Final Confrontation Read online

  Now the spirit was following Herod and the high priest into a private room where the two went into conference. They sat at an informal lounge area where Herod put his feet up on a pillow. He sipped his wine.

  “Well?” demanded Herod. “I didn’t give you this position so I could be made a fool in front of visiting dignitaries.”

  “Nor do I enjoy being made a fool of in front of my priests,” said Matthias.”

  Herod smirked at his hand-picked holy man.

  “The Lord appointed Aaron,” said Herod. “But I selected you. He kept Aaron.”

  Matthias understood the subtle threat. Herod continued.

  “I must know. Is this the Christ? I have lived with that fable all my life…a coming King. It’s every ruler’s nightmare—especially in a nation of religious misfits.”

  “Sire, I cannot answer you,” Matthias said. “If these men truly heard from the Lord, then who can say? But why should the Lord speak to these men who worship pagan gods and not to his own high priest? This matter is of such importance.”

  “Perhaps pagans can hear him better,” said Herod, who was playing with a flower he had pulled from a vase. “Still, I cannot risk the chance that they are right. I want someone to follow the magi to Bethlehem. Find the house where they enter and discover whether or not the Child lives.”

  “It will be done,” said Matthias. “But in any case, majesty, when these holy men report to you from Bethlehem you’ll have your answer. Then you can go and worship this new born King.”

  “And so I shall,” said Herod smiling. “I will worship in my own way.”

  Demas grinned at the turn of events. He could sense the anger and desperate fear rising inside Herod. This would bode well for Lucifer’s desire to see something done about the Christ. He left immediately to find him.

  Lucifer, Pellecus and Kara listened with great interest to Demas’ report. It appeared that finally Herod would discover the whereabouts of the Child. Then is would be only a matter of time before he sought to kill Him. They congratulated Demas on his work.

  “For now we shall keep close watch on the family,” Lucifer answered. “The only humans who were clever enough to recognize His presence thus far are the shepherds who were with Him on the night of His birth, and Simeon and Anna, who prophesied over Him at the Temple.”

  “And these magi,” said Pellecus. “They are even now with Herod.”

  “Yes, well, I think you’ll find by introducing Herod into the equation the solution may find itself.”

  “Herod is right about one thing,” said Pellecus, as they strolled about a new level of the Temple recently completed. “His own priests were unable to discern the times. To think they missed the very One they have been waiting for! This marvelous Temple will be wasted on them.”

  “The Jews have been missing the Most High for years,” sneered Lucifer. “Their holy men have become corrupt religionists like every other human who dons a priestly robe. The sacrifices are a mockery. They have been so bent on their own traditions they no longer know what genuine faith looks like!”

  One of Kara’s spies suddenly appeared in the room and stood nearby waiting to be addressed. The angel, Rhedi, was one of thousands in Kara’s network. He looked to Kara, who in turn nodded approval for the angel to approach the trio.

  “Well?” asked Kara. “Report.”

  “The magi are nearing the home of Mary and Joseph,” said Rhedi. “The star ever draws them.”

  “Excellent!” said Demas, in a rare outburst. The others looked at him with contempt for speaking. “Herod’s spy should also be nearing the house as well. This means his agents will not be far behind!”

  Lucifer looked at Pellecus and Kara with a hopeful expression.

  “I do have other news,” said Rhedi.

  Demas did not like the manner in which Rhedi spoke these words and looked at him.

  “It seems Herod’s spy was misdirected by three of Gabriel’s angels posing as the magi,” he added. “They took the man around the other way and led him into an alley. They then vanished before his eyes. The poor man almost died of fright and is at this moment on his way back to his hometown. Rather than face Herod with such news, he has deserted him.”

  Demas looked at Rhedi bitterly, and then to the others. He was quite unnerved at what Lucifer’s reaction would be.

  “This is astonishing,” Demas finally blurted out.

  “I suggest, Kara, that some of your angels need more training and discipline,” said Lucifer. “Particularly when it comes to boasting of one’s alleged assistance. Not only are they indiscreet but they are undependable as well.”

  Kara, embarrassed and outraged, agreed. “I will see to it that the offenders are disciplined,” he said menacingly. Demas skulked away and vanished.

  “At any rate the magi are arriving,” said Pellecus. “They are still to report to Herod. He will then act.”

  “True,” said Lucifer. “Herod has always been quite useful to us.” He looked at Rhedi. “Perhaps this angel will become Herod’s new shadow.”

  Rhedi looked up excitedly.

  “You are to return to the Hasmonean and continue enflaming Herod’s already tormented mind,” said Kara. “Fuel his passion for discovering this Child. And fuel his fears. He is ever frightened of pretenders.”

  Rhedi almost shouted, “As you command!” and vanished.

  As they came to an open area, Lucifer looked up into the night sky toward the star hanging over Bethlehem. A single shaft of light now extended from the star; a ray of brilliance penetrated Bethlehem.

  “He points the way for them,” said Kara bitterly. “He points the way to the Son.”

  “The light of the Lord upon His Son,” said Pellecus. “A dangerous thing to expose one’s Son when so many would take his life. Thrusting him into a darkened world—turning his back on him, so to speak.”

  Lucifer turned to the others.

  “Make no mistake, Pellecus,” he said. “This will never be. The day the Father turns His back on the Son is the day the Son will die.”

  “The Lord be praised!”

  The shaft of light seen by the magi looked like a silvery-white thread of silk streaming from the star overhead. They had followed this beam ever since leaving the gates of Jerusalem when it began to appear. All three of the magi were astonished at the light, and hurried to reach the Child who had been the object of their devotion for nearly two years. The light had settled on a small house, much like the others in Bethlehem. One of the magi asked a man whose house this was.

  “That is the home of Joseph the carpenter,” the man answered.

  “He did not see it,” mused Melchior. “He did not see the light.”

  “Perhaps the light of God can only be seen by those who seek it out,” said Balthasar, as he dismounted. “Shall we enter?”

  The three magi had replaced their dusty traveling clothes with the luxurious robes they had brought with them to wear when they were presented to the Child. They also carried with them the gifts they had kept with them all these months. This was a sacred moment for them as they approached Joseph’s front door. The light from the star immediately vanished as they stepped in the doorway.

  Caspar knocked on the door. They thought they heard the sound of a small child crying within. He was about to knock once more when the door opened. From inside the dimly lit house Joseph appeared in the doorway. He held a small oil lamp in his hand.

  “Yes?” he asked, surprised to see such splendid-looking men standing before him. “Are you from the palace?” he asked nervously.

  “No, no,” said Melchior, stepping up from the dark street. “I am Melchior. This is Caspar and Balthasar.”

  “We have been seeking you a long time,” said Caspar. “Or rather, your Son.”

  Upon those words Joseph felt immediate relief. Considering the circumstances of Jesus’ birth and the promises made to him and Mary by the angel Gabriel, it didn’t surprise him that strangers should come seeking the C
hild. He had resigned himself that they would probably experience such strange happenings as long as Jesus was in their home.

  “Who is at the door, Joseph?” a voice inquired.

  “Visitors,” said Joseph, opening the door for them to enter. “From far off. They are here to see our Son.”

  The three men entered the room. There they saw Mary holding a healthy, little dark-haired Boy of about a year or so. Tears filled the eyes of Caspar as he saw the Child for the first time. He fell to his knees, as did the other two. Joseph looked outside to make sure there were no others, and then shut the door.

  After a moment or two Joseph spoke to break the spell.

  “You came from…?

  “It doesn’t matter,” said Melchior. “What matters is where this Child came from. We will not stay long. But we were required of your God to come and pay homage and to bring these gifts.”

  Upon these words, they presented to Joseph gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh—all costly and luxurious gifts.

  “Please accept these humble offerings,” Balthasar said. “And allow us only a moment’s worship.”

  The men began praying in their native tongue, calling upon the God of Joseph and Mary and thanking Him for allowing them to have finally set eyes upon the King of the Jews. Shortly after, they stood to leave.

  “I would offer you a place to stay, but as you see there is no room here,” said Joseph. “Perhaps in the back…”

  “Thank you, no,” said Caspar. “We have already paid for our lodging here in Bethlehem. Then we shall return to Jerusalem.”

  “Jerusalem?” both Mary and Joseph repeated. “To Herod?”

  “Why yes,” replied Caspar. “He seemed quite anxious that we report to him.”

  “It seems a streak of devotion seized his heart and he, too, desires to come and worship the Child,” added Melchior. “This Child invites worship, it seems. Even in the most unlikely quarters.”

  After the men left, Joseph looked at Mary with apprehension. Herod! Dealing with kingly visitors was one thing—but dealing with the unpredictable king of Judea was another. Mary knew in her heart the Lord would not permit Herod or any other person to touch their Son, and was content to leave it all in the Lord’s hands.

  Chronicles of the Host

  Warning Dream

  Mary was quite right. For no sooner had the magi settled into a deep sleep than the Lord appeared to them in a dream warning them not to return to Herod. Instead, they bypassed Jerusalem, spotted only as they slipped past Herod’s well-watched frontiers. When Herod realized the magi were not going to return, he was beside himself. The enemy, under Kara’s direct command, fanned Herod’s fury telling him what a fool he had been and assuring him the Child would one day rise up and take the throne away from Herod’s house…

  Nobody dared speak a word. The messenger from the frontier had said it all. He remained on the ground where he had fallen after Herod struck him upon hearing the report that the magi had departed Judean territory.

  “Get out!” he ordered. “And take this fool to the Antonia to be held until I decide what is to be done with him!”

  A couple of Herod’s personal guards picked up the trembling messenger and escorted him out of the room. The other members of Herod’s council hastily exited the room as well. Herod was quite alone. Or was he?

  Rhedi stood by ready to foment in Herod something that would earn him favor with Kara, and ultimately Lucifer. The angel had assumed the horrid appearance of a human with a rat-like face, grinning as he approached Herod. The old king was bent over a table looking at a map of Judea, unaware of the angel’s presence or mission. He peered over the map for a moment or two longer and violently swept it off the table.

  “I should have all the frontier guards killed,” he raged aloud.

  “And yet the Child lives…” Rhedi spoke softly.

  “The Child lives,” Herod thought to himself. “Somewhere in Bethlehem.”

  “If He is allowed to grow into adulthood, He will take the throne from your children. The name of Herod will forever be forgotten…”

  “I owe it to my father to do something,” Herod mumbled. He began crying tears of anger and shame. “Father I am sorry! All the work you did, all the groveling before these Roman dogs.” He became furious. “These petty Jews! Always looking for their Messiah. How do we know this is not some trick of Satan? How do I know these magi were not demons disguised as humans to dupe me?”

  “And yet the Child lives such a short distance away…a brief journey…”

  Herod began thinking about how close Bethlehem was—how close the Child was to Jerusalem. Such a short distance—such a horrible threat. Surely his spy would have returned by now had he something to report.

  “Bethlehem is so small…nobody would know…nobody would care…”

  Rhedi stepped back to enjoy his work. This time his words had hit deep. Herod contemplated the bloody possibility. How many children could this be? Merely a handful of them, at most. It could be done quickly and quietly—even this very night…Rhedi approached Herod for a final thrust.

  “Just the children born since the star’s appearance…”

  Enough!” he shouted to himself.

  One of his aides came running in.

  “You sent for me, sire?” he asked timidly.

  “No, fool!” A pause. “Wait! Yes. Bring Zereth to me. Now!”

  The servant left quickly and within a few minutes returned with Zereth, the commander of Herod’s personal guard. Zereth was Herod’s most trusted servant, and was adept at performing unpleasant, secretive tasks. He was particularly skilled in the art of assassination. Herod looked at his trusted killer.

  “I have something for you,” he whispered. “Utmost secrecy. Only your most trustworthy soldiers who know how to do as they are told and remain quiet afterwards. And of course a great reward will be involved.”

  “I am yours to command, my king,” said Zereth, patting his sword.

  “Excellent,” said Herod. He walked to the window facing south. Already the star that had been over the land for these past many months was beginning to fade. He turned back to Zereth.

  “It seems I have a problem in Bethlehem.”

  “Joseph!”

  “Joseph!”

  Joseph wasn’t sure if he was dreaming or not as he found himself confronted by another angel. This one seemed different from Gabriel—somehow commanding even greater authority. Joseph listened as the angel began speaking to him.

  “I am the Angel of the Lord,” he said. “You must listen. Take your family and go down to Egypt. Herod’s soldiers are coming to kill the Child. Go now!”

  “Egypt! But how long are we to stay in Egypt?” he asked, looking around the house and mentally packing.

  “You will remain in Egypt until I bring you word,” the angel answered. “Herod will not rest until the Child is dead. Go!”

  Joseph suddenly awoke. There was nobody in the room. His wife and Son remained asleep. Was it real? Suddenly he felt a sense of urgency overwhelm him as visions of his family slaughtered began playing before his mind. He awakened his wife and began making preparations for Egypt.

  Chronicles of the Host

  Egyptian Escape

  And so it was that Joseph, having been warned by the angel, took his family to Egypt where they were able to live comfortably on the gifts given to them by the magi. For his part, Herod was content that the killing of the children in Bethlehem had ended his problem. But peace eluded the suspicious man. In one of his final acts of brutality he even had Zereth and all the soldiers involved in the Bethlehem massacre killed under suspicion of conspiring to assassinate him. Herod himself finally died, and his son Archelaus, a known brute, took his place as king.

  Upon Herod’s death, the angel appeared once more to Joseph and beckoned him back to Bethlehem. But because Archelaus was on the throne, the angel instructed Joseph to settle in Nazareth so that the prophecy about Jesus being called a Nazarene might b
e fulfilled.

  12 A.D.

  “Have you seen my Son?”

  Mary held her hand out her hand as she looked about her frantically. “He’s about this tall.”

  She ran to the next woman.

  “Have you seen a Boy of twelve? His name is Jesus.”

  The woman shrugged her shoulders and indicated that she had seen no one. The group of pilgrims was returning from the annual trip to Jerusalem for the Passover. As the men traveled separately from the women, Joseph and Mary each thought their Son was with the other parent. When it was evident that the Boy was not among the women and children, Mary raced ahead to the group of men.

  Joseph was surprised to see Mary hurrying to the men’s camp. He immediately realized something was the matter.

  “Is Jesus with you?” she panted, looking among the boys playing noisily nearby. “Please say He is…”

  Joseph’s eyes told the story and Mary began crying. Joseph told the others Jesus was missing and that he and Mary were returning to Jerusalem to see if He might be somewhere behind—perhaps with another group. They prayed as they left the camp that God would help them to find their Son.

  “He is an amazing Boy,” mused Serus. “He is engaging those priests as if He were one of them!”

  Crispin and Serus stood in one of the outer courts watching the young Jesus discussing matters of faith with the doctors of religion at the Temple. The priests were both amused and astonished that this young Nazarene should be so skilled in theology. Serus had been watching over Jesus ever since he had become separated from his parents, lingering behind in the house of the Lord—a place that felt strangely familiar.

  “Of course He engages them,” said Crispin. “Remember, Serus, though He is a Boy, He is also the Son of God.” He snickered as the priests continued their questioning. “They are discussing Creation with the Creator!”