“For in this mountain will the hand of the Lord rest, and Moab shall be trodden down in his place, even as straw is trodden down in the dunghill.” (25:10)
We have said that Jerusalem represents the awareness of God in our consciousness. Its holy mountain -- Zion -- and the Temple of Jerusalem both represent our permanent connection to the Creator, and neighboring nations as negative trends and traits. The last verse (Isaiah 25:9) quoted in our previous commentary refers to rejoicing in our Final Redemption, after the complete removal of evil from the face of the earth. The following verse cited above refers to the Final Redemption also as the permanent connection with God, as the mountain where His hand will rest. This in contrast to the high mountains of neighboring Moab that will be brought down.
As the Prophet reiterates, Moab represents haughtiness and arrogance. These negative traits are the false feelings of power and strength out of ego's desires to control and dominate all aspects of life. These, as well as other negative traits, are indeed high fortresses and strong walls in our consciousness that we can overcome only with God's compassion and loving kindness.
“And when he [Moab] shall spread forth his hands in the midst thereof, as he that swims spreads forth his hands to swim, his pride shall be brought down (made humble) together with the cunning of his hands. And the high fortress of your [Moab's] walls will He bring down (humble), lay low, and bring to the ground, even to the dust.” (25:11-12)
The Hebrew Prophets refers to the typical stubbornness of pride as the crown of our self-proclamation as gods in the unleashed fantasies and desires of ego's illusions. As we embrace God's decreed Redemption by enthroning Love's ways and attributes in all levels of consciousness, He makes us humble by bringing down our haughtiness.
Humbleness is the vessel where God bestows the total freedom He wants us to live without the burdens and chains of negative traits and trends that inflate ego's illusions of grandeur. There is a cunning quality in our pride that lure us to think, speak and act with strings attached. Arrogance and haughtiness as the ways and means that turn us into control freaks.
Humbleness is the vessel where God bestows the total freedom He wants us to live without the burdens and chains of negative traits and trends that inflate ego's illusions of grandeur. There is a cunning quality in our pride that lure us to think, speak and act with strings attached. Arrogance and haughtiness as the ways and means that turn us into control freaks.
“In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah: 'We have a strong city, walls and bulwarks do He appoint for redemption'. Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation that keeps faithfulness may enter in.” (26:1-2)
God's ways and attributes are the strong cities, fortresses, walls and bulwarks He gives us to redeem ourselves from our own idols. The Prophet calls on the nations to re-direct their predicament into the goodness of Love's ways and attributes as the heralds of our Redemption. Israel is the righteous Nation as the bearer of the goodness God wants to make prevail in the material world. At the same time it is a call to our free will to lead us through Love's ways and attributes toward Jerusalem as the city where the Creator dwells permanently in us.
“The mind stayed on You, You kept [it] in perfect peace; because it trusted in You.” (26:3)
This verse reminds us that the choice is ours. As long as we keep our awareness focused and mindful of God's will for us, He gives us His Covenant of Peace. This mindfulness is the outcome of our trust in His compassion and loving kindness as the pillars of our Redemption.
“Trust ye in the Lord for ever, for the Lord is God, an everlasting Rock. For He has brought down them that dwell on high, the lofty city, laying it low, laying it low even to the ground, bringing it even to the dust.” (26:4-5)
We have mentioned many times that we are defenseless before our own addictions and attachments. Trusting God means to follow His ways and attributes, and make them the guide and direction to the goodness in life. The way out from our exile and captivity in ego's fantasies and illusions is changing the negative, stagnating and destructive ways in which our consciousness gets trapped. Trusting God is trusting the goodness He wants for us, the rock on which we remain firm toward the destiny He gives us as His people. The goodness of Love's ways and attributes bring down what denies our Essence and true identity. Thus humbleness and selflessness are the ground and the dust where only goodness exists.
“The foot shall tread it down, even the feet of the poor, and the steps of the needy. The way of the just is straight. You, Most Upright, makes plain the path of the just.” (26:6-7)
The feet take us to our destination, and even those who are not rich in Love's ways and attributes can also become aware of these as our path to return to God's Love. This is also the path of the just, straight directly back to our Creator, from Whom we came to exist. God's Love makes plain our way back to Him as we choose to discern, think, speak and do what is right and just.
“Yea, in the way of Your judgments, O Lord, have we waited for You; to Your Name and to Your memorial is the desire of our soul.” (26:8)
No comments:
Post a Comment