Tribulations
And Jehovah Proceeded to speak to Moses Saying:
“Bring the tribe of the Levi near,
and you must stand them before Aaron the priest,
and they must minister to him.”Numbers 3.5-6
“Ok kid…cut the crap. I don’t need the moralizing and you aren’t doing anything for me or my soul, assuming anyone even has one. But tell me this. What ever made your old man decide to call us Leviticans? I tried reading that thing but it‘s got to be the most boring book in the Bible. And that’s sayin‘ a lot.”
“Brother Edwards,” Aaron Dobswell said sternly, “I do fear for your soul. My father follows in the tradition of the Levites the priests of the Old Testament.”
“So what about reading them all the stuff about unclean meat and such? The Soessossins are vegetarians after all.”
“They are vegetarians because they chose to be such. Ephraim and Jacob have begun eating meat as a ritual, in time so shall the whole tribe. They shall become the new tribe of Levi and those who have rejected us shall be cast out. We must insure they do so without violating the laws. If the Lord had intended those that worship Him refrain from eating meat He would have commanded as much. Instead He has instructed us in how to do so and honor Him at the same time.”
“Yeah, right, if you say so.”
Aaron watched Cotton Edwards leave their encampment and waited as Agorah and twelve more of the most dedicated Soessossins made their way across the field of waist high grasses surrounding their camp. After they arrived and he blessed them he continued with the daily instructions. They were finishing the reading of Deuteronomy starting at chapter 28. …listen to the voice of Jehovah your God… [and He]…will certainly put you high above all nations of the earth.
“How do we know that when the Lord spoke about the earth he also was talking about our planet which you call Alchibah?” Ephraim asked.
“These are divinely inspired translations from ancient sources into more modern language. Earth here, when not used as a proper name, means the land, or the world; and isn’t that how your Soessossin name for Alchibah would translate? The world of Jehovah is wherever his children live and accept His Word.”
“But we read that God made man in His own image. We look nothing like you. How could both of us be His children?”
“Again, and I sayeth unto thee, the image of the Lord is not in his physical appearance but in adherence to His Commandments. For this has been revealed unto me: When man was cast out of the garden others remained holy in his sight.”
“Yelsig has heard of what we do here and is displeased.”
“Once more I sayeth unto thee: Those that would oppose the way of the Lord are not of the way of the Lord but minions of the Evil One. Those known to you as the Guardians are the spawn of the Devil and have enslaved your tribes and Yelsig speaks in the Evil Ones name. Through acceptance and obedience to the Word thou shalt be made free.”
“As the Israelites were sent into captivity in Babylon, and they forgot the Word, so too have you been cast from Eden and into the darkness. But even as the Levites of old held to the teachings and preserved them, I, through the example of my most reverend father have done the same. And as the tribe of Judah was saved so shall you be also.”
———–
Craaaack! The sharp report of the rifle echoed from the surrounding hills and a goat like animal dropped a hundred and fifty yards away on the other side of the ravine. Cotton Edwards turned to Aram, one of the Soessossins at his side and said, “Go gather him up boy, and Hosham here can get a fire going.”
Aram returned with the animal and immediately set to cleaning it. But then he noticed the hoofs and something seemed to click. “It is not split, it is unclean.”
“Well let me tell you a little story about that,” Edwards said, “things were different back when all that dietary stuff was written. The point was to control the common folk and give power to the priests. All that changed back on Earth and no one was the worse for it. Now you folks didn’t eat any meat at all till we got here and now you do. Any harm done?”
“Not that I can see,” Aram replied, “We spend less time in gathering and preparation…and it does taste good to us.”
“And that’s what the Lord would want I reckon. So let’s just cook up a bit of this now and take the rest back to the camp. Mark my words and watch them when we get there. The holly rollers will eat it just fine and never know the difference.
“Holly Rollers?”
“Let me tell you about taking religion too seriously…”
———–
“Mother,” Ruth Dobswell said, “Brother Edwards is always staring at me. I don’t like it but when I talk to father he tells me to ignore it and Edwards will stop. Instead it’s getting worse. Is there anything to do to make him stop?”
“Daughter, men are hard to understand in some ways but easy in others,” Miriam Dobswell answered. “Brother Edwards needs a wife. You are too young but it is the duty of either Sister Martha or Sister Helen to marry him and I shall speak with them.”
“Sister Martha told me that she finds him disgusting, Sister Helen will not even talk about him. Why can’t we just ask him to leave?”
“He is one of us and we are small in number. Your father knows what is best and has so decreed. The way is not easy but we must follow the Lord’s will in all things. I will speak with them.”
———–
“Miriam, you are out of your mind if you think for a minute I am going to marry that degenerate lout.”
“Sister Martha, believe me I do understand the way you feel. But for my sake, for Ruth’s sake, for all of our sakes, will you hold your tongue and not poison the waters when I speak to Sister Helen?”
Marty’s anger burned ever so bright, but she said, “I will say nothing, I won’t need to. Helen knows how I feel but the choice is hers.”