would be good for an individual might not be to another godly; and thus it would be sin to that individual. Thus Righteousness versus Sin becomes again a personal application of the individual’s awareness of God’s purpose.
For, as many be illustrated: to the workaday mind of today, Abram’s offering of Isaac would appear foolish, yet—as stated—it was counted to him as righteousness, not sin.
This, then, is a personal application of the awareness that is in the consciousness of the seeker after God.
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In the symbolic, or metaphysical sense, the offering of Isaac, like the slaying of Abel, is a foreshadowing of the sacrifice of the Christ.
What, then, is this faith that is indicated? This one knows, when one becomes aware of same; yet may never put it into words nor tell another by words—or acts even—as to what that consciousness of faith is. Yet we may see the shadows of same in what faith has prompted in the experience of others, as it is so well expressed in the seventh of Hebrews, or as given in that God so had faith in man as to give His Son himself, to die—in the flesh; knowing that man must come to the realization—and would—that he, too, must often crucify that of material desire within himself, if he would glorify his better self, or if he would prefer his brother above himself. Or, even as a man, Abraham, the son of faith, the author of faith, offered—or was willing to offer—his only son, his physical heir; knowing that there must be a purpose from that inner voice as to that command.
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The conclusion to this Bible class lesson is provoking and dramatic:
“Taking all the biblical references regarding temptation into consideration, we must believe this was a very crucial period in the history of mankind. This was Satan’s opportunity to deceive Abraham into destroying his own son, and thus thwart God’s plan of salvation. Abraham’s faith was so great in what he believed to be God’s command, Satan was thwarted instead. Through faith, Abraham was able to behold the other sacrifice.
“We can try and delude ourselves by saying there is no evil. If we believe in the record laid down for us, we must realize that Satan is abroad in the earth, seeking to add to his side all who listen to him. It is only those who have faith in God, as Abraham did, who can escape him.
“There comes a time of supreme testing to each soul—Abraham and Isaac, Jesus in the mount.”
The Sons of Isaac
Sarah, Rebekah, and Rachel all had the same experience. They had to wait many years before they gave birth to their sons. Other women were fruitful, and they were barren for most of their lives. Why was this? Were they not the chosen channels through which the line of Judah was established, and through which the Prince of Peace was eventually to come? Those who are to fulfill the promises of God must first prepare themselves through patience, humility, prayer, and supplication. They must fist become worthy to receive such a blessing.
Throughout history, the great spiritual leaders have come in answer to prayer and preparation, and through the need expressed by individuals and groups.
The Cayce information on ideals and purposes toward conception and sexual union are extremely significant in this day and time of world turmoil. Millions of people in the earth today seem to have no greater impetus than to fight one another, and to put selfishness and greed above love and service.
This is a continuation of the Edgar Cayce reading on the endocrine gland system, regarding the birth of twins to Isaac and Rebekah:
Then we have that illustration in the sons of Isaac, when there were those periods in which there was to be the fulfilling of the promise to Isaac and Rebekah. We find that their minds differed as to the nature or character of channel through which there would come this promise [Genesis 17:3-8]; when, as we understand, there must be the cooperation spiritually, mentally, in order for the physical result to be the same. Here we find a different situation taking place at the time of conception, for both attitudes found expression. Hence twins were found to be the result of this long preparation, and yet two minds, two opinions, two ideas, two ideals. Hence we find that here it became necessary that even the Divine indicate to the mother that channel which was to be the ruler or that one upon whom would be bestowed the rightful heritage through which the greater blessings were to be indicated to the world, to humanity, to mankind as a whole. [Genesis 25:23]
Hence we find two natures, two characteristics—physically, mentally, spiritually. Here we find what might be termed a perfect channel again and with same a testing—not only of the parents themselves but of the individuals that were begotten under those conditions in which the promise was as clear to them as it had been to Abraham. Here we find, as indicated, there was not a union of purpose in those periods of conception. Hence we find both characteristics, or both purposes of the individuals, were made materially manifest.
What then, ye may well ask, made this difference in the characteristics of the individuals; conceived of the same parents, under the environ or the law from the body of the one; with such a different characteristic made manifest as they grew to maturity?
As indicated, the first cause—that purpose with which the individuals performed the act for conception to take place, or under which it did take place. That is the First Cause! And the growth of that conceived under the same environ, through the same circulation, through the same impulse, was such that—when gestation was finished—one was of the nature or characteristic of the mother, the other was of the nature of indifference with the determination of the father; one smooth as the mother, the other hairy, red, as the father in maturity; and their characteristics made manifest were just those examples of the variations. Though conceived at once, born together, they were far separated in their purposes, their aims, their hopes; one holding to that which made body, mind, and soul coordinant; the other satisfying, gratifying the appetites of the physical and mental without coordinating same through its spiritual relationships to the progenitor or those conditions and environs from which they each drew their desires, their hopes, their wishes.
Do ye think that one received a different instruction from the other? Each received the same, yet their reaction, their choice of that in the environment made physical characteristics that varied in their activity.
Why were the characteristics such that one desired or loved the chase, the hunt, or the like, while the other chose rather the home, the mother, the environ about same? Were these depicted in the very physiognomy of each individual? When they had reached that period when the choices were made, these were manifested. But when did they begin? What gland developed this characteristic in one and not in the other? The cranial and the thymus receiving the varied vibration, one brought harmony—not fear but harmony—with caution; the other brought just the opposite, by this “stepping up” in the rate of vibration. Or, if we were to study these by numbers, we would find one a three, the other a five, yet conceived together . . .
Hence we find there the various forms of manners in which there is illustrated those characteristics that made for individual activity, that prompted the carrying on of that through which the channel of hope might be made manifest.
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Another
