|
Part Six
BANQUET—BETHLEHEM
At a trumpet blast, the group was escorted into the banquet
hall. Led to a special
table of honor, they stood before their chairs.
King Herod’s arrival was announced.
To their utter surprise, Herod’s page pulled out his chair at
the head of their table!
Everybody sat down.
King Herod raised his hands high to quiet the crowd.
When all was silent, he began, looking into his guest’s eyes,
“Please welcome Gasper, Melichoir and Belthasar, along with their
young sons, Shimei and Baanah to this banquet thanking them for
bringing to my attention a matter that will affect us all.”
A cheer erupted throughout the audience. Their riotous
applause displayed their approval, especially with this banquet.
Shimei forgot his ankle.
His smile was mirrored on Baanah’s face, and the men’s.
Melichoir said as they sat down to goose, bread
loaves and fruit platters,
“God has blessed us for bringing news
to this king. After
what we saw today, there is no God but the God who lives in
Jerusalem.
Let us give Him thanks for this food.
Amen?”
The group chimed in with gusto, “Amen!”
King Herod looked on, not saying one word.
During the meal, chatter erupted for which King Herod
earnestly followed for gleaming additional information.
They talked about this new ruler coming out of from
Bethlehem.
“Is He the one called Messiah?” Everyone was animated with
news that surprised and filled them with wonder.
King Herod asked, “So this man will come from
Bethlehem, and
proclaim to be King of the Jews?”
Gasper corrected the king.
“Not a man, Sire.
A child! For unto us
a child is born; unto us a child is given.”
He clamped his mouth shut before revealing the rest of the
prophesy.
Another said, “A
child from the lowest of men to the highest of kings.”
Another wiped his mouth and spoke up, saying,
“The days come, saith the
Lord, that I will raise unto
David a righteous Branch,
and a king shall reign and prosper.
He shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.”
Gasper was relieved that that came out of another’s
mouth. He looked at
Belthasar and Melichoir who both had furrowed brows.
They hadn’t missed that point.
No one could read the king’s
mind after this exchange, but no one surmised his having missed the
message.
At dinner’s end, King Herod requested the men
accompany him into an
anteroom to speak privately.
While the audience cleared the banquet room, Shimei and
Baanah remained in their seats watching servants clear the tables.
“Boy was that good, Shimei!
I never in all my life had a single meal as huge as this
one!” Baanah said, patting his extended belly.
“Yeah, Baanah, I hear that!”
Shimei finished his drink and burped loudly.
“Sorry, that was rude, Baanah.
How embarrassing!
I couldn’t hold that one in.”
“I need to do the same, Shimei!”
Shimei grew quiet.
After a moment, capturing Baanah’s complete attention, he
whispered, You don’t think King Herod will kill the men now, do
you?”
Baanah’s eyes grew wide, his brow wrinkling, as he said, “I
sure hope not! He
wouldn’t throw a banquet for people he was getting ready to
murder…would he?”
“But another talked about a king, too.
If he’s as paranoid as we think, and he has our family and
Melichoir alone… They sat together quietly examining their private
thoughts.
Suddenly, the door blew open and the men strode into the
banquet room. Gasper
motioned to the boys and said, “Time to go!”
Shimei and Baanah breathed a prayer of thanks with relieved
sighs looking into each other’s faces.
.
At the boy’s upturned questioning faces, “Shhhhh. We’ll
discuss this later.” Melichoir said while urging them forward out
the palace doors to their camels.
The entire caravan crowded around the campfire, listening
raptly to the men.
“King Herod is anxious for news.
He will not rest until he finds out where the child is.
He didn’t harm us, but threw a banquet in our honor.
He wants us to go to Bethlehem and seek him diligently.
When we find him we’re to report back so that Herod can
worship him, too.”
Gasper explained.
“Don’t believe that for one minute!
Herod worships no one.”
One man said, nodding his head knowingly.
The rest of the men exchanged knowing glances, each nodded
their head in agreement.
“We gave him our word, and he let us out of there with our
very lives” Melichoir said defending their actions, and the king’s.
“So, we’re off to
Bethlehem, then?” another man spoke up.
“Yes. Next stop, Bethlehem.” Gasper
proclamed.
That night, Bethasar, nor anyone else saw the leading star.
Too excited to sleep, they travelled towards
Bethlehem.
Herod’s priests affirmed that Bethlehem would be the
place.
After a full night’s
travelling, they set up camp to sleep, exhausted.
Melichoir woke everyone with a shout.
“Come look, the star—in bright daylight!”
With only a few hours sleep, they floundered getting to their
feet. But they were
amazed with the sight.
Gasper gasped, “It is there, bright and gleaming!
How can this be?”
Belthasar, his mouth agape, scratched his head.
Finally, he admitted, “Yes, it IS the star!”
Baanah and Shimei looked at the sky.
They looked at each other.
“WOW, I never saw stars during the day!” Shimei yelled.
“Me, neither, Shi.
This must mean we’re doing something.”
Baanah said.
Gasper walked to the front of the caravan and yelled at the
men while pointing to the star shining at mid day, “How is your
faith now?”
Everyone looked up acknowledging that shining star—visible in
the light of day.
Cheers broke out, and they
began praising God, and
rejoicing. They did
not stop during the rest of the day, and into the night.
When at last they did stop, the star had stopped, too.
“This seems like a reasonable place to pitch camp and get
some nourishment and rest.”
Gasper said.
“Everyone agreed?”
“Is this Bethlehem?”
Shimei asked.
“Yes, I do believe it is Bethlehem, Shimei” Gasper said looking around.
“The homes in the distance seemed grouped around streets, the only
town in miles. Besides,
the star has stopped.
Has anyone noticed that?”
Belthasar nodded his head and said, “I noticed the star
stalled for a bit. Then
it stopped. It hasn’t
moved for over an hour.
Does everyone agree that this could be the place?”
Melichoir said, “That’s my vote.
I’ll do some hunting.
After such a huge banquet, who’d thought I’d be hungry so
soon?”
Shimei said, “It was yesterday when we ate, my stomach is
growling, too.”
Baanah said, “I’ve been hungry for awhile, glad to hear this.
I don’t want people to think
I’m a glutton!”
Shimei laughed out loud.
It felt good.
Soon, Belthasar laughed, Gasper joined in, and Melichoir’s
belly laugh surrounded them in a hearty show of solidarity.
“It is good to live joyously,” Melichoir said, trotting off.
“Hang on, two can get twice the food” Belthasar said,
slinging his bow across his back.
Shimei said to Baanah, “I could use some fruit, Baa. I wish
that I could find it, myself, but…” and his brown eyes pleaded with
Baanah.
“Say no more, Shimei.”
Baanah said, slapping his hand over top Shimei’s knee.
“I could use some figs, myself. And almonds.
Yum…I’ll run for you.
Like our laughter, running cures sore backs.”
Baanah took off following the hunters.
Gasper said, “Well, Shimei, it’s just you and me to start the
fire.”
Their dinner was interspersed with yawns and stretching, but
each piece of food was devoured.
They so enjoyed each other’s company.
They laughed at Herod’s coming to see the new king, himself.
They all were tingling with excitement when laying down for
sleep.
|
