CHAPEL ON THE BRIDGE

WHERE ARE YOU, GOD?
A Metaphysical Interpretation to the Biblical Book of Job

Nancy Detweiler, M.Ed., M.Div.

Planet Earth and its inhabitants are experiencing the throes of a major transition in consciousness. Many are evolving from the 3^rd dimensional plane of duality, thru the 4^th dimension of enhanced inner vision and hearing, to the 5^th dimension of ascension into full consciousness of our true identities within our cosmic family.

Job took this same journey to ascension. We can learn much to assist us on our spiritual evolutional journey by studying a metaphysical interpretation of the biblical book of Job. For this reason, I am posting my entire book Where Are You, God?  A Metaphysical Interpretation of the Biblical Book of Job on this site.  The book is divided into 16 Lessons suitable for individual or group Bible study.  The sample lesson seen below is Lesson 10.  You will need to click on the Book Archives Link and begin your study with the Introduction.  For those interested, the Appendices will assist you in rendering this study of Job a uniquely personal one.

These lessons may be printed and shared. I ask only that you respect the copyright and give credit to my web site: www.pathwaytoascension.com.

View All 16 Lessons in the Book Archives

Nancy B. Detweiler

www.pathwaytoascension.com

Sample Lesson.
LESSON 10

Scripture Reading for this Lesson: Job 32-33

Job is approaching the end of the tunnel within which he has undergone his second dark night of the soul. The darkness, in which he now sits, is the darkness created by the blinding light he perceives as he prepares to exit the tunnel. His three friends have given up their efforts to condemn Job because he remains firm in knowing that he is a righteous man.¹⁷³

Job’s story is instructive for each of us. Once we pray, "God, I want to be conscious," our prayer is answered in the way best suited to our particular soul needs. In Job’s case, he was a highly respected and prosperous leader within his community. He had demonstrated successfully his expertise in dealing with the physical plane world. The fact that Job was capable of achieving such a prestigious position, in his religious and social environment, indicates that he had, in previous lifetimes, acquired a high level of spiritual maturity. His soul knew he possessed the capacity to undergo the loss of wealth, position, family, and physical health while maintaining belief in himself and his righteousness. In modern day terminology, Job’s knowledge of self as okay remained firm throughout all his suffering and the condemnations of his friends. Otherwise, Saturn—the Lord of Karma and our loving disciplinarian—would not allow Job to take on such a strenuous task all at once. The Karmic Board dictates that no soul be allowed to take on more than it can successfully achieve in any one incarnation. Each of us may rest assured in this fact. All plans for an incarnation are made in an atmosphere of love, with the intention that each soul be victorious. Since freewill is God’s gift to humanity, we—prior to taking on a new body—choose the manner in which we will be tested in the forthcoming incarnation. Very likely, these tests will be intricately interwoven with the types of negative karma our soul plans to pay off during this incarnation. Therefore, traumatic events in our lives are often indicative of both our tests and the means by which we have chosen to pay off karmic debts. Traumas hold the potential to unveil paths paved with gold. They can lead us into the knowledge of who we truly are—God’s beloved child-gods attending school on Earth. As we confront successfully these challenges, we learn how to transcend the plane of duality. In order to accomplish this state of transcendence, we must transmute at least 51% of the negative karma stored in our energy fields. At 51%, the light and grace of God permeates the darkness and we can move forward as free beings.

Negative karma can be transmuted in a variety of ways:

One, by choosing to walk in the shoes of the persons we harmed in a previous lifetime. This harm may have been physical, emotional, and/or mental. Paying off karmic debts via walking in the other’s shoes is often the reason some of us experience violence. In some lifetime, perhaps eons ago, we committed a violent act by which we created a karmic debt that must be paid. The soul chose to undergo a similar experience and to successfully forgive the perpetrator, while overcoming the negative effects of the trauma. The goal is to transform all of the energy involved into a positive manifestation.

Two, through loving and selfless service to others. This means of paying off karmic debt can be a very positive experience. The service may be rendered to a family member or friend, within a public service organization, or by using our unique talents to assist in creating a better world for humanity. But, in order to pay off karmic debt, the service must be loving and selfless, with no thought of return. Serving as a martyr will likely increase the karmic debt, not alleviate it. A martyr is defined as one who serves, then says to the one served, "How can you do this to me, after all I have done for you?" Service that places limitations around the one served is martyrdom. The person served may not have needed or desired the service. The martyr serves for selfish, often manipulative reasons. There are strings attached, which imprison the one served physically, emotionally, and/or mentally. In this way, additional negative karma is created.

Three, via using the Purple Transmuting Flame to literally transmute our negative karma and transform the energy into that of Love, to be used in service to others. We can use the Flame to transmute past, present, and future karmic debts.

WARNING: It is important to use the Flame correctly. By visualizing the love energy flowing into your lower bodies from your Christ Self & I AM PRESENCE, re-fill the vacuum left by transmuting the negative energy with the energy of Divine Love. Otherwise, we leave ourselves open to the influx of whatever type energy is within our environment. The universal laws involved are: Nature abhors a vacuum and Like attracts like. In using the Transmuting Flame, we must accept responsibility to fill the vacuum with positive energy.

Summit Lighthouse

MEDITATIVE TECHIQUE FOR THE TRANSMUTING FLAME – REFER TO THE DIVINE SELF CHART AS A MEDITATIVE TOOL. Visualize your physical body enfolded with the Purple Flame beginning under your feet and extending to a point above your head. Ask that all negative energy within your auric field be transmuted into the Divine Love energy of God. Sit in the flame until you feel ready to release it. Then, ask that your lower bodies be permeated with Divine Love. Divine Love can be visualized as a golden white energy flowing into and saturating your physical body and the space around you (refer to the Divine Self chart). As you use the Flame on a regular basis, you may find that repressed memories bubble to the surface of your consciousness. These memories come forth to be transmuted and released. There is no need to re-live the memories. Simply recognize them … be sure you have forgiven self and others … then, release them to the Flame. As this happens, you are being emptied in preparation for a greater influx of Light. End your meditation by giving thanks for the Flame and the purification process now taking place.

Using the Flame on a regular basis allows you to painlessly transmute negative karma. Using a combination of the Flame and loving, selfless service to others permits you to pay off karmic debts in a very constructive manner.

That Job continued to believe in his own righteousness is an important factor for us to consider. During our own dark nights of the soul, we are extremely vulnerable. Job’s three friends came to comfort and to be with him during his time of suffering.

Their intentions were good as they sought to discern intellectually the reasons for Job’s pain. Our family and friends may, with all good intentions, strive to help us understand why we are suffering. They may or may not discern correctly. It is essential for us to believe in ourselves, no matter how much the events in our lives appear to say, "You are not okay" or "You have it all wrong." Each of our lives must unfold according to our individual soul’s needs. Even in our darkest moments, divine order is unfolding in wondrous ways. In fact, it is the darkness that provides the stimulus for us to learn, to strive, and to focus on our indwelling God presence. It is the darkness that leads us to the point of surrender and openness to being taught by Spirit.

Job is now teachable. When the student is ready, the perfect teacher arrives. For Job, Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, is that teacher. Within this name, we gain insight into Job’s present stage of spiritual evolution. Elihu signifies the Holy Spirit,¹⁷⁴ as well as announcing that Job is now awakening to the spirit within himself. In the words of Jesus, "The kingdom of God is within you." ¹⁷⁵ Job is approaching that realization. As the son of Barachel, Elihu reveals that Job is now ready to kneel in humility before God.¹⁷⁶ That Elihu is a Buzite unveils Job’s scorn for anything that does not measure up to the divine level of justice.¹⁷⁷ Elihu’s membership in the family of Ram proclaims Job’s readiness to be taught by the Holy Spirit.¹⁷⁸ Elihu speaks.

The narrative depicts Elihu as a younger man who has observed Job and his three friends attempt to explain why good people suffer. He has waited impatiently for the opportunity to speak, abiding by the ancient Middle Eastern custom of allowing the elders to converse without interruption. Elihu explains his hesitancy to speak: "I was afraid, and did not dare to show you my knowledge." ¹⁷⁹ The Holy Spirit stands by and allows us to do it our way until we reach that stage of openness to being taught. No matter how much the Spirit within us yearns to speak Truth, it is aware that we will not listen until we are ready.

Elihu continues: "Truly, there is a spirit in man; and the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding …. The words of my mouth are upright, and the utterances of my lips are pure. The Spirit of God has stirred me up, and the breath of the Almighty has given me life." ¹⁸⁰ Elihu emphasizes the fact that, as teacher, he appears to Job as another human being. "For I am also like you before God; I also am formed out of clay." ¹⁸¹ Often, the Holy Spirit teaches us through the words or actions of another human being. This person may be totally unaware of his mission in our lives. His words or actions simply state the very insight or confirmation we have requested in prayer.

"God is greater than man, why do you strive with him, seeing that he does not give an account of any of his matters?…. For God speaks once; he does not speak a second time." ¹⁸² God created all that is according to immutable universal laws. God speaks once through the creation of these absolute laws. There is no need to speak twice. It is also fruitless for human beings to attempt to get around these universal laws. They are greater than we are. The entire cosmos abides by them.

Elihu explains that God often speaks to us during our sleep. "In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon mortals, while slumbering upon the bed; then he opens their ears, and humbles them according to their rebelliousness. That he may cause them to depart from their evil-doings…. They are chastened … so that their flesh fails because of their fear, and their souls are not satisfied with bread, and they covet food. Their flesh is wasted away because of their fear, so that a greater part of their bones can be seen." ¹⁸³ Once more, if we accept these words on the surface, we see a God depicted as One who punishes and inflicts suffering. Instead, it is our spiritual blindness that leads to our pain. Remember evil is live spelled backwards. When we live our daily lives with our backs to God, the Holy Spirit attempts to teach us in our sleep. Our souls crave the nutritious food of Spirit. Without this spiritual food, fear rules our lives. We become emaciated, so that our bones may be seen.

The skeletal system is ruled by Saturn and its zodiac sign, Capricorn. Both Saturn and Capricorn emanate the energies of Initiation, the energies that move us forward on our spiritual path. When we insist on living with our backs to God, our skeletal system (or bones) gives expression to our rigidity. According to medical astrology, arthritis, chronic knee problems, and difficulties resulting from the lack of absorption of calcium may be related to our rigidity in resisting change and allowing Spirit to lead us into the higher consciousness and there, to feed us with nourishing food for the Soul.

Elihu vividly depicts the world of Spirit’s numerous efforts to make contact with us, to awaken us, and to guide us. "If a person have an angel to whom one would listen once in a thousand times, the angel would show him the way of uprightness." ¹⁸⁴ While we become emaciated from lack of spiritual food, our guardian angel attempts to speak with and guide us. But we refuse to listen, even one time in a thousand. We believe God has forsaken us when, in reality, it is we who refuse to listen to God and His messengers.

Should we listen to God, "our flesh will change to that of our childhood; and we shall return to the days of our youth; and we shall pray to God, and He will hear us and be pleased with us, and God shall appear before us with glory; for He will render to us His righteousness." When we repent (turn around and face God), "our lives shall see the light. Lo, all these things God does three times…." ¹⁸⁵ In any one life situation, God speaks to us, through the Holy Spirit (or our intuition) three times. If we refuse to listen, the law regarding humanity’s freewill dictates that the world of spirit must stand back and allow us to learn the best way we can. Humankind’s freewill must be honored.

Elihu encourages Job to listen to the Holy Spirit and its teachings. "Incline your ear, O Job, hearken to me; be silent, and I will speak. If you have anything to say, answer me; for I desire that you may be justified. But if you will not listen, then be silent, and I shall teach you wisdom." ¹⁸⁶ It is no accident that Elihu’s words "I shall teach you wisdom" fall in the 33^rd verse of the 33^rd chapter of Job. The number vibration 33 is that of a Master.¹⁸⁷ Job undergoes the 3^rd Initiation—the Transfiguration into a Being of Light. He has now attained a state of consciousness that allows him to be silent and listen as the Holy Spirit teaches him wisdom. He now knows that he can respond to the Holy Spirit’s teaching of divine wisdom¹⁸⁸ with his own thoughts and questions. Job’s Rainbow Bridge,¹⁸⁹ connecting him to his indwelling God, is complete. He has moved onto the Cardinal Cross, where communication with his Higher (or Christ) Self and indwelling God (or I AM PRESENCE) will increasingly become a part of his daily lifestyle.

As a 3^rd degree Initiate, Job will now prepare for the 4^th Initiation, the Crucifixion of the lower self. In order to do so, he will allow Spirit to teach him greater Truths than we can imagine prior to the creation of our Rainbow Bridge. Job is now open to Spirit’s influx and moves forward—with intention and in full consciousness—toward integrating the Master vibratory rate of 33 into his life’s expression. But first, the crucifixion.

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