Zion/Jerusalem and Ascending from Glory to Glory – Chapter 5, Part 3

​This week in Isaiah Decoded we’ll continue with our review of chapter 5 – Zion/Jerusalem, God’s Covenant People. Beginning on page 138, Dr. Gileadi launches into a analysis of comparing our spiritual journey with parallels in the cosmos or the universe as a well-ordered whole, which he sees in the Book of Isaiah. He addresses primarily two aspects of this comparison with humanity – as types of heavenly bodies and the cyclical patterns that we see occur in the universe.

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Humanity as Heavenly Bodies
Dr. Gileadi opens this section of chapter five by stating that –
 
“There are cosmic parallels to this advancement [ascension] at every level of the ladder. Different categories of people, for instance, can be compared with different categories of heavenly bodies. Some reflect God’s light, or the light of others, while some, like God’s servant, are themselves a “light,” Israel’s God being the brightest “Light” of all. Isaiah compares those on the highest levels to stars in the heavens:” – P. 138
 
When we look at the scriptures in connection with humanity as heavenly bodies, we see two aspects, man as heavenly bodies in concepts of light and in concepts of glory. We can best evaluate these observations of Dr. Gileadi by placing them in the context of Paul’s teachings of glory to the Corinthians.
 
“All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds. There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.” – 1 Corinthians 15:39-41
 
Glory here is defined when something is distinguished as having an aspect of godliness. Moreover, in Paul’s statement to the Corinthians, we see the concept of increasing degrees of godliness – stars, moon and sun. Likewise, we can see this same intensity when we speak of light. Spiritual light is to possess greater knowledge and understanding.

​Godliness >>>

​Glory of the Stars – The Spirit	​Glory of the Moon – The Son	​Glory of the Sun – The Father
Light	Greater Light	Greatest Light

Another concept we see here is the idea that those who ascend to the highest level are stars. Stars are heavenly bodies that generate their own light. Stars like our sun are burning spheres of gases. Therefore, those who ascend to the Glory of the Sun, are lights unto themselves, whom God calls His Sons/Servants.

​Godliness >>>

​Glory of the Stars – The Spirit	​Glory of the Moon – The Son	​Glory of the Sun – The Father
Light	Greater Light	Greatest Light
​Reflect Light	​Reflect Light	​Source of Light
​Jacob/Israel  >	​Zion/Jersualem  >	​Sons/Servants

“God calls each star by name, in the same way he calls his sons/servants by name, and they follow his every word of command. Each time a person ascends a level, he receives a new name, reflecting a new spiritual phase. The change of identity from Jacob/Israel to Zion/Jerusalem expresses this progression.” – P. 138
 
Light and Glory are Cumulative
Another concept we see here is that light and glory build on the previous light and glory and that one doesn’t replace the other.

​Godliness >>>

​Glory of the Stars – The Spirit	​Glory of the Moon – The Son	​Glory of the Sun – The Father
Honest	Honest and Pure	Honest, Pure and Holy
Redeemed	Redeemed and Sanctified	Redeemed, Sanctified and Exalted
	Lesser Law	Lesser Law and Greater Law

Going from Glory to Glory
In the scriptures, we see Paul teach that a person can ascend by going from glory to glory until we reach the image and stature of the fullness of Messiah.
 
“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” – 2 Corinthians 3:18

Progressing from Glory to Glory ​>>>

​Glory of the Stars – The Spirit	​Glory of the Moon – The Son	​Glory of the Sun – The Father
>	>>	Fullness of Messiah in the Likeness of the Father

Ascending is a Repeating Cycle
The next concept Dr. Gileadi addresses is that an ascent has a specific sequence and that sequence repeats its self as we grow to be like God.

Sequence of Ascent

Enters into a covenant/law as conditional/temporary  ​>

​Ruin Suffering Humiliation ​>

​Rebirth Salvation Exaltation ​>

​Covenant becomes unconditional/everlasting

  

Repeating Sequences (cycles)

Fallen Man

>  ​​O > O > O >

Fullness of Messiah in the Likeness of the Father

​“The transition from “ruin” to “rebirth,” “suffering” to “salvation,” “humiliation” to “exaltation,” and so forth—as we ascend the ladder—demonstrates a cyclical pattern in the celestial journey of God’s children. It shows that human life, like the cosmos, is cyclical in nature.” “This cyclical sequence makes it necessary to go through “ruin,” “suffering,” “humiliation,” and so forth all over again even after experiencing “rebirth,” “salvation,” and “exaltation.” – P. 138
 
“The earth’s seasonal changes—its “death” in winter and revival in summer—testify of life’s cyclical pattern. Isaiah often uses imagery from nature. Those whom the servant empowers, for example, he calls the “oaks of righteousness.” (Isaiah 61:3; emphasis added.) However, an oak tree loses its leaves in the fall and sprouts new ones in the spring as it grows in stature. It goes through descent before ascent. Its “humiliation,” as it loses the leafy glory it had gained, precedes its “exaltation,” as it grows even mightier than before (see Figure 58). A cyclical pattern in our physical lives, too, is a type of our spiritual lives, as when we become ill but recover, stronger and more immune than before.” – P. 140
 
“God’s re-creation of the earth, after it reverts to chaos, also reflects this cyclical pattern.” – P. 140

The Earth's Ascent

​A Fallen World  ​>

Paradise ​(Millennium) ​>

Heaven

"So also everyone’s journey, when divinely guided, unfolds through a series of spiritual and physical evolutions." - P. 142

​Ascent Intensifies
The last concept we see in this section is that the closer we become like God the more demanding the ascent becomes.

​​​“…the higher we ascend the lower we temporarily descend while passing tests of loyalty.(see Figure 57)” – P. 138

”Our journey through life, then, is not just cyclical—passing through experiences that repeat themselves—it is also climactic, passing through experiences that intensify.” – P. 139​


​Figure 57   The Higher the Ascent, the Lower the Descent

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"Zion/Jerusalem’s rising .... is part of a larger pattern that includes higher categories as well. Not only Zion/Jerusalem, but also God’s sons/servants, seraphs... on ever ascending levels of the ladder.""This pattern teaches that life consists of a whole series of births and rebirths into higher states of being ... [and intensifies as one gets closer to God]." - P. 141

Job Ascends from Zion to Servant
Job showcases an example of ascending from Zion/Jerusalem to Sons/Servants.

"But Job was blameless of the things of which they accused him. In fact, Job was a type of the world’s future Messiah, and of all who suffer innocently as part of a descent before ascent, passing through “ruin” before “rebirth,” “suffering” before “salvation,” “humiliation” before “exaltation,” and so forth. Thus, God “blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning”  - P. 142

"Just as it takes all kinds of heavenly bodies to make up the cosmos, each of which is essential to the whole, so it takes all kinds of people to make God’s plan for our “salvation” and “exaltation” work. If, like Job, we rise above our trials as we minister to others, we, like him, will “see God.” (Job 19:26.)" - P. 143, 144

Job in the end realizes that his severe trials even as he kept God's law and word would make him more like God.

"But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold." - Job 23:10