The Messianic Consciousness in Jewish Prophecy (XC) Isaiah

“The righteous has perished, and no one takes it to heart. The righteous are gathered, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil. He enters into peace, they rest on their beds, each is going straightforward.” (Isaiah 57:1-2)

God calls our attention again to makes us realize the dangers of indifference. We have seen disappearing goodness from the collective consciousness of humankind. We see more wickedness and hatred than goodness and love, and selfishness has become the paradigm in most civilized nations.

The Creator reminds us in these verses that the purpose of humankind is to emulate His ways and attributes, from which He made us and shaped our individual and collective consciousness. Hence He will not allow negative traits and trends to permanently rule life in the material world.

God points out His plan to make goodness prevail eternally by gathering the goodness in everyone in order to separate it permanently from evil. In goodness each one enters and dwells in peace, and rests in tranquility. This is the premise and the preamble to live in the straightforwardness of His ways and attributes that He will fully reveal in the Messianic Era.

“And come near here, you sons of a sorceress, seed of an adulterer and a prostitute, also you who prostitutes. Against whom do you sport yourselves? Against whom do you make a wide mouth, and stick out your tongue? Aren't you children of transgression, a seed of falsehood?” (57:3-4)

God also points out metaphorically the origins of the traits and trends triggered by ego's negative fantasies and illusions that corrupt the goodness in life. We turn them into the objects of our desires that make us believe they are the only purpose in life. We sport ourselves in them and for them, boasting in pride how much we possess them, even if we certainly know that they are transgressions out of the seed of falsehood.

“You who inflame yourselves among the oaks, under every green tree; who kill the children in the brooks, under the clefts of the rocks? Among the smooth stones of a brook is your portion. They, they are your lot. Also to them you have poured out a libation, you have brought an elevating offering. For these things am I comforted?” (57:5-6)

God makes reference to trees as objects and symbols of idolatry in the time of His Prophets. Idolatrous offerings to gain sensual pleasures and social power at the expense of their children's lives.

We can also understand children as constructive expressions of our consciousness we make subservient to a materialistic lifestyle, represented by the brooks and clefts of the rocks.

These rocks, even smoothly polished, become our portion in life. We make them the altars we erect to pour libations and bring offerings, putting our consciousness under the idolatry and servitude of ego's fantasies and illusions. Hence God ask us if we believe that He is pleased by our negative choices.

“On a high and exalted mountain you have set your bed, there also you have gone up to bring offerings. Behind the doors and the posts you have set up your memorial, for you have uncovered to someone besides Me, and have gone up. You have enlarged your bed, and made yourself a covenant with them. You have loved their bed where you have harvested.” (57:7-8)

The metaphor continues telling us that we establish our false and negative beliefs, principles and values (as a high and exalted mountain) as the bed where we remain asleep in our own materialistic fantasies and illusions to which we devote the goodness of our vitality. Inside the house that represents our consciousness we set up our desires dedicated to something different than God's ways and attributes.

We elevate the objects of our selfishness, enlarge our addiction to them, and even have a lasting covenant with them. We end up loving what we harvest from them, the outcome of fantasies and illusions.

“You go to the king in anointment, and multiply your perfumes, and sent your ambassadors far off, and debased yourself down to the netherworld. In the greatness of your way you have labored, you have not said, 'It is vain'. The life of your hand you have found, and you have not been fainted.” (57:9-10)

More references of haughtiness from which we boast vanities (“perfumes”), rejecting the traits and qualities that define our essence and true identity (“our ambassadors”), and going down to the graves of futile fantasies and illusions.

We devote our life working for the mirages of consumer society and false beliefs and values, denying ourselves their vain purpose. No matter our endeavor and dedication to serve those idols, we don't faint in our determination to live for them and die for them.