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Case 82. God the Father Appears in Vision to Daniel.

Daniel says (Chap. 7; 2), "I saw in my vision by night." It was in a dream. Then vs. 9-14. "I beheld * * and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool; his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. I saw in the night visions, and behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him," etc.

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"The Ancient of days" upon the throne, symbolizes the Father. "The Son of man," who came with clouds, symbolizes the Son. The prophet did not actually behold the Father himself; only upon the throne a dream figure which symbolized the Father. Nor did Daniel actually behold the Son, only a dream figure which typified him.

As in the above passage two divine persons appear in vision; it is plain that the figure upon the throne is symbolic of the Father. But, as a matter of fact, the Father is a pure spirit, whom no man ever saw, at least no man in this state of mortality. "No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him." (John 1; 18).

Therefore it is understood, both in the Old Testament, and in the New; that, when only one Person of the Godhead is represented as manifesting himself to men, the Son alone is the one thus referred to. In the Old Testament often the Son actually appears, sometimes in the guise of an angel; as "the angel of God," "The Angel of Jehovah." Sometimes in the form of a man. (Gen. 16; 7 and 13. Gen. 22; 11 and 12. Ex. 3; 2, 7, 14). In the form of a man, he wrestles with Jacob. In the aspect of a man with drawn sword, he stands before Joshua; saying, "As captain of the host of the Lord am I now come. (Josh. 5; 14). These manifestations of him in material human form, were foreshadowings of his final incarnation; when, in the womb of the Virgin, a human nature was to be united to his divine nature forever.

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But, wholly irrespective of such manifestations in actual physical presence, he often transmits a personal vision of himself into the minds of men. In the Old Testament, apparently it is simply a vision symbolical of him. In the New Testament, it seems to

be a vision of his glorified body; save in Rev. 5; 6, where apparently it is at least in part symbolic.

The Son appears to various men in telepathic vision.

In the Old Testament.

Case 83. The Lord Appears to Solomon in a Dream; i. e., Transmits into his Mind a Personal Vision.

"In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, Ask what I shall give thee." (I. Kings 3; 5-14). Then follows the psychic conversation between the Lord and Solo

mon.

But Solomon was asleep. His eyes were closed. He did not actually see the Lord. Only a vision symbolical of the latter, was flashed into his mind. Doubtless so life-like it seemed as if the Lord himself were actually before him. And there was nothing audible. The words were heard only as a person imagines himself to hear in a dream. The Lord spoke to the young king only by a mental vision, and a mental voice. And the king answered in the same way-by thought-transmission. And Solomon said, "Thou hast showed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, etc. His reply continues over four verses. Then God answers, "Because thou hast asked this thing," "Behold I have done according to thy words." "And Solomon awoke, and behold it was a dream." The whole incident was telepathic.

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As into the mind of blinded Saul, the Lord projected a vision representing Ananias; so into the mind of the sleeping Solomon, the Lord projected an image representing himself. At the same time, into the mind of Solomon he transmitted certain ideas. And the ideas of Solomon were transmitted into the mind of the Lord.

Case 84. The Lord a Second Time Transmits a Personal Vision into the Mind of Solomon.

In I. Kings 9; 2, we read, "that the Lord appeared to Solomon a second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon. And the Lord said unto him, I have heard thy prayer," etc. But, as we have just seen, at Gibeon he appeared unto Solomon" “in a

dream." And as, referring to these two instances, the Bible says the Lord "appeared unto him twice" (I. Kings 11; 9); therefore in this second experience, as in the one just discussed, there was flashed into the mind of Solomon a vision from the Lord. At the same time, by direct thought-communication, the ideas of the Lord were conveyed to the mind of Solomon.

Case 85. The Lord Transmits a Personal Vision into the Mind of Abram.

"The word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me," etc. (Gen. 15; 1-2). Here would seem to be (1) an appearance of the Lord to Abram by personal vision. (2) Direct thought-transmission from his mind to Abram's. (3) Direct thought-transmission from the mind of Abram to the Lord. This conversation seems to have begun while Abram was awake. (4) Later (vs. 12, etc.) "A deep sleep fell upon Abram," etc. But still the Lord was talking with him. "And he said unto Abram," etc. This must have been by thought-transmission.

It sometimes happens in the telepathy of nature that a personal vision comes while the percipient is asleep; then continues after he is awake. What was at first a dream figure seems to be externalized, and it stands in physical presence before him. But, in this Scriptural incident, apparently that order is reversed. The vision comes first while Abram is awake, then continues after he is in "a deep sleep."

Another passage which seemingly contains an account of an appearance to Abram in vision, is Gen. 12; 7. "And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land; and there builded he an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him."

Case 86. The Lord Transmits a Personal Vision into the Mind of Abimelech.

"God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said unto him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou

hast taken; for she is a man's wife." But Abimelech said, "Lord, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation?" (Gen. 20; 23). Here would seem to be an appearance in telepathic vision to Abimelech. There is also a thought-message from the mind of the Lord to the mind of Abimelech. Then one from the mind of Abimelech to that of the Lord.

Case 87. The Angel of God (i.e. the Son) Appears to Jacob in a Telepathic Vision.

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Jacob says (Gen. 31; 11-13), "And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob; And I said, Here am I. And he said, * * * I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, etc. In this case it would seem that the Son appeared to Jacob, and talked with him in a dream. There neither were or could have been uttered words. But apparently there was a telepathic vision. And there was a telepathic message.

The account in Job (4; 12-16,) is seemingly another instance of personal vision and thought-transmission from a celestial being, presumably the Son. We understand it to mean that. So cite this as

Case 88. The Lord Appears to Job in Telepathic Vision.

13 "In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men. "" [It was a vision of the night. Job was in a deep sleep. Apparently he could neither see nor hear.]

14 "Fear came upon me and trembling, which made all my bones to shake.

15 Then a spirit passed before my face:" [It was something immaterial;] "the hair of my flesh stood up.

16 It stood still, but I could not discern the form thereof: an image was before mine eyes." [Here was an apparition, a telepathic vision of a person; the form indistinct; but perhaps the face more clear.] "there was silence, and I heard a voice, saying, 17 Shall mortal man be more just than God? [Here was a thought-transmission. Ideas were sent into the mind of the sleeping Job. For further discussion see Case 124.]

Case 89. The Lord Appears in Vision to Ezekiel.

His appearance to this prophet (Ezek. 1; 26-28) must have been telepathic.

26 "And upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man upon it.

27 And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about.

28 As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord."

All this was "above the firmament." In v. 1, In v. 1, he says, "The heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God," i. e., the Son. But the distance from earth to the City of God is too great to allow the possibility of seeing the actual Lord upon his actual throne. As the blinded Saul saw, not Ananias, but a vision of Ananias; as Daniel beheld, not God the Father, but a majestic dream vision symbolic of the Ancient of Days; so what Ezekiel beheld, was not the actual Lord, seated upon an actual throne above the firmament. He saw only "the likeness of a throne." Also "the likeness as the appearance of a man," and "the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord." Not something real in the outer world; but pictures thrown into his own mind. Plainly the vision was telepathic.

And he says, "I heard a voice of one that spake." When such an experience comes to an inspired mind in a dream, the voice is at once explicable as a dream voice. But, though the prophet be awake; the voice may still be telepathic. Explanation of telepathic voices that seem external and audible, is given in Chap. XXI, Case 102, etc.

In the New Testament.

Whenever there is a vision of Christ in the New Testament, it is Jesus; who (save in Rev. 5, where he appears as a Lamb

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