In the early 20th century, when Italy was trying to pass for a second string Imperial power, it decided to invade Ethiopia. While no doubt, Britain, Germany, or France could’ve accomplished so pusillanimous a goal, Dante’s descendants could not, and were eventually driven back. In short, when the Ethiopian Emperor (and alleged Black Christ, see: Rastafarianism) and his forces claimed victory, they built Holy Trinity (Ethiopian Orthodox Cathedral), and buried therein the dead soldiers from the campaign (who some called crusaders and martyrs).
The whole effort was seen as a divine sign of God’s favour and victory for Ethiopian Orthodoxy over Roman Catholicism. I don’t wish to weigh in on such a speculative matter, and have ‘no dogs in the fight’ as the Texans say. Nonetheless I review the history since I was reading this morning of a providential victory of God’s people against the infidel Ethiopians of ancient times. It was a delightfully monergistic passage and so I felt like sharing it.
In this portion of 2 Chronicles, King Asa of Judah is described as a godly ruler who rested in God his Saviour. At one point in his reign, Asa faced an invading Ethiopian army that numbered roughly a million against his ~500 000. Right before the battle, we read that:
“Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee. So the LORD smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled… they could not recover themselves; for they were destroyed before the LORD, and before his host” -2 Chronicles 14:11-13