Ethiopia

In class we talked about how the fact that the Ethiopians claimed to hold the ark of the covenant instilled within Ethiopians a certain sense of purpose as being the protectors of christianity. In the reading, this idea is perpetuated because of the grandeur of the Queen of Ethiopia and her relation to the Great King Solomon. The majority of the reading was about the interaction between King Soloman and the Queen of Ethiopia and how he converted her to the God of Israel, but the display of this previously mentioned idea is most apparent in the first few paragraphs. 

The first paragraph and second paragraphs talk about how the kingdom of the world was given to the King of Rom and to the emperor of Ethiopia. It then states that both were the son of Solomon but then mentions that the Emperor was the first born and oldest son, therefore establishing his superiority over the other son. In the paragraph that follows, it mentions the Queen of Ethiopia as almost a messianic figure like that of Jesus whom will arise on the judgement and condemn those who did not follow the word of God. 

Further into the reading, Solomon has a dream which, briefly stated, portrays the sun as leaving Israel and moving to Ethiopia, an attempt, in my view, to transfer God's chosen land and people from Israel to the land and people of Ethiopia. 

All of these examples show how the Ethiopians may have viewed themselves, and may still view themselves, as an essential component of christianity and God's chosen people.