There once was a kingdom marked and sealed in an oath of water and blood, sworn in allegiance with Jehovah the Mighty God. Jehovah built a great temple within the kingdom and commanded the king to sit in the holy temple and guard it, destroying all that would pollute it.
But the old king was a fool and polluted the temple all the days of his life. He taught the kingdom evil things from the seat of the holy temple, always prefaced with “Hath Jehovah said?” He would pout and fret in impotent rages against friend and foe, and God and providence alike.
If this were not enough, he brought harlots and harlequins into the temple to quiet his fuming soul, and commanded them to play for his amusement.
Thus the king deadened the soul of the kingdom so they would not hear the voice of Jehovah and his prophets.
But the king had a brother born after him with equal title to the throne, but he was a timid man and consented with his brother’s evil rule. This younger brother delighted to hear the voice of Jehovah’s prophets.
So the evil king, wearying himself on his delights, agreed to hear the prophets at his brother’s behest, counting them as just another amusement among many.
The prophets warned of judgment and called for holiness in the temple, calling for the fools and harlots to be removed.
So the evil king decreed, “I shall be a prophet as well. Send my armies to destroy all that offend Jehovah outside of my kingdom.”
And the prophets said, “But O king, Jehovah has only given you power to cleanse your own kingdom.”
And the king said “Do as I have commanded, am I not also among the prophets?” So it became a saying among the wise of the kingdom, “Is Chris also among the prophets?”
As the king grew fat and rich off his many entertainments, his younger brother looked out from a high tower and saw that the mighty armies of Jehovah had surrounded his kingdom. They were an endless swarm of soldiers and catapults, ready to strike and zealous to slay every soul within the kingdom.
The younger called for the prophets and the holy scrolls from the temple and asked, “What must I do? How can I save my people? My brother is a terrible king and does not care about the danger we are in.”
The prophets said, “Take the scrolls and write from them a list of all the evil deeds of your kingdom and bring them to the holy mount outside the city, and bring that old king with you and crucify him there.”
And the younger brother said, “That’s impossible! My brother controls the kingdom and is surrounded by his royal guard and mighty armies of serpent men, great dragons and giants, and all the dreadful sorceries of the elder serpent.”
But the prophet said, “Only have faith. You go with the Sword and Spirit of Jehovah. Do not fear.”
The younger brother believed and went into the temple. He steeled himself against the allurments of harlots and harlequins, and his brother’s monstrous armies fled when they saw the Sword of Jehovah unsheathed.
The smirking king said, “Brother, you have consented with me in all the deeds of the kingdom. Jehovah will surely demand your life as well as mine. Come and play as we once did, for tomorrow we both die.”
But the younger took the elder by the nape of his neck and dragged him to the spot the prophets had told him. There he found one crucified already and his face shone like the sun with rays of grace, grace.
The younger asked, “Who are you, Lord?”
And he answered, “I am Jehovah’s Salvation. Hang the writ of your kingdom’s evil deeds around my neck and crucify your brother with me.”
But the younger said, “Lord these deeds are too vile to hang around your neck. They are too shameful. And they are mine, since I consented with my brother.”
But the Lord said, “My love for you and your kingdom is such that I will not have you bear them. Do as I command. I will be with you.”
And so the younger wept and hung the writ of evil deeds around the Lord’s neck, then turned with eyes of flaming vengeance on the old king and nailed him to the back of the cross. Then he returned to the temple and cast out the harlots and harlequins, broke down his brother’s high places, and banished the serpent guard, saying “Jehovah is my defense.” Then he decreed that henceforth only the Lord’s voice and holy scrolls shall be heard in the temple.
But each night and every moment of the day, the evil king’s former entourage would return and knock at the doors and windows of the temple—their yellow eyes full of adultery. Moreover the new king could hear his elder brother howling in rage from the cross, demanding his entertainments and rule be restored. And furthermore, all the evil forces from the shadows of the kingdom whispered deadly conspiracies to restore the old regime.
The new king wept over the scrolls and said, “I can’t do this. I can’t control the evil forces in the shadows of the kingdom for a day, much less maintain a permanent dynasty that will serve Jehovah.”
As he was about to faint from the terror, the new king’s eyes filled with fire and tears and he said, “Send word to the cross for the Salvation of Jehovah. He will help.”
Before he could finish speaking, a mighty procession of the armies of Jehovah approached. The same faces that had prepared to lay siege days before now came with songs and bearing banners of eternal friendship between the kingdom and the Lord. They came also with many merry emissaries from the kingdoms of others who served Jehovah.
And at the head of the procession was the Salvation of Jehovah Himself, who came and entered his temple and embraced the new king. The writ of all the evil deeds of the kingdom was still around his neck, only now they had been overwritten with an eternal seal saying “I will remember these deeds no more.”
The new king handed his crown to the Salvation saying, “This is yours. Sit and rule in your temple with me as your servant.” And so the Salvation of Jehovah sat in his temple and all in the kingdom were taught of God.
But still the young king was troubled and could hear the faint voice of his howling brother among the psalms of his Savior. And he thought, “The old man and I were of the same mind. What would happen if I let him loose in a moment of weakness?”
So Jehovah’s Salvation held him near and said, “Watch. Do not let him have dominion over you.”
“How long, Lord?”
“It is not for you to know. Watch. I am with you.”
1Co 6:19-20 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? [20] For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
Pro 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
Luk 18:1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
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