Elijah Dove, as his name implies, is a prophet. At least he begins to do prophetic things during the course of the narrative. His grandmother was a wild preacher woman who handled snakes. She named him Elijah, saying he would move in the spirit of Elijah of old.
Some of the prophecies go along with what I said in my last newsletter.
In the story, he is taking a break from his work in Aria 51, camping in the Nevada desert. He’s made friends with a Navajo Franciscan priest named Maxwell who comes to visit him, and mentors him a bit. Then, they meet another, a very old man who calls himself the Wandering Jew, however, we soon find we’ve had that story all backwards.
I’ll quote from the story, which I hope builds on the theme of my previous email. I wrote it with my author’s inspiration, so I’ll stop short of saying it’s prophetic.
But here’s the quote, beginning where Elijah hands him a bowl of chilli that he’s cooked over an open fire:
‘Thank you very much. Very hospitable, indeed. You won’t lose your reward. Now, do you want to know the true story of the Wandering Jew?’
‘I’d be interested,’ said Maxwell.
‘A prince, who would one day be king, went to woo the woman he loved. But the question he had about her was, if he went to her as a prince, how would he know she truly loved him? Would it truly be him that she loves, or would it be his riches, or the life of a queen, or the prospect of living in a sumptuous palace? So he went to her in the guise of a tramp, for if she could be drawn to love him as a tramp, then her love would be true, and she would genuinely love him as king as well.’
‘That — is an interesting story,’ said Maxwell, slowly.
Elijah was sure this story went deep. There was more to this man than met the eye.
‘Who is this woman?’ asked Maxwell.
‘One whom I have been trying for a long time to win her love. I hope that you two can help.’
‘How would we help?’ asked Elijah.
‘Do as your namesake. Eli Yahu means The Lord is God. When he called fire down, as you will do, the people all called out, “The Lord is God, the Lord is God, Eli Yahu, Eli Yahu.”’
Maxwell must have told him my name, thought Elijah.
‘But mind you, they weren’t chanting his name, but responding to God. See that no one chants your name, but only glorifies the Name of the Lord. Don’t bask in the glory, but do as Elijah of old did. Each time he said or did anything major, calling for a famine or calling fire down, he withdrew into the wilderness. Many, today, would stay and bask in the fame and glory. Elijah disappeared and couldn’t be found.’
‘If I remember correctly,’ said Maxwell, ‘they were out to kill Elijah.’
‘In this age, likewise. If they cannot exploit you, they will seek to kill you.’
‘What you’re saying, is that the prophets of today are being exploited?’
‘When is the last time you heard a prophet speak out against King Herod? There was one who did, and his head became an attraction at the king’s birthday party. These prophets of recent times prophesied that Herod would be re-elected. When that didn’t come to pass, they prophesied that the one who was elected would die of a stroke.
‘When was the last time you heard a prophet call the elders of the people snakes? There was one who did. He, also, came in the spirit of Elijah of Old. He could have basked in the popularity with which they sought to exploit him, but instead, he called out the snakes. Beware of the snakes.
‘You, Elijah Dove, were so named by your grandmother, who spoke in the name of the Lord. But she played with snakes. The snake in her hand turned its head and bit her.
‘Yes, it is written that those who believe will take up serpents, but they were not commanded to embrace them. Many things were not commanded, but my bride has embraced them — snakes. Yes, it is written, Render to Caesar, but my bride has embraced Caesar — the very snake that turned its head and bit my prophets who were handling it. The love of the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye and the pride of life are also snakes that my bride has handled. You, Elijah, must cleanse my bride of snakes.’
So, Elijah receives his calling.
“Snakes” become a metaphor for all that is wrong in the church. Later on, Elijah drives the snakes out of Appalachia. I won’t say exactly how, that would be a spoiler.
The name the Wandering Jew goes by is Sitting Lamb. Here’s another quote that describes his favourite activity:
They parked half a block away, and walked to the church. From a distance Elijah saw a man standing at the door, dressed in old clothes. His hair and face looked even older, and very dark from a lot of sun.
Then, he knew him. The Wandering Jew!
They went to the door. Elijah asked, ‘Sitting Lamb! Good to see you! What are you doing out this way?’
‘I stand at the door and I knock.’
Anthony spoke up, ‘Well, come on in! You’re certainly welcome. Why don’t you sit with us?’
‘Thank you very much. I think I will.’
It turns out that the church isn’t as warm and inviting as Elijah remembered it being before, which is why the Wandering Jew has been standing outside, but that’s about to change.
Another one, back in Elijah’s home town:
They arrived at the front door of the church, and there was a familiar, though quite out of place figure standing at the front steps.
‘Sitting Lamb! You’re here as well!’
‘They won’t let me in,’ he said.
‘I’m really not surprised,’ said Dad softly, as he looked about at the people.
‘There is one place in this area that has been seeking for me. You must take me there.’
‘Where is that?’ said Elijah.
‘The congregation where you were named Elijah. They will receive me. They have been begging for me.’
Elijah was stunned.
They arrive at that church and find the whole congregation agonising in prayer for revival.
Later, he also meets him in Africa.
It’s a surreal literary device that helps with fiction about the prophetic.
That’s not all there is to the novel, of course. It is science fiction - an earth-bound prequel to a space opera series. He works at Area 51, and he is involved in humanity’s ascent into interstellar space. His interaction with aliens also provides a whole other aspect to this story, making it verge on apocalyptic.
I should say here, this isn’t the first novel I wrote that had the Wandering Jew as a character. In The Zondon, one of my first novels, he also appears, with the same backstory. That book also has spaceships and aliens.
I might talk about that one sometime.
But here’s the link to Elijah Dove:
