Mary in the Midst of Israel's Waiting (V)

"His dominion is an everlasting dominion" (Dan 7:14) Israel's and the Blessed Virgin's exceptancy was for a peaceful, humble and just king, but the prophets had also raised the hope of universal salvation, claiming in an incredible way that the king would one day reign without any limits, neither in time nor in space: "Behold, your king comes to you! He is righteous, and having salvation; lowly, and riding on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey. I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow will be cut off; and he will speak peace to the nations: And his dominion will be from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the earth" (Zech 9:9-10). God's small stone "became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth" (Dan 2:35) and his empire "will be from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth" (Zech 9:10; cf. Mt 21:5). He will lead nations "with an iron scepter" (Ps 2:1-9). "His empire shall stretch from sea to sea, from the river to the limits of the earth" (Ps 72:8). "All kings will do him homage, all nations become his servants" (Ps 72:11). "The government shall be on his shoulder" (Is 9:6), and he will be given "dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed" (Dan 7:9-14).