That You May Live Again!

by Joseph Perrello
Published June 14, 2005

Apprehensively, Odom and Chevva approached the spot indicated by Logos.
When they raised their guilt-lowered eyes, an astounding scene met their gaze. Trussed on a large, grey, flat rock was a lamb, a pure-white yearling, uttering no sound. The couple never had seen any creature so handled. The animal was obviously uncomfortable on its stone bed.

Facing them, Logos stood to one side of the rock. The ethereal presence of The Ruah occupied the other. Behind the stone was Yehovah, a long, narrow slate blade in His right hand. The sight of the blade’s fine-honed edges sent unfamiliar sensations of cold shivers through the First Couple; something terrible was about to happen!

Always before, from the beginning, Odom and Chevva had never doubted the love of The Three. Nonetheless, from the moment they ate from The Forbidden Tree, an alien emotion dominated them. Internalized by a horrible foreboding of impending doom, it cast a shadow over the fellowship they always had enjoyed with Yehovah, Logos and The Ruah. A veil seemed drawn making The Three appeared inaccessible.

Turning His attention to the lamb, with His left hand, Yehovah pulled back its head. The lamb remained silent. Plunging the blade into the throat, with a forcible backward tug on the head, Yehovah made a deep slashing cut, instantly severing the jugular. Convulsing, the lamb heaved against its trusses, eyes rolled back into their sockets. With a gurgle, tongue lolling from the side of its wide-open mouth, spurting blood mingled with red froth, the suffering creature desperately - vainly - attempted to draw air. And, from the wound, the pulsating heart pumped its blood to the surface of the execution stone.

Chevva whimpered softly. Then, her legs rendered incapable of supporting her petite frame, she uttered a long moan and slowly sank to the ground. Sprawled on her side, blanketed by her long, raven hair, she trembled, sobbing desolately into her hands.

Odom also was profoundly moved by the gory spectacle. Wave after nauseous wave of revulsion surged through him, their sequences seeming to correspond to the pulsating red fountain issuing from the lamb. He quaked uncontrollably. Only by clinging to a nearby tree did he avoid joining Chevva on the ground. Face ashen, stomach in revolt, he clung desperately to the tree-trunk, eyes riveted on the lamb.

Finally, with a last convulsion, the creature lay still in the pool of its own blood. In multiple streams, the gore crept over the edge of the cold gray stone, reflecting a deep crimson. Then it finally descended the sides, staining the earth.

Anguished gaze still transfixed by the sight, Odom's mind struggled to comprehend the horror. What happened to the lamb? A strange, profound numbness rose from the deep within his being. Though he desired to flee, his legs refused to obey him.

Finally, with a determined effort of his will, Odom forced his gaze from the lamb to The Three. Their faces held an ambiance of such profound compassion that, the man sank in tears to the ground. Penetrating the mournful sobs, the voice of Logos spoke, "Do you see, Odom; do you see, Chevva? THIS IS DEATH!"

Yehovah raised His right arm, its forefinger extended heavenward. He lowered it in a slow, unbending arc that indicated the lamb. A brilliant flame flared from the sky, consuming the carcass.

Two more lambs suffered execution, but were not burned. Then, Yehovah spoke, sorrow freighting His voice, "Your transgression has caused this. You have broken the commandment, and now you have learned what death is. As are these lambs, so should you be. For your disobedience they died.

"You have seen their life-source severed from these creatures. Thus has your disobedience severed the source of your life - your communion with The Three! You have died, and your race has died with you. Though you still exist, you are dead, but, you may live again.”

"To live again, throughout their generations, your race must observe this Memorial, until He comes who has done no transgression. Perfect in obedience, He shall be My Lamb offered for you! Your transgressions He shall purge. And, those of your race, who receive Him, shall live again.

"Though innocent, these Memorial lambs shed their blood to cover your guilt. They are your substitute, whose blood covers your transgressions from My sight. When The Promised One who shall come is offered, He shall thoroughly purge those who believe. Until He comes, as you have seen Me do, so must you do, and your seed after you, that you may live again.”

After Yehovah finished speaking, He began to skin the two remaining carcasses. Completing the grisly task, He summoned the couple and extended the bloody fleeces. But, cringing back, Odem and Gwen refused to accept them.

"Take them!" Yehovah ordered, sternly. "Go! Wash them in the stream!
The red stains are from the blood. Cleanse the fleeces thoroughly, and then return to me. Do not delay. Work quickly, and hurry back!"

The very suggestion that they handle the bloody skins was repugnant to both. Chevva sickened at the thought, but no reprieve came from The Three. So, gingerly holding their malodorous burdens at arm's length, the two headed for the nearby stream.

"Now that the man has become as We are, knowing good and evil, suppose he eats the fruit of the Tree of Life and lives forever?" pondered Yehovah, “Should such an occasion be forthcoming, the race of man will live forever in a state of rebellion.”

“We must not permit this,” responded Logos, “Odom and Chevvea must not partake of the Tree of Life. We must expel them from the Garden Reserve.”

The Three agreed on the expulsion. "The time shall come when Odom's race will partake of the Tree of Life; but not now,” Logos predicted.

The First Couple returned from the stream and handed the skins to Yehovah. After inspecting them, with patience and precision, He proceeded to tailor one into a garment. Quickly, deftly, He worked and, under His touch, a coat began to take form. Finishing, He held it up, its size obviously intended for Odom.

Yehovah set the coat beside Him and completed another in the size of Chevva. "Remove your aprons of leaves and cover your nakedness with these," He commanded, presenting His handiwork to the couple.

Odom grimaced, but dared not protest. Chevva, though, remembering the recent bloody condition of the skins, pleaded, "Please, Lord Yehovah, let me keep the one I have."

"You must wear the coat Yehovah provides for you, Chevva,” said Logos in a grim tone, “Your apron is inadequate. Soon it will wear out. Its coverage is not sufficient. The Three disapprove of it. Remove it and put on the coat! Now!"

"Yes," affirmed The Ruah, "You must wear the coat!"

Reluctantly, Chevva joined Odom where he had retreated behind a clump of trees. Both returned in evident discomfort.

"Please, Lord Yehovah, this coat is so uncomfortable. It is very stiff.
Let me wear the apron," Odom begged.

Plaintively, Chevva agreed: "Yes, mine feels rough, too. Please, let me wear the old one," she pleaded.

"You will grow accustomed to them," The Ruah promised.

"But, why do we need these in The Garden Reserve?" Odom inquired.

"You shall no longer be in The Garden Reserve. You cannot remain here.
Now you must leave." responded Yehovah, a sad ting in His voice.

Chevva manifested a stunned incredulity and, sharing her utter astonishment - rendered almost speechless - Odom stuttered, "B...B...But, th...th...th... this...!"

"You must leave here," interrupted Logos. Regret freighting His voice, He added, "You have listened to the arch rebel, Lucifin. You have broken the commandment. You no longer can remain here."

Fraught with terror, the First Couple turned to flee, but were captured by The Ruah. "You can no longer remain here," He echoed gently, "Your disobedience has disinherited you. But, someday, The Promised One shall come. He will regain your inheritance for you. Come. You must leave."

Chevva was carried, kicking and screaming, by Logos. Also resisting, Odom was pushed along between Yehovah and The Ruah. With resolute firmness, The Three compelled the couple toward the gate.

Waiting there was one of The Shining Ones who, on previous visits sometimes had appeared with The Three. Now, however, The Shining One held a fiery sword and, after The Three deposited Odom and Chevva outside The Reserve, he positioned himself before the gate, his flaming sword oscillating, blocking the couple's re-entry.

Odom made several attempts to re-enter the Reserve. Each was repulsed by The Shining One. At last, attempting to control his panic, he sat cross-legged under one of the numerous clusters of trees that receded from the surrounding forest; there was no hope of storming his way past the sentinel.

Woebegone, Chevva lay wretched and immobilized beside him. With her face in her arms she drifted into an exhausted sleep. This was the first time either of them had been outside The Garden Reserve. They felt abandoned, forsaken and vulnerable.

Through his daze, Odom noticed that, beginning at the gate, the barrier stretched in both directions as far as he could see. Composed of thickly woven thorn-vines, its height did not appear insurmountable.

He thought of going further down its vast length, away from The Shining One, to climb over. But, then a strange phenomenon diverted his attention - a glow that covered the entire surface of the wall.

Pulsating from a dim blue, it rose to an intense red, then dropped to blue again. In continuous sequence it pulsed until, from one of the trees a small monkey - one of a troop attracted by the recent strange events - attempted a leap to the barricade. When its reaching fingers entered the mysterious luminescence, the glow intensified to a brilliant white! At the contact point, a splashing explosion of multi-colored flashes repulsed the unfortunate creature, hurling it backward to the ground! In screeching terror, its fellow troop members swung a disordered retreat into the forest, abandoning their stricken companion to its fate!

Odom, his thoughts of scaling the wall seared into oblivion, sat in astonishment staring at the limp creature. At first he thought that, like the lambs, the monkey had suffered death. But, then, the creature began to move its head from side to side, slowly at first, then faster and faster, as though attempting to clear its senses. Regaining its feet with a stagger, it stood dazedly, arms hanging limply, head rhythmically nodding on its chest. Finally, hands dragging the ground, it weakly limped into the forest, disappearing from view. And, with it disappeared Odom's hope of regaining his former home.

The sun was arcing into evening before the man rose from his resting place under the trees. Softly, he shook his mate awake. The woman, stupefied by the day's events, appeared muddled, hopelessly exhausted; even the incident of the monkey had not roused her. Kneeling, he helped her to a sitting position. Then, with a tender embrace, he lifted her to her feet saying: "Come, Chevva, we must find shelter, for night is falling."

Slowly, clinging to each other for support, the dejected, desolate pair departed the vicinity of The Garden Reserve. Reaching the forest's rim, they hesitated and, before entering the foreboding dimness, both turned to gaze again at the impenetrable barrier which, glowing eerily in the shadowing dusk, separated them from the joys they had known.

How they yearned for that New Day, when they might live again! But, for now, they turned and penetrated the obscurity, to await the day when The Promised One - Yehovah's Lamb - would be offered, THAT WE MAY LIVE AGAIN.

Viewed 346 times