Unholy Empire: Chronicles of the Host, Vol 2: Chronicles of the Host, Book 2 (51 page)

“Are you certain that he will approach on this road?” asked Jerub.

“Of course,” said Gabriel. “First rule of an assignment, Jerub. Always scout out the intelligence so you know what to expect. The enemy is cunning, but humans, though unpredictable at times, usually are creatures of habit. As this is the quickest road to Moab, I can assure you that Balaam shall be on it.”

Jerub nodded his head in acknowledgment.

“Besides, I received a report before your arrival that he was on this very road.”

Jerub smiled. He liked being assigned to Gabriel. Had he been with Michael he might have been thrust into something a bit more daring, but with Gabriel he was assured good fellowship and something interesting.

“Gabriel, might I ask you something?”

“Yes Jerub, that is why you are here.”

“Why were you assigned to this particular duty? I mean, it seems that any angel might be capable of…”

“Rule number two, Jerub. Don’t question your orders.”

Jerub nodded, but in a frowning sort of way, because he wasn’t quite satisfied with the answer.

“However,” Gabriel continued, “Because I am the chief messenger of the Lord and an archangel, the Lord Most High ordered that I appear here in advance of the Lord’s angel and clear out any unclean spirits. They are innumerable in this carnal land.”

“The Angel of the Lord? Here?” asked Jerub.

Gabriel smiled.

“Yes, Jerub, the Angel of the Lord.”

“But who is he?” asked Jerub. “We have of course studied him at the Academy and have heard of his appearance to Hagar, but…is it true that it is the Lord Himself?”

Before Gabriel had a chance to answer he stood and suddenly ordered Jerub to the side. The two of them stood off the pathway as a figure of a man on a donkey appeared in the distance.

“Is that…?”

“Quiet,” said Gabriel.

As they watched, an angel appeared before them on the pathway—the Angel of the Lord. It was the very angel who had appeared to Hagar; and also one of the three angels who had appeared to Abraham at Mamre.

Balaam was accompanied by his two servants, who were responsible for carrying the different ceremonial tools of his trade: robes, scrolls, incense, and other mystical objects. As he approached the place where the angels were, the donkey suddenly stopped. Balaam wondered what was happening and goaded the donkey forward, but instead the animal veered off into the field.

“You stupid beast!” screamed Balaam, who began beating the donkey with a stick, driving it back on the path. The donkey looked back at Balaam, and then, turning its head back to the road, continued on.

“I’ll get rid of you if you do that again,” Balaam said aloud.

His servants continued following behind.

The donkey proceeded cautiously, for she had seen something that Balaam had not seen: the Angel of the Lord, sword drawn, ready to strike at the donkey’s master!

Gabriel motioned to Jerub.

“Come on, we’re moving,” he said.

Balaam approached a narrowing in the path between two large grapevines. A wall was built on either side of the road, making the passage very narrow. It was here that the Angel of the Lord once more straddled the path. Gabriel and Jerub sat on the wall a bit farther down the road so they could observe the encounter.

When the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord in her path again, she moved to one side to avoid him. In doing do she scraped up against the wall, dragging Balaam’s foot against it. Balaam screamed in pain and began beating the donkey once more. Gabriel felt sorry for the animal. Her eyes were seeing more clearly than her master’s, even though he who made his living “divining” the unseen.

“Where to now?” asked Jerub, wondering why the Angel of the Lord let Balaam pass on by. “He got through twice already.”

“No,” Gabriel responded. “He will speak to him this time.”

“The Angel of the Lord will speak to that false prophet?” asked a puzzled Jerub.

“Watch,” Gabriel said as they vanished to meet Balaam farther down the road.

The Angel of the Lord had moved to a point farther down the path, where it was so narrow there was no room to turn to the right or the left. When the poor donkey saw the figure again, she gave up and lay down on the path. Balaam was furious and began to beat her for a third time.

“Now watch,” said Gabriel.

The donkey turned her head toward Balaam, who was still beating her. The Lord opened the donkey’s mouth and she began to speak:

“What have I done to you that you have beaten me these three times?”

Balaam could not believe his ears. He stopped beating her and looked back to see if his servants had heard anything. He then looked back at the donkey. As a seer, he had experienced many bizarre things, but this was the first time an animal had spoken to him.

“I don’t know how you can speak,” Balaam said in a low voice so his servants would not hear him speaking to the animal. “But you made me look like a fool. If I had a sword right now I would kill you.”

“I have been your donkey for a long time,” the donkey said. “Have I ever acted like this, or thrown you, or run you under a tree limb?”

“Well, no,” said Balaam.

Suddenly the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam. Standing before him was the Angel of the Lord, sword drawn as if to use it against him. At first Balaam shrank back in fear, and then he pulled off the donkey and fell to the ground, face down.

The Angel of the Lord then spoke to him:

“
Why is it that you have beaten this poor animal these three times? Don’t you know that I am here to oppose you because the path you have chosen is a reckless one? I permitted you to go with these men under the condition that you obey Me. Instead, because of the greed in your heart you seek only more personal gain. You plan to do what is in your heart—and what these men ask of you.
”

“My Lord,” said Balaam, “I go in Your service.”

“
You go to curse My people, but I told you to do otherwise,” said the Lord. “Had this animal not had more sense than you, and moved away from Me, I would have surely killed you and spared the donkey. Your pride has set you against Me!
”

Balaam swallowed hard and then said, “I did not know You were in the road to oppose me, Lord. I have sinned and will go back if You are displeased.”

“
No, you shall go ahead
,” said the Angel of the Lord. “
You shall go with these men, but you will only be able to say what I tell you to say. I shall humble this king of Moab with the words I give you to speak
.”

Balaam agreed to do everything the Lord ordered, and the Angel moved out of his way. He and his companions continued on down the path unopposed. The Angel of the Lord vanished, leaving Gabriel and Jerub on the path.

“I hope Balaam has the sense of a man who has just been rebuked by the Lord,” said Jerub.

“I would be pleased if he had the sense of a donkey!” said Gabriel with a sly grin on his face.

Chronicles of the Host

Balaam’s Blessing, Moses’ death

True to the Lord’s words, Balaam was unable to curse the people of the Lord. Three times did Balak, king of Moab, hire Balaam to curse the people. And all three times, as Balaam began to speak, he would deliver an oracle of the Lord that blessed the enemy of Balak rather than curse him.

Furious that he had been so treated, Balak refused to pay Balaam any of his fees. He sent the would-be prophet back to Pethor, but not before Balaam uttered these magnificent words from the heart of the Most High:

A star will come out of Jacob;
A scepter will rise out of Israel.

The Lord had taken the words of a man that Lucifer had hoped would bring curses and confusion upon Israel, and turned them instead into another prophecy concerning the Seed that was one day to be born…

As for Moses, the great prophet and leader of the Hebrews, who had delivered them out of Egypt and led them through the wilderness, he now took them to the edge of Canaan (because of his sin at Meribah, he was not permitted to enter). And so it was that Joshua was chosen by the Lord to succeed Moses as ruler in Israel.

The people had assembled for what they knew was Moses’ final address to them as their leader. They knew that Joshua was the appointed successor who would take them into the Promised Land. He had their confidence and their blessing. But for now, all eyes were upon the man who had led them out of captivity in Egypt, and who was about to leave them on the edge of Canaan.

Moses stood before the people, who honored him now as the revered “old man” of Israel. He leaned on a staff to support himself, although he was still strong of body and mind. With Joshua at his side, he spoke to the Israelites for the last time:

“It is time for me to be gathered to my fathers,” he began. “I shall not cross over with you because of my sin against the Lord at Meribah. But Joshua, son of Nun, shall take you into the land. Follow him, for he is anointed of the Lord, and the Spirit of God is upon him.

“The Lord has been faithful to His covenant. If you abide in His law, you shall be blessed; if you disobey His decrees, you shall be cursed. Therefore trust in the Lord your God and learn of Him. Establish His word in your hearts and never let it escape.