• between good and evil,
• between right and wrong,
• between justice and injustice.

But whenever the force in the beyond was golden, and at least one human being managed to ignore all evil and managed to serve only truth and justice, then the spiritual gateways to hell were closed, and the holy spirits of GOD were only to be allowed to influence the material world. Then peace prevailed in the world of the humans for an era.

Such an era was called 'a golden age' or 'an Atlantic age'. For the human being who had caused the closing of hell's gates by his devotion to truth and justice, was given the title of ATLANTAN. And that means as much as GOD'S FIGHTER. All humans who then followed this ATLANTAN, and who just like this ATLANTAN took advice from the spirits of GOD, engaged for truth and justice, were then also called ATLANTANS, both by the spirits of GOD and by all other humans. - The Atlantans on the basis of the instruction by the holy spirits of GOD, stood up again for nature and became good friends to animals and nature beings. The nature-spirits liked to appear to them and taught them GOD'S laws of nature. And the Atlantans obeyed GOD'S laws. - The spirits in heaven taught them how to command the forces of nature in accordance with GOD and to HIS glory. - And the Atlantans tried hard to do all to the glory of GOD. - This filled GOD and CHRIST with great joy, and so THEY let the Atlantans know that the KING OF HEAVEN would come down to earth some day, to definitely deliver the humans from the power of hell, if they kept on being so devout. And the Atlantans thanked GOD for this tidings and prepared everything for the arrival of the KING OF HEAVEN in the material world. And they were patiently waiting for HIM. -

But the upshot was only logical. The Atlantans became tired of waiting and they started grumbling about GOD. - For this reason the gates of hell gradually opened, and the spirits in hell regained power over matter again. And the country of the Atlantans was sent to the depth of the sea by GOD and HIS people.

Beautiful ATLANTIS existed already eight times on earth. Eight times the Atlantans had led a life pleasing to GOD, and eight times these human spirits had become discontented with GOD. Each time GOD had had to interfere, and HE had severely punished the Atlantans. And each time ATLANTIS had been sent to the bottom of the sea.

But now the next part of the great plan of salvation was to begin, for GOD knew how important it was to prepare the arrival of the saviour in the material world with great exactness. As a further most important component of the whole the belief in GOD had to be built up again with the humans and to be maintained. Therefore GOD wanted to educate his own people who would serve only HIM and keep to HIS LAWS, but this time the conditions would be considerably more difficult than for the Atlantans of ancient times. For, after all, the time was in the midst of a 'satanic age' also called 'a Luciferian age'. And this because during such a period Lucifer's rule in the material world was absolutely uncontrolled, for GOD'S justice wanted it thus.

CHRIST HIMSELF wanted to assume the difficult task of educating the people of GOD and keeping its belief in GOD unadulterated. So the KING AND LORD OF THE CREATION chose a man among the humans who was honest, just and kind-hearted at a time. ABRAM was his name. With kith and kin he lived in the city of Ur, the town of his ancestors. One day, when looking after his fields, he heard a rumble of thunder approaching from far. And as the sky was clear and brightly lit, Abram was scared and threw himself on the ground. Then he became aware of rather a pleasant smell. And when he lifted his head to find out where this fragrance came from, he saw a large white cloud in the sky, out of which bright lightning flashed in all directions. The cloud lowered and wrapped him completely, when he heard 'GOD'S VOICE' gently talk to him,

'ABRAM, MY child, be happy, for your GOD is pleased with you. And so I have chosen you to serve ME. So get up, say goodbye to all your acquaintances and false friends, take all your belongings and move away, with kith and kin to the Promised Land flowing with milk and honey! - There I will bless you so that you will be fertile and the father of a great people. - Now, go my child and be fearless, for your GOD will protect you!'

And Abram fulfilled GOD'S will.

So at GOD'S command, ABRAM set out for the Promised Land 'flowing with milk and honey'. Of his kith and kin only his nephew was ready to accompany him. All other family members considered him completely mad, when he sold his possessions in Ur to move to an unknown country. And when ABRAM told them what it had been like when GOD talked to him, they said, 'What does that mean 'GOD' talked to me, which GOD do you mean? - There are countless deities. You don't fool yourself into thinking that a really important god would address you to bless you, poor wretch. Do go home and do not drink so much, if alcohol disagrees with you!' And they laughed at him and ridiculed him.

But ABRAM stood firm, and, together with his wife SARAI, his nephew LOT and the latter's wife, followed by servants and slaves and the livestock, belonging to him and LOT, he left Ur and moved to a foreign country, to be blessed there by GOD and to become the ancestor of a large people.

It was a long and trying journey. But whenever ABRAM was about to lose heart wondering whether he was still on the right way the GOD-sent cloud showed him the way. During this long journey GOD tested ABRAM who remained devoted to GOD. LOT did the same.

The women, however, were soon weary of the journey and were longing for town life as they were used to it. For that reason and to buy fresh provisions, they made a detour via Egypt. When they had arrived there, ABRAM learned that the King of Egypt was looking for beautiful women for his harem, and that he was ready to pay a high price for them. - ABRAM, who was very fond of money, had already felt sorry for some time for having left the rich and fertile soil of the surroundings of Ur. For he had always earned a lot of money from the crop. He remembered that his wife SARAI, though she was very beautiful, was sterile. He thought he 'd rather sell her. - 'Then, he thought, I shall get a younger wife who can give birth to the children that GOD promised to me! - As, however, it was strictly prohibited in Egypt to sell one's wife, ABRAM passed SARAI off for his sister. And the merchants bought SARAI for the harem of the King of Egypt. But this was against GOD'S WILL. - So CHRIST, THE KING AND LORD OF HEAVEN, sent an angel who appeared in PHARAOH'S dream and warned him,
'If you really unite physically with this woman, who is a newcomer to your harem and who is called SARAI, the LORD OF HEAVEN AND LIGHT kills you on the spot and throws you down into darkness. For this woman is already some other man's wife. He has passed himself off for her brother to sell her with profit.'

PHARAOH was horrified at this news. He sent for SARAI and asked her whether it was true that she was already married. - Then SARAI thought that he had learnt from his people what had happened. Crying she told him everything. - When he listened to her fate, PHARAOH felt sorry for SARAI, and he sent for ABRAM. When ABRAM came to the King, PHARAOH asked him,
'Why did you lie to me and withhold from me that this is your wife? - Because of you the LORD OF HEAVEN AND LIGHT is angry with me and wants to throw me down into darkness. For he sent an angel to warn me not to come near her, because she is your wife. So take your wife and get out of my sight! And be glad to have such a wife who in spite of such an outrage on your side has asked me to have mercy with you!'

Now ABRAM knew that GOD would not allow him to sell SARAI. With a heavy heart he gave PHARAOH all that money back and moved out of Egypt with SARAI and his people.

ABRAM felt sorry for what he had done and asked GOD to forgive him. - Then he offered SARAI golden jewellery and a servant whom he had bought in Egypt. And guided by the GOD-sent cloud they all travelled on to the Promised Land.

For many years ABRAM and his people were travelling across the desert, guided by the God-sent cloud. The journey was tough and trying, for GOD and CHRIST severely tested ABRAM as well as LOT. Their wives also had to bear a lot of privations, but they silently submitted to their fate. Above all SARAI suffered a lot from her husband's unkindness, for ABRAM could still not forgive her having told PHARAO the truth about him. However, as he now knew that GOD wanted SARAI to stay with him, he kept her.

At long last they reached the Promised Land and the God-sent cloud led them onto a hill, and ABRAM made his people pitch the tents there. - When it was getting dark ABRAM retired in his tent and thanked GOD for having safely led him and his people into this wonderful country, through all difficulties. And he wholeheartedly praised and glorified GOD for HIS GOODNESS. GOD was very pleased with this, and the 'VOICE OF GOD' said to ABRAM,

'ABRAM, MY CHILD, listen to ME: YOUR OBEDIENCE TO ME IS YOUR STRENGTH, for that reason I want to bless you now, so that you may be fertile and your progeny be as numerous as the grains of sand on the beach. - Go on being MY SERVANT. Look around in the country of Palestine, where I have led you, but always come back to this place, for it is blessed. However, do keep far away from the cities of SODOM and GOMORRHA, which are in the plain, for their inhabitants are wicked people and servants of evil! And only allow those wanderers in your tent, which I send to you.! It is for your best. - Now go to your wife SARAI, for now I have also blessed her!'

And while the 'VOICE OF GOD' was thus talking to ABRAM, he was enveloped in a light so strong that the whole tent was illuminated by it. The same happened in SARAI'S tent. LOT, his wife and all the servants saw this. All were very astonished. LOT, however, said 'The LORD OF HEAVEN AND LIGHT has blessed my master ABRAM and his wife SARAI, so that each of us should see and recognise the LORD'S GOODNESS! GLORY TO GOD OUR LORD! And he went down on his knees, hiding his face in his hands. GOD and CHRIST took pleasure in these words, and the light fell on LOT, and the 'VOICE OF GOD' sounded forth like thunder, so that it could be heard by all.
'You, too, LOT have always been a faithful servant to ME; and you have now honoured ME, as it is suitable. Therefore I will always protect you and be with you, whatever may come. - Wherever your feet will take you, MY servants will be near you and watch over your welfare, for you deserve this.'

Thereupon all people present went down on their knees and thanked GOD for HIS GOODNESS.

In the time following ABRAM and LOT explored the surroundings, travelling through Palestine. But they always returned to their campsite, as GOD had advised ABRAM to do. Soon however, there was not enough pasture land for their animals and they decided to separate. LOT decided to move away near the cities in the plain, for his wife was longing for town-life. So they separated their herds and said farewell to each other. In spite of ABRAM'S warning from GOD who had advised him to avoid the cities in the plain, LOT and his family settled in the neighbourhood of SODOM, which was a rich business town.

Time went by and ABRAM knew how to use the rich and fertile soil of Palestine. He made a lot of money from the crops and his herds, and he became richer than he had ever been in Ur. - GOD'S blessing was on all that ABRAM did.

But SARAI remained childless, and she questioned GOD'S word. Growing older she thought the time was gone when she could have become a mother. ABRAM, however, still wanted an heir. So she led her Egyptian slave woman to her husband to beget the longed-for son. And so it happened. - But this was against GOD'S WILL.

And HAGA, the Egyptian woman, became pregnant and bore a son. ABRAM called him ISMAEL. ABRAM was very proud of ISMAEL, for he was healthy and powerfully built and he developed well. And HAGA was just as proud of being the mother of her master's son and spitefully looked down on SARAI, who was still childless. 'Look, at that dried up tree which has never borne any fruit and will never bear any! My fruit, however, can be seen and admired by everybody, for it is beautiful and strong, and my master loves it very much'. So HAGA jibed at her mistress again and again. But SARAI silently bowed to her hard fate and always remained friendly towards her maid.

At harvest time travellers came along and wanted to enter ABRAM'S tent. ABRAM said, 'I only allow those into my ten whom my LORD and GOD sends to me. Prove whose servants you are so that I can see whether you are those I am waiting for!' The travellers were angry at that, they cursed ABRAM and GOD and disappeared in a dark cloud.

When the harvest was over, ABRAM thanked GOD for all HIS gifts and offered HIM his finest grain and his best lamb. - Then, in the distance, ABRAM saw three men coming across the fields. When they had approached him they greeted him in a friendly way and asked to be allowed to camp near his tents, for they had travelled far and wanted to share their bread with him. ABRAM also asked these three men to tell him whose servants they were, for he only accepted those people near his tents who had been sent to him his GOD. - Thereupon the three threw back their coats and they shone in a bright light, and the one in the middle said, 'We act on behalf of the ALMIGHTY, ETERNAL AND ONLY GOD AND CREATOR. THE KING AND LORD OF THE CREATION appointed by GOD, ordered us to bring you the following message.

Thus speaks the KING AND LORD OF THE CREATION,
'ABRAM listen attentively, your nephew LOT is in great danger. For SODOM and GOMORRHA are now completely in the powerful claws of the evil spirits. I have to destroy the towns in the plain, so that their inhabitants do not cause more havoc than they have already wreaked now.'

ABRAM was horrified 'If the LORD, however, sees that there are still ten thousand willing people in the town, could HE not spare the town for their sake?'

'The LORD speaks thus,
If there were still ten thousand innocent people in this town I could spare SODOM.
If there were still a thousand I could spare SODOM.
If there were still a hundred I could spare SODOM.
If there were still ten innocent people in SODOM I would spare the town.
And if there were only five decent people in this town so I would spare it.
But that is not the case!'

Then ABRAM went on his knees and loudly begged GOD to have mercy on his nephew LOT and his family. Then the GOD-SENT CLOUD shone above the three strangers and the VOICE OF GOD was heard loud and distinct for all.
'I have promised to send my servants to protect MY PEOPLE and I keep MY WORD as I have always done and I will always do!'
In tears ABRAM thanked GOD and praised HIM for HIS LOVING KINDNESS. Then ABRAM asked the three angels in human shape to come with him into his tent. He had now recognized the kind of travellers THE MAGNIFICENT GOD had sent to him. In his tent ABRAM himself entertained the angels and offered them the finest food and wine. And while they were sitting together eating the angels in human shape related what wicked things happened in the towns on the plain,
'Harlotry and vices of all kinds are extolled as virtues. True virtues are considered as vices. From early childhood young people are as spoilt as the adults. However, the old and weak people are made responsible for all misfortune and they are exposed to atrocious tortures until they finally die.'

Before the angels took leave they blessed ABRAM and their leader said, 'Thus the LORD OF HEAVEN speaks to you,
'ABRAM, GOD bless you, for you have done MY SERVANTS the honour that is due to them and you did not let into your tent the servants of evil. Go on being so wise and follow the instructions from the SUPREME GOD and you will have all you want!'
Thereupon a bright cloud wrapped the three angels and they vanished from ABRAM'S sight.

When the angels had disappeared ABRAM offered GOD THE ALMIGHTY a young flawless ram. He thanked GOD for HIS GOODNESS AND HIS WISDOM. Thereupon ABRAM felt wonderfully strengthened, and he was filled with great peace. So he went to SARAI'S tent, and he stayed with her until the next morning.

During that time the evil power of hell ruled over the cities in the plain.
In GOMORRHA as well as in and SODOM people were utterly perverse. In the frenzied communications with the evil spirits, they behaved like wild animals that have lost control over their senses. Shouting and bawling they swayed through the streets of the cities and worshipped the lord of darkness. In their madness they beat their heads raw against the walls of the houses and were hardly aware of the pain. With terribly distorted faces, that only reflected their inner rottenness, they set out to ruin or kill 'the enemy in their midst', as they called ABRAM'S nephew LOT.

However, GOD had also sent the messengers to LOT to warn him. The three angels in human shape had just appeared at LOT'S. The leading angel had hardly explained to LOT that he was in great danger and that, under GOD'S protection, he and his family should flee from SODOM, when there was a thundering hammering at the gate of the house. 'Open this gate to us, friend of light, and grant us entrance', the furious people roared. LOT asked,' Who are you, and what do you want?' They blared, 'We are the servants of the lord of night. We want to worship the dark night, and we call on you to come and dance and sing with us, so that the god of night shall be pleased with you as he is pleased with us. If, however, you refuse to come yourself so send your sons out in your stead, so that they unite their spirits and bodies with the goddesses of lust.' LOT was horrified. Nevertheless he approached the gate of the house, opened a little hatch and said to those standing outside. 'Neither me nor my sons will come to you, for we do not serve the lord of darkness, and we do not want to deal with him either. But if you want to worship this monster, then take your own daughters with you, as you are used to doing.' They then yelled as if they were struck by fire, and roaring and a stench rose from among them as from the mouth of a monstruous animal, and a dark cloud moved up to LOT. - Then one of the angels pulled LOT back from the gate, and he ordered the villains to disappear in the name of the KING AND LORD OF THE CREATION. The dark cloud disappeared and the infuriated people withdrew, shouting. The angel in human shape slammed the hatch in the gate and said to LOT, 'Do not worry, they will not come back today. But now take your wife, your children and your faithful servants with you and follow me. For I will take you to a safe place. However, you shall follow me without looking back unless you become a pillar of salt.'

So LOT gathered his relatives and loyal servants and explained to them what was going to happen. His wife, it is true, very much regretted to have to leave behind all her possessions. However, she was glad to leave the surroundings of this awkward city. Then guided by the angels in human shape they left the house through the backdoor, and left the vicinity of SODOM and GOMORRHA. - They had hardly gone when a terrific bang was heard behind them. LOT remembered the angel's warning and loudly shouted, 'Do not look back, only look straight ahead and ask GOD to help and strengthen you!' But his wife succumbed to temptation. She wanted to see what was happening behind her, and so she turned round. As a dazzling light covered everything when SODOM and GOMORRHA were destroyed and turned again into sand and dust.

When the bang had completely faded away, and the dazzling light had disappeared the guiding angel made LOT and his people stop and look back. The cities in the plain had disappeared as if they had never existed. But a lonely figure could be seen in the distance. The woman who had not obeyed the warning from GOD'S angels stood there, solidified as a pillar of salt. - In tears LOT said, 'All of you behold the evidence your mistress has become! - She shall remind the passing travellers that actually nothing is more important than the obedience to the ONE, TRUE AND ALMIGHTY GOD!' And thus it happened.

The angels led LOT and his people back to ABRAM'S tent and left them at once. And ABRAM and his people were pleased to see LOT and his people again. ABRAM, LOT and SARAI together presented a burnt-offering to GOD THEIR LORD to thank HIM for HIS great mercy. And GOD and CHRIST were very pleased at this and blessed the three.

And although everybody had been sceptical, SARAI had become pregnant, and a healthy son was born to ABRAM. Thus according to GOD'S HOLY WILL the promise GOD had made to ABRAM fulfilled.

ABRAM was overjoyed and thanked GOD. He praised HIM for HIS kindness and love. Then the VOICE OF GOD was heard,

'ABRAM, I have kept my promise and given you a son, whom you shall call ISAAC for he shall serve ME. - You shall no longer be called ABRAM, but your name shall be ABRAHAM henceforth, for now you are the father of a great people. And the child's mother is called SARAH from now on, for she too is the mother of a great people which begins with the child. Watch over the mother and the child for both are of great value to me!'

And so from that day onward, the child's mother was called SARAH and his father ABRAHAM. They pleased GOD, led an honest life and were one in GOD'S WILL.

ISAAC grew up. Though ISAAC was rather frail and delicate he was his parents' pride. For the boy was exceptionally wise and quick at understanding. He was interested in everything that GOD had created and enjoyed listening to his father telling him all that had happened before GOD'S promise came true, and he ISAAC was born. Contrary to ISMAEL, ABRAHAM'S first-born son, from the maid HAGA, ISAAC was a very friendly child who very early conquered everybody's heart. ISAAC had a very good relationship to men and animals.

However, there was one personality that hated ISAAC abysmally: It was HAGA, ISMAEL'S mother. Since ISAAC'S birth ABRAHAM had considered her no more than any other maid. He still loved her child ISMAEL, but he no longer considered him his heir. - So HAGA first was only resentful at heart, but the older and the more beautiful ISAAC grew, the more her hatred towards him and his mother grew.

SARAH, on the other hand, since the begettal of their common son, had won her husband's love and respect. And since ISAAC'S birth she had also risen in everybody else's esteem. For now all women and men said, 'Look she is our true mistress, who fulfilled GOD ALMIGHTY'S promise and late in life, at the age of 90, she bore HIM the child who is a great blessing to our master and to all of us! - HAGA was the only who had a grudge against SARAH, and she also taught her son ISMAEL to be resentful.

So it once happened that ISMAEL, who was a strong boy, cast his half-brother ISAAC down while they were playing together, and he shouted, 'Thus you shall lie in front of me, softy. Actually you are only second. You shall be my servant, for I am the legitimate heir here!' - ABRAHAM who was near the children, heard this and quickly separated the two half-brothers, saying to ISMAEL, 'If you are stronger than your brother then help him get up again. For it is the stronger being's duty to help the weaker one!' The children calmed down and went on playing. But ABRAHAM was sad at heart. He now knew that it had been wrong to beget the first son with HAGA. But this could not be undone, and he now dearly loved both children.

Thereupon ABRAHAM took his bow and arrow and walked out into the fields. There he shot a hare which he offered GOD as a burnt-offering. ABRAHAM dropped to his knees and asked GOD to help him in his troubles. And the VOICE OF GOD said to ABRAHAM.
'ABRAHAM, I know your misery well. So listen to my advice: Separate the two children, and let ISMAEL and his mother wander across the desert. You shall give them water and food, sufficient for a day. I will take care of the rest.'

ABRAHAM was deeply moved, for he had not thought of having to separate from ISMAEL. But he did as GOD THE LORD had ordered him to do.
So the maid HAGA and her son ISMAEL were sent out into the desert, provided with food and water, sufficient for a day's journey. HAGA scowled and did not say a word when she left, but the boy cried loudly when he took leave from all. Many a servant and many a maid was shocked at their master ABRAHAM'S behaviour. And they said, 'Our master is a hard master who only now abandons the mother and the child. He had better have drowned them both right after the birth of his rightful son ISAAC.' - For that was the custom with people in those days.

ABRAHAM withdrew in his tent asking GOD to further help the mother and the child. - Then he was filled with great peace and thanked GOD for HIS KINDNESS AND UNDERSTANDING.

HAGA and the child walked across the desert for a day and a night. Then they remained lying down, exhausted and thirsty. And when the child started crying again, the mother recognized her own mistakes and she prayed to GOD.
'Forgive me, O LORD OF LIFE, for I have sinned, and I had become haughty in front of my masters. However, now I am suffering here, and the child is suffering still more. Have mercy and do not let the innocent child die such a dreadful death!'

And GOD THE LORD heard her prayers. Less than a step farther on, near the crying ISMAEL clear water suddenly bubbled up. And the water never dried up. The land was watered. Grass and all kinds of good plants sprouted most quickly, they blossomed and then bore fruit. Thus the mother and child were provided for as GOD had promised ABRAHAM. And ISMAEL grew up and stayed a loyal servant of GOD every day of his long life.

ISAAC grew up and ABRAHAM dearly loved him more and more.

But ABRAHAM loved his money more than anything else. Therefore he did not hesitate to send old and weak slaves into the desert, instead of supporting them in their old age. He preferred to buy younger and stronger slaves from the caravans moving past. For they could work harder on his fields and increase the yield.

When GOD THE LORD OF LIFE saw that ABRAHAM valued money more than the lives of these people, HE grew very angry. And when ABRAHAM wanted to have the crop gathered from the fields, his people came back home without having harvested because the birds had eaten up all the crop. ABRAHAM was horrified when he heard the news and went out to the fields to see himself. He had a dreadful sight. All the ears were torn off and eaten, only the naked stalks were moving in the wind. It all looked like a huge stubble field. Only now and then lay some grains scattered. Apart from that all the corn had disappeared. ABRAHAM understood that this must be GOD'S WORK. He said to himself that GOD surely knew why HE had allowed this to happen, but he ABRAHM ignored the reason. So he loudly said to GOD: 'LORD, ALMIGHTY GOD hear me. YOU sent the birds of heaven to eat the corn which I had sown to feed my people. But now I have nothing to feed my people - what do YOU want me to do to be able to feed my people again?' But then the VOICE OF GOD said to ABRAHAM:

'What I took from you is the food that you denied my children, whom you sent out into the desert for money's sake. - So if you want to feed your people, sow corn again and respect life more than money!'

ABRAHAM promised to do so. He sowed the grains which he could still find, asked GOD to BLESS the seed and he bought more grains with the money he had thought of saving on the bread of the old and weak slaves. He also sowed this fresh corn and again he asked GOD to bless it. - And GOD let the corn grow again and bear full ears within a very short time. And ABRAHAM had a rich crop.

However, hardly a year later when again one of his old and faithful slaves fell ill and grew weak ABRAHAM sent him again out into the desert to buy then a younger and stronger slave from the next caravan. - Thereupon GOD grew so angry that HE had ABRAHAM'S fields destroyed by a storm, so that nothing was left. And when ABRAHAM went to have a look at the damage done he heard the VOICE OF GOD ring in the wind:

'ABRAHAM, ABRAHAM you violated MY COMMANDMENT. Go and mend your ways. If you want to have rich crops again then first offer ME what you are most attached to! Burn it on the altar in MY HONOUR! Then I will see that you truly love ME. - And bring your son ISAAC to ME, for I want to bless him so that he shall walk in front of ME and serve ME, in this world as well as in the spiritual world!'

ABRAHAM thought that his heart was most attached to his son ISAAC, and he could not understand how GOD could ask such a terrible thing from him. 'I really cannot kill my own son!' he sadly thought. - But that was not GOD'S WILL at all. For GOD only wanted ABRAHAM to renounce to the god of money and to respect human life more than money. However, ABRAHAM was convinced that GOD wanted his son as a sacrifice so that ISAAC should serve HIM in the other world. So he took young ISAAC by the hand and went with him to the fields. There he told the boy that they were going to make GOD an offering to reconciliate with HIM so that HE would no more destroy their fields. And so they looked for stones to build an altar. - And ISAAC felt very strange and kept on saying, 'Father I am very scared. Here everything is so uncanny. - Father what shall we offer to GOD, there is no animal here to sacrifice and there is no corn either. Father where is the offering?' But ABRAHAM whose thoughts were guided by wicked spirits only impassively stared in front of himself without listening to the boy's questions. Finally when the altar was built, he took the boy by hand and told him to sit on the altar. But the boy violently resisted to doing so. But ABRAHAM took the child with a powerful hand and forced him to sit down on the altar, whereas ISAAC was crying loudly and shouting, 'Dear GOD in heaven, do not let me be the sacrifice, I really do not want to die! Please take me back to my mother!' And the moment when ABRAHAM was going to pierce the child's throat with his dagger he felt his hand pulled back and a very bright light wrapped him and ISAAC while the VOICE OF GOD was heard,

'STOP ABRAHAM. Let the child live. - Never did I tell you to kill your own son. - But you should burn the money which your heart is so attached to in MY honour! As you want to be obedient to ME in spite of the confusion of your mind under the influence of the wicked spirits I will forgive you for your child's sake. But now go and mend your ways at last! I want to bless ISAAC now, for I want to form MY alliance with him, for from his seed MY PEOPLE shall come forth which shall walk in front of ME and shall serve ME. And I want to mark him that he bears the seed of GOD'S PEOPLE in him!'

Full of tears ABRAHAM thanked GOD for HIS GOODNESS, and when he saw a hare run across the field he took his bow and arrow, shot it and together with ISAAC he offered it to GOD as a burnt offering to thank HIM. From that day onward ISAAC'S forehead lit whenever he spoke of GOD, which happened more and more often. - For ISAAC was a true servant of GOD.

ISAAC became an adult, married and his wife gave birth to two sons: ESAU and JACOB were the names ISAAC gave them at the recommendation of the LORD. They were twins, but ESAU was firstborn.

ESAU was a farmer who looked after his father's herds for he loved animals very much. JACOB,on the other hand,supervised the farm work. The brothers were also good friends. But all relatives, servants and slaves knew that after ISAAC'S death only one of the two brothers would be their master. He would be ESAU, the firstborn. For thus it was decreed by human law. - But ESAU disagreed with this. The young man was not interested in dominating the kin in the manner of his father and grandfather ABRAHAM. He preferred the animals' company to people's, except to his brother JACOB'S. - JACOB, however, was very skilful at dealing with people. Mediating between quarrelling people and reconciling them was easy for him. And just like his father ISAAC, he, at a very young age, was already interested in all that GOD created. Only ISAAC did not want to take away from ESAU,the rights as the firstborn son, and he persisted in having the latter as his successor. - But GOD'S decision was different.

So it happened that ESAU, who was often looking for wild honey on the fringe of the desert, had strayed in the desert. And like one of his animals he did not look back, but, when he saw some bees, he ran after them, penetrating more and more into the desert. Night came before he noticed what he had done. ESAU had ventured forward too much into the desert. This place was completely unfamiliar to him. Moreover he was tired, thirsty and hungry. He sat down, sad, looked up to the sky and talked to GOD, THE LORD OF LIFE, 'GOD ALMIGHTY I beg YOU, hear my supplication. Please ,lead me out of this desert again and take me back home. And whatever YOU ask from me, I will give it to YOU!' Then suddenly a stormy wind swept across the desert. It was so heavy that ESAU flew up in a swirl of sand that carried him far away and put him down most roughly at the edge of the desert. When still dazed ESAU opened his eyes, he recognised his brother JACOB'S tent not very far away from him. 'Thank you, my LORD', ESAU murmured, 'What do YOU require from me in recognition of my rescue? - I will give it to YOU!' At that moment his brother JACOB came out of his tent holding a dish of steaming lentils. Grinning JACOB said, 'I do not know what the LORD asks from you, but I would ask for your rights of the firstborn son ,if I saved you from starvation with this dish of lentils!' JACOB had been joking, it is true, but these words made ESAU'S flesh creep. And the light of the rising sun shone on JACOB'S figure so that it looked as if he did not belong to the material world, but to the spiritual one. - ESAU now knew what GOD claimed from him for his rescue. 'All right, brother' , he said in a harsh voice, 'Give me some lentils and my rights of the firstborn are yours. I am not particularly attached to them anyway ,as you know!' JACOB was startled, he would have liked to have the rights of the firstborn son, it is true, but he did not really mean what he had said a while ago. So he tried to make his brother change his mind again. 'But ESAU, that was just a joke!' - 'No, brother, that was GOD'S WILL announced to me through your mouth, for I felt the shiver and saw the light as a confirmation.' JACOB was dismayed. He did not fail to see that ESAU was firmly determined to renounce to the rights for his sake, and as he knew his brother's stubbornness ,he also knew that it was useless trying to get this out of his mind. But what would their father ISAAC say to this', he wondered? - He could prove just as stubborn as ESAU if having his way was at stake. - On the other hand it would really have been more sensible if he, JACOB, became the eldest of the kin after his father. He just had the required abilities. And ESAU was with heart and soul the herdsman of 'his animals' as he tenderly called them, and the responsibility of the eldest of the kin was simply too heavy for him. - So JACOB decided to leave it all to GOD, and he let his brother eat the lentils. Then the brothers set out back to their father.

ISAAC had grown old and had gone blind . For a fairly long time he had felt weak and ill, and he had his son ESAU called to him to bless him and to declare in front of all his people ,that he was their leader. But ESAU refused to go. JACOB wanted to reassure him and said, ' If you like I will come with you, brother!' ESAU glanced at-him and then thought, 'All right, but then we exchange our clothes, brother!' JACOB thought that ESAU wanted to play a harmless trick on their father and agreed. So the brothers exchanged their clothes, and JACOB looked like ESAU, clad with the latter's skins and carrying his horn over his shoulder. ESAU, on the other hand, looked like JACOB in the latter's clothes and with his bow and leather quiver over his shoulder. So the twin brothers entered their father ISAAC'S tent.

ISAAC answered his sons' greetings and then he said, 'The one who wears the skins and carries the horn should come near me.' And JACOB stepped up to his father. ISAAC felt the skins and the horn, then he smiled and made the son kneel down. JACOB became aware of what happened too late. ISAAC gave his blessing to this son kneeling in front of him and declared him the eldest of the kin and therewith as his successor in all. Then he also asked the SUBLIME GOD to also give HIS BLESSING to this son. And the light of GOD wrapped JACOB,which was seen by all who were present as a sign that all this was GOD'S WILL. - ESAU smiled, for he had known this already before.

JACOB married. His first wife LEAH gave birth to ten sons. REUBEN, SIMEON, LEVI, JUDAH, DAN, NEPHTALI, GAD, ASHER, ISSACHAR and ZEBULUN. After LEAH'S death JACOB married her younger sister RACHEL who bore two more sons: JOSEPH and BENJAMIN.

JACOB loved RACHEL'S sons more than his other sons for they took very much after their mother. This, of course, irritated the elder brothers a lot, and they became jealous of JOSEPH and BENJAMIN.

When JOSEPH was sixteen he had strange dreams which he told his father and his brothers, 'I dreamt that my brothers and I were in the fields tying up sheaves. Then my sheaves got up and stood up straight in the wind, and my brothers' lay down in front of them.' His elder brothers were vexed and thought that JOSEPH must be very arrogant to have such dreams.

At some other time JOSEPH reported again a dream, 'I dreamt that the sun, the moon and the stars were all bowing down to me.' Then his brothers thought again that JOSEPH was in fact very arrogant if he had such dreams. JUDAH said to him, 'You are much too conceited and arrogant. Who do you think you are? - Are your brothers, your father and mother supposed to bow down to you and serve you? You better stop your daydreams and work hard as we all do.' Contrary to their elder brothers JOSEPH and BENJAMIN had delicate statures, as you know, and JOSEPH, like BENJAMIN, was absolutely unable to do hard physical work. Therefore JOSEPH, who was quick at learning and eager for knowledge, was designated by JACOB to manage his property. BENJAMIN was only seven years old and too young to work. In the meanwhile he played with his father's dogs.

Once when LEAH'S sons took care of their fathers flock in a more remote area, JOSEPH, at his father's recommendation, went to his elder brothers to take fresh provisions to them and to inquire after their well-being. When the brothers saw JOSEPH in the distance, they grew even more jealous than usual and were very angry. For JOSEPH was riding his father's horse, and he wore a new colourful garment, that JACOB had ordered to be made for him, so that he could be recognised everywhere as the manager of his father's property. Mad with jealousy LEAH'S sons decided to kill JOSEPH and to throw his body into a well. Then they wanted to tell their father that a wild animal had killed JOSEPH. REUBEN; however, wanted to spare JOSEPH'S life and shouted, 'Let's not kill him, brothers, let's not spill blood, for his blood would call GOD'S vengeance on us. We better throw him at once into a well in the desert!' REUBEN thought, it is true, that thus JOSEPH could be saved by passing wanderers.

JOSEPH had hardly arrived near his brothers when they seized him, ripped off his colourful garment and threw him into the well. JUDAH, however, who was particularly jealous of JOSEPH managing his father's business and having to always deal with a lot of money, suddenly shouted,' What do we get out of killing him?- Let's sell him as a slave to the next caravan!' And so they did. They sold their brother JOSEPH for twenty silver coins. REUBEN was not present at the deal, and he was shocked when he heard what had happened in his absence. He withdrew from the other brothers and asked GOD to help and protect his brother JOSEPH.

In the meantime the others, with JUDAH as their leader, had killed a he-goat and spilt its blood on JOSEPH'S colourful garment. Then they sent a servant with the garment to JACOB and ordered him to tell their father the following, 'We found this garment in the desert in this condition. Examine it to see if it is your son's garment for we are not sure!' - JACOB at once recognised the garment and was deeply scared. For now he was convinced that a wild animal had eaten his son JOSEPH. Utterly desperate JACOB tore his clothes, scattered ashes on his head and refused food for days.

The boy BENJAMIN, however, who saw his father mourning went up to JACOB. Then he took him by the hand and said, 'Father, let us pray to GOD for JOSEPH'S spirit, so that he is better off now than he was down here on earth!' JACOB understood that the boy was led by GOD'S spirits and listened to his advice. Together with BENJAMIN he prayed for his son JOSEPH'S spiritual welfare. After that JACOB was strengthened spiritually. He could eat again and live a normal life. But in his heart he could never forget JOSEPH.

JOSEPH had been sold by his elder brothers to an Egyptian slave trader, who resold him to POTIPHAR, the general of the palace guard in Egypt. The holy spirits of GOD guided and always protected JOSEPH, for CHRIST, THE KING AND LORD OF THE CREATION, had asked them to do. Therefore JOSEPH was successful in all that he did, and soon he won his master POTIPHAR'S confidence, and he became the manager of POTIPHAR'S house and of all his property.

JOSEPH knew in his heart that the GOD of his ancestors protected him, and he thanked HIM for his wonderful rescue, as often as he had the opportunity to do so. But he also asked GOD to forgive and help his elder brothers. In the same way JOSEPH prayed to GOD to console and strengthen his father JACOB as well as to bring HIS help to his little brother BENJAMIN, so that the latter did not suffer from his elder brothers' jealousy, as he JOSEPH did. GOD and CHRIST were pleased with such a way of thinking, and GOD blessed all that JOSEPH did. And for JOSEPH'S sake GOD blessed POTIPHAR'S whole house and all his property.

POTIPHAR had a very beautiful young wife whom he loved very much, and whom he had great confidence in. He himself was already at an advanced age and could have been her father. Because of his function as a general of the palace guard, POTIPHAR was often away from home. His property manager JOSEPH, on the contrary, spent most of his time at home and in his master's stables. JOSEPH was young and good-looking. POTIPHAR'S wife did not take long to become fond of him. She made him come to her rooms on a pretext and tried to seduce him. But JOSEPH resisted her temptations and left her rooms. This hurt the pride of POTIPHAR'S wife and made her very angry with JOSEPH. Furthermore she feared he might talk to her husband about the incident. Therefore she sent a maidservant to JOSEPH to tell him the following, 'My mistress has recognised how silly her behaviour towards you was and she would like to apologise. For that reason would you go to her so that she can do so formally.' - So JOSEPH followed the maid to her mistress's rooms. When they had arrived there POTIPHAR'S wife sent her maid to fetch some wine for JOSEPH. Then she apologised formally for her foolish behaviour towards him and asked him to have a drink with her to show, that he JOSEPH forgave her. And when the maid had brought the wine JOSEPH drank with POTIPHAR'S wife. Then he said, 'I forgive you, but you should be aware that I honour my master POTIPHAR and for his confidence's sake I want to leave you now and I do not want to enter these rooms again unless he is present!' But she did not want to let him go and held on to his coat. Then JOSEPH tore himself free from her and ran out. The woman, however, had held on so strongly to his coat that the buckle on his shoulder opened and, she kept the coat. Then she loudly shouted for help. And when her servants came, she said that JOSEPH had wanted to seduce her, but that she had resisted and screamed loudly. Thereupon he had taken to his heels leaving her his coat. She told her husband the same story when he came home. POTIPHAR, who had greater confidence in his wife than in his manager, had JOSEPH thrown into prison.

JOSEPH prayed to GOD for help in this misery. GOD heard his prayer, and so the prison guard made JOSEPH jailkeeper after a short time, so that things went fairly well with him there.

But now it happened that the chief wine steward and the chief baker were offending their master the King of Egypt. For both had tried to cheat him.

The chief wine steward had served his master with a wine of inferior quality. But the bill that he had drawn up by the wine merchant indicated a first-rate wine. He had shared the difference in prices between the expensive first-rate wines and the cheap, inferior quality ones with the wine merchant. The chief baker, on the other hand, had used bad and spoiled flour for the palace bread and the bread for the priests, and nevertheless he had charged the whole price. Naturally this bread did not agree with the priests nor did it with the royal taster.

The King of Egypt had both officials put in the same prison where JOSEPH was jailkeeper. Thus it happened that the captain of the guard ordered JOSEPH to serve the two royal officials until the King had passed judgement upon them. And so it was done.

One morning JOSEPH found the two officials most ill-tempered in their common cell. When he asked them what they wished, they answered, 'Each of us had quite a peculiar dream, but there is nobody here to explain what our dreams mean.' JOSEPH said, 'Not every dream is so important as to require an interpretation, but if it is GOD'S WILL, then this may happen. - Do tell me your dreams!' So the chief wine steward spoke first, 'I dreamt that I saw a vine in front of me, and it bore three branches. The vine budded, then it blossomed, and immediately afterwards the grapes ripened. I gathered the grapes and squeezed them into the pharaoh's cup. Then I gave it to the pharaoh to drink.' Then JOSEPH, under the influence of a holy spirit, explained the dream to him. 'The three branches mean three days. After three more days Pharaoh will again remember your good services of the past. He will call you back to his court and forgive you. He will restore you to your former position, and you will fill his cup again as you did in former times. - Remember me then, and intercede for me with Pharaoh so that I get out of here!'

When the chief baker heard how pleasant JOSEPH'S interpretation of the chief wine steward's dream was, he also told his dream. ' I dreamt that I was carrying three baskets on my head. These baskets were full of pastries for the King. But then a flight of birds came down from heaven eating up all that was in the baskets.' And JOSEPH, under the influence of a holy spirit, also interpreted this dream. 'The three baskets mean three days. - After three more days Pharaoh will remember you and what you did to him and the priests. Then he will first have you hanged, and then he will have your head cut off, and the birds of heaven will eat your flesh!'

And things happened just as JOSEPH had interpreted the dreams: Three days later Pharaoh's birthday was celebrated. He remembered his chief wine steward, forgave him and restored him to his former position. - The priests in the temple reminded Pharaoh of his former chief baker's outrageous deeds and required a harsh punishment for him. And Pharaoh had him hanged and then beheaded. He let the birds of heaven eat his flesh.

When the chief wine steward was well off again, he, however, quickly forgot JOSEPH. So JOSEPH still had to stay on in prison for a while. - And GOD taught him how to be humble.

After seven years had passed the King of Egypt had very particular dreams:

In his first dream he thought he was standing by the River Nile. He saw seven cows, sleek and fat, come up out of the waters of the river onto the banks feeding on the thick grass. Then seven other cows, ugly and bony, followed the sleek and fat ones. They came and stood by the sleek and fat cows and ate them up. Thereupon Pharaoh woke up. But soon afterwards he fell asleep again, and in his second dream he saw seven ears of corn, full and ripe, growing on one stalk. Then seven other ears of corn, empty and scorched, sprouted and swallowed the seven full ones.

These dreams had frightened the pharaoh, for he guessed that they were very important for his country. So he sent for all the scholars, priests and interpreters of dreams in the country to explain these dreams to him. But none of them could give him a satisfactory explanation of his dreams. - Then the chief wine steward remembered JOSEPH again, and he told Pharaoh what had happened to him and the former chief baker, and how JOSEPH, at that time, had correctly interpreted their dreams to them. For everything had turned out as he had foretold them. - Thereupon Pharaoh asked to see JOSEPH.

JOSEPH was brought to the pharaoh who said to him, ' Who are you, and why are you in my prison?' - 'Noble Pharaoh of Egypt, my brothers themselves unjustly sold me to one of your slave traders. Therefore I came in the service of the general of your palace guard. His wife wanted to seduce me. And as I did not want to go against my master POTIPHAR'S honour, it happened that his wife slandered me, and my master had me sent to prison!' -'According to your words you have been put to prison as an innocent man? - I can hardly believe you, I know POTIPHAR quite well, he is a just man!' - 'Oh, noble Pharaoh, how can a man recognise the truth, if the woman whom he loves more than anything else, beguiles his heart and his mind?!' - 'You may be right, this happens much too often. - Well now, I am told that you know how to interpret dreams when you just hear them. Can you also interpret my dreams?' - 'Noble Pharaoh, it is not the human being JOSEPH who knows how to interpret dreams, but the SUBLIME GOD, who is above all, also made your dreams. And the holy spirit that guides me pointed out to me that you had important dreams. So if you like, please, tell me your dreams, and with the help of this holy spirit I am going to interpret your dreams.’

Pharaoh was surprised at these words, nevertheless he readily told his dreams. Then JOSEPH, under the influence of a holy spirit, said, 'The two dreams mean the same thing. GOD has revealed to the pharaoh what HE is going to do with Egypt. Seven fat cows or seven full ears of corn mean seven years of great plenty for Egypt. Then come seven thin cows or seven thin ears of corn. These mean seven years of famine. The pharaoh shall be so wise as to claim a fifth of the crops from each of his subjects during the seven years of plenty. He shall then store it up in his granaries. He shall also have a fifth part of the meat dried and have it then stored, so that afterwards not only the Egyptian people can well live on it during the famine, but also the other neighbouring peoples in Egypt can then still buy some food, Pharaoh shall appoint a man of wisdom over his people to set all this on foot and to see to it, that GOD'S instructions are followed. Thus Egypt will be well off.'

Then Pharaoh said, 'You are truly led and protected by the WISE AND SUBLIME GOD who has always watched over my people so that it may stand up for The Light. What wiser man but yourself could I charge with such a position. From now on you shall be my representative, and, in my name, you shall take the decisions that are to the welfare of my people. The only thing I require from you, is that you continue to consider me as the legal king of Egypt and serve me as the law requires.' Thereupon Pharaoh removed from his finger the gold ring engraved with the royal seal and put it on JOSEPH'S finger. He had him dressed in the finest white linen, placed his gold mask on JOSEPH'S face and put his gold chain round JOSEPH'S neck. The pharaoh bestowed the title on JOSEPH, 'Saviour of the world' and let him parade in the second royal chariot next to him so that the people could see him. And the herald cried out to the people, 'Throw yourself to the ground, for the noble Pharaoh of Egypt and his true heir ride past!'

Thus they who are humble at heart and always honour GOD are exalted by HIM in public.

JOSEPH now was the rightful heir to the pharaoh of Egypt. At the same time in the name of the pharaoh he had the right to decide on the destiny of the country.

Just as the pharaoh had dreamt, and as JOSEPH had correctly said, the seven years of plenty now came first. So JOSEPH asked the people of Egypt to give the fifth part of the crop of corn and the fifth part of the meat to be stored, and people still lived in affluence. The granaries in Egypt rapidly filled. Desiccated meat and heavy sweet wine were stored in the cellars. But when the seven years of famine followed, and the famine broke out, JOSEPH opened the granaries and the cool cellars and had the corn, the meat and the wine distributed to the Egyptians so that there was no want. - Then, from the neighbouring countries where the famine was inexpressibly severe, the people came to buy corn, meat and wine in Egypt. And JOSEPH sold as much to them as the people of Egypt could spare.

JOSEPH'S brothers, too, on behalf of their father, had set out for Egypt to buy corn as well as meat and wine for their kin. BENJAMIN alone had not gone with his half-brothers, because JOSEPH did not want to let him go lest he lose this son of RACHEL, too. So LEAH'S sons were brought to their brother JOSEPH to negotiate with him. However, they did not recognise him, for he wore the pharaoh's gold mask. In addition JOSEPH spoke to them through an interpreter. LEAH'S sons bowed down to the ground before JOSEPH, then they expressed their wish. But JOSEPH said that they were spies, and though they protested their innocence, he had them arrested and put to prison. Three days later he fetched them. He gave them corn, wine and desiccated meat and let them go home. However, he kept SIMEON with him as a pledge. He ordered them to come back with their youngest brother, so that he could find out whether they were spies and test the truth of their declaration. Full of sorrow the brothers went home.

When JACOB learnt what had happened to his sons in Egypt, he broke into sobs and shouted to heaven, 'My GOD, why do YOU leave your servant?! What have I done to be tortured by YOU that way? - I beg YOU do not take BENJAMIN from me either! - Why was JOSEPH to die so young? - And now even SIMEON is a prisoner! - My LORD, I implore YOU, have pity! - Do not punish the sons for their father's mistakes!' Then he withdrew into his tent and refused to see anybody. Tired he went to rest. But he could not fall asleep. Instead he saw a luminous figure in his mind. It came nearer and gave him a drink that tasted wonderful. Thereafter he felt fortified. The luminous figure withdrew. Then JACOB saw a devilish figure approach him. It wanted to pounce on him with a hideous roar. However, now JACOB stood in the light just like the luminous figure a while ago, and the devilish being really rebounded off the light. Howling with rage the fiendish being retreated. Now the luminous figure appeared again, and JACOB saw that it was an angel sent by GOD, standing at his side to protect him, holding a fiery sword. Then he saw his sons standing at a distance. JOSEPH and BENJAMIN were standing in their midst, and the light radiating from them protected the other ten. And all spirits from hell trying to harm them rebounded off the light. Another angel, who was holding a fiery sword, was standing behind the twelve brothers. And the fiery light emitted by this sword made the spirits from hell shout with pain. And when, furthermore, they were struck by this sword they ran off howling. - Now JACOB knew that GOD would protect his sons just as HE had always protected him and his ancestors before him. He now knew just as well that JOSEPH must still be alive, and in his heart he felt both great joy and sorrow, for he guessed that his other sons were to be blamed for JOSEPH'S disappearance. - So he let the brothers go to Egypt again, and he sent BENJAMIN with them after JUDAH had agreed to pledge for BENJAMIN'S safety.

So JOSEPH'S brothers set out again for Egypt to buy corn, wine and desiccated meat. Besides they had taken presents with them this time, to put the pharaoh's mandatary in a gentle mood so that he would release their brother SIMEON.

Just as had happened the first time the brothers were taken to JOSEPH, the pharaoh's representative, and just like the first time LEAH'S sons did not recognize their brother. For like the first time JOSEPH wore the pharaoh's gold mask and talked to his brothers through an interpreter.

The brothers bowed down to the ground before JOSEPH and presented their gifts to him. Then JUDAH said, 'Noble manager of the most noble pharaoh, I now want to introduce our youngest brother to you. His name is BENJAMIN. You had asked to see him here to prove that we tell the truth and that we are no spies. - As this has now been done we beg you to be so kind and set our brother SIMEON free again!' - JOSEPH was deeply moved when after so many years, he saw his little brother BENJAMIN again. In the meantime the latter had grown exactly the same age as he, JOSEPH, was, when his brothers sold him. JOSEPH could hardly talk for being so moved. So he gave a sign to his servants, and they led in SIMEON who had been made to wait in the adjoining room. Then the servants took off SIMEON'S ties, and the brothers were happy, and they all embraced him. Then JOSEPH invited his brothers to have a meal with him in his house in the evening, which very much surprised them. Nevertheless they met at the given time.

They were served a wonderful meal. There was music and dancing. At table the brothers were seated, it is true, in the order of their age, and JOSEPH sat next to BENJAMIN. This again greatly astonished the brothers a lot. After the meal JOSEPH gave them some corn, some wine, some desiccated meat and some dried dates for the journey. Then he left the room. He ordered his servants, however, to put the money already paid for the goods in top of each brother's sack and to add his personal silver cup to that of the youngest brother. And so it happened.

The brothers had hardly mounted and wanted to ride off when JOSEPH'S servants came running up to them and stopped their horses by taking the bridles. The brothers were taken again into the presence of JOSEPH. And he told them through the interpreter, 'You have eaten my bread and drunk my wine, you have eaten my meat and my dates and yet you have stolen from me!' Thereupon JUDAH asked to have a look at his sack. It was opened and the purse with the money lay at the top. 'Sorry, Sir, I do not know how it happened that this money is in my sack again, but it is your money, please, take it back!' Thus JUDAH spoke to JOSEPH and handed the purse to him. The other brothers wanted to do the same. But JOSEPH informed them through the interpreter, 'I do not want the money, but I want the one who has the silver cup in his sack!' And he ordered the servants to open all the sacks . So they found the silver cup with BENJAMIN. JUDAH started trembling and cried loudly, 'Oh Lord, I beseech you, do not keep my youngest brother with you, for if I do not bring this child back home, my old father will die of grief!' Deeply moved and in a choked voice JOSEPH now spoke in the language of his ancestors, 'Is my old father still living? How is he?' The brothers were terrified and did not know what to answer. Thereupon JOSEPH sent all the Egyptians out of the room. Then he took off the gold mask and in tears he said, 'Do not be afraid any more! -I am JOSEPH, your brother. I am here because this ordeal was inevitable for me. For GOD had decided that way. So, do not be afraid, but rather tell me, 'How is my old father? Is he still alive?' Then he embraced them all, one after the other, but BENJAMIN especially. Then only they believed that he was their brother. After telling them his whole story he sent them back to their father. He gave them precious gifts for the father and asked them to come back again and to bring JACOB there. For he, JOSEPH, would take care of them all.

So the brothers returned to their father JACOB. And when they told him their experience with JOSEPH, he could hardly believe them because it all seemed so wonderful. However, when he saw the valuable gifts, he knew that they told the truth. Thereupon he thanked GOD for HIS inexpressible help in all need, and he asked for HIS blessing for the journey to Egypt. For JACOB felt that he would never come back again. So he had everything prepared for the journey. His people had to pack all his possessions and gather all his herds. Then he slaughtered a young flawless lamb and offered it to GOD to thank HIM for all that he had been given so far, for all the grace that GOD had bestowed on him. And GOD was very pleased with this. And the VOICE OF GOD sounded loud above him, so that all who were present could hear IT.

'You are ISRAEL, the fighter for GOD, for you have always honoured ME and have fought for MY honour. You have proved loyal and obedient towards ME. Therefore be blessed! - From now on the whole world shall call you ISRAEL, the fighter for GOD, and all your descendants shall be like you, they shall be ISRAEL. For they, too, shall be fighters for GOD. My blessing shall be with you and your descendants, as long as they fight for GOD. So do go to Egypt. There, I will give you a great number of descendants!'

So it happened.

On JOSEPH'S advice and with the pharaoh's permission, ISRAEL and his people settled in Egypt, in the plain of GOSHEN, which, at that time, was the most fertile part of the country.
The Israelites, as ISRAEL'S sons were now soon called, were fertile, they had a lot of children and peopled the plain of GOSHEN. The Egyptian farmers living there, also called fellahs, hated the Israelites, whose large herds had been allowed to graze everywhere by the pharaoh. And many a fellah was foaming with rage, mentally, when he saw that his freshly ploughed and sown field was trampled down by a huge herd the next day, or even, when the young stalks were grazed down before they had been able to grow ripe at all, and so the whole crop was gone. Their fury against the 'herdsmen', as the Israelites were soon called everywhere in Egypt, grew stronger and stronger. From generation to generation the Egyptian fathers taught their sons to hate the Israelites. -'These strangers do not belong here at all, and nevertheless their herds eat up our children's bread. - The pharaoh should send them back where they came from! - How can he put up with the children of Egypt having to live in want whilst he cherishes foreign vipers in his bosom?' Thus the rich Egyptian merchants said again and again. And so these words, one day, were also heard by the pharaoh of Egypt.

Since long another pharaoh was ruling in Egypt who would not have anymore to do with JOSEPH and his deeds for Egypt. He was a cruel man, and he was only interested in his personal welfare. Yet he was aware that he needed the people, if he wanted to stay pharaoh. So he declared ISRAEL'S children slaves of Egypt who were now allowed to possess only the most necessary things for survival. Yet therefore they had to do compulsory labour in constructing Egypt's magnificent buildings. It was this pharaoh's plan to have a new capital built in GOSHEN. And therefore he would need a lot of slaves, for free workers would have been much too expensive for him. - GOD let all this happen, for ISRAEL's descendants were much to careless about their faith in GOD. Many a young Israelite was too easily deluded by the voluptuous ceremonies celebrated in honour of the Egyptian GODs. By the pharaoh's decree, however, they were strictly forbidden to take part in such ceremonies, as they were now slaves. Furthermore the Israelite people had to become much humbler again, if it wanted to remain the PEOPLE OF GOD. For it should be humble at heart so that it could value the laws which GOD wanted to give it.

But the Israelites did not want to bear slavery and planned a rebellion. The pharaoh heard about this, on the spot, he ordered to kill all new-born boys of the Israelites. And the pharaoh's catchpoles travelled through the plain of GOSHEN and killed all the male children of the Israelites who were less than 3 years old. - And GOD also allowed this to happen, for the Israelites had looked down upon their father's faith much too long. However, the suffering made them humble again before GOD and led them back to the true belief in GOD.

At that time it happened that a man's widow from the tribe of LEVI was married to the brother of her first husband, as she had not yet born a son to the tribe, but only a daughter. A year later she bore a son. The woman wanted to hide the child from the pharaoh's catchpoles . Therefore she hid her son for three months. She could not do so any longer. So she wove a basket of reeds, covered it with resin and wax and wrapped the baby in a woollen blanket, kissed it in tears and put it into the basket. The mother prayed to GOD to help and protect her son. Then she abandoned the basket in the reeds, at the edge of the river. She made the baby's sister run along the river to see whereto the basket was drifting.

GOD had exhausted the baby's mother's prayer and sent a strong wind which carried the basket up the stream. For the pharaoh's daughter was just up the river. She wanted to bathe in the Nile. For the priests of the 'holy river' had advised her to do so to strengthen her fertility. She trusted in bearing a child from her late husband. When the king's daughter was alone in the water for a moment, the wind carried the basket made of reeds up to her. She at once seized the basket, opened it, and saw the crying boy lying in his blanket. She noticed that he was a very pretty child and believed that the GODs of the river had exhausted her prayers. So she took the child out of his blanket, held him high up in the air and shouted so loud that all her servants could hear her, 'Here is MOSES, the son of the river, who now is my son, for I pulled him out of the water. - The GODs of the holy Nile have exhausted my prayers. Thanks and honour to them!' And all the servants bowed and worshipped the GODs of the Nile. From a distance the boy's sister had watched the king's daughter taking her little brother out of the basket. And now as she was approaching, she heard the princess's servants speak of the boy as of a present from the GODs of the Nile. And now a wet nurse had to be found, as the king's daughter had not given birth to the child herself and could not breast feed him. So the girl came nearer and said, 'If you are looking for a wet nurse I know an Israelite woman who bore a child, it is true, but the pharaoh's catchpoles took it away from her. And now the woman suffers a lot because her breasts are full of milk!' The servants reported this to the princess, and the pharaoh's daughter had the girl told, 'Call this woman for it is the GODs' will that I make this child a ruler over Egypt. He will be strong and powerful. And the HEBRA'S milk will be good for the prince, for the HEBRA are a tough people.' HEBRA was the nickname for ISRAEL'S descendants , for HEBRA then meant 'shepherd' in the Egyptian language. So MOSES came back to his mother, who brought him up until he was five. Then the king's daughter had him brought to the palace to introduce him as her son at the court. Thereafter MOSES was sent to the temple school. There the priests of ON and ISIS taught him all the sciences and arts of Egypt, but unfortunately also how to communicate with the lower spirits. For the GODs whom they served were in reality all spirits from hell. - But the boy's mother prayed to GOD and kept on imploring HIM to protect and help her son MOSES. And GOD heard these prayers and protected MOSES from all that could harm his spirit, soul and body .

Then old Pharaoh died and the brother of the princess who had adopted MOSES as her son became pharaoh. The latter loved MOSES as much as he loved his own son SETI. He let the two princes study together in the temple and both lived at the palace. SETI, however, hated MOSES for he begrudged him the love of his father.

MOSES was a most tactful human being who knew well how to deal with both human beings and animals. SETI, on the other hand, cared neither about human beings nor about animals. He was only interested in material wealth and especially in the power that he would have over the people as the future pharaoh of Egypt. As he, however, clearly showed his bad character early and particularly his penchant for cruelty towards man and beast, his father, the pharaoh, decided that, if SETI did not considerably improve very soon, he would not be the future pharaoh, but MOSES would. - From that moment on SETI presented himself to better advantage and became, outwardly, most friendly and nice to all, but particularly to MOSES. Deep down, however, he swore infinitely cruel vengeance on MOSES.

MOSES was very popular with the people of Egypt. And so the pharaoh had charged him to go and visit the various regions of the country and inquire after the well-being of his subjects. Thus MOSES also came to the plain of GOSHEN, where the Israelites lived. He saw how this people did slave labour for the pharaoh, and he felt sorry for the children of Israel.

He knew that the woman who had nursed and brought him up until he was five lived in this area. So he inquired after her with the slave-driver, and he was taken to a poor, shabby hut where an old woman was dying. MOSES at once recognised the woman whom he had most dearly loved at an early age. When old pharaoh's daughter had sent for him, he had wept bitterly because he had to leave this woman. As a child he had sworn to run away from the palace back to her. But, in tears, she had asked him not to do so. 'For,' thus she said, 'the LORD will decide, when and where we meet again. But I am sure this will happen. And when that moment has come, my dear son, I will have to tell you quite a few things! -But now go with the people sent by the princess who wants to be your mother. Love and respect her on that account, but do not forget me, my child!' And so he had left, crying, and he had never seen her again. And as he grew older he remembered her a little less. - And now she was lying in front of him on her shabby straw mat. Although the woman had considerably grown old, and her sight was failing, she knew who was standing in front of her bed. 'You are MOSES, aren't you?' she said in a quavering voice. 'So you have come after all, as the LORD had promised me at that time! So please, my dear son, carefully listen to me, for I have little time left to speak. - MOSES, you are not the real son of the princess. The gods of the river did not give life to you, but I bore you, and to save your life when you were three months old, I put you in a basket made of reeds and abandoned you on the river. And the SUBLIME GOD OF OUR FATHERS made the wind carry the basket towards the princess. She took you out and believed that the gods of the Nile had heard her prayers. But that is nonsense, for only the ONE AND SOLE TRUE GOD OF ABRAHAM, ISAAC and JACOB can give life. - So you are my son, MOSES. MYRIAM here on my side is your sister, and this young man here is your younger brother, AARON. He was born after the present pharaoh had repealed the old pharaoh's terrible decree to kill Israel's new-born boys. - And the people of Israel is your people, MOSES! - You are a child of Israel, a Hebrew, as the Egyptians say. - You owe your life to the GOD OF ISRAEL, and therefore you should thank HIM as I did every day of my life. Rely on HIM and confide in HIM whatever may happen, and HE will guide you. For the LORD will be your shepherd. HE will look after you!' Then MOSES' mother died. Her children, MYRIAM and AARON, knelt down at her bed and wept. MOSES remained upright in the Egyptian manner, bowed and keeping back his tears, he walked out at a stiff pace. Once outside he started running until he reached the edge of the desert. There only he slowed down, and finally he sank down trembling and crying. He was shocked, and he didn't know what to do. Whimpering he prayed to GOD, 'Oh GOD of all gods, if YOU really exist, YOU GOD OF ISRAEL, who are the GOD of my ancestors so help me get on, I beg you!' - Thereupon he suddenly felt wonderfully fortified and comforted. Then he heard a soft voice near him saying, 'Come in, brother MOSES. For GOD did not only save you from death, when you were a baby and now led you back to us again for you to despair, but for you to learn from your mother's example and to be a help to us all!’ Thus MYRIAM, his sister, spoke and she took him again with her into the house. There she told him in more details what the situation had been like at that time when, in the basket of reeds, he was floating on the Nile and came to the princess. Then she admonished him to be cautious of Pharaoh and prince SETI. 'Do not tell them who you really are unless GOD makes a sign to you, and, do not talk to anybody else about your origin, for that might be dangerous for all of us!' MOSES promised to do so.

The next day he saw a guard beat up an Israelite. Enraged MOSES interfered and knocked the guard so firmly on the head that the latter dropped dead. Thereupon MOSES got frightened and quickly buried the guard's body in the sand. The Israelite, however, had been able to struggle to his feet again and had fled.

The next day MOSES saw two Israelites fighting for a lump of gold which they had found in the sand. He then joined the men and asked them to stop the fight, as they were both children of Israel. Furthermore the gold was only glittering metal that would not feed them, but the LORD'S words would. Then one of the two said to him, 'It's easy for you to talk, you are rich and are not hungry. What do you think you are doing to mind our business, or do you want to kill us just as you killed that Egyptian yesterday?' MOSES was very much afraid, for he now knew, that the man whom he had rescued from the beating Egyptian, had passed on the story. MOSES was scared of the consequences of his deed, and he decided to flee without returning once more to the palace. He said goodbye to MYRIAM and AARON and fled across the desert into the land of MIDIAN.

There ISMAEL'S descendants lived. He had been a son of ABRAHAM and the maid HAGA. These descendants of ABRAHAM were also truly devoted to GOD, prayed to HIM and made sacrifices to HIM only. MOSES stayed in MIDIAN for forty years. There he married ZIPPORAH, the daughter of sheikh JETHRO, who was a loyal servant of GOD.

MOSES looked after the sheep and goats of his father-in-law JETHRO. So one day he came with a flock of sheep near Mount HOREB. At that time there was a watering place there. Its source flowed from inside the mountain. So it was small wonder that a little oasis at the foot of the mountain invited the wanderer to stay a while. From there a narrow green path led up to the mountain. Now and then were shrubs whose berries were very much liked by goats. The sheep, however, were attracted by the grass. Thus they climbed up the mountain to the end of the green plot. It was late in the afternoon and MOSES had lain down near the watering place, in the shade of a date. It was already getting dark when the sheep ran down the mountain bleating loudly with excitement. As MOSES feared a wild animal might be in the neighbourhood, he quickly took some dry wood, lit a fire, and gathered his animals round him. He threw a last glance up the mountain and, in the firelight, he perceived a lamb high up, alone on a rocky spur, bleating pitifully. Without hesitating he hurried up to free the lamb from its awkward position.

However, when he arrived at the top, there was no lamb. On the contrary he saw a thorny bush on fire, and yet it was not burning up. When, surprised, MOSES wanted to go nearer, he heard a thundering voice from the thornbush talking to him,

'Do not come any closer, MOSES! - Take off your shoes, for here where you are standing is holy and sacred ground!'

MOSES answered, 'LORD, who are YOU?'

'I am the GOD of ABRAHAM, ISAAC and JACOB - I am your GOD who gave you life and carried you to the daughter of the pharaoh of Egypt to save your life. I am the GOD who safely led you out of Egypt, across the desert, to Midian, and has given you a home again!'

Then MOSES recognised that it actually was the VOICE OF GOD speaking to him. He dropped to his knees, covered his face before GOD, for he felt ashamed of having often doubted about GOD'S existence. The VOICE OF GOD, however, went on,

'I have seen the misery of my people and heard them complain. Therefore I want to free them and lead them into a good spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey. And you, MOSES, shall be their leader. For that is the reason why I have revived you to serve me on earth!'

'But, my LORD, who am I to take the liberty of going to the pharaoh and freeing the children of ISRAEL from the domination of Egypt? - The Israelites will ask me, 'What is the person called who has sent you?' - And what shall I then answer them?'

GOD said,