{"id":1199,"date":"2020-04-03T22:09:47","date_gmt":"2020-04-03T22:09:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/religionoflight.org\/ns\/lightofgod\/?p=1199"},"modified":"2020-04-03T22:09:47","modified_gmt":"2020-04-03T22:09:47","slug":"lectionary-readings-for-saturday-april-4th-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/religionoflight.org\/ns\/lightofgod\/2020\/04\/03\/lectionary-readings-for-saturday-april-4th-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"Lectionary Readings for Saturday, April 4th, 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"

Seventh-Day Sabbath<\/em><\/p>\n

Book of God’s Word Chapter 25, Chapter 26<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

1. Zarathustra, the All Pure, divided the people, leading his followers away from the
\nothers, taking them into good places of delight. After that, he looked back with
\ncompassion, and he said to I’hua’Mazda:
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

2. What of them who will not accept the Ormazdian law? I’hua’Mazda answered him,
\nsaying: Behold, thy arms are full! Let the dead have dominion with the dead. Not only
\nthis generation, but many that come after thee, will not be alive to the Ormazdian law.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Zarathustra apportioned his people into cities and villages and families, but over the
\nwhole of them he appointed Yus’avak as Chief, one of his companions who came with
\nhim from Oas.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

4. And when Yus’avak was established, Zarathustra and his companions traveled further,
\nand came to the city of Ne’ki’ro, kingdom of Aboatha, king of twelve generations through
\nhis forefathers, whose title was, A<\/span>BOATHA<\/span>, S<\/span>ON OF <\/span>U<\/span>ZZA<\/span>, S<\/span>ON OF <\/span>N<\/span>IMROD<\/span>, S<\/span>ON OF THE <\/span>H<\/span>OUSE
\nOF <\/span>T<\/span>US\u2019IANG<\/span>, <\/span>WHO IS DESCENDED FROM BEFORE THE WORLD WAS <\/span>!
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

5. Ne’ki’ro was a walled city, but the Zarathustrians gained entrance without paying
\ntribute, because the law thus favored strangers. Abaotha, in his youth, had traveled
\namongst the Parsi’e’ans, and knew the language; and when Zarathustra was before him,
\nspeaking in the Oas’an tongue, the king inquired his business, and how long he purposed
\nstaying, stating, moreover, that he had received the tablets of the Ormazdian law, with the
\ninterpretations, from the King of the Sun, Asha; and that he had desired to see
\nZarathustra.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

6. Zarathustra said: I came to establish the Ormazdian law. In the name of the All Light
\nwill I blunt the edge of the sword and the spear. Until I have fulfilled the commandments
\nupon me, I shall tarry within thy city. Of things thou hast read in the holy book I am come
\nin the Person of I’hua’Mazda.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

7. The king said: My city is not so large; I have more scalps and skulls, for the size of my
\ncity, than any other king in the world. But know thou, O man, I am a philosopher. Many
\nof my people are also learned people. Hear thou me, then, and if thou hast a greater
\nphilosophy than I have, I will not only bequeath to thee the public skulls and scalps, to be
\nthy treasures forever, but I will also give my skull and scalp into thy hand, as the most
\nvaluable treasure in the Jaffeth’an empire.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

8. Zarathustra said: Though thou settest great value on skulls and scalps, because they are
\nthe product of labor, yet they are of no value to me, nor to the Father in heaven. Neither
\nhave I any philosophy for thee, or for the Father’s begotten. To accept His will; to be
\nservant unto Him, by doing good unto others, comprise the whole of the law, by which all
\nmen may be made to rejoice in their creation.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

9. The king said: Think not that I am as other men. I am not as other men. In the first
\nbeginning of all things, there were S<\/span>EVEN <\/span>and N<\/span>INE <\/span>things. I was one of them. By division,<\/span>
\nwe created all there is in heaven and earth. Seven thousand and seven millions, and nine
\nthousand and nine millions of times, have I divided myself. One-seventh and one-ninth of
\nall there are of created things is my very self. Tell me, then, hast thou as great a
\nphilosophy as this?
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

10. Zarathustra said: O the folly of men before Thee, O Ormazd! They run after that
\nwhich flattereth self, seeing their fellows going down in death, and they raise not their
\nhands to lift them up! I tell thee, O king, thy poorest slave that bringeth out of the earth
\nfood for two men, hath a greater philosophy than thine! He that can rule over his own
\nself-conceit, that speaketh not of himself, giveth a better philosophy of himself than thou
\nhast. He who hath not yet risen from his mother’s breast, hath more treasures to give than
\nthou has obtained with all thy philosophy. Ere three days have passed by, the city’s skulls
\nand scalps will be burned to dust. Nor will thy philosophy avail thee to stay the hand of
\nI’hua’Mazda.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

11. The king said: Proposest thou with this handful of men to battle with my army?
\nZarathustra said: I have spoken. There is no value in discoursing with any man who
\nhath an opinion to establish, nor is man’s opinion of value to raise up the souls of
\nmen. Bring thou, therefore, thy army, and command them to fall upon me and mine!
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

12. The king said: Thou hast no weapons; think not that I battle with men who use their
\ntongues, like women!
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

13. Zarathustra said: Why boasteth thou? Thy soldiers will turn and flee when thou
\nbringest them against me!
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

14. The king turned away then, and ordered his officers to bring soldiers, and dispatch
\nZarathustra and his companions, and to hang their skulls and scalps on the walls.
\nZarathustra and his companions went into the king’s garden, and formed in an altar. When
\nthe sun had set, and evening came, the king’s soldiers, more than ten thousand, came upon
\nthem.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

15. I’hua’Mazda had great power, because of the faith of Zarathustra, and he spake with a
\nloud voice, saying: Light of Thy Light, O Ormazd! Build me here a wall of fire! And
\nbehold, there fell from heaven curtains of fire, till a great wall stood betwixt the two
\npeoples; nor would one soldier throw a spear or sling a stone; and many of them broke
\nand fled.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

16. When the king saw the power of Zarathustra, he feared for his kingdom; and not
\ndeciding at once what course to pursue, he went into his palace. Then came Zarathustra
\nand his companions out of the garden, but the light extended up above Zarathustra’s
\nhead like a pillar of fire. I’hua’Mazda spake to some who were nearest, saying:
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

17. Run quickly and call the soldiers back, saying to them they shall be my soldiers, and I
\nwill give them the weapons of the Creator. So, the messengers ran, and brought many
\nof them back. I’hua’Mazda commanded them to gather the skulls and scalps from the
\ncity walls, and from the gates, and go and burn them, and the soldiers did these things.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

18. The next day after they were consumed, I’hua’Mazda began to preach, explaining
\nthe Ormazdian law; and he received many followers. The king had tried by all means
\nto gather his soldiers together, but no one obeyed him. After that Zarathustra went to
\nhim, saying: If thou art one-seventh and one-ninth of all things, who thinkest thou I am?
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

19. The king said: They say thou art a very Creator! But, as to my opinion, thou art only a
\nmagician. Thou canst not do anything real; for which reason, I hoped thou wouldst come<\/span>
\nbefore me. Know, then, thy end hath come! With that, the king struck at Zarathustra; but
\nthe king’s sword was broken into pieces, and of non-effect.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

20. The king had two trained chetahs, large as the largest lions, and he ordered them to be
\nunloosed and set upon Zarathustra. And it was done; but, lo and behold, the chetahs came
\nand licked his hands. But the king was hardened, and would not believe. I’hua’Mazda
\ncalled the king to come near, and he came.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

21. He said unto the king: I am not thine enemy, but the enemy of evil; I come not to
\ntake thy kingdom. In a few days I shall leave this place. So, thy kingdom would be
\nworthless to me. And yet I come to establish another kingdom, which is the Father’s.
\nI come to overthrow sin and wickedness, and to build up that which is good. And in
\nso doing, it shall be known amongst men that the soul is immortal.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

22. Rather would I see thee and thy people alive and full of joy, than to see them dead.
\nThou hast said thou understandest the Ormazdian law; perceiving there is also a king’s
\nlaw.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

23. The king’s laws are for the earth-world; to punish the wicked and reward the valorous;
\nthe Ormazdian law is for the Zarathustrians, who need no kings. Thy subjects are for
\nwar and plunder; but the subjects of the Great Spirit are for doing good, and in love
\nand mercy. And have I not shown thee that the Ormazdian laws are the stronger of
\nthe two? Yea, a hundred fold. It is wiser for thee to espouse the stronger law. Thou
\nhast gathered certain treasures, boasting of thy treasures’value. Because thou hast
\nmade a law of exchange for skulls and scalps; how sayest thou? Maketh thou
\nthem valuable? Because a man bringeth a skull to thee, thou givest him bread. Now
\nI declare unto thee, values consist not in the rate of exchange betwixt men. Shall a
\nman gather a heap of stones, and say: Behold, they are valuable! Or iron, or gold, or
\ncopper, and say: Behold, they are valuable! A piece of bread is valuable, or flax, or wool.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

24. Because man hath set value on things not valuable, he buildeth in falsehood and
\ndeath. Ormazd alone is valuable; the man who hath the most All Light, hath the greatest
\nvaluables. For by the Light of the Father all righteous things can be obtained easily.
\nWhilst I’hua’Mazda was yet speaking, the spirit of Zarathustra went abroad, and, with ten
\nthousand other spirits, brought fish and fruit, and let them fall around about the place. The
\npeople ran and gathered them up for food. The king made no reply at first, for he was
\nencompassed about with evil spirits, who were angered with I’hua’Mazda and his
\nproceedings. Presently the king said:
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

25. Because I am transcended by thee, it is no longer useful for me to live. With that, he
\ncut his belly across, and fell dead. And Zarathustra commanded that the king’s body be
\nlaid straight for three days; and it was done; and there came thousands of people to look
\nupon the king, and witness that he was dead. And they saw of a truth that the bowels were
\ngushed out of the wound, and that there was no breath in him.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

26. So I’hua’Mazda suffered the spirit of the king to live three days in torments, and then
\nhe called his disciples around him, saying: Now will I raise the king to life, and it shall be
\ntestimony in Jaffeth.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

27. And Zarathustra pushed the bowels back into the belly, and drew the place shut,
\nsaying: In Thy name, O Father, heal I this man’s body, as a testimony of Thy Wisdom and
\nPower! And when Zarathustra had drawn his hand over the belly twice, it was healed.
\nAnd then Zarathustra said: O Father, as by Thy spirit Thou didst quicken into life this,<\/span>
\nThy child, in his mother’s womb, restore Thou him to life!
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

28. And the king was healed, and restored to life before the people; and he awoke and
\nlooked about, and then rose up. He said: Even now I was dead and in hell, and I saw
\nmillions of the dead, and they were in hell also. And there went up around about them
\nfires of burning brimstone, and none could escape.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Chapter 26<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

1. When the king was restored, he was as another man, having su’is, and believing with a
\nfull conviction; and he asked Zarathustra what now he should do that he might escape the
\nfires of hell after death.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

2. I’hua’Mazda spake through Zarathustra, saying: Think not what thou canst do to escape
\nhell fire, for that would be laboring for self. Think what thou canst do to save others. For
\nwhich reason thou shalt practice the Ormazdian law. One year shalt thou dwell with the
\npoor, carrying the alms-bowl, according to the Zarathustrian law. After that thou shalt
\npreach the I’hua’Mazdian law, of the denial of self for the good of the city, teaching the
\nturning away from earthly things, and striving for spiritual things, having faith in Ormazd.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

3. The king said: All these things can I do, yet one thing I cannot do, which is having faith
\nin Ormazd. If He be a Person, and created all the creation, is He not the foundation of evil
\nas well as good? If He heretofore created evil, or by incompetence suffered it to enter into
\ncreation, may He not do so in after time, even after death?
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

4. I’hua’Mazda said: When a potter hath a pot half made, sayest thou it is an evil pot? Nay,
\nverily, but that it is not yet completed. Even so are all men, created by Ormazd. Those
\nwho are good are completed, but those who are evil are unfinished work. But the Creator
\nalso gave to man knowledge, that he might see himself in the unfinished state, and the
\nCreator gave to man power and judgment, that man might turn to and help complete
\nhimself, thereby sharing the glory of his creation. The man that doeth this is already clear
\nof hell fire; he that doeth it not shall not escape.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

5. The king inquired concerning animals, to which I’hua’Mazda answered, saying:
\nAnimals are of the earth creation, and are completed in the place of their dwelling.
\nNeither hath any animal aspiration to make itself better or wiser, that it may contribute to
\nthe creation. And some men have no more aspiration than an animal serving the beast (the
\nflesh-man) only. Only the torments of hell can stir them up.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

6. When I’hua’Mazda explained the Ormazdian law, the quarter of which is not here
\nrelated, the king comprehended, whereupon he took the vows on the altar, and under the
\neye, according to the Zarathustrian law. So when those people were restored, Zarathustra
\nleft one of his traveling companions with them, as God-ir in Chief, and Zarathustra
\ndeparted, taking his other companions with him.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

7. Whereof it is recorded in the libraries of heaven, showing that the next city kingdom
\nwas likewise delivered, and the people became Zarathustrians.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

8. And again Zarathustra departed, and came to another city, which was overthrown and
\ndelivered also. Until it came to pass that Zarathustra overthrew and delivered twenty and
\nfour cities and kingdoms in Jaffeth.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

9. After that he departed to the upper lands of Shem, where he also overthrew and
\ndelivered many cities and kingdoms, establishing the Zarathustrian law. For two whole<\/span>
\nyears he labored in Shem; and so great was the power of Ormazd upon Zarathustra that all
\nthe cities and kingdoms of Shem threw off the bondage of the Sun Kingdom of Parsi’e.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

10. After that Zarathustra traveled toward Ham, which was called Arabin’ya. But in those
\ncountries Zarathustra had not so great success, because the people were not learned
\nin books, nor in the stars, nor tablets. Nevertheless, Zarathustra delivered many cities.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

11. So I’hua’Mazda said to Zarathustra: Go back, now, to thine own country; and thou
\nshalt overthrow yet seven cities and seven great kingdoms; and after that thou shalt return
\nto Oas, and it shall fall before thy hand, that the prophecies of thy childhood be fulfilled.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

12. So Zarathustra returned to Parsi’e and went to the seven great cities and kingdoms,
\nand overthrew them; and many of them were destroyed utterly by fire and by war; but
\nZarathustra delivered the faithful and established the Zarathustrian law with all of them.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

13. And now he returned to his native city, Oas, according to the commandment of
\nI’hua’Mazda.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Seventh-Day Sabbath Book of God’s Word Chapter 25, Chapter 26 1. Zarathustra, the All Pure, divided the people, leading his followers away from the others, taking them into good places of delight. After that, he looked back with compassion, and he said to I’hua’Mazda: 2. What of them who will not accept the Ormazdian law? … [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-1199","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\/1199","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=1199"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/religionoflight.org\/ns\/lightofgod\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1199\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1200,"href":"https:\/\/religionoflight.org\/ns\/lightofgod\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1199\/revisions\/1200"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/religionoflight.org\/ns\/lightofgod\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1199"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/religionoflight.org\/ns\/lightofgod\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1199"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/religionoflight.org\/ns\/lightofgod\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1199"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}