The Tribes of Israel Reconsidered, The new way into the New Jerusalem - the way of Dan

by Rev. Michaël Merle

In Chapter 21 of The Revelation to John (The Book of the Apocalypse: Revelation) we read part of the description of the New Jerusalem, a picture of a mighty vision experienced by John in the Spiritual World: “The city has a great and high wall and twelve gates. And on the gates twelve angels, and names were written on them: the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel.” (verse 12)

This year we hope to uncover an understanding of the twelve ways in which we can enter the New Jerusalem.

The way of Dan
The name Dan means “to judge”. The process of discernment, of judgment is a key characteristic of the human being. Animals can through instinct evaluate a situation, but only the human being can weigh up all the known factors and attribute genuine feeling for what is and is not significant and arrive at an independent judgment. This insight into how to judge in such a way that objective justice is expressed out of subjective discernment is the path of Dan, the fifth son of Israel. Objective justice is at the heart of any civilisation.
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The symbol used for Dan is most commonly the scales. This instrument connects Dan to the mighty spiritual reality at work in the constellation of Libra: the heavenly judgment of the Archai Michael. Dan is also at times depicted as a horned snake. This refers to Israel’s (Jacob’s) assessment of his fifth son. The serpent was seen as the most calculating and conscious of God’s creatures (and hence often the symbol of deception and trickery – as seen in the story in the Garden of Eden). A horned serpent is one that has visible the organs of perception (horns) to ensure that the calculations and discernments are fair, true, just and in line with the intentions and mission of the Spiritual World.