The Sword and the Balance.
The handwriting which
appeared on the wall in Babylon is fabled. Daniel interpreted the writing telling the
pagan king that his kingdom was weighed in the balance and found lacking. This card
assures both nations and men that when greed, avarice, and evil reach a certain
levelwhich impartial, "blind" justice, symbolized here by the blindfolded
holder of the scales, will determinethen judgment (symbolized by the sword) is the
inevitable result. Rome was destroyed, Babylon was destroyed, as was Persia.
The symbolism
here is that of the sanctuary of the Israelites and its precursors in Egypt. The
semi-circle over the head of the blindfolded weigher symbolizes the shekinah,
the glory of God. He is the the one who weighs the heart and the motives, he alone knows
the extent of any one mans evil. The cherubim with covering wings are a reminder that
God will allow angels and his intelligent creation to review His decisions. They
were not created to be kept in the dark, the goons of a Heavenly
dictator.
The blindfolded weigher carries a message similar to
the law encased in the Ark of the Covenant. That law, the Ten
Commandments, such as "Thou shalt not steal"
applies to all humankind, impartially. That law applies to rich
and poor. The sword is a reminder that the consequences of breaking the law will bring a
sure train of wrath to whoever transgresses them, no matter what their pedigree,
education or level of power.
Sometimes those who think they are spiritually elite
think that the law of God applies only to lesser mortals. These
proud elite can be Baptists, Buddhists, New Age devotees, Agnostics,
born-again Christians or humanists, it matters not.
Beware!