The Household of God
Volume 2
Rise and spiritual prime of the first world empire Hanoch
- Chapter 246 -
LAMECH ARRANGES A LOVE FEAST FOR THE POOR AND IMPRISONED. THE AMAZEMENT OF BRUDAL, THE TABLE STEWARD, AND HIS IMPRISONED FAMILY (4th February 1843)
After this speech, which was quite edifying for Lamech and convinced him of the great truth of the matter he went to see his table steward in a side-chamber and ordered a moderate, simple meal.
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The table steward, quite amazed at this order, asked Lamech whether he was in earnest.
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But Lamech replied: "Why do you ask me? I should know what I have to do!
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"I tell you: Do not ask any further, but do as I told you, and you will be a true servant of him who was now set to you as a true leader by God."
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These words amazed the table steward and he said to himself in an undertone: "Is Lamech maybe no longer a king? What does it mean when he says: 'Who was now set to you as a true leader by God'? This may comprehend who can and may; I for one do not understand it."
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Lamech, well noticing what his table steward had mumbled into his beard, turned to him and said: "Listen, Brudal! What you do not understand can at once be explained to you. Look, there is this difference between Lamech the king and Lamech the leader, namely:
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"Lamech the king would at once have had you bound and put to death for this retort; whereas Lamech the leader appointed by God goes to you, embraces you and says to you: My dear Brudal, go and do as I told you; for this is the will of the Lord, the great, eternal, almighty God of Farak.
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"Once you have gathered food and drink in abundance, summon the poor and all the imprisoned to the throne-room and entertain them as though they were all my brothers and children.
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"Send out couriers through the whole city and tell them to bring whomsoever they will find to my house! And all the prisons shall be opened, and not one prisoner be left behind, - not even the greatest enemies to my life, whose fare until now had consisted of boiled big swamp insects (crabs); they shall now be appeased with my royal fare!
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"For from now on I will no longer be to my people a judging king and lord over life and death, but I want to be to all only a wisely guiding brother according to God's order.
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"Behold, my dear brother Brudal, this is now the difference between the king Lamech and the leader Lamech! - Now hurry to do what I, now your brother, have told you to do."
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Brudal, carried away with joy, jumped up and said in a loud voice: O great, almighty God! Only to You was it possible to transform the iron heart of Lamech into the warm heart of a brother!
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O God, o God, how infinitely happy You have rendered me all at once! This very day still I shall see my faithful wife, my two brothers and my seven children - three lads and four grown-up daughters - who, condemned to death, were imprisoned for not wanting to worship Lamech as a God!"
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Then he rushed away and arranged everything and within an hour all the prisoners as well as many other poor were in the throne-room.
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And Brudal set to work all the servants of the court and entertained all the poor and imprisoned; and they praised the great God of Farak Who so miraculously had delivered them, and ate and drank.
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But Brudal's family did not want to eat unless they saw that Lamech was really converted; for they thought this might well be nothing but a passing whim on the part of the king.
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After a while Lamech came again to Brudal asking him: "Brudal, why have you not served us as yet? Look, the exalted visitors from God's height are with us. What will they think of us if we neglect them in such a way? So do take some care that we soon may have something to eat."
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And Brudal showed Lamech his trembling family and then said to him: O brother Lamech, do raise also these poor so that they may believe what grace was bestowed on you by God."
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When Lamech saw these poor people he was moved to tears, bent down, lifted them up and said to them: "Come to me! I have tormented you, I have grossly sinned against you; but I will now compensate you for all the wrongs committed that words will fail you all to pronounce them (the compensations; the Ed.)!
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"Follow me now to my dining-hall so that you may sit by my side and from now on eat at my table."
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Here the poor almost began to shout, and they praised God and followed Lamech to the dining-hall.