Sir Rowan and the Camerian Conquest (29 page)

Copyright © Emily Elizabeth Black 2010

Copyright © Emily Elizabeth Black 2010

Copyright © Emily Elizabeth Black 2010

Copyright © Emily Elizabeth Black 2010

The purpose of
Sir Rowan and the Camerian Conquest
is twofold: first, to explore and reveal the consequences that result from a stronghold of pride, and second, to close out the Knights of Arrethtrae Series with a speculative storyline leading up to the return of Christ by using the prophecy of the two witnesses as foretold in Scripture.

The first sin committed against God, and perhaps the most dangerous, is that of pride. The five “I wills” of Lucifer in Isaiah 14:12–14 testify to the prideful heart that spawned evil in God’s creation. Lucifer knew this sin well and used it to tempt Adam and Eve in the garden when he stated that they would be as gods, knowing good and evil.

Perhaps this is why one central theme seems to ring loudly throughout Scripture: God hates pride. Proverbs 6:16–19 succinctly lists the things God hates, and pride is at the top of the list:

Additionally, God warns us over and over that pride will bring us to destruction, and this rings true in human experience. In fact, whenever a great Christian man or woman has fallen, pride seems to be the core reason for that fall.

The antithesis of pride, of course, is humility, a quality God encourages us to daily seek. The Bible tells us, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up” (James 4:10).

Unfortunately, just as Sir Rowan learned, the consequences of having a prideful heart are often extremely painful and humbling. When a believer has a stronghold of pride, God often must utterly break that person in order for him or her to be restored to a spirit of humility. It is
important to daily remember the words of David: “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise” (Psalm 51:17,
KJV
).

Finally, a spirit of pride can keep us from entering or continuing effective service for the Lord. In fact, Scripture tells us that God “resists” the proud. Only when we humble ourselves before Him, when we acknowledge that we can do nothing in and of ourselves, will the Lord use us to do mighty things through Him for His kingdom.

The prophecy of the two witnesses in Revelation 11 is one of the most intriguing aspects of the end-time scriptures. The great speculation regarding the interpretation of these passages allows sufficient room for literary freedom in an allegory such as this. I considered it appropriate to tie in this prophecy to the closing book of the Knights of Arrethtrae Series since the theme of the books is to tell of the great deeds of a few of the mighty Knights of the Prince.

The two witnesses, if literally interpreted, will be perhaps two of the most bold and dramatic messengers ever to have lived. Whether literal or symbolic, the advent of the two witnesses will certainly initiate a time of judgment, renewal, and profound prophetic fulfillment. My allegorical depiction of the end times is only one very loose interpretation, and it is not my intention to presume that this is an accurate rendition of the time line of future biblical events. Rather, it is my hope and prayer that it will inspire you to live all the more passionately for Jesus Christ as His return draws close.