Michael's Victory and the Coming Battle with Mammon

GA 266I — 18 October 1907, Berlin

Esoteric Lesson

Record A

In November 1879, victory was won on the astral plane. Michael defeated the spirit of obstacles, Mammon. The battle must still be fought in the physical realm. Michael will continue to fight the spirit of darkness for another four hundred years. We, the students of the E. S., are called upon to spread light and spiritual life during this period. Dr. Steiner has been commissioned by the Master of the White Lodge to proclaim this to us. Mammon, the spirit of obstacles and darkness, has countless helpers, many of whom are embodied in bacteria and germs. The fear of bacilli and their combating by doctors is entirely justified.

Michael draws his strength from the sun.

Gabriel prepared the way for Michael. He draws his strength from the moon.

Oriphiel draws his strength from Saturn. He ruled the earth at the time of the emergence of Christianity and until about 109 years thereafter.

Anael draws his strength from Venus. He ruled the world until about the time of Constantine the Great. Great devotion prevailed under him. Martyrs and catacombs.

Zachariel draws his power from Jupiter. His power began at the time of the migration of peoples. Dissolution of the Visigothic Empire.

[Raphael: Mercury]

Samael draws his power from Mars, so to speak, warlike religiosity, crusades, etc.

After the age of Michael, under which the current spiritual life prevails, an age of Oriphiel begins again. Esotericists must acquire knowledge of occult facts.

Oriphiel: the decisive battle. Mammon spirits embodied in microbes. Study is necessary.

Record B

Oriphiel draws his power from Saturn: he ruled at the time of the emergence of Christianity until about 109 AD.

Anael draws his power from Venus: he ruled until about the time of Constantine the Great in the fifth century. Under him, great devotion developed (see the martyrs, life in the catacombs).

Zachariel draws his powers from Jupiter; his power began at the time of the migration of peoples. The dissolution of the Visigothic Empire took place under Zachariel.

Samael draws his power from Mars. Under him, a warlike religiosity developed, along with crusades and so on.

Michael draws his power from the sun, just as Gabriel, who preceded Michael, who reigns today, drew his power from the moon. After Michael's reign, the reign of Oriphiel will follow again. Esotericists must acquire knowledge of these facts.

In November 1879, Michael won the victory over Mammon on the astral plane. Mammon, the spirit of obstacles, who was defeated in the spiritual realm, must now also be overcome on Earth. We must help in this. Michael, who reigns for about 400 years, will be replaced by Oriphiel. Then a terrible battle will break out. In order to help the forces of good to victory, the present theosophists will be developed into Michael's helpers. Mammon has millions of spirits as helpers. They are embodied in microbes and bacilli; the fear of them is very well founded. It is no coincidence that bacilli are now being researched and investigated so much. When Oriphiel is overcome, there will be peace. How soon this will happen depends on us, the helpers. Study is just as necessary as practice. We must study and practice in order to prepare ourselves for the battle. A single meditation often has more effect than many deeds in the world that appear very great on the outside. Those who cannot study much should study what little they can seriously.

It is a sin to resist spiritual wisdom.

Record C

Oriphiel - Saturn: He derives his powers from Saturn. Before and after the century from Golgotha to 109 AD, he is the spirit of darkness.

Anael (Ananiel) - Venus: Time of the martyrs, Constantine the Great.

Zachariel - Jupiter: Time of the migration of peoples, dissolution of the Gothic Empire.

Samael - Mars: Time of the Crusades and strong, powerful Germanic race; warlike religiosity.

Gabriel - Moon: until 1879

Michael - Sun: 1879-2300. Mammon is overcome by Michael.

Oriphiel - then the decisive battle.

In November 1879, the god Mammon was overcome by Michael on the astral plane. This battle still has to be fought out in the physical world. Mammon is partly embodied in germs. He has countless helpers, all perversities and vices come from him. It is a sin against the Holy Spirit to resist spiritual wisdom. It wants to flow into humanity. The organ for its work in the forehead was formed at the time of Gabriel, it is now there and wants to be used. This higher knowledge is to come into the world under Michael's rule (for 400 years). If Gabriel's rule had lasted longer, this organ would not have been able to receive any content, and it would have continued to proliferate, developing into arabesques, and ultimately leading to brain softening in humanity. But if no spiritual content is now introduced, this organ will wither and become a source of disease, even of epidemics. Effect of Gabriel: building up from within; of Michael: radiating from without.

Work on this organ is already secretly underway in the womb. Gabriel is the angel of secrets. Under Michael, the secrets are revealed.

In addition to these influences, however, the earth is also subject to the forces of the planets in other ways. Apart from the spiritual influence of Michael's sun force, the earth is now under the influence of the forces of Saturn. These forces act on the sense organs. Hence the present preference for everything that appeals to the senses. Oriphiel is also at work here. When these two forces come together in the near future, times will become much worse than they are today. The sensual will increasingly come to the fore. We are called upon to fight against this under Michael's influence. It is our task as Michael's disciples to develop spiritually and use this organ.

This is the esoteric mission that must be fulfilled. Esotericism loosens the bodies from one another.

After the Michaelic age comes the age of Oriphiel. This will be an evil, terrible age in which all the terrible forces of egoism, harshness, brutality, and lovelessness will be unleashed. The small group of spiritualized souls has the task of infusing pure truth, love, and goodness into this terrible age, thereby purifying it and advancing the world toward the sixth day of creation, whose dawn we are now approaching.

Seaweed contains large amounts of iodine, which has a specific role in the development of humanity. It caused the two parts of the human being, especially in the head, to unite in humans who used to live in a watery atmosphere and whose etheric body was not yet so firmly connected to the physical body. This iodine is concentrated in the thyroid gland. As soon as this is out of order, cretinism sets in. In cretins, the occultist sees that the etheric head has not completely entered the physical head.