Forteza

This is Forteza, or Strength, from the Mantegna deck. It is similar to modern-day Strength cards, featuring a woman and a lion. Some older cards feature Samson or Hercules wrestling a lion. Samson was the "strong man" of the Bible, who not only conquered a lion bare-handed, but also brought down about 3000 Philistines by pulling down the pillars that supported their "house."

"And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth something to eat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. . . . And the men of the city said unto him . . . What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion?" Judges 14:14, 18

Samson was consecrated to the Lord even before his birth. His purpose was to "begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines," or deliver the spiritual out of slavery to the physical. However, during his life, he always relied on his own physical strength. His physical attraction to Delilah led to his being taken captive by "the world." When he finally called on the Lord, recognizing the Source of his power, he brought his physical and spiritual self into alignment, to achieve his greatest victory. He pulled down the pillars, sacrificing his physical self to topple the "world" and fulfill his life purpose.

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Prudence is another card from this deck.

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