"Our
Ascending Consciousness"
by Rev. Christine
5/17/98
Last month we celebrated the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The resurrection is timed with the Easter season of springtime — renewed life. Out of the death of winter comes new life — full, complete and beautiful. We are reminded that this week, May 22nd, marks the ascension of Jesus Christ.
The Bible is rich in symbology. Numbers play a very important part in revealing the deeper spiritual meaning of the story. This deeper meaning is the road map to our own resurrection and ascension.
Between the crucifixion and resurrection we have 3 days. Earlier Jesus said that he could raise the temple in 3 days — his body temple. Three is the trinity which represents the law of creation — Father, Son, Holy Ghost. From the absolute God idea "Our Father" comes the Son, Christ Idea the perfect pattern, embodied and manifests the Holy Ghost, the perfect image brought forth, manifested in the 3rd dimensional world as spirit form. In 3 days Jesus raised his body to be visible to the awakened — those that can see beyond normal appearances, have inner sight and intuit the spiritual realms.
At the tomb Mary Madeleine first recognized Jesus by his voice, and then her eyes were awakened and she was able to discern him physically. Her faith was raised, she believed and then she saw. When we begin to see the deeper meaning we can recognize the instructions for future disciples.
Recorded are 10 appearances of Jesus before he made his ascension 40 days after his resurrection. 10 is the fundamental and formative number of the Old Testament. The patriarchs from Adam to Noah are 10 in number. Moses gave the 10 principles or laws. Kabbalistic symbol of 10 is the Tree of Life with its 10 gleaming centers of life and power. These appearances mark Jesus’ final teachings and preparation for the day to come when they would go forth into the world to carry on the work he begun.
This work took 40 days. 10 visits in 40 days. 40 is a number meaning spiritual preparation, a spiritual foundation is laid. It represents the moving from the 3rd dimensional consciousness of man to an awakening of the 4th. 40 days also means a period of time, not literally that number of days -- some say he was on the earth for several years. His teachings were complete. It was time for Jesus to leave the disciples, and allow the rest of the work to be done in spirit.
40 also represents a new work to begin.
Jesus directed the disciples, for after his ascension, to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit to come upon them. Jerusalem means that state of mind where we are praying and waiting upon God, where we have a sense of peace but have not yet got any sense of realization.
On the day of the Pentecost, a traditional Jewish Feast Day for the first harvest. Metaphysically this means "Day of first fruits; a gathering of spiritual powers for the purpose of harvesting the first fruits of the spirit." This comes 50 days after Passover. On the first "Day of Pentecost" after the ascension of Jesus Christ the disciples received the Holy Spirit Baptism which is the 2nd coming of the Christ. It was this day when they received their own personal, living, divine contact with God. Emmet Fox, writes "It seemed to them like tongues of fire lighting on each one. Fire in the Bible signifies the cleansing action of the Holy Spirit. All the old limiting ideas were wiped out of their consciousness and they were "set on fire" with the idea of going out and giving the gospel — the good news — to the world.
That was the second coming of the Christ for the disciples. Having received the second coming of the Christ, which is also called "the baptism of the Holy Spirit," these simple, everyday men like ourselves went out and turned the world upside down, performing miracles which still influence the course of human history. And from that day to this, all through history, wherever people have been ready to accept that message and to strive for that experience, the second coming of the Christ has been there for those particular individual to receive."
The number 50, in 50 days, means change, a period of progress -- man’s attempt to rise above the current state of affairs, and in its higher meaning, that of transformation. It represents the 5 pointed Christ star. 5 stands for the Christ, or the spirit, resurrected from the tomb of matter. The work of transformation was complete. The disciples were ready to go out and do their good works.
Every year as we celebrate these holy days, their preparation periods, we are our reminded of the process of transformation in consciousness from physical being to spiritual being. Those on the path have great stories to share of their spiritual experiences — just as real and exciting as that of the disciples. On the inner planes we have many helpers assisting us in our awakening; there are many masters, teachers, guides, and of course our angels. They are there waiting for us to ask; "ask and you shall receive."
First we have scattered individual awakenings, to a point where the scales shift and cosmically the whole human race, as a body, awaken and are ready for the 2nd coming of the Christ. This period of time is very exciting as we see changes taking place. We are nearing "the last days," as written in the Bible. Which means "end of an Old Age." We shall finally be living the New Testament of brotherhood, forgiveness, compassion and unconditional love for all.
Emmet Fox writes, "Christ is not Jesus, but Jesus was the man who expressed the Christ more fully than anyone else. He recognized the Christ power. The Christ is the active Presence of God — the incarnation of God — in living men and women. This is the Christ and it is eternal. However, in this New Age, the Cosmic Christ will come into millions of men and women who are ready to receive it. This will be the 2nd coming of the Christ for them.
In a very real sense, the Christ already lies dormant in the minds and hearts of men and women everywhere, waiting for the burst of recognition which we call the second coming of the Christ. In the meantime, every time we "salute" the Christ in another we are bringing that day closer in ourselves."
He goes on to say, "Man’s expanding knowledge of the universe will also prove and disprove a great many other cherished theories and beliefs. He will be forced to drop his old narrow concepts of God... Expanding the horizons of space, man will discover that God is not only the god of the human race, but the God of the universe and of the many other races scattered throughout the cosmos. As the individual opens his heart to the Christ, he will understand more completely his relationship to God and the cosmos, and especially will he realize that this earth with its inhabitants is not an island unto itself."
As I said, this is a very exciting period of time as we bridge the Old World view to the New World. All possibilities lie before us as we venture inward to discover the true science of the world — God. We discover God in ever level of creation. We discover ourselves in our creations — our God Self.
In this old age or view, we have been experiencing our creations as separate, we call this the 3rd dimension of reality or illusion. As we expand our understanding we become aware of our connectedness with our creations — that we have brought them forth through the 4th dimension of cause — some call mind or thought.
We are already living 4th dimensionally, and 5th dimensionally and higher. The only difference is that we are becoming consciously aware of our part of the whole process of creation.
Consciously, or unconsciously we have created our experiences and everything in our life. Although what we think or create never changes who we are, for what we are is an unchanging principle of Truth — God in Action. We are it — we are that -- it is I in all levels of form. The I Am that I Am in all of life.
This Friday, May 22, 1998, is the day of Ascension. Interestingly, the date adds to 99 reduced to 9 made up of the 5, 4 and 9. Nine doubled. A very good day for our personal transformation and regeneration. Nine is the number of man’s evolution, and the number of cosmic knowing or initiation. It also represents the Tree of Eternal Life in the Garden of Eden. This week let us continue our preparation in deep meditation and good works.