#hail christ the king

[versossubliminares]

"Christ In The Rubbles"

Nativity scene in the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem

[myremnantarmy]

𝘈𝘷𝘦 𝘈𝘷𝘦 𝘈𝘷𝘦 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘴 𝘙𝘦𝘹!

[thepermanentrainpress]

Gallery: Avenged Sevenfold @ Rogers Arena - Vancouver, BC Date: August 7, 2023 Photographed by: Timothy Nguyen

[therealmelindamayhem]

10 Years of Hail to the King 💀🦇

[coffeecorporal]

Good night, y’all

[demonem]

Fuck God, Fuck Christ, Fuck the Holy Spirit, HAIL KING SATAN!

[steve-needs-a-hug]

Halbrand as a pseudo-Jesus figure & Annatar as a pseudo-Christ

There's something eerily compelling about what the Rings of Power has done with these two guises of Sauron and how he's able to inspire trust, faith, and devotion in Galadriel and Celebrimbor. In the show, Sauron believes himself to be the one who needs to save or redeem Middle-Earth. The effectiveness in his manipulation of these characters involuntarily reminds me of the exploitative and manipulative nature of Evangelical Christianity and how powerfully it markets itself as the one way to solve people's deepest existential problems. So I thought about some parallels between Sauron's two main guises or personas in the show, and how Jesus and/or Christ is popularly depicted or understood (especially in Evangelical spaces). To me this helps illustrate why RoP!Sauron's deception is so effective, while exposing some unsettling issues I have with Evangelicalism.

Halbrand as a pseudo-Jesus

Halbrand was presented to Galadriel (as well as us the audience) as a scruffy, humble, ordinary man. Although more glamorous depictions of Jesus were common in Catholic art, the recent Evangelical trend has been to portray a humanized down-to-Earth Jesus (e.g., in The Chosen series, Jesus sweats, cries, gets hungry and tired and frustrated). Scripture allegedly described Jesus as humble and unexceptional in appearance and growing up through adversity and suffering (Isaiah 53). Halbrand is (ostensibly) a smith's aide, Jesus was a carpenter - both trades involving working and crafting with one's hands. It's then "revealed" that Halbrand comes from a lost royal lineage and Galadriel hails him as the King who can save his people from enslavement to an evil overlord - Jesus came from the line of the legendary King David and was hailed as King of Jews, expected to rescue his people from the Roman Empire's oppression.

Halbrand's surface-level resemblance to Aragorn, heir to the throne of Gondor, can't be ignored either (this is partly why I found the character of Halbrand so insufferable in s1, he seemed like an Aragorn knockoff to me!). It's also been argued that Aragorn is a Jesus-like figure, though he turns out to be one of the most legendary fantasy heroes rather than one of the most notorious supervillains (Sauron).

Galadriel grows to trust Halbrand and view him as her friend and possibly the only person who truly understands her. Celebrimbor also develops a close friendship with Halbrand as they work together. Evangelicalism emphasizes a "personal relationship" with Jesus as your very own friend (some even lean towards a lover) who knows everything about you and helps you with your problems and gets you what you want. Jesus' disciples were also close personal friends with him while possessing little understanding of his true divine nature.

Annatar as a pseudo-Christ

Now this is where things get a lot more interesting. In 2x02, Halbrand reveals his "true nature" to Celebrimbor in an awe-inspiring display. This goosebumps-inducing moment is akin to a religious experience for Celebrimbor, who instinctively bows in reverence to this angelic figure. Christ has also been depicted and described as arriving with the clouds (Revelation 1:7), and I'm sure the religious symbolism of this scene was not lost on many viewers. Even though Annatar seems to be a powerful emissary of the divine, he still tells Celebrimbor that they are to be equal partners in their work to save Middle-Earth. An important tenet of Christianity is that Christ desires to partner with humanity to accomplish His works. This all sounds well and good to Celebrimbor, but Sauron's ultimate mode of "saving" Middle-Earth is to enslave all its peoples and creatures to his will.

Annatar is known in Tolkien's lore as the Lord of Gifts (in the episode he describes himself to Celebrimbor as "a sharer of gifts"). His gift is the knowledge of the way of Middle-Earth's salvation. Evangelical devotionals and sermons frequently refer to salvation of the soul as a "free gift" Christ offers to humanity. (I can go on about how this phrase is a redundant tautology - oops, there's another one - but that's a whole other discussion.) I will suffice to say that the term "free gift" reads like a salesperson's marketing pitch and it bothers me. Evangelicalism as a whole feels like a colonial mission converted into a giant media marketing operation - its glossy veneer of concert-like megachurch services, prepacked apologetics, and friendly approachability often conceal sinister things (exploitation, corruption, discrimination, abuse, the list goes on).

Sauron chose to prey on two vulnerable people with potential for influence - Galadriel and Celebrimbor, both feeling isolated and slighted by their people and striving for a deeply personal and important goal that feels just out of their reach. However, he didn't force himself on them. They chose to let him in, and as a result he took advantage of their trust. In Christianity, God is described as someone Who stands at the door and knocks, and for those who choose to open the door to Him, He will come in and share a meal with them as friends (Revelation 3:20). This is more or less exactly what Celebrimbor did in 2x02 when he allowed Halbrand in, gave him food and wine, and called him his friend. This was the most eerie parallel to me, inspired by some great analyses I've read about how Sauron is depicted in the show thus far.

In season 1 Sauron as Halbrand laid his strategy bare to Galadriel - give your opponent the means of mastering their greatest fear, so you can master them. I can't help but feel that this is what organized religion does - providing the sense of assurance, safety, and emotional comfort that people desperately need, in exchange for gaining control over their life choices and even their thought patterns through rules, dogma, and pressures of social conformity. Shaping minds and bending wills sounds pretty Sauron-like to me. [Disclaimer: This is not meant to be a dunk on religion as a whole, just a reflection as I work through unlearning and critically inspecting beliefs I grew up with.]

[angeltreasure]

When I first heard about Marian Consecration, my first thought was skepticism. I personally had great difficulty understanding why it was even a thing, why so many Catholics were apparently doing it, what consecration actually is. I struggled in thought over it greatly when it was recommended to me at the time I revealed for the first time to any priest what happened to me when the enemy physically grabbed and paralyzed me months prior. I have delayed the consecration since, staying very cautious, for some reason… the thought of what Marian Consecration could be made me afraid, not wanting to make any mistake that would turn from honoring my Mother into worship (as I see some pagans try to do). Perhaps the block from learning the truth was a part of my own personal spiritual warfare. Marian Consecration is something not spoken about in Mass sermons either, like so many other things, so all the more I was left in the dark.

This year, I decided to start learning more on my own using proper discernment. I’ve watched and listened to countless hours of real videos of real Catholic priests from my country speak about exorcisms and spiritual warfare and the faith (plus the Catechism). I’ve learned so much that I can’t it all into this post, but to save time, I finally understand now in 2024 why Marian Consecration was highly suggested to me by that priest now. The devil fears Mary most of all, more than God. He can’t stand that a human would be chosen to be the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, so full of grace and goodness to do God’s will. The devil may pray an Our Father during an exorcism but he will never be able to pray the Hail Mary. She will protect me under her mantle and strike at his head. It my Mother Mary, the Queen, who takes my prayer requests to the King, Jesus Christ, like a good queen does for a king. Mary, who will pray for me now and even at the hour of my death, that moment when devil will try his hardest to take me away from God!!!!…

I will be making my official Marian Consecration this year, on Thursday, August 15, 2024, on the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (a Holy Day of Obligation).

Please say a Hail Mary for me.

[romsabombs]

malevolent 43 was insane so here are my notes. my live reactions while listening. enjoy :)

god i feel so sick already

EW AD☹️

okayyyy voices

is it kayne watching

oh god this again

hes way more dramatic this time i think

ermm??

yuck😨

omg queen!!! indeed queen💅💖

i have no idea whats going on

ohhh dang

IS HE GETTING CHAINED UP

im so nervous and scared and afraid

yorrick lore episode?? :3

ohhh yeahh he was the prince's skull

JOHNNNN🥳🥳🥳

omg yes talk to eachother!!! bond!

HAHA JOHN WHY ARE YOU TELLING HER ALL THIS

yesss KING AND QUEENNN

omg hastur he-who-is-not-to-be-named lord of carcosa thats the thing kayne said

OKAYYYYY 💅💅

WHO😐 HAHAAA💀💀

yesss you tell him girl!! they broke into YOUR house‼️

ohhh erm what😶

"i am the king in yellow" SHE DOESNT CARE JOHN

ermmmmmm erm erm uhh

i have no idea how to describe kingqueen relationship rn

"you are no god i have witnessed" "no. but i am a god" such good lines

she should read oscars note lol

LORE LORE LORE yess tell us about this world queen🎀

"and yet you moan on a table beneath my knife👹" okayyy shes vicious💅

YORRICK SNITCH

"my transition" okay🤨🏳️‍⚧️

yo i have no idea what's going on

she said i know what u are🤨

LILY MENTION LILY MENTION

👹LIES👹 girl we're having a moment

"you gained humanity as a prisoner" okayyy true hmmm..

gosh this is heavy

bestiary mentioned :))

her ass is NOT listening

i have no idea how to picture this scene in my head

ohh she was hurt by humans☹️ because her ass is a witch

two sides of the same coin

YOUR MOTHER? omg a name

arthur is straight up dead and we're doing the traumadumping hour

😀☹️😞 :( :( oh darling

mother darkness is my drag name

okay shes got a point tho🫡

YORRICK DONT HAHA shut up!!

oh!! :3

ermmm third wheeling over here

yorrick finally does something good (shuts the fuck up)

death for the undying⛓️💔

hell brings about the truth in people🔥🔥🔥 these lines go hard

im sure you did😒😒

can you believe this episode is 52 minutes long

imagine arthur laying on the floor family guy pose while all this emotional stuff is happening

BEDROCK RAAHHHH

"our" :3333

even the witch knows hes a child

"silent to all but those who can hear🗣️🗣️🗣️"

"i am not forgotten. not by him" :((

i remember you my king!! 🤓🥰

larson mansion arc throwback

"i saved him" erm you're the reason he went crazy in the first place

FUCK YOU👹 does she even know that word

john finally gets therapy not clickbait

ok shut up john my headphones are dying

ok we're back

"i tried to kill a man who i felt was in my way" 💀💀

HAHA SHES SO MEAN

okay now arthur is the child

dont go to the dark side pookie🙏

bro this shit is none of her business stay out of it

MY LOVE FOR ARTHURRREEE🥳🥳 WE WON!!!!!!!!!!!🔥‼️🗣️

ermm 😶 come on johnn🙏

arthur said i can fix him and then did!!

WOAHAHSHFHCBXNSN WHA😨😨

WOAHHHHH WHATATTTT QUEEN??

HAHAHA WHY DID YOU DO THAT

ERMMMMMMMM HES WHAT

😀😀HEAVY BREATHINGGG

OKAYYYYYYY JOHNN🥰🥰

RAHHHH👹👹👹 hes so sigma

yo what the hell is happening

😨😨😨😨HUH

this witch sure loves stabbing arthur

TRUEEE we r in her home!!

his ass is not really gone come on

do true loves kiss or whatever or like shed a tear and it'll land on him and he'll be alive again because magic

"🤢JOHN🤢" okayy rude🙄

mm yeah true why did you leave

😀john stay with us🙏🗣️ pretty pls

i miss arthurs voice its really nice

FRIEND MENTIONED like from s1 :3

HIS ASS ISNT GONE what would the show be without him bruh

jesus christ

NO NONONONOOO NO COME ON

🫣🫣 ermm 😶

man arthurs only purpose is to be a vessel huh :( :(

isn't john like bound to this body

what a mess :/ how will we fix this

girl u barely know him why do u care

"ignorant false morals" 😒girl

i wanna know what she thinks about the trolley problem

maybe don't listen to her she just murdered your boyfriend twice. thrice

GIRL YOU DONT EVEN KNOW HIM

shut up🙄 dont piss me off you killed my boy

ohh arthur i miss him already

erm john!!!! dont say allat😀

GOD DAMN IT we got so far man

hail to the king🗣️🗣️🗣️

NEW BODY??

ok now shes worshipping him😒

:( he says arthurs name so coldly. absolutely no emotion in his voice☹️

DONT TELL HER!!!!

ugh hes back to his kiy voice

im gonna kill myself actually

"think of the object you desire to find" imagine a rosetoy just appears

OH OH OH OH HAHA YEAHH HAHAA

this is awesome actually

faroes song goes hard

ohhh hes back :3

yorrick is so cutiepatootie

oh wait is he okay😨

OH NO

OH :3 HAHA YORRICK💀💀

insane episode

aye we cant save arthur without another deal with the devil i think

where's kayne when you need him

john this speech is embarrassing you're not an alpha wolf

john non binary arc🙏

..meaning??🧐

"i choose you. to be a part of you" ☹️ pokemon reference for a sec

yorrick embodiment of sillyness

yeah doll him up before reviving him

"your love for your friend" yorrick is so third wheeling

oh he feels human :3 i feel so sigma

cant we just let arthur stay dead let bro rest in peace he's been through enough

ARTHUR :33 WOAHHH😨😨

yeah i guess that musta hurt huh

yo is his ass okay😀😀

arthur is in Pain Painnn

ima have dreams about this one

[myremnantarmy]

𝘏𝘢𝘪𝘭 𝘏𝘢𝘪𝘭 𝘏𝘢𝘪𝘭 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨!

[navree]

ik you said you wouldn't do it can i have that comparison between alicent and daenerys pretty please i'm personally fasinated

Alicent and Daenerys:

Both got married off far too young to men much older than them (Viserys and Drogo)

Both experienced marital rape within those marriages (which leads to either thoughts of self-harm, as seen when Dany literally contemplates killing herself as a result of Drogo raping her every night, or actual self-harm, as seen with Alicent doing her nail picking thing, which is canonically a self-harm/anxiety response, while being raped by Viserys)

Both are identified primarily through maternal symbolism (Dany as the Mother of Dragons, Alicent as both mother to her children and also the Seven, which she is very publicly devout to, having an aspect known as The Mother)

Both have loyal personal knights who are obsessed with them (Jorah and Criston Cole)

Both have controlling older male relatives who use (and abuse) them in service of their own ambitions (Viserys III and Otto, though Viserys is significantly more abusive to Dany than Otto is to Alicent)

Both are pushing regnal claims that are seen by large swaths of people as illegitimate (Viserys has a proclaimed heir who is not Aegon, and the Targaryen overthrow is widely viewed as legitimate and just throughout Westeros therefore Dany has no legitimate right to rule)

Both are deeply attached to their children and their wellbeing (Alicent's actual children for her, and both Dany's dragons and originally Rhaego before he was killed in utero)

Both abhor violence done in their name (as seen most specifically with Alicent's reaction to Criston murdering that old guy and with Dany attempting to mitigate the violence happening to the Lhazareen, especially Lhazareen women, after Drogo sacks their villages to get her the Iron Throne)

Both have kinda gay shit happening??? (obviously Alicent has Rhaenyra, and Dany does have a sexual tryst with Irri in the books, although the consent issues surrounding that are A Lot and also it doesn't serve any kind of narrative purpose like Rhaenicent does, I think GRRM just thought it was hot)

Both have (absolutely kickass) personal themes as composed by Ramin Djawadi that have since grown to encompass their entire House/faction (Dany's theme became the dragon theme which became literally just the House Targaryen theme, and Alicent's theme in The Green Dress has burgeoned out to include all of Team Green)

Both have female rivals for supremacy who are, among a myriad of other similarities, attempting to pass off three bastards as trueborn products of their marriages (Rhaenyra and Cersei and quite honestly there are a HUGE amount of comparisons to be made between Rhaenyra and Cersei, I'd make the gifset but it would take me ten thousand years to catalogue it all)

Both have experience ruling nations (Dany through ruling Meereen, Alicent through ruling Westeros during Viserys's infirmity)

Both have a tendency to lash out in moments of temper (Alicent has some moments where she freaks out at Aegon after the first time jump, and Dany literally has to tell Whitebeard/Barristan that sometimes she just has a "dragon's temper")

Both have experience being the only woman in a decision-making room full of men, but still the ones with the most authority (Dany's council in Meereen is almost entirely made up of men but she's the legit queen, the Small Council is all men but Alicent is operating as a stand-in for the king and therefore has his overarching authority)

Both are well-loved by the commons of their areas ("Queen Alicent, beloved of the smallfolk", and Dany is of course mhysa and hailed as basically the Second Coming of Christ by the lowborn slave population of Slaver's Bay and broader Essos)

Both have a keen sense of justice (it's literally part of Dany's whole arc so far in Slaver's Bay, and I know people like to ignore it but 1) Alicent avoided pressing Aegon's claim out of fairness to Rhaenyra for a while, and even appears to have thought about backing off before she misinterpreted Viserys's final words 2) Alicent only turned against Rhaenyra after she felt she had been wronged and wanted to seek recompense)

Both have sexual relationships out of wedlock once widowed (Dany has her fling with Daario Naharis, and if the leaks are true, Alicent's gonna have a fling with Criston, which I'm fine with because after having been repeatedly raped starting from the age of fifteen I think Alicent deserves some consensual orgasms from whoever she decides to choose for fucking once)

Both have a propensity for forgiveness when it comes to their loved ones (Alicent was clearly willing to try and rebuild with Rhaenyra in episodes 4 and 8, and Dany says in her internal monologue that if Jorah had been contrite rather than defiant after she found out about his spying in ASOS, she likely would have taken him back, and she did take him back and flat out forgive him in the show where he was less of a giant douchecanoe)

Both have/will outlive their children (Rhaego is killed in utero and in the show Viserion and Rhaegal died before Dany did, and Alicent does outlive all of her kids by a good few years)

Both are played by supremely hot actresses

Both have super long princess hair that would be practically impossible to grow on a real person's head but it's a tv show and wigs exist therefore it's allowed

Both follow a trajectory from minor nobility dependent on the men in their lives for power (Dany as Viserys's heir in exile, Alicent as the daughter of the Hand) before becoming powerful and mighty in their own right (Dany is a ruling queen, Alicent basically is king while Viserys is bedrotting and is a pretty heavy advisor to her son once he's king)

Both govern through a lens of deep care and prioritization on what is best for the people (Alicent has multiple lines about always prioritizing the people and Dany frequently talks about how she wants to rule in a way that's just and fair for everyone, unlike her piece of shit dad)

Both remove old regime symbols from their areas of control and their own bodies once they gain power and autonomy (Dany despises wearing the tokar and uses it as little as possible as well as removing harpy heraldry and replacing it with Targaryen imagery, Alicent stops wearing Targaryen reds and asserting herself more through her own fashion choices and replaces some Targaryen symbols and those stupid sex tapestries with heraldry of the Faith, which is still centered in Oldtown where her family comes from)

Both have used false charm when dealing with opposing forces (Dany in her dealings with the various people defending Yunkai from her oncoming sack, Alicent in being petty bitchy to Daemon and Rhaenyra which, queen slay)

Both have engineered death and chaos through actions taken to protect loved ones (Alicent's determination to press Aegon's succession due to legitimate fears over what Rhaenyra and Daemon would do to her children creates the circumstances that leads to the Dance, and Dany's determination to save Drogo to the point of having Mirri Maz Duur use blood magic kills her unborn child and also leads to the violent fracturing of Drogo's khalasar)

Both have experienced what can amount to pyrrhic victories (Alicent's side does technically win the Dance but everything is still much worse off than before and there was a lot of violence, which show!Alicent is clearly trying to avoid, and Dany did technically get Drogo's life saved, just at the expense of everything else in her life, and in the show she did technically get the Iron Throne before being murdered like thirteen minutes later)

Both have affection and compassion for those who have abused them (Alicent is a fucking angel for being as kind and caring towards Viserys's ancient ass as she was even though he sucked ass as a husband and person, and Dany both was able to find a love for Drogo and also repeatedly talks about how she misses who Viserys used to be, along with her moment in ADWD where she hallucinates both him and Jorah and thinks on them kinda fondly)

Both experience a reclamation of power after seeing them at their lowest thus far in the story, complete with a visual transformation component (Alicent, after watching her be dismissed, raped, talked over, manipulated, and otherwise literally treated as an object by the men in her life, especially once she's married, asserts her agency as a woman in her own right with her own power, complete with the green dress, and Dany, after losing her child and her husband and a good chunk of the power she had thus far in the loss of the khalasar, along with having been abused and raped herself by Viserys and Drogo, hatches her dragon eggs and asserts her power in her own right, and in the books literally transforms visually by losing her hair as well)

Both have dead mothers who get no fucking backstory (we know fuck-all about Alerie Florent other than that she's dead, and Rhaella gets no interiority beyond being a victim of her psycho husband and then dying in childbirth)

Both bear strong resemblances to older relations (Otto says that Alicent looks a lot like her mother, and Dany is said to bear a strong resemblance to her ancestor Queen Naerys)

Both have four children, including one that everyone forgets about (Dany has her dragons and Rhaego, and everyone forgets about Rhaego, and Alicent has Aegon, Helaena, Aemond, and Daeron, and literally everyone is forgetting about Daeron I think the actual show forgot about Daeron at this point)

Both are subjected to misogynistic slander by men in story (Dany has a lot of rumors spread about her once she conquers Slaver's Bay that are based in absurd lies about her sexual life and "deviancy", Daemon literally calls Alicent a whore, I guess for being loyally married for twenty years, just because he doesn't like her and then accuses her of murdering Viserys, who had half his face falling off the last time Daemon saw him, because Daemon is a fucking moron)

Both have detractors who cannot be fucking normal and not only hurl insane abuse at the characters and fans of the characters, but literally at the actresses themselves (those people who went up to Olivia at, like, a fucking bar just to tell her how much they hated Alicent are never seeing Heaven and that's a fucking fact)

Both, as queens and as people in general, want to do the right thing not just for themselves but those around them (Alicent with her aforementioned considerations when it comes to ruling and also trying to be just a good person to those around her, like comforting Viserys and Rhaenyra after he murders Aemma and trying to do right by her kids, and Dany again by wanting to be a better ruler than her father and freeing slaves even though there's no material benefit to her)

Both hav forgiven objective wrongs done by others (Dany forgives a lot of people who are cruel to her in the books, as well as Barristan Selmy after he reveals himself to be Barristan, and Jorah in the show, and Alicent is clement and kind to Criston Cole after he reveals that he broke his Kingsguard vows in sleeping with Rhaenyra)

Both are goodhearted people who befriend the more disenfranchised (Alicent is, again, fundamentally a good person as seen by how she treats those who have been shit to her, and we see her reaching out to people like Larys, who is mistreated due to his deformity, and saves Criston Cole, and Dany's whole thing is helping and befriending the disenfranchised, as seen by the way she tries to create equal treatment with her handmaids and the way she befriends Missandei, and her goodnaturedness towards the people who support her, especially the former slaves)

Both are interesting characters who would be so greatly served in the ASOIAF/GOT/HOTD fandom could, in any way shape or form, understand that fiction is not real life nor is it morality and just enjoy a story and its characters for the story and the characters

There's probably some more similarities but honestly this went far longer than I thought it would when making an offhand tag, so here we are, similarities between Alicent Hightower (primarily show!verse) and Daenerys Targaryen (primarily books but with some show sprinkled in there as well)!

[vsthepomegranate]

All hail! Ye infant martyr flowers, Cut off in life’s first dawning hours: As rosebuds snapt in tempest strife When Herod sought your Saviour’s life.

You, tender flock of Christ, we sing, First victims slain for Christ your King: Beneath the Altar’s heavenly ray With Martyr-palms and crowns ye play

-- Hymn, Salvete flores Martyrum

[hiswordsarekisses]

“Hailed as the wisest King in history, we might question that, just based on his 1000 wives story!

But it’s a tender story, this King Solomon.

His father, the adored King David, had made one of his greatest mistakes.

He had committed adultery and had the woman’s husband killed.

Not a bright shining moment for anyone, let alone a king. A child was born from that adultery and little Daniel died. Solomon was born next.

Scripture says something about Solomon, it doesn’t say about any other baby.

…..”She bore a son, and called his name Solomon; and the Lord loved him.” (2 Samuel 12:24b)

Solomon is a derivative of the Hebrew word “Shalom” which means Peace.

God had said Solomon would be a man of peace, so he could build the Temple.

A place of God’s Presence.

While we may see our spiritual life as warfare here, let is always be mindful that the Presence of God is Peace.

Solomon was so special to God, that God sent a word to his parents that His nickname for Solomon was “Jedidiah” which means: “Beloved of the Lord”. Isn’t that beautiful?

Solomon was incredibly wise, unbelievably wealthy, and did remarkable things for his country. He was admired and respected

far beyond his kingdom. He wrote like his father, so we have many songs and proverbs from him, a book about life, and even a book on spiritual romance.

He did complete a fine palace for him and those wives, and of course, he built that glorious Temple. He reigned 40 years and actually died quite young at 55 years old.

But Solomon’s greatest battle as a man of peace, was the very thing God specifically warned him about early on.

Unbelieving ungodly wives.

God still tells us not to be unequally yoked. A Believer must marry a Believer.

That is still Scriptural today:

“Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship does righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:13)

But like many people, Solomon did not obey God in that area of his life.

You can tell from his proverbs he learned a lot from those experiences.

While I believe Solomon left God for a season, I believe he’s also in heaven today, because of the last verse in his book, Ecclesiastes 12:13-14:

“This is the end of the matter; all hath been heard: Fear God, and keep His commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”

He concluded his book with full recognition of understanding the fear of God, that he would answer to God.

Solomon teaches all of us that no matter how wise, wealthy, or powerful

we may be, we can still make major mistakes in our personal devotion to Christ. We can still choose things and people who will take us away from God. We can still want the excess of sin. Maybe it’s not in every area of our lives, but maybe in one. Maybe it’s secret. Maybe it went viral.

Because God loved Solomon so much, I believe God loves us so much. No matter where we fail Him, and we all have our places, He still waits for us to recognize thd truth.

No matter where our greatest place of learning may be, God still desires the beauty of holiness, purity and purpose.

The sin I battle most, might not be an issue for you at all. What tempts you, may not be a glimpse for me. But we have to look at each other with grace and love, knowing God’s purpose for us all, is bigger than our sin.

Even though Solomon was very wise, he still made stupid mistakes. Remember that, when you want to hate yourself or somebody else for that really dumb sin.

It’s not wisdom or wealth or position that keep us from falling into sin. It’s our walk with God. Our remaining in Christ.

We all may struggle remaining at times. We can’t hate another person, just because their sin is different than ours. God perfects that which concerns us,

is what He says. We don’t have to do the perfecting of each other.

To know Christ and make Him known gives us a purpose like no other. May we live with grace and purpose, firmly remaining in Christ.”

~AnnStewartPorter

[demonem]

Hail Satan! Fuck jesus, Fuck god, Fuck christ, Hail Satan King of Kings !

[mrs-monaghan]

tkkrs and tae solos actually believe that tae is more popular than jm in korea!! And the crowd was for tae not jm, like we never see how jm always bring the largest crowd! They always lie.

https://twitter.com/Diorlibras/status/1662504663638241287

Jesus Christ.

You know what this reminds me of? When Jimin arrived in France for Dior. It legit looked like a presidential escort 👀

All hail King Jimin 🙌🏽

[ginandoldlace]

“I go from a corruptible to an incorruptible crown.” - Charles (1600-1649), King & Martyr

Charles I, King of England, is a controversial historical figure. Charles was a ruler of strong ideals with a firm belief in the absolute, divine right of kings. He affirmed the unity of church and state and sought to enforce his principles with a heavy hand. When Parliament proved a challenge to Charles’ ideals, Charles dissolved it. When Scottish Presbyterians challenged Charles’ preferred Anglican liturgy, Charles sent in the military to bring conformity. Charles’ Puritan opponents in Parliament accused Charles of treason and raised an army against the king, initiating the English Civil War. Charles was captured and beheaded and Anglican liturgy and worship were abolished by the new Puritan Commonwealth of England. Despite this fate, Charles was hailed as a martyr. Minutes after Charles’ head fell under the executioner’s axe, his relics were sought as that of a holy man. Charles was known as a devoted husband and a gentle father. He believed it was his duty to preserve and defend the ancient, catholic expression of Christianity in the Church of England’s liturgy and ancient succession of bishops. In his last days before his execution, Charles reaffirmed his contrition for his sins and his faith in Christ as his Savior. Some Anglicans remember Charles’ death every January 30, commemorating him as a defender of the church and martyr of the faith. For those who question this commemoration, January 30 serves as a reminder that Jesus Christ is the Savior of all, including polarizing political opponents.

Almighty God, you gave your servant Charles boldness to confess the Name of our Savior Jesus Christ before the rulers of this world, and courage to die for this faith: Grant that we may always be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in us, and to suffer gladly for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.