When he reaches the first upper floor, he immediately sees the previously mentioned wing of the mansion, runs in delight through the great open doorway, surveys the great hall and collapses in wonder. But several of the white young men immediately come to him, help him up and strengthen him. When he recovers a little, he comes toward Me again and asks Me in a voice trembling with the utmost astonishment, ‘O Lord, please tell me quite definitely: am I really awake, or am I perhaps asleep and now dreaming very soundly?’
I say, ‘From the way you ask now, you do seem to be dreaming still more than to be awake; but you are nevertheless awake, and what you see here is solid reality! You yourself told Me outside in the grove how you had heard that I had completely restored Joseph’s old house in a very short time, the house now inhabited and owned by Irhael. If I could raise up Joseph’s house again, surely I shall also be able to renew Esau’s old fortress!’
The merchant says, ‘Yes, yes, it is now visible and true; but it is still unbelievable that a human being can perform such things! Listen, Lord: if You are not a prophet like Elijah, then You must either be an archangel in human form, or perhaps in the end even Jehovah Himself! For such things are possible only to God alone!’
I say, ‘Yes, yes, if you had seen no sign, you would not have believed Me either. Now, of course, you believe, but in such faith you are not free in spirit. Yet so that you may become freer in your heart, I tell you: it was not I, but these many young men who did this. They have such power from God the Father. You may ask them how they accomplished it!’
The merchant says, ‘Right! Outside I already asked Jonael who these wonderfully glorious, most beautiful young beings were and where they came from. But I received no answer and was simply referred to You. When I came to You, I strangely forgot all about it; my question concerned only You, and our conversation took an entirely different turn. Only now do I remember it again and would like a proper explanation from You of who and what these most lovely young men really are, and where they come from!’
I say, ‘Not to keep you waiting long: they are God’s angels, if you are willing to accept it. But if you will not accept it, then take them for whatever you wish, only not for devils or servants of the devil!’
The merchant says, ‘O Lord, O Lord! Where, where have I come to? A little while ago I asked You whether I was awake or asleep and dreaming. But now I ask You whether I am still alive! For surely such things cannot happen on the real earth!’
I say, ‘Oh, you most certainly are alive on earth! I have opened your inner sight, and so you can now also behold the spirits of the heavens. But ask no more now, for it is time for the midday meal. Everything is ready, so let us go to the tables!’
The merchant says, ‘Yes, yes, quite right! But from wonder upon wonder I shall not be able to eat much, for here everything is miracle upon miracle! No, this morning I could not have had the slightest inkling of anything like this. It came upon me far too quickly and far too unexpectedly. It is scarcely three hours since you came from Sychar into my grove, and what has happened in those three hours? The most unbelievable things! And yet there they are! But who other than the witnesses of what has happened will believe it, even if a thousand testimonies spoke for it? Lord, Lord! You great Master, taught and guided by God Himself, I believe it because I now see it with my own eyes. But if you tell it to thousands, they will not only disbelieve you; they will be offended and call the teller a shameless liar! Therefore do not tell it anywhere else, for it is too wondrously great! Who had ever beheld splendor like that of this hall? The walls as though of pure precious stones, the ceiling gold, the floor silver, the many tables of jasper, hyacinth and emerald, the stands of gold and silver, the drinking vessels as though of the purest diamond, and the serving dishes as though of the finest and most fiery ruby; the benches and tables again of precious metals, and the upholstery of bright red silk, and the scent of the food and drink as though from the heavens—and all this in, let us say it, three hours! No, it is unbelievable, beyond unbelievable!
‘Lord, You must either be God Himself, or most certainly You are at least God’s Son!’
I say, ‘Very well, very well! But now to the meal! After the meal you shall learn much more; but now I shall say nothing more before the meal. Just look at the many who are already hungry and thirsty, since it is very warm today. Therefore let them first be refreshed and fully strengthened; then everything else will also come about again in spiritual terms!’