The Urantia Book; Paper 136, Section 5

The First Great Decision



136:5.1On the third day after beginning this conference with himselfand his Personalized Adjuster, Jesus was presented with the vision of theassembled celestial hosts of Nebadon sent by their commanders to wait uponthe will of their beloved Sovereign. This mighty host embraced twelve legions of seraphim and proportionatenumbers of every order of universe intelligence. And the first great decisionof Jesus' isolation had to do with whether or not he would make use ofthese mighty personalities in connection with the ensuing program of hispublic work on Urantia.

136:5.2 Jesus decidedthat he would not utilize a single personality of this vast assemblageunless it should become evident that this was his Father's will.Notwithstanding this general decision, this vast host remained with himthroughout the balance of his earth life, always in readiness to obey theleast expression of their Sovereign's will. Although Jesus did not constantlybehold these attendant personalities with his human eyes, his associatedPersonalized Adjuster did constantly behold, and could communicate with,all of them.

136:5.3 Beforecoming down from the forty days' retreat in the hills, Jesus assigned theimmediate command of this attendant host of universe personalities to hisrecently Personalized Adjuster, and for more than four years of Urantiatime did these selected personalities from every division of universe intelligencesobediently andrespectfully function under the wise guidance of this exaltedand experienced Personalized Mystery Monitor. In assuming command of thismighty assembly, the Adjuster, being a onetime part and essence of theParadise Father, assured Jesus that in no case would these superhuman agenciesbe permitted to serve, or manifest themselves in connection with, or inbehalf of, his earth career unless it should develop that the Father willedsuch intervention. Thus by one great decision Jesus voluntarily deprivedhimself of all superhuman co-operation in all matters having to do withthe remainder of his mortal career unless the Father might independentlychoose to participate in some certain act or episode of the Son's earthlabors.

136:5.4 In acceptingthis command of the universe hosts in attendance upon Christ Michael, thePersonalized Adjuster took great pains to point out to Jesus that, whilesuch an assembly of universe creatures could be limited in their spaceactivities by the delegated authority of their Creator, such limitationswere not operative in connection with their function in time. Andthis limitation was dependent on the fact that Adjusters are nontime beingswhen once they are personalized. Accordingly was Jesus admonished that,while the Adjuster's control of the living intelligences placed under hiscommand would be complete and perfect as to all matters involving space,there could be no such perfect limitations imposed regarding time.Said the Adjuster: "I will, as you have directed, enjoin the employmentof this attendant host of universe intelligences in any manner in connectionwith your earth career except in those cases where the Paradise Fatherdirects me to release such agencies in order that his divine will of yourchoosing may be accomplished, and in those instances where you may engagein any choice or act of your divine-human will which shall only involvedepartures from the natural earth order as to time. In all suchevents I am powerless, and your creatures here assembled in perfectionand unity of power are likewise helpless. If your united natures once entertainsuch desires, these mandates of your choice will be forthwith executed.Your wish in all such matters will constitute the abridgment of time, andthe thing projected is existent. Under my command this constitutesthe fullest possible limitation which can be imposed upon your potentialsovereignty. In my self-consciousness time is nonexistent, and thereforeI cannot limit your creatures in anything related thereto."

136:5.5 Thusdid Jesus become apprised of the working out of his decision to go on livingas a man among men. He had by a single decision excluded all of his attendantuniverse hosts of varied intelligences from participating in his ensuingpublic ministry except in such matters as concerned time only. Ittherefore becomes evident that any possible supernatural or supposedlysuperhuman accompaniments of Jesus' ministry pertained wholly to the eliminationof time unless the Father in heaven specifically ruled otherwise. No miracle,ministry of mercy, or any other possible event occurring in connectionwith Jesus' remaining earth labors could possibly be of the nature or characterof an act transcending the natural laws established and regularly workingin the affairs of man as he lives on Urantia except in thisexpresslystated matter of time. No limits, of course, could be placed uponthe manifestations of "the Father's will." The elimination oftime in connection with the expressed desire of this potential Sovereignof a universe could only be avoided by the direct and explicit act of thewill of this God-man to the effect that time, as related to theact or event in question, should not be shortened or eliminated.In order to prevent the appearance of apparent time miracles, itwas necessary for Jesus to remain constantly time conscious. Any lapseof time consciousness on his part, in connection with the entertainmentof definite desire, was equivalent to the enactment of the thing conceivedin the mind of this Creator Son, and without the intervention of time.

136:5.6 Throughthe supervising control of his associated and Personalized Adjuster itwas possible for Michael perfectly to limit his personal earth activitieswith reference to space, but it was not possible for the Son of Man thusto limit his new earth status as potential Sovereign of Nebadon as regardstime. And this was the actual status of Jesus of Nazareth as hewent forth to begin his public ministry on Urantia.


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