Information

	Contact Information		How to reach Trumpet Ministries, Inc. (Postal and E-mail)
	Writer Biography		A short biography about Dr. Robert B. Thompson, writer of the Word of Righteousness
	Book List		A complete listing of the written works of Dr. Robert B. Thompson
	Church Information		Address and web site link of the church in which Dr. Thompson ministers
	The Victory		"The Victory," by Marilyn Todd Daniels  (www.woodsonginstitute.com)

The Victory

by Marilyn Todd-Daniels

The Victory, the final painting in the Five Smooth Stones series was finished in 1999, bringing us full circle in the dance of life. Like I’ll Rise Again (1995), the painting was executed in only three weeks and fills a 4' by 5' canvas. Once again, I felt like I only held onto the brush as the Lord brought forth and fine tuned the imagery.
The sword wielder is riding Luke, the white quarter horse ridden by Jesus as part of the Glory Rider’s ministry to lift up the name of Jesus in the streets and arenas of America. (You see his front in I’ll Rise Again.) With the help of Temple Immanuel in Dallas, I painted the Hebrew words "Melech Ham’lachim" (King of Kings) and "Adon Ha Adonim" [or Adonai] (Lord of Lords) on the thigh of the robe which has also been dipped in the blood of Calvary.
Look closely at the word inscribed in the blade, HASHEM. According to the Torah, HASHEM is "Master of war--His Name is HASHEM... Mortal kings require legions and armament, but God overcomes His enemies with nothing more than His Name. Moreover, this Name, with its connotation of mercy, applies even when He imposes punishment, because--despite man’s inability to understand how--everything God does is for a merciful end."
To give you some context of real time events, just before finishing this work, the Littleton, Colorado, massacre at the High School took place. Across the world, children from Kosovo were torn from their homes to be herded into refugee camps. I believe this painting is wrenched from the heart of God as He views the carnage of a fallen world. This image is God’s assurance of victory to those who feel trapped and helpless in the face of evil.
Based on Isaiah 27:1, the subject depicts the defeat of Leviathan at the hand of the Lord. When God challenged Job in chapter 41, Leviathan was described as having fiery breath, hide, etc. Leviathan, or the water serpent, is the Canaanite Lord (or god) of Chaos. I believe we constantly struggle with chaos and confusion stirred up by various forms of pride. More often our own, but we also suffer from the prideful sins of others.
The background of this particular place is the far north of Israel. The huge cave was formed from the rushing head waters of the Jordan River. A few miles to the northeast is Mount Hermon, from which the melting snows provide much of the water. It was a favorite place to gather for worship of the gods, beginning in Canaanite times. This particular area was thought to be where babies were sacrificed to ensure good crops. The cave was considered the passage to the underworld [Hades]. Therefore this place from ancient times was referred to as "the gates of hell."
During the time of the Greek conquest of Israel, Alexander built temples where the half-man, half-goat Pan (god of earth, shepherds, animals, etc.) was worshiped beside this cave where the Jordan begins. You can still see the niches for Pan carved into the sold rock wall some thirty feet high. Pan is an apt personification of the sensuous and orgiastic nature of lust.
Here in the armpit of Satan, Jesus asked the disciples who they thought He was. (Matt. 16:18) Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the son of the living God."
Imagine the scene where pagan worshipers were weaving in and out of the various temples built near the water. In Satan’s very shadow, Jesus reveals His divine identity. Not only that, He tells Peter that the Gates of Hell will not prevail against the church.
That’s like saying, "Take your best shot, Satan. I am challenging you in your own killing field, one of the most ancient arenas of delusion, death and destruction, and you will lose. My church may stumble, like Peter, but it will prevail." I painted Leviathan with a viper’s head and cobra hood, signifying the Genesis serpent who deceived Eve by casting doubt on God’s Word. The snake becomes a dragon whose true nature is revealed in Revelation 12:4 as the dragon who attempts to destroy the child of the woman.
Our job as Believers is to remain steadfast in the face of the dragon’s fiery breath, like Luke who calmly carries the Lord close enough for Jesus to strike the killing blow. The victory is promised to us, the battle belongs to the Lord.