The Rudolf Steiner Archive

26. On the Apocalypse II

[ 1 ] There were a few guidelines I was able to provide to help better understand this significant work. Today, we want to focus on a specific aspect of human development, as it will shed light on the entire process.

[ 2 ] There are seven epochs in post-Atlantean culture; we are currently in the fifth. Each epoch has a specific task in relation to human beings. Human beings are reborn because conditions on Earth have changed. The great epochs of evolution truly work upon human beings. Let us consider that a human being consists of a physical body, an etheric body, an astral body, and an “I.” When human beings began their earthly evolution, they had already developed the first three bodies. The task on Earth is to develop the “I.”

[ 3 ] Let us look back at Atlantis, specifically at its last third. In the last third, human beings had received the first seed of the ability to say “I” to themselves. This was only an initial seed. The two preceding post-Atlantean thirds had to gradually nurture this “I.” The key moment in the development of the “I” was the event at Golgotha. What does it mean that human beings received their “I” in the last third of the Atlantean epoch? Before human beings had arrived at this seed of the “I,” the relationship between the physical body and the etheric body was quite different than it was later. Today, the etheric body of the head has roughly the same size and shape; this was not the case in Atlantis, where the etheric body still protruded, and a certain point of the etheric head had to move inward to connect with a point in the forebrain. Through this “covering,” human beings became ready to gradually develop their “I.” To nurture this “I,” human beings needed to work on the entire physical body, and this entire remaining phase of Atlantean development was devoted to transforming the human physical body into a vessel for the “I.”

[ 4 ] It was only after the Atlantean catastrophe that the human brain had become sufficiently condensed to serve as the bearer of the “I.” Hydrocephalus is an atavism from ancient times. A firm, compact head was formed when the etheric head entered it. And so Indian culture was able to emerge, in which a brain already similar to the human one existed. But the etheric body within the physical body had not yet been developed to fully serve as a vehicle for the “I.” That is why the Indian longed to escape from this world.

[ 5 ] Thus, in post-Atlantean culture, the human being begins, through his etheric body, to bring about the changes that enable the body to develop into the bearer of the “I.” The “I” transforms the other bodies from within. Because the work of transforming the physical body begins with regulating the breath, the spiritual human being is called “Atm.” Thus, we can speak of seven fundamental parts. If we wish to delve more deeply into the meaning and spirit of post-Atlantean culture, we must take as our basis the division into nine members, as in my Theosophy. In the Nordic mysteries, the ninefold division was always taught.

[ 6 ] In a certain sense, the future conscious working into the lower members must be anticipated. An unconscious working into them must precede it. This already took place in the Atlantean body—and it is happening now as well. Only initiates work entirely consciously. So first we have an unconscious transformation of the astral body through the influence of higher powers of the “I.” The result of this unconscious transformation of the astral body is what is called the feeling soul. The transformed etheric body is the intellectual soul, and the transformed physical body is what we call the consciousness soul.

[ 7 ] But even under the guidance of higher spiritual beings, human beings then begin to work more consciously and to develop their spiritual self.

[ 8 ] Physical body, etheric body, astral body, sensory soul, intellectual soul, conscious soul, spiritual self, life spirit, spiritual human—these are the nine members of the human being. These were the nine members taught in the ancient Norse mysteries. Gradually, what interposes itself between the astral body and the spiritual self is formed. In the first impulse, the “I” radiation during the Atlantean era transformed into the soul of consciousness. This soul of consciousness must educate the other parts in order to then educate itself; then it must allow itself to be permeated by the Christ principle in order to develop the spiritual self.

[ 9 ] In Indian culture, the etheric body is permeated by the Christianized self.

In Persian culture, the sensory body
In Egyptian culture, the sensory soul
In Greco-Roman culture, the intellectual soul
In our culture, the soul of consciousness

[ 10 ] In Philadelphia [of the Apocalypse], under the influence of the Christ Principle, the first spark of the spiritual self is kindled.

[ 11 ] We are thus living in the culture that shapes the soul of consciousness, and we must prepare ourselves to receive the Christified spiritual self. In Philadelphia, Christ will appear again in a more subtle body that will be visible to those who have prepared themselves.

[ 12 ] In this way, the Theosophical Movement enables people to see Christ. Thus, this transformation of the bodies is thoroughly accomplished, step by step. Thus, through the wisdom of Theosophy, we are working to guide the human “I” so that it may rise above itself, not remain stuck at the personal level, and thereby become capable of recognizing Christ. Because it was necessary for the development of the Earth, Theosophy has entered our lives.

[ 13 ] In the sixth period, meteoric phenomena that have materialized are evoked, and the others begin to ascend higher. But the sub-periods within it, which are characterized by horses—white robes and so on—do not pass without leaving their mark on human development. The three bodies will become more intimately interwoven with the three souls and with what will have been acquired as the spiritual self. What, then, has come to pass in the sixth epoch? The four members and the finer subdivisions of the “I” will have been worked through to a completely different degree. These will be interconnected, and the three souls will have grown intimately into the three bodies.

[ 14 ] What does it mean to say that these members have grown together? They will have acquired the ability to express themselves through the physical body. This ability is attained through the work a person has done over the course of three periods. By entering the sixth period with a development in which they have worked on their soul, they have strived to spiritualize themselves. The third and fourth will become intimately intertwined once they have completed the three cycles or epochs. This process of passing through a cycle—in which a person has truly absorbed everything a cycle has to offer—is denoted by ©. The person has then completed the cycle up to its conclusion.

[ 15 ] They have achieved the mutual interpenetration of the Three and the Four

[ 16 ] Sensitive Soul / Intellectual Soul / Conscious Soul

[ 17 ] First, the number seven. Then, for the next period, the characteristic number is twelve, the multiplier. The “twelve” people emerge by completing the three cycles. Three zeros next to the twelve: 12,000.

And I heard the number of those who were sealed: one hundred forty-four thousand, who were sealed from all the tribes of the children of Israel: Twelve thousand from the tribe of Judah were sealed; twelve thousand from the tribe of Reuben were sealed; twelve thousand from the tribe of Gad were sealed; twelve thousand from the tribe of Asher were sealed; twelve thousand from the tribe of Naphtali were sealed; twelve thousand from the tribe of Manasseh were sealed; twelve thousand from the tribe of Simeon were sealed; from the tribe of Levi, twelve thousand sealed; from the tribe of Issachar, twelve thousand sealed; from the tribe of Zebulun, twelve thousand sealed; from the tribe of Joseph, twelve thousand sealed; from the tribe of Benjamin, twelve thousand sealed. [Rev 7:4–8]

[ 18 ] Now, the various groups of people who made it to the Brotherhood in Philadelphia are designated by the numbers 12 and 3 zeros. From the twelve groups (12x12) that have thus emerged, one multiplies by 144,000. Those who have thus developed power over their own souls will also have power over the souls of others. When one soul works its way into another, the deeds of human beings multiply. In this way, the Apocalyptic Writer profoundly demonstrates to us that he knows the entire mystery of human development. The truth is presented in such a way that human beings are trained to penetrate from the outer shell into the true form, thereby also developing the consciousness soul. It is important that one discovers certain things for oneself. That is why theosophy will later be presented in a different form of wisdom. Even what is said today is still an outer shell.

[ 19 ] Those who were initiated at the time of the Apocalypse have already received the meaning. But what is esoteric in one age becomes exoteric later. That is the meaning of evolution. The esoteric transforms into the exoteric in the course of human development. So it is with the mystery of Golgotha—the final act in mystery initiation: the awakening from lethargic death, the crucifixion, the burial, and the resurrection of the initiate. Then it emerged into the open, becoming an external historical fact—the mystery wisdom of ancient times that has become history. The conservative mind always resists the idea that what is esoteric should be brought out into the world. Christ was regarded as one who brought the Mysteries out into public life. The inner will increasingly appear in the outer, unfolding its splendor and color. Had they been able to follow the Apocalyptic writer where he spoke with his inner circle of disciples, they would have heard exactly the same thing.

[ 20 ] The sixth period has something of a decisive nature throughout. Philadelphia culture transitions into another era. The sixth seal brings the number twelve. The sixth trumpet also brings something decisive. 5 Jupiter-Earth, 6 Venus-Earth—the overcoming of the great Babylon.

[ 21 ] All those who can be saved are saved. It is decided who must wait until the next time.

[ 22 ] Repeat: Saturn 1, Sun 2, Moon 3, Earth 4, Jupiter 5, Venus 6, Vulcan 7.

[ 23 ] When the Earth takes shape as a world body for the sixth time, having completed five cycles, the sixth state is present, but the seventh is not yet. Therefore, regarding the time when Babylon is overcome, we are told:

Here is wisdom. [Rev 13:18]

[ 24 ] Five have fallen: Saturn, the Sun ...

[ 25 ] They are there for the chosen ones—nothing but scum, like animals—and the sixth is there, and the seventh has not yet come. The apocalyptic writer describes this in detail.

[ 26 ] One more thing: So we have seven states—these are the proper ones that must be passed through in order to ascend. But even those who have proven themselves immature are placed under Sorat. What will become of them? They must now separate themselves into their own sphere, where they will continue their development. Thus, a special sphere separates itself; it falls away.

[ 27 ] A small colony of the wicked, the black magicians, settles there. Read about the mysterious eighth sphere in theosophical literature, which goes to the left, while the other goes to the right. [Gap in the transcript] He will remain there for a time, and the beast is the eighth, having come from the seventh, and leads to ruin. The apocalyptic writer also knows that, in addition to the seven spheres, an eighth exists. All of theosophy could be derived from this. The more evolution progresses, the more power is needed to lead those who have turned away from spiritualization back to it. Therefore, an attempt must be made to save, through the best among us, what can still be saved. That is why Moses and Elijah are called upon. And we see them speaking words of wisdom in a later earthly epoch. Moses and Elijah are among those who were initiated very early on. That is why they must work later. Karma is at work in the world. Those at the highest levels are subject to it just as those at the lowest are. Those who were initiated before Golgotha must attain their karmic counterpart. What happened earlier?

[ 28 ] Lived three and a half days in a lethargic state within the physical body. What was done? Nothing. Left to the external forces. These three and a half days fall outside the development of these initiates. These are the only three and a half days that the old initiate disregarded in the work of his “I.” Even such a matter must find its karmic balance. Wherever they occur in their state of development, they must once again surrender their physical body to the outer world for three and a half days. Therefore, we read:

And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the Abyss will make war against them, and will conquer them and kill them. And their corpses will lie in the street of the great city, which is spiritually called “Sodom and Egypt,” where the Lord was also crucified. And people from every nation, tribe, and language will gaze at their corpses for three and a half days and will not allow their corpses to be placed in graves. And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, celebrate, and send gifts to one another; for these two prophets had tormented those who dwell on the earth.

And after three and a half days, the Spirit of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet; and great fear fell upon those who saw them. And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here!” And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them. [Rev 11:7–12].

[ 29 ] There you have the karmic fulfillment of surrendering the body to external forces. Even deeds offered as sacrifices must find their karmic balance. Apart from the names, we find in the Apocalypse what Christ is. Christ is the deepest impulse that enters into the human “I.” The “I” receives Christ. We can characterize the “I” through intimate contemplation. Anyone can designate all external things by their names. The name of the “I” must resound from within. Christ plunges into this principle of the human being and gradually permeates it. A name that is not written in the outer world—one that can be brought to life only by the one who bears it—must be recognized.

And he had a name written that no one knew [recognized] except himself. [Rev 19:12]

[ 30 ] It is stated that in the end the earth will be spiritualized in the sun, and that everything in the outer Jerusalem will be spiritualized:

And the city has no need of the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God illuminates it, and its light is the Lamb. [Rev 21:23]

[ 31 ] First, the apocalyptic seer sees the Leader, who guided our Earth as Vishnu, then as Karma, then as Ahura Mazdao, and so on. He sees him as the one who bears the seven stars, who holds the bronze staff and the spirits of evolution in his hand, and the sword in his mouth. The word [gap in the transcript]

[ 32 ] Everything undergoes a certain transformation. This includes the organs—the heart muscle, for example; it is in the process of becoming a voluntary muscle. The larynx is in the process of becoming a reproductive organ. Through the vocal organ, human beings will bring forth their own kind. Today, human beings can communicate what animates their souls only by expressing themselves through the air. But more and more of the human being is being communicated in this way. And human beings will multiply themselves from within through their voices. “In the very beginning” and in the end will be the Logos—the Word-creator. And thus, the powerful vision of the sword emerging from the mouth represents, on a higher level, the reawakening of Atlantis.

[ 33 ] Vision: The Lamb Instead of Four Beasts. Sorat Cast Down by an Archangel—Sorat. “In brief” is a mistranslation: it does not mean “in a short time,” but rather “in a brief outline” is how the apocalyptic writer will tell the story. Theosophy is the commentary on the Apocalypse—and, in our time, the only possible commentary.