1E

1E

When all was ready Abraham left his flocks grazing on the plains nigh to the coast. There he left his wife and all his servants. With Yishak at his side they were led by Melchizedek east among treeless hills with the Killing Relic as surety against any who would waylay them.

On the first night, Melchizedek asked Abraham to look at the stars and see if he could count them. "So shall your descendants be," said he. There are only four thousand stars visible to the unaided eye but Abraham got the point. Bat-El would bestow upon him much progeny. For his part Abraham agreed to have only Bat-El as God and trust that she would always do what she said she would do. It was the first covenant made between the divine and the mortal on something of an equal basis.

Abraham possessed many animals and great riches. He was already living in the golden age as far as he was concerned, and did not pine away for an afterlife. Abraham was living a full life and he accepted that he was mortal like everything else in the world.

The only thing remaining that Bat-El could give Abraham was the assurance that his name and his blood would be carried into the future by a people who would live in the land he had been promised.

Two days and three nights passed but they had seen no game along the way. When they drew near to Mount Moriah and Melchizedek pointed out the hill to them. Yishak asked, "Where is the animal for the offering?"

Melchizedek said nothing and glanced at Abraham.Abraham deflected this question, yet he could not bring himself to lie to his son. He said, rather, "God himself will provide the animal."

Yishak was excited to see what sort of beast God was going to bring for the sacrifice and he ran ahead up the hill with youthful energy. Abraham said to Melchizedek, "When it is time you will help me restrain my son."

They caught up with the boy on the hilltop and Yishak called out, "Father, there's nothing here!"

Abraham had a length of rope and was tying loops in it. He said, "Join me here son, and help with this." Yishak promptly obeyed his father. Thus distracted, Melchizadek took the opportunity to seize the boy.