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Diaryland
Marduk's 50 and the Righteous King September 12, 2008 @ 8:44 p.m.
As I've been studying more about the 50 names of Marduk from the Enuma Elish and the Necronomicon, I've been able to piece things together into a greater understanding of the context, nature, and meaning of this jovial magic. I feel inspired to write a bit about what I've discovered and the place this kind of magic has in our lives.
As most people who've studied the Nec or the Enuma Elish know, Marduk was given 50 powers to help him fight the forces of darkness and chaos and to assure victory for the younger generation of the gods of light (the dei/thei/devas), who are embodied as the stars and planets. They were a gift from Enki, whose name literally means "Lord of Earth". Enki is a god of Wisdom who is known to have made many critical choices that shaped the course of human history. His two most well-known interventions are the choice to make a stand against Tiamat and the Ancient Ones, creating a new cosmic order, and the decision to save humanity from the flood, by warning Noah/Utnapishtim/Ziusudra to build a giant wooden box (ark) and save his family, animals, and plant seed. Also known as Ea, Enki is one of the lesser known gods that was absorbed into the person of the Hebrew god Yahweh, but that generally represents some of his best features. The divine name of Yah is another rendition of Ea which is associated with the sphere of Wisdom in the Kabbalah, and as "the friend and creator of humanity", we celebrate Enki's spirit every time we say "Hallelujah" (the original pronunciation of the letter J is as a Y, as in German words like "Jung").
Anyway, to get back to the subject at hand, the fifty powers granted to Marduk represent the noble, divine and secular power that is granted to kings. Jupiter/Zdeus, king of the gods and planets, is not necessarily the oldest or wisest of the gods and planets, but he is the one who looms large and calls the shots. Jupiter's sphere in Kabbalah is Chesed - Loving-kindness - and lies directly below the tree from Wisdom on the Pillar of Mercy, showing that it is God's gift to the noble soul and personality.
Through noble souls, the true "aryans" and not the skinheads who lay claim to the title, the entire world and all its inhabitants are blessed. It is said in Jewish lore that in every generation, 36 holy men (and women) keep the world from falling apart at any given time, and uphold the Pillar of Mercy just by being themselves and going about their lives with special grace and dignity. They live the words of Mother Teresa - "We cannot do great things, only small things with great kindness." Not especially famous or well known outside of the lives they've touched, these are called the Tzadikim Nistarim - the hidden righteous ones.
Tzedek, which means just or righteous, is also the Hebrew name for the planet Jupiter. The Zadokite line of Kohanim, whose ancestor Zadok was appointed by Solomon as high priest of the Jerusalem temple, takes their name from this word. It also forms part of the name Melchizedek, the "righteous king" who taught Abraham and instituted a priestly order on Earth which culminated in Jesus Christ, the "high priest after the order of Melchizedek". And Jesus' brother James (a variation of Jacob/Yaakov), one of the first and primary leaders of the Jerusalem church, was known and respected by Jews and early Christians alike as "the just". Many a Scottish king has taken the name of James in keeping with this tradition at the heart of the monotheistic faiths.
The number 50 is sacred to Enlil, the "lord of the air", and many a jovial king is said to have authority over the aerial spirits. Bethor, the Olympic spirit who represents the archetype of Jupiter far above us in the firmament of heaven, is described in the grimoires as being able to establish and aid good relationships for the magician with the aerial spirits, in order for them to facilitate a number of services for him. Providing medicine, wealth, and longevity are all within the jovial domain. Similarly, Lugal Dimmerankia and other jovial kings have similar lordship over the wind daemons, and these gods of storm can both agitate and calm the winds and seas.
To be able to receive and successfully wield the full powers of the 50, an initiate must advance to the sphere of Jupiter and Loving-kindness, and there prove himself to be an Exemplary Adept. The Adeptus Exemptus is exempt from the normal limitations of human mind and nature, but is also an example for his or her brethren to follow. This is the true meaning of nobility, and without this nobility of soul, all the titles granted in heaven or in earth come to nothing. In fact, to assume the mantle when it is undeserved is the essence of hubris, and anyone who's studied their Greek mythology knows what the gods do to those who display such audacity. The exercise of the noble powers requires sincerity, humility, charity, and compassion, but also the unrelenting application of the martial virtues in service and defense of the Divine Kingdom.
With these precepts in mind, lets examine the various powers granted to the "blue blooded", and the many areas of responsibility and authority in which royalty and nobility manifest themselves:
1) A king must defend his kingdom against those who would harm it or its inhabitants. In following with the mythos of the Necronomicon and the Enuma Elish, a number of the fifty are said to have fought in the battle against the ancient, primal powers of untamed, carnal, animal nature, and to have put them in their place. Each of the various protector spirits of the 50 have a particular kind of enemy they specialize in routing, be it those that ambush a soul by surprise or those that slowly vampirize it unbeknowst. Their power words are examples of language that has passed down to us relatively unchanged since Sumer: BAN-RABISHU, BAN-UTUKKU, BAN-MASKIM. The original sense of a ban is active and not only prevents entry, but throws and exiles an intruder far away. "Barra", which means, "begone!", doesn't sound that different than our own word "bar".
2. A king must pursue and wage war relentlessly against the enemies of the good, both within and without their self and their kingdom. Try not to understand the concept of "preemptive strike" in light of its recent abuses, but rather the proactive stand that a light-worker must take to root evil out of the consciousness of mankind before it is given a chance to grow powerful and make trouble. In light of Dr. King's words, "an injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere", many of our recent preemptive wars are put to shame. Yet the Tao te Ching states it as a demonstrable fact that foreign peoples will naturally rise up to aid and assist the overthrow of tyranny when a just ruler seeks to overthrow a tyrant. Compare the underground resistance movements aiding the allies against the Nazis, versus the continuing chaos that occurs under a tyrannical and illegal occupation. A person must think long and hard before going on the offensive against someone or something, and it is along these lines of life and death that the spirits of the 50 called the Suhrim come with grave warnings, as they can be unstoppable engines of death once engaged in warfare and pursuit of enemies.
3. A king must prevent famine and ensure bountiful food, fresh water, and general fruition within his kingdom and to his subjects. In the old testament, it is said that God held back David from building the temple because he was a man of war too stained with blood, in favor of his son Solomon who was a man of peace. Compare the powers of Mars versus Jupiter. All the warrior skills of a king are for naught if he can't provide for the basic biological and material needs of his people. Witness the French revolution among others. To that end, several of the 50 specialize in providing the practical necessities of life.
4. A king must sponsor the arts, sciences, and religion, and become wise himself in theory and in practice. Many spirits of the 50 offer this instruction and inspiration.
5. A king must obtain and maintain good counsel and advisors, in order to always keep his ego and personal perspectives in check and do what is best for the good of the kingdom. Most of the 50's spirits provide trustworthy, reliable, and very helpful counsel when dealing with all manner of issues.
6. A king must cultivate wealth for both himself and the entire kingdom, in order to assure continued prosperity in good times and in bad, as well as the advancement of the kingdom and its standard of living. Spirits within the 50 are available both to provide emergency funds in a pinch as well as secure the means for long term financial security and richness of life.
7. A king must maintain the health and wellness of himself and his people, and the 50 provide the means for holistic, preventative, and curative health and medicine.
8. The king must purify himself and his people, and advance them and himself spiritually, maintaining right and harmonious relationship with the spiritual worlds within and without. To this end too, Marduk's 50 render faithful service.
All these qualities make up a holistic understanding of Justice and Peace, which on a fundamental level are inseperable. As Pope Paul VI said, "If you want peace, you must work for justice", and the vice versa is just as true. These two pillars of the temple - the kingdom and the priesthood, the lines of David and Aaron - combine Melech and Tzedek to form the Melchizedek - the righteous king, who Heaven anoints to rule successfully.
"Details in the Fabric" - May 31, 2009
Not So Quick Questions - April 6, 2009
The Morning Stars - Lords of the 15 - April 9, 2009
Sincerity and Faith in Magic - April 10, 2009
Not So Quick Questions (2) - April 14, 2009
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