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JACQUES LEGRAND - FORTUNA'S ORB
Jacques Legrand
- Public Domain
Fortuna's Orb
- 1450-1490 |
- From the 15th-century manuscript by
Jacques Legrand called Le Livre de bonnes moeurs (The Book of Good Manners).
- The manuscript was originally written for Jean Duc de Berry (1340-1416) younger brother of the King Charles V of France (1338-1380).
- This manuscript provided texts and discussions related to
good manners, moral behavior and ethical values.
- Witten
in French and printed on paper
in either France (Burgundy), or Switzerland (Basel).
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This text was a bestseller in its day, circulating among the ruling elite at the French and Burgundian courts in luxurious, illuminated copies.
(textmanuscripts.com)
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Eve at the spinning
wheel |
- Featured on the left side is an elegant pregnant woman, portrayed in the act of spinning a wheel.
- Her name is Fortuna
and she is the goddess of fortune and luck in Ancient Rome and into Medieval Europe.
- The ball and wheel of fortune were her symbols and she is simply a personification.
- The Greeks also had an almost identical deity called Tyche.
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Jacques Legrand was a prolific author of many
philosophical and exegetical treatises, but he is best
known as an author of three major works. In 1398, he
wrote an encyclopedic Sophilogium containing twelve
books arranged in three main parts, of which “the
first part talks about all human and divine sciences;
the second part talks about virtues; and the third,
about all (human) conditions.”
(textmanuscripts.com)
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Spinning wheel |
- Fortuna's most well-known attribute in iconography
is the spinning wheel.
- The constant rotation of the wheel
represents the unending cycle of life, death, and rebirth,
mirroring the concept of karma and samsara in some spiritual
traditions.
- The wheel also represents astrology, the
bottom of the wheel and the top of the wheel, and how quickly
life's circumstances can change.
Gold orb |
- There is a floating golden spherical object (orb) in the
middle.
-
It’s the moon as a product of Fortuna's spinning.
Frightened archons |
- The men on the nearby hill act frightened, as many
golden rays radiate from the sky.
- Are they frightened
because of the orb?
- A globe, in fact, represented the world itself (as the oikoumene or orbis terrarum) and the power that Luck had over it and its fate.
- The wheel and the orb keep spinning.
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Many are the depictions of Fortuna together with a sphere, especially in sculpture: some of these statues can be found in Hofburg Palace, in Vienna, Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin, or Fortunaportal in Potsdam - as well as the statue of Fortuna by Praxiteles at the Louvre Museum in Paris or that of Fortuna Nemesisat the Aquincum Museum, Budapest.
(foliamagazine.it)
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Yaldabaoth energy
vampire throwing
stones |
- Fortuna is Eve who reveals that the archons, evil
rulers of the world, raped her but she has more power than
them, and they know it!
- And that 'luck' should be more
commonly known as 'fate.'
- In the same vein, Nyx was the primordial Greek goddess of the night and a consort to Erebus, the god of darkness; she hatched an egg that created the Earth, sky, and sea.
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In Greek mythology, "Sophia" is not a recognized goddess, but "Nyx" is the primordial goddess of the night, meaning "Sophia" would not be directly connected to her in traditional mythology; however, "Sophia" in Greek translates to "wisdom," which could be interpreted as a concept associated with the mysterious and powerful nature of Nyx, the goddess of the night.
(study.com)
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Sophia is
Wisdom |
Earth angel |
- After Christ and several other entities who were high
ranking angels, the last to emerge from God was named Wisdom (or, in Greek, Sophia).
- Wisdom wanted to give birth to a new being of her own, but
did so without the involvement or permission of her partner or God.
- This rash act, rather than anything Adam and Eve would later do in the Garden of Eden, is the origin of evil.
Demiurge Yaldabaoth |
- Wisdom’s child is the monstrous demiurge, Yaldabaoth, who is cast out of Heaven and goes on to create the mundane material world in which we humans live.
- After initially trying to conceal her mistake, Wisdom repents of it, which establishes a divine model for human repentance of sin.
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On the
Origin of the World |
Gnostic beginning of
everything |
- Since everyone, the gods of the world and people says
that nothing existed prior to chaos, then it can be shown
since they do not know the origin of chaos and its root, here
is the demonstration.
- How agreeable it is to all people
to say that chaos is darkness, but actually chaos comes from a
shadow that has been called darkness.
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One of the things that set Gnosticism apart from the other varieties of early Christianity was its astonishing creation myth, an interpretation of the creation myth of Genesis that practically turns that Old Testament text upside down.
(gnosticismexplained.org)
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Shadow |
- The shadow comes
from something existing from the beginning so it is
obvious that something in the beginning existed before chaos
came into being.
- And that chaos came after what was in the beginning.
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The Gnostic creation myth has come down to us in numerous different versions in different Gnostic texts. It’s apparent that there was never a single, uniform version of the myth. But the different Gnostic accounts of creation that have survived down to the present day are variations on a common model, not different models altogether.
(gnosticismexplained.org)
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Sophia flowed out of
Pistis the first
light |
- Now, let us consider the facts of the matter, and in
particular, what was in the beginning from which chaos came.
- In this way, the truth will be clearly demonstrated.
-
After the nature of the immortals was completed out of an
infinite one, then a likeness called Sophia, flowed out of
Pistis.
- With the wish that something should come into being like
the light that first existed.
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Archons in Gnosticism and religions closely related to it, are the builders of the physical universe. Among the Archontics, Ophites, Sethians and in the writings of Nag Hammadi library, the archons are rulers, each related to one of seven planets; they prevent souls from leaving the material realm.
(Wikipedia)
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Immeasurable light
veiled |
- Immediately, her wish appeared as a heavenly likeness
with an incomprehensible greatness.
- This came between the
immortals and those who came into being after them, like what
is above, it was a veil separating people from the things
above.
- Now, the eternal realm of truth has no shadow
within it because the immeasurable light is
everywhere within it.
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Gnostic cosmogony generally presents a distinction
between a supreme, hidden God and a malevolent lesser
divinity (sometimes associated with the Hebrew Bible
deity Yahweh) who is responsible for creating the material universe.
(Wikipedia)
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Deities brought
forth |
- Outside it, however, is a shadow and it was called
darkness.
- From it appeared a power over the darkness and
the powers that came into being afterward called the Shadow,
the limitless chaos.
- From it, every kind of deity was
brought forth, one after another along with the whole place,
consequently the shadow to is subsequnt to what was in the
beginning.
- The shadow appeared in the abyss which is
derived from Pistis whom we have mentioned.
- The shadow
perceived that there was one stronger than it.
Self-impregnated and
immediately bore
envy |
- It was jealous and when it became self-impregnated it
immediately bore envy.
- Since that day, the principle of
envy has appeared in all of the aeons and their worlds.
-
But envy was found to be an aborted fetus without any spirit
in it.
- It became like the shadows in a great watery
substance.
- Then the bitter wrath that came into being from the
shadow was cast into a region of chaos.
Useless afterbirth |
- Since that day a watery substance has appeared what was enclosed in the
shadow flowed forth appearing in chaos.
- Just as all the
useless afterbirth of one who bears a little child falls,
likewise the matter that came into being from the shadow was
cast aside.
- Matter did not come out of chaos, but it was
in chaos existing in a part of it.
- Now after these things
happened, Pistis came and appeared over the matter of chaos,
which was cast off like an aborted fetus since there was no
spirit in it.
Boundless darkness
and water |
- For all of that is a boundless darkness and water of
unfathomable depth and when Pistis saw what came into being
from her deficiency, she was disturbed and the disturbance
appeared as something frightful and it fled to her in the
chaos.
- She turned to it and breathed into its face in the
abyss, which is beneath all of the heavens.
Yaldabaoth lionlike |
- Now when
Pistis Sophia wanted to cause the thing that had no spirit to
be formed into a likeness and rule over matter and over all its
powers, a ruler first appeared out of the waters, lionlike in
appearance.
- Androgynous, with great authority within himself, but
ignorant of once he came into being.
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Yaldabaoth and his
shadow |
- When Pistis Sophia
saw him moving in the depths of the waters, she said to him, 'Youth
pass over here,' which is interpreted as Yaldabaoth.
-
Since that day, the first principle of the word that referred
to the gods and angels and people has appeared, and the gods
and angels and people constitute that which came into being by
means of the word.
Pistis raining |
- Moreover, the ruler Yaldabaoth is ignorant of the power
of Pistis, he did not see her face, but he saw in the water,
the likeness that spoke with him and from that voice, he
called himself Yaldabaoth.
- But the perfect ones call him
Ariel because he was like a lion and after he came to possess
authority over matter, Pistis Sophia withdrew up to her light.
Spirit moving to and
fro over the waters |
- When the ruler saw his greatness he saw only himself, he
saw nothing else except water and darkness.
- And then he
thought that he alone existed, his thought was made complete
by means of the word and it appeared as a spirit moving to and
fro over the waters.
- And when that spirit appeared the
ruler separated the watery substance to one region and the dry
substance to another region.
Foot stool |
- From matter he created a dwelling place for himself and
called it heaven and from matter the ruler created a foot
stool and called it earth.
- Afterward the ruler thought
according to his nature and he created an androgynous being by
means of the word.
- He opened his mouth and cooed to him.
Three sons |
- When his eyes
were opened he saw his father and said to him 'yee,' so his
father called him Yao.
- Again he created the second son
and cooed to him.
- He opened his eyes and said to his
father, 'eel' so his father called him Eloai.
- Again, he
created the third son and cooed to him.
- He opened his
eyes and said to his father 'ahs' so his father called him
Astaphaios.
- Yaldabaoth created heaven and earth, and he created three sons: Yao, Eloai, and Astaphaios.
Forethought |
- These are the three sons of their father.
- Seven
appeared in chaos as androgynous beings they have their
masculine name and their feminine name.
- The feminine name
of Yaldabaoth is Forethought Sambathas which is the weak.
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Forethought Sambathas (the feminine name of Yaldabaoth) falls in love with Adam of light, but he hates her because she is in darkness, so she pours her light upon the earth, creating the holy steel-like earth and purifying the water.
(Wikipedia)
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Seven Heavens of
Chaos |
- Yaldabaoth creates beautiful heavens for his sons and is praised but later becomes boastful and sins.
- In the Nag Hammadi text On the Origin of the World,
these are the seven powers of the Seven Heavens of Chaos.
- The Seven Heavens of Chaos are inhabited by androgynous beings
according to the immortal pattern that existed before them and
in accord with the will of Pistis so that the likeness of what
existed from the first might rule until the end.
- The
names of the androgynous beings represent masculine and
feminine.
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Yaldabaoth, represents forethought (Sambathas)
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Yao, represents mastery
and lordship
- Sabaoth, represents divinity
- Adonaios, represents kingship
- Eloaios, represents envy
- Oraios, represents wealth
- Astaphaios, equated with Sophia.
(Wikipedia)
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Power of the males |
- You will find the function of these names and the power of
the males in the archangelic Book of Moses the
prophet.
- But the feminine names are in the first Book
of Norea.
- Now, since the chief creator Yaldabaoth
had great authority he created for each of his sons, by means
of the word, beautiful heavens as dwelling places and for each
heaven great glories, seven times exquisite.
Thrones |
- Each one has within his heaven, thrones, dwelling places
and temples as well as chariots and spiritual virgins and
their glories looking up to an invisible realm.
- And also armies of divine
lordly and angelic and archangelic powers, myriads without
number in order to serve.
- The report concerning these you will
find accurately in the first account of Norea.
- Now they
were completed in this way up to the sixth heaven the one
belonging to Sophia and the heaven and its earth were
disrupted by the Troublemaker who was beneath all of them.
Cast him down |
- The six heavens trembled for the power of chaos knew who
it was who disturbed the heaven beneath them.
- And when
Pistis knew of the harm caused by the Troublemaker she blew
her breath and she bound him and cast him down to Tartarus.
- Since that day, the heaven has been consolidated along with
its earth by means of Sophia the daughter of Yaldabaoth who is
beneath them all.
Strawman |
- After the heavens and their powers and all of their
government set themselves aright, the chief creator exalted
himself and was glorified by the whole army of angels, and all
the gods and their angels gave him praise and glory.
- And
he rejoiced in his heart and he boasted continually saying to
them, 'I do not need anything, I am God and there is no other
God but me.'
- But when he said these things he sinned
against all the immortal imperishable ones and they kept their
eyes on him.
Samael is Yaldabaoth |
- Moreover, when Pistis saw the impiety of the chief ruler
she was angry.
- Without being seen she said, 'You're wrong
Samael (that is blind god) an enlightened immortal human exists
before you and will appear within your fashioned bodies.'
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'The human will trample upon you as Potter's clay is
trampled and you will go forth with those who are yours down
to your mother, the abyss.
- For in the consummation of your
works, all of the deficiency that appeared in the truth will
be dissolved.
- It will cease and it will be like something
that never existed.'
Pistis |
- After Pistis said these things, she revealed the
likeness of her greatness in the waters and so she withdrew up
to her light.
- When Sabaoth, the son of Yaldabaoth heard
the voice of Pistis, he worshipped her.
- He condemned his
father and mother on account of the word of Pistis.
- He
glorified her because she informed them of an immortal human
and the light of the human.
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The name Sabaoth appears in the Old Testament in reference to an army. In the First Book of Samuel, the name is used as a name of God.
(Wikipedia)
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Pistis Sophia
stretched forth her
finger |
- Then Pistis Sophia stretched forth her finger and poured
upon him light from her light for a condemnation of his
father.
- When Sabaoth received light, he received great
authority against all the powers of chaos.
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Yaldabaoth can be considered a nation, Israel, and his
son Sabaoth is the war god YHWH.
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Sabaoth, the son of
Yaldabaoth |
- Since that
day, he has been called the Lord of the Powers.
- He hated
his father, the darkness, and his mother, the abyss.
- He
loathed his sister, the thought of the chief creator, the one
who moves to and fro over the water.
Great war in the
seven heavens |
- On account of his light, all the authorities of chaos
were jealous of him, and when they were disturbed they made a
great war in the seven heavens.
- Then, when Pistis Sophia
saw the war she sent seven archangels from her light to
Sabaoth.
- They snatched him away, up to the seventh
heaven.
- They took their stand before him as servants.
- Furthermore, she sent him three other archangels and
established the kingdom for him above everyone so that he
might dwell above the 12 gods of chaos.
Zoe |
- When Sabaoth received the place of rest because of his
repentance, Pistus also gave him her daughter, Zoe, with great
authority so that she might inform him about everything that
exists in the eighth heaven.
- And since he had authority,
he first created a dwelling place for himself.
- It is huge,
magnificent, seven times as great as all those that exist in
the seven heavens.
Multi-faced |
- Then in front of his dwelling place, he created a
great throne on a chariot with four faces called the Cherubim.
- And the Cherubim throne has eight shapes on each side of the
four corners.
- Forms of lions and bulls and humans and
eagles so that all of the forms total 64 forms and 7
archangels stand before him.
- He is the eighth having
authority, all of the forms total 72, for from this chariot the
72 gods took shape.
Seraphim |
- They took shape so that they might rule over the 72
languages of the Nations.
- And by that throne, he created
other dragon-shaped angels called Seraphim who glorify him
continually.
- Afterward, he created an angelic assembly;
thousands, myriads without number belonged to it that was like
the assembly in the eighth heaven.
- And the first born
called Israel that is the 'one who sees God' and also another
called Jesus Christ, who is like the savior above in the
eighth heaven and who sits at his right upon an excellent
throne.
Lyre |
- But at his left, the virgin of the Holy Spirit sits upon
a throne praising him and the 7 virgins stand before her with
30 lyres and harps and trumpets in their hands glorifying him.
- And all the armies of angels glorify him and praise him.
- But he sits on a throne concealed by a great light cloud and
there was no one with him in the cloud except Sophia, the
daughter of Pistis.
- Teaching him about all those that
exist in the eighth heaven so that the likeness of those might
be created in order that his kingdom might continue until the
consummation of the heavens of chaos and their powers.
Sabaoth on right,
Yaldabaoth on left |
- Now Pistis Sophia separated him from the darkness and
summoned him to her right, but the chief creator, she put at
her left.
- Since that day, right has been called justice,
but left has been called injustice.
- Moreover, because of
this, they all received a realm in the assembly of Justice and
Injustice is set over all their creations.
- When the chief
creator of chaos saw his son Sabaoth and that the glory in
which he dwells is more exquisite than all the authorities of
chaos, he was jealous of him.
Yaldabaoth conceived
death |
- And when he was angry he conceived death from his own
death, it was set up over the sixth heaven.
- Sabaoth had
been snatched away from there, and thus the number of the six
authorities of chaos was completed.
- Then, since death was
androgynous, he mixed with his nature and conceived seven
androgynous children.
- These are the names of the males;
envy, wrath, weeping, sighing, mourning, lamenting, tearful
groaning.
- And these are the names of the females; wrath,
grief, lust, sighing, cursing, bitterness, quarrelsomeness.
Children conceived |
- They had intercourse with one another and each one
conceived 7 so that the children total 49 androgynous demons.
-
Their names and their functions you will find in the Book of
Solomon.
- In the presence of these, Zoe, who dwells with
Sabaoth, created 7 good androgynous powers.
- These are the
names of the males: not jealous, blessed, joyful, true, not
envious, beloved, trustworthy.
- And these are the
names of the females: peace, gladness, rejoicing, blessedness,
truth, love, faith.
Chief creator
Yaldabaoth grieving |
- And many good and guileless spirits come from these.
- Their accomplishments and their functions you will find in
the configurations of the fate of heaven beneath the 12.
-
But when the chief creator saw the likeness of Pistis in the
waters, he grieved especially when he heard her voice which
was like the first voice that called to him out of the water.
- When he knew that this was the one who named him, he groaned
and was ashamed on account of his transgression.
Yaldabaoth acting
recklessly in the
light |
- And when he actually knew that an enlightened immortal
human existed before him, he was greatly disturbed because
previously he had said to all the gods and their angels, 'I am
God and there is no other God but me.'
- For he had been
afraid that they might know that another existed before him,
and condemn him, but he, like a fool, despised the
condemnation and acted recklessly.
Light appears |
- And he said 'If something exists before me, let it
appear so that we might see its light.'
- And immediately,
look, light came out of the eighth heaven above and passed
through all the heavens of the earth.
- When the chief
creator saw that the light was beautiful as it shone forth he
was amazed and very much ashamed.
- When the light appeared
a human likeness which was very wonderful was revealed within
it and no one saw it except the chief creator alone and the
Forethought who was with him.
- But its light appeared to
all the powers of the heavens therefore they were all
disturbed by it.
Steel-like earth |
- Then when Forethought saw the messenger she became
enamored of him, but he hated her because she was in darkness.
- Moreover, she desired to embrace him but she was not able.
- When she was unable to quench her love, she poured out her
light upon the earth.
- From that day, that messenger was
called Adam of Light which is interpreted the enlightened man
of blood.
- And the earth upon which the light was spread was
called holy Adamus which is interpreted as the holy steel-like
earth.
Steel-like earth
purified |
- At that time, all the authorities began to honor the
blood of the virgin, and the earth was purified because of the
blood of the virgin.
- But especially, the water was
purified by the likeness of Pistis Sophia who appeared to the
chief creator in the waters.
- Rightly then, has it been
said, through the waters, since the holy water gives life to
everything, it purifies it too.
- Out of this first blood,
Eros appeared, being androgynous, his masculine nature is
Himeros because he is fire from the light.
- His feminine
nature is that of a soul of blood and is derived from the substance of Forethought.
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Himeros is a Greek god associated with desire and love. He is often depicted as a handsome young man, believed to be the son of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty. Himeros is one of the Erotes, a group of winged gods who personify different aspects of love and desire in Greek mythology.
(Wikipedia)
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Eros handsome in his
beauty |
- He is very handsome in his beauty, having more
loveliness then all the creatures of chaos.
- Then, when all the gods and their angels saw Eros, they
became enamored of him, but when he appeared among all of
them, he made them imflamed.
- Just as many lamps are
kindled from a single lamp and the light shines, but the lamp
is not diminished.
- So also, Eros was scattered in all the
creatures of chaos, but was not diminished.
Marriage |
- Just as Eros appeared out of the midpoint between light
and darkness, and in the midst of the angels and people, the
intercourse of Eros was consummated.
- So too, the first
sensual pleasure sprouted upon the earth.
- The woman
followed the earth and marriage followed the woman, and
reproduction followed marriage and death followed
reproduction.
- After Eros, the grapevine sprouted up from
the blood that was shed upon the earth, therefore, those who
drink the vine, acquire the desire for intercourse.
Fig tree and a
pomegranate tree |
- After the grape vine a fig tree and a pomegranate tree
sprouted up from the earth.
- Together with the rest of the
trees according to their kind their seed deriving from the
seed of the authorities and their angels.
- Then Justice
created the beautiful paradise, it is outside the circuit of
the moon and the circuit of the sun in the luxuriant earth
which is in the east in the midst of stones and desire is in
the midst of trees.
- Since they are beautiful and
appealing and the tree of immortal life as it was revealed by
the will of god is in the north of paradise to give life to
the immortal saints who will come out of the fashioned bodies
of poverty in the consummation of the age.
Tree of Life |
- Now the color of the Tree of Life is like the sun and
its branches are beautiful its leaves are like those of the
Cyprus and its fruit is like clusters of white grapes.
-
Its height rises up to heaven and next to it is the tree of
knowledge possessing the power of god its glory is like the
moon shining brilliantly and its branches are beautiful.
-
Its leaves are like fig leaves and its fruit is like good
delicious dates and this tree is in the north of paradise to
raise up the souls from the stupor of the demons so they might
come to the Tree of Life and eat its fruit and condemn the
authorities and their angels.
Tree of Knowledge |
- This effect of the tree is described in the holy book as
follows, you are the Tree of Knowledge which is in paradise
from which the first man ate and which opened his mind so that
he loved his female partner and condemned other alien
likenesses and loath them.
- Now after this there sprouted
up the Olive tree which was to purify kings and chief priests
of justice who will appear in the last days.
- The Olive
tree appeared in the light of the first Adam for the sake of
the anointing that they will receive.
Psyche blood |
- But the first Psyche loved Eros who was with her and
poured her blood upon him and upon the earth.
- Then from
that blood the first rose sprouted upon the earth out of the
thorn bush for a joy in the light that was to appear in the
bramble.
- After this, the beautiful fragrant flowers
sprouted up from the earth according to their kind, from the
blood of each of the virgins of the daughters of Forethought.
- When they had become enamored of Eros they poured out their
blood upon him, and upon the earth.
Sunflower |
- After these things, every herb sprouted up in the earth
according to its kind having the seed of the authorities and
their angels.
- After these things, the authorities created
from the waters all species of beasts and reptiles and birds,
according to their kind having the seed of the authorities
and their angels.
- But before all these things, when Adam
of light appeared on the first day, he remained upon the earth
about two days.
- He left the lower Forethought in heaven
and began to ascend to his light and immediately, darkness
came upon the whole world.
Everything in the
sky was ordered |
- Now, when Sophia, who was in the lower heaven wanted to
receive authority from Pistis, she created great luminaries
and all the stars.
- And put them in the heaven to shine
upon the earth and to perfect chronological signs and seasons and
years and months and days and nights and seconds and so on.
- And thus everything up in the sky was ordered.
- Now when
Adam of light wanted to enter his light, that is the eighth
heaven, he was unable because of the poverty that had mixed
with his light.
Created eternal
realm for himself |
- Then he created a great eternal realm for himself.
-
In that eternal realm, he created six realms and their worlds,
six in number which are seven times better than the heavens of
chaos and their worlds.
- But all these realms and their
worlds exist within the infinite region that is between the
eighth and chaos beneath it.
- And they are reckoned
with the world that belongs to the poverty.
- If you wish
to know the arrangement of these, you will find it written in
the Seventh Cosmos of Hieralias the prophet.
|
The Seventh Cosmos of Hieralias the Prophet is a lost text referenced in On The Origin Of The World. The cosmos are organized by seven, as are the planets, the archangels, the metals of alchemy, the colors of the rainbow, the chakras of the human organism, and the bodies of the soul.
(gnosis.org)
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Crowd laughing |
- Before Adam of Light withdrew in the chaos, the
authorities saw him.
- They laughed at the chief creator
because he lied, saying; 'I am God and there is no other God
but me.'
- When they came to him they said, 'Is this not
the god who ruined our work?'
- He answered and said, 'Yes,
but if you wish that he not be able to ruin our work, come
let's create a human being from the earth according to the
image of our body and according to the likeness of this being
to serve us, so that whenever this being sees his likeness, he
may become enamored of it.'
Fashioned bodies
became fences for
light |
- Then he will no longer ruin our work but we shall make
those who are born from the light our servants, through all the time
of this age.
- Now all this came to pass according to the
Forethought of Pistis in order that humankind might appear
after this likeness and condemn them on account of their
fashioned bodies.
- And their fashioned bodies became
fences for the light.
- Then the authorities received knowledge
necessary to create people.
- Sophia Zoe who is with
Sabaoth anticipated them and laughed at their decision because
they were blind.
Human being |
- In ignorance, they created him against themselves, they
do not know what they do.
- Because of this, she
anticipated them, she created her human being first in order
that he might tell their fashioned body how to scorn them, and
thus, to escape them.
- Now the birth of the instructor
occurred in this way.
- When Sophia let a drop of light
fall, it floated on the water, immediately a human being
appeared being androgynous.
- She molded that drop first as
a female body.
- Afterward, she molded it with the body in
the likeness of the mother who appeared and she finished it in
12 months.
Eve of life |
- An androgynous human being was conceived whom the Greeks
call Hermaphrodite, while
the Jews call his mother Eve of life that is the instructor of
life, her child, is the creature who is Lord.
-
Afterward, the authorities called it the beast in order to
lead their fashioned bodies astray the meaning of the Beast is
the instructor for it was found to be wiser than all beings.
- Moreover, Eve is the first virgin who gave birth without a
man.
It is I |
- She is the one who functioned as her own midwife on
account of this it is said concerning her that she said, 'It is
I who am the part of my mother, and it is I who am the mother.
It is I who am the wife. It is I who am the virgin.It is I who
am pregnant. It is I who am the midwife. It is I who am the
one that comforts pain of travail. It is my husband who bore
me. And it is I who am his mother. And it is he who is my
father and my lord. It is he who is my force. What he desires,
he says with reason. I am in the process of becoming, yet I
have borne a man as Lord.'
Multiply and
flourish |
- Now these things were revealed by the will of Sabaoth
and his Christ to the souls who will come to the fashioned
bodies of the authorities.
- Concerning these the holy
voice said 'multiply and flourish to rule over all the
creatures.'
- And these are the ones who are taken captive
by the chief creator according to their destinies.
- And
thus they
were locked in the prisons of the fashioned bodies until the
consummation of the age.
Person with soul |
- At that time, the chief creator then expressed his
opinion about humankind to those who were with him.
- Then each
of them cast his seed into the midst of the naval of the earth.
- Since that day the seven rulers have formed humankind with his
body like their body.
- But his likeness is like the human
who appeared to them, his fashioned body came into being one
part at a time and their chief created the brain and nervous
system.
- Afterward the person appeared like the one before
him.
- He became a person with soul and he was called Adam that
is father, after the name of the one who was before him.
Person without soul |
- Now after Adam was made he left him as a lifeless vessel
since he had taken form like an aborted fetus with no spirit
in him.
- Regarding this, when the chief ruler remembered
the word of Pistis, he was afraid that the true human might come
into his fashioned body and rule over it.
- Because of
this, he left this fashioned body 40 days without soul and he
withdrew and left him.
- But on the 40th day, Sophia Zoe
sent her breath into Adam who was without soul.
- He began
to move upon the earth, but he could not stand up.
Rulers |
- Now when the seven rulers came and saw him, they were
very much disturbed.
- They walked up to him and seized him
and the chief ruler said to the breath within him, 'Who are
you and from where have you come here?'
- It answered and
said, 'I came through the power of the human for the
destruction of your work.'
- When they heard they glorified
him because he gave them rest from their fear and concern.
- Then they called that day 'the day of rest' because they
rested themselves from their troubles, and when they saw that
Adam could not stand up, they rejoiced.
Adam awakens |
- They took him and left him in paradise and withdrew up
to their heavens.
- After the day of rest Sophia sent Zoe
her daughter who was called Eve as an instructor to raise up
Adam in whom there was no soul so that those whom he would
produce might become vessels of the light.
- When Eve saw
her male partner cast down, she pitied him and she said,
'Adam, live, rise up on the earth.'
- Immediately, her word
became an accomplished deed, for when Adam rose up immediately
he opened his eyes.
Adam moves |
- When he saw her he said, 'You will be called the mother
of the living because you are the one who gave me life.'
-
Then the authorities were informed that their fashioned body
was alive and had risen and they were very much disturbed.
- They sent seven archangels to see what had happened.
-
They came to Adam and when they saw Eve speaking with him,
they said to another, 'What is this enlightened woman, for
truly she resembles the likeness that appeared to us in the
light.'
Seed |
- 'Now, come let us seize her and cast our seed into her so
that when she is polluted she will not be able to ascend to
her light.
- But those whom she bears will serve us but let
us not tell Adam because he is not from us.
- Rather, let
us bring a stuper upon him and suggest to him in his sleep
that she came into being from his rib, so that the woman may
serve and he may rule over her.'
- Then Eve, since she
existed as a power laughed at their false intention.
- She
darkened their eyes and secretly left her likeness there with
Adam.
Rulers spreading
their seed |
- She entered the Tree of Knowledge and remained there.
- They pursued her, then she revealed to them that she had
entered the tree and had become the tree.
- And when the blind
ones fell into a great fear here they ran away.
-
Afterward, when they sobered up from the stupor they came to
Adam and when they saw the likeness of that woman with him
they were troubled thinking that this was the true Eve.
-
And they acted recklessly, and came to her and seized her and
cast their seed upon her.
Eve defiled |
- They did it deceitfully, defiling her not only
naturally, but also abominably.
- First defiling the seal
of her voice which had spoken with them saying, 'What is it
that exists before you?'
- They meant to defile those who might say at
the consummation of the age that they had been born of a true
human by means of the word.
- And they were deceived not knowing that they had
defiled their own body.
- It was the likeness that the
authorities and their angels defiled in every way.
Abel |
- First Eve conceived Abel from the first ruler and she
bore the rest of the sons from these seven authorities and
their angels.
- Now, all this came to pass according to the
Forethought of the chief creator so that the first mother
might bear within herself every seed mixed and joined
together with the fate of the world and its configurations and
justice.
- A plan came into being because of Eve so that
the fashioned bodies of the authorities might become fences
for the light.
- Then the light will condemn them through
their fashioned bodies.
Adam appears to the
rulers and shocks
them |
- The first Adam of light is spiritual and appeared on the
first day.
- The second Adam is a person with soul and
appeared on the sixth day called Aphrodite.
- The third
Adam is earthly, that is a man of law who appeared on the
eighth day after the rest of poverty which is called Sunday.
- Now the progeny of the earthly Adam multiplied and was
completed and produced within itself all the technical skill
of the Adam with soul.
- But all were in ignorance.
Chief ruler |
- Next, let me continue, when the rulers saw him and the
woman who was with him erring in ignorance like beasts, they
rejoiced greatly.
- When they learned that an immortal
human was not going to pass them by but that they would even
have to fear the woman who had turned into a tree.
- They
were troubled and said, 'Is this perhaps the true human who
blinded us and taught us about this defiled woman who was like
him that we might be conquered?'
Rulers arrive
timidly |
- Then the seven took counsel, they came to Adam and Eve
timidly and they said to him, 'The fruit of every tree created
for you in paradise may be eaten, but beware don't eat from the
Tree of Knowledge if you do eat, you will die.'
- After
they gave them a great fright, they withdrew up to their
authorities.
- Then came the one who was wiser than all creatures
who was called the beast.
More talking heads |
- When he saw the likeness of their mother Eve, he said to
her, 'What is it that god said to you don't eat from the Tree
of Knowledge?'
- She said, 'He said not only don't eat from
it but also don't touch it lest you die.'
- He said to her,
'Don't be afraid, you certainly shall not die for he knows that
when you eat from it your mind will be sobered, and you will
become like gods knowing the difference between evil and good
people for he said this to you because he is jealous so that
you would not eat from it.'
Beautiful Tree of
Knowledge |
- Now Eve believed the words of the instructor.
- She
looked at the tree and saw that it was beautiful and appealing
and she desired it.
- She took some of its fruit and ate
and she gave to her husband also and he ate too.
Brain lit |
- Then their minds opened for when they ate the light of
knowledge shone for them.
- When they put on shame they
knew that they were naked with regard to knowledge.
- When
they sobered up, they saw that they were naked and they became
enamored of one another.
- When they saw that their makers
had beastly forms, they loathed them.
- They understood a
great deal.
Paradise |
- Then when the rulers knew
that Adam and Eve had transgressed their commandment, they
entered paradise and came to Adam and Eve in an earthquake and
a great threat to see the result of the help that was given.
- Then Adam and Eve were very much disturbed and hid under the
trees in paradise.
- The rulers did not know where they
were and said, 'Adam, where are you?'
- He said, 'I am
here, but because of fear of you, I hid after I became ashamed.'
Blinded |
- But they said to him in ignorance, 'Who is the one who spoke
to you of the shame that you put on unless you ate from the
tree?'
- He said, 'The woman whom you gave me, she is the
one who gave to me, and I ate.'
- Then they turned to that
woman, 'What is this you have done?'
- She answered and
said, 'The instructor is the one who incited me and I ate.'
- Then the rulers came to the instructor, their eyes were
blinded by him so they were not able to do anything to him.
Cursed earth |
- They merely cursed him since they were powerless.
-
Afterward, they came to the woman and they cursed her and her
offspring.
- And after the woman, they cursed Adam and the
earth and the fruit because of him and everything that they
created they cursed.
- There is no blessing from them, good
cannot come from evil.
- Since that day, the authorities
knew that truly there was something stronger than they.
-
They would not have known except that their commandment was
broken.
Birds of the heaven |
- They brought a great envy into the world, only because of
the immortal human.
- Now when the rulers saw that their
Adam had acquired a different knowledge they wanted to test
him.
- They gathered all the domestic animals and wild
beasts of the earth and birds of the heaven and brought them
to Adam to see what he would call them.
- When he saw them,
he gave names to their creatures, they were troubled because
Adam had sobered up from all
ignorance.
Trees of heaven |
- They gathered together and took counsel and said, 'Look
Adam has become like one of us so that he understands the
difference between light and darkness.
- Now perhaps he
will be deceived as with the Tree of Knowledge and will come
to the Tree of Life and eat from it and become immortal and
rule and condemn us and regard guard us and all our glorious
folly.'
Acorn |
- 'Then he will pass judgment on us and the world.
- Come
let's cast him out of paradise down to the earth the place
from where he was taken, so that he will no longer be able to
know anything better than we can.'
- And so they cast Adam
and his wife out of paradise, and what they had done did not
satisfy them, rather they were still afraid.
- They came to
the Tree of Life and they set great terrors around it.
-
Firey living beings called Cherubim and they left the flaming
sword in the midst, turning continually with a great terror so
that no one from among earthly beings might ever enter that place.
Diminishing human
lifetime |
- After these things, when the rulers had become jealous
of Adam, they wanted to diminish the human lifetimes.
- But
they were unable because of fate, which was established since
the beginning, for their lifetimes were determined.
- For
each of the people, 1,000 years according to the Circuit of
the Luminaries.
- But although the rulers were not able to
do this, each of the evildoers took away 10 years, so all the
remaining time amounts to 930 years and these are spent in
grief and weakness and in evil distractions.
- Thus life has
gone from that day until the consummation of the age.
Chasing the rulers
from their heavens |
- Then when Sophia Zoe saw that the rulers of darkness
cursed her companions, she was angry.
- And when she came
out of the first heaven with every power, she chased the
rulers from their heavens and she cast them down to the sinful
world that they might dwell there as evil demons upon the
earth.
- She sent the bird that was in paradise so that
until the consummation of the age it might spend the 1,000
years in the ruler's world, a vital living being with soul
called the Phoenix, which kills itself and reanimates itself
for a witness to their judgment because they dealt unjustly
with Adam and his race.
Phoenix |
- There are three human beings and their descendants in
the world until the consummation of the age.
- The
spiritual and the cyclical and the earthly, this is like the three
kinds of Phoenixes of paradise.
- The first is immortal,
the second attains 1,000 years, as for the third, it is
written in the holy book that it is consumed.
- Likewise,
three baptisms exist, the first is spiritual, the second is by
fire, the third is by water.
- Just as the Phoenix appears
as a witness for the angels, so too the water serpents in
Egypt have become a witness to those who go down for the
baptism of a true person.
Baptism of a true
person |
- The two bulls in Egypt
in so far as they indicate the sun and the moon as a mystery,
exist for a witness to Sabaoth.
- That Sophia of the world
has been exalted above the sun and the moon, from the day when
she created them and sealed her heaven until the consummation
of the age.
- And the worm that is brought forth from the Phoenix
is also a human being.
- It is written of it, the just will
sprout like the Phoenix.
Rulers cast down |
- The Phoenix first appears alive and dies and rises again
as a sign of what appears at the consummation of the age.
-
These great signs appeared only in Egypt, not in other lands,
signifying that it is like the paradise of god.
- Let us
come back to the rulers of whom we spoke, that we might present
an explanation of them.
- For when the seven rulers were
cast from their heavens down upon earth, they created for
themselves angels, many demonic angels to serve them.
Magic and potions
and idolatry |
- But these demons
taught humankind many errors with magic and potions and
idolatry and shedding of blood and altars and temples and
sacrifices and libations to all the demons of the earth.
-
Having as their coworker fate, who came into being
according to the agreement by the gods of injustice and
justice.
- And thus when the world came into being, it
wandered astray in distraction throughout all time.
- For
all the people who are on the earth served the demons from the
creation until the consummation of the age.
Government |
- Both the angels of justice, and the people of injustice,
thus the world came to be in distraction and ignorance and
stupor.
- They all erred, until the appearance of the true
human.
- Enough for you to this point.
- Next we shall
consider our world so that we might complete the discussion of
its structure and its government in a precise manner.
-
Then it will be clear how belief in hidden things which have
been apparent from the foundation to the consummation of the
age came about.
Immortal humankind |
- Now I come to the main points about immortal humankind.
- I shall explain why the beings belong to the immortal human
are here.
- When a multitude of people came into being
through Adam who was fashioned and from matter.
- And when
the world was filled, the rulers reigned over it, that is to
say they held it in ignorance.
- What is the cause, it is
this.
Immortal father
knows that
deficiency of truth |
- Since the immortal father knows that deficiency of truth
came into being among the eternal realms and their worlds,
when he wanted to bring to naught the rulers of destruction by
means of their fashioned creatures, he sent your likenesses.
- Namely, the blessed little guileless spirits down to the
world of destruction.
- They are not strangers to
knowledge, for all knowledge is an angel who appears before
them who stands in front of the father and is not powerless to
give them knowledge.
Immortal humankind
defiled |
- Immediately, whenever they appear in the world of destruction, they
will first reveal the pattern of incorruptibility for
condemation of the rulers and their powers.
- Moreover,
when the blessed ones appeared in the fashioned bodies of the
authorities, they were envied.
- And because of envy, the
authorities mixed their seed with them to defile them, but they
were not able.
Superior and blessed |
- Moreover, when the blessed ones appeared in their light
they appeared distinctively, and each one of them from their
land revealed their knowledge to the assembly that appeared in
the fashioned bodies of destruction.
- The assembly was
found to have every seed because of the seed of the
authorities that was mixed with it.
- Then the savior made
all of them one, and the spirits of these appeared being
superior and blessed, but varying in election.
 |
 |
|
Races |
- And many others are kingless and superior to everyone
who is before them, consequently four races exist.
- There
are three that belong to the kings of the eighth heaven, but
the fourth race is kingless and perfect, above them all, for
these will enter into the holy place of their father and they
will reside and rest in eternal ineffable glory and ceaseless
joy.
- They are already kings, immortal within the mortal
realm, they will pass judgment on the gods of chaos and their
powers.
There is nothing
hidden |
- Now the word, who is more exalted than anyone, was sent
for this work only to announce what is unknown.
- He said,
'There is nothing hidden that will not appear, and what was
unknown, will be known.'
- Now these were sent so they
might reveal what was hidden and expose the seven authorities
of chaos and their impiety and they were condemned to be
killed.
Shaken by great
thunder |
- So when all the perfect ones appeared in the fashioned
bodies of the rulers and revealed incomparable truth, they put
to shame every wisdom of the gods and their fate was
discovered to be condemnable.
- Their power dried up, their
dominion was destroyed, and their Forethought and their glory
became empty.
- Before the consummation of the age, the
whole place will be shaken by great thunder.
Crying out |
- Then the rulers will lament, crying out on account of
their death.
- The angels will mourn for their human
beings, and the demons will weep for their times and seasons
and their people will mourn and cry out on account of their
death.
- Then the age will begin, and they will be
disturbed.
- Their kings will be drunk from the flaming
sword and will make war against one another so that the earth
will be drunk from the blood that is poured out.
- And the
seas will be troubled by that war.
Sun will darken |
- Then the sun will darken and the moon will lose its
light.
- The stars of heaven will disregard their course
and great thunder will come out of great power that is above
all the powers of chaos.
- The place where the firmament of
the woman is situated.
- When she has created the first
work, she will take off her wise flame of afterthought and
will put on irrational wrath.
- Then she will drive out the
gods of chaos whom she had created together with the chief
creator.
- She will cast them down to the abyss, they will
be wiped out by their own injustice.
Blaze out fire |
- For they will become like the mountains that blaze out
fire, and they will consume one another until they are
destroyed by their chief creator.
- When he destroys them,
he will turn against himself and destroy himself until he
ceases to be.
- And their heavens will fall upon one
another and their powers will burn.
Fall down to the
abyss |
- Their realms will also be overthrown, and the chief
creator's heaven will fall and split in two, likewise, his
stars and their sphere will fall down to the earth, and the
earth will not be able to support them.
- They will fall
down to the abyss and the abyss will be overthrown.
- The
light will cover the darkness and obliterate it.
- It will
become like something that never existed and the source of the
darkness will be dissolved.
|
|
|
Perfection |
- The deficiency will be plucked out at its root and
thrown down to the darkness and the light will withdraw up to
its root.
- And the glory of the unconceived will appear
and it will fill all the eternal realms when the prophetic
utterances and the writings of those who are rulers are
revealed and are fulfilled by those who are called perfect.
Kingless realm |
- Those who were not perfected in the unconceived father,
will receive their glories in their realms and in the kingdoms
of the immortals.
- But they will not ever enter the
kingless realm, for it is necessary that everyone enter the
place from which he has come.
- Each one, by his deeds and
his gnosis, will reveal his nature.
|
In Summary |
Aeons |
- To summarize: God the Father gave rise to a host of
spiritual beings called 'aeons' who populated Heaven which the Gnostics called the Pleroma
or 'Fullness.'
- This included a divine Mother and Christ.
- One of the last of these beings to emanate from the Father
was named Sophia.
Demiurge is
Yaldabaoth and YHWH |
- Sophia gave birth to a new being on her own, without the involvement of her partner or the approval of the Father.
- The being born under such circumstances was nothing like the perfect inhabitants of the Pleroma; instead, he was ignorant and malevolent.
- This was the demiurge, 'craftsman,' whom the Gnostics identified with the god of the Old Testament.
Demiurge mirror |
- He created the material world to mirror his own wicked personality and trapped sparks of divinity, fragments of the Pleroma, within humans.
- It was then up to Christ to awaken humans to their true nature and liberate them from the world.
Semi-hostile powers |
- All Gnostic systems are represented the seven world-creating archons, known as the Hebdomad.
- These Seven are, in most systems, semi-hostile powers and are reckoned as the last and lowest emanations of the Godhead.
- Below them, and frequently considered as proceeding from them, comes the world of the devilish powers.
Three sons |
- Pistis Sophia reveals her image and rebukes Yaldabaoth.
- Sabaoth worships Pistis, receives light, and creates an angelic assembly with Jesus and the Virgin.
- Pistis separates Sabaoth from darkness, causing the chief creator to become jealous and create death and 49 demons.
- Zoe creates seven good powers in response.
- Yaldabaoth sees Pistis' likeness in the water and realizes his mistake.
T and O map |
- The orb is divided into three parts by
elaborate etching, which is a reference to the mappae orbis terrae (known as
'T and O map').
- Also known as an Isidoran map, a type of early world map that represents world geography as first described
in the 7th-century.
- This was a medieval type of map that depicted the world as a circle of water (the oceans) with the three known continents in the center,
and the Mediterranean Sea forming a T and dividing them.
|
The symbol of the globus cruciger, in fact, became one
of the main elements used in art to distinguish a
figure of power - but not only: globi crucigeri were
used in coats of arms (as in that of Uppland in
Sweden) and actual regents alike (even today, the
Sovereign's Orb of the United Kingdom is still used as
a symbol during the Coronation ceremony).
(foliamagazine.it)
|
Tau Cross |
- This map of the world was very
popular in the Middle Ages because it integrated the world map with a religious symbol,
the Cross.
- It came to represent the Christian power held over
their lands by kings, emperors, and popes.
|
Perhaps the oldest pattern of the cross is called the “tau” cross – the cross that is associated with the Franciscan order. But did you know that it is most likely that the “tau” was the standard form of Roman crucifixion? The vertical member was already mounted at the place of execution. The horizontal member was carried by the victim from the place of judgment to that of their execution.
(stfrncis.org)
|
|
Salvator
Mundi |
Leonardo DaVinci - via Wikipedia Commons
Abu Dhabi version, around 1512
|
- The connection between the T and O map and the globus crucifer is even clearer in this Salvator Mundi
artwork which was recreated by multiple artists.
- Jesus Christ, the savior of the world, holds the globe in his left hand
and the three dots represent the continents Africa, Europe, and Asia.
Spinning wheel |
- A spinning wheel often symbolizes the
cycle of life, creation, transformation, and the continuous
flow of energy.
- The act of spinning representing the
process of weaving new realities or experiences, often
associated with patience, diligence, and the creation of
something meaningful from raw materials.
- In some
traditions, like Buddhism, spinning a prayer wheel is seen as
a way to send out positive energy and prayers into the
universe, contributing to spiritual growth and enlightenment.
- Associated with the Divine feminine principle,
representing the creative power of the mother goddess.
Ezekiel's wheel |
-
Ophanim are a class of angels in Christian angelology also known as
'thrones; or 'galgalim' spreading wisdom to Earth.
- The Bible doesn't explicitly refer to the
Ophanim as angels, but Jewish apocalyptic writers included them in their hierarchy of angels.
- In Ezekiel's vision, the Ophanim are the wheels of the Lord's Heavenly Chariot, or merkabah.
Foot stool |
- The Word, or Jesus the Logos, was sent to
earth to reveal the hidden truth about the seven authorities of chaos.
- Before the end of the age, there will be a great shaking and war among the rulers, which will result in the downfall of the heavens and the powers of chaos
who run this world.
- The light will cover the darkness, and the glory of the unconceived will fill the eternal realms.
- The perfect ones will return to their home, but the non-perfected ones will remain in the realms of immortals, unable to enter the kingless realm.
|
The conclusion discusses the nature of immortal humankind, explaining that the blessed and guileless spirits were sent to the world of destruction by the immortal father to bring about the condemnation of the rulers.
(Wikipedia)
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