Jack Hibbs, a far-right anti-LGBTQ pastor, conspiracy theorist, and Christian nationalist, delivered a special sermon Sunday in response to the failed assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump the day before.
Clad in a "colonial preachers robe" meant to the emulate the apocryphal "Black Robe Regiment" that supposedly rallied the colonists to rebel against England during the American revolution, Hibbs said he only breaks out the garb in "times of tyranny."
We are in just such a time right now, said Hibbs, prompting him to deliver a rather strange sermon in which he referenced a passage from the book of Leviticus instructing priests to anoint the toe, thumb, and right ear of those making a guilt offering with blood, which Hibbs tied to the injury Trump received from the shooting.
"God said all those who represent me in the priesthood, there's to be a sacrificial basin of blood," Hibbs said. "And I want the toe of the priest to be dipped in the blood—the big toe, the right toe—dipped in blood. I want the priest's thumb dipped in blood because his feet and his decision making is covered in my blood. And then take the blood from the basin and put it on your right ear."
Hibbs then pivoted to addressing Trump directly, declaring that the shooting was "a warning by Almighty God" that he must publicly "bow the knee" and commit himself to Jesus.
"Mr. President, if you're watching this right now, your right ear was bloodied," Hibbs declared. "We would like to pledge and pray that you might bow your knee before the Lord Almighty and say, 'Not only did God do this'—because I know, Mr. President, you said that today that 'God protected me'—but who is God? Mr. President, who is he? What's his name? You've heard it for years. It's time to bow the knee."
"It's time to say that Jesus Christ is Lord, that he's the one that rules over the affairs of men," Hibbs preached. "This has been a warning by Almighty God that your ear might be sanctified. Will you hear this? Can you hear this? Listen to the word of God. Stop talking about God and come to know God."
