422Observations
Growing
9
Whom Shall I Send?
Send me!…
Each of the themes found in Yasha’yah / Isaiah 5 is prevalent again in the 7th chapter of Isaiah. This includes a salute to Dowd, a condemnation of Sha’uwl, and a warning that Yisra’el will be terrorized by her enemies.
Prior to this, however, in the 6th chapter of Yasha’yah, we plowed fresh ground. It opened with the prophet in Heaven taking in the scene, one so amazing, he was initially awestruck. Then after being declared forgiven, he was emboldened. When Yahowah asked, “Whom shall I send?” Yasha’yah responded singularly and resolutely, “Here I am. Send me!”
The message which follows has Yahowah asking His prophet to tell his people to “keep listening” and “observing,” while acknowledging that they have lost the will and capacity for both. For reasons that may seem surprising at first blush, God does not want this condition to change, at least not until now!
Yahowah told His prophet that Yisra’el’s ignorance and estrangement would continue for a very long time, through a period of catastrophic devastation and desolation. The Land and its people would be forsaken and only one in ten would survive to be rescued in the end. I hope that you are among them.
Yasha’yah re-engages by revealing the timing and circumstances associated with his heavenly encounter. We are afforded the opportunity to achieve what kings forego. God has a Seat of Honor waiting for our arrival.
423“In (ba) the year (shanah – measure of time involving a complete cycle of the seasons based on the earth’s orbit around the sun; from shanah – to repeat and change) King (ha melek – the royal ruler and governmental head of state) ‘Uzyah (‘Uzyah – Strengthened by Yah, Yahowah is my Strength, or Boldness and Empowerment are from Yah, commonly transliterated Uzziah; from ‘oz – might and strength and Yahuw [‘Uzyah in 1QIsa and ‘Uzyahuw in the MT]) died (maweth – passed away, his physical body dying deprived of life; from muwth – to die and perish), (wa) I saw (ra’ah – I was shown, looked upon, and observed, inspecting and perceiving, viewing from the proper perspective so as to understand (qal imperfect)) my Upright One (‘eth ‘edown ‘any – everything associated with my Upright Pillar who is the center of the Tabernacle) establishing a dwelling place (yashab – living and remaining, settling and enduring, restoring and renewing life, while abiding (qal participle active)) before (‘al – upon, over, and in proximity to) His Seat of Honor (kise’ huw’ – His throne and seat of authority; from kasah – to clothe, cover over, conceal, and forgive (addressing the covering of light which resolves our sinful nature in association with the Mercy Seat of the Ark of the Covenant) [His in 1QIsa vs. a in the MT]), engaged in raising up (ruwm – highly elevating, lofty and extolling, rearing and exalting (qal participle – denoting a literal and relational verbal adjective)) and (wa) lifting up (nasa’ – carrying and bearing, supporting and sustaining, respecting and forgiving, assisting and enduring (nifal participle passive – the subject, Yahowah, carries out and receives the uplifting effect presented as a descriptive verb)).
The hem on the train of His majestic, flowing garment (wa shuwl huw’ – the bottom-most seam or strip of His regal, long, and elegant apparel, the portion of His garment which hung down) filled (male’ – completed and finished, proclaiming and satisfying a message of accomplishment and fulfillment vociferously and 424abundantly (qal participle active)) the enduring, enabling, and empowering residence (‘eth ha heykal – the main hall of the complex, the palatial home or temple; from yakol – to prevail and overcome, enduring while being enabled and empowered).” (Yasha’yah / Salvation is from Yahowah / Isaiah 6:1)
The description given by Yasha’yah was written in terms anyone from his time to ours might be able to envision and appreciate – in other words, by equating what he witnessed to the most comparable things he had seen on earth. Everything he saw, however, was comprised of light, not matter. It can be effectively shown that for any dimension other than ours (the four dimensions of spacetime), matter as we know it cannot exist. This is yet another affirmation that Yahowah is, indeed, comprised of light – just as He told us in Bare’syth.
It is interesting to ponder the nature of the mechanism Yahowah uses to set apart some portion of His light and compress it into a form that can interact with us. In that His prophet will describe them in his next sentence, Yah’s mal’ak – spiritual messengers, like God, Himself, are comprised of light. But they are still able to pass from Heaven in the seventh dimension to us in 4D of spacetime and appear as a material being.
As for the time to cross this divide, it is essentially irrelevant, because time in one reference frame is transformed into time in the other as described in the Lorentz transformation. Heavenly time, for example, based on General Relativity, moves much slower than time on Earth, making it appear to God that we are flittering around like a bunch of gnats. And while time is slower, velocities are faster. Everyone and everything is moving at the speed of light, from Yahowah to His mal’ak – messengers.
While the calculations for the Lorentz transformation are somewhat complex (Δt` = Δt/(1-(v/c)2)0.5 where Δt` is 425the elapsed time measured by an observer in one frame and Δt in another moving with speed v relative to the first frame), the end result is that a mal’ak – messenger leaving Heaven for Earth takes no time to get here, or anywhere else in the universe for that matter. That would not, however, be our point of view in 3D where it would appear to be a very long time considering the fact that the seventh dimension lies beyond our 6D universe and is therefore exceedingly far away – billions of light-years.
The equations of relativity also include what is called length contraction, which is the contraction of space in the direction of travel, enabling light to move at lightspeed and yet transition a greater distance in less time than its speed alone should otherwise allow. At the limit of the speed of light, the space between the start and conclusion of a journey is contracted to nothing. So, the mal’ak – spiritual messenger merely steps from Heaven to Earth with no intervening distance between them, even if they are fifteen billion light-years apart. Weird, but true.
While this may all sound a bit complex, relativity not only explains why a witness to the creation of the universe would have experienced it over six twenty-four-hour days while it transpired over fourteen billion years from our perspective. It also reveals how Yahowah can view our future and report what He has seen to us in our past, in effect, making prophecy future history.
There is nothing especially difficult about these concepts or the math that defines them, but since most physicists are either agnostics or atheists, very little effort has been devoted to trying to understand life here on Earth from Heaven’s point of view. Similarly, very few individuals have tried to advance our understanding of what time and life may be like in a seven-dimensional spiritual realm. Word pictures like these from Yasha’yah are interesting, but not overly revealing, especially regarding what a “normal day” would be like in Heaven.
426While we do not know for sure, to avoid discontinuity between dimensional boundaries, lightspeed is likely unchanged across dimensions. Thinking there might be something interesting in this, I calculated lightspeed in strides over the universal measure of time in the Towrah: 12 lunar months. Light travels at 186,000 miles / second x 1,760 yards or strides / mile x 60 seconds / minute x 60 minutes / hour x 24 hours / day x 29.5 days / lunar cycle x 12 months / prophetic year = 1 x 1016. One is the number of God. Eight represents infinity. After this universe, there will be another.
Transitioning from science to history, ‘Uzyahuw became co-regent at sixteen, and ruled for twenty-four years with his father, ‘Amazyah, and just under fifty years overall. His time on the throne of Yahuwdah, shared and alone, commenced around 787 BCE and continued through approximately 745 BCE. He was victorious over the Palishty | Philistines and ‘Amelek | Arabians. His pride was his downfall, however, as he was stricken with leprosy by Yahowah for having become presumptuous in His Home around 750 BCE (Melekym / 2 Kings 15:5 and Dabry ha Yowmym / 2 Chronicles 26:19-21).
He died shamed and alone. But, interestingly, during his life he was preoccupied with agriculture, suggesting that the parable of the vineyard ought to have resonated with him.
There is the tendency in English Bibles to translate yashab “sit.” Apart from trying to justify existing translations, there is no reason to render it as such. God is not tired nor is He stationary. Yashab means “to establish a dwelling place where we can settle down, live, remain and endure” with God, our “lives restored and renewed.” It speaks of God’s gift to His children. We get to live with our Heavenly Father in His Home.
427We have addressed the “kise’ – seat of honor” before. But I may have failed to mention the word’s association with kasah, which depicts its purpose, which is to clothe us in His garment of light, thereby forgiving us by concealing any darkness associated with sin. By resolving our failures in this way, the kise’ is indicative of the Mercy Seat of the Ark of the Covenant, our place of honor beside our Heavenly Father, the place where the beneficiaries of the Covenant reside. It is a seat with glistening golden wings because we will take flight on wings of light.
Most English Bibles are wont to render both “ruwm – engage raising up” and “nasa’ – lifting up” as if they were either adjectives or nouns rather than verbs. By so doing, they rob Yasha’yah’s declaration of its purpose, which is to show God doing what He does best, lifting us up so that He can raise us as His children.
Similarly, Yahowah’s majestic apparel is evocative of the way we will someday be adorned. That is why it was said to be “male’ – fulfilling, proclaiming and satisfying the message” associated with “heykal – the enduring, enabling, and empowering residence” which we inherit from our Heavenly Father as the Covenant’s Children. This is accomplished by Yah adorning us in His apparel, which is why “wa shuwl huw’ – the train of His majestic, flowing garment filled and completed, ultimately satisfying a message associated with” “‘eth ha heykal – the enduring, enabling, and empowering residence and palatial home where we prevail and endure, enabled and empowered.”
I realize that English Bibles consistently render heykal as “temple,” but that’s both misleading and inadequate considering the fact that the actionable verbal root of heykal is yakol – to prevail, to overcome and endure while being enabled and empowered.” Once again, Yasha’yah is revealing what God is doing for us. In this regard, Yah is not showing off. He is inviting us into His residence where 428He will empower, enable, and enrich us so that we can more fully enjoy one another’s company.
Yahowah’s mal’ak are energy-based spiritual beings, and thus akin to light. As such, they defy gravity and can move faster than we can imagine. Here is how Yasha’yah described them…
“Saraphym (Saraphym – fiery and majestic winged spiritual beings comprised of light; plural of saraph – to burn brightly) from (min) above (ma’al – on high, a higher dimension, ascended) approached (la – drew near) Him (huw’) having six bleached white wings (shesh kanaph – six gleaming pure white fine bleached linen wings on supernatural flying beings [as found on 1QIsa because the MT repeats both words]), each one (‘echad – individually and singularly) with (ba) two (shanaym – a pair) covering (kasah – adorning and concealing, clothing as a symbol of forgiveness) its presence (paneh huw’ – its appearance, its face, frontal area, or surface before Him), (wa) with (ba) two (shanaym – a pair of them), they concealed (kasah – covered and adorned, clothed in forgiveness, decorating and beautifying) their feet (regel huw’ – their legs), and (wa) with (ba) two (shanaym – a pair of them), they flew (‘uwph – they took flight, moving about by using their wings).” (Yasha’yah / Freedom is from Yahowah / Isaiah 6:2)
Beings comprised of light would not need wings to fly nor feet to walk, so this presentation is purely symbolic. Six is the number of man and white is symbolic of being sinless, so these are possible explanations. As for why they were partially covered by their wings, the most logical explanation is that Yahowah didn’t want Yasha’yah conveying anything more about them, in that there were only three aspects of their appearance that mattered: they were white and thus uncorrupted, they could hover and fly and thus were mobile, and they had wings, thus explaining their depiction on the Ark of the Covenant.
429As for the scene considered as a whole, the message is threefold. First, Yahowah uses spiritual implements to accomplish His agenda. Second, these eternal envoys move rapidly, not only covering vast distances in the blink of an eye, but they can also transition through the dimensions, from seven to three, and perhaps beyond. And third, they are there to serve, not show off. In this example, they were covering themselves, at least from Yasha’yah’s perspective. The only mal’ak with an ego, the only spiritual being who tried to draw attention to himself, was ha satan.
In that their principal role is enshrined in their name, “mal’ak – messenger,” these spiritual envoys were designed to convey what they were told and do as they were instructed. They were not asked to be creative nor improvise. And this may have led to Satan’s desire for more, for the capacity humans now possessed as a result of their “neshamah – conscience.” He likely resented mankind for having been given this gift, and as a result, he sought to nullify its value by feeding it the garbage we now know as religion.
“Then (wa) they (zeh – these entities [plural in 1QIsa and singular in MT]) called out (qara’ – summoned and proclaimed, reading and reciting aloud, meeting, encountering, inviting, and welcoming (qal perfect)) to one another (‘el zeh), [and (wa) said (‘amar – declared and promised (qal perfect)) in MT but excluded from 1QIsa], ‘Set Apart, Set Apart (qadowsh qadowsh – completely prepared, exceedingly pure, totally devoted, entirely dedicated, and wholly separated [1QIsa shows it repeated twice while the MT has a third repetition]) is Yahowah (Yahowah – an accurate transliteration of the name YaHoWaH, our ‘elowah – God as guided by His towrah – instructions regarding His hayah – existence and our shalowm – reconciliation) of the vast array of spiritual implements (tsaba’ – of the command-and-control regime of heavenly messengers and envoys).
430The entire (kol – all the) material realm (ha ‘erets – the land and earth) is filled with (malo’ – is replete, revealing a full measure of the abundance and accomplishments) His manifestation of power (kabowd huw’ – His glory and splendor, His honorable status and importance, His great abundance and glorious presence, even His rewarding gifts and persona; from kabad – awesome significance and weighty reputation).’” (Yasha’yah / Salvation is from Yahowah / Isaiah 6:3)
It is obvious that the universe was created. The basis of life, DNA, is a language. Prophecy proves God’s existence. This should, therefore, be unambiguous.
What almost everyone misses is the idea that Yahowah is “qadowsh – set apart.” He is not omnipresent nor omniscient. He exists in seven dimensions, and we exist in three. There is limited interaction between the profane and mundane and God. He is not involved in most people’s lives. He does not hear the vast preponderance of prayers and seldom, if ever, answers them.
“The thresholds (wa ha saph – the doorframes, the framework around the entryways) where the doors opened (‘amah – of the doorposts where the entry gates pivot and turn for the family; from ‘em – on behalf of the set-apart Mother) shook (nuwa’ – moved and swung open (qal imperfect)) at the voice (min qowl – from the sound of) of the One who issued the invitation to be called out (ha qara’ – of Him who proclaimed that which could be read and recited to those who were invited, summoning them, He called out to them by name to meet and greet them (qal active)) and then (wa) the Family Home (beyth – the House and Household) was full (male’ – was replete, revealing a full measure of the abundance) of fiery disappointment (‘ashan – of displeasure, enveloped in dissatisfaction and smoldering discontentment (note: ‘ashan can also be translated ‘smoke’ but that rendering does not work in this context); from ‘ashan – fuming 431annoyance and disapproval (nifal imperfect passive)).” (Yasha’yah / Freedom is from Yahowah / Isaiah 6:4)
The doorway to life and to God is Passover. There is no other. Only Yahowah can open Heaven’s door. It pivots on His Word.
If you love Yahowah, this would be a great time to pause and reflect on this situation. God would support His Son’s decision to serve as the Passover Lamb. He would allow His creation to beat him and humiliate Him, nailing him to a pole in the most excruciating form of death ever devised. And after sacrificing his body so that we might live, He dispatched Dowd’s soul to She’owl on UnYeasted Bread laden with our guilt. The following day, Father and Son would be reunited in God’s Home.
However, on this day, Yahowah’s people were surprisingly ignorant. No one showed up. God opened the door to Heaven and not a soul was there.
The overwhelming preponderance of people either ignore or discard His invitations. Many despise them. Just ask a Christian to give up Christmas and Easter for Pesach and Matsah and see how they respond. In a world rife with religious alternatives, as few as one in a million souls accepts Yahowah’s offer and walks through that door. And on this day, there were none. Not one. And that is what caused God to be “‘ashan – displeased and disappointed, enveloped in dissatisfaction and smoldering discontent.”
As we read on, we discover that Yasha’yah errantly assumed that Yahowah’s displeasure was directed at him, at his inadequacies. He loved his job and was concerned that he would lose it. Such was not the case.
“So (wa), I replied (‘amar – responded and said), ‘Woe, oh no, this distressful situation (howy – alas, this denunciation, intense sorrow, grief, and despair, longing 432sigh and warning) is because of me (la ‘any – is the consequence of me approaching).
For surely (ky – because indeed), I am ruined and will be silenced (damah – I will no longer be able to speak and will cease to be engaged, I am now unable to draw the proper comparisons, to process this information, or to respond appropriately, I can’t even properly present this story nor convey its point [note: damah’s tertiary connotation is ‘to perish and be destroyed’ but that rendering does not work in this setting]) because (ky – for the reason) I am an individual (‘ysh ‘any – a person) with unacceptable and unclean (tame’ – impure and defiled and thus improper and undesirable) lips (saphah – speech and language).
And furthermore (wa), I dwell (‘anoky – I live and abide) in the midst (ba tawek – in the middle, center, and among) of a people (‘am – a family of related individuals) of unacceptable and unclean (tame’ – impure and defiled and thus improper and undesirable) lips (saphah – speech and language).
Except now (ky ‘eth – indeed when close-up), Yahowah (Yahowah – the proper pronunciation of the name of YaHoWaH, our ‘elowah – God as directed in His towrah – teaching regarding His hayah existence and our shalowm – restoration) of the vast array of spiritual implements (tsaba’ – of the command-and-control regime of heavenly messengers and envoys), the ultimate authority (ha melek – the sovereign and king who reigns, the royal ruler; from malak – to reign and advise, providing counsel to consider as a supreme sovereign), I have seen (ra’ah – I have been shown and have had revealed, looked upon and considered (qal perfect)) with my eyes (‘ayn ‘any – in my sight and presence).’” (Yasha’yah / Salvation is from Yahowah / Isaiah 6:5)
433God would not have brought Yasha’yah to Heaven unless He was pleased with him. And I am sure that Yasha’yah would have been both overjoyed and overstimulated initially. But then, rather than witnessing an enormous smile on Yahowah’s face, welcoming him into His Home, as he had hoped, instead he beheld God’s disappointment, and Yasha’yah, as I would have done, assumed that he had been the cause.
Now that God could see deep into his soul, Yasha’yah knew that his imperfections would be on display – although he also had to know that he was Yahowah’s first choice among people at the time. And no matter what the great prophet may have been feeling, this meeting had nothing to do with Yasha’yah but, instead, with his people. Yahowah wanted Yisra’el to know how bad they had been, while allowing them the opportunity to peer into the very heart of God, to understand what makes Him so longsuffering.
Yasha’yah would have all eternity to experience Yahowah’s love, and God knew it, so He used this moment to reveal one of the most important insights ever shared with humankind. There are things that cause God to grieve, and nothing disappoints Him more than having what He has done for us, having what He is offering us, discounted, dismissed, and disdained by those the benefits were intended to serve. God had opened His Home up to mankind and collectively man went elsewhere. Worse, His Son had laid down his life for them and they walked past, oblivious to what he had achieved.
As for Yasha’yah, there is no better job than working with Yahowah, no matter the mission. He is the perfect Boss, engaging and supportive, trustworthy and dependable, willing to do Himself whatever He asks of us, and more, and extraordinarily generous – to the point our compensation exceeds the value of our work by an incalculable degree. Further, He is never demanding. We 434do what we want to do, when we want to do it, and nothing more.
Once we have experienced the thrill of working with Him, the thought of being discarded due to our inadequacies is disheartening. While none of us today serve at the level of prophet, nonetheless, every job is exhilarating. I can appreciate Yasha’yah’s concern.
The difference, however, was that the prophet had been to Heaven. He had seen Yahowah in all His glory. I cannot even imagine coming down from this high.
Today, the best that can be said for the rest of us is that we have seen Yahowah through His words. The view is marvelous, but it is in 3D, not 7D. It is brilliant and enlightening, but nothing compared to what Yasha’yah experienced. He was changed, and there would be no going back.
There is yet another way to look at this, and that would be to see Yasha’yah being used as a metaphor for the whole of Yisra’el. In that case, the tertiary connotation of damah, presented above, could in fact apply as a consequence of Yisra’el’s rebellion. Yahowah, Himself, makes this connection to Yahuwdah in Yirma’yah / Jerimiah 13, saying that they are “damah – perishing and being destroyed” as a result of “damah – ceasing to be engaged, becoming incapable of drawing the proper comparisons, thereby unable to process information rationally, or respond appropriately.”
Yahowah would make sure of this. One of the mal’ak was dispatched to do its job. More than just encourage Yasha’yah, the Saraphym would enable him.
“Then (wa) one (‘echad) of (min) the Saraphym (Saraphym – the fiery and majestic winged spiritual beings comprised of light; plural of saraph – to burn brightly) flew (‘uwph – moved through the air, flying) toward me (‘el 435‘any – to me), and (wa) in its hand (ba yad huw’) was a live ember (ritspah – a flaming firebolt or spark, burning and glowing on a decorative inlaid object) held within a pair of tongs (ba melqahaym – by a hinged implement designed to grasp hold of burning hot objects; from laqach – to fetch, take, lay hold of, receive, acquire, seize, and take away).
It had obtained it (laqach – it had accepted, received, and acquired it) from upon (min ‘al) the altar (ha mizbeach – the place for gifts, thankful offerings, and sacrifices (meat prepared for consumption during a feast)).” (Yasha’yah / Freedom is from Yahowah / Isaiah 6:6)
It touched it (wa naga’ – it reached out and extended it, making contact with it) above (‘al – over, near, and upon) my mouth (peh ‘any), and said (wa ‘amar – then proclaimed), ‘Behold (hineh – pay attention because this is important, look up and observe what’s happening here and now), this has been extended to make contact (naga’ zeh – this has touched) near (‘al – above, over, and upon) your lips (saphah ‘atah [your in 1QIsa vs. the in the MT]) so (wa) removed are (suwr – taken away, abolished, and no longer existing are (qal perfect consecutive)) your inadequacies, mistakes, and liabilities (‘awon ‘atah – your iniquity and wrongdoing, failures and offenses, even tendency to err by inappropriately twisting or distorting the truth [plural in 1QIsa while singular in MT]).
Therefore (wa), your offenses against the standard (chata’th ‘atah – your wrongdoing, errors, and mistakes, your sinful nature and resulting guilt; from chata’ – tendency to miss the way and be wrong [misspelled in 1QIsa]) have been reconciled (kaphar – have been pardoned and released, have been ransomed and annulled, have been purged and cleansed, and they have been covered and forgiven).’” (Yasha’yah / Salvation is from Yahowah / Isaiah 6:7)
436There is a lesson here that the world at large has overlooked. There is but one vital Miqra’ey left unfulfilled – Yowm Kipurym | the Day of Reconciliations. And while religious Jews perceive it to be a day of denial, of fasting and affliction, Yahowah defined its purpose in this pronouncement. Kaphar, which is the verbal root of Kipurym, speaks of being reconciled, of purging, cleansing, and then covering chata’ath | our guilt for having missed the way. It is the last chance for God’s people to come clean, to be purged of politics and rid of religion so that their relationship with Yahowah can be reconciled.
And that is what this prophetic meeting is directing our attention toward. Yasha’yah’s mission henceforth would be to awaken his people and call them home prior to the return of Father and Son on Kipurym in year 6000 Yah – the final Homecoming.
So that you know, in this scene, the mal’ak did not actually perfect Yasha’yah. Our vindication comes as a result of Dowd fulfilling Pesach and Matsah. This was purely symbolic, but the message was unmistakable. It did not matter that Yasha’yah’s lips were imperfect because the One using them is perfect. As a matter of fact, Yahowah prefers using flawed implements.
While it is a privilege to be one of the many implements at Yahowah’s disposal, it is not anything to brag about. We accomplish only as much as Yahowah is able to achieve through us.
Liberated from any concerns, freed of his prior mistakes, energized by the impending possibilities, Yasha’yah listened intently and then answered singularly and boldly. This is a life lesson for all of us. Listen and then respond.
“Then (wa) I listened and heard (shama’ – I used my auditory sense to pay attention and received the 437announcement so as to understand (qal active imperfect)) the voice (qowl – the sound) of my Upright One (‘edown ‘any – of my Upright Pillar who is the center of my Home), asking (‘amar ‘eth – questioning and saying), ‘Whom (my – who and to whom) shall I send (shalach – shall I dispatch as a messenger (qal imperfect active)) and (wa) who (my) will go (halak – walk (qal imperfect active)) with us (la ‘anachnuw – in our direction, toward us, and for us)?’
So (wa), I said (‘amar – I answered and proposed), ‘Look, here I am (hineh ‘any – behold, I am right here right now and I’m paying attention). Send me (shalach ‘any – dispatch me as a messenger)!’” (Yasha’yah / Freedom is from Yahowah / Isaiah 6:8)
One of the great benefits of working with Yahowah is that so long as we are willing to listen and then respond, nothing more is required of us. We are not even held accountable for our mistakes, which is particularly liberating because God is a brilliant communicator, and we are imperfect conduits.
In all the universe, no Boss is as supportive, more generous, or as fun to work with. No one is as mentally stimulating, as exciting, or as relevant. He is trustworthy and consistent, saying what He is going to do and then doing what He has said. And the benefits are beyond comprehension, adoption into the Boss’ Family, inheriting a share of His enterprise, the universe, in addition to immortality, enrichment, empowerment, enlightenment, and as was the case with Yasha’yah, perfection.
Yasha’yah would keep his job as God’s messenger because he listened to God’s message. It is really that simple and profound.
Over the course of these past two chapters, we have gone from God as storyteller to conversationalist. By way of review, Yasha’yah begins this chapter by identifying the occasion upon which he was invited to meet directly with 438Yahowah in heaven. Here then for our consideration are the first eight statements as they appear in the 6th chapter.
“In the year King ‘Uzyah died, I saw my Upright One establishing a dwelling place before His Seat of Honor, as He was engaged in raising and lifting up.
The train of His majestic, flowing garment filled the enduring, enabling, and empowering residence. (Yasha’yah / Isaiah 6:1)
Saraphym from above approached Him having six bleached white wings, each one with two covering its presence, with two they concealed their feet, and with two, they flew. (Yasha’yah / Isaiah 6:2)
Then they called out to one another, ‘Set Apart, Set Apart! Completely prepared and exceedingly devoted is Yahowah of the spiritual implements.
The entire material realm is filled, revealing a full measure of the abundance of His accomplishments and His importance, His manifestation of power, and even His rewarding gifts and persona.’ (Yasha’yah / Isaiah 6:3)
The thresholds where the doors opened at the behest of the set-apart Mother shook and swung open at the voice of the One who issued the invitation to be called out and then the Family Home was filled with smoldering disappointment and enveloped in dissatisfaction. (Yasha’yah / Isaiah 6:4)
So, I responded and said, ‘Woe, oh no, this distressful situation is because of me.
For surely, I am ruined and will be silenced because I am an individual with unacceptable and unclean lips.
And furthermore, I dwell in the midst of a people of unacceptable and unclean lips.
439Except now, I have seen, looked upon and considered with my eyes, Yahowah of the heavenly messengers, the ultimate authority.’ (Yasha’yah / Isaiah 6:5)
Then one of the Saraphym flew toward me, and in its hand was a live ember, glowing on a decorative inlaid object, held within a pair of tongs.
It had obtained it from upon the altar. (Yasha’yah / Isaiah 6:6)
It reached out and extended it above my mouth. It said, ‘Behold, this has been extended to make contact near your lips so removed, taken away, abolished, and no longer existing are your inadequacies, mistakes, and liabilities.
Therefore, your offenses against the standard, your errors and mistakes, have been reconciled, pardoned by way of a ransom, and therefore annulled and forgiven.’ (Yasha’yah / Isaiah 6:7)
Then I listened and heard the voice of my Upright One, asking, ‘Whom shall I send and who will go, walking with us, toward us, and for us?’
So, I answered and proposed, ‘Look, here I am right here and now, and I’m paying attention. Send me!’” (Yasha’yah / Isaiah 6:8)
Are you listening? Are you willing to go?
Yahowah did not question Yasha’yah’s credentials. He did not test his faith or search his heart. Yasha’yah was observant; he listened intently and responded appropriately. That was sufficient. Yasha’yah wanted to be used, and that, along with a willingness to be observant and 440to be a good listener, was enough. We do not have an excuse – at least, not a good one.
And yet, Yahowah does not issue orders to men. He asks. And even His requests are subject to freewill.
While that alone is counter to man’s misguided view of God as Lord, something far more surprising awaits.
“He said (wa ‘amar – and so then He replied in response), ‘Go if you’d like (halak – progress, travel, walk about if that is what you choose to do recognizing that it is your decision (qal imperative – a genuine relationship is being established between Yah and Yasha’yah based on the prophet’s desire)) and (wa) say (‘amar – explain and announce) to these people (la ha ‘am ha zeh – as you approach this particular family of related individuals), “Choose to listen intently (shama’ shama’ – you may want to hear and understand everything (qal imperative qal infinitive – you should choose of your own volition to genuinely, literally, and intensely listen)), but (wa) you will not make the necessary connections required to understand (‘al byn – you will not effectively distinguish between truth and lies, right and wrong, good and evil, leaving you incapable of comprehension, thereby remaining irrational (qal imperfect jussive – underscoring the literal, ongoing, and negative aspects of this failure to understand)).
You may choose to look, even stare (ra’ah ra’ah – you may actually want to see, even be observant (qal imperative infinitive – should you choose of your own volition to be shown everything)), but (wa) you shall remain unaware (‘al yada’ – you will remain unknown and unacquainted, uninformed without knowledge (qal imperfect jussive)).”’” (Yasha’yah / Salvation is from Yahowah / Isaiah 6:9)
To some degree, Yahowah is addressing the problems associated with scholars, especially theologians. They 441read, but do not know. They study but do not understand. They teach that which they, themselves, do not comprehend. Worse, they arrogantly claim that the people need to rely on them to understand God because His message is said to be incomprehensible to those who are not similarly schooled. Such clerics keep people ignorant, indoctrinating them rather than enlightening them.
The only thing worse than being unaware is to be irrational. Such is the condition of man today.
If I may speculate somewhat, there is also the possibility that Yahowah is addressing the consequence of the cleric’s attitude rather than deliberately incapacitating them. It is not in Yahowah’s nature to blind the sighted nor stupefy the thoughtful. But when people prioritize religious texts above the Word of God, as Christians have done with their New Testament and their Church Canon, as Orthodox Jews have done with their Talmud and Mishnah, all they see in God’s Word is that which they can misrepresent and take out of context to justify their religion.
More important still, and in all likelihood, the real impetus behind this statement and the ones that follow: Yahowah’s reputation and credibility are at stake. If the religious leaders came to know Him, if they associate themselves with Him, they will give the false impression that God approves their faith. So, while they continue to be religious, Yahowah’s preference is that they are precluded from knowing Him.
Further, having contemplated everything Yahowah has revealed thus far, and still haunted by His introduction, when He revealed that His intent was to raise these people as His children, I think God is disgusted. He is appalled by His people’s collective decision to promote a demonic religion rather than engage in a beneficial relationship with Him. And now He wants nothing to do with them. He does not want them in heaven. As such, this serves as proof that 442God does not want to save everyone. In fact, the opposite is closer to being true.
If it were not for what we have read thus far, combined with what I’ve personally encountered this past year, I would have had a difficult time with these words…
“‘The judgment and attitude (leb – the ability to process information which is observed effectively and then differentiate between good and evil, showing discernment while acting on the proper motivations, inclinations and disposition) of these people (ha ‘am ha zeh – of this particular family of related individuals) will be, of their own accord, unresponsive and incapacitated (shamem – will be calloused, fat and out of shape (hifil imperative)).
Their ears (wa ‘ozen huw’ – their faculty of hearing), they have chosen to be heavy laden and thickened (kabed – made difficult as a result of being indifferent and stubborn (hifil imperative)).
Their eyes (wa ‘ayn huw’ – ability to see, observe, and perceive), they have opted to smear over (sha’a’ – shut and closed, sealed and therefore blinded (hifil imperative)), otherwise (pen – lest, negating the possibility) they might come to be perceptive (ra’ah – they would see and be observant (qal imperfect)) with their sight (ba ‘ayn huw’). With their ears (wa ba ‘ozen huw’), they might hear (shama’ – they would listen).
Then (wa) using their good judgment (lebab huw’ – by responding rationally to what they observe, by discriminating between good and evil and taking what they discover to heart) they might make the necessary connections to understand (byn – they might effectively distinguish between truth and lies, separating fact from fiction, and comprehend, thereby becoming rational (qal imperfect – underscoring the literal, ongoing aspects of understanding)).
443As a result, they would change and return (wa shuwb – they would relent, do an about-face, turning around, and go in the opposite direction (qal perfect)), moving toward their restoration (wa rapha’ la huw’ – and thereby recover and be healed of their disease (qal perfect)).’” (Yasha’yah / Freedom is from Yahowah / Isaiah 6:10)
In early 2017, those who work with me and support this effort were confronted by something previously unimaginable. These unforeseen experiences were gut-wrenching because the perpetrators were, quite frankly, repulsive. An individual who I thought had come to know Yahowah as a result of the books and audio programs evolving out of Prophet of Doom (now God Damn Religion) and Yada Yahowah, turned out to be overtly demeaning and remarkably abusive, along with those who associated with him.
Having built several businesses, I have come to realize that such individuals are a dime a dozen, so I’ve learned to ignore them – just as does Yahowah. But this man, and those under his spell, became a serious problem, one that could not be overlooked.
They were all aware of what was presented in Yada Yahowah and An Introduction to God and used it inappropriately. So, while they obviously didn’t understand what they had read and heard, they gave the impression to thousands of unsuspecting people on social media that we were all in agreement.
Their game was to copy and paste snippets of what I had translated and discovered as “notes” in posts, mostly to irritate and annoy people they didn’t like while manipulating those closest to the site’s leader – intimidating them into compliance. Also at issue, they all intermixed these insights regarding God with asinine 444conspiracy theories, thereby discrediting Yahowah through these absurd associations.
When I asked them to stop juxtaposing their conspiracy theories with citations from my books, they became exceedingly vicious and vulgar. They posted some of the most reprehensible things in conjunction with Yahowah’s name, using terminology found only in my books, all while claiming to be part of the Covenant. As I read what they were saying, I realized that I had unwittingly contributed to this appalling situation.
Had I not offered these translations and insights freely, and included them in the audio programs, they would never have garnered the attention needed to inflict so many people with their poison – they would not have been able to discredit Yahowah’s name, His Word, or His reputation. I came to wish that they had never heard me speak and had never read a word I had written. I knew that I did not want to spend eternity with any of them.
As a result, I personally experienced what I suspect Yahowah is trying to avoid. Having lived through it, I cannot only sympathize with Him, I concur. A little knowledge in the wrong hands can be dangerous.
Unfortunately, shortly thereafter, we experienced the same thing all over again. Two of the individuals who had participated in the artificial world of social media with the conspiracy theorists we had now removed from our company, started their own site, and they were even worse. They began to attack God’s chosen people, and then Yahowah directly.
Their claims were ignorant and irrational, even insane, both unGodly and anti-Semitic. Nonetheless, by using social media to garner the attention of those who had been drawn to Yahowah’s Word through these books and subsequent audio outreach, they found a receptive audience. Once again, knowledge without understanding, 445seeing without perceiving, hearing without comprehension, created a monstrous result.
By making it considerably easier to know who God is and what He requires of those who want to participate in His Covenant, I made it possible for men and women still poisoned by all manner of deceptions to give the impression that they were part of His Family and therefore convey accurate information regarding Him. It was, and to some extent remains, a horribly destructive and discrediting proposition, one which demeans the Creator of the universe.
So, now I appreciate Yahowah’s position. It is better that they do not understand. God does not want to spend an eternity with such misguided, unappreciative, and deceitful people. He does not want anything to do with them.
Yahowah realizes that the only thing worse than the religious and political lies they spread on their own accord, are the lies they would come to promote in association with Him should they actually come to know Him. Perhaps Yahowah was being merciful by leaving them deaf and blind because then their souls will simply fade away rather than having to endure She’owl.
There is yet another possibility that I would like you to consider. I have come to the conclusion that Yahowah does not want to be easily known. He wants the process to be challenging. That way, neither He nor we will be subjected to spending an eternity with individuals who are not committed to a lifetime of learning and exploring. There must be a filter, something which precludes wrong-minded individuals with an irritating attitude from stumbling into heaven.
Based on what follows, I suspect that Yasha’yah had not yet been exposed to men and women similar to those I’ve just mentioned. He may have still been as I was some 446years ago, encouraging everyone to listen to Yahowah, to observe His Towrah. So he asked…
“Then (wa) I replied (‘amar – I said, questioning (qal imperfect)), ‘How long will this last (‘ad mathay – until when, up to what period of time, and what is the extent of this after which it will conclude), Yahowah (Yahowah – God’s one and only name [YHWH in 1QIsa vs. ‘edown ‘any – my Upright One in the MT])?’
He answered (wa ‘amar – He responded and said), ‘Until such time (‘ad – up to the point, as long as, upon reaching the point in the continuum of eternity) when (‘im – upon reaching the condition and situation upon which) to beneficially reveal the proper path to the relationship (‘asher – to convey the blessings and benefits, even joy, associated with the steps along the correct and restrictive way that gives meaning to life, providing a place to stand) the cities (‘iyr – the inhabited places and population centers, but also the anguish, anxiety, anger, wrath, and terror, even great displeasure; from ‘uwr – an awakening is incited and people are awakened, roused from their slumber, exposing the chaff) are desolated (sha’ah – are wasted in a state of ruin, or are closely examined, intensely considered for a duration of time, leading to a decision regarding what is being observed, or the great and blaring signal is sounded, roaring onto the scene at great speed (qal perfect)) from within (min) without an inhabitant dwelling therein (‘ayn yashab – as a declaration of negation revealing nothing lives because there is no means to be restored, meet, or approach (qal participle)) and (wa) homes (beyth – houses) are without men (min ‘ayn ‘adam – are negated without the descendants of ‘Adam), when (wa) the material realm (ha ‘erets – the Land or the earth) is desolate (sha’ah – is wasted in a state of ruin, or is closely examined, intensely considered for a duration of time, leading to a decision regarding what is being observed, or the great and blaring signal is sounded, 447roaring onto the scene at great speed (nifal imperfect)), sparsely populated and clothed in ruin (shamamah – deserted and essentially uninhabitable as a result of something horrible and astonishingly appalling).’” (Yasha’yah / Salvation is from Yahowah / Isaiah 6:11)
Sometimes it takes a catastrophe for us to consider the issues that led to the disastrous result. Confronting death causes us to consider life. Such will be the case for Yisra’el and Yahuwdah.
It does not have to be that way, of course. Yisra’elites could reject their rabbis, discard their politicians, toss their Talmud and embrace the Towrah. They could read these translations and respond to the God whose testimony we are considering.
Speaking of choices, there are three or four options available to us with ‘iyr and sha’ah. So how are we to know which meaning Yahowah intended to convey with these words? Should we choose one connotation for each and determine for ourselves what God meant to say? Or would we be wise to consider them all?
I am not arrogant enough to make any of these choices for you, and I am not smart enough to make them for God. Therefore, here are the options available to us. The potential meanings of both words are presented in the order they occur in leading lexicons:
“And He answered and said, ‘Until the point in the continuum of eternity and to beneficially reveal the proper path to the relationship when ‘iyr sha’ah: 1) the cities, inhabited places, and population centers are desolated, 2) when the anguish, anxiety, anger, and terror, even great displeasure are closely examined and intensely considered for a duration of time, and lead to a decision regarding what is being observed, 3/4) when there is an awakening and people are roused from their slumber as the great and blaring signal is sounded, 448roaring onto the scene at great speed, exposing and wasting the chaff from within….’”
As is often the case, each combination seems to apply. All four are relevant and instructive.
The same appears to be true with the concluding statement. Not only can ha ‘erets be rendered as “the Land, the Earth, or the material realm,” there are several acceptable connotations of sha’awah. Therefore, all of what follows could have been intended…
“‘Then the Land, earth, and material realm will commence for a period of close examination and careful consideration, ultimately leading to a decision regarding what is being observed, all while a great and blaring signal is sounded and many are left desolate as it approaches at great speed, leaving the Land sparsely populated and those who are astonishingly appalling clothed in ruin.’”
According to Strong’s, sha’awah, which they render, “devastating storm,” is rooted in sha’ah. That’s interesting due to its similarity to the next word in the lexicon, She’owl / Sha’uwl. She’owl is commonly referred to as “hell,” and it serves as “the place of no return where wicked souls are degraded and punished upon their death.”
Then as Sha’uwl, it becomes the name of the author of half of the Christian New Testament, a man known to God as “the plague of death.” This association is especially pertinent because Sha’uwl will appear once again in the next chapter of Yasha’yah.
It is so obvious, so clearly stated, that it’s surprising that most people miss the fact that God is not near. He isn’t involved with any mundane aspect of anyone’s life. There is no reason to thank Him for a meal because He did not provide it. There is no reason to bow down and pray because He is not listening.
449For the most part, He has given up on humankind. If it were not for the promises He made to His people, to Yisra’el and Yahuwdah, and to select Gowym through His Towrah, He would not return. If our fate were based on our behavior and not His solemn vows, He would have foreclosed on this universe. For every Dowd, there have been a million bums.
To be fair, and to be honest with ourselves, we ought not blame Yahowah. We are at fault. We are the reason He has withdrawn and sent us away to live and die on our own. God did not want it to turn out this way. He envisioned, offered, and then facilitated a mutually beneficial and enjoyable relationship. He expected little of us in return. He was offering more than we could possibly imagine.
But we did far worse than nothing. Man has made a career of antagonizing God, of interfering with God, of corrupting God’s message, of negating God’s offer, of inventing gods and playing god, all while projecting all manner of lies about Him. When we do such things we are not lovable. We are not even likable. And yet, Yahowah is not only willing to overlook what we have done, He has a solution for what ails us, a way to make us likable and loveable, worth knowing.
“Yahowah (Yahowah – an accurate transliteration of the name YaHoWaH, our ‘elowah – God as guided by His towrah – instructions regarding His hayah – existence and our shalowm – reconciliation) will distance Himself from mankind (rachaq ‘eth ha ‘adam – will sever the relationship with the descendants of ‘Adam, avoiding people, and staying a great distance away from humankind, remote and removed from man (piel perfect)) and (wa) there will be a great forsaking (rabab ‘azab – an increased separation from greater neglect and rejection, a higher level of abandonment and disassociation, leading to damnation) throughout (ba qereb – in the midst of and within the interior of) the Land (ha ‘erets – the earth and 450material realm).” (Yasha’yah / Freedom is from Yahowah / Isaiah 6:12)
The “rachaq – distance” between God and man can be resolved. It is a matter of transitioning the dimensions, something which can be done instantaneously once we are empowered and transformed from matter to energy. The Miqra’ey and Beryth were specifically designed to bring us together in this way. But ‘azab is a far more serious problem. When man is ‘azab, he is “rejected and forsaken, disassociated and abandoned, separated and damned.”
It is going to get very, very dark before the Light reappears. And while most will not survive to witness His return, God fulfills His promises.
“And yet (wa), still remaining to bear witness (‘owd – beyond this point, sustained and called to help one another by testifying, both exhorting and admonishing) in her (ba hy’ – in the Land), a tenth, just one in ten (‘asyry – a fraction, ten percent).
So (wa) she (the Land) will return (shuwb – she will change and be restored, transformed (qal perfect)) when (wa) that which is associated with (ka – the likes of) Allah and sworn oaths which bind, curse, and disable (‘alah – solemn agreements invoking divine retribution, the sorrow and grief of those who are unfit and deceived) are (hayah – come to be (qal perfect)) set ablaze, purged, and removed (ba’ar – kindled, blazing, and taken away, utterly destroyed) along with the likes of (wa ka – in addition to that associated with) the large edifices marking places of worship (ha ‘alown – the prominent trees associated with worthless religious reverence and idolatry; from ‘aluwl – the call to worship a worthless pagan god, especially during the sixth month on the Babylonian calendar).
Beneficially then (‘asher ba – to reveal the proper path to the relationship and to convey its blessings and 451benefits associated with walking along the correct and restrictive way that gives life meaning), by (ba – along with) cutting down and throwing away (shaleket – the act of felling; from shalak – to throw away and to cast out) the established and revered monuments (matsebeth – the memorials, edifices, pillars, and stone altars which have been lifted up, appointed, and established) from within it (ba hem), the offspring (ha zera’ – the seed and descendants) of these edifices who take a stand (matsebeth hy’ – of the stone memorial, revered monument, pillar, and established stump who remain upright; from natsab – to take a stand, stand upright and firm, appointed and established) will be set apart and cleansed (qodesh – will be purified and separated).” (Yasha’yah / Salvation is from Yahowah / Isaiah 6:13)
Yahowah’s story is consistent. He will not return to Earth and live in the Land until all traces of religion are removed. And the greatest malignancy and weeping sore in Yisra’el, especially in Yahuwdah, and upon Mowryah in Yaruwshalaim, is Allah, his shrines, mosques, and jihadists. Islam is a curse, a deadly blight on humankind. But it is not the only debilitating disease. Judaism and Christianity have also fouled the Land with their places of worship.
‘Alah is a provocative term. It can be anything from “a large tree” to “a sworn agreement” on the positive side. But most aspects of ‘alah are overwhelmingly negative, with connotations from “that which is incapable and unfit” to “Allah,” even “a curse involving Godly retribution and great sorrow.” At its heart, ‘alah speaks of “invoking Divine sanctions against those who bind others, who curse them, making them unfit, by deceiving them.” It speaks of religion, and most especially, Islam.
With the concluding statement, Yahowah is answering Yasha’yah’s question, while at the same time saying that, after these religious sites are torn down and thrown away, 452out of them Yisra’el’s offspring will emerge, at which time they will be set apart, not only from religion, but unto Him. Once the Land is restored, the people will be cleansed. This is to say, nothing is gained when clean laundry is worn in the mud.
Reflecting on all of this, I am reminded of the two competing approaches to parenting. When I was young, my father, like so many others, thought that the best way to stop a child from doing something inappropriate was to beat him. My dad’s favorite weapon was a tree branch, which he used as a whip. But as my wife and I were raising our sons, the preferred form of discipline became a “time out.” It was a period of separation when the child was sent away and ignored for a while.
We have now heard Yahowah tell us that He turned His hand against His people, hoping to get their undivided attention, awakening them from their religious stupor by slapping them. It did not work. So now He is giving them a time-out. He is sending them away for a long time.
In so doing, God has put mankind on notice. He does not want to be associated with religious individuals. Here then is Yahowah’s reply to Yasha’yah…
“He replied in response, ‘Go if you’d like, but explain to these people, “You can choose to listen intently, but you will not make the necessary connections required to understand.
You may choose to look, even stare, but you shall remain unaware and ignorant.” (Yasha’yah / Isaiah 6:9)
The judgment and attitude of these people, indeed, their ability to process information which is observed effectively, their capacity to differentiate between good and evil, will be unresponsive and incapacitated as a result of the choices they make.
453Their eardrums, they have opted to thicken as a result of their stubborn indifference. Their eyes, they have chosen to smear over, blurring their vision, otherwise they might be observant and perceptive with their sight.
With their ears, they might hear and actually listen. Then using their good judgment by responding rationally to what they observe and taking what they discover to heart, they might make the necessary connections to understand, separating fact from fiction to comprehend and become rational.
Then they would change, relent, doing an about-face, going in the opposite direction, with them moving toward their return and restoration.’ (Yasha’yah / Isaiah 6:10)
Then I replied, questioning, ‘How long will this last, Yahowah?’
He answered and said, ‘Until the point in the continuum of eternity, and to beneficially reveal the proper path to the relationship when the cities, inhabited places, and population centers are desolated, when the anxiety, anger, and terror, even great displeasure are closely examined, intensely considered and lead to a decision regarding what is being observed, when there is an awakening and people are roused from their slumber as the great signal is sounded, roaring onto the scene at tremendous speed, exposing the chaff from within, and the homes are without men when the Land is sparsely populated and clothed in ruin. (Yasha’yah / Isaiah 6:11)
Yahowah will distance Himself from mankind, severing the relationship with the descendants of ‘Adam, essentially avoiding people, and staying a great distance away from humankind, remote and removed from man, and there will be a great forsaking, 454increased separation from greater neglect and rejection, along with a higher level of abandonment and disassociation, even damnation, throughout the Land. (Yasha’yah / Isaiah 6:12)
And yet, still remaining to bear witness, sustained and called to testify, both exhorting and admonishing, in her, a tenth, one in ten.
Then she will change and be restored when that which is associated with Allah and sworn oaths which bind, curse, and disable, invoking divine retribution against those who are unfit and deceived, are set ablaze, purged, and removed, along with the likes of the large edifices marking places of worship and associated with worthless religious reverence and idolatry, especially calls to worship a pagan god during the sixth month on the Babylonian calendar.
Beneficially then, by cutting down and throwing away the established and revered monuments which have been appointed, lifted up, and established, out of and away from them the offspring of the altars who take a stand will be set apart and cleansed.’” (Yasha’yah / Isaiah 6:13)
The dusk that will precede the dawn is a direct result of man’s decision to disregard the Light, to look but not see, to listen but not hear, to consider but not understand. Yahowah will not be trifled with. He will not hang around while men mock Him. He will not be associated with religion. He has no interest in being worshiped.
In that almost all men have chosen to either ignore Him or besmirch His reputation by associating Him with their moronic religion, Yahowah has distanced Himself from humankind. From God’s perspective, we are ‘azab: having separated from Him, He has separated Himself from mankind.
455But this we know for sure: He is true to His word. A remnant of His people will be spared. They will endure through the darkest night to see the Light. As the Land is restored, His people will be cleansed.
