Author: jonny (Page 6 of 8)

Chapter Six

Satan slowly drummed his weathered claws upon the arm of his metal throne. The high back cradled his frame as he slouched slightly awaiting the return of Anselrio, his chief messenger and spy. He was one of the few who could decipher the voice of the Eternal One. And one of the few who could get close enough to the Temple to eavesdrop  without detection. Still, had he been caught snooping around, they may have detained him, a most unfortunate possibility.

A murmur of voices began to rise from near the door of the throne chamber. Satan watched as the throng of fallen angels crowded the doorway. The doors burst open and the throng quickly fell back. Anselrio strutted into the chamber pushing the smaller demons aside and kicking a few who remained to close.

He worked his way forward through the long chamber towards his master. He slowed a bit and spat at a couple of demons. Hissing they cowered as they clambered beneath a table. Anselrio moved with an arrogant swagger that reeked with conceit. He stopped in the middle of the chamber.

Raising his arms up halfway he shouted for all to hear. “What are you staring at you cockroaches! The great and powerful Anselrio has returned bringing you news of the Eternal One’s feeble attempt to deceive us one more time.”

He slowly turned around in a circle gloating in the attention all eyes paid him.

“Once again He believes He can orchestrate His grand illusions in the presence of the wise and all knowing Anselrio!”

Satan smiled slightly as he listened to his boastful slave. Soon enough he would have everything he needed to defeat the Eternal One once and for all. Soon His pathetic efforts to reclaim his frail humanity from the jaws of sin and death would come to an end.

“Anselrio,” Satan growled. “Have you brought me word of that which I seek?”

Anselrio turned and faced Satan, arms still at half mast. He bowed and greeted Satan with a demonic salute. He slowly moved towards Satan with a strutted skipping motion. He chuckled with delight as he approached his master. He knew how to work the crowd and better than that, how to work Satan himself. He had learned a long time ago Satan quickly bored with a direct delivery of information. He had to tease him a bit, get the juices flowing till Satan demanded what he had to offer.

He stopped and coyly looked around behind him to see if all eyes were still on him or not. He squeaked out a laugh with a smirk plastered on his face. He turned his attention back to Satan.

“My Master, my sweet Satan. Impatient tonight? Have you no…”

Anselrio let his words hang for a moment, drawing the crowd in like children. Oh, they are way too easy tonight.

He scanned the room then continued.

“… confidence master?”

He eyed Satan, watching for the moment his patience would be exhausted. Satan’s sly grin relaxed and he readied himself to rise and extract the information Anselrio withheld from him.

“They sent Gabriel,” Anselrio hissed.

“Gabriel?” Satan replied.

“Yesssss. And a newly anointed excuse for a rival named Jeremy. From Michael’s little troop of misfits.”

Anselrio coated his finger nails with his breath. Buffing them on his leather amour he waited. There was more, but he milked the moment before he continued.

“All the little automatrons blindly worshiped as He called forth the great and mighty Gabriel to send him on his little quest to Jerusalem.”

Anselrio danced around, mocking the Eternal One and his worshippers, mimicking there worship.

“Holy, holy, holy. Ohhhh, He is Holy. Oh…Oh…He is Holy.”

Anselrio eyed Satan and fed him a little more.

“He said there will be much opposition to their task.”

He hopped a couple of steps forward.

“That you know His Word.”

A couple of more hops.

“And that you know who is coming and who is to follow.”

A couple of more hops. Anselrio knelt down and picked at the floor. He waited, timing his next revelation with the precision of a master story teller. Rising to his full stature he quickly stomped forward right up to Satan’s throne declaring at the top of his voice, “He said you both know and tremble at the name of Jeremy.”

Anselrio swung around lifting his right arm to the sky and quickly moved towards the demons surrounding him. He skipped a couple of steps and shouted, “There you have it. The facts of the matter unveiled before you without apology. And oh, the audacity, the shear audacity of Him to taunt you so my master.”

Turning back around to Satan’s throne he boldly walked right up to his master, arms flailing proclaiming, “He thinks us to be weak. He thinks He can hide His true intentions from us. Why, His angels are so incompetent that he has to send two to do the job of one.”

Anselrio looked Satan right in the eye. “He is sending them to some puny little priest named Zechariah. He is going to tell him his little barren woman will have a child, a child destined to go before the promised one. A child who will turn their hearts back to Him! Never! Never!!”

Anselrio rose above the crowd growling and snarling, spraying spit like a rabid wolf.

The crowd erupted and began stomping the rock floor, shouting curses as loudly as possible.

Satan seethed. Every ounce of his being filled with rage and hatred. Standing he descended the steps in front of his throne. Anselrio descended and bowed slightly towards his master.

Satan glared at him, “Is this all? Have you any more to say.”

“Gabriel left quick as lightening to go assemble his scraggly little band of misfits.”

“He will head for the Ellendon Fortress. This Zechariah. He is in Jerusalem you say.”

Satan reached out and drew Anselrio close to him and whispered directly in his ear, “Send Qwantar to this little priest. No, send him to his poor little barren wife. Twist her. Twist her shame. Twist her shame into her need. Twist her shame into an unbearable humiliation. A humiliation with only one escape, one way out. Then show her how easy it is to escape.”

“Yes my lord.”

“Tell him to stir up those precious little Jewish neighbors of hers. She must hear their indignation. She must feel their stares, their whispers as she walks by. Barren, barren.”

Anselrio smiled. He loved to listen to his master plot the demise of pithy humans.

“If the Eternal One thinks he can use a feeble old woman to birth one who goes before His precious Messiah while I am still around let Him cast His dreams to the wind. Go Anselrio. Send Qwantar. Guide her hands as she plots her own death.”

Turning, Anselrio quickly exited the chamber.

Satan quietly ascended the stairs and slipped into his throne to await the coming battle with Gabriel.

© 2011 John Pearson All Rights Reserved.

Chapter Five 

The clash of swords filled Jeremy’s ears as he and Gabriel entered the courtyard of the Ellendon Fortress.

“Nathaniel, keep your wrist straight,” Denbare shouted. “Dance with it. Make him work for position.”

Jeremy and Gabriel headed for the Captains barracks. Slowly the sound of angels training abated as everyone stopped to observe Jeremy.

“Jeremy,” Jabon said as he motioned for him to come closer.

Jeremy walked over to him and slapped his hand hard with a firm handshake.

“My friend,” he exclaimed.

Jabon slowly circled Jeremy examining his stature.

“I heard that you were anointed and sent forth with Gabriel. Sure wish I could have been there to see if for myself. Man, your wings look twice the size they were before you left.”

“I know. They took some getting used to. But man, I can fly three or four times as fast now.”

Leaning over to Jabon, Jeremy said with a hushed voice, “I was able to keep up with Gabriel, stride for stride.”

“So you think you can out race me do ya Jeremy.”

Jeremy blushed as Gabriel joined the two of them.

“Perhaps I will give you a run for your money tomorrow. Come, we have work to do.”

See you later Jabon,” Jeremy said as he turned to follow Gabriel.

Gabriel motioned for Michael to join them as he entered the Captains Quarters. He pulled down a couple of glasses and filled them half full of wine. He handed a cup to Jeremy and motioned for him to take a seat at the conference table.

Michael came in and poured himself a glass of wine. He bent over the conference table and swept his hand across the top in a wide arc. The table turned black with spots of red and white glowing like floating candles in a sea of darkness.

Gabriel studied the table and took a sip of wine. He scanned from left to right and looked at Jeremy.

“Jeremy. Now begins your real education. What do you see before you?”

Jeremy leaned over and studied the table. He reached out and swept his hand back and forth across the table.

“The lights. They are, hmmm.”

Gabriel watched as Jeremy searched for his response.

“I don’t know how I know this but the white spots are angels and the red spots are Satan’s fallen angels.”

“Yes.” Gabriel said.

“Which one is Satan himself?” Michael asked.

Jeremy closed his eyes and relaxed. Reaching out he let his hand drift across the table.

“None of them,” he said.

“Good.” Gabriel said. “Jeremy, the Lord has given you a gift. The ability to sense your enemies presence. You must learn how to use it and use it well.”

Jeremy’s heart raced with the gravity of Gabriel’s words.

Michael look him straight in the eye. “Up till now I have shielded you from our enemies. I have kept a fog of light surrounding you which blinded them. The battle before us now requires our full attention and focus. We need you to step up and fight like an Archangel.”

Jeremy looked at them. While he wanted to shrink back from this challenge, a hot burning passion coursed through him. Looking at the two elder angels he slowly pulled out his sword. The blade shimmered with sound as it cleared the mouth of the scabbard. He held it out in front of him with his right hand then quickly slashed the air right to left than swung it around in a wide arc and brought it down over his head. He twirled it around a few times and sheathed it.

“Nothing would satisfy me more,” he said, a smile slowly growing on his face.

Michael smile at Gabriel. “I remember the first time I felt that fire myself. Invincible, that is what it felt like to me. Invincible and determined. Like nothing would ever stand in my way again.”

“Yes,” Gabriel said. “Till the lessons of war brought home the reality of just who we are dealing with.”

“Jeremy,” Gabriel said looking at him.

Jeremy looked him right in the eye. The compassion he saw was second only to the Lord’s.

“This isn’t going to be any cakewalk. Satan is crafty and he has a way of diverting you that will play right into any feeling of superiority you may feel towards him. Never forget, he was once the great herald of the Lord till pride consumed him. He will attempt to do the same with you. But know this, the Lord would not have chosen you or placed the fire of His will in you if He did not trust you. And if He trusts you, then I trust you.”

Looking back at the table Gabriel asked him, “Where will the enemy emerge from?”

Jeremy closed his eyes and relaxed. He opened his eyes and placed both hands on the table. He moved both hands to the left and the red and white lights shifted with them revealing more darkness from the right and hiding the same amount on the left. He felt his eyes drawn to a solitary cluster of red and as he focused he will the image to grow larger. He was able to see the individual fallen angels each light represented. He kept concentrating until he gasped.

“Berazel,” he whispered to himself. Looking up at Gabriel he said, “Berazel will bring his minions from the north. There are so many.”

Gabriel and Michael listened in silence as Jeremy continued to study the table.

Jeremy closed his eyes and waited for a few moments then opened them and placed his hands on the table. He pulled them towards himself and the darkness shifted again. The table began to glow red as he continued to pull his hands towards himself. The darkness between the red lights disappeared for the most part. Jeremy paused and cocked his head to the left slightly as he studied the new information. Suddenly a waft of foul smelling smoke hit his nostrils. Instinctively his head jerked away and he raised his hand.

“Oh my. The stench. Whew,” he said. He rubbed his watery eyes. “Man, I have encountered the stench of demons before but never like this. Whew. How do they deal with that.”

Gabriel and Michael moved to stand on each side of Jeremy.

“They are the stench Jeremy,” Michael said. “They have no clue they smell like that.”

“Well, somebody ought to clue them in,” Jeremy said. “Whew. Man…that’s rank.”

“Focus Jeremy,” Gabriel said.

From the right side of the table a small band of red lights emerged. Jeremy watched them move towards the red mass in the center of the table.

“His spies.”

“Yes,” said Michael.

“They know about us. They are going to tell Satan.”

“Yes, they know something is about to happen and who is being sent. But they don’t know why. The Father did not allow them to understand everything. Just enough.”

“Why did He let them understand anything at all?”

“He has His reasons. Everything has a purpose, everything has a time and place,” Gabriel said.

“Michael, how do you think they will proceed?”

Jeremy listened closely as the two old warriors began to strategize. This was going to take a while.

© 2011 John Pearson All Rights Reserved.

Chapter Four

Zechariah returned from the school and began making preparations for his weekly priestly duty. As he had done twice a year, every year since he turned 13 years old, he prepared to pack his necessities. He laid out all his items on the small table where he had said his morning prayers. A clean tunic, his leather sandals, his small pillow. He did not need to take much with him. Most of his necessities would be provided for.

Elizabeth watched him carefully folding and arranging the items. He confirmed he had everything as needed, mentally checking things off his list. He pulled down his incense bowl and incense. He carefully wrapped them together in an old cloth that still smelled like incense from the last trip. He then placed them all in the small leather sack he used only for his trips to the temple.

“Zechariah, I made you some fresh bread for your journey,” Elizabeth said.

“The other priests always look forward to your bread. Did you make some extra? Last time I didn’t get even one bite. Avner loves it so much that as soon as I unwrapped it he scooped it up and immediately insisted all the other priests try some.”

Elizabeth smiled. “The large wrap is for the others. This small one here, this is just for you my darling.”

Zechariah smiled and gave her a big kiss on the forehead.

“I am most favored of all men. Such a beautiful and caring wife our Lord has given me all these years.”

He quickly finished packing and hung the sack on a peg by the door. He headed outside to graze the animals.

Elizabeth began preparing vegetables for the evening stew she had planned. Slicing the vegetables she dropped them in a pot of water and olive oil. She cut off a few pieces of dried goat meat from the smoked hind leg hanging on the wall and placed it in the pot.

Removing the cover from the top of the oven, she placed the small grate over it. She picked out a few medium sixe sticks and stuffed them in the lower chamber. The dried wood quickly caught fire as she gently blew on them. She pulled out the small clay shelf she used for baking the bread and the flames rose higher straining to reach the opening at the top. She closed the oven door and place the pot on top of the grate.

She washed the knife and cutting board and set them near the window to dry.

Drying her hands she pulled out the circle loom. If she worked quickly she could make a few more circular mats before Zechariah left for the temple.

She placed the loom on the table then sorted through the collection of dyed thread. She chose white, light blue and pink thick spun rolls.

Sitting on a small stool she unwound several cubits of white thread. She stretched the thread along the edge of the table measuring it out until she had the precise length needed for the loom. She fed the end through the center hole in the loom then tied it to the outer edge of the loom. With the end secured she began feeding the thread through the center and hooking it in the grooves along the outer edge. She worked her way around the loom until every groove was threaded. She tied off the end and clipped of the extra.

She then pulled off more white thread, carefully measured it and cut it to length. She then cut a piece of the blue about a half a cubit longer and a piece of the pink about a half a cubit longer than the blue. She tied the ends of the threads to a strand of the white thread already on the loom. She then braided the three together and carefully began weaving the three threads around the top of the loom. Softly she sang to herself as she worked.

Zechariah quietly snuck into the house and hid just behind the wall. He loved to listen to Elizabeth sing. Her voice always moved his her with joy.

“Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the heavens
Praise Him in the heights!
Praise Him, all His angels
Praise Him, all His hosts!
Praise Him, sun and moon
Praise Him, all you stars of light!
Praise Him, you heavens of heavens,
And you waters above the heavens!
Let them praise the name of the Lord
For He commanded and they were created.
He also established them forever and ever
He made a decree which shall not pass away.

Praise the Lord from the earth
You great sea creatures and all the depths
Fire and hail, snow and clouds
Stormy wind, fulfilling His word
Mountains and all hills
Fruitful trees and all cedars
Beasts and all cattle
Creeping things and flying fowl
Kings of the earth and all peoples
Princes and all judges of the earth
Both young men and maidens
Old men and children.

Let them praise the name of the Lord
For His name alone is exalted
His glory is above the earth and heaven.
And He has exalted the horn of His people
The praise of all His saints
Of the children of Israel
A people near to Him.
Praise the Lord!”

Entering the room, Zechariah came up behind Elizabeth. He reached around her shoulder to display a handful of wild flowers to her. Elizabeth stopped weaving and looked over her shoulder at her husband.

“Oh Zech, they are lovely.”

Setting down the loom she rose and poured some water into a vase. She carried it back to him and he placed the flowers in it and set them on her work table. While she primped them Zechariah followed his nose to the stew on the stove. He dipped a finger into the stew and quickly pulled it out of the hot liquid. Sticking a finger in his mouth he quickly ducked the towel Elizabeth threw at him.

“Zechariah, you wash those hands before you put them in my stew.”

“Your stew?”

“Yes, my stew.” I made that for my lunch tomorrow.”

“Looks like a lot of stew for one old woman to eat for lunch tomorrow.”

“Maybe I’ll have company. Miriam always visits when you are gone. Helps me with the animals.”

“Hmmm. Maybe you made extra for that young man Benesh who likes to carry you water for you.”

“Benesh can have some of my stew any time he likes. He is nice young man. Minds his manners unlike my husband.”

Elizabeth pulled a ladle down from the wall and a bowl from under the table and dipped out some stew for Zechariah. Pulling out a second bowl she dipped some for herself. She placed both bowls on the table in the main room.

Stepping around Zechariah who was washing his hands she cut off a piece of bread for both of them and set it on the table also. She filled 2 glasses with wine and set them next to their bowls.

The two sat down on cushions opposite one another.

Zechariah tore of a piece of bread and dipped it into the stew.

“How much cloth do you have for me to trade with?” he asked her then bit off a piece of the bread.

“Two hundred and twenty five cubits, give or take.”

“How much linen?”

“Hmmm, half and half?” she said and shrugged her shoulders.

“That much wool?”

“I spun it a little thin and we received more than usual this season.”

“I should like to trade for a cow this trip. We have not had one for about a year now. We could trade the milk.”

Staring at the table, Elizabeth chewed her wet bread in silence. Should I tell him about the dove. Zech never understands these feelings I get, even when they are valid.

She finished the last of her meal and sat silent across from Zechariah.

He searched Elizabeth’s face. He knew that look. Maybe she would tell him what she was thinking and maybe not. He had learned a long time ago there was no prying it out of her. Either she would share it or she would not.

“A small dove came and landed on the window sill while you were teaching today. It cooed so gently. It sat so still and just watched me packing the cloth. The it took one of the Rock Roses from the vase then flew off.”

Zechariah listened quietly. He slid the last of his bread into his mouth, chewed a few times then drank down the last of his stew.

“It is time for our after meal prayers then I must leave for Jerusalem.”
 
Zechariah looked up toward the ceiling and began to recite his prayers.

“When the Lord brought the exiles back to Zion it was like a dream. Then our mouths were filled with laughter and our tongues with song. Then was it said among the nations: ‘the Lord has done great things for them.’ Truly the Lord has done great things for us, and we rejoiced. Bring us from exile, Lord, as the streams return to the Negev; those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. Those who go out weeping, bearing sacks of seeds, shall return with joy, bearing their sheaves.”

“Let my mouth offer praise of the Lord, and let all beings offer blessing of God’s holy name forever. We will bless the Lord from now on and forever more: Praise God!”

“Give thanks to God who is good; whose kindness is enduring. Who can tell the mightiness of the Lord, or announce all of God’s praise?”

“Let us thank God. Blessed is the name of God now and forever. With your permission, let us thank God whose food we have eaten.”

“Blessed is God whose food we have eaten and through whose goodness we live. Blessed is God and blessed is God’s name.”

“Blessed is the Lord our God, Sovereign of the universe, who sustains the entire world with goodness, kindness and mercy. God gives food to all creatures, for God’s mercy is everlasting.”

“Through God’s abundant goodness we have not lacked sustenance, and may we not lack sustenance forever, for the sake of God’s great name. God sustains all, does good to all, and provides food for all the creatures whom God has created. Blessed is the Lord, who provides food for all.”

“We thank the Lord our God for having given a lovely and spacious land to our fathers and mothers; for having liberated us from the land of Egypt and freed us from the house of bondage; for the covenant which God has sealed in our flesh, for the Torah which God has taught us; for the laws which God has made known to us; for the life, grace and loving kindness which God has bestowed upon us, and for the sustenance with which God nourishes and maintains us continually, in every season, every day, even every hour.”

“For all these blessings we thank the Lord our God with praise. May God’s name be praised by every living being forever, as it is written: “When you have eaten your fill, give thanks to the Lord your God for the good land which God has given you.” Blessed is the Lord for the land and its produce.”

“May the Lord our God have mercy on God’s people Israel, God’s city Jerusalem, Zion the abode of God’s glory, the royal house of David, God’s anointed one, and the great and holy Temple that bears God’s name. May our God, our Parent, tend and nourish us, sustain and maintain us, and speedily grant us relief from all our troubles. May the Lord make us dependent not on the alms or loans of others, but rather on God’s full, open and generous hand, so that we may never be humiliated or put to shame.”

“May it be God’s will to strengthen us in God’s commandments, especially regarding the seventh day, this great and holy Sabbath, for today is great and holy before God–a day on which to rest and repose in love, according to God’s command. May it be God’s will to grant us relief from all care, sorrow and grief on our day of rest, and may God enable us to see Zion comforted, and Jerusalem, the holy city, rebuilt. For it is God who is the Master of salvation and comfort.”

“Our God and God of our ancestors, may our existence and impact be elevated, come up, arrive, be seen, be willed, be heard, be visited and be remembered, along with the memory of our ancestors, of the Messiah, son of David Your servant, the memory of Jerusalem, Your holy city, the memory of all Your people Israel before you; for goodness, grace, kindness and compassion, for life and for peace on this day. Remember us today, O Lord our God, for well-being. Visit us on this day with blessing.”

“Save us on this day with life. For our eyes are upon You, as You, O Ruler, are a gracious and compassionate God.”

“May God rebuild Jerusalem, the holy city, speedily in our lifetime. Blessed is the Lord, who restores Jerusalem with mercy. Amen.”

“Blessed is the Lord our God, Sovereign of the universe, who is our God, our Parent, our Sovereign, our Mighty One, our Creator, our Redeemer, our Maker, the Holy One of Jacob, the Shepherd of Israel, the good Sovereign who does good to all. May God who continually shows us kindness continue offering goodness to us. As God has ever bestowed favors upon us, may God continue to bless us with grace, loving kindness, compassion, deliverance, prosperity, redemption, consolation, sustenance, and mercy; a life of peace and all goodness. May God never withhold goodness from us.”

“May the Merciful One reign over us forever and ever. May the Merciful One be extolled in heaven and on earth. May the Merciful One be praised in all generations, be glorified through us to all eternity, and be honored among us forever. May the Merciful One grant us an honorable livelihood. May the Merciful One break the yoke of our oppression and lead us in dignity to our ancient homeland. May the Merciful One send abundant blessing upon this dwelling and the table at which we have eaten. May the Merciful One send Elijah the Prophet to us, and may he bear good tidings of salvation and comfort.”

“May the Merciful One bless all who are gathered here and all their families, as well as all dear to us, just as our ancestors: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were blessed in every way; and Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah, were described as good; so may God bless all of us together with a complete blessing, and we say: Amen.

“May our merit and the merit of our ancestors secure enduring peace for all of us. May we receive a blessing from the Lord, and justice from the God of our salvation. May we find grace and favor in the sight of God and humankind.”

“May the Merciful One bless all of the children of Israel who are now oppressed and bring them from darkness into light. May the Merciful One bless the State of Israel, the beginning of the flowering of our redemption. May the Merciful One create a caring bond between the children of Sarah and the children of Hagar.”

“May the Merciful One grant us a world that shall be entirely Shabbat and eternal rest. May the Merciful One renew this new month upon us for good and for blessing.”

“God grants deliverance to God’s chosen sovereign, and shows kindness to God’s anointed one, to David, and his descendents forever.”

“May the One who makes peace in the heavens let peace descend on all us and all of Israel, and let us say: Amen.”

“Fear the Lord, you who are consecrated; those who fear the Lord will be sustained. Those who deny God are lacking and hungry. Those who seek the Lord shall not lack anything that is good.”

“Give thanks to the Lord, for God is good; God’s mercy endures forever. God opens God’s hand and satisfies every living thing with favor. Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, for the Lord will be their protection. I have been young, and I have been old, but I have not seen a righteous person abandoned or that person’s seed destitute.”

“May the Lord give strength to our people; may the Lord bless our people with peace. Amen.”

© 2011 John Pearson All Rights Reserved.

Chapter Three

Zechariah could hear Elizabeth, Miriam and Benesh outside speaking to the animals. He glanced out the window and saw Benesh pouring some water into their water trough. He always enjoyed any visit by Benesh. The young man had been one of his favorite students. He had great respect for his Father Haskel who had taught him well the lessons a young boy should know before he entered school.

Zechariah placed the bowl of still smoldering incense back upon the shelf where it belonged. He placed the incense back in its proper place also. He opened a small chest and placed his tefillin back in its place.

He pulled his mantle around his shoulders and fastened his girdle to hold it in place. He picked up his worn sandals and sat down on the edge of the floor where it rose above the animal pen. His feet had become used to the feel of the wooden soles of his sandals which had become worn to the shape of his feet over the years. He stood and placed a white head covering over his gray hair. He placed his prayer shawl in his girdle pouch and straightened his dressings one last time.

Picking up his staff he stepped outside and greeted Elizabeth, Miriam and Benesh who were still fussing over the animals.

“Have you nothing better to do than waste your day petting a few animals?” he said.

Elizabeth turned and smiled and him.

“Benesh asked me to lead his new donkey here for you to inspect.”

“A new donkey?” He said observing the animal. “Let me see this new donkey for myself.”

Benesh watched Zechariah inspect the animal. Zechariah slowly walked around the donkey, patting here and there, inspecting the hooves and his teeth. Finally he inspected the ears.

Holding an ear close to his mouth he said, “Don’t listen to a thing Benesh tells you. He’ll have you plowing the fields by your self in no time so he can sit at home and smile at the young women coming back from the well.”

“Zechariah!” Elizabeth scolded. “You old trouble maker. Off to the synagogue with you.”

Miriam and Benesh giggled at the two of them.

“Perhaps a young man with a new donkey would like to give an old man a ride to the synagogue.”

“Zechariah!” Elizabeth looked around for her broom to scurry him off with. Not finding it she scolded him some more and shooed him on his way. Laughing, he smiled and bid them farewell.

“See what you have to look forward to Miriam?” Elizabeth said. “He is impossible. Always stirring things up. Now come inside, both of you and eat some sweet bread with dates in it.”

* * *

 
Zechariah arrived at the synagogue to find most of his students already there. Some parents were waiting with them and greeted him as he came into view.

He entered the synagogue, called the “house of the book” while teaching the young. He lit the oil lamps while the children came in and took their places on the wooden benches lining the walls. Parents gave one last set of instructions to obey Zechariah and honor their God. The children pulled out their prayer shawls and waited for Zechariah to begin.

Turning he scanned the group of boys, around twenty five in number, a normal number for a village the size of theirs. Their village, Ein Kerem, was around an hour and a half walk from Jerusalem. Originally a Canaanite village, it evolved around “the spring of the vineyard”, from which it derived its name.

The boys ranged in age of five years old to ten years old. At twelve

The children sat quietly and waited for Zechariah to begin the morning Tefilah or prayers.

“Children,” he said. “Let us pray. Repeat after me. Bless, O my soul, the Lord.”

“Bless, O my soul, the Lord,” the children repeated.

“Lord my God, You are very great.”

“Lord my God, You are very great,” They repeated.

“Glory and majesty have You worn,” Zechariah recited.

“Glory and majesty have You worn,” the children repeated.

“Who dons light as a garment.”

“Who dons light as a garment,” the children repeated.

“Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain,” Zechariah sais, finishing the morning prayer.

“Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain.” children repeated.

Together they placed their prayer shawls on their heads.

“Eliazar,” Zechariah said.

“Yes Rabbi,” he responded.

“Who is our God?”

“In the Torah, in the book of Deuteronomy, it says ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord IS One!’”

“And what is your duty to our God?”

“In the Torah, in the book of Deuteronomy, it says, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.’”

“And this boys, is why your father has taught them to you and why I am teaching them to you. That you might love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.”

Zechariah gave pause for a moment to allow for his words to sink in a little.

“Itamar, what is the first commandment of our God?”

“In the Torah, in the book of Exodus, it says, ‘I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me.'”

“Mordechai, what is the second commandment of our God?”

“In the Torah, in the book of Exodus, it says, ‘You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.'”

“Jethro, what is the third commandment of our God?”

“In the Torah, in the book of Exodus, it says, ‘You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.’”

“Lavan, what is the forth commandment of our God?”

“In the Torah, in the book of Exodus, it says, ‘Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.'”

“Aviel, what is the fifth commandment of our God?”

“In the Torah, in the book of Exodus, it says, ‘Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.'”

“Benjamin, what is the sixth commandment of our God?”

“In the Torah, in the book of Exodus, it says, ‘You shall not murder.'”

“Doran, what is the seventh commandment of our God?”

“In the Torah, in the book of Exodus, it says, ‘You shall not commit adultery.'”

“Eshkol, what is the eighth commandment of our God?”

“In the Torah, in the book of Exodus, it says, ‘You shall not steal.'”

“Gershem, what is the ninth commandment of our God?”

“In the Torah, in the book of Exodus, it says, ‘You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.'”

“Shalev, what is the tenth commandment of our God?”

“In the Torah, in the book of Exodus, it says, ‘You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.'”

“And which is the greatest commandment?” Zechariah asked.

Young Joshua rose before Zechariah.

“Yes Joshua.”

Joshua sat back down and said, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me.”

“Well said. What does your God command you regarding your neighbor?”

Zamir stood before Zechariah.

“Yes Zamir, tell me one commandment regarding your neighbor.”

“In the Torah, in the book of Leviticus, it says, ‘You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.'”

* * *

“Goodbye Elizabeth,” Miriam said.

“Goodbye,” Elizabeth said.

“Goodbye,” Benesh said.

Elizabeth waved to the both of them and watched them quickly head home. Miriam leading a new donkey and Benesh carrying the water pots.

Elizabeth propped the door open to let the air move through her home. She selected a few sticks from the pile next to the oven and placed them on the coals. She gently blew on them until they caught fire enough to burn with no more coaxing. She pulled out the dough that she had seeded with leaven the night before and placed it on a baking tin. She sprinkled olive oil on top of it and some sesame seeds.

Opening the door to the oven she placed the bread inside and closed the door.

She spent some time tidying up their small home. She cleaned out the animal droppings from the previous night and added some fresh hay to their pen. She refilled the oil lamps and watered the flowers on the window sill.

She felt fussy today. Always did when it was time for Zechariah to go to Jerusalem for his priestly week of service. She hated to be alone. Twice a year he would be gone for a week and a couple of days. The one bright spot is the goods he brought back from Jerusalem.

Zechariah would take the cloth and thread Elizabeth had made since his last visit and some of the raw wool from the few sheep they had. With that he would barter for items they needed. Oil, wheat, etc. Sometimes he would take some of his carvings to trade. He had worked at carving wooden items since he was a boy. Even though he received from the village part of their necessities for his priestly work there, it was never enough to provide for all their needs.

Elizabeth poured a glass of water. While drinking it she examined the cloth on her loom. She could easily finish it before Zechariah returned from teaching the boys. This would make the total length of cloth she was sending with him around 225 cubits, though, her short arms usually made her count a little high. Most was linen made from flax, but there had been a good harvest of wool in the village this year and she had been able to weave more than the usual.

She laid out the wraps for the cloth and started arranging them in according to weave and design. Over the years she had learned what customers in Jerusalem preferred and what would be easiest for Zechariah to bargain with. This year they hoped to trade for a cow, but she doubted they had enough to bargain with. There were other needs as well, and after bargaining for those, well, a cow was just so expensive.

The sound of a dove cooing caught Elizabeth’s attention. Looking up from the floor she saw a pure white dove sitting on the window sill by the vase full of Rock Rose flowers. Elizabeth sensed there was something more to this visit than meets the eye. Her heart felt strangely warm and she felt like crying for no particular reason.

Suddenly she just began praying. Praying with more of her heart than she had ever known. Everything in her still wanted a child, a child she could call her own. A child she could nurse, could protect, could hold in her arms and watch it quietly sleep. And it really didn’t matter whether it was a girl or a boy.

“O Lord, how foolish I feel,” she prayed wiping away tears with the linen she had just been folding.

Sitting on her knees she wept as she stared at the dove and the Rock Roses. Then she felt her heart filled with a restful peace and with hope. More peace than she had ever felt and her tears changed to tears of gratitude.

“What is happening to me Lord?” she prayed.

The dove grabbed a Rock Rose in its beak and flew away leaving Elizabeth to her tears and prayers.

© 2011 John Pearson All Rights Reserved.