In “Divine Signs,” Neville Goddard reinterprets biblical narratives as allegorical states of consciousness rather than historical events. He explains that figures like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Jesus represent facets of divine imagination and creative power within each individual. Drawing on Paul’s vision, he illustrates the concept of a spiritual birth that transcends physical lineage and brings about an inner transformation. God manifests protean signs to guide and fertilize the plan of salvation buried in human imagination. Through dreams and meditative visions, individuals can discern symbolic meanings and assume desired inner states. Neville emphasizes the transformative practice of assuming the feeling of the fulfilled desire and persisting in that faith until imagination hardens into reality.
Those raised in the Christian or Jewish faith are taught to believe that scripture is secular history. But I know that the story of Jesus, from his conception by the Holy Spirit to his ascension into heaven, is a sign rendered by God to those who will receive it.
The visions of the Old and New Testament are unchanged, eternal realities, which are forever. One day you will encounter what appears on paper to be a person, but he will be a state of consciousness, personified.
When Paul recognised this truth he said: “From now on I regard no one from a human point of view. Even though I once regarded Christ from a human point of view, I regard him thus no longer.” After the revelation Paul realised that Jesus Christ was the creative power and wisdom of God, and not a person as he had been taught. But because God became Man that Man may become God, every attribute of God – whether it be faith, called Abraham, or the power and wisdom of God, called Jesus Christ – was personified.
Although addressing the Corinthians, Paul was speaking of the characters in scripture when he said: “From now on I regard no one from the human point of view.” No longer able to think of Abraham as a person (as you are a person) Paul tells this story: “It is written in scripture that Abraham had two sons. One born of a slave according to the flesh, and the other born according to the promise.” Here Paul is telling you that by your physical birth you are that one born according to the flesh. But Abraham’s second son is born of a free woman, born according to the promise.
Then Paul explains the allegory of the two sons, telling us that Hagar – a servant of Sarah – was given over to Abraham, who sired the child Ishmael (meaning, “His hand is against every man, and every man’s hand is against him”). Isn’t that this world? As an offspring of the slave, Hagar, we struggle to make a living, to pay rent and taxes, always trying to keep ourselves above the flood of illusion.
But after the vision Paul realised that there is another birth, which takes place within. Called Isaac, that second son comes from Sarah, for he is born according to the promise. This is all symbolism, for when your spiritual birth occurs a child wrapped in swaddling clothes will appear to symbolise your birth. There are two distinct births from two distinct beings. One from the womb of woman (Hagar) and the other from the skull of generic man, called Sarah. Having seen the vision and, understanding its message, Paul no longer thought of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob – or any character of scripture, including Jesus Christ – as human. Even though he formerly thought of them that way and heard their story as secular history, he regarded them thus no longer.
In his 3rd chapter to the Ephesians, Paul makes this statement: “When you read the Old Testament, you will perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to men in other generations, but is now revealed to his holy apostles and prophets through the Spirit.” It was not known prior to its revelation in Paul that the mystery of Christ comes from within!
In the same letter to the Ephesians, Paul speaks of himself and those with whom he shared the vision, saying: “It has been shown us the mystery of his will according to his purpose which he set forth as a plan in Christ, for the fullness of time.” To Paul, Christ – God’s power and wisdom – is a plan of redemption, which is crucified on humanity and will be raised from the dead.
I tell you now: he has made known unto me the sacred secret of his will according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time. And when that time is fulfilled, he who is buried in you will erupt and God’s purpose will be revealed.
The revelation of purpose gives everything meaning. You could have a million dollars and die tomorrow. Those who inherit your estate will give you lip service, but even after one generation the caring will cease and within three generations they will forget you. That is this world, but there is a plan buried in you which reveals God’s purpose and gives meaning to all life! When that plan is unveiled in you, you will know why you do what you do and dream what you dream. You will know why you have certain visions. You will realise that everything contains within itself a symbolic significance. I will show you in a very simple way.
Tonight you may dream that you have an intimate relationship with another. Upon awakening, ask yourself what the one you encountered represents to you, and a wonderful answer will come from the depth of your soul. You will discover that, on a certain level, they represent a glorious state.
For instance: I know a brilliant man who graduated from Yale at the age of 19 and remained there for many years to teach higher mathematics. As an American of many generations, he once said to me: “We should have only English speaking people in the world,” and he meant it. He was a very positive, brilliant person. If in dream you should see this man in a relationship, upon awakening you would realise he represents something positive, strong, and intellectual. Then watch, for whether one knows of the events or not, soon thereafter the one impregnated will be inspired to do something creative; for God is a creator who goes about creating, and you saw God’s creative act.
On this level you may think this is sordid, but that is because you do not know God’s symbolism. Speaking to everyone in the language of symbolism, that which the world may condemn is a glorious act of God.
God, being protean, plays all the parts. Wearing the garment of another, you see an act which could be a horrible one, based upon your concept of that individual. But if it is a lovely act, a glorious child – such as a poem, painting, or a design for a new home – will appear out of that union. That’s all the experience means; but man is so rooted in the flesh, he gives it a Caesar’s concept, which blinds him to God’s symbolism.
You may or may not believe me, but the story of Jesus – from his conception by the Holy Spirit to his ascension into heaven – is simply a sign rendered by God to those who will receive it.
I have fulfilled scripture. There are those who will accept my message, and those who will not. If you who believe my word and ever see me in vision in the creative act, it is because I am fertilising the story of the gospel in you. I am the father of that which is being fertilised.
I refer you, now to the 4th chapter of 1 Corinthians, where Paul speaks, saying: “You have unnumbered guides in Christ, but not many fathers. I became your father in Christ.”
This is a mystery. Unnumbered people will tell you about Christ, based upon theory and speculation but not from experience. The King James Version calls these men instructors. Paul is saying that although there are many instructors, after his experiences are accepted he sires them.
Paul shared his vision, saying: “When it pleased God to reveal his son in me, I conferred not with flesh and blood.” To whom could one turn after having experienced the vision of God’s son calling him father? How could anyone tell you anything about a vision you have had? God’s son revealed himself in me, and as I tell it I draw those who will believe me. Although they may not understand, they will modify their preconceived concepts of the Christian faith to conform to what I have experienced. The union will occur and that concept will unfold within them.
God, being protean, uses Neville (or anyone who has unfolded the pattern within himself) and wearing that mask he has union with one who has accepted the story of salvation. Then, having fertilised, it the pattern unfolds within him.
In 1929 1 had union with the Risen Lord, and 30 years later, in 1959, I was born from above. If the part you are predestined to play in the body of God calls for a shorter interval, your birth may happen sooner; but my part has been a complete unfoldment of scripture, and it has taken 30 years.
We are told that when Jesus began his ministry he was about thirty years of age. This does not mean thirty years after a physical birth, but thirty years after the spiritual union. When your spiritual birth will take place only the Father knows; but we are told in the Book of Habakkuk: “Every vision has its own appointed hour. It ripens, it will flower. If it be long, wait, for it is sure and it will not be late.”
Paul tells us there are eight levels of the body of God: the apostles, prophets, teachers, workers of miracles, and so on. If you are destined to play other than that of the apostle, then maybe the latent time between union and birth of that particular part is not the same.
There is no dream, no vision, without meaning, for God speaks to man through the medium of dream and unveils himself in a vision. What you experience in vision is right for that particular level of your being, but when it is reduced to this level the thought would be totally wrong. Man, having eaten of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, decides what is right and what is wrong, thereby descending into the mire of confusion. But when he turns around he discovers that nothing is either right or wrong. On a certain level it is right and on another level it is wrong. So learn to accept every level, and as you do you will ascend the tree of life to discover that every level – when viewed from there – is right when you know how to interpret it.
He has made known unto me the mystery of his sacred will according to his purpose, which he set forth as a plan in Christ for the fullness of time. I now know that Christ is not a person, and regard no scriptural character from the human point of view, but rather a state of consciousness personified. I once regarded Christ from the human point of view, but now I see him as the creative power of imagination and the wisdom of imagination, with a plan buried in that power.
I now know I am the cross God’s power wears as His plan of salvation has unfolded in me. He awoke and resurrected himself in me, and the entire story of Jesus Christ unfolded and revealed me as God the Father.
I have told you my experiences. If the world will not believe me it really doesn’t matter, for I will find my remnant – my ten per cent – who will believe my story in spite of what they formerly believed. In this audience there are those who, although they attend regularly, continue to bring their barriers with them and will not accept my story. Others, bringing their preconceived misconceptions of scripture with them, depart never to return.
A friend brought a lovely lady to the last lecture, at which time she told me she would take my theories under consideration. I told her they were not theories, that I speak from experience. Then she said: “But I am an ordained minister,” and I replied: “That means nothing to me. Have you had the vision of Christ? Did the one who ordained you have the vision of Christ? If not, it’s the blind leading the blind.”
” You can’t take my theories under consideration, only what I have experienced. If it does not fit your prefabricated misconception of scripture, all well and good, but I am sharing my visions, my experiences. They are all revelations, not theory.” She was very sweet, and left saying that this was her first lecture.
You don’t come for one time, and hear something so radically different from what you have been trained to believe and expect to swallow it hook, line, and sinker. I would ask my friend to loan her my book, Resurrection, and have her read the chapter on resurrection. It’s all documented.
I have referenced the Old Testament and – like Paul – ask you to keep my interpretation of the Old Testament in mind as you read my experiences. If so, you will find light coming from what you did not formerly understand, for the pattern has awakened in me. The New Testament is the fulfillment of the Old. It’s not the other way around. The pattern, the mystery of his will, remains sealed in the Old Testament until the fullness of time, when the seal is broken and individual man resurrects, fulfilling scripture.
If you test your creative power on this level, the statement: “Whatsoever you desire, believe you have received it and you will,” will no longer be a great theory given lip service, but will be known from experience. Believe you are the man (or woman) you want to be. Catch the feeling that you have already arrived. Look at your world from that assumption, knowing its truth.
Now, believe your assumption has its own appointed hour to flower. Persist in your belief and no power on earth can stop it from hardening into fact. This is Christianity!
There is no limit to your creative power. The most horrible problem will be resolved if you will but conceive a solution in your mind’s eye. Anyone can do it. It doesn’t take an Einstein to imagine a problem is resolved. Do not limit your creative power by determining the ways and means for it to come about, for imagination has at its disposal ways that are past finding out.
Do not be concerned as to how, when, or where – only the end. If you are in debt, what is the solution? That you win the lottery or an uncle dies and leaves you his fortune? No! The end is that you are debt-free. How would you feel if all of your bills were paid? Assume that feeling and let imagination harden that feeling into a fact!
Every problem has a solution. Imagine the solution and assume it is true. What would you see and do were it true? How would you feel? Persist in that feeling and in a way no one knows the solution will come to pass.
There is nothing impossible to God, and God is crucified on you as your own wonderful human imagination! There never was another and there never will be another God, and all things are possible to him. If you can imagine the end, knowing all things are possible to imagination and remain faithful to that assumption as though it were true, imagination will harden into fact.
Remember, creative power will not operate itself. Knowing what to do is not enough. You, imagination’s operant power, must be willing to assume that things are as you desire them to be before they can ever come to pass.
Now, let us return to the divine signs. The Bible begins with the story of Abraham, which is an allegory – a story told as if true – leaving the one who reads it to discover its fictitious character and learn its lesson. If the story of Abraham, Sarah, and their offspring Isaac, as well as the story of Abraham, Hagar and their offspring, Ishmael, are allegories, and Abraham is the father of us all – where is the reality of the story?
The New Testament begins: “This is the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham begot Isaac and Isaac begot Jacob and Jacob begot Judas and his brother.” lf Abraham, the source of all life, is an allegory, then everything is an allegory, including Jesus Christ; for he is the culmination of the entire genealogy that begins in the first chapter of Matthew. Search and you will discover that scripture is a wonderful plan of salvation buried in Christ, God’s creative power and wisdom, who is crucified on man as his own wonderful human imagination. Knowing that the plan is contained in you, belief will awaken it.
You may be completely unaware of the moment the plan was fertilised; but it must and will be fertilised by one who has awakened from the dream of life, for the plan that is to be born is spirit. One who has not yet awakened can be used to bring about a beautiful poem, a play, or a wonderful story on this level; but God’s plan of salvation can only be fertilised by one who has already been raised from the dead, and God – being protean – will assume that mask to play that part.
Now let us go into the silence.
Neville Goddard challenges the conventional reading of biblical texts by positing that scripture is not secular history but eternal, symbolic signs of consciousness. He urges the listener to regard characters like Abraham and Jesus Christ as personifications of divine attributes—faith, power, and wisdom—rather than physical persons.
By examining Paul’s allegory of Hagar and Sarah, Neville differentiates between the birth of the flesh and the spiritual birth “according to the promise.” This distinction underscores his central theme: that true creation occurs within through the faculty of imagination, and that one’s inner state defines outer experience.
Central to this lecture is the notion that divine signs are protean manifestations of creative imagination, available to those who have awakened from the dream of life. Neville asserts that God uses various masks—biblical figures and personal visions—to fertilize the plan of salvation within each individual’s consciousness.
Neville underscores the practical method of assuming the feeling of the fulfilled desire, instructing listeners to live in the end result mentally and emotionally. Persisting in that assumption, he claims, will inevitably harden into external reality, for imagination is the operative power of creation.
Delivered in 1968, “Divine Signs” exemplifies Neville’s mature synthesis of mystical theology and metaphysical practice. It bridges scriptural exegesis with a systematic approach to creative visualization, inviting individuals to interpret dreams, symbols, and the Bible through the lens of inner transformation.
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