Hyena, King Lion Hyena, King Lion Hyena, King Lion andandand the Prince the Prince the Prince

TheTheThe Battle for Perfect Battle for Perfect Battle for Perfect

Marc and Cynthia CarrierMarc and Cynthia CarrierMarc and Cynthia Carrier

A r e t h e c u n n i n g o f H y e n a a n d t h e s t r e n g t h o f h i s

d o g s a n y m a t c h f o r K i n g L i o n a n d h i s S o n ? W h o w i l l

u l t i m a t e l y w i n c o n t r o l o f t h e v i l l a g e o f P e r f e c t ?

A n a l l e g o r y, n o t j u s t o f g o o d v e r s u s e v i l , H y e n a ,

K i n g L i o n a n d t h e P r i n c e s p a n s a l l o f h u m a n a n d

C h u r c h h i s t o r y, s h o w i n g h o w G o d h a s w o r ke d i n H i s

C r e a t i o n t o r e d e e m i t f r o m t h e s c h e m e s o f S a t a n a n d

t h e c o r r u p t i o n o f s i n . S e t i n a r u r a l A f r i c a n v i l l a g e ,

t h e r i v e t i n g s t o r y l i n e a n d c h a r m i n g i l l u s t ra t i o n s

m a ke t h i s e p i c t a l e a n i n s t a n t c l a s s i c f o r t h e w h o l e

f a m i l y t o e n j o y.

Marc and Cynthia Carrier are missionaries serving in East

Africa with their eight children. Marc’s interest in teaching King-

dom Christian history and passion for missions work among

storytelling cultures were the impetus for Hyena, King Lion and

the Prince. Their life in East Africa also inspired the setting of

the allegory. For more information about their mis-

sion, visit www.KingdomDriven.org or connect with

the Carrier family at www.ValuesDrivenFamily.com.

Hyena, King Lion Hyena, King Lion Hyena, King Lion and and and

the Princethe Princethe Prince

The Battle for PerfectThe Battle for PerfectThe Battle for Perfect

Marc & Cynthia CarrierMarc & Cynthia Carrier

“Hyena, King Lion and the Prince: The Battle for Perfect”

Copyright © 2014, Marc and Cynthia Carrier

All rights reserved. Written permission must be secured by the publisher to re-

produce any part of this book, except for brief quotations in critical reviews or

articles.

Published by Values-Driven Publishing

www.ValuesDrivenPublishing.com

Artwork by Bonventure, Kitale, Kenya

ContentsContentsContents

The Establishment and Fall of the Kingdom 4

The Rise of Hyena 24

Perfect Peace? 32

The Influence of the Hippos 36

Conflict in Perfect 42

Heavenly Asleep 46

Hyena Gains Control 62

A New Dawn Rising in Perfect 72

The Final Battle 82

Epilogue 94

4

The Establishment and Fall of the Kingdom

M a ny y e a rs a g o , b e fo r e t h e d ay s o f o u r a n c e s -t o r s , t h e r e w a s a v i l l a g e c a l l e d H e av e n l y. A s y o u c a n i m a g i n e , b a s e d o n i t s n a m e , i t w a s a

b e a u t i f u l p l a c e w h e r e m a i ze g r e w t a l l a n d s t r o n g , s h a d e t r e e s ke p t a w a y t h e a f t e r n o o n s u n a n d h e a t , a n d t h e r e

w e r e s p r i n g s w i t h c o o l , c l e a n , p l e n t i f u l w a t e r. T h e r i g h t e o u s a n d j u s t K i n g L i o n w a s C h i e f o f H e av e n l y a n d w a n t e d i t t o b e a p l a c e w h e r e e v e r y o n e w a s s a fe a n d h a p p y. F o r a l o n g t i m e , i t w a s s o .

O n e d a y, h o w e v e r, H ye n a d e c i d e d h e h a d h a d e n o u g h o f H e av e n l y. H e w a n t e d e v e r y -o n e t o l o v e h i m a s m u c h a s t h e y l o v e d K i n g L i o n — i n t r u t h , h e w a s j e a l o u s !

5

H ye n a w a n t e d t o

b e a s p o w e r f u l a s

K i n g L i o n a n d w a s

c o n f i d e n t h e

c o u l d b e j u s t a s

g o o d a C h i e f. H e

d i d n ’ t l i ke K i n g

L i o n ’s w ay s a n d

t h o u g h t h i s o w n

w ay s w e r e b e t t e r.

H e d r e w a g r e a t

n u m b e r o f

H e av e n l y ’s

c i t i ze n s t o

h i m s e l f, a n d

p ro m i s e d t h e m

t h a t i f t h e y w o u l d

f i g h t w i t h h i m t o

o v e r t h r o w K i n g

L i o n , t h e y w o u l d

w i n p o s i t i o n s o f

i n f l u e n c e u n d e r

H ye n a ’s

l e a d e rs h i p .

A s y o u c a n i m a g i n e , K i n g L i o n ( w h o w a s a v e r y w i s e C h i e f )

fo u n d o u t w h a t t h e s n e a k y H ye n a w a s u p t o . H y e n a , u n d e r -

s t a n d i n g h i s d e c e i t w a s d i s c o v e r e d , d e p a r t e d H e av e n l y i n

d i s g ra c e a n d e v e n t u a l l y m a d e h i s w a y t o a n e w p l a c e , a fa r -

a w a y v i l l a g e c a l l e d Pe r fe c t .

6

7

Pe r fe c t w a s p a r t o f K i n g L i o n ’s d o m a i n a s w e l l , a n d h e h a d

a l r e a d y e s t a b l i s h e d a c o m m u n i t y t h e r e . I t w a s a p l a c e

m u c h l i ke H e a v e n l y — a b e a u t i f u l p l a c e w h e r e i t s c i t i ze n s

c o u l d l i v e i n p e a c e .

Ev e r yo n e i n Pe r fe c t l o v e d K i n g L i o n , f r o m t h e L i t t l e B u g t o

t h e G i a n t E l e p h a n t , b e c a u s e t h e y k n e w h e w a n t e d t h e v e r y

b e s t fo r t h e m . K i n g L i o n c r e a t e d l a w s w h i c h w o u l d

e n s u r e o r d e r a n d s a fe t y. K i n g L i o n ’s r u l e s w e r e fa i r a n d

g o o d . N o o n e c o u l d s t e a l f ro m a ny o n e e l s e . I f a ny o n e w a s

c a u g h t d o i n g d a m a g e t o s o m e o n e e l s e ’s p ro p e r t y, t h e v i o -

l a t o r w o u l d r e p a i r o r r e p l a c e w h a t w a s d a m a g e d .

King Lion, though not a permanent resident of Perfect, spent a lot

of time there when he established this new village, in order to

show its citizens his good example. He visited those who were sick

and tried to cheer them up and help them get well. He was always

kind and willing to help. Because King Lion was such a good Chief

and Perfect was such a peaceful place to live, its citizens lived good

lives and abided by the Perfect laws.

King Lion decided that he would do his best to make sure that Per-

fect would be full of citizens who would continue to behave kindly

and righteously toward one another. He did not want the rebellion

that had occurred in Heavenly to repeat itself in Perfect! When Hy-

ena left Heavenly to reside in Perfect, he himself—King Lion—

followed, and continued to order things in the village so that eve-

ryone would remain loyal to him and experience a good life.

8

H ye n a , h o w e v e r, h e l d a g r u d g e a ga i n s t K i n g L i o n a n d w a n t e d n o t h i n g b u t t o d e s t ro y h i m — a n d Pe r fe c t . W h a t w o u l d b e b e t t e r t h a n t u r n i n g t h e c i t i ze n s o f t h e v i l l a g e a ga i n s t t h e i r g o o d K i n g a n d h i s l a w s , t o r e c r u i t t h e m fo r h i s p l a n n e d b a t t l e t o o v e r t h r o w K i n g L i o n ? H y e n a w a s s t i l l v e r y e m b i t t e r e d t h a t h i s e v i l i n t e n t h a d b e e n m a d e p u b l i c w h e n i n h i s fo r m e r h o m e . S i n c e e v e r y o n e i n Pe r fe c t w a s l o ya l t o K i n g L i o n , t h o u g h , H ye n a k n e w h e w o u l d h av e t o b e v e r y c ra f t y. K i n g L i o n w a s a s m a r t c h i e f, a f t e r a l l .

A s H y e n a w a s b u i l d i n g h i s h o u s e i n t h i s n e w v i l l a g e , s o m e o f h i s n e i g h b o r s c a m e t o h e l p h i m c u t s t i c k s a n d m i x m u d . W h i l e t h e y w o r ke d , t h e y s p o ke t o H ye n a , a s t ra n g e r t o t h e m , a b o u t w h a t a w o n d e r f u l p l a c e Pe r fe c t w a s : “ H e r e , H y e n a , y o u w i l l n o t f i n d a ny s t e a l i n g . Yo u c a n p l a n t y o u r m a i ze , a n d i t w i l l g r o w s t ro n g , a n d w h e n y o u h a r v e s t i t t h e r e w i l l b e n o t a n e a r m i s s i n g ! ”

H ye n a a s ke d , “ B u t w h a t i f o n e d o e s n ’ t h a v e e n o u g h fo o d ? S u r e l y i t w o u l d n o t b e w ro n g t o t a ke a n e a r o f c o r n f ro m h i s n e i g h b o r ’s f i e l d . A n d w hy w o u l d a ny o n e m i n d , s i n c e t h e c i t i ze n s o f Pe r fe c t a r e a l l s u c h g o o d p e o p l e ? ”

A n t e l o p e c o m m e n t e d , “ H e r e , i f y o u a r e s i c k , y o u c a n b e s u r e t h a t yo u r n e i g h b o r s — a n d p e r h a p s e v e n K i n g L i o n h i m s e l f — w i l l v i s i t y o u w i t h s o m e s o f t fo o d s a n d t e a .” To w h i c h t h e c ra f t y H y e n a r e p l i e d , “ C e r t a i n l y, t h a t i s v e r y n i c e . I w i l l b e h a p p y t o l i v e i n s u c h a p l a c e . T h e g i v i n g o f g i f t s , t h o u g h , m u s t b e r e t u r n e d i n k i n d , a n d I a m n o t a m a n o f m e a n s . I t w o u l d a l m o s t b e b e t t e r i f my n e i g h b o rs w e r e n o t s o g e n e ro u s .”

9

10

11

B y t h e t i m e H y e n a ’s h o u s e w a s b u i l t , c e r t a i n d o u b t s h a d

b e g u n t o t u r n h i s n e i g h b o r s ’ t h o u g h t s a w a y f r o m t h e

c o m m u n i t y o f Pe r fe c t a n d a l l t h e g o o d t h a t K i n g L i o n a n d

i t s c i t i ze n s w e r e d o i n g . I n d e e d , i f H a r e h a d m o r e t h a n

Tu r t l e a n d Tu r t l e w a s h u n g r y, w a s i t r e a l l y w r o n g fo r h i m t o

g ra b a n e a r o f m a i ze o f f a s t a l k i n H a r e ’s f i e l d a s h e w a l ke d

b y ? A n d p e r h a p s H ye n a w a s r i g h t — r e c e i v i n g a g i f t o r a

fa v o r w o u l d c e r t a i n l y o b l i ga t e o n e t o a n o t h e r. A n d w h a t i f

h e h a d n o t h i n g w i t h w h i c h t o r e p a y t h e g o o d d e e d ? I t

m i g h t b e b e t t e r t o s e r v e o n e s e l f i n s t e a d o f b e i n g s o c o n -

c e r n e d w i t h o t h e r s .

T h e s e t h o u g h t s , a n d o t h e r s , w e n t ro u n d a n d ro u n d i n t h e

h e a d s o f H y e n a ’s g o o d n e i g h b o rs , a n d b e fo r e t o o l o n g t h e

t h o u g h t s b e c a m e w o r d s . T h e y b e ga n t o t a l k t o t h e i r

n e i g h b o rs , a s k i n g q u e s t i o n s a n d w o n d e r i n g i f t h e Pe r fe c t

w ay o f l i fe w a s r e a l l y t h e b e s t . S o o n , fe e l i n g s o f d o u b t a n d

d i s c o n t e n t fe l l o v e r t h e a t m o s p h e r e o f Pe r fe c t .

I t w a s n ’ t l o n g b e fo r e n e i g h b o r b e ga n t o s p e a k a ga i n s t

n e i g h b o r. Ea c h o n e l o o ke d o u t o f t h e c o r n e r o f h i s e ye s t o

s e e i f h e c o u l d c a t c h h i s f r i e n d d o i n g s o m e e v i l — fo r o f

c o u r s e , n o o n e w a s g o o d a l l t h e t i m e , n o t e v e n i n Pe r fe c t !

T h e y b e ga n t o b u i l d fe n c e s a r o u n d t h e i r f i e l d s o f m a i ze a n d

u s e d o g s t o p ro t e c t t h e i r h o m e s a n d p o s s e s s i o n s . S o m e

s t i l l t r i e d t o d o g o o d a n d e n fo r c e K i n g L i o n ’s j u s t l a w s , b u t

m u c h w a s d o n e i n s u c h a s n e a k y m a n n e r t h a t i t w a s

d i f f i c u l t t o k n o w w h o w a s g o o d a n d w h o w a s b a d , a n d w h o

h a d c o m m i t t e d t h e w ro n g d e e d s t h a t w e r e o b s e r v e d .

12

Ep i logue

T his allegory is loosely based on the true biblical story of the battle between God and Satan. God created all things in Heaven and on Earth. Initially everything was in perfect harmony. Earth was a perfect place where dominion was granted to

man—the culmination of His Creation, and where God walked with man. However, man was deceived by Satan and he (God’s enemy) became the rightful ruler of this world. Man therefore became enslaved to him, and Satan began building his army to unite in rebellion against God to overthrow him.

God returned to Heaven and in his stead sent prophets to guide men in His perfect ways. But most men continued to reject his ways and follow the ways of Satan, sin and the world. God ultimately sent his only Son, Jesus Christ, as a ransom to free man from his bondage to Satan, sin and the world. Satan accepted Christ’s sacrifice (we presume with the intent to deceive man yet again), but was unaware that since Jesus was without sin, Death had no power over him. As a result, Jesus plundered Hades and rose from the dead.

While on Earth, Jesus taught the perfect laws of Heaven. He rescued men from enslave-ment and gave them an opportunity to walk in freedom from sin. Through faith, repent-ance, and water baptism for the forgiveness of sins, man could be born again in the Holy Spirit and enter the Kingdom of God. Henceforth, the Kingdom would dwell on the Earth within the hearts of its citizens.

But the citizens of the Kingdom would suffer greatly at the hands of governments (the Dogs) and eventually religious institutions (Barns) guided by the theologians (Hippos). (Constantine, Augustine, Anselm, Luther, and Calvin were the most influential at sup-planting the Kingdom of God with something different.) However, throughout history, there always existed a remnant who remained obedient to the teachings of Jesus Christ.

The Powerful Hippo (Founder of Islam) emerged as a challenge to both the followers of Jesus’ teachings and cultural Christians alike. The Catholics and Protestant Reformers like-wise were guilty of many atrocities against the loyal followers of Christ, at their time called the Anabaptists. But the Anabaptists persevered under great pressure at the hands of these persecutors. In the end, it was not the governments or the religious zealots who crushed the Anabaptist period of Kingdom Christianity—it was peace and complacency, with accompanying infighting amongst themselves.

13

In the wake of the collapse of the Anabaptist zeal, Protestants shifted closer and closer to Biblical truth. Awakenings and revivals resulted in missionary movements not seen for some time. Cultural Christianity was steadfast in the developed world and rising in the remotest lands. But secular humanism, entertainment, and other institutions and vices were on the rise. Cultures were changing, and fast, in the 20th century. With the shifts in culture followed changes in the churches as well—not many of them favora-ble.

However, in the latter decades of the 20th century a wave of discovery was underway; the proliferation of Ante-Nicene (early Church) and Anabaptist writings was stirring the hearts of many sincere church-going Christians. At the same time, the missionary house church-planting and discipleship movement was underway in much of the world. Historic Anabaptists, the renowned “quiet in the land” also were rediscovering their roots. These concurrent movements reignited a fire for true historic Kingdom Christianity and Kingdom expansion.

The balance of the book is simply the author’s speculation of where things will go from there. Time will tell!

The intent of this book was to write a simple story that would teach history, and that will serve as an impetus to launch a desire for discovery in the reader. I pray you will be led to research more and find the truth. For too long, a false history has been pre-sented to us, and we have blindly accepted it. I urge you to not trust anyone, but ra-ther go to the primary sources for yourself. May the Lord God Almighty give you wis-dom in your journey.