Now we continue with the Lefāfa Ṣedeḳ! Please refer to post 1 if haven’t already.
Section three starts “In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, One God” and follows with a prayer concerning the carry of the deceased. It is as follows:
DEKÂS BATRÔN KÛGÛYÂ, GÂNÔN, KÂWES KÎREL
This prayer is to be recited on the last day of the funeral of an individual. The text shifts to what will be said on the day of judgment. It has prayers that re-enforces Christians’ beliefs in Christ as the son, and the trinity as a whole. It also mentions the anti-Christ and states that who believes in the son of Satan will be condemned to punishment in the place of torment. The servants WALDA and STEPHEN are mentioned as they are given instructions on the prayers to say. The archangel Michael makes an appearance in the text and speaks to God. Michael asks, “What now is this noise of thunder which I hear?” God replies, “It is that which cometh from the place of torment, which is the habitation of sinners, and of those who have not performed the Will of My Father; it arises through the destruction of the souls of those who have treated His word with contempt.” God proceeds to explain that whoever wears this book (Lefāfa Ṣedeḳ) around their neck will never see Gehenna, and on that day the sun will never set, light will never be extinguished, the sound of their reward shall never be silenced and praised of His kingdom will never be rooted out.
There were other angels there and they asked, “Recite to us Thy Name, so that we may praise Thee, and sin hymns unto Thee.” God responded with:
“If there be a man who hath placed his confidence in these names, and who hath performed a ceremony of commemoration of me, I will show him mercy and will save him from this devouring fire, and the worm that never sleep, and the fire which is never extinguished, and the smoke which never die down.”
God told Michael that any one who has performed a ceremony of commemoration of me (God), put their trust in me and wear this book around their neck or kept it in their house and have firm faith in his prayer, that the torment of hell will not become onto them. The book was sealed by the trinity and could only be opened by the twenty four priests of heaven (refer to Revelation 4:10) and the four Evangelists. The four Evangelists took the book, opened the seal (that didn’t take long!) and read it out aloud so that the angels might hear. You will notice a pattern of “seven” appearing in the following portion:
And straightway the angels took seven trumpets and blew blasts on them. And they took seven vessels and poured them out on the face of the earth so that the children of good and righteous folk might be sanctified, and that they might be free of the heavens and the earth, and the Seven Gates, and the Seven Luminarites (or Regions of Light), and the Seven Bearers of the Throne of God. By this His Awful Name was made known to the Prophets and to the Apostles, in the places where they were, and in the Holy Mountain. On the sixteenth day of the month of Maskaram (September), at the sanctification of her body in purity through the honorable Cross of CHRIST, and the tomb of our Lord JESUS CHRIST. He made mercy to appear on us, according to His holy word. And He declared unto His saints, with honorable…, the Word of God.
The servant WALDA MICHAEL is given seven holy names for ascension. They are:
The second group of divine names are those who are “keepers of the soul and the gates thereof”. These names will also save one from the consuming fires of Gehenna.
We now have yet more divine names! This section is full of them. These names are given to the servant STEPHEN for refuge:
The five nails of the cross are recited (SÂDÔR ‘ALÂDÔR DÂNÂT ‘ADÊRÂ RÔDÂS) and the section ends.
Section four brings Mother Mary back into the story. She asks her son “Tell me which is the greatest of all these names of thine.” Jesus responds, “I will tell thee these my Names which, though difficult for the hearing, and are hidden from the sight, are beneficial to him that is able to bear them and to keep them safely.” Mary again asks him for the secret names. Jesus obliges but states these names are not to be given to the unfaithful and foolish, as they are not to be held lightly. Mary agrees to these conditions. Jesus proclaims he will give her the names and at once, he stands on a pillar of cloud and fire! Rather than typing all these out, here are pics of the text:
Thus concludes blog post 2 of 3. The other four sections are not quite as long, but they do feature a LOT more divine names!
Featured artwork is 17th century Ethiopian iconography of the Virgin Mary in heaven.
bP
Culmination of Wisdom 