Jezebel and Wisdom

I have been listening to this song by Iron and Wine called Jezebel. Of course, this is very biblical so I was compelled to read the stories of Jezebel in Kings I and II and the story of the whore of Babylon in Revelations. Here is the song. It is a beautiful song that never fails to put me in a trance with its dreamy voices and subtlely intense guitar lines.

I suppose this man singing the song would fall under the category of one of the patrons of the harlot, but it is so beautifully composed, it causes the listener to feel for this woman and attempt to understand (or know) her. The part of the story that amazes me is the whore upon the beast. I know that the story of Jezebel and the story of the whore of Babylon are two different situations, but it seems that they have strong connections in that they represent women steeped in harlotry and evil. The beast has seven heads and ten horns; the seven heads represent seven mountains and the ten horns represent ten kings. Everything in the Bible seems to happen in tens and sevens-the ten commandments, the ten plagues, seven days of creation, seven years of plenty and seven years of

famine, etc. (and threes and forties of course).

It seems to me that this woman, fallible under the wrath of God, is sitting upon mountains which she deems indestructible. Mountains crumble under the hand of the Lord, though, just as her throne upon the beast crumbles as she is burned to ashes. All she has, basically, is riches and power, but is scorned for her harlotry and sacrilege. This results, of course, in the compromise of her mountains and her beasts which seem representative of her immense wealth and beastly behavior as the whore of Babylon. Just as Jezebel abuses her power, this harlot seems to delight in her riches and walk in the way of the sinful. Also, the name upon her forehead reads: "Mystery, Babylon the Great, The Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth". This seems to mean that she is the mother of all evil women, which would undoubtedly include Jezebel, as well as every other woman that seems to have any mention of length in the Old Testament.

Her name is especially phenomenal. It begins with the word "Mystery". The negative conotation given to that word in this context implies the fear of the unknown. As the viewer gazes in wonderment, the angel says, "Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns." (Rev. 17:7) After her mysteries are revealed, she is destroyed. The fear is no longer a factor, the unknown is known, so in becoming known, she becomes powerless. She is then percieved as nothing but a "Harlot and a Mother of Abominations of the Earth", and this, in its vileness creates for the viewer power over her; the power to look down upon her as inferior and base.

Wisdom is found through this text. When one views, in terror, a sight, but then reconciles this fear with understanding, they are then wise to the ways of the evil that seems so utterly terrifying. Understanding creates comfort, knowing, revelation.

Now back to the mountains... I beleive it is very important to try to realize the importance of mountains in these stories, as well as throughout the rest of the Bible, and I don't think I could ever fully grasp their significance. Jezebel, similar to the whore of Babylon, sits upon mountains of power and wealth, and sacrifices upon mountains or alters to the god Baal. The alters of the false idol, Baal, are her mountains, and upon these she reigns, feigning almighty power and striking fear into the hearts of her citizens. This fear, once again, is the fear of the unknown. Since the power of Baal never manifests itself, it is mysterious and fearsome. --This may be, perhaps, why the Israelites never adequately feared their God; they were too familiar with his power and his ways.-- Importantly, both of these women are smote by the omnipotent hand of God. They are shown as idolatrous and upon losing their mysterious power, destroyed through the medium of their fellow mortals. Thier mountains become mere hills under the fierce vengeance of God and their power is reduced to cinders.

These stories are representative of one of the important egos of women in the Bible: that of the harlot. This is a running theme throughout the Testaments and it will be interesting to explore it further.