Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Job 16

we read these passages in Plate 15 of William Blake's Book of Job

Hell is naked before him, and destruction hath no covering (Job xxvi: 6).
Canst though by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? (Job xi: 7).
...the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night (Revelation xii: 10).
It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know? (Job xi: 8).
...now shall the prince of this world be cast out (John xii: 31).
But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked (Jobxxxvi: 17)
...even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven (Luke x: 17-18).
But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty (First Corinthians 1: 27).

This from the Liberty Fund:

Plate 16 of Blake's Book of Job
http://oll.libertyfund.org/titles/2155

PLATE XVI.
“Thou hast fulfilled the Judgment of the Wicked.”
For this subject the Book of Job does not supply authority. It is, however, required to
complete the drama. It represents the fall of Satan, baffled in his attempt to overcome
the integrity of Job. The earth has opened between Job and his wife on one side, and
the three friends of Job on the other; from the gulf flames are darting up, and into
them “Satan as lightning falls from Heaven.” “Hell is naked before him, and
Destruction has no covering.” Two of his ministers fall with him. On either side are
two angels of light; above, in the centre, sits the Almighty, raising his hand alike for
doom and for blessing. In the circle of light around him are figures of angels, two of
them with veiled faces. The chief motto in the border is, “Thou hast fulfilled the
judgment of the wicked.” The other mottoes give a clew to Blake’s conception, which
is conformed to the common Christian doctrine, and shows no trace of his peculiar
tenets. The design and the texts are alike intended to show that the Devil is powerless
against holiness, and that the ways of God are past finding out. “Even the Devils are
subject to us through thy name.” “God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to
confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the
things that are mighty.” “The Prince of this World shall be cast out.” “The Accuser of
our brethren is cast down which accused them before our God day and night.” Canst
thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection? It is
higher than heaven, what canst thou do? it is deeper than hell, what canst thou know?”

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