Unholy Empire: Chronicles of the Host, Vol 2: Chronicles of the Host, Book 2

by D. Brian Shafer

  He looked over his students with compassion. “And thus, my dear ones. We have Jacob, who will find himself when he discovers the Lord in a marvelous new way. This is why I said he wrestles with himself. For until a human finds his way back to the Most High, he never truly knows who he is.”

  “Let me go,” shouted the stranger. “It is daybreak!”

  “No. Not until you bless me!” replied Jacob, who by now understood that this was no ordinary man but an angel from God—maybe even God himself! Jacob had fought too far and too long to quit without some sort of spoil. Though exhausted, he tightened his grip upon the stranger in a renewed vigor.

  Suddenly, a sharp pain shot down Jacob’s leg. His hip felt as if it were on fire. Jacob yelped in pain and let the man go. They stopped the struggle and looked at each other intently.

  “What is your name?” the angel of the Lord asked, looking Jacob squarely in the eyes.

  Jacob stood to his feet and tried to walk a few steps away from the man. He limped from the encounter—his hip throbbed with pain with every step he took. Jacob’s eyes met the eyes of the man who had injured him. Those eyes seemed to bore directly into his soul. Jacob felt his heart sinking within him as he considered his options at this point. What was he to make of this bizarre event? Those eyes! And that question…that name…

  Suddenly all the shame of a lifetime of deception began to fill Jacob’s heart as he realized the significance of this meeting with the Lord. So that was it! This was God’s way of rendering a just verdict before Esau’s impending slaughter.

  Deceiver! Trickster! This is who I am, Jacob thought to himself. He just wants to hear me say it!

  He also had the realization that this spirit or angel also knew Jacob for what he had become, as if he could see all of Jacob’s life in one moment of time and knew everything about him.

  You know who I am, Jacob surmised in his mind, as he struggled to answer this mysterious man. I am Jacob: deceiver of my brother, liar to my father, swindler of the father of my wives. Is that what you want to hear?

  For the first time in his life Jacob felt humbled and ashamed. Maybe God’s justice was timely. Perhaps the day of settling accounts had arrived. A tear hung in the corner of his eye. He looked up at the figure and spoke.

  “I am…Jacob,” he answered.

  The stranger continued to look at him, though Jacob could no longer look him in the eyes. “The deceiver.”

  As he spoke the words, Jacob felt a sense of shame. He awaited the response of the stranger with whom he had wrestled all night long. The man looked at him with great compassion. Jacob watched the other become brighter and brighter. Other angels began to appear all around them, until soon the very place was brilliantly lit up as if in daytime.

  “You are no longer Jacob, the deceiver. Your name will be forever changed to Israel, ‘one who struggled with God and has overcome.’”

  Jacob was caught off guard. He was not expecting this. “But tell me your name, “Jacob demanded.

  “Why do you ask me?” the angel replied. He then lifted his hands over Jacob’s head and blessed him. “My name is not important.”

  Jacob dropped to his knees and knelt in front of the man as he spoke. While he was being blessed, Jacob, now Israel, recalled the blessing his father Isaac had bestowed upon him, thinking he was Esau. But the sense of guilt was no longer present—his past was finally being put to rest. When the man was finished, Jacob looked up to thank him.

  He had vanished. From that day forward, Jacob called that place “Peniel,” meaning, “I saw God face-to-face and was spared.” He hurried to join his family, ready to face Esau whatever the outcome. But it really didn’t matter what happened to him now—he had faced the Lord’s angel at Peniel—and had become Israel.

  CHAPTER 14

  “The time for the prophecy is at hand.”

  Chronicles of the Host

  Israel

  It was much to our enemy’s discomfort that Israel became one of the greatest families in that whole part of the earth. His twelve sons were sure to continue the proud heritage, and the future of the Seed seemed secure against the day that the Lord would choose to reveal the one to come. Settling finally in Goshen, In Egypt, the generations of Israel prospered.

  But darkness was awaiting a day in which it might strike a blow against the Lord’s people. The threat to our enemies of one man in covenant with the Lord was terrifying; but a whole nation in covenant with the Lord was intolerable. And Israel was truly becoming a nation. Lucifer, now known by us as the Adversary, and his leadership, saw in the greatness of Israel the seed of their destruction.

  By the grace of God working in the life of Joseph, Israel prospered in the land of Egypt while the rest of the world endured famine. Yet we knew that Abraham had been told of a period of bondage in a foreign land, and we wondered if this would ultimately be a place of plenty or imprisonment So long as the king of the land was favorably disposed to the Israelites, they prospered and grew mightily in Goshen.

  Ever watchful, Lucifer and the council reasoned that if in fact Israel had become a nation, it would take another nation…a mighty nation…to bring great Israel to its knees and crush the Seed forever in one humbling blow. Thus did our adversary seize an opportunity when a new king came to power in the land of Egypt—a powerful king who had sworn to elevate the gods of Egypt to a new glory, by humbling the shepherd God of the Hebrews…

  “Of all the nations we have managed to hold in our authority, I must admit that Egypt is our most gratifying achievement!”

  The others agreed heartily as Lucifer outlined the brilliant way in which his greatest demons had become the pantheon of Egyptian deities. He looked around the sanctuary of the marvelous temple complex at Thebes, called Ipet-isut, one of many temples that housed the greatest of Egyptian gods, Amen-Ra.

  Amen-Ra was to the Egyptians a most powerful divinity, whose favor enabled great powers of magic and sorcery among his priests. The personal god of the pharaoh, Amen-Ra was the divine source from which the rulers of Egypt maintained their throne. Lucifer indicated the great stone rendering of the god.

  “These humans have become quite adept in their abilities to create such magnificent buildings and statuary,” Lucifer said. “Of course it is nothing in comparison to Heaven…but then what is?”

  The others looked at one another in bitter agreement.

  “Still, we have done well for ourselves these past few years,” he continued. He looked at the team of leading devils who depended upon him in the great struggle. “Brothers, in a comparatively short time we have managed to wrest the minds of men away from the Most High and turned their attention on such nonsense as these gods of Egypt!” He looked up at the image of Amen-Ra. “Sorry old fellow!”

  The others laughed.

  “And where is our Amen-Ra?” asked Lucifer.

  “Kara? Playing at god, my lord,” said Tinius, who was jealous of Kara’s assumption of the most powerful deity in the world. Tinius had his own ambitions to regain the position of a god, ever since he lost his holy place in Sodom at God’s command.

  “The priests are performing a particularly sacred oblation today, and it was an occasion for a bit of…theatrics. They are in the old temple at Memphis. But of course you know Kara prefers it here at Thebes.”

  “Ah yes,” mused Pellecus sarcastically. “So Kara is entertaining the priests?” He laughed at the thought of what was transpiring in Memphis, upward from Thebes at the base of the delta near Goshen. “The human priest mumbles a bit of foolishness and throws some incense into a fire and the image, by Kara’s influence, speaks or some such thing.”

  “Worshiping a piece of stone carved in the image of a god! I don’t know which is more amusing to me. The fact that these humans bedeck themselves in ridiculous garb and actually speak to these granite visages, or that they take them off their shrines every day to give them food and water!”

  “What a pitiful disposition for the image of God,” said Pellec
us.

  “Pitiful, yes,” agreed Lucifer. “But it is with such foolishness that the world is lost to the Most High. Humans have a tendency to wander from the truth. Thus we have the great gods of Egypt—our brethren in disguise—being attended upon by humans small or great in places from mud houses to palaces. The world crawls to us!”

  “Not completely,” said Pellecus, with a bit of reservation.

  The little bit of light that shone from the sanctuary door fell upon the face of the image of Amen-Ra as a priest came in and offered before the statue gifts received from a sacred assembly. The priest was in a white robe, his head shaved completely. He bowed as he came, lit a small golden censer, said a few words in deference to the idol, and prostrated himself. Lucifer and the others watched, amused at the scene.

  “You were saying, Pellecus?” Lucifer went on.

  “I was simply pointing out that not all of the world crawls to us as this eager priest, my prince.”

  “You mean the Hebrews, of course,” fumed Lucifer, watching the priest as his chanting became more vocal. “This poor human is deluded. He comes to us because he believes we have something to offer. He is blinded to the Most High, Pellecus.”

  “Yet he cries out to a god,” remarked Tinius.

  Lucifer pointed at the man. “The image of God that is in him cries out for some sort of meaning, Tinius. This world cries out for meaning. It is a cruel God who places within men a hunger for the divine yet bars the way to its Presence! The gods of Egypt and other nations are responsive to their patrons—that is the way we have created them. It also helps us to play on the fears and foolishness of men.” He sighed. “But that is the way the Most High wishes to play the game. So, we will fill the void that burdens all humans, be it in the gods we create or in wanton pleasure. It makes no difference which.”

  “And the Hebrews—the children of Israel?” asked Pellecus meekly.

  “They will never crawl to us, Pellecus. I don’t consider the Hebrews to be of the world. They are a different people altogether. They have a capacity, through God’s covenant with Abraham, to have meaningful relationship with the Most High—more so than any other people on earth. This makes them deadly to us. They carry within their vermin the Seed of our destruction and the hope of the world.”

  “Ah yes,” said Pellecus. “All the world shall be blessed by the seed of Abraham. And if I recall correctly, whoever curses his seed will be cursed, and whoever blesses his seed will be blessed!”

  “I only hope that the Hebrews find the mud pits at Pithom and the royal city of Raamses a marvelous blessing,” Lucifer responded.

  “There has been talk of a coming one who will lead these people out of Egypt,” commented Berenius. “My ears in Goshen have been reporting to me of such talk.”

  Lucifer looked at Berenius with a baneful look. He then looked at the priest who continued in his mantra to Amen-Ra. “If only the world were made of such as this deluded, but enthusiastic, priest,” Lucifer said.

  He walked over to the censer that the priest had lit. Waving his hand in the fire, Lucifer caused the censer to light up brilliantly, casting a strange shadow of the god on the wall. The priest looked up from his prayers and, wide-eyed, called upon the Amen-Ra in greater fervor, thanking him for the visitation and for granting him greater powers. He then left the room.

  “Well, well, another miracle,” said Lucifer.

  Even Pellecus laughed. Lucifer stood silent for a moment.

  “What disturbs you, my lord?” asked Berenius.

  Lucifer looked up. “As long as the Hebrews believe in this one who will set them free from their slavery, they will never crawl to anyone except the Most High.”

  “But it has been over four hundred years since the family of Israel moved into Goshen and settled there,” griped Tinius. “How long will they believe in this cause?”

  “Adversity works in strange ways, Tinius,” said Lucifer. “We have learned that among the humans. For some it causes hopelessness to set in; for others it strengthens resolve. I thought that perhaps when the most recent Pharaoh came to power and enslaved these wretched Hebrews, they might finally succumb to human cruelty.”

  “Whether they are kept under heel by the taskmaster’s whip or by our own interference is of no importance,” said Pellecus, “so long as another four hundred years passes…then another…then..”

  “Except for the words spoken to Abraham,” interrupted Lucifer. “The Most High prophesied that for four hundred years the people would be in Egypt and then they would return to Canaan. We are at that point in human history.”

  He walked over to the statue of Amen-Ra, tucked away in the holy shrine, and prayed a mocking prayer like the priest had just done. “Grant me your powers, O Amen-Ra, that I may overcome my enemies!”

  All of the angels laughed. Lucifer turned to them.

  “You asked me, Berenius, what was disturbing me. It is the idea of these Hebrew mongrels having such hope.”

  Berenius looked to the others to see if they understood whatever it was that Lucifer had said.

  “Don’t you see?” Lucifer said in exasperation. “The time for the prophecy is at hand. The Lord always makes good on his word. At least up until now. It has been over four hundred years, and everything within me tells me that the one who will lead them out of Egypt will soon be born…perhaps he is already born.”

  The room fell silent for a few moments as each demon imagined an uncomfortable destiny closing in just a little bit more.

  “Well, what’s done cannot be undone,” said Pellecus, breaking the spell. “If he is to be born, he shall be born. If he lives now, he lives.”

  “Of course it can be undone,” said Lucifer, almost with contempt. “Anything humans do can be undone. It’s just a matter of how. Look at this great temple and this statue. How long will it stand before another king who worships another god comes and destroys it; or a great earthquake devours it; or time destroys it as it does all things on earth? If I have learned anything on this miserable planet, it is that things can be undone!”

  “Then let us deal with these creatures quickly!” a new voice sounded within the chamber.

  “Ah, Kara,” said Lucifer. “Welcome to your temple.”

  “As Amen-Ra I am served by many, but as Kara I serve only you, my lord,” said Kara with a slight bow of the head.

  “Well put,” said Pellecus. “From exalted god to servile lackey in so short a time.”

  Kara scowled at Pellecus but was too concerned with other matters to respond.

  “My lord, I have just returned from the temple at Memphis. The talk among the priests is of nothing but the Hebrew deliverer. Even Seti is disturbed by the evil portents.”

  “Of course, Pharaoh Seti is disturbed,” said Lucifer. “He is surrounded by fools. What with all the talk of a deliverer in Goshen and his wise men in a panic every time they see a falling star! I wonder that Egypt has risen to such greatness in the world.”

  “Then it’s true,” said Kara, with a nervous expression. “The time of the deliverer is approaching.” Kara suddenly burst out in anguish. “My lord! I am the prince of this great land. If the gods of Egypt lose face they shall be overturned…these creatures might even find solace in the God of Heaven! Even Seti…”

  “Never fear, Kara,” said Lucifer soothingly. “Your gods will be preserved. Seti shall maintain order And we will deal with the deliverer.”

  “Then you have a plan?” asked one of the angels with a mixture of hope and dread. “You know how to deal with this coming one?”

  Lucifer smiled and looked at Kara. “Amen-Ra, I believe is a bringer of dreams, is he not? Does he not speak to the pharaoh and the high priest of Egypt in dreams and visions?”

  “Yes, of course,” said Kara, beginning to understand. “He does indeed.”

  Kara stepped away from the group and stood in front of the statue of Amen-Ra. Before their eyes, Kara transformed himself into the form of the god, Amen-Ra, complete with the same
headdress and shape as the image. Pellecus nodded as if he agreed with the plan, not having even heard it. The others watched in astonishment.

  “No, my brother, in answer to your question, I don’t have a plan to deal with the deliverer,” Lucifer said.

  As he finished speaking, Kara waved his hand before the face of the stone idol. The eyes of the image of Amen-Ra flared up in a fiery dance. Kara grinned in delight.

  “But I believe Amen-Ra has!”

  “Where are you taking us?” asked Serus.

  Serus and several other angels stood among the many mud huts outside the new treasure city of Raamses in Goshen. They watched the people moving about, many scarred and disfigured from the whips and abuse of the foremen at the brick pits. Serus found himself becoming incensed at what he saw.

  “I don’t understand why the Most High permits his people to remain in such bondage,” he finally spoke up.

  “I didn’t bring you here to voice your opinion on the condition of the Hebrews,” said Romus, one of Michael’s chief aides. “I have brought you here to watch a particular family among these poor humans.”

  As they continued through the dirty street, Romus stopped. He indicated a woman who looked like most of the other women in the small community. She was careworn, and looked older than she really was. The recent years of slavery had taken a heavy toll on the men and women of Goshen. How far they had fallen from the favor they had found with the pharaohs of Joseph’s days!

  “That is Jochebed, the Levite,” said Romus. “I want you to watch over her, but not to go near her.” He looked around as if making sure there were no unfriendly ears about.