God's Throne in the Firmament and the Shaming of the Nations' Gods

Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Shoftim 8:1

Curated by Arthur·Translated by Maggid (Beta)·

"And it shall come to pass throughout all the land, says the LORD, that two-thirds in it" etc. (Zechariah 13:8). This is what was said through the Holy Spirit by the hand of David: "All who worship a graven image, who boast in idols, shall be put to shame" (Psalms 97:7). With regard to whom did they speak? They spoke only with regard to the works of the Holy One, blessed be He. Rabbi Hanina said: In the future the Holy One, blessed be He, is destined to show His glory to all who come into the world, and to lower His throne in the midst of the firmament, and then He sets it back in the place where the sun rises in the season of Tevet. Rabbi Hanina the Elder said to him: Is it possible to see His glory? Is it not written, "For no man shall see Me and live" (Exodus 33:20)? Yet you say that the Holy One, blessed be He, is destined to show His glory to all who come into the world. He said to him: Behold, it is written, "For the LORD God is a sun and a shield" etc. (Psalms 84:12). Just as a sun and a shield shield him in the time of war, so too the Holy One, blessed be He, shields His children in the time of war at that hour. Rabbi Hanina said: At the hour when the Holy One, blessed be He, judges the nations of the world, He seizes them for judgment, them and their gods, and He sets up for them pittumin (images), and brings the two tablets and the Ten Commandments, and says to them: Did they pay any heed to you? And they say before Him: From the day You created us, none paid heed to us except Israel Your people alone. "Who boast in idols" (Psalms 97:7) — it would be fitting for Scripture to say "who trust"; what is "who boast"? That they did not worship idolatry until they had shown honor to one another. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: Every single day you are put to shame before Me. There are among you those who serve doves, and many doves are slaughtered; and there are among you those who serve bricks, and many bricks are broken; there are among you those who serve fish, and many fish are sold in the market. Immediately the Holy One, blessed be He, puts them to shame, as it is said, "The nations shall see and be ashamed" (Micah 7:16).

Themes

Divine JudgmentIdolatryDivine Glory

Biblical References

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