Unholy Empire: Chronicles of the Host, Vol 2: Chronicles of the Host, Book 2 (49 page)

The men of Korah stood before the Tent of Meeting, each holding a censer filled with incense. Some of the men were nervous; others were exhilarated. All of them were curious as to the outcome of it all. Next to each man, unseen by them of course, was one of Berenius’s devils—each prepared to create the fiery climax that would prove Korah’s leadership. They were grim-faced, ugly demons, who were very nervous because of their proximity to the tabernacle of the Lord’s Presence.

Korah walked among them, instructing them on how to hold the censers and how to pray and all. Dathan and Abiram stood with him. It would be a great day for Israel, they boasted with confidence. Next to the men was a curious pile of stones that had appeared overnight. Shammua, the chief agitator among the spies who had gone into the land, guarded the pile. He held one stone ominously.

Moses finally emerged from the tent with Aaron. He looked over the scene and felt the same disgust for these rebellious people that he had felt for some time. He was ready to be done with them. Michael, as always, accompanied him, and received the usual “unwelcome” from the many devils in the area.

A great shaking in the heavenlies suddenly erupted as the shekinah—the glory of the Lord—appeared over the Tabernacle. A few of the demons scattered, but those standing with Korah’s men stood firm—albeit frightened.

From his place on the hillside, Lucifer watched the proceedings with the Council of Seven who had assembled to watch the final chapter of Moses’ prophetic and bothersome career. Kara took great satisfaction in watching the discipline of Berenius’s angels, who did not flinch when the Lord’s Presence manifested. They had been trained—as well as warned—not to do so.

The men of Israel became silent in the face of God’s Presence, and all eyes were upon Korah as he walked up to Moses.

“I have assembled the men as you requested,” he began.

“Not as I requested,” corrected Moses. “As the Lord requested.”

“Ah yes, as the Lord requested,” said Korah. “Be that as it may, we are ready for whatever it is that you have planned for this day.”

Moses suddenly convulsed, as if in great torment, and fell to the ground upon his face. He began weeping bitterly. Korah was wondering what sort of display this might be. He figured he could use this as another example of Moses’ sorcery and demonic ties. The people could hear the muffled pleadings of Moses—he seemed to be interceding for them.

“My Lord,” he cried out. “Will You condemn the whole assembly for the sins of one man?”

Korah was now getting angry at this display. What trickery was this?

“Moses, your drama no longer works here!” he said. “The people no longer believe your…”

“People of Israel, hear me!” Moses spoke loudly. “These men have asked to be chosen of God—and so they have been! Hear, O Israel, and act! Move away from the house and tents of these three—Korah, Dathan, and Abiram! The Lord shall meet them there!”

The men with Korah suddenly felt a panicked rush and began running to their tents to protect their homes and belongings. Korah was rapidly losing control of the situation and ran to his tent, in case Moses was preparing to attack with some of the Levites who had remained loyal. Dathan and Abiram also rallied their families at their tents. In a few minutes the three men—Korah, Dathan, and Abiram—stood with their families outside their tents, prepared to defend them.

“What is this?!” Lucifer screamed. “Kara, light those censers at once!”

Kara gave the order and the devils next to the men with the censers caused the censers to begin bursting into flame. Some of the men dropped their censers in fear, but quickly recovered them. Others took comfort in the fact that, whatever happened to Korah, at least they had been accepted.

“Keep an eye on Moses!” Kara screamed to nobody in particular.

“Don’t worry about Moses,” said Lucifer, who was watching Shammua’s men gather stones from the pile and infiltrate the men with the censers.

Moses had moved down to the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. Many of the devils who had lit the censers were now moving over these same tents. Michael remained with Moses, sword drawn. Rugio also moved in, sword drawn, keeping an eye on Michael and hoping for the chance to get in a blow.

The people had pulled back from the three men’s tents, isolating them. Korah remained smug, though a bit unnerved by what was happening.

“Is that the smell of incense?” he said sarcastically. “I believe, Moses, that you said my men should bring censers to prove who was with the Lord.”

A few of the crowd agreed with him. Moses ignored them. With the men were their wives and little ones. Moses felt compassion for these innocents, and yet he understood the reach of sin—that one man’s behavior affected many more than himself. And so he addressed the crowd:

“Men of Israel—these men have accused me and Aaron of betraying your trust. They have asked for a share in this leadership. I say to you that the Lord will now prove who is His own.”

He pointed to the men who stood before their tents. As he did, one of Dathan’s daughters ran to him. He picked her up and looked at his wife with fear for the first time. Korah remained confident that this was simply another of Moses’ tricks and that the lit censers had already made their case.

“If these men die a natural death, then the Lord is with them,” he continued. “But should they die an unnatural death…something completely out of the ordinary…If the earth should open and swallow them up—they and their families and all that they own alive into their graves—then you shall know that these men have offended the Lord your God!”

Korah nervously began to reply a contemptuous remark, when suddenly the earth beneath his feet convulsed violently. He looked at Moses with sheer fright in his eyes as Moses stepped backwards from him. The devils all around were jeering and laughing hysterically, for the death of any human was to them gratifying. Michael watched with a mixture of pride in his Lord and compassion for the little children who were about to follow their fathers’ sins to their graves.

It was all over in a few seconds—the earth beneath the tents and feet of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram opened like great jaws. Every one of them and all their possessions disappeared in a screaming, roaring terror. The sounds of the children tore at the heart of Moses, but it was out of his hands. Then the earth shut upon them and all was quiet once more.

Suddenly great rays of light began shooting from the cloud of glory above the Tabernacle into the 250 men who were holding the censers. Men and devils shrieked as the judgment of God poured forth upon that body of men. Shammua only managed to take one step before he was cut down, still clutching a rock with which he had intended to open Moses’ skull. All of the 250 men died within seconds. The people of Israel panicked, believing that God would kill them all.

As for Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, they perished and were gone from the community of Israel forever. Moses ordered that the censers be taken and hammered into sheets to overlay the altar—for the censers were holy to the Lord. This was done to remind the people that only those who had been ordained by God—Aaron and his descendants—could rightfully bring incense before the Lord.

Chronicles of the Host

Desert Sojourn

Following the defeat of Korah and his rebels, the Host presumed that perhaps the men of Israel would finally begin to recognize the Lord’s authority through Moses. But in true human fashion, and with encouragement from Lucifer’s unrelenting angels, a group opposed Moses the very next day! This time the Lord wasted no time and sent a plague among the people that was only stopped through the intercession of Moses and Aaron.

On many other occasions did these rebellious people offend the Lord; and many other times did He deal with them harshly. Even Moses fell into sin, and because of his offense at Meribah in disobeying the Lord, he himself was barred from entering the Promised Land! But eventually this evil generation died in the desert, as did Aaron, Miriam, and others, as had been foretold by Moses.

A series of victories over local Canaanite rulers encouraged the people as they continued on their trek toward Canaan. At Mount Hor, because Edom refused to allow the Israelites to travel though their territory, Moses gave the order that they would have to go the long way around. This caused the people to balk and complain, for which the Lord sent venomous snakes to bite their heels.

Forty years after the spies had been sent into the land, the people of God, emboldened with a new generation, were prepared once more to enter the land of promise. They seemed unstoppable, as one by one the pagan kings fell before them: Arad; Sihon, king of the Amorites; Og, king of Bashan. And then they reached the borders of Balak, king of Moab, who had a different strategy in mind for dealing with the invading people of Israel…

“My king! Are you well?”

Balak, king of Moab, was lying on his bed, drenched in the sweat of another nightmare. His steward brought him some wine and the king sat up. He looked at the steward and took the cup, drinking it greedily. The king rose from his bed and looked over the city. All seemed quiet enough…for now. But the dreams he had been having and the news from the other kingdoms in his region indicated that his very throne was in jeopardy.

His own advisors also were feeling the dread, as were the people. All of Moab, it seemed, was terrified of the coming threat from the south. Only last week, delegations from the people pled with the elders to do something before it was too late. Balak had considered a military solution, but upon hearing of the deaths of Og and Sihon, and the destruction of their kingdoms, he had decided upon another course.

“Bring me writing material and our fastest courier,” he demanded. “I will send a message tonight!”

As the steward exited the room, Balak’s chief minister, Zora, came in. The king greeted him and explained that he was sending for help and was willing to pay any price for it.

“And to whom are you sending, majesty?” asked Zora.

“Balaam of Pethor,” said Balak. “He is a great seer, a man known to every country in the world; a man whose knowledge of the divine will bring this invasion to its knees!”

“I’m sure the elders will approve,” agreed Zora, watching the king write. “I shall personally escort them to Pethor with the message.”

“Excellent,” said Balak.

“I shall, of course, need to draw upon the treasury. Balaam is gifted—and he charges a handsome fee for his services.”

“Yes, yes, pay him whatever he asks,” said Balak. “Here, how does this sound?”

He handed the letter to Zora, who read:

To Balaam, son of Beor,

A great people have come out of Egypt; they cover the face of the land and they have settled next to my kingdom. Come, and put a curse on these people, because they are too powerful for me. For I know that you are blessed with a special gift, and those whom you bless are blessed, and those whom you curse are cursed!

Zora thought the letter perfect. The king gave the dispatch to his courier and told him to assemble the elders immediately. Balak looked at Zora, comforted that he had taken such a measure.