hand against every man and every man’s hand against him.”
This child was Ishmael, from whom the Arab nations trace their descent.
Isaac and Ishmael
On October 16, 1940, Edgar Cayce used the following illustrations in a psychic discourse on the endocrine system of the human body:
When Abraham and Sarah were given the promise of an heir through which the nations of the earth would be blessed, there were many years of preparation of these individuals, of the physical, mental, and spiritual natures. Again and again it is indicated as to how they each in their material concept (watch the words here, please, if you would understand) attempted to offer a plan, or way, through which this material blessing from a spiritual source might be made manifest.
Hence we find as to how the material or mental self-misunderstanding, misconstruing the spiritual promises—offered or effected channels through which quite a different individual entity was made manifest; and through same brought confusion, distress, disturbance one to another in the material manifestations.
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It was Sarah’s impatience in waiting for the fulfilling of God’s promise which resulted in Ishmael’s birth. When her spiritual development matured, the promise was fulfilled. Isaac was conceived!
Yet, when the last promise was given, that even in their old age there would be given an heir, we find that when Sarah thus conceived there was the development of a body physically, mentally, and spiritually so well-balanced as to be almost etheric in his relationships to the world about him, when the material manifestation had grown to maturity.
Here we find, then, that mind and matter are coordinated into bringing a channel for spiritual activity that is not exceeded in any of the characters depicted in Holy Writ.
When, then, were the characteristics, the activity of the glandular system as related to that individual entity? We find that there was a perfect coordination in and through the whole period of gestation, and the fulfilling of the time according to the law set in motion by the divine influence that was the directing force of both parents through the period.
We find also that throughout the period of gestation the activities about the entity, the mother, were such as to influence the entity yet unborn, in patience to a degree not manifested in any other of the patriarchs. While the physical conditions made manifest in the body during the growth into manhood were affected by material laws, there was not the changing or deviating whatsoever from the spiritual through the mental.
Hence we find that illustration of what may be termed the individual ideally conceived, ideally cherished and nourished through the periods of gestation . . .
What, then, were the developments of that ideally conceived entity as related to the study here of the endocrine system?
First, the individual was one conceived in promise; with the desire, the purpose, the hope—in the act of conception—to bring forth that which had been promised. Hence the ideal attitude of both parents in that individual case.
Hence as given, first the pineal, the cranial, the thymus . . . then the gradual development of those influences which brought a goodly child; one subject to the care of both parents—by natural tendencies from conception; bringing into materialization that one worthy of being accepted and of receiving the promise beyond many of those who were of the seed of Abraham.
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With the birth of Isaac, Sarah ordered Hagar and Ishmael’s banishment. The Bible class notes offer some interesting and perceptive commentary:
“We wonder how Sarah could have been so cruel. She had been the one who had brought Abraham and Hagar together. However, this is a good lesson in human nature. Usually when we obtain something which is for us perfection, we want to rid ourselves of everything that reminds us of imperfection.
“Ishmael was a constant reminder to Sarah of her lack of faith in God. She wasn’t big enough to meet her own sin, and bring up Isaac at the same time. No doubt this is why God favored the banishment of Hagar and Ishmael. He knew what each person was capable of accomplishing, and that they would have to work out their shortcomings together at another time. Everybody has to meet his own self eventually. The most important thing then was to create the proper environment for Isaac, who was to mean so much to the world. If Hagar and Ishmael had remained, perhaps it could not have been done.”
Abraham and Edgar Cayce
The past and the present combine in this experience. On February 12, 1932, Edgar Cayce had the following dream:
“I thought I was with Mr. and Mrs. Lot and their two daughters running out of Sodom when it was raining fire and brimstone. What had been called, “She turned to a pillar of salt” (Genesis 19:26), because she looked back, was that they really passed through the heat which came from the fire of heaven, and all were tried as by fire. I got through the fire.”
On April 1, a reading was given to interpret the dream. The reading stated that Edgar Cayce actually had been one of the messengers (Genesis 19:1, 15, 16) who had been sent to warn Lot and the citizens of Sodom. Evidently Edgar Cayce was one of the three who had spoken to Abraham beforehand. (Genesis 18)
In this particular vision, this is rather as an experience through which the body passed with those at the period; for the body then, the entity, was one that accompanied these bodies in this experience, and in the present must and will pass through—in the mental attitudes that are being assumed as respecting the body and activities—much as those bodies in that experience. As to whether [Cayce] is to remain in that of the escape, as then, or is warned as respecting the outcome of the individuals seen, depends upon the attitude, and activities in the physical of the body through these trials; for they [the trials] will be as of by fire.13
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On April 2, the following day, a subsequent reading was given to interpret the above references. Although the dream related to a past life experience, it was attempting to communicate a message about the present. Edgar Cayce felt the dream pertained to the apparent necessity of leaving Virginia Beach, the place where previous readings had indicated he should settle.
After financial support was withdrawn from the Cayce Hospital and it closed at the onset of the Depression, Cayce faced a severe dilemma. Three homes into which he had moved were sold, necessitating further moves. Then he was unable to find a place to live.
In that as given of Lot, there was the choice by Lot as to whether this experience would be among the peoples in the city or those of the plains, or of those of the hills. The life was chosen rather among those, and companionship of these, of the city, which—in common parlance—“turned out bad!”
In the correlating with the life of Edgar Cayce, Virginia Beach was chosen rather by those sources through whom the information comes;
