Lamassu Falling
A Novelette of Ancient Assyria in the Days of Jonah
In the ancient and mighty nation of Assyria, a shadow of doom descends as plagues and wars grip the land. The great city of Nineveh faces a perilous threat, as a ruthless and power-hungry pagan plots to seize control and make himself ruler. The heavens themselves portend an ominous future for Nineveh. Amidst this unfolding chaos, a prophet of the God of Israel arrives, warning the Ninevites that their city is destined to fall in a mere forty days.
A war of the gods begins between the benevolent God of Israel and the bloodthirsty war gods of Assyria. Caught amid this divine struggle are the beautiful daughter of Nineveh's governor and an Assyrian war hero who has grown disheartened with the gods of his homeland.
As violence erupts in Nineveh, cruel pagans force families to sacrifice their children to the heathen gods. In the face of impending disaster, the true power of the divine is about to be revealed. The fate of Nineveh and the entire Assyrian nation hangs in the balance. The Ninevites are about to have their rendezvous with destiny.
The images below will introduce you to several characters in the story.
Gadol Elohai.
Heroine
Adorina is the daughter of the governor and high official of Nineveh. She believes in the God of Israel and befriends Jonah.
Arch Villain
Malkuno is an evil, vile, cruel, sadistic, murderous, and power-hungry pagan high priest who plots to seize total power over Nineveh. Bribery, intimidation, kidnapping, torture, murder, and rioting are his means. Malkuno is enraged by Adorina’s kindness to Jonah. He snatches her for sacrifice at the temple of Ishtar.
Hero
Rabbu is a great swordsman and war hero. He loves Adorina, but cannot have her, since he is a commoner, and she is of noble birth. He battles to rescue Adorina from Malkuno’s clutches.
Hero
Tamraz is a mighty spearman, war hero, and carnal womanizer. He is Rabbu’s best friend. They served together in the army. He joins Rabbu in one more battle to rescue Adorina from Malkuno’s clutches.
Hero
Saliba is a mighty axe man, war hero, and army friend of Rabbu and Tamraz. He leads the attack against Malkuno and his lackeys.
An Ominous Portent
A total solar eclipse descends on Nineveh as the moon crosses in front of the sun. According to Assyrian religious beliefs, the city that sees a total solar eclipse is doomed. Such an eclipse actually occurred in 763 BC, which is in the time frame of Jonah’s prophetic ministry.
Reluctant Prophet of God
God commissioned Jonah to declare a word of judgment against Nineveh, but Jonah ran from God and boarded a ship bound for Tarshish. Then God sent a storm over the sea. Fearing God, the sailors threw Jonah into the rough sea. He was swallowed by a huge fish and traveled for three days and three nights in its belly. The fish vomited Jonah onto dry land.
Jonah Warns the Ninevites
Jonah preaches to a multitude of Ninevites.
“People of the great city of Nineveh, I am Jonah, a Hebrew. I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land. Now hear the word of the Lord! The wickedness of this city has come up before him. Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.”
More than a Fish Story
If you read the book of Jonah in the Old Testament, you know how the story ends for Jonah and the great city of Nineveh.
If you want to know what becomes of Adorina, Rabbu, Tamraz, Saliba, Malkuno, and the other heroes, villains, pagans, prophets, and victims in the story, read the novelette, available on Amazon and wherever books are sold.
Please watch my interview about Lamassu Falling on the show This Week in America with Ric Bratton. You can watch the interview at the link below: