The Immortal - Book 1
-- by Joseph John (JJ) Dewey
The Name of God - Chapter 15
The rest of the week passed rather uneventfully. I didn't seem
to be looking forward to my weekly meeting with John as much as
usual because I knew I would have to give the handkerchief back.
During the week Elizabeth didn't let it out of her sight. She
had it in her possession at all times. It seemed to work for her
though. She had most of her strength back and we went for short
walks each day. In addition to this she did most of the housework
and cooking. I was beginning to feel like we were a normal married
couple again, except it was now Thursday and I had to deliver
the handkerchief back to John.
That evening Elizabeth went to bed early. At about eleven I
went upstairs to see her and observed her lying peacefully asleep
with the handkerchief clutched in her right hand.
I nudged her. "Sweetie," I said. "It's time
for me to take the handkerchief."
She squeezed it tighter. "No," she said. "It
gives me strength."
"I think it's much better if we give it back than if we
keep it."
"Ask John if I can keep it a while longer."
I paused and took a deep breath. "OK. I'll ask him, but
I need to take it back."
"Let me keep it while you're gone."
"John made a point that I'm supposed to listen to his
exact words. I think I should take it back, but I'll ask him if
you can have it a while longer."
I almost thought I felt strength withdraw from Elizabeth as
I took the handkerchief. I felt like a heel, but I thought it
was the best thing to do. I kissed her good-bye and went out into
the garage and seated myself in the car. Just as I reached to
put the key in the ignition I felt a tingling feeling throughout
my body.
The next thing I knew, I found myself sitting on the floor
of a sparsely furnished room. I looked around and saw John sitting
at on a chair drinking a cup of tea next to a dining table. "Why
don't you come over here and join me," he smiled.
I got up and walked toward him, somewhat disoriented
"Cup of tea?" asked John
"Sure. Why not," I said. I looked out the window.
The sun was in the East. It looked like morning wherever I was.
"Where am I and why is the sun up? Isn't it eleven o'clock
at night?"
"Here, drink this," said John pushing a cup of tea
my direction. I took it, sat down and started sipping. "Wow,
this really has a zing. What is it?"
"I'm not sure, really. Joshua made it. There are several
combinations that He likes."
"Joshua?? You mean Jesus?"
"That's the man."
"He was here?" I couldn't believe my ears!
"Just a few minutes ago."
"Can I meet Him?"
"That's not on the agenda yet."
"Are you telling me Jesus was here a few minutes ago making
and drinking tea like a regular guy?"
"That's exactly what He did." John looked like he
was having fun with this.
"But isn't He ascended into heaven or wandering around
in the next world somewhere?"
John laughed, "You still have a lot to learn, my friend.
But enough small talk. I am pressed for time and we need to get
started."
"You never told me where I am and why it's morning."
John studied me for a second. "You are in Tel Aviv and
it is eight twenty in the morning here."
I stared at him. "I'll tell you this," I said in
amazement, "if I was not a believer before, I am now."
I glanced out the window again. We seemed to be in the midst of
the city center most of the way up a fairly tall building.
John looked at me in earnest. "As you know when we started
this relationship, I shared some of my memories with you. Would
you mind if I shared some of yours?"
I noticed John asked if he could share my memories. I thought
about the request a few seconds. "That would be fine, but
there are some embarrassing things that are now floating around
my mind I would just as soon not share."
"Don't worry about it," John smiled. "I will
only tune into the memories associated with our relationship and
the teachings. A true teacher will only tune into memories that
are released through free will. Now hold up your hand." Our
right hands touched fingers and I felt a slight tingle.
John sat back in his chair and smiled. "So far so good."
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"You've been tempted to tell Wayne about me, but you have
resisted. It's a good thing. Those who cannot keep a secret are
usually revealed at this point. You shared discussions on the
first key with him, but I did not forbid that."
"Was that all right then?" I asked eagerly.
"It was more than all right. This type of sharing will
prepare you for your mission. You will be doing much of it in
the future if you are faithful to the inner voice."
"You keep talking about a mission. Can you tell me more
about it?"
"If you are faithful, your mission will embrace several
areas. One will be the teaching of the keys. Any more I can say
would merely be a distraction at present. Now we must move ahead.
In your own words tell me WHO OR WHAT ARE YOU?"
I took a deep breath. "OK, here's my thoughts. If I am
not my body, mind or emotions and if all the other terms I've
passed by you do not have enough meaning, I guess all that is
left is consciousness itself. I am consciousness."
"Do you know what consciousness is?"
"Consciousness is livingness. Life."
"And what is life?"
"An awareness."
"An awareness of what?"
"An awareness of whatever is out there?"
"How about things that are inside yourself? Is consciousness
awareness of that too?"
I thought a moment. "I suppose," I said.
"So consciousness is awareness of things outside and inside
self."
"I think so," I said unsure of myself.
"So the real you is like a camera that takes snapshots
of what is outside and inside of itself?"
"I'm not sure," I replied weakly.
"That just doesn't feel right, does it?"
"No it seems silly when you think about it. We've got
to be something more profound than a camera," I said.
"Again you found something that you are not. A camera
is something a living thing uses, but it is another type of vehicle
that is in use by the real Self."
I thought silently for a few seconds. "I think I'm at
a dead end here. I have passed by you every thing that a human
being has ever considered that he was and not one of them is the
right answer."
John smiled. "If the answer was obvious you would not
need a teacher. A true spiritual teacher does not show up to teach
maxims that are readily available in the books of the world. There
are hundreds of books in print dealing with the divinity in man
or the idea that humans are gods. Then there are many others dealing
with the standard spiritual ideas. Joshua and those working directly
with Him only present a teaching when it is either something not
yet clearly revealed to humanity or an aspect of an old teaching
that is not understood in today's world. There are many teachings
that have never been revealed, and there are yet many others that
have been revealed in the past but have been lost for a number
of reasons. The time is coming soon when all the old truths will
be restored and many new ones will be revealed."
"Are the keys a new revelation or lost knowledge restored?"
"A little of both. Most will be new knowledge to seekers;
but there are several of them that are openly taught in the world
today, but the full meaning is not understood. Each key has points
of enlightenment the seekers of the world need to tune in to.
To solve each of them you must not only come up with the right
answer, but you must demonstrate right understanding. I see from
your memories you have been doing some thinking about the nature
of God as described in Corinthians."
"Yes. Do I need to run my thoughts by you or can you read
it from my memories?"
John closed his eyes for a moment and said: "Your memories
give me the general idea of what you have come up with. You are
on the right track and we'll talk more about who or what God is
later. We are short on time right now, however, so we must move
on. Continue to contemplate the mystery of godliness to prepare
your mind for the future. Meanwhile are you ready for your next
hint?"
"Yes. I am really curious because I've reached a dead
end here. I can't imagine what the next hint will be."
"The next hint revolves around the mystery of God that
you have been contemplating. I'm sure you remember the story of
Moses."
"Well, I've seen the Ten Commandments and I've read the
Bible story," I said.
"Do you remember what Moses did during the second forty
years of his life?"
"He was chased out of Egypt and became a sheepherder in
the desert. If I remember right he was around eighty when he freed
the Israelites, so I guess he was a regular guy most of the time
during the second forty years. We don't know much about that period
of his life."
"No part of any person's life is lost. All is eventually
retrievable. Not much is written of this time period because it
was a time of preparation. He found his father-in-law Jethro to
be a wise man with teachings that had been passed down for many
generations and learned a lot from him and the brotherhood of
which he was a member. One of the major points of discussion Moses
had with his little conclave over the years was about the nature
of God. One of the great mysteries that was discussed at that
time was whether or not God had a name and if he did, what it
would be."
John continued, "The reason the name of God was such a
big item then was that it was a tradition among the Hebrews and
many other ancient peoples to attach great meaning to a person's
name. In that period a lot of thought went into naming a child
because it was believed that the name was connected to or would
determine the child's destiny.
"For instance, Abraham meant father of a multitude
and that was what he became. David meant beloved and David
was the beloved of God. The name Joseph means the
person will have increase and Joseph - who was sold into Egypt
- became the world's richest man and also had a very great posterity.
"Because of this great interest in names, one of the greatest
mysteries to Moses was the name of God itself. If one were to
discover the name of God, he would hold the key as to what type
of being He really is."
I nodded. John took a sip of his tea. "During this forty-year
time period, Moses spent many a day tending sheep alone with his
thoughts, questioning many of the mysteries of the time. The prime
mystery that was in the front of his mind was the mystery of the
name of God. He contemplated and wondered about this over and
over.
"Finally came the experience of the burning bush where
he entered into the presence of God and received that rare chance
to ask any question he wanted. Do you remember what that question
was?"
"Yes.' I replied. "He asked God what his name was.
You know, I kind of wondered why he asked that question, but now
it makes sense."
"Do you remember what the answer was?"
"God said I AM THAT I AM."
"What kind of name is that?" John asked.
"I don't know for sure. I always thought it was kind of
a strange answer. I guess God is just saying that He just IS."
"Was God saying He has no name?" John asked.
"I'm not sure. It sounds like it. I have heard some say
that His name is just I AM."
"If you were Moses and God gave you that answer to your
question, would that satisfy your curiosity?"
"Hm-m-m, not really."
"If you were Moses what would have been your response?"
"I would have asked, What kind of name is I AM THAT
I AM?"
"Moses was an intelligent man. Why do you suppose he did
not ask for some type of clarification to a weak answer to a question
he had been contemplating for forty years?"
I thought a moment. "I haven't thought about it that way,
but you're right. I just figured it was one of the Mysteries."
"There are two possibilities. First, perhaps Moses was
not the curious after all, or second he was satisfied with the
answer. Which do you think it is?" John asked.
"You said Moses thought about this question for forty
years so he had to be curious, but I cannot see why he would have
been satisfied with the answer."
"You're right," John said nodding. "Moses was
too curious to let a partial answer pass by. Let us say that Moses
was satisfied with the answer. How could this have occurred?"
"Maybe he understood the answer better than I do."
"That is correct. However, he did understand the answer
better than you do not because he was smarter, but because he
heard a different answer than is presented in the various translations
of the Bible."
John pulled out his old Bible again and opened it to Exodus
chapter three and asked me to read verse 14. I read the words:
And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus
shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me
unto you.
"This is pretty much the standard translation in most
Bibles, but it is a very bad one and most honest Hebrew scholars
know this. In the Hebrew it reads: I Am Becoming that which
I Am Becoming. Go say to the children of Israel that He who Is
Becoming has sent you.
"The ancient Hebrew is much different from the English
you are used to. It always had gaps in it that were to be filled
by either the obvious or by the intuition. Now let me tell you
plainly the answer that Moses heard. As you remember, Moses asked
God what His name was. To this question God said: You ask for
my name so you will know who or what I am. This I cannot give
you because I Am Becoming that which I decide to Become. Go tell
the children of Israel that He who is Becoming has sent you.
John paused a moment. "Now tell me how you think Moses understood
this answer."
"I think you've turned on a light in my head," I
said excitedly. "Here's the way I see it. As you said, in
that age, a name revealed the core essence of who the individual
was and Moses was expecting an answer like this from God. In other
words, he thought he might get an answer like I am the great
and powerful one, or something like that. Instead, God told
him that He cannot give Moses a standard name because He is in
the process of becoming whatever it is that He wants to become.
Thus any name given to Him at one time may not apply at a future
time."
"Great answer! Perhaps we have the right man for the job
after all," John smiled. "Your answer is right on track.
God is always changing the image that He presents to the various
parts of the world at different times in history. For instance,
in the time of Moses He presented an image of the all-powerful
ruler who is to obeyed at all costs. Then in the time of Christ
this changed to the all-forgiving God of Love who sacrificed His
only Son. This was a definite change in the presentation of God
that is not acknowledged by most Christians. Also, God is presented
to the world in different ways in many other religions that had
an inspired beginning. Notice that each religion has a different
name for God. This is because the name has a particularly important
message for their consciousness that will help their particular
group or race progress.
"God has many names because He is many things to many
people in many times. Thus He could not give Moses any ultimate
name because He becomes what He decides to become to the consciousness
of any group or individual."
I nodded, but a thought struck me. "But isn't there a
scripture that says God does not change? It sounds like He, in
fact, is in a constant state of change."
John nodded. "When the prophets wrote about the changelessness
of God they were telling the people that the words of God are
100 per cent dependable - that He does not promise the people
one thing today and break it tomorrow. They were not saying He
does not change in any way. I tried to make this clear in my own
Book of Revelations. I talked about God revealing a new name,
that He will create a new heaven and new earth, and that He will
make all things new. Look at the earth and the universe around
you, which is God's Body. It is all in a state of change or becoming
new or renewed. Everything is changing. Because God is everything
and everything changes, then God changes."
"Speaking of new, this is certainly a new teaching. I
have never heard anything like this in any church."
John's countenance became serious. "The religions of the
world do not believe in new things. They will always resist any
new teaching and attempt to preserve the old, even if it is scientifically
proven to be incorrect, as in the days the church persecuted Galileo
for merely revealing what his eyes saw through a telescope."
"I've come to that conclusion myself. That's why I don't
attend any church even though I basically believe the scriptures."
"That is also one of the reasons you were chosen. Anyone
whose mind is fixed in a dogma is not usable to us as a world
teacher. It may seem hard for you to accept but if the standard
believer who is fixed in a dogma were to have experienced all
that you have with me and were to have heard what you have just
heard, I would be rejected as an agent of the devil."
"Even if he were transported halfway around the world
in an instant?" I asked.
"The closed-mindedness of those stuck in religious dogma
is beyond belief," said John, shaking his head. "This
was demonstrated by Joshua when He raised Lazarus from the dead
after he was three days in the grave. Instead of converting the
religious leaders, it just inflamed them and hastened the crucifixion.
The leaders also knew without doubt that Christ was raised from
the dead, for He appeared to them after the resurrection so they
would be without excuse. Even this did not convert them and they
fought all the harder against His followers. When the average
person has his mind centered on a belief, only the destruction
of the world created by that belief will change him. That can
happen by an inner or outer collapse."
"I've never thought of it that way, but I can certainly
see that you are correct. I don't mean to change the subject,
but what is my hint for this week?"
"What we have talked about is the hint," John said
evenly.
I thought a moment, recalling the Bible verses. "Can't
you give me something more direct?" I pleaded.
"I have given you much food for thought. Contemplate in
particular what we have talked about concerning Moses and God."
I thought for a moment. "I have a couple other questions."
"Ask away. I have a few minutes."
"You said you have been killed a number of times, even
once under Hitler. How could this happen to you when you have
power to disappear? Look what you did to me. You teleported me
half way across the globe."
John smiled. "Intelligent question, my friend. There are
certain laws and principles in place that regulate how an evolving
humanity can be assisted. The higher they evolve on the spiritual
ladder, the more directly they can be worked with by the Brotherhood
of Light. When a member of the Brotherhood decides to work directly
with the people, he must be subject to the same personal limitations
the general populace has. Thus, when I directly worked with Staufenberg
in Nazi Germany, I became subject to the same perils he was. The
only way I can be invulnerable to death is to work at arm's length
through a disciple like yourself. If I were to work side by side
with you, there would be so much controversy stirred up because
of the nature of the work that we would both be killed before
the work was done. There is another factor. In past ages I could
move from one part of the world to another and no one would be
the wiser. With today's communications systems, once my picture
appears in a National Enquirer or the Star, any hope of anonymity
is over. So taking all things into consideration, we have decided
it best to work through an apparently ordinary mortal such as
yourself."
"You mean I am just apparently ordinary?" I asked
with interest.
"Joshua sees much more potential in you than you might
guess," John said with a smile. "Even though your life
has seemed fairly ordinary, you have had many experiences which
have prepared you to be a teacher. You, in turn, will find others
who will become major players in this part of history. Some of
these would have just lived ordinary lives if not for the great
opportunity you will present. Great opportunity brings forth greatness
of the human spirit."
Wow, this gave me a lot to think about, but I couldn't remember
having many experiences that would lead me to teaching "Sounds
overwhelming. So what are you doing here in Tel Aviv?"
"We have a disciple like yourself here and several other
middle eastern countries. Their primary purpose is not to teach,
but to influence political leaders on the path to peace. Believe
me, we have a difficult task, particularly since the Dark Brothers
also have their disciples carefully placed. I thought I could
spend some time relaxing in Boise and teach you at my leisure,
but we seem to have a lot of crisis coming up lately that have
to be dealt with. One major problem is the proliferation of nuclear
weapons to third world countries that would not hesitate to use
them. This is a much greater threat than your leaders realize
and needs to be dealt with. This is all I have time to tell you
about this at present."
Realizing my time was short, I reluctantly pulled the handkerchief
out of my jacket pocket and handed it to John. "My wife appreciates
the relief. Is it possible the can keep the handkerchief a while
longer?"
John replied softly, "Believe me, I feel for her and also
you, but the natural laws must be allowed to flow. She's got to
be on her own with her struggle. Let me warn you it will be more
difficult than you expect the next few weeks, but the end will
be good if you both follow the highest you know."
"That's encouraging, I guess," I said without confidence.
Elizabeth will be so disappointed, I thought.
John patted my back. "Time to send you back. Perhaps we
can spend more time together next week."
The next thing I knew I was back in the front seat of my car.
I got out and walked into my home in somewhat of a daze. It was
several hours before I got around to going to bed.