{"id":1197,"date":"2020-04-02T23:13:35","date_gmt":"2020-04-02T23:13:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/religionoflight.org\/ns\/lightofgod\/?p=1197"},"modified":"2020-04-02T23:13:35","modified_gmt":"2020-04-02T23:13:35","slug":"lectionary-readings-for-friday-april-3rd-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/religionoflight.org\/ns\/lightofgod\/2020\/04\/02\/lectionary-readings-for-friday-april-3rd-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"Lectionary Readings for Friday, April 3rd, 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"

Book of God’s Word Chapter 23, Chapter 24<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Chapter 23<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Zarathustra, the All Pure, inquired concerning protection against imposters. To
\nwhich I’hua’Mazda answered, saying: Prove all things on the altar. If a man come
\nbefore the people saying: Behold, I am a prophet! and he teach strange doctrines, he
\nshall be tied on the wheel with his face toward the sun at high noon. And if he be a
\ntrue prophet, the spirits who dwell by the altar will set him free. But, if he be not released
\non the third night, the wheel shall be carried out into the forest and stood up by
\nthe bushes. And if he be an imposter the wild beasts will come and devour his flesh.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Zarathustra inquired concerning the wheel afterward. I’hua’Mazda said: When an
\nimposter hath perished on the wheel, behold, the wheel shall be no longer used as before.
\nBut the disciples shall cut away the rim of the wheel, and cast it away, for it is useless.
\nBut the cross-bars of the centre of the wheel shall be retained, for it was on the bars that
\nhe was bound, and the cross of the bars is sacred; and it shall be hung in the place of
\nworship, for it is a true cross. (See Se’moin, Book of Saphah, as to the origin of the true
\ncross. Look for symbol, F<\/span>ETE<\/span>. <\/span>–Ed.)<\/span>
\n
\n<\/span>Chapter 24<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Zarathustra inquired concerning the government. To which I’hua’Mazda replied, saying:
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

2. To the All Pure disciples there is no need of government, save to do the Will of
\nOrmazd. But no people are all pure; no people are all wise. Two kinds of government
\ncreated the Creator; the first is His Own, the Government of Ormazd; the second is the
\ngovernment mortals have amongst themselves.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Zarathustra inquired if government did not abridge liberty. I’hua’Mazda said: The
\nOrmazdian government giveth liberty; so far as man’s government partaketh after the
\nOrmazdian government, it giveth liberty also.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

4. Zarathustra inquired: What is the best, most potent, man’s government? To which
\nI’hua’Mazda replied: This is the best, most potent, man’s government: First, there shall not
\nbe more than two thousand people, so that they can know one another; and no city shall
\nbe larger than that.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

5. The oldest, wisest, best man shall be the chief rab’bah; but the families of tens and
\nfamilies of hundreds within the city shall have each, one rab’bah, being the oldest, wisest,
\nbest man.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

6. These rab’bahs shall be the government of the city. They shall have a government
\nhouse, and it shall be the place of decrees.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

7. Zarathustra said: How shall they make decrees, that the decrees pervert not liberty?
\nI’hua’Mazda said: Ask not this, O man! He who crieth out constantly for his liberty is a
\nselfish man, he is a druk. Save a man be willing to sacrifice his liberty somewhat, for the
\npublic good, he is unworthy before Ormazd. To find the amount of sacrifice, this is the
\nbusiness of the decrees.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

8. Zarathustra said: How, then, shall the rab’bah proceed? I’hua’Mazda said: When they
\nare seated, the chief rab’bah shall announce the subject; neither shall any other rab’bah
\nannounce the subject. But if a rab’bah have a subject, he shall state it beforehand to the
\nchief rab’bah.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

9. After the subject is announced, then shall all the rab’bahs speak on the subject; but they
\nshall not speak against one another; each one declaring his highest light.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

10. When they have all spoken, then shall the chief rab’bah speak his highest light, which
\nhe gathereth from the others in the first place, but which is afterward illuminated by the
\nLight of Ormazd, and this shall be the decree.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

11. Zarathustra inquired concerning the laws betwixt cities. I’hua’Mazda spake to
\nZarathustra, the All Pure, explaining the Ormazdian law. He said: A city is a family
\nof one. A small village is a family of one; for which reason is a city called Ir. And every
\ncity shall have one God-ir, who shall be the oldest, best, wise man. The God-irs
\nshall meet in council to consider what is good for all the cities jointly. For some cities
\nare situated for flax and wool, some for iron, and some for copper, and some for ships.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

12. Zarathustra inquired concerning the Council of God-irs. I’hua’Mazda answered him,
\nsaying: The God-irs shall choose the oldest, best, wise man amongst them, and he shall be
\ncalled God-ir Chief. And he shall sit in the east in the Council chamber, and he shall
\npresent the subjects, after they have been told him by the other God-irs. And when he
\nhath presented a subject, all the members shall speak upon it. And after they have all
\nspoken, then the God-ir Chief shall speak, and his words shall be the decree, which shall<\/span>
\nbe called the Zarathustrian law, because the All Light dwelleth with the Chief, and
\nhe cannot err. This is the Ormazdian law, the I’hua’Mazdian law, the Zarathustrian law.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

13. Zarathustra said: Of a walled city (giryah), what is the Ormazdian law? I’hua’Mazda
\nanswered, saying: To the I’hins, walled cities; to the I’huans, cities without walls. To the
\ncities of the druks, walls. This is the kingdom of I’hua’Mazda; they that have faith, why
\nshall they build walls? They shall not hoard up gold and silver; none will rob them. After
\nZarathustra, two people will live. One shall be the people of this world; the other shall be
\nthe people of Ormazd. The former shall strive for earthly things; the latter for spiritual
\nthings. And there shall be no affinity betwixt these two people. From this time forth,
\nthe Zarathustrian people, who have faith in the Father, shall not have walled cities
\n(save the I’hins, the sacred people). But this world’s people, having no faith in the Father,
\nshall have faith in stone walls; whereby ye may know which are righteous in my sight.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

14. Zarathustra inquired concerning the smallest of cities. I’hua’Mazda answered him,
\nsaying: The smallest city is a man and his wife and children. And even as the people in a
\nlarge city are one with one another, so shall a man and his wife and children be one with
\none another.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

15. And as a large city must have a head father, so shall a small one. Whatsoever hath no
\nhead is nothing.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

16. Zarathustra said: In the government of a large city, the fathers speak on a subject, and
\nafter them, the head father decreeth.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

17. I’hua’Mazda said: Even so shall it be in a family of husband and wife. The wife shall
\nspeak first, and the children next, if old enough; and after that the father shall decree. That
\nwhich is a good law for a large city, is good for a small one. As the kingdoms in heaven
\nare governed, so shall be the kingdoms on earth.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

18. Zarathustra inquired concerning a bad husband and a good wife, and a bad wife and a
\ngood husband? I’hua’Mazda spake to Zarathustra, the All Pure, saying:
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

19. Who knoweth what is good and what is bad? Are not all men to give themselves as
\nsacrifice to the Father, and all women also? If a good woman is not willing to sacrifice
\nherself to a bad husband, after having sworn to Ormazd, then she is not good, but a lover
\nof herself. A good woman hath no self to serve. Because her husband turneth out bad,
\nshall she also? Is it not good for her in the place Ormazd provided? Shall she set up her
\njudgment against the Father’s?
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

20. There be men of evil, and of passion, who abuse their wives. Knoweth not every
\ndamsel this? For this reason, if she commit herself to her husband in the name of the
\nFather, He heareth her. And He establisheth His kingdom in her house. And that man and
\nwoman have no longer themselves to consult as to their desires; for if the Father desireth
\nher to leave her husband, or the husband to leave the wife, He taketh one of them
\nto heaven. Think not that He changeth as the wind, or boweth Himself to please the
\ncaprice of man or woman. Rather let the good wife, with a bad husband, say to Ormazd:
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

21. Because I was vain, Thou hast rebuked me, O Father. Because I sought to change
\nmy condition, Thou hast shown me I knew not what was good for me. Yea, thou hast
\nshown me the folly of my judgment before Thee, and I will profit in turning to Thy Will.
\nI will not more open my mouth in complaint. Though I be scourged with stripes,
\nand made ashamed of my household, yet will I glorify Thee. The city Thou hast
\nfounded in me, will I begin at the foundation, and build up as a holy city, in Thy name.<\/span>
\n
\n<\/span>22. And she shall say to her husband, who beateth her: Because the Father gavest thou to
\nme, I will rejoice and sing in thy praise. Before I sleep at night, I will ask His blessing
\nupon thee, and in the early morning, and at high noon. Though thou mayst hate me, yet
\nwill I do so great good works for thee, thou shalt love me. Though thou mayst kill me, yet
\nwill I go into heaven and build a house for thee.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Book of God’s Word Chapter 23, Chapter 24 Chapter 23 1. Zarathustra, the All Pure, inquired concerning protection against imposters. To which I’hua’Mazda answered, saying: Prove all things on the altar. If a man come before the people saying: Behold, I am a prophet! and he teach strange doctrines, he shall be tied on the … [Read more…]<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[49],"tags":[46,40,39,34,36,35,38,33,41,31,32,47,50,48,44,45,43,42],"class_list":{"0":"entry","1":"post","2":"publish","3":"author-lightofgod","4":"post-1197","6":"format-standard","7":"category-lectionary-readings","8":"post_tag-calendar","9":"post_tag-daily-readings","10":"post_tag-eloih","11":"post_tag-faithism","12":"post_tag-faithist-church","13":"post_tag-faithists","14":"post_tag-jehovih","15":"post_tag-kosmon-era","16":"post_tag-lectionary-readings","17":"post_tag-oahspe","18":"post_tag-oahspe-bible","19":"post_tag-observances","20":"post_tag-religion-of-light","21":"post_tag-sabbath","22":"post_tag-united-covenant","23":"post_tag-united-covenant-of-light","24":"post_tag-yeshua","25":"post_tag-yoshu"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/religionoflight.org\/ns\/lightofgod\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1197","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/religionoflight.org\/ns\/lightofgod\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/religionoflight.org\/ns\/lightofgod\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/religionoflight.org\/ns\/lightofgod\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/religionoflight.org\/ns\/lightofgod\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1197"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/religionoflight.org\/ns\/lightofgod\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1197\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1198,"href":"https:\/\/religionoflight.org\/ns\/lightofgod\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1197\/revisions\/1198"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/religionoflight.org\/ns\/lightofgod\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1197"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/religionoflight.org\/ns\/lightofgod\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1197"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/religionoflight.org\/ns\/lightofgod\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1197"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}