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eli-kittim · 3 years

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Are the So-Called “gods” of the Old Testament Angels or Men?

By Author Eli Kittim 🎓

“Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, you are

gods'? “ (Jn 10.34).

Are the gods Human?

First, whatever the exegesis might be, and regardless of the diverse interpretations, it is certainly NOT the case that we’re all gods, equal to Jesus and God the father, the co-creators (Jn 1.1-3; Heb. 1.1-2).

That is not the authorial intent of the term “gods” in Jn 10.34, nor Jesus’ explanation of it, where he actually appeals to the Old Testament terminology regarding the “sons of god” (vv. 34-36) in order to apply it to his particular status as the unique Son of God (Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ SBLGNT).

Second, the notion that the term “gods” refers to men is refuted by both the Masoretic and LXX texts which suggest that these are rulers and powers in God’s kingdom, namely, the angelic host. For instance, in Genesis 6.2, “the sons of god” (בְנֵי־ ḇə·nê הָֽ��ֱלֹהִים֙ hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm) are clearly fallen angels.

Third, Ephesians 3.10 speaks of “rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6.12 says:

our struggle is not against flesh and blood,

but against the rulers, against the

authorities, against the powers of this dark

world and against the spiritual forces of evil

in the heavenly realms.

Ephesians 1.21 differentiates Jesus (God) from all other heavenly powers, indicating that he’s “above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.” These then are the rulers and powers in high places, the sons of Elohim who are called “gods” in Ps 82.6, not men.

Psalm 82

The Greek text of the Septuagint from the LCL Brenton edition/“translation” of Psalm 82 (Ps. 81 LXX) reads as follows:

1 Ο ΘΕΟΣ ἔστη ἐν συναγωγῇ θεῶν, ἐν μέσῳ δὲ θεοὺς διακρινεῖ. . . . 6 ἐγὼ εἶπα· θεοί ἐστε καὶ υἱοὶ ῾Υψίστου πάντες· 7 ὑμεῖς δὲ ὡς ἄνθρωποι ἀποθνήσκετε καὶ ὡς εἷς τῶν ἀρχόντων πίπτετε. 8 ἀνάστα, ὁ Θεός, κρίνων τὴν γῆν, ὅτι σὺ κατακληρονομήσεις ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἔθνεσι.

NRSV translation

1 God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment: . . . 6 I say, "You are gods, children of the Most High, all of you; 7 nevertheless, you shall die like mortals, and fall like any prince." 8 Rise up, O God, judge the earth; for all the nations belong to you!

First, notice that just like the angelic host who are called “sons of God” in Gen. 6.2, in Ps. 82 the term “gods” does not imply deity but rather being “children of the Most High” (v. 6) or υἱοὶ ῾Υψίστου (LXX). Second, if they are in fact “gods,” divine as it were, why then will they “die like mortals” (v. 7)? That would contradict their divine status. What is more, the text DOES NOT say that they ARE mortals, but that they will die AS IF they were mortals. The text seems to be addressing the evil angelic host that rebelled against God the most high. Besides, if they were in fact mortals, why would they die “like” mortals? The analogy only works if they were something other than mortals and are being compared to mortals. You don’t say to a mortal that you’re going to die like a mortal. That’s a given if he’s a mortal. You can only use this language if the person is something other than a mortal.

Question: So if these beings are neither divine nor mortal, then what are they?

Answer: part of the angelic hierarchy of rulers and powers.

The clue is given in the very first verse of Psalm 82:

Ο ΘΕΟΣ ἔστη ἐν συναγωγῇ θεῶν, ἐν μέσῳ

δὲ θεοὺς διακρινεῖ (LXX).

Translation:

God has taken his place in the divine

council; in the midst of the gods he holds

judgment.

Question: When did God Almighty ever summon the judges & rulers of Israel in his presence for a divine council?

Answer: Never!

The phrase συναγωγῇ θεῶν (divine council; in the midst of the gods) can only refer to heavenly places. Thus, the idea that the term “gods” refers to men is unwarranted and without merit!

It’s also important to note that the use of the word “gods” as a reference to human beings in the Old Testament is rare.

God versus gods: Elohim versus elohim

The language of 1 Chronicles 5.25 is one which pits “God” against “gods,” which in the Hebrew language is actually Elohim versus elohim. Since Biblical Hebrew is an “aspectual” language, it’s the *context* that determines the meaning:

But they transgressed against the God

[Elohim] of their ancestors, and prostituted

themselves to the gods [elohim] of the

peoples of the land, whom God [Elohim]

had destroyed before them.

The Septuagint sets it up as the God of their fathers (ἐν Θεῷ/ὁ Θεὸς πατέρων αὐτῶν) versus the gods of the peoples of the earth (θεῶν τῶν λαῶν τῆς γῆς).

In 2 chron. 32.17, “the Lord the God of Israel [Yahweh Elohim]” or the “God [Elohim] of Hezekiah” is pitted against the “gods [elohim] of the nations.” The LXX distinguishes the terms as the Lord God of Israel/God of Hezekiah (Κύριον Θεὸν ᾿Ισραὴλ/Θεὸς ᾿Εζεκίου) versus the gods of the nations of the earth (οἱ θεοὶ τῶν ἐθνῶν τῆς γῆς). So despite the fact that identical words are used for both one God and many gods, the difference is clear based on the context. For example, in Deuteronomy 12.31, “the Lord your God [Yahweh Elohim]” is distinguished from “their gods [elohim].” Similarly, the LXX differentiates the terminology as your God (Θεῷ σου), which refers to the true God, versus their gods (θεοῖς αὐτῶν), which is elsewhere depicted as the false gods or idols. Notice that the designation “gods” in all these examples is not a reference to humans.

Another way to distinguish Yahweh Elohim from all the other elohim is that he is addressed as the “God of gods” (Θεὸς θεῶν LXX) in Dan 2.47, and elsewhere as the “creator” or the “most high” (Deut. 32.15; Gen. 14.22). Even though the Hebrew term elohim is sometimes translated as “judges” in Exodus 22.8, 9, nevertheless the LXX clarifies that those who are said to judge do so in the presence of God (ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ). Hence the reference is to God, not men.

Eloha Versus El

Eloha could refer to a True or a false god. To determine which is which, it all depends on the context. For example, Deut. 32.15 is clear that this is a reference to (אֱל֣וֹהַ ’ĕ·lō·w·ha), the God of Israel, the creator who made him (עָשָׂ֔הוּ ā·śā·hū). The LXX clarifies this Eloha as the God who made him (Θεὸν τὸν ποιήσαντα αὐτὸν), as well as the God of his salvation (Θεοῦ σωτῆρος αὐτοῦ). In Deut 32.17 there’s a difference between Eloha (אֱלֹ֔הַ God) and elohim (אֱלֹהִ֖ים gods). The Septuagint presents the dichotomy as one God (Θεῷ) versus many gods (θεοῖς). Although in 2 Chronicles 32.15 ’ĕ·lō·w·ha (אֱל֙וֹהַ֙) is used as “god,” but not as the true God, in Nehemiah 9.17 ’ĕ·lō·w·ah (אֱל֨וֹהַּ) is now the true God (Θεὸς LXX). In fact, in Ps. 114.7 ’ĕ·lō·w·ah (אֱל֣וֹהַּ) is the God of Jacob (τοῦ Θεοῦ ᾿Ιακὼβ LXX). So context is king!

El, on the other hand, is usually a reference to the Almighty, but the term could also be used to refer to both God or god. For example, in Gen. 14.18 Melchizedek is priest of God (לְאֵ֥ל el) most high (עֶלְיֽוֹן׃ el·yō·wn), which in vv. 19-20 is associated with the God of Abram (Αβραμ τῷ Θεῷ τῷ ὑψίστῳ LXX). But in verse 22 he is identified as יְהוָה֙ Yah·weh God (אֵ֣ל el) most high. The Septuagint confirms this viewpoint as it says in v. 18 that Melchizedek is a priest of God most high (Μελχισεδέκ ἱερεὺς τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ὑψίστου). In verse 22, the LXX calls God, the most high, the creator of heaven and earth (τὸν Θεὸν τὸν ὕψιστον, ὃς ἔκτισε τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν). In Gen. 16.13, Yahweh (yhvh is the proper name of the God of Israel) is also the el (which depending on the context can be interpreted either as sg. God or pl. gods) or the true God (ὁ Θεὸς LXX). In Gen 17.1 Yahweh appeared to Abram and said I am el Shadday (the almighty). However, the LXX renders it simply as your God (ὁ Θεός σου). Gen. 21.33 renders *Yahweh el olam* as Yahweh God the eternal (Θεὸς αἰώνιος LXX).

So, we should not be confused by the terms used for God simply because they’re sometimes used to refer to false gods. The context will always indicate which is which. The name Yahweh especially differentiates God most high from all other gods. But, as you can clearly see from our brief study, the term “gods” can only be applied to the heavenly host, not to human beings!

——-

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music-is-a-painkiller · 3 years

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Summary of Cory's live

asking how everyone's doing

Mike joining and twinning with Cory

"Mike we're matching, how cute is that? :D"

Mike: "Fuck no" and leaving but coming back with the same cap (🤣🤣)

Hint from Mike: we should pay attention to Cory's EYES at the end of Troubles

Mike fighting insects and spraying around like crazy. "They followed him from the ellevator". (😂)

Cory wasn't able to "talk properly" so he said he needs coffe, told Mike to hold it for a moment and left to get it

Mike: "I'm holding it"

Cory would love to get a sponsorship from Nike for 28Laboratory since they love their products. LXX and Mike like especially the sneakers

Cory's been thinking about collabs lately. Said one with Kyuu will happen and one with Christian (DPR) will definetly happen because he'll force him (🤣)

Barely leaves his studio. Only when he feels like "it's been too long he saw his homies" and said we'd be surprised at how boring his life is because all he does is work

Cory got vaccinated because he plans on staying with his family in Portland for a while soon

Was asked what food from overseas he liked. He said he got a couple: A specific curry he had in India (sorry I forgot which), authentic pasta and pizza from Italy, Schnitzel from Germany, Pierogi from Poland

When asked if there's something he doesn't eat he tried to explain a weird dish from Korea. Somewhat like jelly-like soup made out of blood. He's grossed out by it. Couldn't really explain it or remember the name so he said "Mike knows what I mean".

Mike: "Tf. Mate u been going to weird restaurants"

Also doesn't like mushrooms

Cory: Mint chocolate✅ Pinapple on pizza ❌; Mike: Mint chocolate✅ Pinapple on pizza✅ (and a small debate🤣)

Like always in a live Mike tried to say something to Cory in a way only he should get it, Cory doesn't get it so Mike sends him messages via KakaoTalk

Loves Nutella. Showed a smaller jar he finished in a week. Would love to be an ambassador and would do anything (😆)

But if he had to choose between peanut butter and Nutella, he'd chose peanut butter (also said peanut butter and Nutella together is the best)

Goes to sleep around 8 in the morning and wakes up at 2 in the afternoon

Was asked about post Covid plans and said the first thing he wants to do is planning some tour dates. (He said in another live once that he was almost done with the plans for the tour when Covid happened🤧)

2 different people asked him if he wants to visit India and Germany. He said "hell yeah" and that he has specific reasons why he's excited about these 2 countries

Current favourite song: Off the Grid

Says he was sincere with his lyrics for Troubles (like an open book) and that he really felt what he was singing

Thinks that you can tell whether an artists truly means what they are singing or if they are being sincere about it

Read comments and said he's glad that this is a song people can relate to and that we understand / feel him

Had to leave because is phone battery was at 6% (💀)

#28Laboratory #Corbyn #Cory

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silenziosaa · 3 years

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Non provare a guardarla (a guardarla)

È la mia donna

Scusa amore ma io sono geloso

Certo che possiamo fare quello che vogliamo

Ma noi siamo uniti pure da lontani

Quindi è inutile poi farsi del male

Io e te barca sul mare

Lontano da ogni cosa

Lontano da ogni droga

Quella sera al faro stavi sotto al parco, ma io non sapevo cosa dirti

Immaginavi tutto questo? Salvami da me stesso

Mi fiderò, giuro, sei tutto quello che volevo

Quando ti scrivo sorrido

#Spotify

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kabane52 · 3 years

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Why a Large Stone in Mark 16?

Why does Mark add the note that the stone which was rolled away was "very large"? Of course it was large! The text is (in my view) echoing Genesis 29, where we are told that the "stone on the well's mouth was large" (same words in the LXX), that the shepherds would "roll away" (same word in the LXX) the stone to water the flock, and that Jacob came and rolled away the stone to water the flock of Laban and his family. Jacob encounters Rachel in this setting, and she rushes immediately to tell Laban as the women rush from the tomb in Mark.

This is part of a theme in Genesis developing systematically the symbolic imagery of the well and spring. In relation to Jesus, this is developed into the story of Joseph. Joseph is thrown by his brothers into a pit- Moses explicitly informs us that "the pit was empty; there was no water in it." (37:24) This is a rather odd thing to specifically note for no reason: it echoes Genesis 2 where God plants the spring in the center of Eden to resolve the initial framing of the story: there was neither water nor man, and so the ground was uncultivated.

From the dry pit in Genesis 37, Joseph is drawn up and his garment of many colors is dipped in the blood of a goat (this feeds into the later ritual of the Day of Atonement, which features two goats- one for the LORD and one for destruction and exile). Joseph is the living spring: he gives fertility to all the world and harvests the nations unto God. Genesis 49 gives the prophetic word about the Messiah from Judah's family in words taken from Joseph's dream.

More on Joseph and this theme from an old post.

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florbelles · 3 years

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you know i can’t say anything except multiples of 5 right back

macy i am Remorseful. lxxv here

v. pharmakon — humbird // x. hunting my dress — jesca hoop // xv. black river killer — blitzen trapper // xx. keep lying (demo) — donna missal // xv. freedom hangs like heaven — iron & wine // xxx. what went we — mark korven // xl. blood in her mouth (rain on her birthday) — flowers for bodysnatchers // l. tethered to the dark — anya marina // lv. angel — 8mm // lx. sever — iamamiwhoami // lxv. the factory gates — jessica curry // lxx. because you know — becky shaheen // lxxv. dinner & diatribes — hozier // lxxx. youth knows no pain — lykke li // xcv. waters — eliza shaddad // c. no, i don't remember — anna ternheim

#this was self-inflicted and yet.#answered #jamesbvchanans #radio

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alistairlowes · 3 months

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#prisma #prisma la serie #andrea x daniele #andrea risorio #daniele tramet #ilo #vitto #mattia carrano #lorenzo zurzolo #lxx blood #matteo scattaretico

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wesenschau · 3 years

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Sharp Arrows of the Mighty, with Coals of Juniper

Psalm 18 (17 LXX) (same prayer as found in 2 Samuel 22) is a beautiful synthesis of many biblical symbols and narratives, drawing and connecting them into the grand arc of God’s sustenance of the world through man. I am going to particularly focus on verses 7-16, but even just focusing on 9 verses there are countless concepts that go over my head, and I would love to hear what others learn from this poetic prayer. In Ps. 18:7-16 (2 Sam. 22:8-17) we find a synthesis of the 120th Psalm (119 LXX), Noah, the story of Jonah (particularly ch. 4), 1 Kg. 19, Is. 6, etc. Before we can establish the connecting point in this array of passages, we need to establish the sacramentality of the symbols present.

In the 120th Psalm we hear the cry of a mourning precant:

In my distress I cried unto the Lord, and he heard me. Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue. What shall be given unto thee? or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue? Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper. Woe is me, that I sojourn in Meshech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar! My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace. I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war.

The calling of Isaiah in Isaiah 6 uses language very reminiscent of this Psalm -- “Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lip” (Is. 6:5). In both the Psalm and in verse 6 of the Prophet’s account we are given a solution to this false tongue / unclean lip:

Sharp arrows of the mighty with coals of Juniper / Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.

To the Orthodox Christian these passages are evidently eucharistic -- the passage in Isaiah is referenced by the priest in the liturgy in reference to the eucharist, saying “Behold, this has touched our lips! This has washed away our iniquities!”. Further evidence for a eucharistic reading here can be seen in a holistic structure of Isaiah, with the calling of the prophet being a foreshadowing of what will happen to Israel/the world as a whole. What happens to Israel/the world as a whole? We see God’s holy mountain established in Isaiah 25:6 for all people. It is on this holy Mount that the LORD establishes a feast of wines, and He destroys the veil that is spread over all people. It is this mountain that draws the nations in, causing them to beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks (Is. 2:4) (note the eucharistic aspect of ploughshares [grain/bread] and pruning-hooks [grape/wine]). We are also told in Isaiah 66:20 that gentiles will bring a offering (minchah) unto the LORD. Minchah is the name of the tribute offering in Lev. 2 and Num. 15 and involves bread/wine (Note how in the old covenant nobody drinks the wine in the offering, but in the new covenant we must partake in the bread and wine / the body and blood of Christ).

In Is. 6:4 we read of door posts moving/shaking at the voice of God and smoke filling the atmosphere. We find very similar language in Ps. 18:7-8. Sg. 5 (v. 2) describes something similar to Is. 6 (v. 4) where the bridegroom knocks on the door, and the bride reaches out to answer with her fingers dripping in myrrh (myrrh as a symbol of death/burial). The love between the Bride and the Bridegroom is what draws the bride out of her chamber to seek for her bridegroom, resulting in her unveiling by the watchmen. What is this attractive love which draws the bride out other than the flame of YAH / שַׁלְהֶ֥בֶתְיָֽה / šal·he·ḇeṯ·yāh (sg. 8:6) -- the same flame of the eucharist. This same flame burned the coal that purged Isaiah’s iniquities -- the same flame that fans the rough wind in the day of the east wind by which the iniquity of Jacob be purged in Isaiah 27:8-9.

The same phrase for east wind is used in Jonah 4, describing a fierce, hot climate and is also used in Exodus 14 describing the baptism/passage of Israel from the old world into the new through the red sea. This reveals a deeper connection between the sacrament of baptism, wind, coals, fire and the eucharist. Jonah, having served in the courts of Jeroboam II knew of the wicked state of Israel -- and given Jonah’s obvious knowledge of the song of Moses he would have known idolatry and wickedness would lead God to make Israel jealous with the gentiles (Deuteronomy 32:21). This explains the mourning of the righteous and Holy Prophet under the (gourd?) plant in Jonah 4, which is reminiscent of the mourning of Moses over Israel in Exodus 32:30-34 and Numbers 11:12-15. The plant withered and the fiery wind of God raged, revealing the foundations of the world (Ps 18:15), the same wind which the Lord flies upon, bringing coals of fire and thick clouds of dark water (Ps. 18:8-11). The hebrew name Jonah, means dove and calls us back to the waters of Noah and the wind (Gen. 8:1) that caused the waters of the flood to subside, bringing Noah and the ark out of the deulge and exalting them to the Holy Mount with the help of the dove. All of these connections go to bring these different symbols and stories together sacramentally, ultimately culminating in the life and work of Christ.

[Note that Holy baptism is the ecclesial and personal recapitulation/participation in the sign of Jonah (Mt. 12:38-41), which is, on one hand the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ; but is also the procession of the divine presence to the gentiles and the whole earth with it’s ultimate reversion to the Holy Mount Zion in Is. 66.]

The special plant under which the Prophet prayed calls us back to the Juniper tree in 1 Kg. 19.

There are few times that Juniper trees are mentioned in scripture. Only one of these times (other than Psalm 120) are coals mentioned in the same context. 1 Kings 19, where right after speaking judgement upon Israel and demonstrating the power of God over false prophets (note connection to prophecies in Is. 1-5 and the story of Jonah) Elijah, declaring himself the only one left is called by the Angel of the LORD to anoint a threefold sword (Hazael, Jehu and Elisha) to whittle Israel down -- just as Isaiah’s prophetic calling was to make their ears heavy and shut their eyes, whittling Israel down to the one truly righteous intercessor: Christ (Note connection between Isaiah 6:8-13 and 1 Kg. 22:19-23) (also note the threefold whittling of Israel in Ezekiel 5 and the sacramental language of fire/famine/eating sword/arrow and wind/fury). Before Isaiah could participate in this calling he had to partake of the divine coal given to him by the seraph. In a similar manner: before Elijah could continue in his prophetic calling he had to eat of the Holy bread (which was cooked on coals -- interesting detail to include in the passage if there is no real significance to it) and drink the Holy water which sustained him for 40 days and nights. In Matthew 4:4, after Christ’s 40 days and nights in the wilderness, He refused demonic temptation, quoting Deuteronomy 8:3, saying: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God”. As we know from John 1, Christ is *THE* Word of God and as such it is only through Christ and through our assimilation into the divine Word that we can live, as anything outside of God’s mind is an infinite step towards non-existence (interesting to note the theme of 40 days and food throughout the scripture. See how Moses lived purely by the Word of God for 40 days [Exodus 34:28] and how after 40 days of wandering the scout of Numbers 13 returned to the camp bearing ripe fruits [vv. 21-25] as a symbol of Israel entering the promised land after 40 years of wandering). This means that, just like the manna which fed Israel for 40 years (exodus 16:35), what Elijah was given was not just bread and water but a divine foreshadowing of the true bread and the true drink, which is the body and blood of Christ (John 6).

We can see in Isaiah 27:1 the mighty sword that slays the leviathan; and we have the sharp arrows of the mighty (Ps. 120:4) which are used alongside the coals of juniper to deal with false tongues (note how the Hebrew root for “arrow”/ “archer” / “ חָצַץ” [Strong’s 2686] literally means “to divide”. It is related phonetically to the words qatsir [harvest] and qatsar [to reap, cut down]). What are arrows of the mighty other than children of the youth (Ps. 127:4) who have been born into the spirit in baptism (John 3, 1 Peter 1, Romans 6), who have become as little children (Mt. 18:3) desiring the sincere milk of the word (1 Pt. 2:3). Just as Christ, the only begotten Son of the Father is *the* chosen arrow of God (Is. 49:2), we are made sons and arrows of God by grace (1 Jn. 3:1). These arrows are scattered (Ps. 18:14) and fill everything (Eph. 1:23) for we, the Church, are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life, (2 Cor. 2:15-17).

[Side Note: Seraphim Hamilton, in his video on Michael Gorman’s Inhabiting The Cruciform God, explains that Christ was sent by the Father as the Word that shall not return void (Is. 55:11). I find Seraphim’s use of the language of arrows particularly interesting, as he explains that Christ’s work in the incarnation was to descend to and assume every aspect of creation into himself, in order that every arrow within every aspect of creation may point towards God through participation in the Logos. Contrast this to the wicked woman in Sirach 26 who will open her mouth as a thirsty traveller when he hath found a fountain, and drink of every water near her, by every hedge will she sit down, and open her quiver against every arrow. (v. 12). This calls back to the serpent in Genesis 3 who is cursed to eat dust (dust meaning dead men [think: ...to dust ye shall return... ]). Similar to Sir. 26:12 is the description of the whore of Babylon in Rev. 17 who is drunken with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus Christ. Eating/drinking something is the most basic means of assimilating something into your being -- this is why the eucharist is the heart of the divine liturgy, it is how we are assimilated into Christ’s very being. This also explains the texts about Ezekiel and John eating the scrolls, and why Christ spits the lukewarm church in Laodicea out of His mouth in Rev. 3:16.]

Sword and flame are the two sacrificial items/tools throughout all of scripture. This starts in Genesis 3:24 where, in order to regain access to Paradise, man must ascend through the fiery sword of the Cherubim. This explains the Levitical dividing and burning of the sacrifices. This is ultimately fulfilled universally in Christ’s total sacrifice on the cross and our sacramental recapitulation/participation in that, through the sword and fire of Holy Baptism + Chrismation and the Holy Eucharist. Christ came to bring a sword, (Mt. 10:34) that he may set fire on the earth (Lk. 12:49) and once and for all fulfill the passing through sword and flame for Man. In giving your enemy bread to eat and water to drink you heap coals of fire upon his head and the LORD shall reward thee (Prov. 25:21-22).

Let us recall the establishment of the marriage supper of Mount Zion in Isaiah 66. How is this eucharistic table on Mount Zion established? Isaiah 66:16 has the answer:

For by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh: and the slain of the Lord shall be many.

The solution, therefore, to the Davidic cry of Psalm 120 is the sacramental and ecclesial participation in the victory of Christ over death, who sent from above, draws us out of many waters (Ps. 18:16).

We see in the story of Noah God rained upon the earth and this acted both as a curse to the wicked and a blessing to those in the ark. The possibility to reject the Christ is always present and is something we must always guard ourselves against -- lest we be divided and slain like the leviathan or burned like Nadab and Abihu in Lev. 10 -- lest the coals of fire hail (Ps. 18:13) upon us like Sodom and Gomorrah. There is huge significance that can be drawn between this, 1 Cor. 11:23-30; Hebrews 9 and Lev. 16, but that is for another time and is a much broader, and more important, topic.

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