Reading Life Through The Principle - Day 9

Good evening everyone. It's lovely to see you again. I hope you all had a good weekend. Just a couple of things from last week: I came across some interesting information about the ancient Carthaginians. Carthage was part of North Africa, opposite Italy, and it was a huge empire. The Romans had several wars against the Carthaginians, and one very famous Carthaginian general, Hannibal, led an army against Rome with elephants. How he got the elephants from North Africa across Spain and marched them all the way across the Pyrenees is an adventure in itself. However, they sacrificed their children. After decades of scholarship denying that the Carthaginians sacrificed their children, new research has found overwhelming evidence that this ancient civilization really did carry out this practice. People thought it was just a racist accusation against the Carthaginians, but evidence suggests otherwise. A collaborative paper by academics from institutions across the globe, including Oxford University, indicates that Carthaginian parents ritually sacrificed their young children as offerings to the gods, specifically the oldest son. The paper argues that well-meaning attempts to interpret the tophets, these ancient infant burial grounds, as child cemeteries are misguided. The practice of child sacrifice could even hold the key to why the civilization was founded in the first place.

The Carthaginians were a Phoenician civilization originally based around Lebanon on the eastern end of the Mediterranean. As child sacrifice became discouraged and frowned upon in the eastern Mediterranean, some particularly religious people who wanted to maintain their traditions emigrated and settled in Carthage. I found this interesting because, as I mentioned, what Abraham did—rather, the meaning of that event—was to put an end to child sacrifice. I think that culture of stopping child sacrifice started to spread through the eastern Mediterranean, and those who wanted to continue the practice decided to emigrate to North Africa and founded the Carthaginian civilization, which was very militaristic and powerful. Another topic I wanted to discuss was subject-object relationships. To distinguish between the two, the subject is the one that initiates a relationship, while the object responds. For example, in a conversation, the person who initiates the conversation decides the topic, making them the subject, while the other person listens and responds, placing them in the object position. It's more about giving, responding, and listening. It's not only good to be a good talker; sometimes it's even more important to be a good listener.

In terms of the principle, it talks in more detail about how this applies to the husband and wife relationship. It states that the subject is the one who initiates love, which is the husband, while the wife responds with beauty. This emphasizes that being the subject does not mean being in control or giving orders. The principle book clearly states that the subject is simply the one who initiates the love relationship, not the one who tries to control. It expands on this in the context of the triple objective purpose, stating that any of the four positions can be subject and any can be object. The husband or father might initiate a conversation, and everyone listens; the wife or mother might initiate a conversation, and everyone else listens; one of the children might initiate a conversation, and again, everyone else is in the object position. This shows that in the subject-object relationship, there is no suggestion that one is older or better than the other, which connects to the Cain and Abel relationship.

Now, let's look at the Cain and Abel relationship. Cain was the older brother, and Abel was the younger brother. This relationship is fixed; you can't change who is older or younger. Unlike subject-object relationships, which can change, the older-younger dynamic is fixed. There is another layer to Cain and Abel, often understood as Cain being worse in some way and Abel being better. This may relate to skills or abilities, such as playing tennis or the violin. Abel may have better ideas or worse ideas, but that isn't determined by their age. Both have fallen nature and original nature, and there is no suggestion that either Cain or Abel is subject or object in the relationship. One may be very capable but quiet and not take the initiative, which is why sometimes you need to draw them out.

I want to remind you of the Jacob and Esau relationship we discussed last week. Jacob wasn't a good younger brother; he bought the birthright but didn't win the love and respect of his older brother. He annoyed Esau and was critical and judgmental towards him. Jacob stole Esau's blessing, which was wrong on multiple levels, including deception. He should have won Esau's love and respect. Esau would have given him the birthright, and Isaac would have blessed Esau, which would have allowed Jacob to receive his blessing in harmony with Esau. Instead, Jacob stole Esau's blessing, leading to Esau wanting to kill him. We see that Isaac didn't communicate with Rebecca, which was a mistake. Rebecca didn't respect her husband and went behind his back, which was another mistake. Jacob didn't follow his conscience and allowed himself to be dominated by his mother, which was also a mistake. Jacob lied to his father and deceived him, which was wrong. Esau, on the other hand, did nothing wrong; he was just being himself.

Father said Jacob should have won his blessing in total harmony with Esau and not had to flee to Haran for his life. This situation reflects the idea that there are multiple plans in life. Plan A was for Jacob to win Esau's love and respect, which he failed to do. Plan B was that he bought the birthright, but he still needed to win Esau's love and respect. Plan C was that Esau should have received his blessing, and they could have worked on their relationship afterward. Plan D was Jacob fleeing to Haran for 21 years. Similarly, with Noah, Plan A was to maintain sexual purity on the ark, which didn't work. Plan B was for Ham and his wife to confess and repent, which also didn't happen. Plan C was for Ham to respond differently to seeing Noah naked, and Plan D was for his brothers to put him in his place. The Bible often reflects this tradition of multiple plans. Jacob then flees for his life and spends a night in a place called Bethel, where he has a famous dream of Jacob's ladder and the angels going up and down. God spoke to Jacob in the desert, confirming the blessing he received from Isaac, saying He would bring him back to the land, just as He promised Abraham. Jacob continues his journey and eventually arrives in Haran, where he meets Rachel, Laban's daughter, and is very happy to find his uncle's family.

In many cultures, there is a custom that requires a man to prove himself worthy before marrying someone's daughter. This often involves demonstrating the ability to support a family, which can include building a house or paying a certain number of cows, particularly in Africa. Jacob served seven years for Rachel, which seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her. After this time, Jacob approached Laban, asking for Rachel as his wife, indicating his intentions clearly. This conversation reveals Jacob's desire for a sexual relationship with Rachel, which had been on his mind throughout the seven years.

Laban gathered the people for a feast, but that evening, he deceived Jacob by giving him Leah instead of Rachel. This situation highlights the significance of the wedding customs, particularly the veils worn by brides in the Middle East, which obscured Jacob's view of Leah. Rachel had likely spent those seven years preparing for her wedding day, filled with hope and excitement, only to be betrayed by her father. The emotional impact on Rachel must have been devastating, knowing that her father had decided to marry her sister to Jacob instead of her.

Leah, on the other hand, might have felt conflicted about her father's decision. She could have recognised the unfairness of the situation for Rachel, but perhaps she felt compelled to obey her father's authority. This reflects a common dynamic in families where parental decisions are seen as absolute. Just as Rebecca had approached Jacob, Leah could have also protested, but she may have felt insecure about her own worth and desirability, fearing she would be left unmarried if Rachel married first.

The morning after the wedding, Jacob awoke to find Leah in his bed instead of Rachel, leading to his outrage. He confronted Laban, demanding to know why he had been deceived after serving seven years for Rachel. Laban explained that it was not customary to marry off the younger daughter before the elder, implying that Jacob's own past deceptions were now coming back to haunt him. This situation serves as a reminder of the consequences of one's actions, as Jacob had previously deceived his father and brother.

Laban's actions can be seen as a lesson for Jacob, who had tricked his own family. Jacob's realisation of this irony is significant; he understood that his current predicament was a direct result of his past behaviour. Had he not stolen Esau's blessing, he would not have had to flee and could have married Rachel without these complications. This cycle of deception illustrates the principle of karma, where one's actions eventually return to them, often in unexpected ways.

After marrying Leah, Jacob also married Rachel a week later, but he loved Rachel more than Leah. This created a painful dynamic within the family, as Laban's deception not only affected Jacob but also deeply impacted both Leah and Rachel. Laban's desire to teach Jacob a lesson ultimately led to the unhappiness of his daughters. This situation can be likened to the biblical story of Cain and Abel, where the consequences of one's actions ripple through relationships and communities.

Jacob's journey in Haran lasted for 21 years, a significant number representing maturity and growth. Initially, Jacob had not taken responsibility for his actions, but over time, he matured and developed a strong character. He learned to endure injustice and deception without succumbing to anger or resentment. By the end of his time in Haran, he had established a family and achieved wealth, fulfilling the blessings promised to him. Eventually, God instructed Jacob to return home, prompting him to embark on a long journey back, during which Rachel stole her father's idols as a form of rebellion against Laban's treatment of them. This act further complicated the already strained relationships within the family.

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are significant figures in the biblical narrative. They all died, and when someone is still alive, one does not speak of the deceased in that manner. Jacob had a confrontation with Laban, who had a dream, and Jacob responded to Laban, saying, "Look at the language here: the daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, the flocks are my flocks; all you see is mine." This reflects an old way of thinking, where parents viewed their children as possessions. Laban, despite Jacob marrying his daughters, still felt that they were his property, along with his grandchildren and flocks. This mindset illustrates the fallen way of thinking that God wanted Abraham to change for all eternity, emphasising that parents do not own their children but are to love and support them in fulfilling their potential.

After this confrontation, Jacob set off and sent messengers to his brother Esau, saying, "I, Jacob, was sent to tell my lord in order that I might find favour in your sight." Jacob hoped that Esau would be pleased to see him after 21 years away. However, the messengers returned with news that Esau was coming to meet Jacob with 400 men, which greatly frightened Jacob. He realised that Esau had not forgiven him and might still be resentful about their past. Jacob feared for his life and was also concerned about the possibility of harming Esau, which he desperately wanted to avoid. Faced with this moral dilemma, Jacob considered not meeting Esau at all, but he knew that his parents would ask about his reconciliation with his brother.

Jacob's parents, like many parents, were concerned about the relationship between their children. They often asked how he was getting on with his sister, reflecting a parent's heart for their children to love and support one another. Instead of avoiding Esau, Jacob divided his possessions and sent gifts ahead of him, hoping to appease Esau's anger. He instructed the shepherds to tell Esau that the gifts were from his servant Jacob, a present meant to win favour. This shows Jacob's desperation to be accepted and embraced by his older brother.

That night, Jacob camped by the ford of Jabbok, where he wrestled with a man until daybreak. This man is often interpreted as an angel, possibly representing the spirit of Esau. During this struggle, the man struck Jacob's hip socket, and Jacob refused to let go until he received a blessing. The man asked Jacob for his name and then declared that Jacob's name would no longer be Jacob but Israel, for he had striven with God and with men and prevailed. This wrestling can be seen as Jacob grappling with his fears about meeting Esau. He needed to overcome these fears to approach his brother with confidence and peace.

Jacob's struggle reflects a deeper spiritual confrontation. He had to achieve inner peace before meeting Esau, as fear would only lead to further conflict. This wrestling is akin to the internal battles we all face when confronting difficult relationships or situations. It is essential to emerge from such struggles with a sense of calm and clarity. Jacob's determination to not let go until he received a blessing illustrates the importance of perseverance in the face of challenges. In every crisis, there lies the potential for growth and blessing, as painful experiences often lead to profound personal development.

Jonathan Sacks highlights that within every crisis lies a possibility of blessing. Difficult situations force us to confront who we are and what truly matters to us. They challenge us to make necessary decisions and can reveal strengths we did not know we possessed. The struggle is not easy, and while Jacob emerged victorious, he bore the scars of his battles. Yet, God is with us, even in our struggles, providing strength to survive and emerge wiser. Some individuals, after enduring suffering, become wise and compassionate, able to guide others through their own hardships.

The oldest question in religion is why bad things happen to good people. One way to ask this is, "Why has God done this to me?" However, a more constructive approach is to ask, "Given that this has happened, what does God want me to learn from it?" This perspective encourages looking forward rather than backward. It is essential to wrestle with our crises, refusing to let go until we find the blessing within them. This refusal to accept defeat embodies the essence of faith. Even in failure, we can rise again, just as Jacob did, learning and growing from each experience.

He never made mistakes; nothing he did turned out to be a failure. He never accepted defeat, and that is the meaning of faith. He just started all over again. After defeating the angel, Jacob was ready to face his brother Esau. He could have gone somewhere else to enjoy his hard-earned wealth, but he did not think of God's will. He could have said, 'Esau and I are separate; what do I have to do with his life?' Remember Cain's question, 'Am I my brother's keeper?' But Jacob's mind was so occupied by God's will that he wanted to meet his brother and reconcile the past, soothing his heart until his resentment vanished. Jacob realised he made a terrible mistake in deceiving his father and stealing his older brother's birthright blessing. He had to put right the mistake he made; he had to reconcile with his older brother, even at the risk of his life.

Jacob's conscience compelled him; he could not live without restoring what he had taken. He could not go home to see his parents until he had made amends with Esau. The next morning, Jacob organised everything and went ahead to meet his brother. Behind him were Leah and her children, and Rachel and her children followed. Jacob approached Esau, bowing to the ground seven times until he came near to him. Esau ran to meet him, embraced him, fell on his neck, and they kissed and wept. You might wonder why Esau reacted this way. Jacob approached him with 400 men, yet Esau was overwhelmed by emotion. What was it that changed Esau's heart?

The key point is understanding why Esau's heart changed. Jacob was trying to restore the mistake he made when he stole Esau's blessing. He wanted to reconcile with his brother and show him he was sorry. To do this, Jacob sent Esau gifts—presents of sheep and flocks of goats—giving Esau wealth. He also bowed down to the ground seven times in front of Esau. The second part of the blessing that Jacob stole from Esau was that the sons of his mother would bow down before him. By bowing down to Esau, Jacob was returning the blessing he had stolen by enacting it. He did not expect Esau to bow down to him; rather, he was showing Esau he was sorry.

When Jacob gave Esau many presents and bowed down to the ground seven times, Esau immediately understood what was happening. He realised that Jacob was sorry for stealing his blessing and was returning it by becoming a good younger brother. That is why Esau's heart was moved; he understood Jacob wanted to restore their relationship. Esau then asked Jacob, 'What do you mean by all this company which I met?' In other words, he was curious about all the sheep and goats. Jacob replied, 'To find favour in the sight of my lord.' Notice the language Jacob used; he called Esau 'my lord,' which was very different from how he spoke to him when they were younger.

Esau responded, 'I have enough, my brother. Keep what you have for yourself.' Jacob insisted, saying, 'I pray you, if I have found favour in your sight, accept my present from my hand.' The word 'present' in Hebrew is the same as 'blessing,' making it clear to Esau what was happening. Jacob continued, 'For truly to see your face is like seeing the face of God.' This reflects Jacob's respect for Esau, treating him with reverence. Jacob was humble, acknowledging that God had dealt graciously with him and that he had enough. He was not proud or arrogant; he was genuinely grateful and humble, which is incredibly beautiful.

What happened here is that Jacob overcame his fallen nature, making it easier for Esau to overcome his own. The role of Jacob, as the Abel figure, was to help Esau, the Cain figure, to overcome his fallen nature. Jacob's humility and willingness to restore their relationship made it easy for Esau to respect him. If Cain is to love Abel, Abel must be lovable. If Cain is to respect Abel, Abel must be worthy of respect. If Cain is to be guided by Abel, Abel must provide good guidance. Only then can they unite in love. Unity is not the starting point; it is the result of a process involving love, respect, and guidance.

Jacob, as I mentioned, overcame his fallen nature and restored the mistake he made. Esau did not make any mistakes; he realised he was not a good younger brother. Jacob took the risk of his life to return the blessing he had stolen. He gave Esau gifts and bowed down to him seven times, becoming a good younger brother, which made it easy for Esau to respect him. Jacob returned home with a large family and wealth, making it easy for Esau to forgive him. This process of repentance involved Jacob admitting he committed a crime, taking responsibility for his actions without blaming anyone else, and showing genuine grief for the harm he caused.

Restoration is not just about saying sorry; it involves putting things right. Jacob restored the blessing he had stolen, fulfilling the condition of indemnity. In the Divine Principle, it states that for Jacob and Esau to remove their fallen natures, Esau needed to love Jacob. Did Esau love Jacob? Yes, because Jacob became lovable. Esau respected Jacob as a mediator to God and submitted obediently to his directions. However, the complete process of unity and multiplying goodness was not fully realised. The foundation was partially established, but only stages one and two were achieved. Jacob established a pattern for the natural and voluntary subjugation of Satan by winning Esau's heart and respect, a pattern later followed by Joseph, Moses, Jesus, and the Father.

Abraham's family established the heavenly tradition, which is why we refer to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They passed on the tradition and faith through three generations. Jacob achieved what neither Abraham nor Isaac accomplished; he kept his entire family together. Despite having two wives, two concubines, 12 sons, and a daughter, they all stayed within the faith. This is a remarkable achievement, especially when considering how difficult it is to raise even a couple of children. Jacob managed to keep his family united, and they all went down into Egypt together. Eventually, they became the 12 tribes of Israel. Jacob was a great leader who maintained the faith among his children, unlike Abraham and Isaac, whose children went their separate ways.

After their reconciliation, Esau invited Jacob to stay with him in Edom, but Jacob declined, saying his sheep and goats were tired. In reality, Jacob did not want to live under his older brother; that time had passed. There was a moment when Jacob and Esau could have united and gone into business together, but that opportunity was lost. Jacob preferred to live in Canaan, on the other side of the River Jordan. They met again to bury Isaac, and Jacob became the ancestor of the Hebrews, while Esau became the ancestor of those who settled in Edom. These two peoples were enemies until Esau's descendants were forcibly converted to Judaism a few centuries before Christ. Archaeological evidence has emerged over the last century, confirming many stories from the Old Testament, including the existence of Edom.

From her, Abraham agreed to do what Sarah said. What's going on here is that basically Sarah is thinking, 'Okay, how can I have a child? Maybe I can have it through Hagar, my maid. If she has a child, it will be my child that she will be giving birth to.' Like I said, in modern days, this is akin to having a surrogate mother. The other really important point here is that Sarah took the initiative. Abraham didn't think, 'Well, my wife's too old and she's never going to have children,' but rather, Sarah took the initiative. Abraham agreed to do what Sarah said, so Sarah, Abraham's wife, took her Egyptian maid Hagar and gave her to her husband Abraham as a wife. Abraham had been living for ten years in Canaan when this took place. He slept with Hagar, and she got pregnant.

When Hagar learned she was pregnant, she looked down on her mistress. That's interesting. Why did she do that? Well, I guess she thought, 'I've been looking down on Sarah. You've been with Abraham all these decades, and you're never able to produce a child for him. Look, I'm pregnant; I'm better than you.' So she's thinking maybe she can elevate her status from being the second wife to becoming the first wife, the favourite wife. You can imagine here that she doesn't think of herself as Sarah's maid; she remembers, 'I am an Egyptian princess, the daughter of the Pharaoh. Maybe I am qualified to be the wife of the prophet of God and the ancestor of God's children.' That's why she looks down on her mistress.

At the same time, you can imagine the situation of two women competing for the love of one man. Hagar must have wanted to be loved by Abraham. When Hagar starts to look down on Sarah and treat her with contempt, Sarah said to Abraham, 'It's all your fault that I'm suffering this abuse. I put my maid in bed with you, and the minute she knows she's pregnant, she treats me like I'm nothing. May God decide which of us is right.' Sarah was so abusive to Hagar that Hagar ran away into the desert. An angel came along and said to Hagar, 'Don't worry, go back to your mistress. You will have a son, and you'll name him Ishmael.' Hagar then went back and gave birth to Ishmael.

When Abraham was 100 years old, Sarah had a son, Isaac. When the angels came to visit, Abraham was 100 years old when his son Isaac was born. The baby grew and was weaned, and Abraham threw a big party on the day that Isaac was weaned. One day, Sarah saw the son that Hagar, the Egyptian, had borne to Abraham poking fun at her son Isaac. Sarah told Abraham, 'Get rid of this slave woman and her son. No child of a slave woman is going to share inheritance with my son Isaac.' Sarah was frightened; she thought, 'I'm old, Hagar's young. When I die, Hagar will still be alive. Maybe she will push Isaac aside.' So she said to Abraham, 'I don't want this.' Abraham wasn't happy about it; he loved Ishmael dearly and wasn't pleased with this at all.

God spoke to Abraham, saying, 'Don't feel badly about the boy and your maid. Do whatever Sarah tells you. Your descendants will come through Isaac. Regarding your maid's son, be assured that I'll also develop a great nation from him; he's your son too.' These are immortal words, and I'm surprised I don't find them in households all over the country. God tells Abraham to listen to his wife and do what she says. So, Hagar and Ishmael are sent away, and they settle in a place called Roy. The angel of the Lord found Hagar near a spring in the desert after she'd been sent away by Abraham. It was a spring beside the road to Shur, and Hagar settled down there.

After Sarah died, Isaac lived in the cave, and when he met Rebecca, he had just come back from a visit to Beer Lahai Roi. The understanding of the interpretation by the rabbis is that after Sarah died, Abraham realised that he was lonely. Isaac then went to see Hagar and brought her home with him to become Abraham's wife. Later on, after Isaac got married, the Bible says that Abraham took a wife named Keturah, who bore him sons. While he was alive, he sent them away eastwards. The tradition is that these sons were the basis of other religions like Hinduism, established by the sons of Abraham. The rabbis, like Rashi, said that Keturah is understood to be Hagar, but she is called Keturah because her deeds were beautiful. After leaving Abraham, she had no relationships with other men.

When Abraham died, his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him. It's interesting that the Bible says Isaac and Ishmael, with Isaac's name coming first, even though he is younger. The interpretation is that Ishmael repented and let Isaac walk ahead of him out of respect. This shows the relationship between Ishmael and Isaac, with Isaac winning the love and respect of his older brother Ishmael. When it came to burying their father Abraham, Isaac went first. These little details are intriguing. Ishmael and Isaac were reconciled, and later on, Esau married one of Ishmael's daughters. Now, I will outline the restoration of the relationship between Adam and the archangel Joseph and his brothers. This is a very complicated family, and I will come back to this tomorrow. Jacob got married to Leah, the eldest sister, and Leah had six sons and one daughter. Jacob also married Rachel, who later had two sons, Joseph and Benjamin. Leah, just like Sarah, offered her maid Zilpah to Jacob to have more sons. Jacob had two sons through Zilpah, and eventually, Rachel had two sons, Joseph and Benjamin, while Leah had one daughter. I won't go into this story now, but I will look into the relationships between Leah and Rachel tomorrow, as well as Joseph's story.