The Messianic Consciousness in Jewish Prophecy (LXXVII) Isaiah

“Hearken unto Me, ye pursuing righteousness, seeking the Lord. Look attentively unto the rock from which ye have been cut, and unto the hole of the pit from which ye have been dug. Look attentively unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that brings you forth. For when he was yet one alone, I have called him, and I bless him, and multiply him.” (Isaiah 51:1-2)

We have said often that goodness as the essential expression of Love is our common bond with the Creator. Indeed it is the foundation of what we understand as His image and likeness: “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His loving kindness is eternal.” (Psalms 106:1, 25:8, 34:8, 86:5, 100:5, 118:1, 118:29, 135:3, 145:9, 147:1; Ezra 3:11; 2 Chronicles 5:13, 7:3; Nahum 1:7; Lamentations 3:25).

King David and the Jewish Prophets want to remind us this fundamental principle the Torah repeatedly indicates: the Creator is good, and wants to make us aware that we are also essentially good, for we come from the goodness of His Love. Hence He is telling us through Isaiah that those who pursue His righteousness as His goodness first must be aware of the seed from which we were conceived.

The rock and the pit from which we come as allegories of the solid loving kindness of Abraham, and the abundant generosity of Sarah's womb. God depicts Abraham's loving kindness as unique (“alone”), and the reason for blessing him and multiply him. Thus we realize that God's abundant loving kindness and truth (Exodus 34:6) are the source of His blessings. These attributes are the foundation of the goodness God wants us to make prevail in us individually and collectively as a nation, in order to be spread out to all mankind.

“For the Lord has comforted Zion, He has comforted all her ruins. And He makes her wilderness as Eden, and her desert as a garden of the Lord. Joy, yea, gladness is found in her, thanksgiving, and the voice of song.” (Isaiah 51:3)

This verse follows immediately to make us realize that the foundation of our connection (the place called Zion) with the Creator is the goodness of Love's ways and attributes. God's Love restores and comforts our bond with Him. He turns the desolation of living in the negative traits and trends of ego's fantasies and illusions into the delights of goodness. The latter are the Eden, the gardens, the gladness and the joy living in God's ways and attributes.

“Attend to Me, My people; give ear to Me, My nation. For the Torah comes forth from Me, and My justice as a light for peoples to whom I will give rest. Near is My righteousness. My redemption has gone forth, and My arms judge peoples. The isles do wait on Me; yea, on My arm they do wait with hope.” (51:4-5)

The Torah encompasses God's ways and attributes that indeed define our Jewish identity, and make us His people and His nation. The Torah is the instruction we have to hearken and understand as the righteous path that becomes our being just. In this justice we find our freedom and enlightenment that make us live in encompassing peace as the rest God wants us to live in. Thus we realize that the Redemption God gives forth, and the judgment of His arms comes from the righteousness of His Love. Those who live in righteousness await His Redemption, for living in His ways and attributes is what keeps our hope in His deliverance from negative traits and trends in consciousness.

“Lift ye up to the heavens your eyes, and look attentively unto the earth beneath. For the heavens as smoke have vanished, and the earth as a garment worn out, and its inhabitants as gnats do die. But My redemption is forever, and My righteousness is not broken.” (50:6)

God invites us to reflect (lifting our eyes) on the spiritual (heavens) and the material (earth) aspects of His Creation, and realize that both do not transcend in their own existence. He tells us that what indeed transcends is the awareness of living in His Redemption as the beginning of the final and endless stage of His Creation, the eternal Shabbat that is the culmination of His ultimate plan.

This final stage is set by the righteousness of the goodness He wants to make prevail in His Creation. Thus we understand that righteousness and goodness are parts of the same encompassing principle that Love is, as the material manifestation of God's Love.

The Messianic Consciousness in Jewish Prophecy (LXXVI) Isaiah

“Thus said the Lord: 'Where is this, the bill of your mother's divorce, whom I sent away? Or to which of My creditors have I sold you? Lo, for your iniquities ye have been sold, and for your transgressions has your mother been sent away.” (Isaiah 50:1)

This verse speaks of our bond and relationship with God, and is also a mirror for us to realize the depth of our exile in the darkness of ego's fantasies and illusions. God reminds us again -- this time with a very loving metaphor -- that our estrangement comes from us, not Him.

We are solely responsible for the choices we make and their outcome. He doesn't send us to live in material fantasies and illusions (“our creditors” He calls His own). We have sold ourselves to our own iniquities, sending our consciousness (“our mother”) away from Love's ways and attributes as the material manifestation of God's Love.

“Wherefore have I come, and there is no one? I called, and there is none answering. Has My hand been at all short of redemption? And is there not in me power to deliver? Lo, by My rebuke I dry up a sea, I make rivers a wilderness, their fish stink for there is no water, and die of thirst. ” (50:2)

The Creator reveals His Final Redemption, and there is no one answering. He makes us reflect on this, even questioning if His Redemption is not already quite enough, or that His power to deliver may not be evident. Hence He recalls His total control over all there is.

“I clothe the heavens with blackness, and sackcloth I make their covering. The Lord God has given to me the tongue of taught ones, to know to aid the weary by a word. He wakes morning by morning, He wakes for me an ear to hear as taught ones.” (50:3-4)

God continues revealing the transformation that awaits the material world and human consciousness, in particular our higher awareness (“the heavens”) of His Presence. The Prophet doesn't want to leave God's questions unanswered by no one, and he reaffirms his willingness to be the deliverer of God's messages to us in regards to the Final Redemption, as stated at the beginning of Isaiah's book (6:8-9).

“The Lord God opened for me the ear, and I rebelled not, backward I moved not. My back I have given to those smiting, and my cheeks to those plucking out, My face I hid not from shame and spitting.” (50:5-6)

We must find Isaiah's awareness in ourselves, and what the Prophet represents in our consciousness. Let's understand it as the relentless compelling desire to be attached to the Creator, to which there is no shame, humiliation or suffering capable to break our bond with Him.

“And the Lord God gives help to me, therefore I have not been ashamed. Therefore I have set my face as a flint, and I know that I am not ashamed. Near is He who is justifying me, who does contend with me? We stand together, who is my opponent? Let him come nigh unto me.” (50:7-8)

The Prophet makes us reflect on the meanings of shame, opposite to living in the awareness that God's Love is our Essence and true identity, for His Love supports, helps and nurtures every aspect and dimension of life. We are in shame living in ego's fantasies and illusions, along with their negative traits and trends, in contrast to living in Love's ways and attributes. The latter fill us and lead us to live the goodness of God's attributes that He wants us to emulate. This goodness makes us as humble as flint stones, for humbleness is the absence of shame or reproach.

While we live in God's ways, He justifies our discernment, thoughts, feelings, emotions, speech and actions. Hence nothing can't be justify except for Love. As long as we are aware of God's Presence in our lives, nothing can be against. In this awareness we can confront and eliminate any negative trait or tendency that may threaten our Essence and true identity, with which we are permanently connected to God.

“Lo, the Lord God gives help to me, who is he that declares me wicked? Lo, all of them as a garment wear out, a moth does eat them.” (50:9)

As we realize that Love as the material manifestation of God's Love is our intention, motivation and cause for all expressions of life, there is no evil in any form that could come into us and contaminate our consciousness. All kinds of evil turn into a past memory as a worn out garment eaten by moths.

“Who is among you, fearing the Lord, hearkening to the voice of His servant, that has walked in dark places, and there is no brightness for him? Let him trust in the Name of the Lord, and lean upon his God.” (50:10)

The Prophet invites us to hear the messages God has given to him, particular those of us who have been walking in the darkness or ego's fantasies and illusions. Isaiah asks us to believe that the Light we need to free our consciousness is our returning to God's ways and attributes, to which we must lean on.

“Lo, all ye kindling a fire, girding on sparks, walk ye in the light of your fire. And in the sparks ye have caused to burn, from My hand has this been to you, in grief ye lie down!” (50:11)

God calls again our attention regarding the fires we create in all levels of consciousness. We get burned by our negative traits and trends, and He reminds us that we are solely responsible for our choices and actions, which bring us down to grief. This ultimately will bounce back to our consciousness forcing us to look for the redeeming Light of the goodness in Love's ways and attributes we are destined to be, have and manifest.

The Messianic Consciousness in Jewish Prophecy (LXXV) Isaiah

“The children of your bereavement shall yet say in your ears: 'The place is too strait for me, give place to me that I may dwell'. And you have said in your heart: 'Who has begotten for me these'? And I bereaved and gloomy, a captive and turned aside, and these who has nourished? Behold, I, I was left by myself, these where are they'?” (49:20-21)

The expressions of our negative traits, as the children of our bereavement, will not relent in their predicament, claiming for more in order to expand their control of our life. Our obsessions, attachments and addictions to ego's fantasies and illusions will not easily leave our consciousness. We must confront their cause and effect. These are the negative traits represented by the nations that oppress the children of Israel.

“Thus said the Lord God: 'Behold, I lift up My hand unto nations, and unto peoples I raise up My ensign, and they have brought your sons in the bosom, and your daughters on the shoulder are carried.” (49:22)

God reaffirms His Final Redemption as the result of the transforming process mentioned before. God's "hand" and "ensign" are the principles and guidelines that vindicate and recognize the goodness of Love's ways and attributes, represented by the children of Israel. These transformed traits in consciousness that God will imprint on the nations will serve the purpose of His plan for the Messianic Era. This will be carried out by the children of Israel with the assistance of the new identity of the nations. These will deliver and carry on their shoulders the gathered children of Israel.

“'And kings shall be your nursing fathers, and their princesses your nursing mothers. Face to the earth they bow down to you, and the dust of your feet they lick up. And you have known that I am God, that those expecting Me are not ashamed'.” (49:23)

Positive traits and trends will serve the greater purpose of the even greater goodness God wants to reveal in the material world through the children of Israel. This was originally commanded in the Torah when God chose Israel as His partner in His Creation. Israel's separation from their mission, and their oppression under the nations delayed God's plan. This delay is clearly part of the plan, for Israel and the nations must learn first the consequences of living in the negative aspects of consciousness before entering the Final Redemption.

This must be desired and yearned for as the true time and space we are destined to live in the material world. We wait for God's revelation the final days of our exile in the darkness of ego's fantasies and illusions, as He also waits for us to learn the lessons from our negative choices. Once we are ready to abandon our wicked ways, we must persevere while we wait for His Final Redemption.

“Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the captives of the victorious delivered? But thus says the Lord: 'Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered; and I contend with him that contends with you, and I will save your children.” (49:24-25)

God asks us if the oppressing ways mightier than us can let us go free. Are we strong enough to challenge our own negative traits and trends, along with addictions, attachments, habits and obsessions, frustrations, depressions, anger, arrogance, et al? We may not be, but God indeed is. God's Love created us, and is also our life, our freedom and our Redemption.

“And I feed them that oppress you with their own flesh. And they shall be drunk with their own blood, as with sweet wine. And all flesh shall know that I the Lord am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” (49:26)

We have mentioned that evil destroys itself, for its nature is to destroy. In this sense we understand God's words regarding the oppressors eating their flesh, and getting intoxicated with their blood. King David warned also about this: “Evil shall kill the wicked, and they that hate the righteous are condemned.” (Psalms 34:22).

The Creator knows how to deal with His Creation, and He teaches us that the source of destruction is destruction itself. Thus we assimilate that goodness is the source of goodness, for goodness is the purpose of goodness. We already know that God is the Source of all goodness, as it is also written: “Give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good, for His loving kindness is eternal.” (136:1). In this understanding we realize that He is God, our Savior and our Redeemer, the Mighty One of Israel.

The Messianic Consciousness in Jewish Prophecy (LXXIV) Isaiah

“Behold, these shall come from far; and, lo, these [others] from the north and from the west, and these [others] from the land of Sinim [from the east].” (Isaiah 49:12)

God summons the children of Israel from all the places and corners of the earth. He decreed that all, even those assimilated among the nations, are destined to return to their inherited land. Being far away from the Creator does not refer to a geographical distance. In time those who listen to His call for our Final Redemption will return. God's call is not meant to be answered by all, for He gave us free will to either reject or embrace our Jewish identity.

We have mentioned the oral tradition (midrash) regarding the Exodus from Egypt, and the return of the Jews exiled in Babylon. In the case of Egypt we learned that only 20% chose to follow Moses, and in the case of Babylon even a much lesser amount chose to return to the land of Israel. Historically, a few of the children of Israel have remained faithful to the Covenant with God. The same is expected to happen for the Final Redemption. Although God has decreed that He will gather us from all corners of the earth, this calling is for those who choose to return.

“Sing, O heavens, and be joyful, O earth, and break forth into singing, O mountains. For the Lord has comforted His people, and has compassion upon His afflicted.” (49:13)

Those of us who hear God's calling must rejoice and sing in happiness with all our levels of consciousness. These are our higher awareness (heavens) of God, and our lower sensual nature (earth), as well as our faith, beliefs, values and principles (mountains). As all of these hear the calling, we also feel and live our imminent Redemption when we realize that God's loving kindness and compassion are our complete freedom. Thus we understand that God's ways and attributes are also the traits and trends we must enthrone in all levels of consciousness in order to end the affliction under the predicament of ego's fantasies and illusions.

“But Zion said: 'The Lord has forsaken me, and the Lord has forgotten me'.” (49:14)

Those who don't choose back to God's calling rather blame Him for their separation from Him. They purposely ignore that the return to His decreed Redemption is entirely up to us. We have said that Zion, Jerusalem and the Temple represent the highest awareness of our permanent connection with God. When this awareness is lost, it blames God as the culprit of our estrangement from Him. Indeed it is never lost, for it is permanent, but in our exile in ego's fantasies and illusions we believe and feel that God abandoned us.

“Does a woman forget her suckling, the loved one -- the son of her womb? Yea, these forget. But I, I don't forget you. Behold, on the palms of the hands I have graven you, your walls are before Me continually.” (49:15-16)

God reiterates His Covenant with Israel, and His Love for His children. He calls us as our Father who reminds us that, in spite of our separation and oblivion of Him, He does not forget us. He keeps us not only in His thoughts but also in His Love, for He loves us. Our names are graven in His hands, and the strength (our walls) of our bond with Him is always standing.

“Hastened have those building you, those destroying you and laying you waste go out from you.” (49:17)

Our oppression under the negative traits and trends of consciousness, triggered by ego's fantasies and illusions, becomes our desperation that makes us live in haste. God reminds us that these are the destroyers which turn us into waste. Hence He will remove them from our consciousness.

“Lift up your eyes round about, and see: all of them have been gathered, they come to you. As I live, says the Lord, you shall surely clothe you with them all as an ornament, and gird yourself with them, like a bride.” (49:18)

The Prophet again remarks that God will transform the negative traits and trends into positive qualities that will occupy every aspect and dimension of life. These will be the ornament and beauty that will manifest in our discernment, thoughts, values, principles, emotions, feelings, passions and instincts, as well as in what we have, say and do. These will be the splendor we see in the bride that is ready to marry her master.

“Because your wastes and your desolate places, and the land of your ruins, surely now are straitened because of inhabitants, and far off have been those consuming you.” (49:19)

Our former negative and destructive traits will become as empty places that also will be too narrow for the expansion of the new consciousness that awaits us. Every negative trend that swallowed up the goodness of our Essence and true identity will be removed.

The Messianic Consciousness in Jewish Prophecy (LXXIII) Isaiah

"Listen, O isles, unto me, and hearken ye peoples from afar: the Lord has called me from the womb, from the bowels of my mother has He made mention of my name." (Isaiah 49:1)

Israel affirms his identity before the nations of the Earth, by quoting God's words through the Prophet. These words allegorically emphasize Israel's status given by the Creator in the Torah, referred to as His chosen people for the plan He has in the material world.

"And He has made my mouth like a sharp sword, in the shadow of His hand has He hidden me; and He has made me a polished shaft, in His quiver has He concealed me. And He said unto me: 'You are My servant, Israel, in whom I shall be glorified'." (49:2-3)

Part of the Jewish identity is to articulate clearly God's messages for humankind, like a "sharp sword". This allegory also means that God's ways and attributes don't cohabit with anything different or opposite to them. God's truth is like a cutting edge that separates goodness from evil, Light from darkness, righteousness from wickedness, positive from negative. Israel's identity is also a Commandment from God to glorify Him by making goodness prevail in the world. Yet we rather live in the servitude of ego's fantasies and illusions than in our Essence and true identity.

"But I said: 'I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothingness and vanity. Yet surely my right is with the Lord, and my recompense with my God'." (49:4)

We indeed work in vain for the futility of ego's fantasies and illusions, until we finally realize that the truth is with God, and it is also our own reward. Goodness is the reward for goodness, for it is its own cause and effect.

"And now says the Lord that formed me from the womb to be His servant, to bring Jacob back to Him, and that Israel be gathered unto Him. For I am honorable in the eyes of the Lord, and my God has been my strength." (49:5)

God reaffirms Israel's identity and destiny, which is up to us to realize and manifest. The Prophet tells us that at the end of times all Israel will return to our Essence and true identity, for God sees the goodness with which He created us and that is also our strength to be it and manifest it in all aspects and dimensions of consciousness.

"Yea, He says: 'It is too light a thing that you shall be My servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the offspring of Israel. I will also give you for a Light of the nations, that My redemption be unto the end of the earth'." (49:6)

Goodness is indeed the Light God wants us to be for the nations. As we have mentioned often, the nations represent the negative traits and trends in consciousness that are destined to be transformed into positive ways and means. The allegories in this verse refer to the children of Israel as the positive creative potentials in human consciousness (the Tribes) and their outcome (the offspring). Thus we understand this outcome as the Redemption promised by the Creator, regarding the final purpose of goodness in the material world.

"Thus says the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel his Holy One, to him who is despised of men, to him who is abhorred of nations, to a servant of rulers: kings shall see and arise, princes, and they shall prostrate themselves. Because of the Lord that is faithful, even the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you." (49:7)

This verse encompasses the culmination of God's plan for the Messianic Era. The positive traits and trends in consciousness, which have been despised by their opposite nature (the nations), will rule over all levels of consciousness. Therefore the kings and princes as ego's drives for desires, fantasies and illusions that "rule" over us (and make us their servants) will be transformed into servants of Love's ways and attributes. These encompass the Essence and identity of the people of Israel as the chosen ones to prevail for the final stage of God's plan known as the Messianic Era.

"Thus says the Lord: In an acceptable time have I answered you, and in a day of redemption have I helped you. And I will preserve you, and give you for a Covenant of the people, to raise up the land, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages." (49:8)

God again tells us that His Final Redemption is imminent, and that it will last forever as part of our Covenant with Him. Thus we will be able to elevate our consciousness and all dimensions of life (the land), and possess the creative potentials that we desolated for thousands of years.

"Saying to the prisoners: 'Go forth'; to them that are in darkness: 'Show your selves'. They shall feed in the paths, and in all high hills shall be their pasture. They shall not hunger nor thirst, neither shall the heat nor sun smite them. For He that has compassion on them will lead them, even by the springs of water will He guide them." (49:9-10)

Our positive creative potentials held prisoners by ego's fantasies and illusions shall go forth out of their darkness. They shall be nurture by the goodness of God's ways and attributes as the paths and high hills. These are the ways of the highest levels of consciousness that are permanently connected to God. He is the Redeemer and guide that protects us from the heat and oppression of materialistic fantasies and illusions. God's Love gives us the waters of the Torah that sustain us in the paths He wants us to walk.

"And I will make all My mountains a way, and My highways shall be raised on high." (49:11)

The Messianic Consciousness in Jewish Prophecy (LXXII) Isaiah

"Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the fountain of Judah; who swear by the Name of the Lord and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness. For they call themselves of the holy city, and stay themselves upon the God of Israel, the Lord of hosts is His Name." (Isaiah 48:1-2)

The Creator rebukes again Israel's reluctance to fulfill their part of the Covenant, which is to reveal God's Presence in the material world. The Torah commands us to do it by making truth and righteousness rule as the heralds of God's ways and attributes. God's call is for Israel and not for other nations, for Israel represents the creative potential of goodness in human consciousness. If Israel doesn't comply, there is no Final Redemption or Messianic Era.

"Because I knew that you are obstinate, and your neck is an iron sinew, and your brow brass. Therefore I have declared it to you from of old. Before it came to pass I announced it to you, lest you say: 'Mine idol has done them, and my graven image, and my molten image, has commanded them'." (48:3-4)

It is either ego's materialistic fantasies and illusions with negative traits and trends in consciousness or God's ways, attributes and Commandments to fulfill our mission in the material world. The egocentric mentality is obstinate by definition, as well as addictive to its destructive predicament. Hence we end up blaming our negative actions and their consequences to our fantasies and illusions as the idols we have created, and to which we become servants.

"You have heard, see, all this; and ye, will ye not declare it? I have announced onto you new things from this time, even hidden things, which you have not known." (48:5-6)

We have heard it from God through the Torah and His Prophets, yet we don't acknowledge it or proclaim it. This means that, even if we admit God's Final Redemption we refuse to accept it. We don't even recognize the good things it brings that have been concealed by God, until we begin to believe in them and embrace them. We rather keep living the fantasies and illusions that make us live a meaningless and not transcendental life, making us live in order to die. God has plans for us in His promised Messianic Era to reveal hidden things we are destined to know in order to live with a new consciousness. It manifests itself only with positive choices for positive ends that we will be able to know only when we remove the negative traits and trends that have controlled our lives thus far.

God continues confronting the children of Israel for ignoring not only God's Covenant but also their Essence and identity, calling us traitors. In spite of our predicament, He reaffirms His Love for us (48:9). He also reminds us that we have learned very little from the suffering in our exiles He calls "the crucible of affliction". God wants us to honor Him by choosing His ways.

"Hearken unto Me, O Jacob, and Israel My called: I am He, I am the first, I also am the last." (48:12)

The Creator again reiterates His absolute control over His Creation, reminding us that only His will is what matters (48:13-21). Hence our duty is to know His ways and attributes as our reason and purpose in life (48:18).

"There is no peace, says the Lord concerning the wicked." (48:22)

We have referred to the meanings of peace in our consciousness, as totality, completion and harmony that we can only achieve in our connection with God. Evil, wickedness and negativity are traits that oppose goodness as our common bond with God. Hence as long as we live by and for ego's fantasies and illusions, as well as negative traits and trends, we won't have the completion and wholesomeness of living in God's ways and attributes. In this context, Love's ways and attributes as the material manifestation of God's Love are the redeeming qualities we must enthrone in every aspect and dimension of consciousness to enter the Final Redemption, and to begin knowing what God's Love is about.

The Messianic Consciousness in Jewish Prophecy (LXXI) Isaiah

“Bel bowed down, Nebo stooped. Their idols are upon the beasts, and upon the cattle; the things that ye carried about are made a load, a burden to the weary beast. They stoop, they bow down together, they could not deliver the burden; and themselves are gone into captivity.” (Isaiah 46:1-2)

Idols as ego's fantasies and illusions are indeed burdens we carry at the expense of the vitality and strength of life, which in the Prophet's metaphors are symbolized by cattle. God didn't create our life as a beast of burden to carry idols heavy to bear. Hence we can't deliver burdens we don't need, which also keep us in captivity. There is no freedom with burdens that separate us from our Essence and true identity.

“Hearken unto Me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, that are borne [by Me] from the birth, that are carried from the womb. Even to old age I am the same, and even in your old age will I carry you. I have made [you], and I will bear [you]. Yea, I will carry [you], and I will redeem [you].” (46:3-4)

It seems we doubt not only our Creator's power and dominion over His Creation, but also His loving kindness with which He sustains it. We resist His Love when He calls us time and again to return to His ways and attributes. He clearly tells us that we are part of Him, for He carried us from the womb. We are His children He loves by making us, holding us, carrying us, and redeeming us, in spite of our choice to separate from Him. This is the greatest Love of all!

The Prophet continues quoting God (46:5-9) reiterating again His dominion over all His Creation, to make us aware of the futility in making gods of gold and silver. These are the idols we depend on that will never deliver us from addictions, attachments and obsessions we have for them. God points out ego's fantasies and illusions as the transgressions that separate us from Him, and also reminds us that He is the cause and purpose of all that is:

“I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like Me. Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying: 'My counsel shall stand, and all My pleasure will I do'.” (46:9-11)

This statement must resound in every dimension of consciousness, for the reason, cause and purpose of all that exists is God. Everything else is the illusion we create out of His Creation. Hence “there is none else” and “none like God”. The Torah is His instruction for us to be, have and do within the limits of our wisdom, understanding and knowledge, for us to become aware in the material world of our Essence and true identity. The Torah is God's counsel that shall stand according to His will.

In this awareness we must understand and manifest our connection and relationship with the Creator. Thus we dissipate the clouds of our materialistic fantasies and illusions, and begin to live under the clear skies of righteousness as the cause and effect of Love's ways and attributes as the goodness God wants us to make prevail in the world. This is the nearness to His righteousness that is not far off our consciousness, for we already know what goodness is.

“Hearken unto Me, ye stout-hearted, that are far from righteousness. I bring near My righteousness, it shall not be far off, and My redemption shall not tarry. And I will place redemption in Zion for Israel My glory.” (46:12-13)

Thus we realize that goodness is our Redemption. We redeem ourselves with the goodness from which God's Love created us, and this awareness is Zion as the permanent connection to Him. In Zion we honor and glorify God, for we are the goodness with which we glory Him.