Zen's War: Captivity
Chapter 14: The Tabernacle

After the American government collapsed, the country―or lack thereof―fell to anarchy. People immediately began to take sides or join factions. The infrastructure of society had been replaced by chaos. There was no government, so in turn there was no real economy. With no government there were no government agencies such as the Federal Reserve to print money. Refugee camps spanned the country. Fanatical religious orders and cults began to spring up everywhere. Survival was almost impossible on your own. It was much safer and easier to choose a side; although, there were some with enough strength to make it on their own.

There were groups of Christians, Jews, Muslims and Satanists. There were Hindu, Hare Krishna and Buddhist groups. There were those that worshiped Baal and Moloch. There were Wiccans and practitioners of Voodoo. There were Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses, the list goes on and on. Cults, sects and religions sprung up like blades of grass in a field.

Political and activist groups began to multiply as well. There were American nationalists. There were Republican and Democratic movements. There were Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan. Communist and fascist groups increased in number also.

The disunited estates of America as some began to refer to it as, had become a state of warring ideologies. Of course, this was not helped by those that were quick to use peoples’ vulnerability against them. In times of crisis humanity clings to its beliefs. There are always those that take advantage of times of crisis to assume power. They are demagogues that pretend to represent what people believe in. In reality they are usually charismatic men with enormous egos. Their motives are all too often control and power. These righteous few come offering hope in times of fear and despair. It is the hope for a better life and a purpose for existence that appeals to the masses.

Joshua was merely one of many saviors and messiahs who had popped up after the war. He believed he was a direct descendent of King David himself. It was believed that the Messiah would be of the bloodline of King David, as Jesus had been. He believed that one day he and his followers would return to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple. From there he would reign over the kingdom of heaven on earth. In order for this to transpire he would have to create an army. He would need virgin wives to serve as divine breeding vessels. Sons would be needed to serve as soldiers against the children of the devil.

After she had been there for a few days she began to learn the routine. Each morning and evening, to her horror a lamb or goat was sacrificed on the altar. The altar was made of wood overlaid with bronze. It was located within the outer court of the tabernacle that was located behind the house. Around the perimeter of the outer court, which was rectangular in shape, was a white linen curtain surrounding it. The curtain was held up by wooden posts all along the perimeter of the tabernacle. At the east end of the outer court was a door made of linen colored red, blue, purple, and white.

The tabernacle itself was a tent with two rooms separated by a white curtain. The front of the tabernacle faced east. This room was called the holy place. Within the holy place there were three sacred items. These included the showbread table. Each week on the Sabbath twelve loaves of unleavened bread were placed there. These twelve loaves represent the twelve tribes of Israel. The other two were the menorah and the altar of incense. The menorah had seven branches. The menorah was to stay lit eternally. This was the only light within the holy place. The last of the sacred items was the altar of incense. The altar of incense was a small bronze bowl. This was there to provide a sweet fragrance for the Lord. Only Joshua was permitted to enter the holy place, he being the equivalent of a high priest. Beyond the holy place was the holiest of the holies, where the Ark of the Covenant was kept. The entire layout and construction of the tabernacle was passed on to Moses by God, when he ascended Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments.

Her first night there had been the most difficult. She didn’t sleep the entire night. Never in her life had she been separated from her family. When she would think of them her eyes would fill with tears. She was a torrent of emotion. Feelings of despair and hatred of her captors overcame her.

Early that morning she heard a key being inserted into the door. The door swung open revealing the same cloaked man that had led and her roommate to the room. He then went to her roommate whose name she would later learn was Bridget. He grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her violently awake. Her eyes opened slightly, red from sleep.

“How could you still be sleeping at this hour. You could learn from her example,” the man said, referring to Sahara. “You’re going to miss morning prayer if you don’t hurry up.”

“That’s all we ever do,” Bridget said under her breath.

“What was that?” He asked, as if he hadn’t heard her.

“Oh, nothing,” she answered innocently.

“Get dressed now, or there’ll be hell to pay.”

“Yes sir.”

She began to dress quickly. Meanwhile the cloaked man gave Sahara the same ragged white dress that the rest of the harem wore. This like the others had a yellow Star of David sewn on its right breast. She quickly took off her white tank top and blue gym shorts, then replaced them with the dress. When she undressed the man did not avert his gaze, making it extremely awkward.

“You ever heard of something called privacy?” Sahara asked sarcastically.

“You don’t have anything I haven’t seen before,” he responded lasciviously.

“I don’t care what you’ve seen before or what you haven’t.”

“Hold your tongue, or I’ll cut it off,” he said in all seriousness.

With that she did not argue any longer. Instead she dressed rapidly, having no reason not to believe his threat. It felt quite strange for her to put that dress on. For some reason when she put that dress on it felt like she had put the final nail in her coffin. For her it felt like she had dressed in a prison uniform. She hoped she would not automatically become a zombie like the rest of the harem.

She wondered what she and Joshua’s wedding ceremony would be like. Would she get to wear one of those frilly white gowns with a veil? Who would be her maid of honor? Marriage was something that was becoming less and less common. It was now purely symbolic, having no legal ramifications. Something about the idea of marriage excited her. On the other hand, she knew it was wrong. She didn’t love him. You have to be in love with someone to marry them, don’t you? The whole thing confused her. She didn’t know whether to be excited or ashamed.

She learned today was not like every other day. This evening would be the start of the Sabbath. As Joshua explained, the Sabbath was meant to be kept sacred. If it was not, the punishment was death. Today was Friday, or so they tell me. When God created the universe it took six days, and on the seventh day he rested. As God had rested, so to had humanity and required to. She of course had never heard of it, let alone Friday. She and her family did not name days. This was due to the fact that they did not follow a calendar. All they knew was day and night, and the seasons. In the Sonoran Desert there were basically two seasons, winter and summer. There was a third season, if you counted the monsoons as one. Joshua’s group followed a lunar calendar. This meant that each day lasted from sunset to sunset, instead of sunrise to sunset. To Sahara this was no difference, having never followed a solar calendar either.

She and Bridget followed the man back the same way they had come the previous night, down the stairs into the room they had spent the entirety of the day before. There he stood the Lamb of God ready to be worshiped by his flock. His twelve apostles stood against the rear wall of the room, as they had the entire day before. Like the day before they had the appearance of church statues. They did not move at all. Instead, they stood completely still, and stared directly ahead as if they were in a daze. His wives seemed entranced by him also. Sahara struggled to resist his charisma, which proved difficult.

Joshua began to speak, “ This evening is the start of the Sabbath. If we do not follow God’s commandment to practice the rituals of the Sabbath, we will surely be destroyed. As was revealed to Moses on Mount Sinai, after God had led the Israelites from the bondage of slavery in Egypt. The fourth commandment of the book of Exodus revealed to Moses the importance of keeping the Sabbath holy. Remember the Sabbath day, and to keep it holy. For six days you shall labor and do all your work. But the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work... For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day, therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and consecrated it. As the Jews hold the Sabbath to start at sundown on Friday, so do we.”

From the Temple Sahara along with his eleven wives and the twelve apostles were all led by Joshua to the outer court of the tabernacle, where the morning sacrifice would be offered. The tabernacle was situated juxtapose to the makeshift barn where the sacrificial animals were kept. One of the disciples, named Thomas went to collect the lamb from its stable. The baaing of the lamb could be heard as it was led to its inevitable end. Joshua’s disciples and harem stood beside the path that led from the stable to the multicolored entrance of the outer court of the tabernacle. The outer court’s white linen curtain fluttered in the breeze. Bridget stood beside Sahara, her blonde hair reflecting the bright morning sun. Thomas continued down the dirt path that led from the stable to the altar. As Thomas approached the entrance, Joshua opened it and stepped into the outer court. Thomas was the second to enter the hallowed ground with the sacrificial lamb in tow. The harem and disciples then entered next. Sahara followed as if she had done this many times before.

Once inside they were led to the entrance of the tabernacle itself where the altar stood. The altar was a square shape, standing about five feet off the ground. It was around eight feet in width and length. It was overlaid with brass, causing it to glimmer in the sun. The four corners of the altar ended in horn like points. On the altars of was a large metal grate, which was where the sacrifice would be placed. Beneath the metal grate the space was filled with dirt.

Thomas stood beside the altar with the lamb at his side, while Joshua stood in front of the altar. Thomas reached into the pocket of his robe and pulled out a sharpened piece of basalt. All stood awestricken as the blade was lifted to the throat of the lamb. The lamb did not move, but simply stood there baaing stupidly. Thomas handed the blade to Joshua, who slit the lamb’s throat. Sahara stared transfixed by the horrific spectacle. Blood poured from the throat of the sacrificial lamb, dying the ground and the chest of the lamb red. Lying beside the tabernacle were some pieces of firewood, which from its place upon the altar. From his pocket Thomas pulled a piece of flint and steel. He rubbed the flint against the steel until sparks began to fly from it. Eventually the wood ignited and a fire began burning. The familiar smell of burning mesquite wood filled the air. Sahara was reminded of sitting around the fire with her family. Her memories faded into oblivion at the next sickening display. Thomas and Joshua lifted the Lamb and set it in the fire. The fire intensified as the lamb was consumed by flames. At first it smelled like a delicious meal. The longer it burned the less appetizing it smelled. Eventually Sahara had to cover her mouth and nose so that she would not gag. Andrew who stood in the audience went inside the “Holy Place” in the tabernacle, then returned moments later. He carried a large brass bowl with over a gallon of olive oil in it. He set the bowl beside the altar on the ground. Then reaching into his pocket inside his robe, he then pulled out a leather bag which was tied at the top. He then untied it and poured what looked like flour into the bowl of olive oil. He lifted the bowl off the ground and poured it on the fire which made it leap even higher. Another of the men whose name was Thaddeus came forward carrying a bottle of wine. When he reached the altar, he handed the bottle to Joshua. Beside the “Holy Place” was a large basin made exclusively of bronze. It was filled with water that had been blessed by Joshua. Before entering the “Holy Place” Joshua dipped his feet into the basin, then washed his hands with the water. Joshua then took the bottle and disappeared inside of the tabernacle. Moments later he returned with the bottle empty.

Sahara had never seen such strange behavior. What was the purpose of this strange ritual? Why waste what could have been a meal? Why kill and burn such an innocent and harmless creature? Her father had explained to her that all religions have their own beliefs and rituals. If you did not understand their beliefs, then their rituals would seem even stranger. She wanted to ask what the meaning of all this was, but she was afraid to ask. She was uncertain what Joshua’s reaction would be. She was not anxious to get on Joshua’s bad side.

Just as she was about to get the courage up to ask, Joshua began to speak. “As it is written in the book of Numbers, we must provide two burnt offerings to the Father each morning and evening. This will keep his wrath at bay.”

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