Keeper of the Ark (A Moses Trilogy): “For the Love of Moses”, “For the Children of Moses”, “For the Children of God”

By Lady Jewel

Keeper of the Ark takes you on a journey from Mosess days as general of Pharaohs armies and follows his progeny all the way to Christs return, where Isaiah 18 and Zephaniah 3:10 tell us that the Ethiopians will bring Him a gift. Keepers known as Atang have guarded the Ark of the Covenant from the days of King Solomon. The story of the Ark and how it came to be in Ethiopia is a fascinating tale, and well worth the read.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Aug 24, 2012
• ISBN: 9781449750602

Lady Jewel

I didn’t know I was a survivor until I woke up one day and realized just what I’ve survived.  I grew up in the Mississippi Delta and attended college in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where I got my MRS degree.  After twenty-seven years, we divorced.   This mother of four went from Dad telling her what to do to husband telling her what to do to, suddenly being thrust into unfamiliar territory, and no one was there to tell her what to do.  The transition from “can’t” to “can” took a twenty-year bite out of my life while I learned how to cope with heartache and loss in every way.   While learning who I was, I managed to win several poetry awards, an acting award, an APA journalism award, finalist in both female vocalist and female songwriter categories in a Branson singer/songwriter association, and picked up a listing in the Cambridge Who’s Who.   But when Sir Benjamin Hendrickson (Dr. Hendrickson was knighted by the Netherlands) asked me to become his Lady Jewel, and we were married on a Florida beach, I discovered who I really am: I’m Cinderella!

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Copyright © 2012 Lady Jewel

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Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

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ISBN: 978-1-4497-5061-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4497-5062-6 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4497-5060-2 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012909169

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FOR THE LOVE OF MOSES

This is the story of the Ethiopian woman who married Moses; how they met, how they lost one another, and how they found each other again. It is about commitment, character, and courage, played out in the backdrop of the plagues of Egypt, the Exodus of the Israelites, their wilderness wanderings, and the fulfillment of promises made by God to the nation that came from Israel, and the nation that came through Moses and his Ethiopian bride.

FOR THE CHILDREN OF MOSES

This is the continuation of the story of Moses’ descendants. The love affair between the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon proves how a promise drove a faithful descendant to find and assure the care for the Ark of the Covenant. Follow the progress of a plan and purpose that will not be fully played out until book three.

FOR THE CHILDREN OF GOD

This book pushes the reader through time in pursuit of the Ark of the Covenant. Moses’ descendants wade around a backdrop of war and change, witnessing the crucifixion of Christ, and carrying the Gospel back to their homeland, where a new enemy looms on the horizon threatening the future for all of God’s children. Follow this enemy through the Crusades, to the present and beyond, when Christ deals with Antichrist once and for all.

FOREWORD

One of the most neglected areas of our lives as Christians is reading. When we read a book it opens unto us a wealth of information, some fact and some fiction. When I first opened Keeper of the Ark, I was pleased and highly impressed with the writing. It is factualized fiction and so intertwined that once you start reading you will have a problem putting it down.

Much of our historical writing is rather mundane and requires much attention to follow the thinking of the author. There is much to be learned from historical writings, and we have an open door to the past through these pages. Biblical historical writing seems to also have the problem of being relevant to the reader today. With the use of excellent fictionalized information the author carries us through the story of the Ark of the Covenant and many of the intriguing people and places interwoven throughout this book.

This book should find its way into the libraries of all Christian schools and homes and would be excellent reading for literature classes.

As a college professor, high school principal, elementary school teacher and principal I am pleased to recommend this book to anyone as excellent inspirational and historical reading.

A.P. Vohs: Dip. Theo.

Crown College, BA Elementary and M.Ed Psch & Coun. from Northern Colorado University, Ed.D. Higher Ed & Adm. From University of AR, Ordained 1956, Bible Evang. Ch. Assn.

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank my daughter, Shawna Demmitt, for all her work on the illustrations included in this book, and my daughter, Courtney Chadwick, for writing about the author. To my son, Rob Ferrin and daughter Tjwana Ferrin, a big hug for all your help and encouragement during the years of research. My husband, Ben, deserves an award for his patience, and all the you can do its that kept me going. My friend and surrogate father, Jim McVay, provided the good advice I needed and served as my sounding board during difficult days. My mentor, Dr. A.P. Vohs, did not live to see this day. He has left a big gap in a lot of lives, but his help and encouragement still ring in my heart. Without the help of these people this book would not be available today. I love and appreciate each of you so much.

FOR THE LOVE

OF MOSES

"And Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married; for he had married an Ethiopian woman." (Numbers 12:1)

PREFACE

I love a mystery, and the Bible is full of them. Clues excite, but when the puzzle pieces add up to less than half, I resort to advice given by a popular Bible teacher and peek around the corner of the verse.

So hang on to your hats, because when my imagination dug into historical timelines, I think I even found the identity of the Assyrian king who, according to the book of Jonah, watched whale vomit trudge through Nineveh.

A hidden volcano began rumbling inside me when I discovered the Ethiopian woman Moses married while reading Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus. This story erupted into a roller coaster ride that carried me through centuries of descendants and explained prophesies like Isaiah 18 and Zephaniah 3:10, which predicts that upon Christ’s return, the Ethiopians will bring him a gift.

Personalities surfacing along the way caused me to see the struggles, the humanity, and the great courage bred into these people. Each individual became a personal friend, and I look forward to the day I will meet them in heaven and discover their true natures.

That said, let’s look through my imagination’s eye at Genesis 25 and discover a magical place. This place would nurture the unique race of people destined to guard the golden box that housed the glory of God:

Sheba rushed ahead of his grandmother when he saw the beautiful grassy knoll, just beyond the boiling cove. His father, Jokshan, managed to pull the papyrus raft holding their supplies onto the outcropped peninsula cupping the cove like the thumb of a hand. His brothers struggled to follow him into the uninviting tumult.

Abraham said go east, and Keturah obeyed, though she never understood his reasoning. Abraham was always so distant. She knew she could never replace Sarah. He had made it quite clear that her children would not be heir to the promise, whatever that meant. Isaac was his firstborn, and she knew how much Abraham loved him. But still, it hurt to be sent away.

Keturah jumped into the water after Sheba and almost drowned. Oblivious to her plight, Sheba swam the tumult, climbed ashore, and kept on going. The waters swirled around her waist while she fought to reach shore. Once Zimran and Medan secured the other raft, they helped their mother out of the tumult and found a comfortable place for her to rest. When she recovered, they ran after Sheba to give him a good thrashing.

The scene awaiting took their breath away: Beyond the hill was a well-watered plain. Beyond the plain were two more rivers circling the whole area. It gave the illusion of being on an island, but most important—it spoke safety. This was a special place—a place impervious to outside threats. This would be their new home.

We will call our fortress Sheba, because it was my son who found it. There can be no better place. Father would be pleased. Jokshan spoke with pride, giving his impetuous son a pat on the shoulder, instead of the swat on the rear he deserved.

INTRODUCTION

Ah, Tharbis, we will not forget.

He spoke in the strange dialect that still keeps me digging through Wycliffe translation techniques I thought I had mastered.

Tall, too tall for comfort, I found myself thinking as this amazing ebony priest rose to enter the dwelling rumored to house the ancient Ark of the Covenant.

This was my first trip to Ethiopia, and I was ill prepared for the blistering heat. The sun seemed to grow in size as the day wore on. I could swear it was twice as big now than when I first jostled into town in my native guide’s rickety old Land Rover. That was hours ago. It took quite a while to get directions to the chapel, its location closely guarded by the locals. Had it not been for my guide’s familiarity with the area and local customs, I never would have found the small building, despite using my brochure describing St. Mary’s of Zion Church as the rumored place where the Ark of the Covenant was kept.

How could the Ark have ended up in Aksum? I mused, while waiting for the priest to reemerge from his duties inside the mysteriously shrouded chapel.

The structure, located behind the elaborate main church, was small. There was a regiment of robed figures standing guard, but in a relaxed way. They didn’t seem fierce by any means, but were not the sort I should like to provoke. They did appear to take their duties seriously, especially when the priest reappeared in the low entryway. He had to stoop to get past the opening. A flickering shadow cast from candles—obviously the only light source inside the chapel, concealed my view of the interior. I noticed a guide pointing out places of interest to a tour group. The compound was fenced, allowing only men inside.

I approached the tall priest, and was about to greet him in his native Ge’ez dialect, when the shock of gazing into a set of piercing blue eyes struck me speechless.

How could this dark Ethiopian priest have blue eyes? I thought. But he did. When I regained my composure, I asked if we could talk. He graciously motioned me aside to address the guards. The dialect was again strange, but I gathered from my training that he was instructing them to stay close to the chapel while I was there.

When the priest beckoned me toward a separate dwelling, I waited for him to lead the way. We stepped inside a gazebo-like structure, where he invited me to sit on a rug beside a low table. He reclined Indian-style on the rug opposite me and introduced himself as Avram Tharbis Montuse. Then, he told me he had been appointed before the previous monk’s death. Now it was his life’s work to tend the ancient Ark of the Covenant. He was the only one allowed inside the structure housing the Ark. Before his death, he would appoint a replacement. This is the way it had been done for centuries.

I had gained permission for this visit through my guide, Agombi Datonda. Therefore, Avram knew I was a missionary, and that the purpose of my visit was Biblical historical research.

As we sat in the warmth of an African autumn, Avram slowly began to unfold an amazing history—a love story kept alive through the ages by promises made to a Nubian princess. She had been part of the mixed multitude that followed Moses out of Egypt and through the Red Sea on dry ground. She had danced with Miriam and the other women who cele-

brated their freedom from slavery, but she was never a slave. She had come to follow her destiny: to reunite with the handsome Egyptian general who stole her young heart the day he walked round and round the fortress from where her father ruled as King of Ethiopia.

THARBIS

Tharbis stared down from the rampart, imagining what it would be like to run her fingers through the tousled dark waves framing the Egyptian general’s sun-tanned face. It was early morning. The sun was just beginning to rise. No one knew for sure how many hours the Egyptian army had been camped outside their safe haven, but it wasn’t this speculation that lured Tharbis. This was simply her morning ritual. She loved the dawn and always rose early to greet the sun from the highest point in the fortress. Preferring the village, she hated being cooped up. She liked the freedom to run and feel the wind on her face. So much of her life had been spent traveling to and from this fortress every time the scouts sensed the threat of an attack. And now that the Egyptian army really had come, it was a total surprise.

Being in the fortress was a fortunate coincidence. King Kashta had called the elders into council to discuss the coming rainy season. But Tharbis was much more interested in watching the general than searching the sky for signs of rain.

Moses’ back bent as he examined the tower, searching for a way to break through the battlement that kept Tharbis’ royal family safe. He was muscular. She watched his thighs tighten under the strain of the backbend necessary to examine the top of the tower.

She found herself wanting to help him, despite circumstances. Her heart was embracing his form. She imagined what it would be like to touch him, to talk with him… .

Her dark eyes sparkled as she climbed down from her eagle’s view and broke into a run, skipping two steps at a time on her way to her father’s royal chamber.

At first the guard denied her entrance. Children were not usually permitted into the royal council while it was in session, so Tharbis waited for a recess. She didn’t have to wait long, and it looked as though her persistence was about to be rewarded when the king approached her! This was quite unexpected. She fully anticipated having to make a scene to get his attention, but it didn’t take long to figure out what was really going on when someone touched her shoulder. She spun with a start to face her mother.

Come with me, Tharbis. Your father is expecting us. Those crazy Egyptians are here and our scouts did not alert us. We don’t know how they got this far without our knowledge. No one guarding the Nile passage saw them come. We are trapped inside this place and totally unprepared. Our supplies have not arrived. We must devise a plan.

Everyone knew the only way the Egyptians could attack their fortress at Saba was by coming down the Nile River. Scouts always camped on the banks of the river, and runners dispatched any time the Egyptians tried to sneak past their careful vigils. The ground routes were infested with flying, biting serpents. No one could successfully traverse those dangerous fields, nor even consider such an undertaking.

Tharbis followed behind her disconcerted mother, who chattered all the way. While her father returned to his place at the head of the room, Tharbis looked around, surprised at how large the room was. She had not spent much time in this part of the fortress, so she took it all in with wide eyes.

The royal chamber was dimly lit with torches that gave off the smell of smoke—smoke that left ashy streaks on the walls of the cylindrical red brick room. The large room was comfortable, with many soft skin lounges for the royal council, and rock-hewn benches set in various places along the curved walls.

The elders gathered around King Kashta, speaking in urgent tones that frightened Tharbis. She reached for her mother’s hand as they settled on one of the benches concealed by shadow in an out-of-the-way area of the room.

King Kashta was trying to gain control while silencing the clamor around him.

We need a plan, Kurza said in a loud forceful speech that commanded the attention of the elders. Kurza was the chief advisor, and King Kashta always listened when Kurza spoke. And when King Kashta listened, everyone was quiet so he could think.

We will surely die of starvation, Balzar said. No one disagreed.

We will die of thirst before that, Kurza said. We have to make an alliance, but what can we offer?

Again there was silence—silence that spoke directly to Tharbis’ bumping heart. Here was the opportunity she had hoped for, but did she dare speak up? Rising slowly from her dark alcove, Tharbis took a deep breath and stepped into the light.

Her breasts were just beginning to bud, and her waist was becoming too small to hold up the cotton skirt her mama had woven for her tenth birthday. It meant she could begin to seek a mate. That was two years ago. No one appealed to her—until today.

Mustering her courage, Tharbis cleared her throat and allowed the words to tumble out all at once.

Papa, offer me to the Egyptian general. We can make an alliance between us. I want him for my mate.

King Kashta looked with new eyes at his daughter. She was lovely.

Kashta’s mind revisited the past twelve years in the few quiet seconds it took to gaze tenderly at his only child.

She loved the outdoors. She liked to run and climb trees, and pick bouquets for her mama. How he hated to sequester her in this monstrous fortress all the time. But the Egyptian army had become more menacing, and today his greatest fear had become a reality.

Go, make the offer, Kashta ordered in a wistful, broken whisper that openly expressed what his frayed emotions could not conceal.

When he turned aside to regain his composure, his aide quickly left the room.

missing image file

Moses sits with King Kashta in the cavern underneath the great hall.

ALLIANCE

Moses sat on a rock beside the tower. His army was still at rest on their makeshift mats dotting the landscape around the fortress. But he was up and all alone when the ground began to move beside him. Moses turned at the sound of rustling hay, and there emerging from the ground was a young Ethiopian boy. He couldn’t have been more than fifteen, but he gave away the secret: This was the way into the fortress. But why was he coming out?

Hello. Moses spoke to the boy in his language, but his voice clearly revealed puzzlement. Mutumba recognized the greeting, and in a flash motioned to Moses to follow as he quietly retreated back into the ground. Curiosity lured Moses down into the tunnel. He crawled after Mutumba for several yards, until he could comfortably stand and follow the rock hewn trail slowly graduating into a wide cave-like opening.

This underground is a honeycomb of passageways, Moses surmised, when he emerged through the rough opening into a cavern, underneath the great hall.

You wait, Mutumba said. I bring King Kashta to you here.

Moses watched Mutumba disappear behind a rock wall. What am I doing here? They could kill me and no one would ever know what had happened, Moses thought.

Moses was calculating his chances at taking the right tunnel to return to where he first saw Mutumba when King Kashta appeared. The king bowed and pointed Moses toward a grass mat.

Sit, please, Kashta said in the Egyptian tongue.

Moses squatted, dagger in hand. King Kashta appeared to be alone and unarmed.

I propose an alliance, Kashta said, seating himself comfortably on his mat.

Moses put down his dagger and looked deep into Kashta’s eyes. He saw no sign of deceit. He felt strangely at ease with this gentle black man.

What do you offer? Moses asked.

I give you Tharbis, King Kashta said with pride. What is Tharbis? Moses asked.

King Kashta rose and clapped twice.

A beautiful child entered the room—innocent, pure, and unblemished.

Moses was struck by her posture. She stood erect—regal in her youthful pleasantness, but not childish in any way.

Kashta motioned him closer.

Moses understood that he was to inspect the merchandise—check the teeth, so to speak—so he made a slight attempt at inspection, but his mind was a-whirr at this fortunate circumstance. Here was the opportunity of a lifetime! He was in the enviable position of ending a long hostility between Egypt and Ethiopia, thus opening up peaceful coexistence; sharing of mutual resources like the Nile and other trade routes, and joining forces when necessary. The choice was obvious.

So Moses agreed. Then he and Tharbis were escorted from the cavern, around a rock wall, up an incline, and then up several floors of brick staircase to a large private chamber. This was the bridal suite, the place where Moses and Tharbis were expected to consummate their alliance.

While Moses sheepishly prepared for the hours of privacy that lay ahead, he walked to an arched window and looked down with a chuckle at his bewildered army, searching in vain for their missing general.

missing image file

Moses and Tharbis join hands in the blood covenant on their wedding night.

CONSUMMATION

Within the chamber, Tharbis began to remove her skirt. Moses stopped her. She was a child. How could he take a child? But how could he not take her and insult the king? No consummation, no alliance.

Moses positioned Tharbis on the side of the sleeping mat. He sat beside her and took her in his arms. She responded by hugging him tightly, and reached to stroke his hair. Oh, the joy she felt in that fulfilled fantasy.

His hair was soft; his skin was warm, and his touch compelling. This was just the kind of man she had hoped to join with one day. He wasn’t dark like her, but that didn’t matter. She sensed kindness. He was impressive as a general, and as a man. He was strong enough to hunt, young enough to give her sons, and old enough to teach her about life outside the borders of her sheltered existence. And he was very nice to look upon.

Moses gently pushed her back so he could speak with her. He needed to explain what was in his heart: she was beautiful; she was desirable. But she was too young, and he hadn’t the heart to violate her.

Tears began to well up in her dark eyes as she searched his face. Was he rejecting her? Should she call her eunuchs and have him taken away? Could she stand to see him go?

Moses sensed her angst, and pulled her back into his embrace. She was so enchanting. Immediately she relaxed into his arms, and a surge of emotion erupted from somewhere deep inside. She would be his, but he must not spoil her before she could flower. He groped for words to explain his want of her. He would be her husband. No one would question the union. Only they would know the truth. Only they would be in anticipation of a time of their own choosing—a time when she was fully ready.

Moses took his dagger and cut through the skin of his palm, allowing his blood to dot the mat—proof of consummation.

Tharbis watched the blood drip from his hand, digesting the gesture he was making. What a magnificent deed he had done! She reached for the dagger. Before he could stop her, she sliced her palm likewise, touching it to his wound in a Jewish custom she knew nothing of, wanting only to join with this man in a way he could accept. Once again the tears came, communicating her strong desire to be one with him.

As they sat gazing into one another’s eyes their blood mingled in the painless, rapturous event binding them together. Tharbis broke the silence with a whispered confession:

"I watched you this morning from