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Was There Spiritual Significance to the Burning of Notre Dame?

Author's Note: This article was written for Daily Renegade.com

By: A.Marie Cole         April 18, 2019

Many of us gasped when we heard that Notre Dame was on fire.  For those of us in America, it was reminiscent of the feeling we had on 9/11.  This article will not focus on the many questions surrounding the fire such as how could the fire have been determined an accident before it was even out?  Or, wasn’t it very coincidental that the Al-Aqsa Mosque was burning in Jerusalem the same night? Speaking of coincidences, were you aware that, on average, three Christian churches a day are vandalized in some way in France?  No, we will not be examining these questions here.  What we will examine is the possible spiritual significance of the burning of what is probably the most famous church in the world.

Whether or not you are a Catholic, if you were to be asked, “Can you name a cathedral?” you would likely answer, “Notre Dame.”  The iconic structure has been a part of the landscape since its completion in 1345 AD and part of the French psyche since builders broke ground in 1163 AD.  Again, whether or not you are Catholic, you will have to admit that unbelievers around the world who may have little if any knowledge of doctrinal difference between the many sects of Christianity, see Notre Dame as a representation of Christianity as a whole.

With that in mind, might there have been something in the spirit that was signified by or even started the fire?  It is likely. There are few events of such impact that are coincidental. It is possible that this fire represented the end of the Christian age in the West and the beginning of the age of the Antichrist.  It becomes very clear when we take into consideration the events that occured in the world in the days prior to the fire.

The first thing to consider is that a headline released on April 3, 2019 said, “Apocalypse SOLVED? How archaeologist 'uncovered true identity of Devil’ after Bible find,” By Callum Hoare, Express, Published: 00:31, Wed, Apr 3, 2019.  The article was all about how they have determined that Nero is who the Apostle John was referring to in Revelation.  To them, Nero is the Antichrist.

Another timely occurrence was the opening of another archeological discovery that had undergone a 10 year restoration, Nero’s Domus Transitoria which opened to the public on April 12, 2019.  Domus Transitoria means transit house (or house of transition, anyone?).

According to Wikipedia, the Domus Transitoria was destroyed in the Great Fire of Rome in 64 AD.  Nearly all early historians blame Nero himself for the fire.  Only Tacitus said he wasn’t sure who started it.  What Tacitus was sure of though, is that Nero blamed members of the newly formed religious sect called Christianity for the destruction (see subheading in Nero article cited above).  This accusation by the emperor resulted in the arrest and torture of many Christians some of whom were burned alive on poles to by used as street lights or who were torn apart by wild dogs.  And a side note, Nero beheaded the Apostle Paul.

Many Christians know that Nero is a type of the Antichrist.  As a matter of fact, many preterists believe he actually was the Antichrist.  After all, the number of his name was 666. But, let’s assume that the prophecies in the book of Revelation are yet to come.  This view held by most Evangelical Christians assumes that the same spirit of antichrist that was typified in Nero exists in the world today.  This view also holds that it would be difficult, though not impossible, for the world puzzle to come together in a tighter fit than it is right now for the emergence of the Antichrist and the soon return of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

There is one more current event that we might want to take a look at in light of the fire.  Better yet, let's look a an image.

Image courtesy of Our News/CBS News

This image, brothers and sisters, is of five of the twelve apostles and four evangelists who were all beheaded in the renovation of Notre Dame.  Yes, they had been removed just the week before for restoration and were off site at the time of the fire. But this image, and several others, like this one,

Taken from Notre-Dame’s spire this month for restoration, 19th-century Apostles’ heads CREDIT:AFP/GETTY.  From The Telegraph

of the headless apostles is being shown all over the internet.  It’s more than a little ironic. Nero, the most famous figure foreshadowing the Antichrist, is all over the news the same week the beheaded apostles (one of whom was Paul) are removed from the soon to burn iconic Notre Dame Cathedral.  I think we can say there is something spiritual afoot.

The final thing we will cover here in relationship to the spiritual aspect of this fire is the relic that was saved.  The crown of thorns considered to have been worn by Jesus on the cross was rescued by an heroic priest named Father Fournier.  We understand the value of this relic to those who venerate them. To be able to see something that may have actually touched Jesus and even have been covered in His blood is, to many, a priceless thing.

If we look at the symbolism of the crown of thorns though, we begin to see things in a whole new light.  The crown of thorns was placed on the head of Jesus as a mockery of who He was and is. After Jesus had been beaten, slapped in the face, draped in a purple robe of royalty and crowned with thorns, Pilate presented Him to the people and said, “Behold your king!”  They said, “Away with Him!  Crucify Him! We have no king but Caesar!” The story can be found in (John 19:1-15) and  this particular part was more about humiliating Jesus that hurting Him physically.  Pilate wanted to let Him go with the scourging, but the people wouldn’t have it.

Another irony is that the unknowing, pagan Roman soldiers used in the making of the crown they placed on the head of Jesus the very symbol of the curse from Genesis 3:17-18,

    “And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;”.

The One they mocked with a crown of thorns, a product of the curse, was the One who would defeat the curse and open the way for even them, Gentiles, to enter the Kingdom.  As a matter of fact, one of those soldiers came to belief that very day,

    “Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.” (Matthew 27:54)

If you are like the centurion who saw the events around him and became afraid, if you would like to know the peace that only comes with a relationship with Jesus, His salvation is a free gift.  The story started above with His humiliation, went on to His death. But, thankfully it didn't end there. He rose from the dead.

As we celebrate His resurrection this Easter, won’t you come to know Him?  The Bible say that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your hearts that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.  There is nothing you have to do to earn it, just believe and receive. Please watch the video, “What Must I do to be Saved,” or email areasoningtogether@gmail.com for more information.  If you are interested in further Bible study, please visit the blog at A Reasoning Together.