Chapter 14 - Jeshaiah Covertly Saves a FamilyThe king did not know the preacher he had banished from Arapa was a man much loved by the Cimirik people throughout the countryside. Neither did King Visath know that he was the brother of his own advisor, Jeshaiah!Ever since King Visath had become ruler over Cimora, he had kept Jeshaiah at court as his royal advisor. This was a position first given to Jeshaiah by the king's grandfather, King Azhim. Visath kept Jeshaiah at court, not because he had respect for the godly man, nor because he was interested in hearing his advice. He chose to retain the Hebrew advisor only because Queen Taqara had seen a political advantage in doing so. The queen knew they had made revolutionary changes in Cimora, taxing the houses of the Lord, and setting up shrines to Sarvah. There were now whispers of rebellion, and rumors abounded of conspiracies. Many of these reports came to the king and queen from the commander of the palace guard, and from others.The Cimirik believers whose hearts still belonged to the Lord God were a problem, a potential threat to the king's authority. But with Jeshaiah still in a high position at court, the king and queen appeared to have the tacit approval of one of the kingdom's strongest advocates of the Lord God. But for his part, Jeshaiah believed the Lord had called him to take every opportunity to stand with God - and speak the truth. He chose to remain at court trying to be a good influence in the government, and with the hope of someday winning the heart of the king to the Lord.He prayed to be the Lord's instrument, to accomplish some good for the people of God. And a providential opportunity came to him on a certain day. One of the king's tax collectors, along with the troops under his command, had encountered resistance. They were assigned to the town of Muzashku. And in that place, a number of men refused to pay their share of the tax levied on the house of God in their town, even though they swore allegiance to the Lord.A few of the men even went so far as to demolish the altar of Sarvah and strip it of its gold. They gave the precious metal to the tax collector, saying, "Here is payment of our taxes. The taxes are used to build the shrines to Sarvah. So then, look at how the god of Dradara has provided for himself!"The tax collector arrested a man named Mishni, and took him into custody with his wife and children. It had seemed to the tax collector that this man Mishni was the most vocal dissenter, the ringleader of the rebels. So the tax collector decided he should be made an example to the rest. Mishni and his family were locked in the hold of the prison, in the vault of the Palace of Arapa. And Jeshaiah learned of the matter.The next day, the tax collector brought Mishni before King Visath for judgment. But before the charges against the rebel could be made, the royal advisor Jeshaiah spoke up, saying, "My king, this rogue is being brought before you today on some malfeasance concerning taxes. But I have a much more serious charge against this man!"Jeshaiah went on, "He is from a town near the home of my own kinsmen, and has wronged my family personally! I ask the king to turn this man over to me! I want to send him back to Muzashku to stand trial before the magistrates there, and answer to the charges of my own clan!"The tax collector was dumbfounded. But the king granted Jeshaiah's personal request. Bowing low before the king, the tax collector made a hasty exit. At the same time, the palace guard took Mishni back to his prison cell.Now there was a brave soldier in the king's army named Rodai. He was a follower of the Lord God, and he was recognized as a courageous hero. He had fought most valiantly years before in the war against the Kokizites. Jeshaiah was well acquainted with Rodai, and spoke with him, saying, "My friend, I put you in charge of this man Mishni and his wife and children. Ride out with them tonight, and travel westward, until you take them safely across the border into Tubicia. Tell no one what you do, for this family belongs to the Lord, and the man's life hangs in the balance!"Now Jeshaiah, the royal advisor, also spoke to the king's high officials in charge of collecting revenue. "You have a certain tax collector in your service that is zealous, and could wish to be of greater use to the king. Send him out into the more remote districts, on the heights of the mountains, where your other tax collectors do not like to travel. He is the right man for the job." So the zealous tax collector was sent far from Muzashku.And before Rodai left that night, with Mishni and the man's family, Jeshaiah gave Rodai a large amount of his own money, saying, "Give this to the family, after you take them across the border - and they are safe in Tubicia. They will have to start life over in a new country. But at least the family will be saved from certain destruction."
A fiction novel
The Legend of Prince Jaras
of Cimora
by
Jim Key
