinite, and can fill all.
26. Therefore when we are in Messiah, our love is never exhausted.
27. Therefore is the love of our husband never exhausted, for he is a never-ending reservoir;
28. And this because Messiah dwelleth in him.
29. Therefore we have no cause for jealosy once we have understood this simple truth, for we know that in Messiah we are never denied of love.
30. But those who know not Messiah know not this love, for they hoarde it unto themselves and fear to lose it.
31. And because their love is of the flesh, which is of man, it is not eternal, and it is lost.
32. Therefore they are continually frustrated.
33. Therefore this love becometh rare unto them, and they seek to hoarde it, and guard it jealosly.
34. But this is not so with us, for we seek not the love of the world which hath no place in our hearts.
35. And behold, this is the great mystery of the Firstborn, even Messiah.
36. And behold, I, Dea, leave those who will read this record with this simple message:
37. Love, and count not the cost, for who can count the cost of the love of Messiah, save the Messiah who shall pay for it?
or Dea 2
Dea discourses on the mystery of the atonement of Christ. Redemption through the Father before the Cross.
1. And now I reveal unto those who shall desire to enter this work the mystery of the redemption of Messiah.
2. And behold, men and women will struggle to understand this mystery, but will not comprehend it, because they are not of the Firstborn.
3. Now Messiah hath created all things by the command of the Father.
4. And He is the Husband of His Creation.
5. Therefore He is responsible for it.
6. But He hath not [yet] come in the flesh, nor [yet] blotted out our offense;
7. Therefore must we await this day [of final redemption].
8. Nevertheless, shall the Most High God leave us as victims of sin [in the meantime]?
9. Nay, for such would not be the mercy of God.
10. Now we know that we are redeemed from sin through our faith and repentance in the Most High God, and this without the [yet to come] redeeming work of Messiah.
11. Therefore what need have we of a Messiah [in the future, seeing that we are redeemed now]?
12. But we need Messiah, to perish {die} for us, that we might live and have our offense wiped away.
13. This the Most High hath told us, and we believe it, and it is our faith in the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world that blotteth out our stain [of sin].
14. And we know this is true, because we have applied it.
15. And behold, we have been cleansed.
16. And it is in this manner that we have been cleansed.
17. The Most High God giveth the Messiah redeeming power, for He {the Most High God} is a Redeemer.
18. Therefore is the Son in debt unto the Father.
19. And when Messiah shall be nailed to the cursèd tree, He shall return His debt unto the Father for those who lived before [His atonement].
20. And He shall pay the debt of sin for those who shall come after Him [in time] of His own accord, not borrowing from the Father.
21. And this He must do, that He may also become a Father.
22. Now the Father is full of grace and redmeption;
23. But He is not {no longer} the Son.
24. Therefore must the Son do this work.
25. By this means is the atonement of the Son applied unto us, through the Father, as a debt of the Son unto the Father.
26. And the Son must repay because of the immutable laws of Heaven which were established in righteousness before the world was [created].
27. Therefore we see the great love and wisdom of the Most High God.
28. Therefore are we sister-wives in debt unto our lord and husband Abram also for the love he showereth upon us.
29. But we repay him not, because of the works of the Father and the Son.
30. And he {Abram} is in debt unto us, but he repayeth us not, because of the works of the Father and the Son.
31. Therefore we receive all from Messiah;
32. And Messiah receiveth all from the Most High God, who is the Father of all.
3 ABRAHAM 72
or Dea 3
The death of Sarai. The wives of Abram begin to get old.
1. Now, behold, Sarai hath gone the way of Judith, and hath found the Paradise of God.
2. Therefore are there but eleven sister-wives left of our Holy Order.
3. And most of our daughters have married (who were not taken away with Noah), and have already begun to raise up their own sons and daughters.
4. For most [of us] are [now] past the years of childbearing and [we] have fulfilled the measure of our creation [in this area].
5. And only Sarai delivered in her later years, and this that the glory of God might be revealed and that our lord might have time to build up the Holy Order, and this family, which shall return unto the earth in the Day of the Messiah and cause the HolyCity to spread and multiply across the face of the earth.
6. And this that the Great High God may dwell upon the earth in everlasting burnings, when the earth shall be transformed.
7. Then shall we all dwell together in the peace and joy of the Order of the Ancients.
or Haguth 1
Haguth continues the record. The laws governing sexual behaviour in marriage. Sexual fasting.
1. I am Haguth, the sixth wife of our lord Abram, and I write for I desire to speak somewhat concerning our betrothals and marriages.
2. Now behold, all our betrothals and marriages in the Holy City were after the Patriarchal Priesthood and the several degrees thereof;
3. But in the world we performed betrothals and marriages after all three Priesthood Degrees, even the Patriarchal, the Higher and the Lower Priesthoods.
4. Now we are a people who live after the Spirit of the Most High God;
5. Therefore our flesh is subject unto our spirits that it may not gain dominion thereover and cause a fall;
6. And behold, the people of the world are fallen, for their flesh ruleth their spirits.
7. Now it is a law amongst us that all the wives in a family, and also their husband, should sexually fast from two to four weeks each year.
8. And behold, we do this as a family.
9. Therefore we have no intercourse.
10. And this we call the Annual Fast of the Flesh.
11. And often we fast from food also, that our flesh may be further purified, though we do this at other times also.
12. Now it is the practice of the family of Abram to sexually fast in the autumn, in the nineth month.
13. And during this month we are fully clothed, even when we lay down in our beds.
14. Now the length of time of our fast is determined by she who hath the lowest Priesthood in our Order -- and I speak here only of the Holy Order.
15. Therefore if there is one who is after the Lesser Priesthood, then we sexually fast for two weeks [each year];
16. And if there is one who is after the Higher Priesthood, then we sexually fast for three weeks.
17. And if we are all after the Patriarchal Priesthood, then we sexually fast for four weeks.
18. And those wives who are not of our Order must therefore also observe this fast, since they are subject unto the Laws of the Order in temporal matters.
19. And we especially consecrate these weeks unto the Most High God, just as we do in the days of bleeding.
20. And we focus our minds and hearts on that which is spiritual only.
21. Now we are not bound by law unto the nineth month, but my lord Abram hath chosen this as this is the month when nature beginneth to sleep and our bodies become open to the vagaries of disease.
22. Now behold, we may sexually fast at other times also, by mutual consent with our husband.
23. And if he commandeth us to fast, then we are obedient, for he knoweth that which is expedient for our salvation.
24. And we know that he discerneth the spirits aright.
25. Therefore we are wise, preserving our bodies that they may be better vessels for the Holy Spirit.
26. And we understand also that our lord and master must also rest his flesh;
27. Therefore we sacrifice for his sake, and because our sacrifice is done in Messiah, it is consecrated unto our gain.
28. Now I, Haguth, write not concerning our love-making, save to say that what we do, we do in the Spirit.
29. For we understand that love-making apart from the pure love of Messiah is death, being carnal, sensual and devilish.
30. And it is the Spirit that sanctifieth;
31. Therefore we make love in the Spirit.
32. And in this manner is our joy consumated, and we are not ashamed, for we know that the Most High God hath ordained such for the multiplication of light and seed.
33. Now our lord Abram is gentle, tender, patient, and kind.
34. He is like the waters in all their forms, from the rushing torrent to the still sea.
35. And behold, he is a master of his passions;
36. And when he speaketh unto his flesh, and saith: "Be still!", lo, it obeyeth him, and is still.
37. And when he speaketh unto his flesh, and saith: "Move as the fires of Heaven", then they obey, and move.
38. Therefore is his flesh perfectly obedient, and the spirit of lust dwelleth not in him.
39. Yea, for he is beyond the temptation of the flesh.
40. And when the flesh is subject unto the Spirit, it is not tempted, neither doth it tempt.
41. And behold, this nature hath become a part of us sister-wives also, for we are mistresses over our own flesh.
42. Therefore we are wholly at peace in Messiah, whether we are alone upon ouir beds or in the fire of our husband's love.
43. And behold, this is the Patriarchal Priesthood, perfectly ordered and whole.
or Haguth 2
The death and burial of Abram. The grief and mourning of his family. Haguth ends her record and exhorts the women of Zion to faithfulness.
1. And now I, Haguth, end my record, and I write concerning the death of our belovèd lord.
2. And it came to pass that Abram died.
3. And O, how my soul was rent asunder!
4. And behold, there was a crying and a weeping in the House of Abram, and the noise of it echoed across the whole land.
5. And we wives, and our children, and our manservants and maidservants, and our brethren and sisters in the Covenant, rent our clothes and poured our souls out before the Most High God.
6. Yea, and a greater flood of tears was never known in our home.
7. We fell upon each other's necks, and we wept.
8. And it seemed to us that our souls would enter the very gates of death, for our hearts weighed heavily within us.
9. And we could not eat.
10. Therefore we buried our lord and master between Judith and Sarai in the cave Machpelah in the field of Ephron the Hittite.
11. And O, the stillness and darkness of the cave, and the great loneliness of our hearts.
12. And Isaac, the son of Sarai and Abram, spake unto us, and comforted us.
13. And he prayed in the Name of the Most High God.
14. And we wept bitter tears again.
15. Therefore I, Haguth, end my record, for my heart is pierced with too much sadness.
16. And my sister-wives cannot write, for we are all in the bonds of an overwhelming grief.
17. Therefore I bid you farewell, my belovèd ones, exhorting you in the Name of Messiah to be faithful unto His Name always, and to live after the love and discipline of our Order.
18. And I write especially for my sisters who shall come after me, pleading with them to seek a man of God to wed, and to yield
unto the Law of the Ancients, even as we have done.
19. And if ye will do this, ye will find peace and joy always.
20. But ye must come unto our Order with real desire in your souls, nothing doubting, laying your all upon the altar of sacrifice.
21. For if ye are not willing to give your all, ye can by no means enter into our mystery.
22. May the Name of Messiah be praised! Gracious is His Name!
23. And though I am weighed down with grief, such that my soul almost cannot bear it, yet I rejoice in My Redeemer.
24. And therefore I have peace.
or Isaac 2
Isaac concludes the record. The family of Abram gather together. Abram, Judith and Sarai appear before them in a great light. The eleven wives of Abram are transfigured and are translated with Abram, Judith and Sarai.
1. I am Isaac, the son of Abram, and I conclude this record of my father.
2. Now after that one year had passed since my father had been received into the paradise of God, I, Isaac, being the High Priest of the Holy Order according to the designation of my father Abram, summonsed the family together in the Tent of the Most High God.
3. And behold, my mothers, the wives of my father, were all veiled, for they had hidden their faces from the world.
4. And as we were in the act of singing and praising the Most high God, a great light appeared in the tent.
5. And my father Abram stood before us clothed in brilliant white.
6. And a great wind swept through the tent of our meeting, and the veils [of morning] were blown off from the faces of my mothers.
7. And to the left side of Abram stood Judith, and to the right stood Sarai.
8. And all were as they were in their youth;
9. And they shone like angels.
10. And Abram stood forward and, raising his hand above my head, blessed me in the Name of the Most High God, that I might be preserved, and that my seed might be preserved until Messiah should come.
11. Therefore he blessed all those in the Tent.
12. And after that he had blessed everyone, he stretched forth his hands, and spake unto my mothers, saying:
13. "Beloved ones, return unto me, ribs of my side, and be one with me."
14. And at once his wives began to move toward him;
15. And as they drew close unto him, the light began to grow brighter and brighter until the tent was filled with, as it seemed, a thousand suns.
16. And behold, we shielded our eyes.
17. And behold, there was a great humming sound that became lounder and louder;
18. Yea, and a throbbing, pulsating light filled the tent.
19. And the glory was too great for us;
20. Therefore we departed hastily from the tent.
21. Now the tent had become as water, for we could see through it with our natural eyes.
22. And we saw the thirteen wives of Abram round about him.
23. And behold, all were as they were in their youth.
24. And they all looked lovingly upon him, in the brilliance of their glory.
25. Yea, and we could see through them, for they had become as clear as water.
26. And we saw a pillar of light descending out of the heavens fall upon them;
27. And they ascended in the pillar into the night and were seen no more.
28. And we marvelled.
29. I suppose they have gone to the Paradise of our God, to rejoice forever in His love.
30. They could not be separated in death;
31. Therefore God took them unto Himself.
32. Therefore I, Isaac, close this record of my father Abram, and seal it up until the day that it shall come forth unto the children of the Firstborn who shall arise in the end times.
33. And this is a parable of the Love of God which sheddeth itself upon the souls of the righteous. Amen.
