© 1977 Carolyn Kendall
© 1977 The Urantia Book Fellowship (formerly Urantia Brotherhood)
There is a divine plan for every revelation. Revelators come to earth on missions, and for purposes, but there is an overriding plan, an ordained way, of carrying out these missions of new truth. What is the divine plan for “our” revelation?
We may be assured that the divine plan that was operative for Caligastia, Adam, Machiventa, and Jesus is again in effect for us. This encompassing plan for planets, revelators, and mortals might be thus stated:
Planetary evolution is established. It is upstepped by periodic revelation which is imparted by evolutionary techniques that are built upon existing foundations, and allowed to develop naturally.
Usually there is a pattern of growth with successive revelations, but as we know, the effect of the first and second epochal visitations was virtually wiped out. Progress ran solely along evolutionary lines until Machiventa Melchizedek came on an emergency mission to keep the truth of the one God alive on earth. He did not attempt to remediate the purposes of the aborted missions of the planetary prince and Material Son. Strange as it might seem to many, Jesus didn’t either. His supreme purpose was to further enhance the revelation of God the Father.
Certain features of the first two revelatory missions — direction of the rehabilitation of human society — require administration greater than such transient visitors as emergency and bestowal Sons can give. Rather than busying themselves with political, cultural, and racial matters, Machiventa and Jesus demonstrated the truth that, “The only technique for accelerating the natural trend of social evolution is that of applying spiritual pressure from above …” (UB 52:6.7) The world-wide brotherhood of man does not arise naturally on an isolated world without the aid of the revelation of the Fatherhood of God.
We detect Michael’s hand behind the advent of The URANTIA Book. We are intrigued to learn that the world of terminal bestowal of a Master Son comes under special consideration. He may “… make and carry out plans…” of his own choosing if the need is great. (UB 21:5.9) He may even vary the order of evolutionary adjustment.
The URANTIA Book is unique and complex. It is five revelations rolled into one, and it has the characteristic of permanence. A level of universe truth is revealed which is not ordinarily imparted to planets of our retarded state of development. And for the first time in 500,000 years, since the Planetary Prince first tried his hand at uplifting the mores, we have a guidebook outlining the causes and remedies of temporal difficulties. This is where the risk is greatest for our Grand Experiment. Here is where the divine plans play their crucial role.
We would do well to heed these wise advices: “The present social order is not necessarily right …” (UB 69:9.18), but “No great social or economic change should be attempted suddenly. … Only moral and spiritual adjustments can be made on the spur of the moment …” (UB 81:6.40) However, “Man is an evolutionary creature and … must get his religion by evolutionary techniques.” (UB 92:6.19) Jesus knew it was futile to try to speed up the “… natural, slow, and sure way of accomplishing the divine purpose.” (UB 136:8.5) We will never “…gain anything by impatiently attempting to circumvent the established and divine plan by short cuts [or] personal inventions…” (UB 75:8.5)
The process of relating ourselves to the divine plan consists in sincerely trying to relate ourselves to the Father’s will.
—Carolyn Kendall