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Yes I have. 🙂
Man is born for the fight, to be forged and molded into a sharper, finer, stronger image of God
Yes, this shouldn’t include Sundays.
Sounds good!
Man is born for the fight, to be forged and molded into a sharper, finer, stronger image of God
@hybridlore @linus-smallprint @koshka @keilah-h @elishavet-pidyon @liberty
NEXT SECTION!!!
Okay…. so here is where I hit a slight problem. Leon and Julian use a very different script which is how you tell their writing apart. However, those fonts don’t transfer. So, I’ll italicize anything Julian writes, and have anything Leon writes italicized and put in bold.
The fifteenth year of Emperor Haidronias’s reign
September 21st
The EmpireWe arrived in a village last night and have been staying at the home of Bernd Klein. This morning, Leon and I had a chance to share the Truth with him and his children. At first Leon and I worried that they would alert the headman of the village, but they seem interested— though wary. Liesl seems the most intrigued, and I believe God is opening her heart. Ernst too, perhaps. Rolf and his father are still very suspicious, but nothing has turned violent. They are in the house with Leon, challenging him on just about every word that comes out of his mouth. I know our people are slow to accept knew ways, but I suppose I grew used to the Ardentans. When they believe something is true, then they grab onto it and don’t let go. Our people must test and try and argue over and over. I think Leon could see I was growing a little frustrated, for he discreetly suggested I take a breath of fresh air. So now here I am, sitting on the steps that lead up to the door. After so many years in Ardenta I forgot how deep the snow really falls here. It seems almost silly how high off the ground the doors to these houses are, but I remember that the snow does really get that deep. I’m looking forward to seeing it again. Well, I should probably go back inside. Leon is holding his own well, but I think I’ve cooled off enough that I could be some help to him.
~Julian.
The fifteenth year of Emperor Haidronias’s reign
September 23rd
The EmpireTwo more days have passed. I have spent much of the time talking with Bernd and his oldest son, Rolf. I find myself eager to debate with them, but I know I must be careful. If I convince them of Christ, someone else can convince them it is a lie. There is only one way they will believe, and that is if God calls them and opens their hearts. I pray for this constantly, and I know Julian does as well. As for the other two… I really and truly think Liesl believes we have spoken the truth. I can see it in her eyes and the way she listens. But it is clear she is waiting for her father to make a decision. Ernst is more difficult to tell. Some moments he wears his thoughts on his face, but a few moments later he’s a blank slate. Oh Lord, whatever seeds have been planted, I pray You will water them.
~Leon
The fifteenth year of Emperor Haidronias’s reign
September 28th
The EmpireThey’ve done it! Oh, thank You God! After many days of talking, reading through the Scriptures, and much prayer on Leon’s and my part, Bernd and his children accept Christ! As I write this, Leon and Rolf, and Ernst have taken the family shrine, idols, holy books, talismans, and other such things in any way related to the gods and are loading them into a hand cart. In a few moments, we will go out of the village and burn them all! It is such a joy to see the freedom and peace that is even now touching this family. Oh Lord, hold them close, shield them, strengthen them, and help them to trust You. Thank You for working a miracle in this home!
~Julian.
“Julian, we’re ready!” Leon shouted.
“Coming!” Julian called. He shut the journal and shoved it into his pack before scrambling to his feet and hurrying from the room.
The little group left the village as the sun began its western decent. They hiked a little way into the hills and found a safe place for a fire. Rolf and Ernst commenced to building the biggest pile of wood possible, and soon the flames leapt high into the sky. One by one, the things of idolatry that had once furnished their home were flung into the blaze. Rolf and Ernst stripped of the charmed talismans and bracelets they wore, their father burned the holy books and household goddess, and Liesl threw in the veil she was supposed to wear in her night of vigil with the goddess of matrimony on the eve of her wedding, along with the charmed strands of beads that adorned her neck and ankles.
Once everything was thrown into the fire, the boys whooped and shouted and Liesl danced for joy. She threw herself into her father’s arms, laughing and clinging to him. “I’ve never felt so free in my life! Oh, thank you, Papa! Thank you!”
***
“What will you do now?”
Leon looked up at Rolf’s earnest question. The family was sitting around the table a day later, enjoying breakfast, and everyone looked at Leon when the question was asked.
Leon thought a moment. “Well, Julian and I would like to see at least a small church started here before we move on.”
“Will you go and stay in the homes of other villagers?” Bernd asked.
“Well, we could,” Leon mused. “But Julian and I had hoped that we could remain here, and you could invite the others to come and listen in your home. That way they can also here your story and also have the knowledge that we have been accepted by someone in the village, and we aren’t thieves or ruffians.”
Rolf looked at his father. “What about Roland and his family?”
Bernd looked a little concerned. “Roland is a wild one…” He looked at his oldest son. “You know him best. Will he hurt Ernst or Liesl out of anger?”
“No,” Rolf replied, firmly. “Roland may be a stubborn mule and even flash at times, but he loves them like his own siblings. He would never harm them.”
“Very well then,” Bernd agreed. “We will ask some of our friends to come. By then, word will be going around— if it hasn’t already.”
Leon looked to Julian, who nodded. “Thank you, Bernd.”
“When do you wish to meet Roland?” Rolf asked.
At that moment, there was a knock on the door. Before anyone could speak it crashed open. “Rolf! Where are you, Rolf? You were supposed to go hunting with me yesterday! Where were you?”
“That would be Roland,” Bernd muttered.
“Roland, get yourself in here and have some breakfast!” Rolf exclaimed. “I’ll let our guests tell you why I didn’t come with you. I think you’ll agree with me it was reason enough to miss a hunting trip.”
Roland stepped in, and Leon noted his bare feet and torn pant legs as well as the rips in the elbows of his sleeves. His hair was wild and disheveled, and his face was smeared with dirt. Leon and Julian stood and shook hands with the young man, introducing themselves.
Roland brushed off his clothes before coming in and taking a seat at the table. Liesl hurried into the kitchen and returned a moment later with a bowl filled with thick porridge. Roland thanked her and set to, trying hard not to wolf down the food.
Leon and Julian waited until he had eaten. It was not long before Roland was scraping the last of the porridge from the bowl. He looked up at Liesl with a grin. “The best porridge in the world, as always.”
Liesl blushed, but her eyes sparkled with pleasure.
Roland leaned back in his chair and turned his focus to Leon and Julian. “So, what is it that kept Rolf from hunting? It must have been something amazing,” he added with a chuckle.
Leon smiled. “I’ll let you judge that for yourself.”
I’m interested in y’all’s thoughts. I feel like I’ve detailed so many conversions that having the reader watch it through the journal made things a little more interesting and also picked up the pace a little.
Thoughts?
Man is born for the fight, to be forged and molded into a sharper, finer, stronger image of God
I’m so sorry I didn’t get back to you yesterday! It was such a chaotic day and I didn’t get home until 8 pm.
I really like the way you handled their conversion through the journal entries! It was cool. Leon was a gladiator?? 😅
God slew two animals in [Adam’s and Eve’s] place.
Um, when was this?
'Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.'
No problem!!
Okay great! I’m glad the journal thing payed off.
Leon was a gladiator?? 😅
Of sorts.
Don’t worry, Julian is having all the same questions as you most likely are.
Um, when was this?
God required animal sacrifices to provide a temporary covering of sins and to foreshadow the perfect and complete sacrifice of Jesus Christ (Leviticus 4:35, 5:10). Animal sacrifice is an important theme found throughout Scripture because “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22). When Adam and Eve sinned, animals were killed by God to provide clothing for them (Genesis 3:21). This was the first example of animal sacrifice, and is referenced afterwards as such. After the flood receded, Noah sacrificed animals to God (Genesis 8:20-21). He had told Adam that if they ate of the fruit they would surely die, and so after they ate of the fruit, God should have killed them, but instead He killed an animal in their place.
Make sense?
Man is born for the fight, to be forged and molded into a sharper, finer, stronger image of God
Don’t worry, Julian is having all the same questions as you most likely are.
I can tell 😂
Interesting. I didn’t know animals were killed in Adam and Eve’s place, even though I knew about sacrifices later. Where is it referenced as the first sacrifice?
'Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.'
Ugh. Let me look. I’m horrid at references. Romans….. i think. Maybe Hebrews. Just a sec.
Man is born for the fight, to be forged and molded into a sharper, finer, stronger image of God
Okay, so I did site the Hebrews verse about death and sins, and then of course there are all the verses about sacrifice. But here’s the sinch.
The operative word in Gen 3:21 is עוֹר which occurs almost 100 times in the Old Testament Hebrew. It is used in only two senses:
skin of a human, eg, Ex 22:26, 34:39, etc
skin/hide of an animal after it has been killed, eg, Gen 27:16, Ex 29:14, Lev 4:11, etc. (single exception is Job 41:7 where it refers to the skin of a living animal)
That is, the word NEVER refers to the “skin” of anything other than either an animal or a human. (not “skin” or bark of trees for example.Therefore, the instance in Gen 3:21 refers to the skin or hide of an animal, as it could not refer to the skin of a human because there were no other humans. And the only way for someone to obtain animal skin is by killing the animal. It also would be the only thing that does not contradict Hebrews 9:22 and other like verses. Something had to die in their place for the sin committed. Yes, sin and death came with the curse, and that is why everyone dies, even those who offered sacrifices in the Old Testament.
(and yes, I took Hebrew in high school so I know my way around the language.)
But yeah…. is any of this making sense?
Man is born for the fight, to be forged and molded into a sharper, finer, stronger image of God
Yeah, it makes sense. It’s just interesting. If God sacrificed animals in place of Adam and Eve so they didn’t have to die, why wouldn’t the Bible just say that? All it says in Genesis is that he clothed them with skins.
'Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.'
I don’t know why…. but I’m not seeing another option, and it makes consistent sense with the rest of scripture.
If it feels like a controversial topic, I have several of those and this is not one I feel like I need to die on, so I can pull it.
What do you think?
Man is born for the fight, to be forged and molded into a sharper, finer, stronger image of God
btw, your pfp is making me cold. XD
Man is born for the fight, to be forged and molded into a sharper, finer, stronger image of God
To be honest, it doesn’t really matter either way. I was just surprised at that sentence in the book because I’d never thought of it that way before. You might throw other believers off too, or maybe I’m the only one… I don’t see it as a big problem.
Yeah 😆 I should probably change it. It just looks so cozy in there. . . *meanwhile it’s like 70 degrees*
'Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.'
Okay, well I’ll see if anyone else says something.
wait…. it’s 70 degrees where you are?!?!
IT’S FREEZING over here.
oh, btw, what do you think of the newest character, Roland?
Man is born for the fight, to be forged and molded into a sharper, finer, stronger image of God
Sounds good.
Yep. Like two days ago it was 80. In February. 😅 I mean, winter never lasts long here, but still. I’m not looking forward to the summer weather.
He seems like a character—kind of like a little kid in a grown-up (or teen) body. I’m interested to know what he thinks of Leon and Julian and their faith.
'Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.'
wow. It’s like -30 right now over here.
Huh. Never heard anyone describe him like that. 😅 We’ll have to see!
Man is born for the fight, to be forged and molded into a sharper, finer, stronger image of God
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