Neville Goddard Lectures: “The Pattern Of Scripture Is Real”

30 May Neville Goddard Lectures: “The Pattern Of Scripture Is Real”

Neville Goddard – 06-08-1970

Paul tells us that whatever was written in former times was written for our instruction. When he speaks of things “written in former time,” he means only the Old Testament. He quotes no other book. He doesn’t quote Plato, the Vedas, Upanishads, or any ancient book, – only the Old Testament; and he tells us that they were written – these books – for our instruction. He tells us they were all brought to fulfillment; that all the promises of God found their “yes” – their fulfillment in Him, meaning in the Lord Jesus Christ. He identifies the Lord Jesus Christ with God Himself.

Now he tells us that this is our hope. This whole picture of the past is man’s hope because God has completed His plan of salvation. What he is really telling us is that our brain1 actually backs up against Infinity, and Infinity unfolds itself creatively in us.

We cannot fail, for the whole drama is over, and our brain simply backs up against Infinity. So, we can only become what God already is. That is the story to us. It is God’s pledge to Himself; that God became man, that man may become God. We are actually backed up against Infinity – our brain; and the drama takes place, may I tell you? in the brain of man.

Now he tells us in his Letter to Timothy to keep this pattern that he has given to the world – keep it in a faithful manner, and do not depart from this pattern. He doesn’t spell it out completely, but he calls it the pattern of “the true word which you have heard from me” [2 Timothy 1:13], – that which was entrusted to you by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, – do not depart from this pattern of the true words which you heard from me.

Now the book is like this: I give you a map, and you can read a map, and you tell me where I would like to go on the map. The Old Testament is just like a map, but in this respect it differs: you tell me where I ought to go, based upon your ability to read a map. He could read the Old Testament; and when he found a pattern in the Old Testament, and the pattern that he found was this – the pattern as described in the Gospel, the story of Jesus Christ, – and how different was this pattern when experienced from the pattern that some one would point out for you!

How different the cubic reality of this room from any artist’s depiction of it. Give an artist a piece of paper or give him a piece of canvas, and he can depict it beautifully; but how different is the cubic reality of this room when I am in it from any depiction of this room by the greatest artist in the world! So, they give me a pattern. He is telling us that when you experience the pattern that I’ve given you, you will know it unfolds in you as God. There is nothing but God in the world! Think of your home that you know far better than you know this room, and yet this room at this moment is more real to you than your home. The pattern of Scripture is real. It’s perfectly real, but it will become all the more real when you actually experience Scripture.

Now he is telling us of the experienced Scripture, for he experienced the Lord Jesus Christ as himself. He tells us, Jesus Christ dwells in us. “Do you not realize that the Lord Jesus Christ is in you?”

Well, the average person, if he is honest with himself, he does not know that Jesus Christ is in him. The pattern is in him, because we are backed up against Infinity; and Infinity only unfolds itself in us. Therefore we cannot become at any one moment in time other than what God already is! He has already played the part. The thing is over. But the awakening in us is not over. So, he warns Timothy that those who teach that the Resurrection is over and past are misleading the people. It has happened, yes; but it is not past. It is taking place in man.