THE GREAT PROPHECY OF SALVATION: CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 1

¹And it came to pass in the latter days, when Ivalice was full of sorrow and the hearts of men waxed cold, that the Lord looked down from His holy habitation upon the children of men.
²Behold, the nations were confounded, and the people did strive one with another. Yea, the cries of the innocent went up as incense before the throne of God.
³Then said the Lord, “Lo, I shall raise up a servant unto Myself, that he may declare My word and prepare the way of salvation.”
⁴Now there was a man in those days named Phara, a keeper of sheep, dwelling in the hill-country far from the noise of the city and the corruption thereof.
⁵And Phara was a man upright and meek, fearing the Lord from his youth, and walking in the paths of righteousness, though he knew not whither his steps were led.
⁶And it came to pass, on a certain night, when the stars did shine brightly in the firmament and Ivalice lay still, that a great light appeared before Phara as he watched over his flock.
⁷And the glory of the Lord compassed him round about, and he fell upon his face, for he was sore afraid.
⁸And a voice came unto him from the midst of the light, saying, “Phara, thou son of dust, arise, for I have chosen thee.”
⁹And Phara answered and said, “Who art Thou, Lord, that speakest unto Thy servant with such glory and majesty?”
¹⁰Then said the Lord, “I am the Lord thy God. I am He who was, and is, and is to come. Behold, I have called thee to be a prophet unto the nations.”
¹¹“For the time is nigh, yea, it draweth near, when I shall send forth Mine only-begotten Son into the world, and He shall save it from the multitude of its transgressions and from the great chaos that devoureth it.”
¹²“He shall be as a light in the thick darkness, and as a sword dividing truth from falsehood. And He shall speak, and the winds shall obey; He shall lift up the humble and bring the proud low.”
¹³“And thou, Phara, thou shalt go before His face, and thou shalt prepare the way of the Lord.”
¹⁴Then said Phara, trembling, “O my Lord, who am I, that I should speak in Thy name? For I am but a shepherd and a man of no renown.”
¹⁵But the Lord answered him, “Say not, ‘I am but a shepherd,’ for I have chosen thee. Behold, I shall put My words in thy mouth, and thou shalt speak, and Ivalice shall hear.”
¹⁶“Fear not, neither be dismayed, for I am with thee. What I command thee, that shalt thou declare; and what I reveal unto thee, that shalt thou make known.”
¹⁷“Say unto the people: ‘The Saviour cometh. He that is the Redeemer draweth nigh. Turn ye therefore from thy wickedness, and make ready the way of the Lord.’”
¹⁸Then Phara bowed his head and said, “Be it done unto me according to Thy word, O Lord. Lo, I am Thy servant.”
¹⁹And the light departed, and the voice was heard no more. But the spirit of the Lord remained upon Phara, and a great fire was kindled in his soul.
²⁰And he rose up early in the morning, and committed his sheep unto the care of his kinsman, and he girded himself, and went whither the Lord should lead him.
²¹And as he journeyed, he spake unto none, but meditated upon the vision he had seen and the word he had heard.
²²And the Lord walked with him in silence, and strengthened his heart.
²³Then said the Lord unto him in the quiet of the valley, “Phara, My servant, I have anointed thee. Thou shalt be as a voice crying in the wilderness. And many shall not hearken, yet some shall turn and be saved.”
²⁴“Speak thou therefore boldly. Let not thy heart faint for fear of kings, neither for the wrath of the mighty. For I, the Lord, shall be thy defender and thy shield.”
²⁵So Phara came into the villages and the cities, and he lifted up his voice and cried aloud in the streets, saying, “Hearken, ye nations! The Saviour of the world cometh. The Son of the Most High shall appear, and He shall redeem His people.”
²⁶“He shall save Ivalice from its sorrow, and still the storm of wickedness. He shall gather the scattered, and make straight the paths of the just.”
²⁷And many mocked him, saying, “Who is this that speaketh such things? Is he not a madman?”
²⁸Yet others were pricked in their hearts, and said one to another, “Peradventure this is the prophet of whom the fathers spake.”
²⁹And Phara said unto them, “I am not He that is to come, but a servant sent before His face. I prepare the way for the Holy One.”
³⁰“Make ye ready, for the day is at hand. Let the crooked be made straight, and the rough places plain. Let every heart be cleansed, and every soul be made low before the King of Glory.”
³¹And he went on from city to city, from the hill-country to the coast, proclaiming the word of the Lord with boldness and tears.
³²And though many turned away their faces, the word began to take root in some, and a stirring arose among the lowly and those that mourned for the state of the world.
³³Then came the Lord unto Phara by night, saying, “Well done, thou faithful servant. For thou hast obeyed My voice and hast not turned back.”
³⁴“But know this: the day shall come when they shall lay hands upon thee, and thou shalt bear witness even unto death.”
³⁵And Phara answered, “Let Thy will be done, O Lord. For better is one day in Thy courts than a thousand elsewhere. Though I die, yet shall I declare Thy truth unto the end.”
³⁶And the Lord was well pleased, and His Spirit departed not from Phara, but abode with him all the days of his testimony.

▷THE SEVEN SCRIPTURES OF THE CHURCH OF GLABADOS
    ▷THE GREAT PROPHECIES
        ▷THE GREAT PROPHECY OF SALVATION
            ▶1—2—3—4

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