The Ketravim’s

‘Jonathon and Lucinda’

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Jonathon fancied himself a theologian, if that really was the word for it.  He was a kiwi, and proud of it, a member of the Wellington ‘Haven Noahide Fellowship’, which had 3 members in New Zealand, himself being the only Wellington based member.  Worldwide it was not a huge fellowship, not at all.  But it was united to a degree and the head pastor in Canberra, Australia, Daniel Daly, seemed to know what he was talking about on spiritual matters, and seemed to minister with a degree of both positive justice and merciful grace.  He stressed, in fact, in his emails that these were chief qualities which God employed with mankind.  ‘Be in the Hearts of Men’, he stated to the fellowship often, something which he had stated Jehovah himself had said to him in a waking dream.  The other ‘Word’ from God he claimed he had received was that it was his responsibility to build Haven Noahide Fellowship on ‘My Rock’ which was Israel, according to God’s personal revelation.  Apparently his exact words to Daniel in the dream were ‘Build on My Rock’ with the impression directly given to his mind that Israel was his rock.  Mr Daly took this seriously, realizing that Israel had kept faith in the covenant of Noah, by and large, when nobody else had.  When nobody else cared about it.  And because of this the fellowship had service to Israel for a long time, a lengthy amount of work of promoting Israel also as God’s chosen people, and being kind and good-hearted towards them.  To apply both words he had received from God in this sense ‘Place Israel in the hearts of Men’, which would hopefully please God, who apparently loved his Son Israel.

Yet Mr Daly also taught this truth for Haven Noahide Fellowship – ‘Ultimately, in some ways, we have a responsibility towards being even holier than Israel.  Of being more of the ‘Family Heart’ of mankind, as we are Noahide only, not based on latter covenants.  As such, in a sense Israel builds on us as their covenant is built on the Noahide Covenant of the Rainbow.  ‘And we must be holy and keep the faith because of it,’ maintained Mr Daly.  ‘To prove ourselves worthy of what we aspire to.’

It was a lot to expect of anybody, Jonathon thought, but he was a member of Haven now and took what the head pastor taught seriously.

So if he was a member of ‘Haven’, and a theologian, what contribution could he make to the world? What could leave the mark of Jonathon Holmes on the world?  What could do that?

Perhaps finally marrying his girlfriend Lucinda Jeffries would be a good idea, and getting some children.  She had hinted at it long enough that it was what she wanted most of all with him.  But Lucinda was a Christian, and not a Noahide.  And while he wasn’t quite sure yet if that really mattered or not, he wanted to make sure he did the right thing as far as God was concerned.  That much was important to him.

Jonathon worked in a Video rental store in Wellington, behind the counter, buzzing DVDs in and out through the scanners.  He worked part time and didn’t do much else, thus rented an apartment, not being able to afford anything else.  But he wanted to go to university and, at 23, felt he now was wise enough and old enough that he could cope with a degree, something he had been unsure about immediately after leaving school.  But he had no idea what to study and prayed that God would lead him in the right direction.  He would work out what he would do sooner or later.  It was just a matter of time.

*   *   *   *   *

Lucinda believed in God, was a practicing Christian, but didn’t go to church and really didn’t care that much about religion.  It bored her really and caused too many arguments.  She liked her boyfriend, Jonathon, and really wanted to marry him, and had dropped hints long enough for him to get the idea.  But the fool didn’t get the point, and she was not really sure if he wanted to.  ‘Perhaps he likes it the way it is,’ she thought to herself.  That hadn’t bothered her at first, but she wanted to be married.  She wanted commitment and she wanted to settle.  To carry on her own family traditions and have children.  This was all in the mind of Lucinda Jeffries, but sometimes fate gets in the way before our hearts prayers can be answered.  Sometimes destiny has its say first.

*   *   *   *   *

‘…and so the world has drawn even closer to world unity, today, with the official signing by the Asian Union to join the Western Alliance.  We are uniting, and we will be one.’

The President of America, one of the key figures in ensuring that the Asian Union joined the Western Alliance, echoed off words to a rapturous applause.  The world would never be the same again, Jonathon thought to himself.  Never the same again.

The following day at work he was on his lunch break, looking through one of the Batman comics he bought from the store next door, when the owner of the comic store came in, Callodyn Bradlock, coming up to him.  ‘Hi Jonathon.  I am after a particular movie – a classic.  ‘The Omen’.  Do you have it?’

‘Let me check,’ said Jonathon, and typed the title into his PC.  ‘Sure, we have a copy in the horror section.  It shouldn’t be too hard to find.  I can find it for you if you like.’

‘No, I’ll look for it.’  And he went off to look for the movie.

Jonathon sat reading through the latest adventure of the Caped Crusader, oblivious to Callodyn who had returned and was holding the DVD, staring at him.  Jonathon finally noticed him and excused himself.  ‘Yeh, the Omen.  Cool.  Classic Antichrist movie.  Loved it when I saw it.’

Callodyn smiled.  ‘Tell me, do you believe in an Antichrist?’

‘I’m not a Christian.’

‘Really,’ said Callodyn.  ‘So are you religious at all?’

‘Uh, yeh.  Noahide, actually.  Based on Noah’s covenant – a biblical thing.’  Callodyn stared at him momentarily, almost as if stunned, but finally spoke.  ‘Well, Jonathon, isn’t it?’

‘Yeh.’

‘We may just have something to talk about.  I am quite familiar with the Noahide faith.  Quite familiar.  I myself follow Samaritan Noahide faith established by the Israelite Taheb, amongst other spiritual beliefs.’

‘Yeh, I have heard of the Taheb.  I am in a fellowship called ‘Haven Noahide Fellowship’.  We are basically Samaritan Noahides as well.  We hold to the Hexateuch, in a progressive mindset though, but do believe in literal creation and literal covenant.  A core history in Torah is what we teach.’

Callodyn responded, quite interested in the conversation.  ‘Do you hold to documentary teachings?’

‘Yeh, pretty much.  I keep abreast of the latest literature on the subject.  It is fascinating stuff.’

‘I think, though, it is perhaps more historical then you may have guessed, the Torah.  There is a lot which I would call quite historical in there.’

‘We are open on that subject.  We don’t claim to have the historical information, apart from scripture and archaeology, really.  So we keep an open mind.  But the picture is getting clearer, these days.  A lot of work has gone into it this century.  A lot of work.’

‘Would you like to come over for dinner, tonight?’ Callodyn asked him.  ‘I would relish an opportunity to discuss this matter.’

‘Uh, sure.  Okay.  Can I bring my girlfriend?’

‘Sure.  Well, here is my card.  It has my address.  See you tonight, around 7?’

‘That’ll be fine.  See you there.’  Callodyn nodded, paid for the DVD rental, and left.

Watching him go Jonathon was suddenly quite pleased.  It seemed he had met another Noahide, a rare thing, and having conversation on this issue really looked appealing.  He looked forward to the night tremendously.

*   *   *   *   *

Neither Jonathon or Lucinda could really say why, but there was something about Callodyn’s wife Rachel, something which instantly connected them to her, in some way as if they had already known her personally, but didn’t know why.

But, later on that night, after they’d had a great dinner with the Bradlock’s, Jonathon recalled a strange dream he’d had a while ago.  A strange dream in which he’d seen a lady and given her great honour, amongst a whole crowd who was honouring her, and somehow this ‘Rachel Bradlock’ seemed to be that lady.  He could not really remember the face of the lady in the dream, but somehow he knew it was Rachel.  He just knew it in his heart.

He discussed this with Lucinda, and then he was alarmed, because she related a similar dream and a similar feeling towards Rachel.  And then both of them were truly puzzled.  What a weird coincidence, Jonathon thought to himself.  What a totally weird coincidence.  And what possibly could it mean?

*   *   *   *   *

Jonathon and Lucinda gradually developed a friendship with Callodyn and Rachel Bradlock, Rachel in particular, and before they left for Canberra they had become quite close.  It was destiny which drew them together – a carefully chosen destiny, crafted by Almighty God from Jonathon and Lucinda’s youth.  The Ketravim were not foreknown by God in the same sense as the children and angels of God.  They were, instead, simply humans.  But after God chose Rachel as the lastborn of the Cherubim in a sense of the Realm of Eternity, and as the firstborn of the Ketravim, he began his task of building the Ketravim community.  They would be linked, though, inevitably.  And the link was that each Ketravim chosen must come into the destiny in some way of prior Ketravim.  This was the most definite will of God.  For this reason Callodyn and Rachel’s destiny had brought them to New Zealand, for the meeting with Jonathon and Lucinda.  But, with the friendship formed, which was the primary thing, Rachel could now move on, in God’s plans, to the next Ketravim.  And this was a Canberra resident.  A most special Canberra resident.

The End