Comes the Word of Yahweh in Parables
Prophecy for Today

Comes the Word of Yahweh to Mahani

Thus comes the Word of Yahweh to Mahani¹, saying, “Ben-Adam², sit and write!”

And Mahani answers Yahweh with these words, saying, “What shall I write, for I am yet unlearned and have not yet come of age before men? What shall I write, and what are the words that I should inscribe?”

And the Word of Yahweh comes to Mahani, saying, “Ben-Adam, what do you see before you?”

And Mahani looks, and behold, he sees people yearning to drink. They wander aimlessly in want of water to replenish their souls. They see many selling wares of many kinds, but water is not to be found in the marketplace.

And Mahani answers Yahweh, saying, “I see a people dying of thirst in a land where there is water in plenty. They know not where to find it, neither what they seek. And the ones who have water do not see the thirst of the people, for they live apart from them and are deaf to their cries of thirst.” And still comes the Word of Yahweh to Mahani, saying, “Arise, fill a jar with water, pure water from the streams of Zion and take it to the marketplace. Offer it there at no price to those who cry out in thirst.”

So Mahani arises and does according as Yahweh speaks. He takes a jar and fills it to the brim with pure water from the streams of Zion and carries it to the marketplace and offers it at no price to the thirsty who cry out in their thirst, but they will not drink. Mahani implores with them to take the water at no price, but they refuse.

Comes again the Word of Yahweh to Mahani, saying, “Ben-Adam, take the dust of the marketplace and put it into the jar. Make thick mud from the crystal clear water and offer it at a price, lest the people perish from thirst.”

So Mahani takes the dust of the marketplace that is trampled underfoot and mixes it into the clear water from the streams of Zion and offers it at a price, and they take it and drink greedily until it is all gone. And Mahani cries out to the people, saying, “Why will you drink only filth when pure water is offered for free?” But they answer him not, for they do not understand his words, nor did they know what water is, and they are afraid of that which is free.

And comes the Word of Yahweh to Mahani again, saying, “Ben-Adam, write, for these words are faithful and true.”

So Mahani sits down to write, and these are the words that are spoken for him to write: “Though I send waters from the heavens to refresh the earth and cleanse the filth from among you, you do not stop to drink, neither do you bathe that you might be cleansed. Your buying and selling and building of riches robs you of the water you need to quench your thirst. I grant you freely what your souls desire, but you will not, for your senses are clouded in your greed. Your desire for wealth robs you of that which would give you the happiness and joy you will never taste. Filth you swallow, gladly paying its high price. Leave behind your marketplace with its cares and filth and thirst that is never quenched! Come and drink water that is pure and free, that you might rejoice in the gifts I have granted in grace!”

They take the parchment on which Mahani writes the Words of Yahweh. They take it to drink the ink off its surface, but the words they do not heed, neither do they quench their thirst.

Thus is the Word of Yahweh come to Mahani, the seer.

¹ Mahani: "Who am I?"

² Ben-Adam: "Son of Man."

—©Copyright 2005 Christopher B. Harbin