Read Online David Ascendant (Chronicles of the Nephilim Book 7) by Brian Godawa - Free Book Online
Authors: Brian Godawa
Tags: Literature & Fiction, nonfiction, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Religious & Inspirational Fiction, biblical
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the high place, he could see the charred remains of children’s bones at the feet of Molech. Dozens of them. It was detestable evil. It sickened him.
Apparently, they would place a child in the arms of this portable shrine and would burn the child’s body from the flames below. They called it “passing their sons and daughters through the fires of Molech.” What kind of people would do this to their own children? What kind of monsters would kill their own offspring?
Images of what he saw on the field of battle haunted Ittai. He felt in a daze all the way back to Gibeah. He kept wondering what other atrocities filled this land outside of Philistia.
He passed by some minstrels in the marketplace singing a ballad of King Saul. The music finally brought him out of his haunted stupor. After a battle, it was common for the ballad singers to glorify their king’s victory and laud him with praises.
But these lyrics arrested Ittai’s attention. They reflected his own earlier thoughts on the king. They were praising the king’s handsome looks and physical stature. And then they went on about how he might be a descendant of the giants.
Oh, lord our king,
Our kingly Saul,
Is mighty, brave, and surely tall,
Head and shoulders above all men,
Could he be a Nephilim?
His beauty is heavenly,
His eyes do gleam,
Like Anakim and Rephaim,
Heavenly host does give us nod,
Is he our very own Son of God?
As Ittai watched the minstrels, a contingent of royal guardsmen approached them and arrested the musicians. He knew that Israel was the sworn enemy of the giants. Was Saul really a Nephilim? Was he hiding his identity to protect himself or were the minstrels guilty of slandering the king to incite sedition against his rule ?
He might never find out. But in either case, it was clear to Ittai that no one should ever know his own true identity in Israel.
Chapter 14
In the heart of the sanctuary of Dagon’s temple, an assembly of gods took place beneath the torchlight. They ate the flesh of animal sacrifice provided by the Philistine priests and drank the blood for refreshment.
The assembly consisted of Dagon the storm god; Ba’al, the son of Dagon; Asherah, the mother of the gods; and Molech, the god of the underworld. Molech was a peculiar deity. Because of extended time tunneling rock beneath the earth, his skin had grown calloused and pale, with heavy folds over his face. His eyesight was bad in the day, but a dark cave-like interior filled the sanctuary so his sight was just fine there. It was his rotting maggot odor that wrinkled the noses of his colleagues.
Between the maggot stench of Molech, the fish stink of Dagon and the irritating flies around Ba’al, Asherah could barely keep herself from gagging. These male swine had no sense of hygiene.
Molech had just escaped from Jabesh-gilead with intelligence of Israel’s new king.
“What is his name?” said Dagon.
“Saul ben Kish,” answered Molech. “He does not have a royal pedigree, or even personal achievements. The choice appears arbitrary.”
“Nothing Yahweh does is arbitrary,” said Ba’al with bitter memory.
Molech said, “He was rather comely. He looked the part to be sure. But the one thing that stood out to me was his size. He was head and shoulders above all the other Israelites. And he fought like a gibborim. He is a mighty warrior king.”
Dagon said, “Do you think he could be of Nephilim blood?”
“Categorically impossible,” said Asherah. “Yahweh would not anoint the Seed of the Serpent to rule over the Seed of Abraham.”
Dagon looked again to Molech, “You say he was anointed?”
“By their holy seer in a ceremony dedicated to the destruction of Philistia.”
“Then he is their messiah king,” concluded Dagon.
“Messiah?” Asherah repeated. “Why would Yahweh put his holy election on a nobody? Why make him the special anointed one?” She sputtered with irritation.
“Just the same,” said Molech, ignoring her,
Apparently, they would place a child in the arms of this portable shrine and would burn the child’s body from the flames below. They called it “passing their sons and daughters through the fires of Molech.” What kind of people would do this to their own children? What kind of monsters would kill their own offspring?
Images of what he saw on the field of battle haunted Ittai. He felt in a daze all the way back to Gibeah. He kept wondering what other atrocities filled this land outside of Philistia.
He passed by some minstrels in the marketplace singing a ballad of King Saul. The music finally brought him out of his haunted stupor. After a battle, it was common for the ballad singers to glorify their king’s victory and laud him with praises.
But these lyrics arrested Ittai’s attention. They reflected his own earlier thoughts on the king. They were praising the king’s handsome looks and physical stature. And then they went on about how he might be a descendant of the giants.
Oh, lord our king,
Our kingly Saul,
Is mighty, brave, and surely tall,
Head and shoulders above all men,
Could he be a Nephilim?
His beauty is heavenly,
His eyes do gleam,
Like Anakim and Rephaim,
Heavenly host does give us nod,
Is he our very own Son of God?
As Ittai watched the minstrels, a contingent of royal guardsmen approached them and arrested the musicians. He knew that Israel was the sworn enemy of the giants. Was Saul really a Nephilim? Was he hiding his identity to protect himself or were the minstrels guilty of slandering the king to incite sedition against his rule ?
He might never find out. But in either case, it was clear to Ittai that no one should ever know his own true identity in Israel.
Chapter 14
In the heart of the sanctuary of Dagon’s temple, an assembly of gods took place beneath the torchlight. They ate the flesh of animal sacrifice provided by the Philistine priests and drank the blood for refreshment.
The assembly consisted of Dagon the storm god; Ba’al, the son of Dagon; Asherah, the mother of the gods; and Molech, the god of the underworld. Molech was a peculiar deity. Because of extended time tunneling rock beneath the earth, his skin had grown calloused and pale, with heavy folds over his face. His eyesight was bad in the day, but a dark cave-like interior filled the sanctuary so his sight was just fine there. It was his rotting maggot odor that wrinkled the noses of his colleagues.
Between the maggot stench of Molech, the fish stink of Dagon and the irritating flies around Ba’al, Asherah could barely keep herself from gagging. These male swine had no sense of hygiene.
Molech had just escaped from Jabesh-gilead with intelligence of Israel’s new king.
“What is his name?” said Dagon.
“Saul ben Kish,” answered Molech. “He does not have a royal pedigree, or even personal achievements. The choice appears arbitrary.”
“Nothing Yahweh does is arbitrary,” said Ba’al with bitter memory.
Molech said, “He was rather comely. He looked the part to be sure. But the one thing that stood out to me was his size. He was head and shoulders above all the other Israelites. And he fought like a gibborim. He is a mighty warrior king.”
Dagon said, “Do you think he could be of Nephilim blood?”
“Categorically impossible,” said Asherah. “Yahweh would not anoint the Seed of the Serpent to rule over the Seed of Abraham.”
Dagon looked again to Molech, “You say he was anointed?”
“By their holy seer in a ceremony dedicated to the destruction of Philistia.”
“Then he is their messiah king,” concluded Dagon.
“Messiah?” Asherah repeated. “Why would Yahweh put his holy election on a nobody? Why make him the special anointed one?” She sputtered with irritation.
“Just the same,” said Molech, ignoring her,
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