It has been questioned from time to time throughout the world of religion: “For what purpose did Jesus resurrect Lazarus if he was to die again?” It profited nothing as far as he was concerned, saving that he might be used that the Glory of GOD might be seen by him. Millions have believed even until now through and by the resurrection of Lazarus. You see the mystery? By this, Lazarus was resurrected and His Glory was revealed – – I mean the Glory of GOD was revealed by the resurrection of Lazarus from the grave. Aren’t you glad!
Then I say, there is a time and a season for all things. If you notice the mystery of the hand of nature working through and by mother nature, both in vegetation in the animal life, and also in the animalistic kingdom things are expressed or manifested according to the plan and the purpose of GOD.
If you notice, as I speak of Jerusalem as the brood of a hen, of which I desired to hover like unto such a thing as the brood of a hen, if you have ever noticed a mother hen when she hatches her little chicks out, the very first day she does not even straighten up, stand up straight. She sits down stooped over them and as she feeds them she picks up the food and crumbles it up, makes it very tiny for them, because she knows they are babies.
The next day or two, why, the little chicks begin to get a little stronger, they begin to scratch. First thing you know she stands up straight and begins to scratch and scratches them all over and doesn’t even pay any attention to them. But the first few days she sits down – – almost sits down on them. The hand of nature, mother nature, in the animalistic kingdom, especially the fowl kingdom there, is expressly a sketch and a reflection of the mystery of GOD’S love for His children. Can you not see the mystery?
So then, think it not strange because of the expression of the likeness of a hen when her chicks have just come through, when they have just cracked the shell of limitation, when they have not yet cracked the shell of mortal limitation and come through, if she has been coming off the nest every day to eat, when they start to pick through, she will not even come off the nest then, even if she is hungry. Mother nature will teach her and tell her to stay and hover her brood whilst they are picking through the shell of mortal limitation. As far as the chicks are concerned, it means the eggshell; but it is the parable of the reality of mortal limitation through which you must pick your way.
Then I say, “In all of your getting, get understanding.” I said through the mouth of Solomon:
“Go to the ant, thou sluggard, consider her ways and be wise.”
I AM telling you who might not understand the mystery to go to the chicken, especially the mother hen and consider her ways and be wise.
“As a hen hovers her brood,” said I, I would have hovered you, Jerusalem. I have vice-versalated it and extended the same statement in this dispensation, not only for Jerusalem, but for all of civilization as the message at that time was given to Jerusalem, but at that time by Jerusalem came the prophecy of the fulfilment of all things. As a prediction the prophecy came, telling what would be fulfilled in time to come.
Jerusalem was an expression that gave birth to the prophets, Jerusalem itself was an expression as a prediction in itself as a prophecy telling what would be in this dispensation.
“O, Jerusalem, O, Jerusalem, how oft would I have hovered
Thee as a hen hovers her brood, but ye would not.”
It was a prediction as though speaking of one city as being termed the great city of the Holies from that angle of expression. It was a prediction of all civilization and of all creation: “O, humanity,” in other words, “All humanity and all civilization, how oft would I have hovered thee as a hen hovers her brood.”
Then if they will accept of MY Message and observe the mystery and adhere to MY Teaching, they will see that they can understand it and by such an understanding they will gain the victory by understanding how to accept of it, and to live accordingly. That is the mystery!
“…. as a hen hovers her brood.”
Then if you happen to see ME act as a hen does in the beginning of her career and also in the end, it is equivalently the same. It is applicable, it is expressive and it is just as operative as mother nature transmitted to that which is termed a mother in any and everything reflected. It slightly reflects or manifests the reality of GOD’S nature incarnated.
Then I say, the mother hen, especially before the chick – – the little chicks shall have picked through the shell, the eggshell, the shell of mortal limitation, when she knows they are trying to pick through, she will not even leave the nest and let the eggs get chilled then. She will stay on the nest and be hungry and will not even say – – get off and get a drink of water. And when they come out of the shell, as I explained before, you may put them in a little coop to themselves and the mother hen will almost sit down on the little chicks as a protection for them until they are strong enough to scratch for themselves, but when they get so they can scratch for themselves in a very few days, why then she will scratch and scratch all over them and throw them out of the way.
FATHER DIVINE
New Day 3/12/69;p10,c2-3