The Transcendent and the Immanent Messiah – II

In the previous Post I introduced the essence of the Transcendent and the Immanent Messiah: When the presence of Messiah is openly manifested to the World, we could say that the Transcendent Messiah (i.e. the hidden, invisible Messiah, living in the higher worlds), becomes the Immanent Messiah, the visible, known Messiah, appearing and acting openly in the world.

In another of his wonderful books, A Kabbalistic View of History, Z’ev Ben Shimon Halevi writes about some great Initiates in human history who in fact fulfilled the function of Immanent Messiahs for their epochs: As regards the Persian esoteric tradition, it introduced the motion of the Messiah and the concept of the Resurrection at the End of Time. This is when Existence is re-absorbed into the Godhead after a final Day of Judgement on humanity’s performance. The role of the Messiah was later seen as the title of whoever occupied a particular place in the chain of enlightened individuals. There would always be such a person incarnate throughout history. Known as the Axis of the Age, the Messiah was the connection between those on Earth and the Great Holy Council in the upper Worlds. (Halevi: A Kabbalistic View of History, Kabbalah Society, 2012, p. 88).

On the quoted Scheme (Fig. 81 – EVOLUTION) by Z’ev ben Shimon Halevi in the Post, The Mystical, Historical and Current Messiah(s) from 21/10/2022, the position of the CURRENT MESSIAH is in the Fourth Heaven, the Heavenly Jerusalem (i.e. the place where the three higher worlds meet).  Z’ev ben Shimon Halevi finishes his book The Way of Kabbalah with the remarkable Ascension of Rabbi Akiba from the first century through the Seven Heavens. For the journey of Rabbi Akiba reaching the Fourth Heaven (called The Fourth Heavenly Hall) Halevi writes:

The Fourth Heavenly Hall, composed of the Beriatic Hod-Tiferet-Nezah, is called Zebul, meaning Habitation. It is said to be the place of the Heavenly Jerusalem. Here Akiba says that he was with God… As the Tiferet of Creation, this place is watched over by Archangel Michael who is the guardian of the House of Israel. Also to be found here, Tradition says, are the ten great Zadekim who constitute the esoteric or Heavenly Assembly of Israel. They dwell just below the one fully evolved Man who … acts as the incarnate link with the Divine. Oral Tradition states that one such man exists on the earth at any given time although his presence is openly manifest to the World only when it is needed. To some he is known as the Messiah and to others the Axis of the Age. He has a place and name in every living Tradition. (Halevi, The Way of Kabbalah, Kabbalah Society, 2007, p. 224 – 225).

We could summarize that when the unknown Transcendent Messiah in the higher worlds openly manifest to the world, then he/she becomes the Immanent Messiah. For the essence of the Immanent Messiah, Halevi writes:

The position of the Messiah in Kabbalah and in many other esoteric traditions is very precise. He is the perfect human being, the living ideal for all humanity. His initial position on Jacob’ Ladder is at the simultaneous Malkhut of Azilut, the Tiferet of Beriah and the Keter of Yetzirah. Here, where the upper three Worlds meet in the Throne of God, he presides over the innermost part of the incarnate mankind. Whoever holds this role as the Axis of the Age is the link between the Divine ELOHIM, the Holy Spirits and humanity. The Messiah, it is said, is the true Son of God and not his servant, as all the Archangels are despite their high rank and the name Benai ELOHIM. This special relationship is because Adam, or man, was God’s firstborn, that is, the being who was of the ELOHIM’S own begetting in the DIVINE’S own likeness. Thus, it is that those of mankind who have not realised that in their Self is God seeing God are given the choice of perceiving the purpose of human existence in the reality of the Messiah, the last born spirit to incarnate below. While, for example, orthodox Christians say the Messiah has come and orthodox Jews say the Messiah is yet to come, the truth of the matter is that the Messiah has been, is and always be present. It could be no other way, if one knows the place of the Anointed above the Self and at the Crown of all incarnate mankind where humanity meets ADONAI at the Malkhut of Divinity. (Ibid., pp. 244-245)

I agree completely with Halevi about his concept of the presence of Messiah in every historical epoch. Here however it is important to clarify why the orthodox Jews for centuries are expecting the coming of the Messiah. The reasons for this are numerous, but from a metaphysical point of view they are expecting the Messiah as the ultimate Manifestation of the CREATOR performing the Jubilee of Jubilees and changing not only an historical epoch, but the much greater cycle of eons.  We are not at this stage yet, but if someone is firmly established in monotheism, they have to expect signs of Manifestation of the CREATOR at any moment, at least on the level of an historical epoch.

As to the Christians, for them Christ was the Transcendent Messiah (on the level of Metatron, as the ‘Son of God’, the ‘Little YAHVEH’), who had to become the Immanent Messiah, on order to fulfil his historical and metahistorical Mission. Here it is very significant to note that in his book Adam and the Kabbalistic Tree, Z’ev ben Shimon Halevi gives examples of Initiates who fulfilled the role of Immanent Messiahs during the ages, including Jesus Christ as well:

While to us natural men, such a highly conscious self is at least cosmic, it is in fact less than half-way up the complete Jacob’s ladder of the four interleaved Trees that compose manifestation. From this we can see why Christ might be called the ‘Son of God’, as would any man attaining this level deserves to be called. As has been said, more than several men have, during the history of mankind, reached this point and they are known to the Kabbalistic tradition as ‘Messiahs’ or the ‘Anointed’. This title applies to anyone reaching the Tiferet of the beriatic World and could be ascribed to Zoroaster, Hermes-Trismegistus, Enoch and many lesser known and unknown human beings who have returned to help save mankind from its ignorance at certain crucial periods of development. (Z’ev ben Shimon Halevi, Adam and the Kabbalistic Tree, Samuel Weiser, INC, 1974, p. 312)

This is why, Z’ev ben Simon Halevi in his book A Kabbalistic Universe (see the Featured Image above,  Fig. 69 – MESSIAH) states that the role of Messiah is part of a long line stretching back to Enoch and through Abraham, Buddha, Zoroaster and many great teachers. Now, at the end of the Indo-European cycle, this whole Messianic Line has to be activated in order to facilitate the quantum leap of humankind to the new cosmic cycle of evolution. Some examples of Immanent Messiahs I will introduce in the next Posts.