Plates 16-17

The giants who formed this world into its sensual existence and now seem to live in it in chains, are in truth the causes of its life & the sources of all activity; but the chains are the cunning of weak and tame minds which have power to resist energy, according to the proverb, the weak in courage is strong in cunning. Thus one portion of beings is the prolific, the other the devouring: to the devourer it seems as if the producer was in his chains: but it is no so, he only takes portions of existence and fancies that the whole. But the prolific would cease to be prolific unless the devourer, as a sea received the excess of his delights. Some will say: 'Is not God alone the prolific?' I answer: 'God only acts & is, in existing beings or men'. These two classes of men are always upon earth, & they should be enemies: whoever tries to reconcile them seeks to destroy existence. Religion is an endeavour to reconcile the two. Note: Jesus Christ did not wish to unite, but to seperate them, as in the parable of sheep and goats!& He says: 'I came not to send peace, but a sword.' Messiah or Satan or tempter was formerly thought to be one of the antediluvians who are our energies.