Judith, as you might recall, is the brave and beautiful widow who saves her people from the Assyrian army. But before she puts her daring plan into action, she turns to God in prayer. And it's in this prayer that we find some truly breathtaking insights into the nature of divine power and knowledge.
She doesn't just thank God for past miracles. She acknowledges that God's actions extend through all of time. "You have wrought not only those things, but also the things which happened before and which followed afterwards," she says. It’s a dizzying idea, isn't it? That God is not just reacting to events, but that God’s very being encompasses past, present, and future.
And it gets even more profound. Judith continues, "You have thought about the things which are now and which are to come. Yes, the things you established were ready at hand, and they said, 'Lo, we are here,' for all your ways are prepared and your judgments are in your foreknowledge." Everything God establishes – every decree, every path, every judgment – is already present, waiting to be revealed. The phrase "Lo, we are here" almost gives these divine decrees a life of their own, a readiness to spring into action when the time is right. It speaks to a universe where divine intention is not just a plan, but an active, waiting force.
This idea of foreknowledge, of God knowing everything in advance, is a concept that theologians have wrestled with for centuries. Does it mean that we don't have free will? Does it mean that everything is predetermined? These are huge questions, and the Book of Judith doesn't offer easy answers. But it does offer a glimpse into a perspective where divine knowledge and divine action are inextricably linked.
Then, Judith turns her attention to the present danger. "For, behold, the Assyrians are multiplied in their power; they are exalted with horse and man; they glory in the strength of their foot soldiers; they trust in shield and spear and bow and sling." She paints a vivid picture of the overwhelming might of the enemy. They are confident, boastful, and reliant on their military strength.
But here's the crucial point: "and they do not know that you are the Lord who breaks the battles: the Lord is your name."
They don't know! All their power, all their weapons, all their arrogance… it's all meaningless in the face of divine power. The Assyrians trust in their own strength, but Judith knows where true power lies. God is the one who breaks the battles. This isn't just a statement of faith; it's a declaration of ultimate reality. God’s very name embodies the power to shatter armies and change the course of history.
So, what does this all mean for us? Maybe it's a reminder that even when we're facing seemingly insurmountable odds, we're not alone. Maybe it's an invitation to trust in a power greater than ourselves. And maybe, just maybe, it's a call to recognize the hidden potential that hums beneath the surface of everything, waiting to be revealed. The universe, after all, might just be waiting for us to say, "Lo, we are here."