Season 4 Podcast 66 Milton’s Paradise Lost Bk XII, Pt XLII, “Expelled From Eden, Pt II”
Season 4 Podcast 66 Milton’s Paradise Lost Bk XII, Pt XLII, “Expelled From Eden, Pt II”
This session is from Book XII, Pt XLII (42) of Milton’s Paradise Lost. Podcast 66 is entitled “Expelled from Eden, Pt II.” In the prologue to Book XII, Milton writes.
The Angel Michael continues from the Flood to relate what shall succeed; then, in the mention of Abraham, comes by degrees to explain, who that Seed of the Woman shall be, which was promised Adam and Eve in the Fall; his Incarnation, Death, Resurrection, and Ascention; the state of the Church till his second Coming. Adam greatly satisfied and recomforted by these Relations and Promises descends the Hill with Michael; wakens Eve, who all this while had slept, but with gentle dreams compos'd to quietness of mind and submission. Michael in either hand leads them out of Paradise, the fiery Sword waving behind them, and the Cherubim taking their Stations to guard the Place.
In the second part of Book Twelve, the final book of Paradise Lost Michael continues to show Adam the future. Michael calls Ham, the son of Noah, ‘the irreverent Son’ because he saw the nakedness of his father. He is cursed to be a servant of servants.
Witness th’ irreverent Son
Of him who built the Ark, who for the shame
Done to his Father, heard this heavy curse,
Servant of Servants, on his vitious Race.
The world again turns wicked as it was before the flood, causing God to withdraw his presence.
Thus will this latter, as the former World,
Still tend from bad to worse, till God at last
Wearied with their iniquities, withdraw
His presence from among them, and avertHis holy Eyes; resolving from thenceforth
To leave them to their own polluted ways;
The Lord selects Abraham to be the father of many nations.
And one peculiar Nation to select
From all the rest, of whom to be invoked,
A Nation from one faithful man to spring:
Him on this side Euphrates yet residing,
Bred up in Idol-worship;
Michael is appalled that the world would so quickly turn to evil.
O that men
(Canst thou believe?) should be so stupid grown,
While yet the Patriarch lived, who scap’d the Flood,
As to forsake the living God, and fall
To-worship their own work in Wood and Stone
For Gods!
Michael praises God for calling still another righteous man, Abraham, through whom his chosen seed shall come into the world. We can see the pattern. First the children of Adam and Eve become so wicked that the earth is destroyed by water. The Lord saved Noah, a man perfect in his generation, and through his family once again peoples the earth, making Noah the second Adam. However, though they were taught by father Noah, the descendants of Noah become so wicked that they too are rejected; therefore Abraham becomes the third Adam, a righteous man like unto Noah and Adam, through whom he will send his elect. Abraham was born into an idolatrous family; therefore, he is removed and led to the promised land and is promised that through him will grow a mighty nation. Also through Abraham’s seed all the earth shall be blessed.
yet him God the most High vouchsafes
To call by Vision from his Father’s house,
His kindred and false Gods, into a Land
Which he will shew him, and from him will raise
A mighty Nation, and upon him shower
His benediction so, that in his Seed
All Nations shall be blest; he straight obeys,
Not knowing to what Land, yet firm believes:
Abraham is a man of tremendous faith. He will teach his children about the true God.
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