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The Apocalypse of St. John
GA 104

30 June 1908, Nuremberg

Lecture XII

Certain dread concerning the destiny of humanity in the future may come over one who enters with feelings into the thoughts which occupied us at the close of our last lecture. A picture of this future of humanity was brought before us which on the one hand was great and powerful, filling one with bliss, showing the future condition of the man who has understood the mission of our present age upon the earth, who has received the Christ-spirit and is thereby able to keep pace with the necessary spiritualization of our earth, a glorious blessed picture of those men who are called in exoteric Christianity the “Redeemed,” and, not quite appropriately, the “Elect.” But the opposite picture had also to be put before you, the picture of the abyss in which is found a humanity which was not in a position to receive the Christ-spirit, which remained in matter, which excluded itself, so to speak, from the spiritualizing process leading into the future; and this portion of humanity which has fallen away from the spiritualized earth, and, in a certain sense apart from it, advances towards a frightful fate. When the beast with the seven heads and ten horns glowers at us from the abyss, the beast led astray by the other frightful being, the two-horned beast, this picture gives rise to fear and horror, and many aright ask: “Is it not hard and unwise on the part of Providence to lead a number of men to such a frightful fate, and in a way, to condemn them to the abyss of evil?” And the question might arise, “Would it not have been more fitting for a wise Providence to have averted this frightful fate from the very beginning?”

In answer to these questions, we might, to begin with, say something abstract, theoretical—and it already signifies a great deal for one who can grasp this theoretical statement is his feeling: It is extremely wise that Providence has taken care that this terrible fate is possible for a number of men. For if it were impossible for man to sink into the abyss of evil, he would not have been able to attain what on the one hand we call love and on the other freedom; since to the occultist freedom is inseparably connected with the idea of love. It would be impossible for man to develop either love or freedom without the possibility of sailing down into the abyss. A man unable, of his own free decision, to choose good or evil, would be a being who would only be led on a leading-string to a good which must be attained of necessity and who had no power to choose the good of his own fully purified will, by the love which springs from freedom. If it were impossible for man to follow in the trail of the monster with the two horns, it would also be impossible for him to follow God out of his own individual love. It was in accordance with a wise Providence to give the possibility of freedom to the humanity which has been developing through our planetary system, and this possibility of freedom could be given on no other condition than that man himself has to make the free choice between good and evil.

But this is only an empty theory, you might say, and man rises but slowly to the point where he not only says this in words and accepts it in moments of speculation as a kind of explanation, but also experiences it in his feeling. Seldom does man now rise to the thought, “I thank thee, O wise Providence, that thou hast made it possible for me to bring thee a love which is not forced but springs up free in my own breast: that thou dost not force use to love thee, but that thou hast given me tine choice of following thee.” Nevertheless, man has to rise to this feeling if he wishes really to feel this theoretical explanation. We can, however, offer additional comfort, or, rather, another quieting assurance, from a clairvoyant observation of the world. For it was stated in our last lecture that at the present day, he alone has au almost unalterable tendency to the abyss who is already entangled in some way in the prongs of the two-horned beast, which leads men to the practice of black magic. Even for such as now fall into the arts of black magic it will still be possible to withdraw in the future. But those who do not come at all into any contact with black magic arts (and this is for the time being the case with most people), these may have nevertheless a certain tendency in the period following the War of All against All, towards final evil, but the possibility in the future of turning back again and following the good will be far greater than the compulsion unconditionally to follow evil.

From these lectures it may be seen that for those who now turn to a spiritual conception of the world, in order to live beyond the great War into the sixth epoch (which is represented by the opening of the seals), there is the possibility to receive the Christ-principle. They will be able to receive the spiritual elements which are laid down in the age signified by the community at Philadelphia, and in the near future they will manifest a strong tendency towards becoming spiritual. Those who turn to-day to a spiritual view receive a powerful disposition to enter upon the upward path. One must not fail to recognize how important it is even at the present time that a number of persons should not turn a deaf ear to the anthroposophical world conception, which is bringing to humanity in a fully conscious manner the first germs of spiritual life, whereas formerly this took place unconsciously. That is the important thing, that this portion of humanity should take with it the first conscious tendencies towards the upward movement.

Through a group of people dedicating themselves to-day to the foundation of a great brotherhood which will live over into the epoch of the seven seals, help will be provided for those others, who to-day still turn a deaf ear to the teachings of Spiritual Science. For the present, we have still to go through many incarnations of the present souls before the great War of All against All, and again up to the decisive point after the great War. And afterwards in the epoch of the seals we also have to go through many changes, and men will often have the opportunity to open their hearts to the spiritual world-conception, which is to-day flowing through the anthroposophical Movement. There will be many opportunities, and you must not imagine that future opportunities will only be such as they are to-day. The way in which we are able to make the spiritual view of the world known to others is still very feeble. Even if a man were now to speak in such a way that his voice were to sound forth directly like the fire of the spirit, that would be feeble as compared with the possibilities which will exist in later and more developed bodies in order to direct our fellow-men to this spiritual movement. When humanity as a whole will have developed higher and higher in future ages, there will be very different means through which the spiritual conception of the world will be able to penetrate into men's hearts, and the most fiery word to-day is small and weak compared with what will work in the future to give all souls the possibility of the spiritual conception of the world—all the souls now living in bodies in which no heart beats for this spiritual conception of the world.

We are at the beginning of the spiritual movement, and it will grow. It will require much obduracy and much hardness to close the heart and mind to the powerful impressions of the future. The souls now living in bodies which have the heart to hear and feel Anthroposophy, are now preparing them-selves to live in bodies in the future in which power will be given them to serve their fellow-creatures, who up to that time had been unable to feel this heart beat within them. We are only preparing for the preparers, as yet nothing more. The spiritual movement is to-day but a very small flame; in the future it will develop into a mighty spiritual fire.

When we bring this other picture before our minds, when we let it enter right into our feelings, then there will live in us a very different feeling and a very different possibility of knowledge concerning this fact. To-day it is what we call black magic into which men can, in a certain way, fall consciously or unconsciously. Those who are now living thoughtlessly, who are quite untouched by the spiritual conception of the world, who live in their comfortable everyday torpor and say, “What does it matter to me what these dreaming Anthroposophists say?” these have the least opportunity of coming into the circle of black magic. In their case they are now only neglecting the opportunity to help their fellow-men in the future in their efforts to attain the spiritual life. For themselves they have not yet lost touch. But those who to-day are beginning in an unjustifiable way to oppose the spiritual life, are really taking up into themselves in the very first beginnings the germs of some-thing one might call black magic. There are very few individuals to-day who have already fallen into black magic in the frightful sense in which this horrible art of humanity must really be spoken of.

You will best understand that this really is so if I give you but a slight indication of the way in which black magic is systematic-ally cultivated; then you will see that you may search high and low among all your acquaintances and you will find no one of whom you could believe that he was already inclining to such arts. All the rest is fundamentally only the purest dilettantism which may be easily got rid of in future ages. It is bad enough that in our day things are sometimes praised with the intention to defraud people—which in a certain sense is also the beginning of the art of black magic. It is also bad that certain ideas are percolating, which—although they do not absolutely belong to the black art—nevertheless mislead people; these are the ideas which rule the world to-day in certain, circles and which can flourish amidst materialistic thought, but which although not without danger, will not be irreparable in the next epochs. Only when a man begins to practise the ABC of black magic is he on the dangerous path to the abyss. The ABC consists in the pupil of a black magician being taught to destroy life quite consciously, and in doing so to cause as much pain as possible and to feel a certain satisfaction in it. When the purpose is to stab or to cut into a living being with the intention of feeling pleasure in that being's pain, that is the ABC of the black arts. We cannot touch upon the further stages, but you will find it horrible enough when you are told that the beginning in black magic is to cut and stab into living flesh, not like the vivisector cuts—this is already bad enough, but the principle of vivisection finds its overthrow in the vivisector himself, because in kamaloca he will himself have to feel the pain he has caused his victims, and for this reason will leave vivisection alone in the future. But he who systematically cuts into flesh, and feels satisfaction in it begins to follow the precipitous path of black magic, and this draws him closer and closer to the being described as the two-horned beast.

This seductive being is of quite a different nature from man. It originates from other world periods; it has acquired the tendencies of other world periods and will feel deep satisfaction when it meets with beings such as those evil ones who have refused to take up inwardly the good which can flow from the earth. This being has been unable to receive anything from the earth; it has seen the earthly evolution come but has said, “I have not progressed with the earth in such a way that I can gain anything from earthly existence.” This being could only have got something from the earth by being able to gain the rulership at a certain moment, namely, when the Christ-principle descended to the earth. If the Christ-principle had then been strangled in the germ, if Christ had been overcome by the adversary, it would have been possible for the whole earth to succumb to the Sorath-principle. This, however, did not take place, and so this being has to be content with those who have not inclined towards the Christ-principle, who have remained embedded in matter; they in the future will form his cohorts.

Now in order to understand these hosts more clearly we must consider two ideas which in a certain sense may serve as a key to certain chapters of the Apocalypse. We must study the ideas of the “first death” and the “second death.” What is the first death and what is the second death of man, or of humanity? We must form a clear picture of the ideas which the writer of the Apocalypse connected with these words. To this end we must once more recall to mind the elementary truths concerning human existence.

Consider a human being of the present day. He lives in such a way that from morning when he awakes until evening when he falls asleep he consists of four principles: the physical body, etheric body, astral body and the “I.” We also know that during his earthly existence man works from his “I” upon the lower principles of his being, and that during the earth existence he must succeed in bringing the astral body under the control of the “I.” We know that the earth will be followed by its next incarnation, Jupiter. When main has reached Jupiter he will appear as a different being. The Jupiter-man will have thoroughly worked from his “I” upon his astral body; and when to-day we say, The earth-man who stands before us in the waking condition has developed physical body, etheric body, astral body and “I,” we must say of the Jupiter-man: he will have developed physical body, etheric body, astral body and “I” but he will have changed his astral body into spirit-self. He will live at a higher stage of consciousness, a stage which may be described as follows: The ancient dim-picture-consciousness of the Moon, which existed also in the first epochs of the earth-consciousness, will again be there with its pictures as clairvoyant consciousness, but it will be furnished with the human “I,” so that with this Jupiter-consciousness man will reflect as logically as he does now with his day-consciousness on the earth.

The Jupiter-man therefore will possess spiritual vision of a certain degree. Part of the soul-world will lie open to him; the will perceive the pleasure and pain of those around him in pictures which will arise in his imaginative consciousness. He will there-fore live under entirely different moral conditions. Now imagine that as a Jupiter-man you have a human soul before you. The pain and pleasure of this soul will arise in pictures before you. The pictures of the pair of the other soul will distress you, and if you do not remove the other's pain it will be impossible for you to feel happy. The pictures of sorrow and suffering would torment the Jupiter-man with his exalted consciousness if he were to do nothing to alleviate this sorrow and thus at the same dine remove his own distressing pictures which are nothing but the expression of the sorrow around him! It will not be possible for one to feel pleasure or pain without others also feeling it.

Thus we see that man gains an entirely new state of consciousness in addition to his present “I”-consciousness. If we wish to understand the importance of this in evolution we must once more turn our attention to man when asleep.

During this condition the physical body and etheric body lie on the bed, and his “I” and astral body are outside. During the night (if we speak somewhat inexactly) he callously abandons his physical and etheric bodies. But through being able to liberate himself during the night from his physical and etheric bodies, through being able to live at night in the spiritual world, it is possible for man during this earthly existence to work transformingly from his “I” upon his astral body. How does he do this?

To describe this clearly let us take man in his waking state. Let us suppose that in addition to his professional work and duties he devotes a short time to higher considerations in order to make the great impulses his own which flow from John's Gospel, from the words: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God ...” Let us suppose that he allows to rise within him the great pictures brought before him in John's Gospel, so that he is always filled by the thought: “At the beginning of our era a Being lived in Palestine whom I wish to follow. I will so order my life that everything may be approved by this Being; and I will consider myself as a man who has taken this personality as his ideal.” But we need not intolerantly think that John's Gospel alone may be taken. It is possible in many other ways to immerse oneself in something which can fill the soul with such pictures; and although in a certain way we must describe John's Gospel as the greatest revelation which has originated in humanity, which can exercise the most powerful effect, we may, however, say that others who devote themselves to the Vedanta wisdom or immerse themselves in the Bhagavad Gita or in the Dhammapada, will also have sufficient opportunities in following incarnations to come to the Christ-principle just through what they have thus acquired. Let us suppose that during the day a man fills his mind with pictures and ideas such as these, then his astral body is laid hold of by these thoughts, feelings and pictures, and they form forces in his astral body and produce various effects in it. Then when man withdraws from his physical and etheric bodies at night, these effects remain in the astral body, and he who during the day has been able to immerse himself in the pictures and feelings of John's Gospel has produced something in his astral body which during the night appears in it as a powerful effect. In this way man works to-day during the waking consciousness upon his astral body.

Only the Initiate can become conscious of these effects to-day, but men are gradually developing towards this consciousness. Those who reach the goal of the earth evolution will then have an astral body completely permeated by the “I,” and by the spiritual content which it will have formed. They will have this consciousness as a result, as a fruit of the earth evolution, and will carry it over into the Jupiter evolution. We might say that when the Earth period has thus come to an end man will have gained capacities which are symbolically represented by the building of the New Jerusalem. Man will then already look into that picture-world of Jupiter; the spirit-self will then be fully developed in him. That is the goal of the earth evolution. What, then, is man to gain in the course of his earthly evolution? What is the first goal? The transformation of the astral body. This astral body which to-day is always free of the physical and etheric bodies at night will appear in the future as a transformed portion of the human being. Mau brings into it what he gains on the earth; but this would not be sufficient for the earth evolution. Imagine that man were to come out of the physical body and etheric body every night and were to fill his astral body with what he had acquired during the day, but that the physical and etheric bodies were untouched by it. Man would then still not reach his earthly goal. Something else must take place; it must be possible for man during his earthly evolution to imprint, at least in the etheric body, what he has taken into himself. It is necessary for this etheric body also to receive effects from what man develops in his astral body. Man cannot yet of himself work into this etheric body. Upon Jupiter, when he has trans-formed his astral body, he will be able to work into this etheric body also, but to-day he cannot do this; he still needs helpers, so to speak. Upon Jupiter he will be capable of beginning the real work on the etheric body. Upon Venus he will work upon the physical body; this is the part most difficult to overcome. To-day he still has to leave both the physical and etheric bodies every night and emerge from them. But in order that the etheric body may receive its effects, so that man shall gradually learn to work into it, he needs a helper. And the helper who makes this possible is none other than Christ, while we designate the Being who helps man to work into the physical body as the Father. But man cannot work into his physical body before the helper conies who makes it possible to work into the etheric body. “No man cometh to the Father, but by me.” No one acquires the capacity of working into the physical body who has not gone through the Christ-principle. However, when he has reached the goal of earthly evolution, man will have the capacity—through being able to transform his astral body by his own power—to work upon the etheric body also. This he owes to the living presence of the Christ-principle on the earth. Had Christ not united him-self with the earth as a living being, had he not come into the aura of the earth, that which is developed in the astral body would not be communicated to the etheric body. From this we see that one who shuts himself up by turning away from the Christ-principle deprives himself of the possibility of working into his etheric body in the way that is necessary during earthly evolution.

Thus we shall be able to characterize in another way the two kinds of men which we find at the end of the earth's evolution. We have those who have received the Christ-principle and thus transformed their astral body, and who have gained the help of Christ to transform the etheric body also. And we have the others who did not come to the Christ-principle; who also were unable to change anything in the etheric body, for they could not find the helper, Christ. Now let us look at the future of mankind. The earth spiritualizes itself, that is, man must lose completely something which he now un his physical existence considers as belonging to him. We can form an idea of what will then happen to man if we consider the ordinary course of his life after death. He loses the physical body at death. It is to this physical body that he owes the desires and inclinations which bind him to the ordinary life; and we have described what man experiences after death. Let us take a person who is fond of some particularly dainty food. During life he can enjoy this, but not after death. The desire, however, does not cease, for this is seated, not in the physical body but in the astral body, and as the physical instrument is absent it is impossible to gratify this desire. Such persons look down from kamaloca to the physical world which they have left; they see there all that could give them satisfaction, but they cannot enjoy it because they have no physical instrument for the purpose. Through this they experience a burning thirst. Thus it is with all desires that remain in man after death and are related to the physical world, because they can only be satisfied through physical instruments. This is the case every time after death; each time man sees his physical body fall away, and as something remains in him from this physical body it still urges him to the ordinary world of the physical plane, and until he has weaned himself from this in the spiritual world he lives in the fire of desire. Now imagine the last earthly incarnation before the spiritualization of the earth, the laying aside of the last physical body. Those who are now living on the earth will have progressed so far through the Christ-principle that, in a certain way, it will not be very difficult for than to lay aside the very last physical body; they will, however, be obliged to leave something, for all that can give pleasure from the objects of this earth will have disappeared once and for all from the spiritual earth. Think of the last death possible in our earth evolution, think of the laying aside of the last physical body. It is this last death of the incarnations which in the Apocalypse is called the first death, and those who have received the Christ-principle see this physical body as a sort of husk which falls away. The etheric body has now become important to them for, with the help of Christ, it has become so organized that it is for the time being adapted to the astral body and no longer desires and longs for what is below in the physical world. Only through all that has been brought into the etheric body through the help of Christ do men continue to live on in the spiritualized earth. Harmony has been produced between their astral and etheric bodies by the Christ-principle.

On the other hand there are those who have not received the Christ-principle. These do not possess this harmony. They too must lose the physical body, for there is no such thing in the spiritual earth. Everything physical must first be dissolved. It remains as desires for the physical, as the unpurified spiritual, as the spiritual hardened in matter. An etheric body remains which the Christ has not helped to be adapted to the astral body, but which is suited to the physical body. They are the souls who will feel hot fires of desire for physical sensuality; in the etheric body they will feel unappeasable, burning desire by reason of what they have had in the physical life and which they must now do without. Thus, in the next period, after the physical has melted away, we have men who live in an etheric body which harmonizes with the astral body, and we have others whose etheric body lives in discord because they desire what has fallen away with the physical body.

Then in the further stage of evolution there comes a condition where the spiritualizing of the earth has proceeded so far that there can no longer be even an etheric body. Those whose etheric body completely harmonizes with the astral body lay aside this etheric body without pain, for they remain in their astral body which is filled with the Christ-Being. They feel the laying aside of the etheric body as a necessity in evolution, for they feel within them the capacity to build it up again for them-selves because they have received Christ. Those, however, who in this etheric body desire what belongs to the past cannot retain this etheric body, when all becomes astral. It will be taken from them, it will be torn out of them, and they now perceive this as a second dying, as the “second death.”

This second death passes unnoticed over those who have made their etheric body harmonize with the astral body through the reception of the Christ-principle. The second death has no power over then. But the others feel the second death when they have to pass over into the future astral form. The condition of humanity will then be such that those who have reached the goal of evolution will have entirely permeated their astral body with Christ. They will be ready to pass over to Jupiter. Upon our earth they have made the plan of the Jupiter evolution. This is the plan which is called the New Jerusalem. They live in a new heaven and a new earth, that is, Jupiter. This new Jupiter will be accompanied by a satellite, composed of those who are excluded from the life in the spiritual, who have experienced the second death and are, therefore, unable to attain the Jupiter consciousness.

Thus we have such men as have pressed forward to the Jupiter consciousness, who have attained to spirit-self; and such beings as have thrust away the forces which would have given them this consciousness. They are those who only upon Jupiter have attained to the “I”-consciousness of the earth, who exist there, so to speak, as man now exists on the earth with his four members. But such a man can develop himself only on the earth, the earth alone has the environment, the ground, the air, the clouds, the plants, the minerals which are necessary to man if he wishes to gain what may be gained within the four members. Jupiter will be quite differently formed, it will be a new earth, soil, air, water, everything will be different. It will be impossible for beings who have only gained the earth consciousness to live a normal life; they will be backward beings.

But now comes something more for our comfort. Even on this Jupiter there is still a last possibility, through the strong powers which the advanced will have, to move those fallen beings to turn back and even to convert a number. Only with the Venus incarnation of the earth will conic the last decision, the unalterable decision. When we reflect upon all this, the thought we recently considered will be seen in a new light. It will no longer call forth anxiety and disquietude, but only the determination: “I will do everything necessary to fulfil the earth mission.”

When we consider all this in the right way, a mighty picture of the future of humanity opens up before us and we get some idea of all that was in the illuminated soul of the writer of the Apocalypse who wrote down what we, in a faltering way, can discover from a study of it. Every word of the writer, indeed every turn of expression, is significant. We must only try to understand it clearly. Thus, according to our last lecture, in 666 we are referred to the beast with the two horns, and then a remarkable statement is made, “Here is Wisdom! Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man.” An apparent contradiction, but one of the many contradictions which are to be found in every occult work and exposition. You may be sure of one thing; that an exposition which runs so smoothly that the ordinary human intellect can find no contradiction is certainly not based on an occult foundation. Nothing in world-evolution is so shallow and trivial as that which the human intellect, the ordinary intelligence perceives as free from contradiction. One must penetrate more deeply into the substrata of human contemplation and then the contradictions will disappear. One who observes how a plant grows from root to fruit, how the green leaf changes into the petals, these into the stamens, etc., may say, “Here we have contradictory forms, the flower-leaf contradicts the stem-leaf.” But one who looks more deeply will see the unity, the deeper unity in the contradiction. So it is with what the intellect can see in the world. It is precisely in the deepest wisdom that it sees contradictions. Hence it must not disturb us when here in the Apocalypse we meet with an apparent contradiction: “Let him that hath understanding ponder over the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man.”

We must once more consider by what means it may be possible for a man to be led astray by the two-horned beast. We have pointed out that since the middle of the Atlantean epoch man has slept through the higher spiritual development, so to speak. This sleep still exists at the present time. But it was necessary. If it had not entered in, that which we call the intellect would never have been developed. Man did not possess this before our epoch, he acted from other impulses. His pictures drove him to action, without reflection. He had lost this ancient gift of spiritual vision and in its place he has developed intellect and thereby descended into matter. This has drawn a veil over the spiritual world, but at the same time the intellect has been acquired. This may be a great hindrance to the spiritual development. At the very last it will be nothing else but this misguided intellect, this misguided intelligence, which can prevent man from coming to the Christ-principle; and if those who at last succumb to the two-horned beast could look back upon what has dealt them the worst blow they would say, “The tendency to descend into the abyss only came later, but that which darkened the Christ-principle for me was the intellect.” Let him who has this intellect reflect upon the number of the beast; for only through man having become man, that is to say, through his being gifted with this ego-intellect, can he succumb to the beast 666. For the number of the beast is at the same time the number of a man. And only one possessing intellect can perceive that this is so. It is the number of that man who has let himself be misled by his intellect. Deep truths such as these are concealed in these things.

Thus you see that the writer of the Apocalypse gives you a great deal when you reflect upon the various intimations we have given. He expresses many of the truths known to Spiritual Science. He gives what he promises. He leads man to the vision of what is to come; to the vision of the beings and powers which guide the world. He leads us to the spirit in the first seal, and to the form presented in the last seal. Here we see how the regular form of the New Jerusalem is revealed to him spiritually. The regularity of the New Jerusalem is indicated in the last chapter by its description as a cube. To describe all that is in this last picture would take us too far.

It is now necessary to point out for what purpose the Apocalypse was written. I should indeed have to say a great deal if I were to describe this in detail, but you cm at least take away with you one hint, one which we find at a certain part of the Apocalypse. The writer of the Apocalypse says: A time will come when that high degree of consciousness will actually have developed, when man will see the beings who direct the world, the beings represented by the Lamb and by the appearance of the Son of Man, with the flaming sword. We are referred to this in tones which contain within them that assurance of which we have spoken. The writer of the Apocalypse, who is a great seer, knows that in ancient times men were gifted with a dim clairvoyance. We have described this and have seen how at that time inns were the companions, so to speak, of beings in the spiritual world, and themselves saw the spiritual world. But who has lost this gift of seership? Who? We must now put this forward as an important question. We have seen that fundamentally it was lost by those men who were led to the physical plane, the physical life, when the second half of the Atlantean epoch began. Man looked upon the solid formation of our earth, upon the clearly outlined objects of our earth. The ancient clairvoyance disappeared; he became self-conscious, but the spiritual world was closed to him. The formations which un ancient times filled the air like an ocean of mist, disappeared; the air became clear, the ground distinct. Man descended to the visible earth. This took place comparatively late, it coincided with the attainment of the present intellect, the present self-consciousness of man. Now let us remember what has been said about this earth as well as about the great Event of Golgotha. If some one had observed the earth at that time from a distance with spiritual vision at the moment when the blood flowed from the wounds of the Redeemer, he would have perceived that its whole astral aura changed. The earth was then permeated by the Christ-force. Through this event the earth will be able to reunite with the sun. This power will grow. This is the power which preserves our etheric body from the second death. Christ becomes the Earth-spirit more and more, and the true Christian understands the words, “He who eats my bread treads me underfoot”; he considers the body of the earth as the body of Christ. The earth as a planetary body is the body of Christ; of course at present this is only at its beginning. Christ has still to become the Earth-spirit; He will smite himself fully with the earth, and when the earth later unites with the sun, the great Earth-spirit, Christ, will be the Sun-Spirit.

The body of the earth will be the body of Christ; and men must work upon this body. They began this when they entered upon the earth; they have worked upon this earth with their forces. In all traditions one can fund something which is little noticed because little understood. Thus, for example, in the Persian tradition we find that since the time men lost clairvoyant consciousness they have become beings who have pierced the earth. While they live in the phases which they pierce the earth—that is, while they work upon the earth—during this time when they pierce the body of Christ they do not see with clairvoyant consciousness the guiding powers and, above all, they do not see the Christ face to face. But the writer of the Apocalypse refers to the time when not only those who at that time had spiritual vision will see the spiritual, but when humanity will again have come to the stage where it is possible to see the Christ-Being himself. All will see him, including those who have pierced him, these who had to pass through a portion of their evolution in cultivating the earth, in the piercing of the earth, they will see the Christ. For these sayings are such that they lead those who gradually learn to unveil them deep into the imaginative world of the Mysteries, of the Apocalyptic language.

What, then, did the Apocalyptist wish to write, what did he wish to represent? This question will be answered if we briefly refer to the origin of the Apocalypse. Where do we first fund what is written down in the Apocalypse? If you could look back into the Mysteries of ancient Greece, into the Orphic and Eleusinian Mysteries, if you could go back into the Mysteries of ancient Egypt, Chaldea, Persia and India, you would find the Apocalypse everywhere. It existed, it was there. It was not written down, but lived from one generation of priests to another, through the generations of the Initiators, where the memory was so vivid that one could master such abundant material. Memory even in much later times was far better than ours; we need only remember the singers of the Iliad, how they went about and sang their songs from memory. It is comparatively not long ago, that memory has deteriorated so much. In the Mysteries these truths were not written down, but they lived from generation to generation of the Initiators. Why was the Apocalypse written? It was intended to serve as an instruction for those who brought the pupils into Initiation. At that time the one who was to be initiated was led out of the physical body and remained as if dead. But when he had been led out, the Initiator enabled him to see in his etheric body that which later through the Christ-impulse he would be able to see spiritually in the physical body. Thus the ancient Initiates were the prophets who could point to Christ; and they did so. They were able to do this, because Christ is shown in this Apocalypse as due to appear in the future. The Mystery of Golgotha had never yet taken place where a person in the physical body could set forth the whole drama of Initiation historically. Where then could the possibility of this Event of Golgotha be comprehended? At a certain stage the Initiates had comprehended it outside their body. That which took place on Golgotha had taken place before in another consciousness. There might have been thousands there, and yet the Event of Golgotha could have passed by them unnoticed. What would it have been to them? The death of an ordinary condemned person! It was only possible to understand what took place on Golgotha where the contents of the Mysteries were known. The Initiators could say, You can understand the one whom we have shown you during the three and a half days, whom the prophets announced to you, if you use the means which the Mysteries can give you. The Apocalyptist had received the tradition of the Mysteries orally; he said, “If I am permeated with what can be experienced in the Mysteries, Christ appears to me.” Thus the Apocalypse was nothing new; but its application to the unique Event of Golgotha was something new. The essential thing was that for those who have ears to hear it was possible, with the help of what is in the Apocalypse of John, to penetrate gradually to the true understanding of the Event of Golgotha. This was the intention of the writer of the Apocalypse. He received the Apocalypse from the ancient Mysteries; it is an ancient sacred book of humanity and has only been presented externally to humanity by the disciple whom the Lord loved and to whom he bequeathed the task of announcing his true form. He is to remain until Christ comes; so that those who have a more illuminated consciousness will be able to understand him. He is the great teacher of the true Event of Golgotha. He has given to man the means by which he can really understand the Event of Golgotha. At the beginning of the Apocalypse the writer says (I have tried to translate the first few words in such a way that they convey the true meaning): “This is the revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto his servant, to show in brief what must needs come to pass. This is put in symbols and sent through an angel to his servant John, who wrote these things.” He wishes to describe it in brief; what does this mean? It means in other words: “If I were to describe in detail all that will take place from now up to the goal of the earth evolution, I. should have to write a very great deal, but I will show it to you in a short sketch.” This the translators who could not penetrate into the spirit of the Apocalypse have translated as “to show what must shortly come to pass.” They thought that what is described in the Apocalypse was to happen in the near future. But it ought to read: “I will briefly describe what will take place.” The original text fully admits of the true interpretation I have tried to give in the introduction to Seals and Columns.

We have said much in these lectures concerning this ancient sacred record of the human race, much concerning the secrets which the Lord imparted to humanity by the disciple whom he loved. You may have learnt from this that the Apocalypse is a profound book full of wisdom, and have perhaps many tines during these considerations been troubled because much in it is so difficult to understand. Now I should like to say one thing at the close of our studies. All that I have been able to say to you corresponds exactly to the intentions of the writer of the Apocalypse, and was always taught in this way in the schools which have kept to the intention of the writer of the Apocalypse. But it is by no means all that could be said and one can go much deeper into the truths, into the foundations of the Apocalypse. And if we were to penetrate fully into all the depths, what I have been able to say to you would seem only like a first superficial presentation. It cannot be done in any other way, we can at first give only a superficial presentation. One must go through this. One has to begin with the elementary things, and then, when one has gone a little further, greater depths will be found. For below the surface there is a very great deal of which we have been only able to unveil a very little. If you go further along the path which in a certain way you have begun by turning your attention to the exposition of the Apocalypse of John, you will gradually penetrate into the depths of the spiritual life. You will come into depths which cannot possibly be expressed to-day, because they could not be brought into consciousness, because no one has yet ears to hear. The ears must first be prepared to hear, by such explanations as have now been given. Then they will gradually be there, cars able to hear the Word which flows at such profound depths through the Apocalypse. If you have been able to receive a little of what could be imparted, you must be aware that only the most superficial things could be given, and of these only a few observations. May it give you the impulse to penetrate more and more deeply into what can only be surmised through these lectures. If I were to say only what can be said about the surface, I should have to lecture for still many, many weeks. These lectures could only be a stimulus for further study, and those who feel the impulse to penetrate more deeply into the Apocalypse will have received them in the right way.

Zwölfter Vortrag

[ 1 ] Es könnte demjenigen, der sich mit seinem Gefühle die Ausführungen überlegt, die uns am Ende der gestrigen Betrachtung entgegengetreten sind, ein gewisser Anflug von Bangigkeit kommen über das Schicksal der zukünftigen Menschheit. Es mußte gestern vor Ihre Seele hingestellt werden ein Bild dieser Menschenzukuntt, wie es auf der einen Seite allerdings groß, gewaltig und mit Seligkeit erfüllend ist, ein Bild, das dem Dasein jenes zukünftigen Menschen entspricht, welcher die Mission unserer Gegenwart auf der Erde begriffen hat, der den Christus-Geist in sich aufgenommen hat und dadurch Schritt hat halten können mit der notwendigen Vergeistigung unserer Erde, ein herrliches, beseligendes Bild derjenigen Menschen, die man gewöhnlich im exoterischen Christentum die «Erlösten» oder auch mit einem nicht ganz zutreffenden Ausdruck die «Auserwählten» nennt. Aber auch das Gegenbild mußte vor Ihre Seele hingestellt werden, jenes Bild des Abgrunds, in dem sich eine Menschheit findet, welche nicht in der Lage war, aufzunehmen diesen Christus-Geist, die in der Materie steckengeblieben ist, sich sozusagen von dem in die Zukunft hineingehenden Vergeistigungsprozeß ausgeschlossen hat, die herausgefallen ist aus der vergeistigten Erde und in gewisser Beziehung abseits davon einem furchtbaren Schicksal entgegengeht. Wenn uns aus dem Abgrund herauf anstarrt das Tier mit den sieben Köpfen und den zehn Hörnern, verführt durch das andere furchtbare Wesen, das zweihörnige Tier, so erscheint uns allerdings dieses Bild Furcht und Schrecken erregend, und mancher könnte sich fragen: Ist es denn nicht von einer Vorsehung hart und unweise, eine Anzahl von Menschen einem so furchtbaren Schicksal entgegenzuführen, eine Anzahl von Menschen gewissermaßen zu verdammen zum Abgrund des Bösen?

[ 2 ] Und es könnte die Frage auftauchen: Hätte es sich nicht für eine weise Vorsehung besser geziemt, von vornherein dieses furchtbare Schicksal abzuwenden?

[ 3 ] Als Antwort kann man auf diese Fragen zunächst etwas abstrakt, etwas theoretisch sagen, und wer dieses Theoretische fühlen kann, für den bedeutet dies eigentlich schon sehr viel: Es ist außerordentlich weise, daß die Vorsehung dafür gesorgt hat, daß dieses furchtbare Schicksal als eine Möglichkeit vor einer Anzahl von Menschen stehen kann. Denn wäre es unmöglich, daß der Mensch in die Abgründe des Bösen hineinsegelt, dann wäre auch das für den Menschen nicht erreichbar, was wir auf der einen Seite Liebe und auf der anderen Seite Freiheit nennen, denn für den Okkultisten ist die Freiheit untrennbar verknüpft mit dem Begriff der Liebe. Freiheit wäre für den Menschen unmöglich, und Liebe wäre für den Menschen unmöglich, wenn nicht dieses Hinabsegeln möglich wäre. Ein Mensch, der nicht die Möglichkeit hätte, aus eigenem freien Entschluß das Gute oder auch das Böse zu wählen, der wäre ein Wesen, das nur am Gängelband zu einem notwendig zu erreichenden Guten geführt würde, in dessen Wahl es nicht stände, das Gute aus vollem, in sich selber geläutertem Wollen aus einer der Freiheit entspringenden Liebe zu wählen. Für einen Menschen, dem es nicht möglich wäre, die Gefolgschaft des Ungeheuers mit den zwei Hörnern einzuschlagen, für den wäre es auch nicht möglich, aus einer selbsteigenen Liebe dem Gotte zu folgen. Es lag im Sinne der weisen Vorsehung, der sich durch unser Planetensystem hindurch entwickelnden Menschheit die Möglichkeit der Freiheit zu geben, und diese Möglichkeit der Freiheit war unter keiner anderen Bedingung zu geben als dadurch, daß der Mensch selbst die freie Wahl zu treffen hat zwischen dem Guten und dem Bösen.

[ 4 ] Das ist aber doch nur, man möchte sagen, eine leere Theorie, und die Menschen schwingen sich ja nur langsam dazu auf, so etwas nicht nur mit Worten zu sagen und in theotetischen Augenblicken als eine Art Erklärung zu finden, sondern auch im Gefühle zu haben. Selten schwingen sich die Menschen heute schon auf zu dem Gedanken: Ich danke dir, o weise Vorsehung, daß du es möglich gemacht hast, daß ich dir nicht eine von dir selbst abgezwungene, sondern frei in meiner Brust entsprießende Liebe entgegenbringe; daß du mich nicht zwingst, dich zu lieben, sondern daß du mit es in Wahl gestellt hast, dir zu folgen. — Allerdings, zu dieser Empfindung müßte sich der Mensch aufschwingen, wenn er diese theoretische Erklärung wirklich fühlen könnte.

[ 5 ] Aber man kann auch aus der hellseherischen Betrachtung der Welt heraus einen anderen Trost oder besser gesagt eine andere Beruhigung geben. Denn gestern schon wurde berührt, daß eine fast unabänderliche Anlage für den Abgrund nur derjenige hat, der heute schon irgendwie verstrickt wird in die Fangarme des zweihörnigen Tieres, des großen Verführers zu den Künsten der schwarzen Magie. Und selbst für solche Menschen, die heute auf die Künste der schwarzen Magie hereinfallen, gibt es in der Zukunft noch einmal eine Möglichkeit, umzukehren. Diejenigen aber, und das sind ja vorläufig die meisten Menschen, welche überhaupt gar nicht in die Lage kommen, irgendwelchen Künsten der schwarzen Magie zu verfallen, für die ist wohl in dem, was auf den großen Krieg aller gegen alle folgt, eine gewisse Anlage zum endgültigen Bösen vorhanden, aber die Möglichkeit, in der Zukunft wieder umzukehren und sich dem Guten zuzuwenden, wird viel größer sein als der Zwang, unbedingt dem Bösen zu folgen.

[ 6 ] Aus den Vorträgen geht ja hervor, daß für diejenigen Menschen, die sich heute einer spirituellen Weltanschauung zuwenden, um hinüberzuleben über den großen Krieg in die sechste Periode hinein, die durch die Entsiegelung der Siegel dargestellt wird, daß für jene Schar es möglich ist, das Christus-Prinzip aufzunehmen. Sie werden aufnehmen können die geistigen Elemente, die in der durch die Gemeinde zu Philadelphia bezeichneten Zeit veranlagt werden, sie werden sich ausleben können in der nächsten Zeit mit einer starken Veranlagung zur Vergeistigung. Es nehmen heute diejenigen, die sich einer spirituellen Anschauung zuwenden, gewaltige Anlagen auf, um die aufwärtsgehende Bahn einzuschlagen. Es darf durchaus nicht verkannt werden, wie wichtig es ist, daß heute schon eine Anzahl von Menschen nicht taub ist gegen die Verkündigung der sogenannten anthroposophischen Weltanschauung, welche die ersten Anlagen zum spirituellen Leben in bewußter Weise in die Menschheit bringt, während es früher unbewußt geschah. Das ist das Wichtige, daß dieser Teil der Menschen die erste bewußte Anlage zur Aufwärtsbewegung aufnimmt.

[ 7 ] Aber dadurch, daß heute ein Häuflein sich aussondert, um einen großen Bruderbund zu begründen, der hinüberleben wird in die Zeit der sieben Siegel, dadurch wird gerade für die anderen Menschen, die heute noch ein taubes Ohr haben für die Verkündigung der anthroposophischen Weltanschauung, auch Rat geschaffen. Denn wir haben ja bis zum großen Kriege aller gegen alle noch viele Verkörperungen der gegenwärtigen Seelen durchzumachen und wiederum bis zum entscheidenden Punkte nach dem großen Kriege. Und auch nachher für die Zeit der Siegel haben wir viele Verwandlungen durchzumachen, und die Menschen werden oft und oft Gelegenheit haben, ihr Herz aufzuschließen der spirituellen Weltanschauung, die heute durch die anthroposophische Bewegung fließt. Oft und oft wird Gelegenheit sein, und Sie dürfen nicht glauben, daß die Gelegenheiten in der Zukunft nur solche sein werden, wie sie heute da sind. Oh, die Art und Weise, wie wir heute in der Lage sind, gegenüber den anderen Menschen die spirituelle Weltanschauung zu verkünden, ist etwas noch sehr Schwaches. Und würde heute ein Mensch selbst so reden, daß seine Stimme unmittelbar wie Feuer des Geistes ertönen würde, so wäre das noch etwas Schwaches gegenüber den Möglichkeiten, die in späteren, entwickelteren Leibern da sein werden, um die Mitmenschen hinzuweisen auf diese spirituelle Bewegung. Wenn die Menschheit im ganzen in den folgenden Zeiten immer höher und höher entwickelt sein wird, dahn werden sich noch ganz andere Mittel ergeben, durch welche die spirituelle Weltanschauung in die Herzen wird dringen können, und das flammendste Wort von heute wird gering und schwach sein gegen das, was in der Zukunft wirken wird, um all den Seelen die Möglichkeit zur spirituellen Weltanschauung zu geben, die heute noch in Leibern leben, in denen kein Herz schlägt für diese spirituelle Weltanschauung.

[ 8 ] Wir stehen im Anfang der spirituellen Bewegung, und sie wird wachsen, und es wird viel Verstocktheit, viel Verhärtung dazu gehören, gegenüber den gewaltigen Eindrücken der Zukunft die Herzen und Seelen zu verschließen. Diejenigen Seelen, die heute in Leibern leben, welche Herzen haben, um die anthroposophische Weltanschauung zu hören und zu fühlen, diese Seelen bereiten sich dadurch vor, künftig in Leibern zu leben, in denen ihnen Kraft gegeben sein wird, um ihren Mitmenschen zu dienen, welche bis dahin nicht die Möglichkeit hatten, die Herzen so in sich selber schlagen zu fühlen. Erst die Vorbereiter der Vorbereiter sind wir, weiter noch nichts. Ein ganz kleines Flämmchen erst ist heute die spirituelle Bewegung, und sie wird sich zu einem gewaltigen geistigen Feuer in der Zukunft gestalten.

[ 9 ] Wenn wir dieses andere Bild vor unsere Seele hinstellen, wenn 'wir es so recht durchempfinden, dann wird ein ganz anderes Gefühl, eine ganz andere Erkenntnismöglichkeit dieser Tatsache in uns aufleben. Heute ist es das, was wir schwarze Magie nennen, dem die Menschen in gewisser Weise bewußt oder unbewußt verfallen können. Diejenigen, die heute so dahinleben in den Tag hinein, die heute gar nicht berührt werden von der spirituellen Weltanschauung, die in ihrem bequemen Alltagsdusel dahinleben und sagen: Was kümmert mich, was diese Träumer von Anthroposophen sprechen —, die haben die geringste Möglichkeit, in die Kreise der schwarzen Magie hineinzukommen. Für sie ist es so, daß sie heute nur die Gelegenheit versäumen, um einstmals ihren Mitmenschen zu helfen in den Bestrebungen zur Erlangung des spirituellen Lebens. Für sie selbst kann noch nicht sehr viel verloren sein. Diejenigen aber, die heute beginnen, auf eine unrechtmäßige Weise sich an das spirituelle Leben heranzumachen, die nehmen eigentlich in den allerersten Anfängen in sich die Anlage auf von etwas, was man schwarze Magie nennen könnte. Und nur ganz wenige Individuen gibt es, die heute schon der schwarzen Magie in jenem furchtbaren Sinn verfallen sind, in dem eigentlich von dieser scheußlichen Kunst der Menschheit gesprochen werden muß.

[ 10 ] Sie werden am besten verstehen, daß es wirklich so ist, wenn ich Ihnen nur ganz leise Andeutungen mache darüber, wie in systematischer Weise schwarze Magie gepflogen wird, und dann werden Sie schon sehen, daß Sie Umschau halten können hinauf und hinab unter all Ihren Bekannten, und daß Sie niemand finden werden, dem Sie zutrauen könnten, daß er solchen Künsten heute schon zuneigt. Alles übrige ist im Grunde genommen nur purster Dilettantismus, der in den folgenden Perioden sehr leicht wird ausgetrieben werden können. Es ist ja schlimm genug, daß in unserer Zeit manchmal Dinge angepriesen werden, um die Menschen zu übervorteilen und so weiter, die in gewisser Beziehung auch der Anfang sind schwarzer magischer Kunst. Schlimm ist es auch, daß gewisse Anschauungen hereinspielen, welche, wenn sie auch durchaus nicht zur schwarzen Kunst gehören, doch eine gewisse Verführung bilden. Es sind das Anschauungen, die heute die Welt beherrschen in gewissen Kreisen und allerdings unter den materialistischen Gedanken wuchern können, die aber, wenn sie auch durchaus nicht ungefährlich sind, doch nicht unheilbar sein werden für die nächsten Epochen. Erst wenn einmal begonnen wird damit, daß der Mensch sozusagen das Abc der schwarzen Magie absolviert, dann ist er auf dem gefährlichen Wege nach dem Abgrund. Und dieses Abc besteht darin, daß ein Mensch, der der Schüler eines schwarzen Magiers wird, dazu angehalten wird, in ganz bewußter Weise das Leben zu ertöten, dem Leben vor allen Dingen in der Ertötung soviel Schmerz als möglich zuzufügen, und in diesem Zufügen des Schmerzes eine gewisse Befriedigung zu fühlen. Wenn die Absicht besteht, in ein Lebewesen zu stechen oder zu schneiden mit der Absicht, in dem Schmerze desselben Seligkeit zu fühlen, dann liegt darin das Abc der schwarzen Künste. Was darüber hinausgeht, kann nicht gestreift werden. Aber Sie werden es schon scheußlich genug finden, wenn Ihnen gesagt wird, daß der schwarzmagische Anfänger zu schneiden und zu stechen hat in lebendiges Fleisch, nicht so wie der Vivisektor schneidet — es ist dies auch schon etwas Schlimmes, doch findet das Wesen der Vivisektion seine Überwindung in den Vivisektoren selber, indem diese in Kamaloka an sich selbst die Schmerzen werden zu spüren haben, die sie ihren Opfern zugefügt haben, und deshalb die Vivisektion in Zukunft lassen werden -, sondern wer in systematischer Weise ins Fleisch schneidet und daraus Befriedigung empfindet, der fängt an, auf die abschüssige Bahn der schwarzen Magie zu kommen. Und dadurch ist die Möglichkeit gegeben für ihn, immer mehr und mehr sich jenem Wesen zu nähern, dem zweihörnigen Tier.

[ 11 ] Dieses Wesen selbst, das wir als das zweihörnige Tier charakterisiert haben, brauchen wir uns durchaus nur so vorzustellen, daß es als verführendes Wesen von ganz anderer Art als der Mensch ist. Es stammt aus anderen Weltperioden, hat anderer Weltperioden Neigungen angenommen und wird sich tief befriedigt fühlen, wenn es auf Wesen stößt, wie diese bösen Wesen sein werden, die sich geweigert haben, innerlich anzunehmen, was als Gutes aus der Erde fließen kann. Dieses Wesen hat nichts von der Erde haben können. Es hat kommen sehen die Erdenentwickelung, aber es hat sich gesagt: Ich bin nicht mit der Erde so fortgeschritten, daß ich von dem irdischen Dasein irgend etwas haben kann. — Dieses Wesen hätte nur dadurch etwas haben können von der Erde, wenn es in einem bestimmten Augenblick die Herrschaft hätte erlangen können, nämlich da, wo das Christus-Prinzip heruntergestiegen ist auf die Erde. Wenn dieses Christus-Prinzip damals im Keim erstickt worden wäre, wenn der Christus von dem Widersacher hätte überwunden werden können, dann allerdings wäre es möglich gewesen, daß die Erde in ihrer Ganzheit diesem Sorat-Prinzip verfallen wäre. Das ist nicht der Fall gewesen, und so muß sich dieses Wesen begnügen mit den Abfällen, die sich nicht hingeneigt haben zum Christus-Prinzip, mit jenen Menschen, die in der Materie steckengeblieben sind. Die werden in der Zukunft seine Heerscharen sein.

[ 12 ] Nun müssen wir, um diese Heerscharen noch genauer zu begreifen, uns bekanntmachen mit zwei Begriffen, die Ihnen in gewisser Beziehung ein Schlüssel sein können zu bestimmten Kapiteln der Apokalypse. Wir müssen uns bekanntmachen mit den Begriffen «erster Tod» und «zweiter Tod». Was ist der erste Tod, und was ist der zweite Tod des Menschen oder der Menschheit? Wir müssen uns ein genaues Bild machen von den Begriffen, die der Apokalyptiker mit diesen Worten verbunden hat. Dazu müssen wir noch einmal vor unsere Seele die elementaren Wahrheiten über das Menschendasein hinstellen.

[ 13 ] Nehmen Sie den Menschen von heute, wie Sie selber einer sind. Er lebt so, daß er vom Morgen, wenn er aufwacht, bis zum Abend, wo er einschläft, aus vier Gliedern besteht, aus dem physischen Leib, dem Ätherleib, dem Astralleib und dem Ich. Wir wissen auch, daß der Mensch während seines Erdendaseins von seinem Ich aus die niederen Glieder seiner Wesenheit bearbeitet und daß es ihm gelingen muß, während des Erdendaseins den astralischen Leib unter die Herrschaft des Ich zu bringen. Wir wissen, daß die Erde abgelöst werden wird von dem Jupiter, ihrer nächsten Verkörperung. Wenn der Mensch auf dem Jupiter angelangt sein wird, dann wird er als ein anderes Wesen vor uns stehen. Dieser Jupitermensch wird von seinem Ich aus durchgearbeitet haben seinen astralischen Leib. Und wenn wir heute sagen, der Erdenmensch, der im wachen Zustand vor uns steht, hat ausgebildet zunächst physischen Leib, Ätherleib, Astralleib und Ich, so müssen wir vom Jupitermenschen sagen, er wird ausgebildet haben physischen Leib, Ätherleib, Astralleib und Ich, aber seinen astralischen Leib wird er umgestaltet haben zu Geistselbst. Er wird auf einer höheren Stufe des Bewußtseins leben, auf einer Stufe, die folgenderweise charakterisiert werden kann. Jenes alte, dumpfe Bilderbewußtsein des Mondes, das auch noch in den ersten Zeiten des Erdenbewußtseins da war, das wird in seinen Bildern als hellseherisches Bewußtsein wieder da sein, aber es wird ausgestattet sein mit dem menschlichen Ich, so daß der Mensch so logisch überlegend sein wird mit diesem Jupiterbewußtsein, wie er es heute mit dem Tagesbewußtsein der Erde ist.

[ 14 ] Der Jupitermensch wird also in gewisser Beziehung ein niedriger Hellseher sein. Es wird ein Teil der seelischen Welt für ihn offenliegen. Er wird Wohl und Wehe seiner Umgebung in Bildern empfinden, die aufsteigen innerhalb seines imaginativen Bewußtseins. Dieser Jupitermensch wird daher in ganz anderen moralischen Verhältnissen leben. Denken Sie sich, daß Sie als Jupitermensch eine menschliche Seele vor sich haben: Der Schmerz, die Lust dieser Seele wird aufsteigen in Bildern vor Ihrer Seele, und die Bilder des Schmerzes der anderen Seele werden Sie quälen, und Sie werden, wenn Sie den Schmerz der anderen Seele nicht beseitigen, unmöglich den Schmerz der anderen Seele mit Ihrem eigenen Wohlsein vereinigen können. Oh, die Bilder des Leides würden eine Qual sein für den Jupitermenschen mit dem erhöhten Bewußtsein, wenn er nichts tun würde, um dieses Leid zu mildern und so seine eigenen quälenden Bilder, die nichts anderes sind als der Ausdruck des Leides um ihn herum, gleichfalls wegzuschaffen. Nicht wird das Wohl und Wehe des einzelnen möglich sein ohne das des anderen.

[ 15 ] So sehen wir, wie der Mensch zu seinem gegenwärtigen Bewußtsein, dem Ich-Bewußtsein, einen ganz neuen Bewußtseinszustand hinzuerobert. Wenn wir verstehen wollen, was das für eine Tragweite hat in der Weltentwickelung, so müssen wir den schlafenden Menschen noch einmal vor unsere Seele führen. Im Schlafe liegt im Bette Ihr physischer und Ätherleib, und außerhalb ist das Ich und der astralische Leib. In der Nacht ist es so, daß er — wenn wir etwas, sagen wir, ungenau reden — schnöde seinen physischen und Ätherleib verläßt. Dadurch aber, daß der Mensch in der Lage ist, in der Nachtzeit frei zu werden von seinem physischen und Ätherleib, dadurch, daß der Mensch in der Nachtzeit leben kann in einer geistigen Welt, ist die Möglichkeit herbeigeführt, daß er gerade hier in diesem Erdendasein von seinem Ich aus umgestaltend wirken kann auf seinen astralischen Leib. Wie geschieht nun diese Wirkung?

[ 16 ] Wenn wir es anschaulich beschreiben wollen, können wir sagen: Nehmen wir den Menschen in seinem tagwachen Zustand. Nehmen wir an, er finde neben seinen Berufsarbeiten und Pflichten eine wenn auch kurze Zeit, um sich höheren Betrachtungen hinzugeben, um sich die großen Impulse zu eigen zu machen, die etwa aus dem Johannes-Evangelium fließen, aus den Worten: «Im Urbeginne war das Wort, und das Wort war bei Gott.» Nehmen wir an, er lasse so in sich erstehen die großen Bilder, die ihm durch das Johannes-Evangelium vorgeführt werden, er sei immer von dem Gedanken erfüllt: Damals, im Beginne unserer Zeitrechnung, lebte in Palästina eine Wesenheit, der ich nachfolgen will. Ich will mein Leben so einrichten, daß alles vor dieser Wesenheit bestehen kann, daß ich mich betrachten kann als einen Menschen, der diese Persönlichkeit sich zum Ideal genommen hat. — Dabei brauchen wir aber nicht in Intoleranz nur an das Johannes-Evangelium zu denken. Auf manch andere Weise ist es möglich, sich hineinzuvertiefen in dasjenige, was die Seele mit solchen Bildern erfüllen kann. Und wenn wir auch in gewisser Weise das Johannes-Evangelium als das Größte bezeichnen müssen, was innerhalb der Menschheit entstanden ist, was die gewaltigste Wirkung ausüben kann, so dürfen wir doch sagen: Der andere, der hingebungsvoll in der Lehre der Vedanta-Weisheit aufgeht oder sich in die Bhagavad Gita oder in das Dhammapada vertieft, auch für den wird genügend Gelegenheit vorhanden sein, in folgenden Verkörperungen gerade durch das, was er so aufgenommen hat, zum Christus-Prinzip zu kommen. — Nehmen wir also an, ein Mensch durchdringe tagsüber seine Seele mit solchen Bildern und Vorstellungen, dann wird sein astralischer Leib von diesen Gedanken, Gefühlen und Bildern ergriffen, und sie bilden Kräfte in seinem astralischen Leib, erzeugen in ihm die verschiedenartigsten Wirkungen. Wenn dann der Mensch aus seinem physischen und Ätherleib des Nachts herausrückt, bleiben diese Wirkungen im astralischen Leibe drinnen, und derjenige, der bei Tag sich hat vertiefen können in die Bilder und Gefühle des Johannes-Evangeliums, hat etwas geschaffen in seinem astralischen Leib, das in der Nacht als gewaltige Wirkung darin auftritt. So, müssen wir sagen, wirkt der Mensch heute während des tagwachenden Bewußtseins auf seinen astralischen Leib.

[ 17 ] Sich bewußt werden dieser Wirkungen kann heute nur der Eingeweihte; aber der Mensch entwickelt sich ja allmählich hin zu diesem Bewußtsein. Diejenigen Menschen, die das Ziel der Erdenentwickelung erreichen werden, werden dann einen ganz und gar vom Ich mit dem geistigen Inhalt, den sie sich erarbeitet haben, durchdrungenen astralischen Leib haben, sie werden dieses Bewußtsein als ein Ergebnis, als eine Frucht der Erdenentwickelung haben und hinübertragen in die Jupiterentwickelung. Wir möchten sagen, daß der Mensch, wenn die Erdenzeit so zu Ende gegangen ist, Fähigkeiten erlangt hat, die symbolisch dargestellt werden durch die Erbauung des neuen Jerusalem. Da wird der Mensch schon hineinblicken in jene Bilderwelt des Jupiter, das Geistselbst ist dann ausgebildet in ihm. Das ist das Ziel der Erdenentwickelung. Was also soll der Mensch im Verlaufe der Erdenentwickelung erlangen? Was ist das erste Ziel? Die Umwandlung des astralischen Leibes. Oh, dieser astralische Leib, der heute des Nachts immer frei wird vom physischen und Ätherleib, der wird in Zukunft als ein umgebildeter Teil der menschlichen Wesenheit erscheinen. Da hinein trägt der Mensch, was ihm auf der Erde gegeben wird. Aber das würde noch nicht genügen für die Erdenentwickelung. Denken Sie sich, daß der Mensch jede Nacht herauskommen würde aus dem physischen und Ätherleib und jede Nacht seinen astralischen Leib durchdringen würde mit dem, was er aufgenommen hat tagsüber, daß aber der physische und der Ätherleib gar nicht davon berührt würden, dann würde der Mensch das Erdenziel dennoch nicht erreichen. Es muß noch etwas anderes eintreten. Es muß möglich sein, daß der Mensch während der Erdenentwickelung immer und immer wieder wenigstens in den Ätherleib hineinprägt dasjenige, was er also in sich aufgenommen hat. Es ist notwendig, daß dieser Ätherleib auch Wirkungen empfangen kann von dem, was der Mensch im astralischen Leib heranbildet.

[ 18 ] Der Mensch kann noch nicht durch sich selbst in diesen Ätherleib hineinwirken. Auf dem Jupiter, wenn der Mensch seinen astralischen Leib umgebildet haben wird, wird er fähig werden, auch in diesen Ätherleib hineinzuwirken. Heute aber kann er das nicht, heute braucht er sozusagen noch Helfer. Auf dem Jupiter wird der Mensch fähig werden, die eigentliche Arbeit am Ätherleibe zu beginnen. Auf der Venus wird er am physischen Leibe arbeiten; das ist der am schwersten zu überwindende Teil. Heute aber muß der Mensch noch die beiden, den physischen und den Ätherleib, nachts im Bett liegen lassen und herauskommen. Daß aber dennoch zunächst der Ätherleib seine Wirkungen empfängt, so daß der Mensch allmählich lernt hineinzuarbeiten in den Ätherleib, dazu braucht er einen Helfer. Und dieser Helfer, der das ermöglicht, ist kein anderer wiederum als die Christus-\Wesenheit, während wir diejenige Wesenheit, die dem Menschen hilft, in den physischen Leib hineinzuarbeiten, als den «Vater» bezeichnen. Bevor aber nicht der Helfer kommt, der es ermöglicht, in den Ätherleib hineinzuarbeiten, kann der Mensch nicht in seinen physischen Leib hineinarbeiten: «Niemand kommt zum Vater, denn durch mich.» Niemand erlangt die Fähigkeit, in den physischen Leib hineinzuarbeiten, der nicht durch das Christus-Prinzip hindurchgegangen ist. So wird der Mensch dann, wenn er am Ziele der Erdenentwickelung angelangt sein wird, durch die Fähigkeit, seinen astralischen Leib aus eigenen Kräften umzubilden, auch die Fähigkeit haben, bis hinunter auf den Ätherleib zu wirken. Das verdankt er dem lebendigen Dasein des Christus-Prinzips auf der Erde. Hätte sich dieses nicht als Lebendiges vereinigt mit der Erde, wäre es nicht hineingekommen in die Aura der Erde, dann würde das, was im astralischen Leib ausgebildet ist, sich nicht hineinbilden in den Ätherleib. Wir sehen also, daß derjenige, der sich verschließt, indem er sich abkehrt von dem Christus-Prinzip, sich der Möglichkeit entzieht, in seinen Ätherleib so hineinzuarbeiten, wie es schon während der Erdenentwickelung notwendig ist.

[ 19 ] So also werden wir in einer anderen Weise charakterisieren können die zwei Arten von Menschen, die am Ziel der Erdenentwickelung vor uns stehen: Wir haben solche Menschen, welche in sich das Christus-Prinzip aufgenommen haben, welche dadurch ihren astralischen Leib umgebildet und von Christus die Hilfe erlangt haben, auch den Ätherleib umzuwandeln, und andere haben wir, die nicht hingekommen sind zum Christus-Prinzip, die auch nicht in der Lage waren, irgend etwas im Ätherleib zu verändern, denn sie konnten nicht den Helfer finden, den Christus.

[ 20 ] Nun schauen wir einmal hin auf diese Menschenzukunft. Die Erde vergeistigt sich, das heißt der Mensch muß etwas vollständig verlieren, was er jetzt in seinem physischen Dasein als zu ihm gehörig betrachtet. Wir können uns ein Bild davon machen, was da mit dem Menschen geschieht, wenn wir schon den gewöhnlichen Verlauf seines Lebens nach dem Tode betrachten. Der Mensch verliert den physischen Leib nach dem Tode. Diesem physischen Leibe ist es zuzuschreiben, daß der‘ Mensch Begierden und Neigungen hat, die sich an das gewöhnliche Leben knüpfen, und wir haben es geschildert, was der Mensch nach dem Tode erlebt. Nehmen wir einen Menschen an, der irgendeine leckere Speise besonders liebte. Im Leben kann er sich den Genuß verschaffen, nach dem Tode nicht. Die Begierde hört aber nicht auf, denn sie hat nicht im physischen, sondern im Astralleib ihren Sitz. Weil nun aber das physische Werkzeug fehlt, so fehlt auch die Möglichkeit, diese Begierde zu befriedigen. Solche Menschen schauen im Kamaloka hinunter in die physische Welt, die sie verlassen haben, sie schauen da, was ihnen jetzt noch Genuß machen könnte von alledem, was unten auf der physischen Welt ist, aber sie können es nicht genießen, weil sie kein physisches Instrument dazu haben, und dadurch kommt jener brennende Durst in sie. So ist es mit allen Begierden, die im Menschen geblieben sind nach dem Tode und die hingeordnet sind nach der physischen Welt, weil sie nur durch physische Werkzeuge befriedigt werden können. So ist es jedesmal nach dem Tode: Der Mensch sieht jedesmal seinen physischen Leib abfallen, und dadurch, daß ihm von diesem physischen Leib etwas geblieben ist, dadurch drängt es ihn noch hin zur gewöhnlichen Welt unseres physischen Planes und es wird, bis er sich das abgewöhnt hat in der geistigen Welt, für ihn die Zeit der Begierdenglut da sein.

[ 21 ] Denken Sie sich nun die letzte irdische Verkörperung vor der Vergeistigung der Erde, das Ablegen des letzten physischen Leibes. Die Menschen, die heute auf der Erde leben, werden so weit sein durch das Christus-Prinzip, daß ihnen in gewisser Weise dieses Ablegen des allerletzten physischen Leibes keine besonderen Schwierigkeiten macht. Aber sie werden doch etwas verlassen müssen, denn von der vergeistigten Erde ist hingeschwunden ein für allemal dasjenige, was Freude geben kann aus den Gegenständen dieser Erde. Denken Sie an den letzten Tod, der möglich ist in der Erdenentwickelung, an das letzte Ablegen des physischen Leibes. Dieser letzte Tod der Verkörperungen, das ist es, was in der Apokalypse der erste Tod genannt wird. Und diejenigen, die das Christus-Prinzip aufgenommen haben, sehen diesen physischen Leib sozusagen wie eine abfallende Schale. Für sie hat jetzt der Ätherleib Bedeutung. Der ist mit Hilfe des Christus so organisiert, daß er dem astralischen Leib vorderhand angepaßt ist, daß er nicht mehr Lust und Begierde hat nach dem, was da unten in der physischen Welt ist. Nur mit all dem, was durch die Hilfe des Christus in den Ätherleib hineingebracht worden ist, leben die Menschen jetzt weiter in der vergeistigten Erde. Sie haben sich eine Harmonie geschaffen zwischen ihrem astralischen Leib und ihrem Ätherleib. Das ChristusPrinzip hat eben diesen Einklang geschaffen.

[ 22 ] Dagegen gibt es die anderen, die das Christus-Prinzip nicht in sich aufgenommen haben. Diese anderen haben solchen Einklang nicht. Den physischen Leib müssen auch sie verlieren, denn einen physischen Leib gibt es zunächst in der vergeistigten Erde nicht. Alles Physische muß zunächst aufgelöst werden. Es bleibt zurück als Begierde nach dem Physischen, als das ungeläuterte Geistige, als das in der Materie verhärtete Geistige. Ein Ätherleib bleibt zurück, dem nicht der Christus geholfen hat, dem astralischen Leib angepaßt zu sein, der hingeordnet ist nach dem physischen Leib. Das sind diejenigen Menschen, die heiße Begierdenglut empfinden werden nach der physischen Sinnlichkeit. Ungestillte, brennende Begierdenglut werden sie im Ätherleib empfinden durch das, was sie im physischen Leben gehabt haben und was sie jetzt entbehren müssen. So haben wir in dieser nächsten Zeit, nachdem das Physische abgeschmolzen ist, Menschen, die in ihrem Ätherleib als in einem Wesensgliede leben, das harmonisch zusammenklingt mit dem astralischen Leibe, und wir haben die anderen Menschen, deren Ätherleib in Mißklang lebt, weil sie Begierde nach dem haben, was abgefallen ist im physischen Leibe.

[ 23 ] Und dann tritt in der weiteren Entwickelung ein Zustand ein, wo die Vergeistigung der Erde so fortschreitet, daß es auch keinen Ätherleib mehr geben kann. Diejenigen, deren Ätherleib ganz im Einklang ist mit dem astralischen Leib, die werfen ohne Schmerzen diesen Ätherleib ab, denn sie bleiben in ihrem astralischen Leibe, der erfüllt ist von der Christus-Wesenheit, und sie empfinden es als Entwickelungsnotwendigkeit, daß der Ätherleib abgestreift wird. Denn sie fühlen in sich die Fähigkeit, ihn wiederum selbst aufzubauen, weil sie Christus in sich aufgenommen haben. Diejenigen aber, die in diesem Ätherleib die Begierde nach dem haben, was vergangen ist, die können diesen Ätherleib auch nicht behalten, wenn alles astralisch wird. Er wird ihnen genommen werden, wird aus ihnen gerissen werden, und jetzt empfinden sie das als ein zweites Sterben, als den «zweiten Tod». Dieser zweite Tod geht an den anderen, die ihren Ätherleib mit dem astralischen Leib durch Aufnahme des Christus-Prinzips harmonisch gemacht haben, unvermerkt vorüber. Über sie hat der zweite Tod keine Macht. Die anderen empfinden aber den zweiten Tod beim weiteren Hinüberleben in jene folgende astralische Gestalt. Dann ist die Menschheit in jenem Zustand, wo diejenigen, die das Ziel der Entwickelung erreicht haben, ihren astralischen Leib ganz durchdrungen haben mit Christus. Sie sind reif, hinüberzuleben nach dem Jupiter, sie entwerfen auf unserer Erde den Plan zur Jupiterentwickelung. Das ist der Plan, der genannt wird das neue Jerusalem. Sie leben in einem «neuen Himmel» und einer «neuen Erde»: das ist Jupiter.

[ 24 ] Dieser neue Jupiter wird begleitet sein wie von einem Trabanten von denjenigen, die ausgeschlossen sind von dem Leben im Geistigen, die den zweiten Tod erlebt haben, die daher keine Möglichkeit haben, das Jupiterbewußtsein zu erlangen. Wir haben also solche Menschen, die zum Jupiterbewußtsein vorgerückt sind, die Manas erlangt haben, und solche Wesenheiten, welche von sich gestoßen haben die Kräfte, die ihnen dieses Bewußtsein gegeben hätten. Das sind diejenigen, welche auf dem Jupiter erst das Ich-Bewußtsein der Erde erlangt haben, die also sozusagen dastehen, wie heute der Mensch auf der Erde dasteht mit seinen vier Gliedern. Aber ein solcher Mensch kann sich nur innerhalb der Erde entwickeln, nur die Erde hat die Umgebung — den Boden, die Luft, die Wolken, die Pflanzen, die Mineralien —, die notwendig ist für den Menschen, wenn er das erreichen will, was innerhalb der vier Glieder zu erreichen ist. Der Jupiter wird ganz anders gestaltet sein, eine «neue Erde» wird er sein. Anders werden Boden, Luft, Wasser, anders wird ein jegliches Wesen sein, und nicht wird die Möglichkeit vorhanden sein, ein Normalleben zu führen für Wesen, die erst das Erdenbewußtsein erlangt haben. Sie werden die zurückgebliebenen Wesenheiten sein.

[ 25 ] Aber nun kommt etwas, was wiederum zu unserer Beruhigung gehört. Selbst auf diesem Jupiter gibt es noch eine letzte Möglichkeit, durch die starke Kraft, welche die Vorgerückteren haben, diese also Hinuntergesunkenen noch einmal zur Umkehr zu bewegen und auch eine Anzahl zur Umkehr zu bringen. Erst bei der Venusverkörperung wird die allerletzte Entscheidung fallen, die unabänderliche Entscheidung. Wenn wir das alles überdenken, dann wird der Gedanke, den wir neulich besprochen haben, doch eine andere Färbung erlangen. Da wird er unmöglich Bangigkeit und Beunruhigung hervorrufen, sondern nur das eine Streben: Ich will alles tun, was nötig ist, um die Erdenmission zu erfüllen.

[ 26 ] Wenn wir uns das alles in entsprechender Weise vor die Seele rücken, dann eröffnet sich ein großes, gewaltiges Bild der Menschheitszukunft, und wir ahnen, was alles in der erleuchteten Seele des Apokalyptikers war, der niedergeschrieben hat, was wir eben in diesen Betrachtungen stammelnd herausfinden konnten aus der Apokalypse. Jedes Wort des Apokalyptikers ist von Bedeutung, ja jede Wendung. Wir müssen sie nur klar zu verstehen suchen. So wird uns hingewiesen, im Sinne der gestrigen Betrachtung, in 666 auf das Tier mit den zwei Hörnern, und dann wird gesagt ein merkwürdig Wort: «Hie ist Weisheit! Wer Verstand hat, der überlege die Zahl des Tieres, denn es ist eines Menschen Zahl.» Ein scheinbarer Widerspruch, aber einer von den vielen Widersprüchen, die durchaus in jeder okkulten Schrift und Betrachtung zu finden sind. Sie können nämlich dessen gewiß sein, daß eine Betrachtung, die so glatt verläuft, daß man mit dem gewöhnlichen MenschenAlltagsverstand keinen Widerspruch finden kann, gewiß nicht auf okkultem Boden steht. Was in der Welt sich entwickelt, ist nicht so flach und trivial wie das, was der menschliche Verstand, die gewöhnliche Intelligenz als Widerspruchslosigkeit empfindet. Man muß eben tiefer in die Untergründe menschlicher Betrachtung hinuntertauchen, dann verschwinden schon die Widersprüche. Derjenige, der eine Pflanze betrachtet, wie sie wächst von der Wurzel bis zur Frucht, wie das grüne Blatt sich verwandelt in das Blumenblatt, das Blumenblatt in die Staubgefäße und so weiter, der kann sagen: Hier haben wir widersprechende Gestalten, das Blumenblatt widerspricht dem Stengelblatt. — Wer aber tiefer sieht, wird die Einheit erblicken, die tiefere Einheit im Widerspruch. So ist es mit dem, was der Verstand in der Welt sehen kann. Er sieht gerade in den tiefsten Weisheiten Widersprüche. Daher darf es uns nicht berühren, wenn uns hier in der Apokalypse ein scheinbarer Widerspruch entgegentritt: «Wer Verstand hat, der überlege die Zahl des Tieres, denn es ist eines Menschen Zahl.»

[ 27 ] Wir müssen da noch einmal betrachten, wodurch der Mensch hineinkommen kann in die Möglichkeit, von dem zweihörnigen Tier verführt zu werden. Wir haben darauf hingewiesen, daß der Mensch seit der Mitte der atlantischen Zeit sozusagen die höhere geistige Entwickelung verschlafen hat. Diese Schlafenszeit ist die heutige Zeit. Sie war aber notwendig. Wenn sie nicht eingetreten wäre, wäre niemals das gekommen, was wir in unserem heutigen Sinn Verstand nennen. Die Menschen vor unserer Zeit haben das nicht gehabt. Die haben aus anderen Impulsen heraus gehandelt. Ihre Bilder haben sie hingetrieben zu ihren Handlungen ohne Überlegung. Diese alte Hellsehergabe hat der Mensch verloren, und dafür hat er den Verstand eingetauscht und ist heruntergestiegen in die Materie. Dadurch ist ihm der Schleier gewoben worden vor die geistige Welt, dadurch aber hat er sich gleichzeitig den Verstand erworben. Dieser kann eine wichtige Hemmung sein für die spirituelle Entwickelung. Nichts anderes wird es zuletzt sein, was den Menschen davon abhalten kann, gründlich davon abhalten kann, zum Christus-Prinzip zu kommen, als dieser verführte Verstand, diese verführte Intelligenz. Und wenn diejenigen, die zuletzt dem zweihörnigen Tier verfallen werden, zurückblicken könnten auf das, was ihnen eigentlich den bösesten Streich gespielt hat, dann würden sie sagen: Zwar ist die Anlage zum Abgrund erst später gekommen, aber was mir verfinstert hat das Christus-Prinzip, das ist der Verstand. — Oh, derjenige, der diesen Verstand hat, der überlege die Zahl des Tieres! Denn gerade dadurch, daß der Mensch Mensch geworden ist, das heißt mit diesem Ich-Verstand begabt worden ist, dadurch kann er verfallen dem Tiere 666. Denn die Zahl des Tieres ist zugleich eines Menschen Zahl, und daß es eines Menschen Zahl ist, kann kein anderer einsehen als derjenige, der Verstand hat: Desjenigen Menschen Zahl ist es, der sich durch seinen Verstand hat verführen lassen. — Solche tiefen Wahrheiten stecken darin in diesen Dingen.

[ 28 ] So sehen Sie, daß der Apokalyptiker Ihnen vieles gibt, wenn Sie die einzelnen Andeutungen, die wir gemacht haben, in sich aufnehmen. Vieles gibt er, was wir heute anthroposophische Wahrheiten nennen. Er gibt, was er verspricht. Er führt den Menschen hin zur Anschauung dessen, was kommen wird: zur Anschauung der Wesenheiten und Mächte, welche die Welt lenken. Er führt uns zu dem Geiste, der uns auf dem ersten Siegel, zu der Gestalt, die uns auf dem letzten Siegel gegeben wird. Da sieht man, wie ihm hellseherisch die Regelmäßigkeit des neuen Jerusalem sich ausdrückt. Das ist das Seherische daran. Die Regelmäßigkeit des neuen Jerusalem drückt sich dabei aus; Sie können im 21. Kapitel sehen, wie sozusagen dieses neue Jerusalem beschrieben wird als Würfel (Vers 16). Zu beschreiben, was auf diesem letzten Bilde ist, würde uns zu weit führen. (Siehe das siebente Siegelbild.)

[ 29 ] Jetzt ist es notwendig, daß wir darauf hinweisen, zu welchem Zwecke die Apokalypse geschrieben ist. Ich müßte freilich viel sprechen, wenn ich ausführlich beschreiben wollte, wozu sie geschrieben ist. Aber eine Andeutung wenigstens sollen Sie mit nach Hause nehmen, eine Andeutung, die sich uns ergibt aus einer ganz bestimmten Stelle der Apokalypse. Derjenige, der die Apokalypse geschrieben hat, sagt, daß eine Zeit kommen wird, wo wirklich jener hohe Bewußtseinsgrad sich entwickelt haben wird, wo die Menschen sehen werden in erhöhtem Bewußtsein die Wesenheiten, welche die Welt leiten, die Wesenheiten, die durch das Lamm, die durch das Erscheinen des Menschensohnes mit dem flammenden Schwert charakterisiert wurden. Wir werden hingewiesen darauf in Tönen, die schon in sich schließen jene Beruhigung, von der wir gesprochen haben. Der Apokalyptiker, der tiefer Hellseher ist, weiß, daß in alten Zeiten die Menschen begabt waren mit einem dämmerhaften Hellsehen. Wir haben es ja charakterisiert und gesehen, wie die Menschen damals sozusagen Genossen waren der göttlichen Geisterwelt, wie sie selbst gesehen haben die göttlich-geistige Welt. Aber wer hat sie verloren, diese Sehergabe, wer? Das müssen wir jetzt als wichtige Frage hinstellen. Wir haben gesehen, daß sie im Grunde diejenigen Menschen verloren haben, die herausgeführt sind auf den physischen Plan, zum physischen Leben, damals, als die zweite Hälfte der atlantischen Zeit begann. Die Menschen sahen auf die festen Gebilde unserer Erde, auf die begrenzten Gegenstände unserer Erde. Das alte Hellsehen verschwand. Selbstbewußt wurden die Menschen, aber vor ihnen verschloß sich die geistige Welt. Die Gebilde, welche in alten Zeiten die Luft durchdrungen haben wie ein Nebelmeer, verschwanden, die Luft wurde rein, der Boden frei. Die Menschen traten heraus auf die freie Erde. Das ist verhältnismäßig spät geschehen; es fällt zusammen mit dem Erlangen des gegenwärtigen Verstandes, des jetzigen Selbstbewußtseins des Menschen.

[ 30 ] Und jetzt erinnern wir uns, was wir gesagt haben von dieser Erde. Wir erinnern uns daran, daß wir den großen Moment von Golgatha hingestellt haben vor unsere Seele. Wenn jemand damals die Erde von ferne betrachtet hätte mit hellseherischem Blick, so hätte er wahrgenommen in dem Augenblick, wo das Blut aus den Wunden des Erlösers floß, daß die ganze astralische Aura der Erde sich veränderte. Da ist die Erde durchdrungen worden von der Christus-Kraft. Durch dieses Ereignis kann sich die Erde dereinst wieder mit der Sonne vereinigen. Diese Kraft wird wachsen. Das ist die Kraft, die unseren Ätherleib vor dem zweiten Tode bewahrt. Christus wird immer mehr und mehr der Erdgeist, und derjenige, der ein rechter Christ ist, versteht die Worte: «\Wer mein Brot isset, der tritt mich mit Füßen», der betrachtet den Leib der Erde als den Leib des Christus. Die Erde als planetarischer Körper ist der Leib des Christus, freilich erst im Anfange. Es wird erst der Christus Erdgeist, er wird sich völlig mit der Erde vereinigen. Und wenn sich die Erde später mit der Sonne vereinigen wird, wird der große Erdgeist Christus Sonnengeist sein.

[ 31 ] Der Leib der Erde wird der Leib des Christus sein. Und die Menschen müssen diesen Leib bearbeiten. Sie haben damit begonnen, als sie heraustraten auf die Erde; sie haben diese Erde mit ihren Kräften bearbeitet. In allen Traditionen kann man etwas finden, was wenig beachtet wird, weil man es wenig versteht. So zum Beispiel in der persischen Tradition, daß die Menschen seit jener Zeit, seit der sie herausgetreten sind aus dem hellseherischen Bewußtsein, Wesen geworden sind, welche die Erde durchstochen haben. Während die Menschen in der Phase leben, daß sie die Erde durchstechen, das heißt die Erde bearbeiten, während dieser Zeit also, wo sie den Leib des Christus durchstechen, sehen sie nicht im hellseherischen Bewußtsein die leitenden Kräfte, vor allen Dingen nicht den Christus, von Angesicht zu Angesicht. Aber der Apokalyptiker weist auf die Zeit hin, wo nicht nur die Hellseher von damals das Geistige sehen, sondern wo die Menschheit wieder angekommen sein wird auf der Stufe, die es ihr ermöglicht, das Christus-Wesen selber zu sehen. Sehen werden ihn alle Wesen, und diejenigen, die ihn durchstochen haben, werden ihn auch sehen; diejenigen, die einen Teil ihrer Entwickelung durchmachen mußten im Bebauen der Erde, im Durchstechen der Erde, sie werden den Christus sehen. Denn solche Worte sind so, daß sie denjenigen, der sie allmählich enthüllen lernt, tief hineinführen in die Vorstellungswelt der Mysterien, der apokalyptischen Sprache.

[ 32 ] Was hat also der Apokalyptiker schreiben wollen, was hat er darstellen wollen? Diese Frage beantwortet sich uns damit, daß wir kurz hinweisen auf den Ursprung der Apokalypse. Wo ist zuerst enthalten das, was in der Apokalypse geschrieben ist? Könnten Sie zurückgehen in die Mysterien des alten Griechenlands, in die Orphischen, die Eleusinischen Mysterien, zurückgehen in die Mysterien der alten Ägypter, Chaldäer, Perser und Inder, allüberall würden Sie die Apokalypse finden. Sie ist vorhanden gewesen, sie war da. Sie war nicht geschrieben, aber sie lebte von Priestergeneration zu Priestergeneration, durch die Generationen der Initiatoren hindurch, wo das Gedächtnis so lebendig war, daß man so reiche Stoffe bewältigen konnte. Das Gedächtnis war ja auch in viel späteren Zeiten noch weit besser als bei uns. Man erinnere sich nur an die Sänger der Iliade, wie sie herumgezogen sind und aus dem Gedächtnis ihre Gesänge singen konnten. Es ist verhältnismäßig noch nicht so lange Zeit, daß das Gedächtnis so sehr zurückgegangen ist. In den Mysterien wurden diese Wahrheiten nicht aufgeschrieben, aber sie lebten von Generation zu Generation der Initiatoren.

[ 33 ] Was hatte sie für eine Aufgabe, die Apokalypse? Sie hatte die Aufgabe, eine Instruktion zu sein für denjenigen, der die Schüler zur Weihe brachte. Damals war es so, daß der Mensch, an dem die Einweihung vollzogen werden sollte, herausgeführt wurde aus seinem physischen Leibe und wie tot blieb. Aber wenn er herausgeführt war, dann ließ ihn der Initiator in seinem ätherischen Leibe sehen, was nachher durch den Christus-Impuls im physischen Leib hellseherisch hat gesehen werden können. So waren die alten Eingeweihten die Propheten, die hinweisen konnten auf Christus. Und sie haben es getan, sie haben es tun können, weil der Christus in dieser Apokalypse gezeigt worden ist als etwas, was in der Zukunft erscheint. Noch nie hatte sich das Ereignis von Golgatha abgespielt, in welchem ein Mensch im physischen Leibe das ganze Initiationsdrama vor der Geschichte dargelebt hätte.

[ 34 ] Wo war also die Möglichkeit, dieses Ereignis von Golgatha zu begreifen? Auf gewisser Stufe hatten es die Eingeweihten außerhalb ihres Leibes begriffen. In einem anderen Bewußtsein war vorgegangen, was auf Golgatha sich abspielte. Tausende hätte es geben können, und das Ereignis von Golgatha hätte an ihnen vorbeigehen können. Was wäre es ihnen gewesen? Der Tod eines gewöhnlichen Verurteilten! Die Möglichkeit, das zu begreifen, was sich auf Golgatha vollzog, war nur dort, wo man den Inhalt der Mysterien kannte. Die Initiatoren konnten sagen: Derjenige, den wir euch gezeigt haben während der dreieinhalb Tage, den die Propheten euch verkündigt haben, den könnt ihr begreifen, wenn ihr die Mittel aus den Mysterien nehmt.

[ 35 ] Der Apokalyptiker hat die mündliche Überlieferung der Mysterien in sich aufgenommen, er sagte sich: Wenn ich mich durchdringe mit dem, was man in den Mysterien hat erfahren können, dann erscheint mir der Christus. — So war die Apokalypse nichts Neues, aber die Anwendung auf das einzige Ereignis von Golgatha, das war etwas Neues. Das war das Wesentliche, daß für diejenigen, die Ohren hatten zu hören, es eine Möglichkeit gab, mit Hilfe dessen, was in der Apokalypse des Johannes steht, nach und nach zum wirklichen Verständnis des Ereignisses von Golgatha vorzudringen. Das war die Absicht des Apokalyptikers. Aus den alten Mysterien hatte er die Apokalypse; sie ist ein uralt-heiliges Buch der Menschen und ist nur äußerlich der Menschheit geschenkt worden durch den Jünger, den der Herr lieb hatte und dem er testamentarisch vermacht hatte, seine wahre Gestalt zu verkünden. Er soll bleiben, bis Christus kommt, so daß diejenigen, die mit erleuchtetem Bewußtsein ausgestattet sind, ihn erfassen können. Er ist der große Lehrer des wahren Ereignisses von Golgatha. Er hat den Menschen die Mittel übergeben, das Ereignis von Golgatha wirklich zu verstehen.

[ 36 ] Am Eingang der Apokalypse sagt der Apokalyptiker — ich habe versucht, die ersten Worte so zu übersetzen, wie sie übersetzt werden müssen, wenn sie richtig sein sollen —: «Dies ist die Offenbarung Jesu Christi, die Gott dargeboten hat seinem Diener, zu veranschaulichen in Kürze, wie sich das Notwendige vollziehen soll. Dies ist in Zeichen gesetzt und gesandt durch seinen Engel seinem Diener Johannes, und dieser hat es zum Ausdrucke gebracht.» Er will «in Kürze» schildern. Was ist damit gemeint? Das heißt soviel, wie wenn man ausdrücken wollte: Wenn ich euch im einzelnen schildern wollte alles, was sich von jetzt bis zum Ziel der Erdenentwickelung abspielt, dann müßte ich vieles, vieles schreiben. Ich will es euch in einem kurzen Abriß darstellen. — Das haben dann die Übersetzer, die nicht eindringen konnten in den Geist der Apokalypse, so übersetzt, daß sie sagten: «zu zeigen, was in der Kürze geschehen soll». Sie waren der Meinung, was sich da abspielt, was da geschildert ist, das soll in kurzer Zeit geschehen. Es soll aber heißen: in kurzem Abriß soll geschildert werden, was sich da vollzieht. Der ursprüngliche Text hat eine Wendung, die durchaus als richtige Übersetzung das zuläßt, was ich in der Einleitung der «Bilder okkulter Siegel und Säulen» in richtiger Weise zu geben versucht habe.

[ 37 ] Nun haben wir in einer Reihe von Betrachtungen manches über diese uralt-heilige Urkunde des Menschengeschlechtes gesagt, manches über dasjenige, was als seine Geheimnisse der Herr mitgeteilt hat der Menschheit durch den Jünger, den er lieb hatte. Sie haben vielleicht dadurch ahnen gelernt, daß diese Apokalypse ein tiefes Buch ist, voller Weisheit, und haben vielleicht manchmal während dieser Betrachtungen Bangigkeit gehabt darüber, daß manches in ihr so schwer verständlich ist. Nun möchte ich Ihnen eines sagen am Ende unserer Betrachtungen: Alles, was ich Ihnen sagen konnte, entspricht ganz genau den Intentionen des Apokalyptikers und wurde immer so in den Schulen, welche die Absicht des Apokalyptikers bewahrt haben, gelehrt. Aber es ist nicht alles, lange nicht alles, was zu sagen wäre, und man kann noch viel tiefer in die Wahrheiten, in die Untergründe der Apokalypse gehen. Und wenn wir in alle Tiefen eindringen würden, dann würde Ihnen das, was ich Ihnen habe sagen können, so erscheinen, daß man es nur als eine erste oberflächliche Darstellung charakterisieren könnte. Das geht nicht anders, man kann zuerst nur eine oberflächliche Darstellung geben. Durch diese muß man hindurchgehen. Man muß einmal mit dem Elementaren anfangen, dann wird sich schon, wenn man ein kleines Stück gegangen ist, auch die Tiefe ergeben. Denn es liegt viel, viel unter der Oberfläche, die ein klein wenig zu lüften, ein klein wenig zu enthüllen wiederum möglich war. Und wenn Sie die Bahn weiterschreiten, die Sie in gewisser Weise begonnen haben, indem Sie Ihre Aufmerksamkeit der Erläuterung der Apokalypse des Johannes zugewendet haben, so werden Sie allmählich in die Tiefen des geistigen Lebens hineinkommen. Sie werden in Tiefen hineinkommen, die heute gar nicht möglich sind auszusprechen, weil sie nicht bewußt werden könnten, weil eben noch niemand Ohren hätte, sie zu hören. Es müssen erst durch solche Erklärungen, wie sie nun gegeben worden sind, die Ohren vorbereitet werden, zu hören. Dann werden sie allmählich da sein, die Ohren, Ohren, die hören können das Wort, das so tief durch die Apokalypse fließt. Wenn Sie also einiges aufgenommen haben von dem, was gesagt werden konnte, so seien Sie sich bewußt, daß doch nur die erste Oberfläche gegeben werden konnte, und von dieser nur einzelne Bemerkungen. Lassen Sie es einen Impuls werden, immer tiefer und tiefer in das einzudringen, was durch diese Vorträge nur geahnt werden kann. Wenn ich selbst nur dasjenige sagen wollte, was über die Oberfläche gesagt werden kann, dann müßte ich Ihnen noch viele, viele Wochen lang Vorträge halten. Nur eine Anregung konnten diese Vorträge sein, und derjenige, der sie so empfindet, daß er sich sagt: Ich muß tiefer und tiefer eindringen -, der wird in richtigem Sinne diese Vorträge aufgenommen haben.

Twelfth Lecture

[ 1 ] Those who reflect with feeling on the remarks we made at the end of yesterday's discussion may feel a certain sense of anxiety about the fate of future humanity. Yesterday, a picture of the future of humanity had to be presented to your soul, a picture which, on the one hand, is indeed great, powerful, and filled with bliss, a picture which corresponds to the existence of those future human beings who have understood the mission of our present on earth, who have taken the Christ Spirit into themselves and have thereby been able to keep pace with the necessary spiritualization of our earth, a glorious, blissful picture of those people whom exoteric Christianity usually calls the “redeemed” or, with a not entirely accurate expression, the “chosen ones.” But the counter-picture also had to be placed before your soul, that picture of the abyss in which humanity finds itself, unable to accept this Christ Spirit, which has remained stuck in matter, has excluded itself, so to speak, from the process of spiritualization leading into the future, which has fallen out of the spiritualized earth and, in a certain sense, is heading toward a terrible fate apart from it. When the beast with seven heads and ten horns stares up at us from the abyss, seduced by the other terrible creature, the two-horned beast, this image certainly appears frightening and terrifying, and some might ask themselves: Is it not harsh and unwise of Providence to lead a number of people to such a terrible fate, to condemn a number of people, as it were, to the abyss of evil?

[ 2 ] And the question might arise: Would it not have been more fitting for a wise Providence to avert this terrible fate from the outset?

[ 3 ] In response to these questions, one can initially say something abstract, something theoretical, and for those who can feel this theory, it actually means a great deal: it is extraordinarily wise that Providence has ensured that this terrible fate can be a possibility for a number of people. For if it were impossible for human beings to sail into the abyss of evil, then what we call love on the one hand and freedom on the other would also be unattainable for human beings, because for the occultist, freedom is inseparably linked to the concept of love. Freedom would be impossible for human beings, and love would be impossible for human beings, if this descent were not possible. A human being who did not have the possibility of choosing good or evil of his own free will would be a being who was led by the hand to a good that had to be attained, and who did not have the choice of choosing good out of a full, purified will of his own, out of a love springing from freedom. For a human being who would not be able to follow the monster with the two horns, it would also be impossible to follow God out of his own love. It was in the wisdom of Providence to give humanity, developing through our planetary system, the possibility of freedom, and this possibility of freedom could not be given under any other condition than that man himself should have the free choice between good and evil.

[ 4 ] But one might say that this is only an empty theory, and that people are only slowly rising to the level of not only saying such things with words and finding them as a kind of explanation in theoretical moments, but also of feeling them. Rarely do people today rise to the thought: I thank you, O wise Providence, that you have made it possible for me to offer you love that springs freely from my heart, not love that you have forced upon me; that you do not compel me to love you, but have given me the choice to follow you. — Of course, people would have to rise to this feeling if they could really feel this theoretical explanation.

[ 5 ] But one can also offer another consolation, or rather another reassurance, based on a clairvoyant view of the world. For yesterday it was already mentioned that only those who are already somehow entangled in the tentacles of the two-horned beast, the great seducer into the arts of black magic, have an almost unalterable predisposition for the abyss. And even for such people who fall for the arts of black magic today, there is still a possibility of turning back in the future. However, those who are not in a position to fall prey to any arts of black magic, and that is currently the majority of people, will probably have a certain predisposition to ultimate evil in the aftermath of the great war of all against all, but the possibility of turning back in the future and turning to the good will be much greater than the compulsion to follow evil unconditionally.

[ 6 ] It is clear from the lectures that for those people who are turning to a spiritual worldview today in order to survive the great war and enter the sixth period, which is represented by the unsealing of the seals, it will be possible for that group to take up the Christ principle. They will be able to take in the spiritual elements that are being laid down in the period designated by the Philadelphia community, and they will be able to live them out in the coming period with a strong predisposition toward spiritualization. Today, those who turn to a spiritual worldview are taking up tremendous predispositions to embark on the upward path. It must not be underestimated how important it is that a number of people today are not deaf to the proclamation of the so-called anthroposophical worldview, which brings the first predispositions for spiritual life into humanity in a conscious way, whereas in the past this happened unconsciously. It is important that this part of humanity takes up the first conscious predisposition for upward movement.

[ 7 ] But the fact that a small group is separating itself today to form a large brotherhood that will live on into the time of the seven seals, creates a way out for other people who are still deaf to the proclamation of the anthroposophical worldview. For we still have many incarnations of the present souls to go through until the great war of all against all, and again until the decisive point after the great war. And even after that, during the time of the seals, we will have many transformations to go through, and people will often have the opportunity to open their hearts to the spiritual worldview that flows through the anthroposophical movement today. There will be many opportunities, and you must not believe that the opportunities in the future will be only such as they are today. Oh, the way in which we are able today to proclaim the spiritual worldview to other people is still very weak. And if a person were to speak today in such a way that his voice sounded immediately like the fire of the spirit, it would still be weak compared to the possibilities that will exist in later, more developed bodies to point our fellow human beings to this spiritual movement. When humanity as a whole will be developed higher and higher in the times to come, then completely different means will arise through which the spiritual worldview will be able to penetrate into hearts, and the most fiery words of today will be insignificant and weak compared to what will work in the future to give all souls the opportunity for a spiritual worldview who today still live in bodies in which no heart beats for this spiritual worldview.

[ 8 ] We are at the beginning of the spiritual movement, and it will grow, and it will take a great deal of stubbornness and hardening of the heart and soul to close oneself off to the powerful impressions of the future. Those souls who live today in bodies that have hearts to hear and feel the anthroposophical worldview are preparing themselves to live in bodies in which they will be given the strength to serve their fellow human beings who until then did not have the opportunity to feel their hearts beating within themselves in this way. We are only the preparers of the preparers, nothing more. The spiritual movement is only a tiny flame today, but it will develop into a mighty spiritual fire in the future.

[ 9 ] If we place this other image before our soul, if we truly feel it, then a completely different feeling, a completely different possibility of understanding this fact will come alive in us. Today, it is what we call black magic that people can fall prey to in a certain way, consciously or unconsciously. Those who live their lives today without any spiritual awareness, who are not touched by the spiritual worldview, who live in their comfortable everyday stupor and say, “What do I care what these dreamers of anthroposophy say?”—they have the least chance of falling into the circles of black magic. For them, it is simply a case of missing the opportunity to help their fellow human beings in their efforts to attain spiritual life. Not much can be lost for them personally. But those who today begin to approach spiritual life in an unlawful way actually take up within themselves, in the very beginning, the seeds of something that could be called black magic. And there are only very few individuals who have already fallen into black magic in that terrible sense in which this hideous art must actually be spoken of in relation to humanity.

[ 10 ] You will understand best that this is really so if I give you just a few quiet hints about how black magic is practiced in a systematic way, and then you will see that you can look around you, up and down among all your acquaintances, and you will find no one whom you could believe to be inclined toward such arts today. Everything else is basically pure dilettantism, which will be very easy to drive out in the coming periods. It is bad enough that in our time things are sometimes touted in order to take advantage of people and so on, which in a certain sense are also the beginning of black magic. It is also bad that certain views come into play which, even if they do not belong to black magic at all, nevertheless constitute a certain seduction. These are views that dominate the world today in certain circles and can certainly proliferate among materialistic minds, but even though they are by no means harmless, they will not be incurable in the coming epochs. Once a person has begun to learn the ABCs of black magic, so to speak, they are on the dangerous path to the abyss. And this ABC consists in the fact that a person who becomes the pupil of a black magician is encouraged to kill life in a completely conscious manner, to inflict as much pain as possible on life, especially in killing it, and to feel a certain satisfaction in inflicting this pain. If the intention is to stab or cut a living being with the intention of feeling bliss in its pain, then therein lies the ABC of black magic. Anything beyond that cannot be touched upon. But you will find it horrible enough when you are told that the beginner in black magic must cut and stab living flesh, not as the vivisector cuts—this is already something terrible, but the essence of vivisection is overcome in the vivisectors themselves, in that they will have to feel in Kamaloka the pain they have inflicted on their victims, and will therefore abandon vivisection in the future. But those who cut into flesh in a systematic manner and derive satisfaction from it begin to stray onto the slippery slope of black magic. And this gives them the opportunity to come closer and closer to that creature, the two-horned animal.

[ 11 ] This being, which we have characterized as the two-horned animal, need only be imagined as a seductive creature of a completely different kind than humans. It originates from other world periods, has adopted the inclinations of other world periods, and will feel deeply satisfied when it encounters beings such as these evil beings who have refused to accept inwardly what can flow from the earth as good. This being could have nothing of the earth. It saw the earth's development coming, but it said to itself: I am not so advanced with the earth that I can have anything from earthly existence. This being could only have had something from the earth if it had been able to gain dominion at a certain moment, namely when the Christ principle descended to the earth. If this Christ principle had been nipped in the bud at that time, if Christ had been overcome by the adversary, then it would indeed have been possible for the Earth in its entirety to fall prey to this Sorat principle. That was not the case, and so this being must content itself with the refuse that did not incline toward the Christ principle, with those human beings who remained stuck in matter. They will be its hosts in the future.

[ 12 ] Now, in order to understand these hosts more precisely, we must familiarize ourselves with two concepts that may be a key to certain chapters of the Apocalypse. We must familiarize ourselves with the concepts of “first death” and “second death.” What is the first death, and what is the second death of man or mankind? We must form a precise picture of the concepts that the apocalyptic writer has associated with these words. To do this, we must once again bring to mind the elementary truths about human existence.

[ 13 ] Take the human being of today, as you yourself are. He lives in such a way that from the moment he wakes up in the morning until he falls asleep in the evening, he consists of four members: the physical body, the etheric body, the astral body, and the ego. We also know that during their earthly existence, human beings work on the lower members of their being from their ego, and that they must succeed in bringing the astral body under the control of the ego during their earthly existence. We know that the Earth will be replaced by Jupiter, its next embodiment. When human beings reach Jupiter, they will stand before us as different beings. These Jupiter beings will have worked through their astral bodies from their I. And when we say today that the earthly human being who stands before us in the waking state has first developed a physical body, an etheric body, an astral body, and an ego, we must say of the Jupiter human being that he will have developed a physical body, an etheric body, an astral body, and an ego, but that he will have transformed his astral body into a spiritual self. He will live on a higher level of consciousness, a level that can be characterized as follows. That old, dull image consciousness of the moon, which was still present in the early stages of earthly consciousness, will return in its images as clairvoyant consciousness, but it will be equipped with the human ego, so that human beings will be as logical and rational with this Jupiter consciousness as they are today with their everyday consciousness on Earth.

[ 14 ] The Jupiter human being will thus be, in a certain sense, a lower clairvoyant. A part of the soul world will be open to him. He will feel the welfare and misfortune of his surroundings in images that arise within his imaginative consciousness. This Jupiter human being will therefore live in completely different moral conditions. Imagine that, as a Jupiter human being, you have a human soul before you: the pain and pleasure of this soul will rise up in images before your soul, and the images of the pain of the other soul will torment you, and if you do not eliminate the pain of the other soul, you will be unable to reconcile the pain of the other soul with your own well-being. Oh, the images of suffering would be torture for the Jupiter man with his heightened consciousness if he did nothing to alleviate this suffering and thus also remove his own tormenting images, which are nothing more than the expression of the suffering around him. The welfare and misfortune of the individual will not be possible without that of others.

[ 15 ] Thus we see how human beings have added a completely new state of consciousness to their present consciousness, the consciousness of the I. If we want to understand what significance this has for the development of the world, we must once again bring the sleeping human being before our soul. When you are asleep in bed, your physical and etheric bodies lie there, and outside them are the I and the astral body. At night, it is as if — to put it somewhat imprecisely — you despicably leave your physical and etheric bodies. But because human beings are able to free themselves from their physical and etheric bodies at night, because they can live in a spiritual world at night, the possibility arises that they can work from their ego to transform their astral body right here in this earthly existence. How does this work?

[ 16 ] If we want to describe it vividly, we can say: Let us take the human being in his waking state. Let us assume that, in addition to his professional work and duties, he finds a little time to devote himself to higher contemplation, to make his own the great impulses that flow, for example, from the Gospel of John, from the words: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God.” Let us assume that he allows the great images presented to him by the Gospel of John to arise within him, that he is always filled with the thought: At that time, at the beginning of our calendar, there lived in Palestine a being whom I want to follow. I want to organize my life so that everything can stand before this being, so that I can regard myself as a human being who has taken this personality as his ideal. — But we need not be intolerant and think only of the Gospel of John. There are many other ways of immersing oneself in what can fill the soul with such images. And even if we must in a certain sense describe the Gospel of John as the greatest thing that has ever arisen within humanity, as that which can exert the most powerful influence, we can still say: The other person, who is devoted to the teachings of Vedanta wisdom or who immerses himself in the Bhagavad Gita or the Dhammapada, will also have sufficient opportunity in subsequent incarnations to come to the Christ principle precisely through what he has absorbed in this way. Let us assume that a person fills his soul with such images and ideas during the day. His astral body is then seized by these thoughts, feelings, and images, and they form forces in his astral body, producing the most diverse effects within him. When the person then leaves their physical and etheric bodies at night, these effects remain in the astral body, and those who have been able to immerse themselves in the images and feelings of the Gospel of John during the day have created something in their astral body that appears there at night as a powerful effect. Thus, we must say that human beings today work on their astral body during their waking consciousness.

[ 17 ] Only the initiated can become aware of these effects today, but human beings are gradually developing toward this consciousness. Those human beings who reach the goal of earthly evolution will then have an astral body completely permeated by the spiritual content they have acquired through their own efforts. They will have this consciousness as a result, as a fruit of earthly evolution, and will carry it over into the Jupiter evolution. We would like to say that when the Earth's time has come to an end, human beings will have acquired abilities that are symbolically represented by the building of the New Jerusalem. There, human beings will already be able to look into the world of images of Jupiter, and the spirit itself will then be developed within them. That is the goal of Earth's development. So what should human beings attain in the course of Earth's development? What is the first goal? The transformation of the astral body. Oh, this astral body, which today always becomes free from the physical and etheric bodies at night, will appear in the future as a transformed part of the human being. Into it, human beings carry what is given to them on Earth. But that would not be enough for Earth's development. Imagine that human beings came out of their physical and etheric bodies every night and filled their astral bodies with what they had taken in during the day, but that their physical and etheric bodies were not touched by this at all. Then human beings would still not achieve the goal of their time on Earth. Something else must happen. It must be possible for human beings, during their earthly development, to imprint again and again, at least into the etheric body, that which they have taken in. It is necessary that this etheric body can also receive influences from what human beings develop in the astral body.

[ 18 ] Human beings cannot yet work into this etheric body by themselves. On Jupiter, when human beings have transformed their astral bodies, they will become capable of working into this etheric body as well. Today, however, he cannot do this; today he still needs helpers, so to speak. On Jupiter, human beings will become capable of beginning the actual work on the etheric body. On Venus, they will work on the physical body; this is the most difficult part to overcome. Today, however, human beings must still leave both the physical and etheric bodies behind in bed at night and come out. But in order for the etheric body to receive its effects so that human beings gradually learn to work into the etheric body, they need a helper. And this helper who makes this possible is none other than the Christ-being, while we call the being who helps human beings to work into the physical body the “Father.” But until the helper comes who makes it possible to work into the etheric body, human beings cannot work into their physical bodies: “No one comes to the Father except through me.” No one who has not passed through the Christ principle can attain the ability to work into the physical body. Thus, when human beings reach the goal of earthly evolution, they will have the ability to transform their astral body through their own powers and will also have the ability to work down to the etheric body. This is due to the living existence of the Christ principle on earth. If this principle had not united with the earth as a living entity, it would not have entered the earth's aura, and then what is formed in the astral body would not be formed in the etheric body. We see, therefore, that those who close themselves off by turning away from the Christ principle deprive themselves of the opportunity to work into their etheric body in the way that is necessary during the course of Earth's evolution.

[ 19 ] We can thus characterize in another way the two types of people who stand before us at the goal of Earth's evolution: We have people who have taken the Christ principle into themselves, who have thereby transformed their astral body and obtained help from Christ to transform their etheric body as well, and we have others who have not come to the Christ principle, who were also unable to change anything in their etheric body because they could not find the helper, Christ.

[ 20 ] Now let us look at the future of humanity. The earth is becoming spiritualized, which means that human beings must completely lose something that they now consider to be part of their physical existence. We can form a picture of what happens to human beings when we consider the ordinary course of their lives after death. After death, human beings lose their physical body. It is to this physical body that we attribute the desires and inclinations that are connected with ordinary life, and we have described what human beings experience after death. Let us take a person who was particularly fond of a certain delicious food. In life, he can enjoy it, but after death he cannot. However, the desire does not cease, for it is not located in the physical body but in the astral body. But because the physical instrument is now lacking, the possibility of satisfying this desire is also lacking. Such people look down from Kamaloka into the physical world they have left behind, and they see what might still give them pleasure from all that is down in the physical world, but they cannot enjoy it because they have no physical instrument with which to do so, and this gives rise to that burning thirst within them. This is the case with all desires that remain in human beings after death and are directed toward the physical world, because they can only be satisfied through physical instruments. This is how it is every time after death: each time, the human being sees his physical body fall away, and because something of this physical body remains, he is still drawn to the ordinary world of our physical plane, and until he has weaned himself of this in the spiritual world, the time of burning desire will be there for him.

[ 21 ] Now imagine the last earthly incarnation before the spiritualization of the earth, the shedding of the last physical body. The people living on earth today will have progressed so far through the Christ principle that, in a certain sense, this shedding of the very last physical body will not cause them any particular difficulty. But they will have to leave something behind, for that which can give joy from the objects of this earth will have disappeared once and for all from the spiritualized earth. Think of the last death that is possible in the earth's evolution, the final laying down of the physical body. This last death of the incarnations is what is called the first death in the Apocalypse. And those who have taken in the Christ principle see this physical body as a kind of falling shell. For them, the etheric body now has meaning. With the help of Christ, it is organized in such a way that it is adapted to the astral body for the time being, so that it no longer has any desire for what is down there in the physical world. Only with all that has been brought into the etheric body through the help of Christ do human beings now continue to live in the spiritualized earth. They have created harmony between their astral body and their etheric body. The Christ principle has created this harmony.

[ 22 ] On the other hand, there are others who have not taken the Christ principle into themselves. These others do not have such harmony. They too must lose their physical body, for there is no physical body in the spiritualized earth. Everything physical must first be dissolved. What remains is a longing for the physical, the unpurified spiritual, the spiritual that has hardened in matter. An etheric body remains behind, one that Christ did not help to adapt to the astral body, which is oriented toward the physical body. These are the people who will feel a burning desire for physical sensuality. They will feel unquenched, burning desires in their etheric body because of what they had in their physical life and what they now have to do without. Thus, in the next period, after the physical has melted away, we will have people who live in their etheric bodies as in a member of their being that harmonizes with the astral body, and we will have other people whose etheric bodies live in disharmony because they desire what has fallen away in the physical body.

[ 23 ] And then, in the further course of evolution, a state will arise in which the spiritualization of the earth will have progressed to such an extent that there can no longer be an etheric body. Those whose etheric body is completely in harmony with the astral body cast off this etheric body without pain, for they remain in their astral body, which is filled with the Christ being, and they feel it is necessary for their development that the etheric body be cast off. For they feel within themselves the ability to rebuild it again because they have taken Christ into themselves. But those who have a longing in this etheric body for what has passed away cannot keep this etheric body when everything becomes astral. It will be taken from them, torn from them, and now they experience this as a second death, as the “second death.” This second death passes unnoticed by those who have harmonized their etheric body with their astral body by taking in the Christ principle. The second death has no power over them. The others, however, experience the second death as they continue to live on in the following astral form. Then humanity is in that state where those who have reached the goal of evolution have completely permeated their astral body with Christ. They are ready to pass over to Jupiter, and they are designing the plan for Jupiter's evolution on our Earth. This is the plan that is called the New Jerusalem. They live in a “new heaven” and a “new Earth”: that is Jupiter.

[ 24 ] This new Jupiter will be accompanied, as if by a satellite, by those who are excluded from spiritual life, who have experienced the second death and therefore have no possibility of attaining Jupiter consciousness. So we have people who have advanced to Jupiter consciousness, who have attained Manas, and beings who have rejected the forces that would have given them this consciousness. These are those who first attained the Earth's ego consciousness on Jupiter and who now stand, so to speak, as humans stand today on Earth with their four limbs. But such a human being can only develop within the Earth; only the Earth has the environment — the soil, the air, the clouds, the plants, the minerals — that is necessary for human beings if they want to achieve what can be achieved within the four limbs. Jupiter will be completely different; it will be a “new Earth.” The soil, air, and water will be different, every being will be different, and it will not be possible for beings who have only attained Earth consciousness to lead a normal life. They will be the beings who have been left behind.

[ 25 ] But now comes something that is again reassuring for us. Even on this Jupiter there is still one last possibility, through the strong power possessed by those who are more advanced, to move those who have sunk down once again to turn back, and to bring a number of them to turn back. Only at the incarnation of Venus will the very last decision be made, the irrevocable decision. When we think about all this, the thought we discussed recently takes on a different hue. It will no longer cause anxiety and unease, but only one aspiration: I want to do everything necessary to fulfill the Earth mission.

[ 26 ] If we bring all this to the forefront of our minds in the appropriate way, a great and powerful picture of the future of humanity opens up before us, and we can sense what was in the enlightened soul of the apocalyptic writer who wrote down what we have just been able to stammer out of the Apocalypse in these reflections. Every word of the apocalyptic writer is significant, indeed every turn of phrase. We only have to try to understand them clearly. Thus, in the spirit of yesterday's reflection, we are referred in 666 to the beast with two horns, and then a strange word is spoken: “Here is wisdom! Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man.” This is an apparent contradiction, but one of many contradictions that can be found in every occult writing and consideration. You can be certain that a consideration that proceeds so smoothly that the ordinary everyday mind cannot find any contradiction is certainly not based on occult principles. What develops in the world is not as shallow and trivial as what the human mind, ordinary intelligence, perceives as free of contradiction. One must delve deeper into the foundations of human contemplation, and then the contradictions disappear. Anyone who observes a plant as it grows from root to fruit, how the green leaf transforms into the flower petal, the flower petal into the stamens, and so on, can say: Here we have contradictory forms, the flower petal contradicts the stem leaf. But those who see more deeply will perceive the unity, the deeper unity in the contradiction. So it is with what the intellect can see in the world. It sees contradictions even in the deepest wisdom. Therefore, we should not be disturbed when we encounter an apparent contradiction here in the Apocalypse: “Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man.”

[ 27 ] We must consider once again how human beings can become susceptible to being seduced by the two-horned beast. We have pointed out that since the middle of the Atlantean epoch, human beings have, so to speak, slept through the higher spiritual development. This period of sleep is the present time. But it was necessary. If it had not occurred, what we now call the intellect would never have come into being. People before our time did not have this. They acted on the basis of other impulses. Their images drove them to their actions without reflection. Human beings lost this ancient gift of clairvoyance and exchanged it for the intellect, descending into matter. This has woven a veil before the spiritual world, but at the same time it has given us reason. This can be an important obstacle to spiritual development. Ultimately, nothing else will be able to prevent people from coming to the Christ principle than this misguided reason, this misguided intelligence. And if those who will ultimately fall prey to the two-horned beast could look back on what actually played the worst trick on them, they would say: “It is true that the predisposition to the abyss only came later, but what darkened me was the Christ principle, that is, the intellect. Oh, he who has this intellect, let him consider the number of the beast! For it is precisely because man has become man, that is, has been endowed with this ego-mind, that he can fall prey to the beast 666. For the number of the beast is also the number of a man, and that it is the number of a man can be understood by no one except those who have understanding: it is the number of the man who has allowed himself to be seduced by his mind. Such profound truths are contained in these things.

[ 28 ] You see, then, that the apocalyptic writer gives you much if you take in the individual hints we have given. He gives much of what we today call anthroposophical truths. He gives what he promises. He leads people to a vision of what is to come: to a vision of the beings and powers that govern the world. He leads us to the spirit that is given to us on the first seal, to the figure that is given to us on the last seal. There we see how clairvoyantly the regularity of the new Jerusalem is expressed to him. That is the visionary aspect of it. The regularity of the New Jerusalem is expressed in this; you can see in chapter 21 how this New Jerusalem is described, as it were, as a cube (verse 16). To describe what is in this last image would take us too far. (See the seventh seal image.)

[ 29 ] Now it is necessary for us to point out the purpose for which the Apocalypse was written. I would have to say a great deal if I wanted to describe in detail why it was written. But you should at least take home with you a hint, a hint that emerges for us from a very specific passage in the Apocalypse. The author of the Apocalypse says that a time will come when this high level of consciousness will indeed have developed, when people will see in heightened consciousness the beings who rule the world, the beings who were characterized by the Lamb, by the appearance of the Son of Man with the flaming sword. We are pointed to this in tones that already contain within themselves the reassurance of which we have spoken. The apocalyptic writer, who is a profound clairvoyant, knows that in ancient times people were gifted with a dim clairvoyance. We have characterized it and seen how people at that time were, so to speak, companions of the divine spirit world, how they themselves saw the divine-spiritual world. But who lost this gift of clairvoyance, who? We must now pose this as an important question. We have seen that it was basically those people who lost it who were led out onto the physical plane, into physical life, at the beginning of the second half of the Atlantean epoch. People looked at the solid structures of our earth, at the limited objects of our earth. The old clairvoyance disappeared. People became self-conscious, but the spiritual world closed itself off from them. The structures that had permeated the air like a sea of mist in ancient times disappeared, the air became pure, the ground became free. People stepped out onto the free earth. This happened relatively late; it coincides with the attainment of the present intellect, the present self-awareness of human beings.

[ 30 ] And now let us remember what we have said about this earth. We remember that we have placed the great moment of Golgotha before our souls. If someone had looked at the earth from afar with clairvoyant vision at that time, they would have perceived, at the moment when the blood flowed from the wounds of the Redeemer, that the entire astral aura of the earth changed. The earth was permeated by the power of Christ. Through this event, the earth will one day be reunited with the sun. This power will grow. It is the power that preserves our etheric body from the second death. Christ will become more and more the Earth spirit, and those who are true Christians will understand the words, “He who eats my bread treads upon me,” and will regard the body of the Earth as the body of Christ. The Earth as a planetary body is the body of Christ, though only in its beginning. First the Christ becomes the Earth spirit, uniting completely with the Earth. And when the Earth later unites with the Sun, the great Earth spirit will be the Sun spirit.

[ 31 ] The body of the Earth will be the body of Christ. And human beings must work on this body. They began to do so when they stepped out onto the Earth; they worked on this Earth with their powers. In all traditions, one can find something that is little noticed because it is little understood. For example, in the Persian tradition, it is said that since the time when human beings stepped out of clairvoyant consciousness, they have become beings who have pierced the Earth. While human beings live in the phase of piercing the earth, that is, working on the earth, during this time when they pierce the body of Christ, they do not see the guiding forces in clairvoyant consciousness, especially not Christ face to face. But the apocalyptic writer points to the time when not only the clairvoyants of that time will see the spiritual, but when humanity will have arrived again at the stage that enables it to see the Christ being itself. All beings will see him, and those who pierced him will also see him; those who had to go through part of their development in cultivating the earth, in piercing the earth, will see Christ. For such words are such that they lead those who gradually learn to understand them deeply into the world of ideas of the mysteries, of apocalyptic language.

[ 32 ] What, then, did the apocalyptic writer want to write, what did he want to portray? This question is answered by briefly pointing to the origin of the Apocalypse. Where is what is written in the Apocalypse first contained? If you could go back to the mysteries of ancient Greece, to the Orphic and Eleusinian mysteries, back to the mysteries of the ancient Egyptians, Chaldeans, Persians, and Indians, you would find the apocalypse everywhere. It existed, it was there. It was not written down, but it lived on from generation of priests to generation of priests, through the generations of initiators, where memory was so vivid that one could master such rich material. Memory was still much better in much later times than it is with us. Just remember the singers of the Iliad, how they wandered around and could sing their songs from memory. It is not so long ago that memory declined so much. In the mysteries, these truths were not written down, but they lived on from generation to generation of initiators.

[ 33 ] What was the task of the Apocalypse? Its task was to serve as an instruction for those who brought the disciples to initiation. At that time, the person who was to be initiated was taken out of his physical body and remained as if dead. But once they had been led out, the initiator allowed them to see in their etheric bodies what could later be seen clairvoyantly in the physical body through the Christ impulse. Thus, the ancient initiates were prophets who could point to Christ. And they did so, they were able to do so, because Christ was shown in this Apocalypse as something that would appear in the future. Never before had the event of Golgotha taken place in which a human being in the physical body had lived through the entire drama of initiation before history.

[ 34 ] So where was the possibility of understanding this event of Golgotha? At a certain level, the initiates had understood it outside their bodies. What happened on Golgotha had taken place in another consciousness. There could have been thousands of people, and the event of Golgotha could have passed them by. What would it have meant to them? The death of an ordinary condemned man! The possibility of understanding what took place on Golgotha was only available to those who knew the content of the mysteries. The initiators could say: The one whom we have shown you during the three and a half days, whom the prophets have proclaimed to you, you can understand if you take the means from the mysteries.

[ 35 ] The apocalyptic writer had absorbed the oral tradition of the mysteries and said to himself: If I immerse myself in what can be experienced in the mysteries, then Christ will appear to me. — So the Apocalypse was nothing new, but its application to the unique event of Golgotha was something new. The essential point was that for those who had ears to hear, there was a possibility of gradually advancing to a real understanding of the event of Golgotha with the help of what is written in the Apocalypse of John. That was the intention of the apocalyptic writer. From the ancient mysteries he had the Apocalypse; it is an ancient sacred book of mankind and was only outwardly given to humanity by the disciple whom the Lord loved and to whom he bequeathed in his will the task of proclaiming his true form. It is to remain until Christ comes, so that those who are endowed with enlightened consciousness may grasp it. He is the great teacher of the true event of Golgotha. He has given people the means to truly understand the event of Golgotha.

[ 36 ] At the beginning of the Apocalypse, the apocalyptic writer says—I have tried to translate the first words as they must be translated if they are to be correct—"This is the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to his servant to show him the things that must soon take place. This is set forth in signs and sent by his angel to his servant John, and he has made it known.” He wants to describe ‘in brief.’ What does that mean? It means as much as if one wanted to say: If I wanted to describe to you in detail everything that will happen from now until the end of the earth's development, I would have to write a great deal. I will present it to you in a brief outline. The translators, who were unable to penetrate the spirit of the Apocalypse, translated this as “to show what is to happen in brief.” They believed that what is happening there, what is being described, is to happen in a short time. But it should mean: what is happening there should be described in a brief outline. The original text has a turn of phrase that allows for a correct translation of what I have tried to give in the introduction to “Images of Occult Seals and Pillars.”

[ 37 ] Now, in a series of reflections, we have said a great deal about this ancient and sacred document of the human race, and about what the Lord has revealed to humanity as its secrets through the disciple whom he loved. You may have come to realize that this Apocalypse is a profound book, full of wisdom, and you may have sometimes felt anxious during these reflections because some things in it are so difficult to understand. Now, at the end of our reflections, I would like to say one thing to you: Everything I have been able to tell you corresponds exactly to the intentions of the apocalyptic writer and has always been taught in the schools that have preserved the apocalyptic writer's intentions. But it is not everything, far from everything that could be said, and one can go much deeper into the truths, into the foundations of the Apocalypse. And if we were to delve into all the depths, then what I have been able to tell you would appear to you as nothing more than a first superficial presentation. There is no other way; one can only give a superficial presentation at first. One must go through this. One must begin with the elementary, and then, once one has gone a little way, the depth will reveal itself. For there is much, much beneath the surface, which it has been possible to lift a little, to reveal a little. And if you continue along the path you have begun, in a certain sense, by turning your attention to the explanation of the Apocalypse of John, you will gradually enter into the depths of spiritual life. You will enter depths that cannot be expressed today because they cannot be consciously perceived, because no one has ears to hear them yet. It is only through explanations such as those that have now been given that the ears can be prepared to hear. Then they will gradually be there, ears that can hear the word that flows so deeply through the Apocalypse. So if you have taken in some of what could be said, be aware that only the first surface could be given, and of this only individual remarks. Let it become an impulse to penetrate deeper and deeper into what can only be guessed at through these lectures. If I wanted to say only what can be said about the surface, I would have to give you many, many weeks of lectures. These lectures could only be a stimulus, and those who feel that they must penetrate deeper and deeper will have taken these lectures in the right sense.