Jesus Christ as Lord of History

 

“This pre-incarnate Christ was not merely a spectator or even just an agent

of creation—He was its purpose. All things were created "through Him and

for Him" (Colossians 1:16). The entire cosmos, from the most distant galaxy

to the smallest subatomic particle, exists for Christ, points to Christ,

and finds its meaning in Christ”.

  

Excellent article written on 06 Apr 2025:

Jesus Christ: The Eternal King and Lord of Time

  

Jesus Christ: The Eternal King and Lord of Time

 

Introduction: The Fullness of Christ Revealed

 

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made."
— John 1:1-3

 

In the grand tapestry of divine revelation, one figure stands supreme, transcending time, space, and the limitations of human understanding. Jesus Christ—the Word made flesh, the Alpha and Omega, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords—is not merely a historical figure who appeared in Bethlehem two thousand years ago. He is the eternal Son of God, whose glory, power, and sovereignty stretch from before creation's dawn to beyond the consummation of all things.

 

He is the central figure of Scripture, history, and eternity—the one in whom "all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily" (Colossians 2:9).

 

This essay explores the surpassing glory, worth, and majesty of Jesus Christ as revealed across the entire sweep of Scripture and divine history. From His pre-incarnate manifestations to patriarchs and prophets, to His incarnation, death, and resurrection, to His coming again in glory—Jesus Christ stands as the sovereign Lord of time and creation, working out the divine plan of redemption that was established "before the foundation of the world" (Ephesians 1:4).

 

As we trace His movements through history, His appearances in various forms, His words spoken through prophets, and His actions in establishing and fulfilling the covenant promises, we behold the breathtaking unity of God's redemptive purpose centered in the person of His Son. We see how every thread of prophecy, every divine oath, every covenant promise, and every appointed time finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ, who is "the same yesterday, today, and forever" (Hebrews 13:8).

 

I. Christ Before Creation: The Eternal Son

 

Before anything else existed, the Son was. Not merely existing, but reigning in glory, equal with the Father, participating in the divine counsel, and preparing to execute the divine plan for creation and redemption.

 

"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist."
— Colossians 1:15-17

 

The Son's eternal existence is foundational to understanding His role throughout Scripture. He did not come into being at His birth in Bethlehem; He has always been. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit existed in perfect communion before creation began—a divine fellowship of love and glory.

 

"Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world."
— John 17:24

 

When the divine counsel declared "Let Us make man in Our image" (Genesis 1:26), the Son was an active participant in creation. As John affirms, "All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made" (John 1:3). Creation itself bears the imprint of the Son's wisdom, power, and artistry.

 

This pre-incarnate Christ was not merely a spectator or even just an agent of creation—He was its purpose. All things were created "through Him and for Him" (Colossians 1:16). The entire cosmos, from the most distant galaxy to the smallest subatomic particle, exists for Christ, points to Christ, and finds its meaning in Christ.

 

II. The Pre-Incarnate Christ: Divine Manifestations

 

Throughout the Old Testament, we find mysterious appearances of a figure often identified as "the Angel of the LORD"—not a created angel, but a unique manifestation who speaks with divine authority, receives worship, and is identified with YHWH Himself. These theophanies (divine appearances) represent the pre-incarnate Christ interacting with humanity, establishing the covenant lineage, and preparing the way for His eventual incarnation.

 

A. Christ and the Patriarchs

 

1. The Word to Abraham

 

When Abraham received the covenant promises, it was the pre-incarnate Christ who appeared to him:

 

"After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, 'Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.'"
— Genesis 15:1

 

This "word of the LORD" (דְבַר־יְהוָה / debar-YHWH) who came to Abraham was the same eternal Word (λόγος / Logos) who would later become flesh in John 1:14. When the covenant was formally established through sacrifice, it was this divine Word who passed between the pieces, swearing by Himself to fulfill the covenant promises (Genesis 15:17-18).

 

Later, when three visitors appeared to Abraham at Mamre, one of them was addressed as "YHWH" (Genesis 18:1-3). This was no mere angel but the pre-incarnate Son, who discussed the fate of Sodom with Abraham as one having divine authority to judge. The eternal Lamb--slain before the foundation of the world.

 

2. Wrestling with Jacob

 

At Peniel, Jacob wrestled with a mysterious figure whom he later identified as God Himself:

 

"So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: 'For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.'"
— Genesis 32:30

 

This divine wrestler, who blessed Jacob and gave him the name Israel, was none other than the pre-incarnate Christ. The prophet Hosea later confirmed this, saying Jacob "struggled with God. Yes, he struggled with the Angel and prevailed" (Hosea 12:3-4). This "Angel" who is also "God" represents the Son before His incarnation, condescending to establish the covenant with the patriarch of the twelve tribes.

 

B. Christ in the Exodus and Wilderness

 

1. The Burning Bush

 

When Moses encountered the burning bush in Midian, the text states: "And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush" (Exodus 3:2). Yet this Angel then identifies Himself as "the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob" (Exodus 3:6), and reveals His name as "I AM WHO I AM" (Exodus 3:14).

 

This was no created angel but the eternal Son, the second person of the Trinity, appearing to commission Moses for the liberation of His people. Jesus Himself later claimed this divine name, declaring to the Jewish leaders, "Before Abraham was, I AM" (John 8:58), thus identifying Himself as the God of the burning bush.

 

2. The Pillar of Cloud and Fire

 

Throughout the Exodus and wilderness wanderings, God led Israel with a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night. This visible manifestation of divine presence and guidance was identified as "the Angel of God" (Exodus 14:19) who protected Israel at the Red Sea. This Angel was none other than the pre-incarnate Christ, leading His people out of bondage and toward the Promised Land.

 

"Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea... and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ."
— 1 Corinthians 10:1, 4

 

Paul explicitly identifies the spiritual Rock that provided water in the wilderness as Christ Himself, confirming that the pre-incarnate Son was actively present with Israel throughout their wilderness journey.

 

3. Sinai and the Covenant

 

When God descended on Mount Sinai to establish the covenant with Israel, it was the pre-incarnate Son who mediated this covenant. Moses and the elders of Israel "saw the God of Israel. And there was under His feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone, and it was like the very heavens in its clarity" (Exodus 24:10).

 

This vision of God in human form—with feet walking on sapphire—was a glimpse of the pre-incarnate Christ, who would later take permanent human form in the incarnation. The book of Hebrews confirms that Christ is "the Mediator of the new covenant" (Hebrews 12:24), just as He was the mediator of the old covenant at Sinai.

 

C. Christ in the Time of Judges and Kings

 

1. The Captain of the LORD's Army

 

When Joshua was preparing to conquer Jericho, he encountered a mysterious figure:

 

"And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, 'Are You for us or for our adversaries?' So He said, 'No, but as Commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.'"
— Joshua 5:13-14

 

Joshua fell on his face in worship, and the Commander did not rebuke him but instead said, "Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy" (Joshua 5:15)—the same command given to Moses at the burning bush.

 

This was the pre-incarnate Christ, appearing as the divine Commander leading Israel's conquest of the Promised Land.

 

2. Gideon's Visitor

 

When the Angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, the text again reveals this was no ordinary angel:

 

"Then the LORD turned to him and said, 'Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?'"
— Judges 6:14

 

The narrative shifts seamlessly between "the Angel of the LORD" and "the LORD" Himself speaking to Gideon. When Gideon presented an offering, "the Angel of the LORD departed from his sight" (Judges 6:21), leading Gideon to exclaim, "Alas, O Lord GOD! For I have seen the Angel of the LORD face to face" (Judges 6:22).

 

This divine visitor, accepting worship and speaking with divine authority, was the pre-incarnate Christ, commissioning a deliverer for His people.

 

3. David's Lord

 

In Psalm 110, David wrote about a divine figure whom he called "my Lord":

 

"The LORD said to my Lord, 'Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool.'"
— Psalm 110:1

 

Jesus Himself cited this verse to prove His divine identity, asking the Pharisees, "If David then calls Him 'Lord,' how is He his Son?" (Matthew 22:45). This psalm reveals the pre-incarnate Christ, enthroned at the Father's right hand, awaiting the time when He would take on human flesh as David's descendant while remaining David's divine Lord.

 

In Psalm 2, David saw the divine decree establishing the Son as King:

 

"I will declare the decree: The LORD has said to Me, 'You are My Son, today I have begotten You. Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession.'"
— Psalm 2:7-8

 

This decree, spoken in eternity past, refers to the eternal Son who would later be incarnated as the Messiah. David's prophetic visions revealed the pre-incarnate Christ's royal status and coming reign.

 

In Psalm 45, David beheld the divine King in His beauty and majesty:

 

"Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom."
— Psalm 45:6

 

The book of Hebrews directly applies this verse to Christ (Hebrews 1:8-9), confirming that David was seeing the pre-incarnate Son in His divine glory.

 

D. Christ in the Prophets

 

1. Isaiah's Visions

 

When Isaiah "saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple" (Isaiah 6:1), he was beholding the pre-incarnate Christ in glory. John confirms this, stating, "These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him" (John 12:41).

 

This vision of the thrice-holy King surrounded by seraphim was a glimpse of the eternal Son, whose incarnation and redemptive work Isaiah would prophesy throughout his book.

 

In Isaiah 53, the prophet received a detailed vision of the coming Suffering Servant, the incarnate Christ who would be "wounded for our transgressions" and "bruised for our iniquities" (Isaiah 53:5).

 

This extraordinary prophecy, written seven centuries before the crucifixion, reveals the precision with which the eternal Son planned His redemptive mission.

 

In Isaiah 63, the prophet sees a vision of the divine warrior coming from Edom:

 

"Who is this who comes from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah, this One who is glorious in His apparel, traveling in the greatness of His strength?—'I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save.'"
— Isaiah 63:1

 

This warrior, stained with the blood of His enemies, is the pre-incarnate Christ revealing His future role as judge and deliverer. The vision anticipates both His first coming (to save) and His second coming (to judge).

 

2. Ezekiel's Vision of the Glory

 

When Ezekiel saw "the likeness of the glory of the LORD" by the River Chebar, he beheld "the likeness of a throne, in appearance like a sapphire stone; on the likeness of the throne was a likeness with the appearance of a man high above it" (Ezekiel 1:26).

 

This human form enveloped in radiant glory was the pre-incarnate Christ, the visible manifestation of the invisible God, seated on His heavenly throne. The sapphire throne echoes the vision given to Moses and the elders at Sinai, showing the consistent appearance of the pre-incarnate Son throughout Israel's history.

 

3. Daniel's Visions

 

Daniel beheld "One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven" who "came to the Ancient of Days" and received "dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him" (Daniel 7:13-14). This was the pre-incarnate Christ revealed in His future glory, receiving universal kingship from the Father.

 

Later, by the River Tigris, Daniel saw a glorious figure:

 

"I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, a certain man clothed in linen, whose waist was girded with gold of Uphaz! His body was like beryl, His face like the appearance of lightning, His eyes like torches of fire, His arms and feet like burnished bronze in color, and the sound of His words like the voice of a multitude."
— Daniel 10:5-6

This description closely matches John's vision of the glorified Christ in Revelation 1:13-16, confirming that Daniel encountered the pre-incarnate Son in His divine splendor. This glorious figure raised His hand to heaven and swore the oath that would seal Daniel's prophetic timeline—the same gesture that would be repeated by the mighty angel in Revelation 10, confirming the continuity of Christ's sovereign control over prophetic history.

 

4. The Minor Prophets

 

Zechariah saw visions of "the Angel of the LORD" who interceded for Jerusalem (Zechariah 1:12) and functioned as the divine presence among His people. This Angel is identified as YHWH Himself when He declares, "I am zealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with great zeal" (Zechariah 1:14).

 

Zechariah also prophesied the Messiah's entry into Jerusalem on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9), His betrayal for thirty pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12-13), and His piercing (Zechariah 12:10)—all precise details of Christ's first coming that would be fulfilled centuries later.

 

Malachi foretold the coming of "the Messenger of the covenant" who would "suddenly come to His temple" (Malachi 3:1). This divine Messenger, equated with the Lord Himself, is the pre-incarnate Christ who would later visit the temple in human flesh.

 

Micah prophesied the Messiah's birth in Bethlehem while affirming His eternal nature:

 

"But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting."
— Micah 5:2

 

This remarkable prophecy reveals both the incarnation's specificity (Bethlehem) and the eternal pre-existence of the Son ("from everlasting"). The pre-incarnate Christ was orchestrating the precise details of His future earthly mission through the prophets.

 

III. The Incarnate Christ: God Among Us

 

The mystery of the incarnation stands at the center of redemptive history: "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). The eternal Son, who had revealed Himself partially through theophanies and prophetic visions, now took on permanent human nature without diminishing His divine nature.

 

"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men."
— Philippians 2:5-7

 

His birth fulfilled dozens of specific prophecies given centuries earlier:

 

• Born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14)
• Born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2)
• From the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10)
• From the lineage of David (2 Samuel 7:12-13)
• Worshiped by kings bearing gifts (Psalm 72:10-11)
• Called out of Egypt (Hosea 11:1)
• Preceded by a messenger (Isaiah 40:3)

 

The mathematical probability of one person fulfilling even a fraction of these prophecies by chance is statistically impossible, demonstrating the sovereign orchestration of the eternal Son throughout history.

 

Christ's earthly ministry revealed His divine identity through His:

 

• Authoritative teaching: "He taught them as one having authority" (Matthew 7:29)
• Miraculous power: healing the sick, casting out demons, raising the dead
• Command over nature: calming storms, walking on water, multiplying food
• Claims of divinity: "I and My Father are one" (John 10:30)
• Fulfillment of the Messianic prophecies: "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing" (Luke 4:21)

 

His perfect life fulfilled the righteousness requirements of the Law that no other human could achieve. As both fully God and fully man, He alone could serve as the perfect mediator between God and humanity, bridging the infinite gulf created by sin.

 

IV. The Crucified Christ: Divine Sacrifice

 

The crucifixion of Jesus Christ represents the central act of redemptive history—the moment when the eternal Son bore the sins of humanity and satisfied divine justice. This was no tragic accident but the fulfillment of the divine plan established "before the foundation of the world" (1 Peter 1:20).

 

"For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit."
— 1 Peter 3:18

 

Christ's suffering and death fulfilled dozens of specific Old Testament prophecies, including:

 

• Betrayed by a friend (Psalm 41:9)
• Sold for thirty pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12)
• Silent before His accusers (Isaiah 53:7)
• Pierced in His hands and feet (Psalm 22:16)
• Crucified with transgressors (Isaiah 53:12)
• Garments divided by casting lots (Psalm 22:18)
• Given gall and vinegar (Psalm 69:21)
• No bones broken (Psalm 34:20)
• Pierced (Zechariah 12:10)
• Buried in a rich man's tomb (Isaiah 53:9)

 

The cross stands as the supreme demonstration of both divine justice and divine love. As the hymn writer put it, "Here might I stay and sing, no story so divine; never was love, dear King, never was grief like Thine."

 

On the cross, the eternal Son who had created the cosmos now bore the full weight of human sin. The One who had appeared to Moses in burning glory now endured the unimaginable darkness of separation from the Father. The Commander of heaven's armies submitted to the most shameful execution devised by human cruelty.

 

Yet in this apparent defeat lay the greatest victory in cosmic history. Through His death, Christ:

 

• Paid the ransom for many (Mark 10:45)
• Became the propitiation for our sins (1 John 2:2)
• Canceled the record of debt against us (Colossians 2:14)
• Disarmed the principalities and powers (Colossians 2:15)
• Destroyed the power of death (Hebrews 2:14)
• Reconciled all things to God (Colossians 1:20)

 

The eternal Son, who had sworn the covenant oath to Abraham, now ratified the New Covenant with His own blood. The divine Lawgiver became the perfect sacrifice to satisfy His own holy requirements. The Judge of all the earth subjected Himself to human judgment to save the guilty.

 

V. The Resurrected Christ: Death Conquered

 

The resurrection of Jesus Christ stands as the divine vindication of His perfect sacrifice and the definitive demonstration of His divine identity. By conquering death, Christ proved both His deity and the effectiveness of His atoning work.

 

"He was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification."
— Romans 4:25

 

The resurrection fulfilled ancient prophecies, including:

 

• "You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption" (Psalm 16:10)
• "After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up" (Hosea 6:2)
• "I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves" (Ezekiel 37:12)

 

Christ's resurrection transformed a small band of frightened disciples into fearless apostles willing to die for their testimony. It established the Christian faith on an empirical historical foundation—over 500 eyewitnesses saw the risen Christ (1 Corinthians 15:6), and many of them suffered martyrdom rather than recant their testimony.

 

More than just a historical event, the resurrection has cosmic significance. It represents:

 

• The firstfruits of the new creation (1 Corinthians 15:20)
• The defeat of death itself (1 Corinthians 15:54-55)
• The guarantee of believers' resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:22)
• The validation of the gospel message (1 Corinthians 15:14)
• The demonstration of divine power (Ephesians 1:19-20)

 

The risen Christ, still bearing the wounds of crucifixion in His glorified body, reveals that the incarnation was not temporary. The eternal Son has permanently united Himself with human nature, elevating humanity to unprecedented dignity. The God who created humanity in His image has now taken that image upon Himself forever.

 

VI. The Ascended Christ: Universal King

 

Following His resurrection, Christ ascended to heaven, returning to the glory He had shared with the Father before the world began, but now bringing glorified humanity to the throne of God.

 

"When He had by Himself purged our sins, [He] sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high."
— Hebrews 1:3

 

The ascension fulfilled Christ's words to Mary Magdalene: "I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God" (John 20:17). It also fulfilled Daniel's vision of "One like the Son of Man" coming to the Ancient of Days to receive an everlasting dominion (Daniel 7:13-14).

 

From His heavenly throne, the ascended Christ now:

 

• Serves as our High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-16)
• Intercedes for believers (Romans 8:34)
• Sends the Holy Spirit (John 16:7)
• Gives gifts to the Church (Ephesians 4:8)
• Rules over all creation (Ephesians 1:20-22)
• Prepares a place for His followers (John 14:2-3)

 

His ascension does not represent absence but a different mode of presence. Through the Holy Spirit, Christ is "with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20). The incarnate One who walked the dusty roads of Galilee now fills all things (Ephesians 4:10), being present wherever two or three gather in His name (Matthew 18:20).

 

The ascended Christ now bears the highest name and receives universal worship:

 

"Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
— Philippians 2:9-11

 

This universal acclamation fulfills Isaiah's prophecy that "every knee shall bow, every tongue shall take an oath" (Isaiah 45:23). The ascended Christ has received the very worship that YHWH declared was His alone, confirming again the full deity of the Son.

….

 

Scots and the Ku Klux Klan

 

 

“When six bored and bitter former Confederate officers formed a fraternal society, they drew on their Scottish background. 'Clan' turned to 'Klan' and the oldest and most feared racist hate group in America – the Ku Klux Klan – was born”.

 

The role of Scots in shaping the concept of the American Dream is a story often celebrated but could Scottish settlers have also had a hand in America’s racist nightmare?

 

After the devastating Civil War, attitudes in the South were hardened by defeat and fear of the newly-freed slaves. When six bored and bitter former Confederate officers formed a fraternal society, they drew on their Scottish background.

 

'Clan' turned to 'Klan' and the oldest and most feared racist hate group in America – the Ku Klux Klan – was born. 

 

Neil Oliver travels over two thousand miles to examine links between racism today and the Scottish settlers that first occupied America's Deep South.

 

Throughout the 18th Century, hundreds of thousands of Scots emigrated to America. Some believe that it was their wariness and moral certainty that significantly shaped the South into an isolated, fearful society that easily took to slave-owning when the opportunity came. 

 

Now, well over 800 hate groups stalk the United States and Neil finishes his journey by visiting the Neo-Confederate League of the South. The League advocates a return to a separate Southern society run by what they call ‘Anglo Celts’ and Neil discovers that here in the Deep South, Scottish-ness and some old attitudes still abide.  ​

 

Queenship of Blessed Virgin Mary

 

Today is the feast day of the

Queenship of Mary

 

22^nd August, 2026

 

“The Church celebrates the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary each year

on August 22, on the Octave of her Assumption into Heaven”.

 Dr. Marc Tinsley

  

Dr. Marc Tinsley wrote (August 22, 2025):

The Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Fiercely Catholic

 

The Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary

 

Rooted in Sacred Scripture and professed in prayers and hymns, the Catholic Church considers the Blessed Virgin Mary to be the Queen of Heaven and Earth.

 

The mother of God should be honored at least as much as the Old Testament kings honored their mothers by making them queens instead of their wives. King Solomon’s mother even wore a crown and sat on a throne at his right hand.

 

The angel Gabriel announced to Mary that Jesus would reign on the throne of David forever, and Elizabeth addressed Mary as the mother of the Lord.

 

Mary is highly honored in a special way, more than any other saint, but although she is the queen of Heaven and Earth, she is never the subject of worship or adoration. The humble Virgin is venerated as a queen only because of her Son’s kingship.

 

Mary’s coronation as Queen of Heaven and Earth is meditated on as the Fifth Glorious Mystery of the Rosary.

 

Pope Pius XII proclaimed the Queenship of Mary and established a feast in 1954, although the Catholic Church has acknowledged Mary’s queenship as a share of her Son’s kingship since its earliest days.

 

The Church celebrates the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary each year on August 22, on the Octave of her Assumption into Heaven.

 

Mary is Queen of Heaven and Earth:

 

Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network – USA

 

A unique role in salvation history:

 

Videos of The Fifth Glorious Mystery The Coronation of Mary Fr Daniel …

https://youtu.be/OeS6yaG8uOw

Fr. Daniel O’Reilly

 

A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.

 

Revelation 12: 1

 

A woman in Heaven wearing a crown of twelve stars:

 

Catholic Productions

 

“Finally the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, so that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords and conqueror of sin and death.” The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin is a singular participation in her Son’s Resurrection and an anticipation of the resurrection of other Christians.

 

Catechism of the Catholic Church 966

 

Scripture mentions the queen mother along with the king:

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juRNmw1ZtsM

 

In particular, the image of the Virgin Mary as Queen finds important confirmation in today’s Gospel, where Jesus declares: “Behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last”. This expression is typical of Christ as it clearly reflects a theme dear to his prophetic teaching, because the Evangelists recorded it several times although differently formulated. Our Lady is the perfect example of this Gospel truth, namely that God brings down the proud of this world and raises the humble. The small and simple young girl of Nazareth became Queen of the world! This is one of the marvels that reveal God’s Heart. Of course, Mary’s queenship is totally relative to Christ’s kingship.

 

Pope Benedict XVI, Angelus Address, 22 August 2010

 

Putting a face to Ezekiel’s Fallen King of Tyre

 

 

by

 Damien F. Mackey

  

Hadrian, in fact, called Tyre a Metropolis,

“Great City”, Mother of other cities.

 

 

Introduction

 

Although the emperor Hadrian would generally be considered to have been well out of chronological range to be able to qualify as the prophet Ezekiel’s fallen King of Tyre (28:1-19), here the ill-fated tyrant will be dragged back, kicking and screaming, by some centuries, to fuse with the notorious king, Antiochus ‘Epiphanes’ (God Manifest), considered by many to be the persecuting “little horn” of Daniel 7 – the vision of whom had so troubled the prophet (Daniel 7:15, 28).

 

I had already come to the conclusion - directly in the face of text book wisdom - that Hadrian, regarded as being one of the great Roman emperors, was, in fact, a Greek. For, despite the chronological gap that is thought to separate Antiochus from Hadrian, the latter is often called ‘a mirror-image’ of Antiochus.

 

Only some time later did I read that, according to Rabbinic traditions, Hadrian replaces Antiochus in the Maccabean story of the martyrdom of the mother and her seven sons.

 

That Hadrian was a Greek, not a Roman, now perfectly accounts as well for his love of all things Greek, his ‘Grecophilia’. Why, was he not known as Graeculus (Little Greek)?  

This includes his bearded appearance.

 

His ‘other self’ (alter ego), Antiochus, was a Seleucid Greek in the line of the Macedonian general, Seleucus Nicator, a successor of Alexander the Great.

King Antiochus, who abominated the Temple in Jerusalem, went by the epithet, ‘Epiphanes’, “God Manifest”, which will have great relevance for this article.

But the Jews hated him and changed the epithet to ‘Epimanes’, “Mad Man”.

 

Now this, our combined Seleucid king, Antiochus-Hadrian strikingly ticks some, at least, of the prophet Ezekiel’s main boxes concerning the fallen King of Tyre – so much so that I must consider that he is the one about whom Ezekiel was prophesying.

 

King Antiochus-Hadrian was a much travelled king, but he, as Antiochus, would be connected with Antioch (the city of his name), rather than the more southerly Tyre.

 

The Bible, however, often takes its geography with reference to Israel. Thus a king who moved about and ruled from several major cities will typically be identified with the city closest to Israel.

Another king of Tyre, Hiram, for instance, probably had his main capital much further to the north of Tyre, at Aleppo. 

 

How the Emperor fits Ezekiel’s matrix

 

Antiochus ‘Epiphanes’:

 

·       Was associated with the city of Tyre.

·       He, despite his bright start, became more and more corrupt and violent.

·       He was immensely wealthy, and he built on a gargantuan scale.

·       He stood in Eden (Jerusalem), in the Temple of Yahweh;

·       Accompanied by an anointed cherub, the priest Menelaus.

·       He began to imagine himself as a god.

·       His fall was sudden and dreadful.

 

Let us consider these several points in turn:

 

1.    Associated with Tyre

 

 “Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre …”

 

Ezekiel 28:2

 

“Son of man, raise a lamentation over the king of Tyre …”.

 

Ezekiel 28:12

 

2 Maccabees 4:18-20:

Once when the king [Antiochus] was present for the athletic games that were held every five years in the city of Tyre, that worthless Jason sent some men there from Jerusalem, who were also enrolled as citizens of Antioch, to take 22,500 pounds of silver to pay for a sacrifice to the god Hercules. But even these men did not think it was fitting to use such a large sum of money for a sacrifice, and so the money originally intended as a sacrifice to Hercules was used for the construction of warships.

 

2 Maccabees 4:44:

“When the king [Antiochus] came to Tyre …”.

 

And, regarding the emperor Hadrian’s strong associations with Tyre

https://bibliotecanatalie.com/f/following-hadrian-to-tyre?blogcategory=Ancient

 

…. On his way back to Ephesus, sometime between 130 and 131 CE [sic], Hadrian went to Tyre (Tyrus or Sur in modern-day Lebanon). 

 

Hadrian might have been in the city around January, celebrating his 54th birthday!

 

Two levels of the road that lead to the Tower of Pagan King Hiram in Tyre's center are still visible. These were paved later in the Byzantine period. 

 

The Roman road at the west of Hadrian's Arch has an upper layer with remains of the Byzantine era. It is paved with large limestone blocks. 

 

Traces of the chariot wheels are still visible on the road. Various Greek games and chariot racing (the Actia Heraclia and the Olympia) took place every four years in the nearby hippodrome of Tyre.

 

[Cf. 2 Maccabees 4:18: “Once when the king [Antiochus] was present for the athletic games that were held every five years in the city of Tyre …”].

 

Hadrian, in fact, called Tyre a Metropolis, “Great City”, Mother of other cities.

 

2.    Potentially good king turned bad?

 

“You were blameless in your ways
    from the day you were created,
    till unrighteousness was found in you”.

Ezekiel 28:15

https://www.quora.com/Hadrian-is-deemed-one-of-the-five-good-emperors-but-is-he-really-that-good-He-abandoned-lots-of-territories-conquered-by-Trajan-for-no-reason-and-those-territories-have-caused-trouble-for-the-Roman-empire-later-on

“Hadrian is deemed one of the five good emperors but was he really that good?” 

 

https://www.romanemperors.com/hadrian.htm

“Historical accounts portray Hadrian as a complex individual, with a love for the arts and a passion for travel. He was also known for his temper and paranoia, particularly towards the end of his life. These complexities add to the intrigue surrounding this multifaceted emperor”.

 

1 Maccabees 1:16-19:

 

When Antiochus saw that his kingdom was established, he determined to become king of the land of Egypt, in order that he might reign over both kingdoms. So he invaded Egypt with a strong force, with chariots and elephants and cavalry and with a large fleet. He engaged King Ptolemy of Egypt in battle, and Ptolemy turned and fled before him, and many were wounded and fell. They captured the fortified cities in the land of Egypt, and he plundered the land of Egypt.

 

King Antiochus actually wept over the murder of the pious Jewish High Priest, Onias:

 

2 Maccabees 4:36-38:

 

When the king returned from the region of Cilicia, the Jews of the city, together with the Greeks who detested the crime, went to see him about the murder of Onias. Antiochus was deeply grieved and full of pity; he wept as he recalled the prudence and noble conduct of the deceased.

Inflamed with anger, he immediately stripped Andronicus of his purple robe, tore off his garments, and had him led through the whole city to the very place where he had committed the outrage against Onias; and there he put the murderer to death. Thus the Lord rendered him the punishment he deserved.

 

But it all went seriously downhill after that.

 

Antiochus Persecutes the Jews

 

2 Maccabees 5:11-14:

 

When these happenings were reported to the king, he thought that Judea was in revolt. Raging like a wild animal, he set out from Egypt and took Jerusalem by storm.

He ordered his soldiers to cut down without mercy those whom they met and to slay those who took refuge in their houses.

There was a massacre of young and old, a killing of women and children, a slaughter of young women and infants.

In the space of three days, eighty thousand were lost, forty thousand meeting a violent death, and the same number being sold into slavery.

 

2 Maccabees 7

 

It also happened that seven brothers with their mother were arrested and tortured with whips and scourges by the king to force them to eat pork in violation of God’s law.

One of the brothers, speaking for the others, said: “What do you expect to learn by questioning us? We are ready to die rather than transgress the laws of our ancestors.”

 

(Read in full this inspiring chapter 7).

 

1 Maccabees 1:20-64:

 

In the year 143, after the conquest of Egypt, Antiochus marched with a great army against the land of Israel and the city of Jerusalem. 

In his arrogance, he entered the Temple and took away the gold altar, the lampstand with all its equipment, the table for the bread offered to the Lord, the cups and bowls, the gold fire pans, the curtain, and the crowns.

He also stripped all the gold from the front of the Temple and carried off the silver and gold and everything else of value, including all the treasures that he could find stored there. Then he took it all to his own country. He had also murdered many people and boasted arrogantly about it. There was great mourning everywhere in the land of Israel.

 

Rulers and leaders groaned in sorrow.
Young men and young women grew weak.
The beauty of our women faded.
Every bridegroom sang a funeral song,
and every bride sat mourning in her room.
All our people were clothed with shame,
and our land trembled for them.

 

Two years later Antiochus sent a large army from Mysia against the towns of Judea. When the soldiers entered Jerusalem, their commander spoke to the people, offering them terms of peace and completely deceiving them. Then he suddenly launched a fierce attack on the city, dealing it a major blow and killing many of the people. He plundered the city, set it on fire, and tore down its buildings and walls. He and his army took the women and children as prisoners and seized the cattle.

 

Then Antiochus and his forces built high walls and strong towers in the area north of the Temple, turning it into a fort. They brought in a group of traitorous Jews and installed them there. They also brought in arms and supplies and stored in the fort all the loot that they had taken in Jerusalem. This fort became a great threat to the city.

 

The fort was a threat to the Temple,
a constant, evil menace for Israel.
Innocent people were murdered around the altar;
the Holy Place was defiled by murderers.

 

The people of Jerusalem fled in fear,
and the city became a colony of foreigners.
Jerusalem was foreign to its own people,
who had been forced to abandon the city.
Her Temple was as empty as a wilderness;
her festivals were turned into days of mourning,
her Sabbath joy into shame.
Her honor became an object of ridicule.
Her shame was as great as her former glory,
and her pride was turned into deepest mourning.

 

Antiochus now issued a decree that all nations in his empire should abandon their own customs and become one people. All the Gentiles and even many of the Israelites submitted to this decree. They adopted the official pagan religion, offered sacrifices to idols, and no longer observed the Sabbath.

 

The king also sent messengers with a decree to Jerusalem and all the towns of Judea, ordering the people to follow customs that were foreign to the country. 

 

He ordered them not to offer burnt offerings, grain offerings, or wine offerings in the Temple, and commanded them to treat Sabbaths and festivals as ordinary work days. They were even ordered to defile the Temple and the holy things in it. They were commanded to build pagan altars, temples, and shrines, and to sacrifice pigs and other unclean animals there. They were forbidden to circumcise their sons and were required to make themselves ritually unclean in every way they could, so that they would forget the Law which the Lord had given through Moses and would disobey all its commands. The penalty for disobeying the king's decree was death.

 

The king not only issued the same decree throughout his whole empire, but he also appointed officials to supervise the people and commanded each town in Judea to offer pagan sacrifices. 

 

Many of the Jews were ready to forsake the Law and to obey these officials. They defiled the land with their evil, and their conduct forced all true Israelites to hide wherever they could.

 

On the fifteenth day of the month of Kislev in the year 145, King Antiochus set up The Awful Horror on the altar of the Temple, and pagan altars were built in the towns throughout Judea. Pagan sacrifices were offered in front of houses and in the streets. Any books of the Law which were found were torn up and burned, and anyone who was caught with a copy of the sacred books or who obeyed the Law was put to death by order of the king. Month after month these wicked people used their power against the Israelites caught in the towns.

 

On the twenty-fifth of the month, these same evil people offered sacrifices on the pagan altar erected on top of the altar in the Temple. Mothers who had allowed their babies to be circumcised were put to death in accordance with the king's decree. Their babies were hung around their necks, and their families and those who had circumcised them were put to death. But many people in Israel firmly resisted the king's decree and refused to eat food that was ritually unclean. They preferred to die rather than break the holy covenant and eat unclean food—and many did die. In his anger God made Israel suffer terribly.

 

3.    Antiochus accumulated immense wealth

 

By your wisdom and understanding
    you have gained wealth for yourself
and amassed gold and silver
    in your treasuries.
By your great skill in trading
    you have increased your wealth,
and because of your wealth
    your heart has grown proud.

 

Ezekiel 28:4-5

 

Daniel 11:38-39, 42-43:

 

[The king] will honor a god of fortresses; a god unknown to his ancestors he will honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts. He will attack the mightiest fortresses with the help of a foreign god and will greatly honor those who acknowledge him. He will make them rulers over many people and will distribute the land at a price.

…

He will extend his power over many countries; Egypt will not escape. He will gain control of the treasures of gold and silver and all the riches of Egypt, with the Libyans and Cushites in submission. 

 

https://learn.hopechannel.com/au/read/hadrian-saviour-of-the-empire

“Hadrian was keen to inform rulers of cities, kingdoms and empires beyond the Empire of Rome’s economic credentials too. Once, when the king of Parthia sent Hadrian a gift of gold-embroidered cloaks, Hadrian made light of this by sending 300 criminals into the arena to fight to the death wearing similar gold-embroidered cloaks.

 

Not surprisingly, the rulers of the kingdoms outside the Roman Empire rushed to Hadrian’s court in order to become friends and to sample Rome’s wealth for themselves, including those as far away as the Caspian Sea, and Bactria in present-day Pakistan”.

 

The king’s wisdom in trading and financial dealing was, however, of an earthly kind, which Ezekiel mockingly measures against the true, infused wisdom of Daniel (28:3-4): “… you are indeed wiser than Daniel; no secret is hidden from you;
by your wisdom and your understanding you have made wealth for yourself and amassed gold and silver in your treasuries”.

 

This is the kind of wisdom that the Apostle James will call “demonic” (James 3:13-18):

 

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

 

The prophet Ezekiel is, in chapters 26-28, marvellously recalling the history of Tyre, from its halçyon early days (under Hiram) through its spectacular growth in wealth and power, based on canny trading wisdom, to its crashing fall under Alexander’s regime, all the while paralleling against this the rise and fall of one of its great rulers.

 

And brilliantly underlying this literal history of Tyre and its rulers is an allegorical theme of the rise and fall of Adam. All of that can make it quite complex to interpret.

 

Later the Edenic serpent will enter the scene as well, as a fallen cherub.

 

4.   Stood in Eden (Jerusalem), in the Temple of Yahweh

 

“You were in Eden, the garden of God …”.

 

Ezekiel 28:13

 

Daniel 11:29-32:

 

Then he will turn back and vent his fury against the holy covenant. He will return and show favor to those who forsake the holy covenant.

 

His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice. Then they will set up the abomination that causes desolation. With flattery he will corrupt those who have violated the covenant, but the people who know their God will firmly resist him.

 

2 Maccabees 5:16-17:

 

[Antiochus] laid his impure hands on the sacred vessels and swept up with profane hands the votive offerings made by other kings for the advancement, the glory, and the honor of the place.

Antiochus became puffed up in spirit, not realizing that it was because of the sins of the city’s inhabitants that the Sovereign Lord was angry for a little while: hence the disregard of the place.

 

5.    Accompanied by an anointed cherub

 

“With an anointed cherub as guardian I placed you …”.

 

Ezekiel 28:14

 

2 Maccabees 4:50:

 

But Menelaus, thanks to the greed of those in power, remained in office, where he grew in wickedness, scheming greatly against his fellow citizens.

 

2 Maccabees 5:15:

 

Not satisfied with this, the king dared to enter the holiest temple in the world; Menelaus, that traitor both to the laws and to his country, served as guide [to the king].

2 Maccabees 4:23-29:

 

Menelaus as High Priest

 

Three years later Jason sent Menelaus, brother of the aforementioned Simon, to deliver the money to the king, and to complete negotiations on urgent matters.

But after his introduction to the king, he flattered him with such an air of authority that he secured the high priesthood for himself, outbidding Jason by three hundred talents of silver.

He returned with the royal commission, but with nothing that made him worthy of the high priesthood; he had the temper of a cruel tyrant and the rage of a wild beast.

So Jason, who had cheated his own brother and now saw himself cheated by another man, was driven out as a fugitive to the country of the Ammonites.

But Menelaus, who obtained the office, paid nothing of the money he had promised to the king, in spite of the demand of Sostratus, the commandant of the citadel, whose duty it was to collect the taxes. For this reason, both were summoned before the king.

Menelaus left his brother Lysimachus as his deputy in the high priesthood, while Sostratus left Crates, commander of the Cypriots.

….

 

2 Maccabees 4:32-35:

 

Murder of Onias

 

Menelaus, for his part, thinking this a good opportunity, stole some gold vessels from the temple and presented them to Andronicus; he had already sold other vessels in Tyre and in the neighboring cities.

When Onias had clear evidence, he accused Menelaus publicly, after withdrawing to the inviolable sanctuary at Daphne, near Antioch.

Thereupon Menelaus approached Andronicus privately and urged him to seize Onias. So Andronicus went to Onias, treacherously reassuring him by offering his right hand in oath, and persuaded him, in spite of his suspicions, to leave the sanctuary. Then, with no regard for justice, he immediately put him to death.

As a result, not only the Jews, but many people of other nations as well, were indignant and angry over the unjust murder of the man.

…

 

2 Maccabees 4:39-5o:

 

More Outrages

 

Many acts of sacrilege had been committed by Lysimachus in the city^* with the connivance of Menelaus. When word spread, the people assembled in protest against Lysimachus, because a large number of gold vessels had been stolen.

As the crowds, now thoroughly enraged, began to riot, Lysimachus launched an unjustified attack against them with about three thousand armed men under the leadership of a certain Auranus, a man as advanced in folly as he was in years.

Seeing Lysimachus’ attack, people picked up stones, pieces of wood or handfuls of the ashes lying there and threw them in wild confusion at Lysimachus and his men.

As a result, they wounded many of them and even killed a few, while they put all to flight. The temple robber himself they killed near the treasury.

Charges about this affair were brought against Menelaus.

When the king came to Tyre, three men sent by the senate pleaded the case before him.

But Menelaus, seeing himself on the losing side, promised Ptolemy, son of Dorymenes, a substantial sum of money if he would win the king over.

So Ptolemy took the king aside into a colonnade, as if to get some fresh air, and persuaded him to change his mind.

Menelaus, who was the cause of all the trouble, the king acquitted of the charges, while he condemned to death those poor men who would have been declared innocent even if they had pleaded their case before Scythians.

Thus, those who had prosecuted the case on behalf of the city, the people, and the sacred vessels, quickly suffered unjust punishment.

For this reason, even Tyrians, detesting the crime, provided sumptuously for their burial.

But Menelaus, thanks to the greed of those in power, remained in office, where he grew in wickedness, scheming greatly against his fellow citizens.

 

6.   Imagining himself as a god

 

“Because your heart is proud,
    and you have said, ‘I am a god,
I sit in the seat of the gods,
    in the heart of the seas,’
yet you are but a man, and no god,
    though you make your heart like the heart of a god”

 

Ezekiel 28:2

 

“Because you make your heart
    like the heart of a god,
therefore, behold, I will bring foreigners upon you,
    the most ruthless of the nations;
and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of your wisdom
    and defile your splendor”.

 

Ezekiel 28:6-7

 

2 Maccabees 5:17-21:

 

Antiochus became puffed up in spirit, not realizing that it was because of the sins of the city’s inhabitants that the Sovereign Lord was angry for a little while: hence the disregard of the place.

If they had not become entangled in so many sins, this man, like that Heliodorus sent by King Seleucus to inspect the treasury, would have been flogged and turned back from his presumptuous act as soon as he approached.

The Lord, however, had not chosen the nation for the sake of the place, but the place for the sake of the nation.

 

Therefore, the place itself, having shared in the nation’s misfortunes, afterward participated in their good fortune; and what the Almighty had forsaken in wrath was restored in all its glory, once the great Sovereign Lord became reconciled.

Antiochus carried off eighteen hundred talents from the Temple and hurried back to Antioch, thinking in his arrogance that he could make the land navigable and the sea passable on foot, so carried away was he with pride.

Daniel 11:36-37:

The King Who Exalts Himself

 

The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will say unheard-of things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been determined must take place. He will show no regard for the gods of his ancestors or for the one desired by women, nor will he regard any god, but will exalt himself above them all. 

 

On this theme of emperor deification I recommend Barbara Burrell’s insightful article:

 

Temples of Hadrian, not Zeus

 

(17) Temples of Hadrian, not Zeus

 

THE EMPEROR HADRIAN was notably generous toward the cities of his Empire, and in return, they gave him the highest honors of which they were capable, including temples to his worship.

I consider here three cities of the province Asia: Kyzikos, Smyrna, and Ephesos, each of which Hadrian allowed to build such a temple and to take the title neokoros, "temple warden."

Recent studies, however, have assumed that wherever Hadrian was worshipped, it was along with,

or in the guise of, Zeus Olympios, as he possibly was in Athens. In this paper I argue that the

primary sources on Kyzikos, Smyrna, or Ephesos show that Hadrian was worshipped in

those places neither with nor as Zeus.

 

7. A disgusting, horrific, sudden death

 

 “Your heart became proud
    on account of your beauty,
and you corrupted your wisdom
    because of your splendor.
So I threw you to the earth;
    I made a spectacle of you before kings.
By your many sins and dishonest trade
    you have desecrated your sanctuaries.
So I made a fire come out from you,
    and it consumed you,
and I reduced you to ashes on the ground
    in the sight of all who were watching.
All the nations who knew you
    are appalled at you;
you have come to a horrible end
    and will be no more”.

 

Ezekiel 28:17-19

 

Daniel 11:45:

 

He will pitch his royal tents between the seas at the beautiful holy mountain. Yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him.

2 Maccabees 9:1-29:

 

The Lord Punishes Antiochus

 

About this time Antiochus was retreating in disorder from Persia, where he had entered the city of Persepolis and had attempted to rob a temple and take control of the city. The people took up arms and attacked Antiochus, forcing his army to retreat in disgrace. When he reached Ecbatana, he was told what had happened to the forces of Nicanor and Timothy. He became furious and decided to make the Jews pay for the defeat he had suffered. So he ordered his chariot driver not to stop until they reached Jerusalem. With great arrogance he said,

I will turn Jerusalem into a graveyard full of Jews.

But he did not know that he was heading straight for God's judgment. In fact, as soon as he had said these words, the all-seeing Lord, the God of Israel, struck him down with an invisible but fatal blow. He was seized with sharp intestinal pains for which there was no relief— a fitting punishment for the man who had tortured others in so many terrible ways! But this in no way caused him to give up his pride. Instead he became more arrogant than ever, and breathing out fiery threats against the Jews, he gave orders to drive even faster. As a result he fell out of his chariot with such a thud that it made every bone in his body ache. His arrogant pride made him think he had the superhuman strength to make ocean waves obey him and to weigh high mountains on a pair of scales. But suddenly he fell flat on the ground and had to be carried off on a stretcher, a clear sign to everyone of God's power. Even the eyes of this godless man were crawling with worms and he lived in terrible pain and agony. The stink was so bad that his entire army was sickened, and no one was able to come close enough to carry him around. Yet only a short while before, he thought he could take hold of the stars. ….

 

Judith 16:17

 

‘Woe to the nations that rise up against my kindred! the Lord Almighty will take vengeance of them in the day of judgment, in putting fire and worms in their flesh; and they shall feel them, and weep for ever’.