Lectionary Readings for Wednesday, April 1st, 2020

Book of God’s Word Chapter 19, Chapter 20

Chapter 19

1. Zarathustra called his fifty companions before him, saying: Because these people are
delivered from the tyrant, they will become his enemies. A people long oppressed, love
vengeance. This would thwart the Ormazdian law. Take them, therefore, away from the
city, dividing them into groups amongst yourselves, and I will send angels, capable of
interpreting languages.

2. I’hua’Mazda said: Behold, a God cometh not to accomplish at random. Nor cometh he
to one man only, in order to overthrow the evil of a whole world. Ye have been prepared
for this work since the day of your birth. My angels have been with you, and ye are a part
of my army. Now this shall happen to you, after ye have divided these people, and
conducted them into the forests: ye shall begin to speak with new tongues, and these
people will understand you. And ye shall build altars of worship to Ormazd, teaching
these people songs and prayers and dancing, explaining to them the Ormazdian law.

3. Zarathustra said: Wait not for me to come, nor for the voice of I’hua’Mazda, but do ye
in faith as I have commanded, and the Voice will be with you.

4. So, those who fled from the anarchy of the city, were led away, half a day’s journey,
and there encamped. And the companions of Zarathustra, who were styled Inquas, were
entranced, and comprehended the language of the people, and could talk with them
understandingly.

5. So they built altars to Ormazd, and taught the people worship, and caused them to take
an oath not to kill any man or woman or child, nor beast, nor bird; nor any animal created
alive. And they bound them on the oath taken under the thigh, to eat only fruit and nuts
and roots and bread, according to the Ormazdian law. And they divided them into
families of tens and families of hundreds, and of a thousand, giving them one rab’bah for
each, according to the Zarathustrian law.

6. But Zarathustra returned into the city, and I’hua’Mazda clothed him about with fire, at
night, and with clouds in the daylight, so that the people could behold his power, and no
man dare raise a hand against him.

7. Then he commanded the people to gather together all the skulls on the walls, and the
scalps that were hung about the houses and on the poles; and they were taken away and
burned. And as for the soldiers, he disbanded them; and thus, the king was rendered
helpless, left to stroll about, cursing.

8. And Zarathustra advised the people to go out of the city and live; and they so went
forth by thousands, beginning new lives. After that, Zarathustra left the place; and at once
it was filled with drujas, and they went to the druks and inspired them to fire and plunder.
And it came to pass, in not many days, the great city of Tse’gow, with all its temples, and
towers, and palaces, was reduced to a heap of ashes.

9. Zarathustra went before the people, hundreds of thousands of them, speaking by the
voice of I’hua’Mazda, saying: I hear certain ones saying: Whoever setteth value on earthly
things, above heavenly things, it is good for him to have fire and destruction. All things
come of the Father, Ormazd, or by His permission. When He withdraweth His hand from
a wicked city, evil spirits rush in.

10. Ye have said: Who are evil spirits? Why doth not Ormazd destroy them? I say unto
you, evil spirits are both yourselves and the dead. Whom ye have slain in passion,
still live to torment you in spirit. Ye had their skulls hung on the gates and walls; your
temples of science were portaled with the scalps of your enemies. The spirits of these
people still live, though their bodies be dead, and they obsess you to deeds of wickedness.

11. This is the Ormazdian law; when a man is dead, ye shall either burn the body, or bury
it in the ground, that the spirit be not troubled. But ye bound them in spirit; Tse’gow was
an eye-sore in the sight of them that were slain for its glory. They delighted to see it
destroyed.

12. More than ye have lost by the fire, these spirits have gained ten-fold; for now the
Gods can deliver them in heaven. For which reasons, I declare unto you that it is a great
good that Tse’gow is destroyed. The world is large; the lands are very wide. Kill no man,
nor woman, nor child. They are Ormazd’s.

13. Neither shall ye build large cities; they are a curse on the face of the earth. Neither
shall ye live alone, for such become bound to self; but dwell in families of tens and
hundreds and thousands. Hath not the Father given you an example in the I’hins? They
kill not, nor take that which is another’s; nor are given to lust, nor war, nor
quarrelsomeness.

14. The Voice said: Where is the king’s wife, Hi’ti’us? Where is Ha’Sing, the prince? And
the princesses, Pentu, and Zoo, and He’in, and Zabee? The multitude answered: They are
gone!

15. After that the Voice said: I say unto you, they were gone, but they are returning.
Presently they will be here. They shall speak before you. And sure enough, presently the
king’s wife and son and daughters, came. Hi’ti’us said: Behold, Tse’gow of Oas is burned.
Who hath seen the king? He’in and Zabee, the princesses, were very young girls, and
they cried for their father. He had slain himself, cutting his bowels across with his sword.

16. I’hua’Mazda spake through Zarathustra, saying: Come thou, Hi’ti’us, and stand on the
rocks so that all can see, and bring thy children. She came and stood beside Zarathustra.
And now the Voice said: Let these bear witness whether the dead do not live in spirit?

17. Hi’ti’us said: With my own eyes have I seen the spirits of the dead; with my own
ears, heard them talk. My children shall hold up their hands if these things be true.
The children held up their hands. Again Hi’ti’us said: Where is my husband, the king?

18. Whilst they were yet standing on the rocks, lo and behold, the ghost of the king rose
up before all the people, and He’in and Zabee cried out: Here is my father! Then spake
I’hua’Mazda, saying to the soul of the king: Knowest thou that thou art dead? The soul of
the king spake loud, so that all could hear him; he said: No, I am not dead, but I have
done a foolish thing, I cut my bowels across.

19. Then Hi’ti’us said: I fear, indeed, the king is dead, and this is his spirit. He looks
strangely! I’hua’Mazda said: There is no cut. Thy belly is unharmed. But the spirit
persisted, saying: I thrust my hands in the hole, and yet thou sayest, there is no wound!
Thou art mad! I remember thee; it was thou who broughtst back these phantom enemies
to torment me!

20. I’hua’Mazda said: What enemies seest thou? The spirit answered: All I ever slew;
a thousand or more! Away, ye torments! Ye mockers! I will thrust you through.

21. The soul of the king then stamped and raved, for he saw the spirits of the dead;
but the audience saw them not, though they saw him, for he was in sar’gis form.

22. I’hua’Mazda said: I say unto thee, O king, thou art dead, and risen from the dead.
Couldst thou but awake to this fact, thou wouldst be risen in spirit. Neither canst thou be
delivered till these, thy enemies, are also delivered. Then answered the spirit of the king,
saying: I banish thee from the city of Tse’gow! Nor shalt thou ever return, under penalty
of death!

23. I’hua’Mazda said: I tell thee, O king, the city of Tse’gow is destroyed. Verily is
there not one house standing in all the place! The soul of the king answered, saying:
Thou tormentest me! Thou madman! Thou assertest lies in the face of facts!
Begone, wretch! O that my belly were not cut across; I would at thee with vengeance!

24. I’hua’Mazda withdrew the sar’gis, and the king could not be seen; nevertheless, his
spirit continued cursing and raging all the same. The queen, Hi’ti’us, comprehended the
matter fully, and her heart was heavy with sorrow.

25. I’hua’Mazda said to her: Remember the faith of thy forefathers, the I’hins. Be thou
strong in the Ormazdian law, and these sorrows will pass away. Nor is there anything in
heaven or earth can satisfy the soul that is short before the law. To her that can say, I live
the all highest, happiness hath a sure foundation.

26. And, whosoever perceiving the dead are in torments, let them pray for them, singing
anthems unto the Father. Intercede ye with the All Light, to bestow them with peace.
Think not that because of your prayers the All Light runneth with haoma, to feed the
spirits of the dead. But this I declare unto you, that, by peace and joy in your devotions to
the Father, the spirits are thus reclaimed to virtue and exaltation.

27. These things will I show unto you yet this night; be steadfast and hopeful in Faith,
and, when the evening hath come, I will again call up the spirits of the dead before you.

Chapter 20

1. Because of the destruction of Tse’gow, there were hundreds of thousands of people
rendered homeless and destitute, and groups were surging about in all places, crying out
for food, or for some needful thing. I’hua’Mazda said to Zarathustra, the All Pure: The ill-fortune of mortals is the good fortune of the righteous Gods; but the good fortune of mortals is the glory of the evil Gods. Think not that because Tse’gow is burned, and
the people hungry, the Voice of the Father is out of place. Now is the time they will give
ear. By the loss of earthly treasures, the soul seeketh for that which will endure forever.

2. Go thou, therefore, O Zarathustra, and I will go with thee; and criers shall be sent out,
calling the people to the valley of Tsoak’ya this night.

3. So it came about, when night set in, Zarathustra came before the people, and there were
tens of thousands of them. I’hua’Mazda spake to them, explaining the Ormazdian law.

4. When he was done speaking, he took Hi’ti’us, the king’s widow; her children, and forty
others, and made a crescent of them; and he stood betwixt the horns thereof. And to his
left and right were many of his companions. Thus prepared, Zarathustra sang a song, such
as the I’hins had taught him in his youth.

5. And the drujas were ushered into the crescent, taking on sar’gis, the king amongst the
number. And the spirit of the king was softened, for they sang peace to his soul and joy
forever; and presently, he awoke from his craziness, and remembered he was dead; and he
rejoiced in Zarathustra, and applauded him before all the people. And likewise the spirits
of darkness who were with him did in the same manner.

6. Zarathustra said: Behold, I have not come in a dark age. Ye shall not worship any man
born of woman, nor call him sacred. One only, Who is Ormazd, the Creator, is Master
over all the world. Hear ye now my voice unto Him!

7. Zarathustra stretched his arms upward, full of energy, and I’hua’Mazda spake through
him, saying: Light of Light, O Father, hear Thou Thy Son! With thy Almighty hand bless
Thou these faithful sufferers! Hardly had these words been spoken, when there fell from
the air above, fish and fruit and grains and roots, and all things good to eat, more than
sufficient to feed the famished people for three days; and there were more than thirty
thousand of them.

8. And all this while the sar’gis of the king looked on, and beheld what had been done;
and he cried out with a loud voice: Blessed art Thou, O Ormazd! O that I had known
Thee! O that I had sought to find Thee! Hi’ti’us, my wife! And my blessed babes! Swear
ye to the king, ye will proclaim the I’hua’Mazdian law, forever! Swear it! Give me joy!
Swear! swear! swear!

9. Then Hi’ti’us and the children held up their hands as directed by I’hua’Mazda, swearing
a solemn oath to maintain the love of Ormazd and the Zarathustrian law, forever.
After these, there came thousands and thousands of others, who also swore in the same
way. I’hua’Mazda then took away the sar’gis, and the spirits could not be seen by mortals.