Wisdom

HISTORICAL JUDGMENTS I

Judgment of the Water

Wisdom granted success to their actions through a holy prophet;

they crossed a desolate wilderness and set up camp in difficult-to-reach places.

They faced their enemies bravely and fought off the hostiles.

When they were thirsty, they called on you, and you provided water from hard flint, from a rocky cliff—a relief for the parched.

The same creatures you used to punish their enemies benefited them in their trouble.

For their enemies, an endless river of blood became polluted with blood,

a harsh response to the decree to slaughter infants. Yet, against all hope, you gave your people water in abundance,

showing them through their thirst how you had punished their enemies.

Their trials were merciful rebukes, through which your people saw how severely the wicked are judged and punished.

You tested them like a father, but examined their enemies like a stern king.

Their enemies suffered both then and later.

When they remembered the past, they experienced double grief and groaning.

They realized it was the Lord’s work when they saw their punishment had benefited others.

Long ago, they ridiculed and rejected Moses, but now they admired him because of what had happened—after suffering a thirst far worse than that of the righteous.

Judgment of the Animals

Their wickedness and foolish ideas led them astray, even to worship snakes and other repugnant animals; this is why you sent them hordes of similar creatures,

teaching them that punishment takes the same form as the sin.

In fact, your almighty power that created the world from formless matter did not lack means to unleash upon them bears and savage lions,

or monsters freshly created, unknown and full of fury, breathing fire or noisily spitting smoke or flashing fearful sparks from their eyes,

creatures not only capable of destroying them in a single blow but whose mere presence could make them die of fright.

Even without this, they could have dropped dead at a single breath if pursued by your justice or dispersed by the breath of your might; but you ordered all with measure, number, and weight.

You can show your power at any moment, and who can resist the strength of your arm?

For the entire world lies before you, just enough to tip the scales, a drop of morning dew falling on the ground.

But because you are almighty, you are merciful to all; you overlook sins and give your children time to repent.

You love everything that exists and hate nothing that you have made; if you had hated anything, you would not have formed it.

How could anything endure if you did not will it? And how could anything last that you had not willed?

You have compassion on all because all is yours, O Lord, lover of life.