Archetype 23: Destruction
He [King Nebuchadnezzar] burned the house of the Lord, the king’s house, and all the houses of Jerusalem; every great house he burned down...The bronze pillars that were in the house of the Lord, as well as the stands and the bronze sea that were in the house of the Lord, the Chaldeans broke in pieces, and carried the bronze to Babylon. They took away the pots, the shovels, the snuffers, the dishes for incense, and all the bronze vessels used in the temple service, as well as the firepans and the basins. What was made of gold the captain of the guard took away for the gold, and what was made of silver, for the silver.
—2 Kings 25:8–15
The Reading
The reading describes the destruction of the Temple of Solomon. The “First Temple” was built around 1000 BCE and then destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar II around 600 BCE. As portrayed in the Bible, the destruction of the Temple of Solomon was not an isolated act of war; it was the result of a long series of poor choices by various kings of Judah that alienated the people from God. Without a firm grounding in God, the kingdom could not stand against its enemies.
The Hexagram
The hexagram shows a single strong line supported by five weaker lines. Collapse is coming.
The Archetype
There is a time...
- To understand how that which is strong is undermined by that which is weak, not directly, but by a gradual and almost imperceptible undermining until the strong eventually collapses.
- To accept that the strong are not in a position to accomplish anything. The strong are simply overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of the weak and the nature of the times.
- To not feel resentment against the times, but to accept the natural ebb and flow.
- To cultivate personal virtues such as generosity, especially to subordinates, knowing this will eventually pay off.
Now is that time.
Moving Lines
Other interpretations of Archetype 23:
- Tom Christensen's interpretation [click here]
- Cafe Au Soul's interpretation [click here]
- LiSe's interpretation [click here]
- Richard Wilhelm's interpretation [click here]
Internal Links:
- Return to the Hexagram Index Table [click here].
- Return to Consulting the Christian I Ching [click here].
- Purchase a printed copy of Wisdom's Way; The Christian I Ching [click here].
- Learn about our Online Christian I Ching Workshop [click here].
- Find out about personal consultations [click here].
Reproduced with permission from Wisdom's Way; The Christian I Ching copyright (c) 2015 Roger Sessions.