Homilies on Judges — Homily 7 (Judges 6:1–4 — Midian's oppression)
Latin source: Origen's Greek homilies on Judges, surviving only in Rufinus of Aquileia's Latin translation (c. 400), from the reading text of W. A. Baehrens (ed.), Origenes Werke VII (GCS 30, Leipzig, 1921), pp. 464–522. This English translation is released into the public domain.On the words: "the children of Israel were delivered into the hands of Midian".
1. "The land rests" as long as sin rests. But the land is said to be moved—that is, those who dwell in the land—when sins have begun to move and disturb the souls of men. And this is why what the present reading now contains has been written. "And the land rested," it says, "for forty years. And the children of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord delivered them into the hands of Midian for seven years. And Midian prevailed over Israel." So then, as long as there was righteousness in the land—that is, in those who dwelt in the land—"the land" is said "to have rested"; but when iniquity increased and "they did evil in the sight of the Lord," then, it says, "the Lord delivered them into the hands of Midian for seven years." Nor are the Midianites said to have prevailed over the people of the Lord as long as the people kept the Lord's precepts. But when it began to neglect the divine commandments, the hand of the enemy became stronger and mightier against it. And against that former people bodily enemies rose up when it had transgressed; but against us, who are called Israel according to the spirit, a spiritual enemy without doubt rises up, and when we neglect the commandments of God, when we despise the precepts of Christ, the hand of demons is made mightier against us, and we too are handed over to our enemies when we are deserted by grace.
2. But let us see what befalls those who are handed over for their sins. "And the children of Israel made for themselves," it says, "because of the face of Midian, dens in the mountains and in the caves and in the strongholds; and it came to pass, when a man of Israel had sown, that Midian and Amalek and the sons of the East came up against them; and they came upon them and destroyed all the fruits of the land, until one came to Gaza." These things, indeed, that one suffered who was Israel according to the flesh; he sowed the land, but because he had been handed over for his sins to the enemies rising up against him, instead of crops "he reaped corruption." But as for us, who are named Israel according to the spirit, let us consider what such thing can befall us. There is a time when we sow and the enemies cannot corrupt the seeds that we sow, they cannot lie in wait for our husbandry; but there is also a time when we sow and what we sow is corrupted. Let Paul the Apostle teach us about this difference in sowing. Hear, then, what he himself says: "he who sows," he says, "in the flesh, of the flesh shall reap corruption, and he who sows in the spirit, of the spirit shall reap life eternal." These, then, are they whose seeds the Midianites corrupt, who "sow in the flesh." These are they whose "fruits are destroyed" and perish. But those seeds which "are sown in the spirit" the Midianites cannot corrupt. For the adversary powers cannot ascend to the spiritual fields and defile the fresh-broken ground of the spirit belonging to those who "do not sow upon thorns, but break up for themselves fresh ground." But this too must be added; for I wish to admonish both myself along with you concerning wariness over the seeds and diligence over the spiritual fruits. It frequently happens that someone, toiling much in spiritual work, has produced very many fruits and filled his barns with the crops of righteousness and stored up many good works in the inner chamber of his conscience; but afterward, if he grows negligent and after his labor inclines too readily toward pleasures and self-indulgence, all those seeds of good things and the fruits of holy work will be corrupted under the dominion of lust. For when sin has entered in secretly and taken captive the mind of a man, so that he no longer looks to the commandments of God nor willingly climbs the steep road of virtue, all the things that had before been gathered into the barns of conscience perish. Therefore, then, we must keep the admonition of the holy Scripture which says: "with all watchfulness guard your heart." "The heart must" therefore "be guarded" from every sin, and especially in the time of persecution. For if it should befall someone that at a certain time he gather the fruits of righteousness, seek out the works of the virtues, and cultivate himself with all the most approved disciplines, but in the time of persecution deny the faith, that man has emptied out all his stores, and out of all his goods he is suddenly rendered naked and empty, because the whole labor that was long sought and gathered only with much sweat is suddenly poured out, and, as the prophet says, "all his righteous deeds which he did shall not be remembered." Therefore, then, brothers, let us beseech the Lord, confessing to Him our weakness, that He "hand us not over into the hands of Midian," that He "hand not over to the beasts a soul that confesses to Him," that He hand us not over into the power of those who say: When will the time come that power be given us against the Christians, when will these be handed over into our hands who say that they have or know God? And even if we should be handed over and they receive power over us, let us pray to receive strength from God, that we may be able to endure, that our faith may become brighter amid pressures and tribulations, that through our patience their shamelessness may be overcome, and, as the Lord said, "in our patience we may gain our souls," because "tribulation works patience, and patience proof, and proof hope." For our "proof" extends not only as far as blows, but reaches even to the shedding of blood, because Christ also, whom we follow, poured out His blood for our redemption, that from it we might come forth washed in our own blood. For the baptism of blood alone is what renders us purer than the baptism of water rendered us. And this I do not presume of myself, but Scripture reports it, the Lord saying to His disciples: "I have a baptism to be baptized with, which you know not. And how am I pressed until it be accomplished?" You see, then, that He named the shedding of His blood a "baptism." And if in saying these things I give no offense, I fear that this baptism may be more eminent than that baptism which is handed on through water. For of that one, once received, very few are so blessed as to have been able to keep it unstained even to the end of life; but whoever has been baptized with this baptism can sin no more thereafter. And if it is not rash to venture anything in such matters, we may say that through that baptism past sins are purged, but through this one even future sins are done away. There sins are forgiven, here they are shut out. If God would grant me to be washed in my own blood, to receive a second baptism by death undergone for Christ, I would depart from this world secure, so that "the prince of this world," coming to my soul as it departs from this life, would find nothing—nay rather, he would be lulled to sleep by the shedding of my blood, nor would he dare to accuse in anything a soul washed by its own gore, glorified by its own death, cleansed by its own blood. After this baptism the Midianites would no longer rush in to destroy and lay waste the fruits of the soul. For who could follow the soul of a martyr, which, having passed over all the "powers of the air," stretches toward the heavenly altar? For there the "souls of the martyrs" are said to be placed "beneath the altar" of God, "crying out" day and night, saying: "How long, O Lord, who art just and true, dost Thou not avenge our blood upon those who dwell on the earth?" For there, being placed, they stand in attendance upon the divine sacrifices. But blessed are they who merit these things. Blessed are they whose heart, when they depart from the world, does not tremble on account of sin, whom no dread of transgressions terrifies as they go on to the Lord. Blessed is that soul which, by the gore of blood poured out in martyrdom, casts down the airy throngs of demons that meet it. Blessed is he of whom, as he goes to heaven, the angels speak that prophetic word: "Who is this that comes up from Bozrah?"—that is, who ascends from the flesh to heaven. "Who is this that comes up from Bozrah, the redness of his garments?"—by the "redness of his garments" signifying the gore of blood. Blessed, then, are the souls that so follow Christ as Christ went before them. And therefore, because they so follow, they arrive even at the very altar of God, where the Lord Jesus Christ Himself is, the "high priest of the good things to come," "to whom is glory and power unto the ages of ages. Amen!"