David reigned in Hebron (unity, fellowship, harmony) for seven years, during which, time he organized into one harmonious state all the various clans of the southern district, and became renowned as a leader par excellence throughout the length and breadth of Palestine, the one man obviously able to lead the Israelites to victory over the Philistines, as Abner pointed out to them.
The first essential of true spiritual progress is the demonstration of fellowship. David's masterly leadership in southern Palestine proved him an adept in this particular work, and he was now ready to be crowned king of all Israel and Judah in Jerusalem, the city of peace, having realized within himself the great peace passing all understanding, attained only by the few who reach this High Place of self-mastery with its concomitant powers of spiritual intelligence (Israel) and love (Judah).
Eight sons were born to David after be became king in Jerusalem (II Samuel 5:14-15). They were:
Marriages and births, as stated many times before, refer to particular experiences, attainments or attributes of the human soul on the way of Initiation. The names of children are a soul index of attainment. Eight represents an increase of esoteric wisdom. A further development is shown in the following incident.
No one may enter the Holy City so long as within himself there are the lame or the blind. The faculties of the spirit must be alive and alert. The organs of the body, some of which are now dormant awaiting spiritual revivification, must be functioning harmoniously and rhythmically; this is a high requirement and few attain it. David possessed the necessary qualifications and so passed this test successfully: "Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion: the same is the City of David."
Jerusalem is the very heart of the Earth planet, esoterically speaking, which is to say, according to the spiritual vision; a spot chosen and consecrated by wise men since the beginnings of civilization, under the guidance of great angelic Leaders. It was here that Melchizedek, the Mystery Priest, one of the most exalted of the White Brotherhood d One who brought the sacred Wisdom truths from Atlantis before its Cal inundation, worked and taught. It was here in this sacred area which he called Salem, the city of Peace, that he instituted in the Initiation of Abraham, the first observance of the Mysteries which were to culminate in the Lord's Supper, the Feast of Bread and Wine.
It was here upon the lofty eminence which was later to become the site for Solomon's great Temple that Abraham passed his supreme testing, that of the Rite of Detachment (the sacrifice of Isaac). Later this holy spot passed into the hands of the Jebusites. They called it the City of Jebu and instituted here a Temple cult devoted to Astarte. About 1000 B.C. David was inspired after becoming king of both Judah and Israel to make this city his capital. He named it the city of David.
Built upon a high mountain, the center at all times of a mighty, cosmic power of inflow and outflow, Jerusalem, the heart center of the Earth, the home of the sons of Judah (Leo), has become for all time the "city of the King."
Jerusalem was the center of the early Christian Mysteries for which the work of David and the Temple of Solomon were a preparation. Jerusalem will again be the center of the Christian Mysteries in preparation for the Second Coming.
This holy place was the Mecca of the Initiates of both Old and New Testament times. It was the scene of activity for all of the biblical prophets excepting Amos and Hosea. Within the environs of its high inspiration most of the books of the Old Testament were conceived, if not actually written.
It was the scene of a large part of the work of the Master and His immediate students or disciples, many of whom lived during their training in communities located near places of particularly high vibration such as the Mount of Olives, where David passed one of his tests of regeneration. This was the potently charged Earth area where the Death and Resurrection occurred. Christ Jesus proved many times that He knew the efficacy of the city's vibration relative to the spiritual development of His followers. Thus in Luke 18, verse 31, we read, "Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished."
St. Augustine, writing in the third century, says, "We ascend thy ways that be in our hearts and sing a song of degrees; we glow inwardly with thy fire, with thy good fire, as we go, because we go upwards to the peace of Jerusalem."
When David was anointed king over Israel this was his third anointing. The first took place in Bethlehem, the second at Hebron and the third in Jerusalem. These anointings represent the attainment of three steps or degrees in the Mysteries and correlate in Masonry with the Three Blue Lodge Degrees which are 3 x 3 or 9.
— Corinne Heline
