Hadassah's Sacrifice

CHAPTER 13

King Ardates was completely furious. How could his guards plot to kill him? They didn't know who he was; a little reminder of his power was perhaps what they needed.

"Take them to the lions!" He roared. "They will make good meat." He yelled command at his guards as his eyes shone with revenge.

The guards led the traitors away. In all his years as King never have such evil been plotted by his own guards against him. "Such wretched pitiful things," he spat. "How did you know about this plot?" He asked the chief guard who had reported the matter to him.

"It was Gad, an Isrealite who stays at the gate, it was him who saw them plotting such evil and reported to me." The man said vehemently. The actions of the guards made him appear incapable of carrying out his duty as their leader.

As though in deep thoughts, King Ardates looked at the chief guard for a while, his jaw clenched, revealing how angry he still was. "Make sure to write his name in the book of remembrance," he finally said.

"Yes, my Lord." With that, he was dismissed, leaving the King still deep in his thoughts.

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"Papa Emmanuel, why did God allow my parents to die?" An innocent Hadassah asked Emmanuel, after she had shown up in his house hours before the time for Bible Study.

"God didn't allow your parents die, Hadassah. He doesn't allow His children die without reason. He knew us even while we were in our mother's womb." He looked gently into her beautiful face. "What happened to your parents is best known to God."

"But He could have protected them, and He didn't." Her voice held accusations and hurt. It bothered Emmanuel. Hadassah had to see that God loves her and would not intentionally put her in grieve if it wasn't part of His intricate plan for her life.

"Dear Child, we never understand the ways of the Lord. His ways are not our ways, neither are His thoughts our thoughts. God is wise, Hadassah. All you have to do is trust Him."

Hadassah's heart bore many things that a young woman her age should not bear. She didn't believe God loved her because her parents died when she was just a little child. She still felt neglected and alone.

"But I do know something, Hadassah, and that is God kept you alive for a reason," Emmanuel said trying to cheer her and it seemed to work, for her face appeared hopeful for a minute, but was quickly downcast again. "You'll see, God has big plans for you."

There was something in the way Emmanuel said it that made Hadassah feel he knew something she didn't know.

"Papa Emmanuel," she called cajoling him. "What are you not telling me?" She offered him a convincing smile, though her smile didn't reach her eyes, it still worked. Emmanuel gave her a small grin but immediately become more serious.

"Now if we keep talking like this, we won't prepare for Bible Study, would we?"

Taking that as her cue to not ask any more questions, Hadassah joined him and together they made ready for their weekly Bible Study.

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Emmanuel's voice echoed around the small room, "Our lives are about to change," he looked at the faces of everyone in the room. "God is about to change our story. We are about to experience that which may change the whole of our lives forever and we must get ready for what is coming. This is not a time for us to be sorrowful, this is a time to love our neighbor like ourselves as it is in the commandment, a time for us to intercede for our people." He paused, and let his eyes roam the room and his words sink in. "This time is important to us, and we must be ready for the days ahead."

After the meeting, a few people waited to see him about all that he shared. Hadassah knew her questions will have to wait for another day. A part of her bore witness to Emmanuel's words, she knew their lives were about to change; only she didn't know how.

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Nana sat by the water fountain in the middle of the garden, a statue of Baal in her trembling hands. She was tired of living a lie. Her marriage was crumbling and so was her life and not even Baal she feared may be able to save her this time.

Nana stared at the statue in her hands, its perfectly carved eyes looked into her soul, or so she felt. "Oh gods of my fathers," she cried, "Please save me, help my marriage, save my husband from this evil that clutches at his heart." Her sobs were louder and harder. She tried to hide her tears and stop the sounds that were coming out from inside her. The slaves were the last people she wanted to see her like this; they surely will report her to Gershom and make life more difficult for her.

Why hadn't she seen the wickedness that lurked in the heart of Gershom? Was she so blinded by love that she didn't see the wicked man behind the handsome face?

Holding the statue tightly, "I'll do anything for you if you do this one thing for me", she cried quietly. "Please save Gershom. Turn his heart from wickedness. Teach him to love me."

Nana couldn't hold the tears anymore. Let the slaves see her, she was tired of living a lie - her life was far from perfect.

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Queen Sabitum gazed admiringly at her reflection in the huge vanity mirror that stood in front of her. Admiring herself was a habit, one that she cherished. Sabitum's beauty was breathtaking, and admiring herself made her remain certain of her position as Queen of Babylon and the most beautiful woman in the world.

She didn't believe in a woman submitting herself to a man, especially one as beautiful as her.
Queen Sabitum believed that her husband was supposed to adore and worship her, not treat her like she was his subordinate. Her husband may be the King of Babylon, but so was she; she was the Queen of Babylon and demanded to be honoured. Having been born into a royal family, Sabitum have been worshipped all her life, she wasn't going to subject herself to any man, even to her husband.

A/N: Woah! Someone seems to have a lot of questions...
Let's read further and see if Emmanuel's words are more than just words😎.
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Sorry for the late updates. My phone's been bad.