Neville Goddard on John 2:19

Executive Summary

In Neville Goddard's teachings, the scripture John 2:19, which speaks of raising a temple in three days, is not interpreted literally. Instead, it serves as a key example of a principle concerning a specific time interval for the realization of a desire. He points to this verse, alongside others like Joshua 1:11, to illustrate that a period of 'three days' is consistently associated in scripture with the fulfillment of a promise after a state of consciousness has been successfully assumed.

Key Concepts

• The Three-Day Interval: Neville identifies a recurring 'three day' time interval in the Bible, which he considers the maximum period mentioned for a desire to be realized after the proper mental work is done.
• Mental Saturation: The condition for fulfillment within this interval is to completely saturate the mind with the feeling of the wish fulfilled. This involves feasting on the sensation of being the person you want to be, morning, noon, and night.
• A Scriptural Promise: John 2:19 is presented as a promise. If one can successfully assume and maintain the feeling of their desire as an accomplished fact, its realization is promised within this symbolic period.

Detailed Explanation

Neville Goddard uses the verse John 2:19, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it Up," to illustrate a principle about the timing of fulfilled desire. He notes that after scouring the Bible, he could not find a promised time interval longer than three days for a new state to become reality.

This verse is paired with Joshua 1:11, which also mentions a three-day period before possessing the promised land. By linking these passages, Neville establishes a pattern: the 'three days' represent a symbolic duration required for a subjective assumption to objectify as fact. The core of this teaching is not about the literal events in the scripture, but about the psychological law they reveal.

The process is one of complete mental and emotional immersion. An individual must mentally see and feel themselves as being what they desire to be. This is not a passing thought but a continuous 'feasting' upon the sensation of fulfillment. By completely saturating the mind with this new state and walking in the assumption that it is already a fact, one aligns with the promise exemplified by the three-day interval.

Important Quotes

"Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it Up." John 2:19

— Thinking Fourth-Dimensionally

"Prepare you victuals; for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the Lord your God giveth you to possess it." Joshua 1:11

— Thinking Fourth-Dimensionally

If I could completely saturate my mind with one sensation and walk as though it were already a fact, I am promised (and I cannot find any

— How To Manifest Your Desires

Related Concepts

• Law of Assumption: The entire principle hinges on the ability to 'walk as though it were already a fact,' which is the core of the Law of Assumption.
• Wish Fulfilled: The technique requires generating the 'sensation' and 'feeling' of being that which you want to be, which is the state of the wish fulfilled.
• Consciousness: The goal is to 'saturate' one's mind, which means to change one's consciousness to embody a new state. The 'temple' that is 'raised' is this new state of consciousness made visible.
• Desire: The process begins with identifying 'that which you want to be,' which is your desire.

Common Misunderstandings

Based on this material, the verse is not about a literal, historical event. Its significance lies in the psychological principle it reveals. The focus is not on an external power but on the individual's ability to 'raise' a new state of being within themselves by saturating their own consciousness with a specific feeling.

Practical Applications

The practical application is to identify your desire—that which you want to be—and then to mentally and emotionally inhabit that reality. You must 'mentally see and feel' yourself as already being that person. This is not a one-time act, but a sustained state where you 'feast upon that sensation morning, noon, and night.' The goal is to so completely saturate your mind with this feeling that you begin to walk and act as though your desire were already a concrete fact.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the significance of 'three days' in John 2:19 according to Neville?

It represents a recurring time interval found in scripture that is associated with the promise of realizing a desire after one has successfully saturated their mind with the feeling of it being fulfilled.

How does Neville connect John 2:19 to Joshua 1:11?

He presents both verses as scriptural evidence of the same 'three day' principle, where a promise is fulfilled within that interval after a period of mental preparation and assumption.

What does it mean to 'saturate the mind'?

It means to completely fill your consciousness with the single sensation of your wish being fulfilled, feasting on this feeling morning, noon, and night until it feels like a natural and present fact.