Better to have quality than quantity — Samuel Lacrampe
In this instance I would disagree. The sheer number of Bible references to this secret serve to underpin it's credibility imho. What all these passages are referring to is the alchemical process for creating the Philosopher's Stone, Elixir of Life or whatever name you choose to call it. The same kind of references are found all over, in the Quran, Bhagavad Gita and elsewhere. One universal truth, spanning world religions but hidden in plain sight, allegorically, cryptically and in code.
In order to understand the references one must first understand something of the processes involved and also something of the Nature of the "Stone" itself. Since we have limited space I will provide a brief run through.
The Stone is actually twofold. There is a White Stone and there is a Red Stone. The White Stone bestows perfect health on the person that imbibes it. The Red Stone bestows longevity, extremely long life of the order of Biblical characters like Noah and so on who lived 900+ years.
You will also be aware of the alchemical goals to turn base metals into gold. Well, the White Stone reputedly turns base metals to Silver. The Red Stone turns base metals into gold.
Ok so far so good. So . . .
White Stone = health and is associated with Silver.
Red Stone = longevity and is associated with Gold
By the same alchemical processes lesser crystals could be perfected into valuable gems too.
Now here's what you need to understand about the process for making it. There are multiple processes (as explained in the Emerald Tablet) but the 2nd part of the "Great Work" as it is called involves putting a pure white salt in the bottom of a flask, adding some special liquid, sealing the flask and then putting the whole thing in a warm sand or water bath at body temperature. Thereby it incubates and undergoes a number of changes.
Here is an image of the flask. Note the allegorical names given to it.
The top of the flask is referred to as the
"Heavens"
The salt or earthy substance in the bottom is called the
"Earth"
The gentle heat causes the liquid and damp salt in the flask to vaporise creating a
"mist", often also referred to as spirit.
The mist is a form of water so we have 2 types of water in the flask, the lower dampness and the rising vapour/mist. The separation of waters.
The mist rises to the top, the Heavens, and then condenses into little water droplets.
The droplets then fall back down to the bottom, like
rain
This whole thing is a microcosm which cycles in a continual loop much like our weather systems. Mist rises, rains back down, waters the ground, then the mist rises again and so on.
This process goes on for 1-2 years.
Along the way the substance in the flask goes through changes. The first major change is it's total decomposition. It essentially rots in the flask as the cycle reduces it to its prima material, its fundamental matter. At this stage the previously white damp salt turns a jet BLACK. The stage is allegorically often referred to as the Crow or Raven.
Once this stage is complete the substance goes through other colours but eventually turns a brilliant WHITE again, which is the White Stone and if it is left to cycle further it turns a deep crimson RED.
So, the important point to note here is that the colour changes of the overall process start WHITE, then go BLACK, then WHITE then RED.
I pause at this stage to allow you to digest the above and to tell you that I am not asking you to believe in the Philosopher's Stone as real, but rather I'm asking you to understand the processes by which it is made, the colours it goes through and the benefits the White and Red stones bestow to humans.
With all that in mind we can now revisit those Bible passages. I will place in bold the relevant allegorical terms which refer to the alchemists flask and it's contents and processes.
KJV, Genesis 2:4-7:
"This is the history of the
heavens and the
earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens, before any plant of the field was in the earth and before any herb of the field had grown. For the LORD God had not caused it to
rain on the
earth, and there was no man to till the ground; but a
mist went up from the
earth and
watered the whole face of the ground
You should be able to see here how this refers to the cycle in the flask, the heavens and earth, the mist and condensing to water the earth like rain.
KJV, Proverbs 3:13-20:
"Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of
silver, and the gain thereof than fine
gold. She is more precious than
rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand
riches and honour. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a
tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her. The LORD by wisdom hath founded the
earth; by understanding hath he established the
heavens. By his knowledge the
depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the
dew."
No question that this passage refers to the Stone, not "wisdom". It could not be more obvious now that you know what I have told you. Length of Days (longevity) in one hand and Riches in the other hand, the very things that the White and Red Stones bestow and the passage is telling us how much more valuable the properties of healing and long life are compared to the ability to create riches. Again look at the last 2 lines and how they iterate the processes in the flask. The heavens, earth, the depths being broken up is the decomposition stage, the clouds dropping down the dew is the mist condensing at the top of the flask. Pretty easy stuff to understand but only once someone explains the Stone to you.
The passage in Revelation again. . . . says:
"To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone"
There it is in plain sight. A White Stone which is the hidden manna. Manna being that "magical" substance that sustained the people in the desert in the OT. The "Tree Of Life".
Here's another Bible quote for you, the terminology should leap off the page to you now:
KJV, Song of Solomon 5:10-16:
My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand. His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as a raven. His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set. His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: his lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh.
Remember the colour changes of the Stone creation. The BLACK (raven) stage, then white and then red (ruddy).
One more . . .
KJV, John 6:53-58:
"Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever."
The Christian faith taking a literal interpretation believes that the actual flesh and blood of Christ is what bestows eternal life, though they partake in an allegorical communion act using WHITE bread and RED wine.
Do you not see now that Jesus is actually referring to the Stone here. The White Stone and the Red Stone. And he is giving a very stark warning. He is saying that if you don't have this Stone, you have no life in you. This makes perfect sense. Our "Life force" or life energy is a finite amount which started running out around age 30yrs. We all feel it when our strength and vigour first begin to wane. From that point we are just using up what remains of our life energy and eventually we age and die. If we have the Stone, we have an abundance of life energy and so our bodies heal very quickly indeed and we do not age. The Stone IS the real truth here.
We can happily say that Jesus is the allegorical name for the Stone if you like but the truth is the Stone is a product of Nature, produced in the alchemist's flask, not some mumbo jumbo magical belief system.
I could go on as there are many more Bible quotes and a whole host of key terms associated with the Stone that are encoded in Genesis. Space alas does not permit.
I hope I have done enough here to explain :
1. What the Stone is
2. What it does for humans
3. How it is referred to in allegorical terms
4. How the Bible should NOT be taken literally
5. How the Bible is seen to contain this important secret right throughout
ATB