The Golden Manuscript

1

I have been puzzled how there has been no historical evidence of Moses, except the biblical accounts. And being a Christian has kept me thinking of how to unravel the mystery of the missing links. That was what brought me to Egypt and to meet with Susan Walter the young sister of my lost muse Nicole.

Susan believed that Moses was more of a myth than a true person. But I disagreed with her unbelief.

“Listen, Rashman. I am an Egyptologist and worked with my fellow Egyptologists and Archaeologists. But we have never found anything on Moses in the archaeological sites here”, Susan said affirmatively.
“So, I should accept your conclusion just like that?” I said.
She regarded me as we sat opposite each other at a table in a restaurant in Tell el-Dab’a.
“You have not found any proof of Moses does not mean it does not exist,” I said.
She sighed and stood up.
“I am tired and if we are going to keep arguing, how can I help you?” She said.
“Just be my guide,” I said.
“You better look for another guide and mind you, I am not Nikky,” she said.
I kept quiet for a while.
Why should she bring up the issue of my relationship with her sister?
As I looked at her long golden hair falling over her slender shoulders and her hazel eyes, my memories of Nicole enveloped me. They looked alike in their beautiful and delicate physical features. But, Susan was not an idealist like my darling Nicole. Susan was a tomboy. She even walked faster than me whenever we were strolling on the streets of Egypt. She had a wardrobe full of denim pants of the common blue jeans with denim jackets, plain T-shirts, and white panties. Her foot wears were mostly boots and some pairs of sandals.
“I believe that one day, I will find Nikky,” I said.
“Hmm,” she grunted.
She walked to where she parked her old Land Rover jeep and that meant she wanted us to leave for her home.
The day was almost spent and the sunset always looked heavenly in Tell el-Dab'a.
We left and we never spoke a word until she got home.

“What should we have for supper?” she asked.
“I’ll eat whatever you eat. Does the guest have a choice when he is not paying for the food?” I replied.
She shook her head.
“No Rashman. Do not let us start that again. Just tell me what you want to have for supper and if I have it, you will get it,” she said.
“Beans and fish and water would do,” I said.
“All right,” she said. “But first, I need a good bath,” she added.
“I just want to rest,” I said as I sat down on a long Arabian couch in her living room.
Her home was a three-bedroom bungalow made of red bricks and with basic interior decoration. No luxury. Simple wooden furniture with cushions, Arabian carpets, common kitchen utensils, and other necessities for the home. There was a TV set and satellite radio and she used a Thuraya phone.

The following day, Susan and I met with Dr. James Scott. An old British archaeologist I expected to tell me more on the history of the Jews in Egypt.
We met in his study.
Dr. Scott could pass for the aged Marlon Brando at 70. He had a very husky voice and he spoke with glints in his blue eyes.
He brought out a big book, flipped through the brown pages, and stopped at a particular page. He gestured to me to read it.

However, the Old Testament offers no evidence of a relationship between Moses and Akhenaten (1352-1336 B.C.), and in fact, there has never been any direct evidence of Moses discovered in Egypt. It is even questionable whether the Old Testament authors could have even known about him at all. Because of Akhenaten's revolutionary religious ideas, his successors largely eliminated his memory by hammering and hacking his name and the record of his reign from monuments throughout Egypt.

“If the successors of Akhenaten hacked his name and the record of his reign from their monuments throughout Egypt, then the rulers could have done the same to the history of Moses in Egypt,” I said.
Dr. Scott regarded me and exchanged glances with Susan.
“Quite possible. Really possible. But if we could find the records of Akhenaten in many papyri, then we should have seen the records on Moses,” Dr. Scott said.

“What of the Papyrus Anastasi V that contained the history of the exodus of fleeing slaves from Egypt?” I asked.
“But the number of the slaves were not as recorded in the biblical accounts,” Susan said.

I continued to read.

However, some interesting documents remain, including a copy of the Torah dating to the fifth century BC written on gazelle skin, a drawing of a seven-branched candlestick on dear skin, and the manuscript known as the Atlas of Moses.

Late in the 1800s, a hoard of ancient manuscripts, known as the Geniza documents, was found on the site. A geniza is a place in a synagogue in which obsolete paperwork would be discarded, and there were some 250,000 documents found here.

“I believe that the evidence of Moses exists in the Hieroglyphics. Because, we have not found it does not mean it does not exist. And I am going to search until I find it,” I said.
“You are only trying to justify your Christian faith,” Susan said.
“And history will soon vindicate me,” I said confidently.
Dr. Scott gazed at me.
“Rashman. I share your faith in the dogged determination to dig deeper than others. And I do believe that we have not discovered all the ancient treasures of Egypt. Especially of the Old Kingdom,” he said. “And I may propose that more excavations should be permitted in the Eastern Delta region,” he added.
Susan did not say a word.
“Tell el-Dab'a could be the golden key that will open the door to the undiscovered records of Moses,“ Dr. Scott said.
I nodded gladly.

My conviction was reinforced when I discovered that Akhenaten had a brother who died as a young man and a whip bearing his name was found in his tomb.
Could this whip be the cause of his death?
Was he whipped to death?
By whom?
Who was the Egyptian that Moses murdered in defence of a Jew that he had to flee from Egypt?
Akhenaten renamed Nefertiti as Nefer-Nefru-Aten, which was “Beautiful is the Beauty of Aten”. And I wonder what was the real name of Moses when he was mistaken for an Egyptian prince?
If his Hebrew name was Mosheh, what was his Egyptian name?



2

I was walking in a valley.
I heard echoes from the skies like the sounds of cataracts. The sounds filled my eardrums.
“Horeb! Horeb! Horeb!”
The name echoed countless times.
Then, I felt drops of water on my face.
“Wake up Rashman”.
I opened my eyes and saw Susan with a ceramic cup in her right hand and waving her left hand in my face. She had dropped the water on my face.
“Sorry. I had to do that since you were hallucinating in your sleep,” she said.
I rose and sat on the bed.
“I was dreaming,” I said.
“Hmm. And you saw your Moses again?”
She would not stop making fun of me.
“Susan, I don’t blame you. In fact, I suspect that you are angry with God for allowing Nikky to leave home without trace and you want to query God why we have not found Nikky,” I said.
She was silent for a while.
“Sorry Rashman. You are wrong. Because, I don’t live in the past.”

(To be continued later).

Very interesting story you sure know how to give details and description but is it true? If true, it means you are an adventurous person. i can't wait to read the concluding part

I forgot to mention that i watched a film on a similar subject. The film starred Indiana Jones and they were looking for the a golden ark of covenant which contained the broken pieces of the ten commandments. After finding it, it was collected from them by the so called bad guys and then opened. on opening it, ancient spirits came out and consumed everyone that looked with fire. very interesting ain't it. unfortunately don't usually pay attention the titles of films

skipo87:

I forgot to mention that i watched a film on a similar subject. The film starred Indiana Jones and they were looking for the a golden ark of covenant which contained the broken pieces of the ten commandments. After finding it, it was collected from them by the so called bad guys and then opened. on opening it, ancient spirits came out and consumed everyone that looked with fire. very interesting ain't it. unfortunately don't usually pay attention the titles of films

Skipo,
Thanks for taking the time to read.

I cannot complete this story until I go to Egypt and do more on the spot research of the subject of the missing records of Moses.

I have a conspiracy theory I am investigating.

You watched Steven Spielberg's Raiders of The Lost Ark (1981) with Harrison Ford playing the lead role of Indiana Jones.
Raiders of The Lost Ark is now a classic.

Instead of going to Egypt, you can correspond online with an archeologist?
(One needs to make one's production budget recoupable!)

Seun,
I have done some research online. But I need to travel to Tell el-Dab’a.
An archaeologist online would be beneficial. But I have to find out more from the source.

I have the reality novel on the Boulevard de Clichy in Paris also in my plans.

yea right, raider of the lost ark. i won't mind you thanking me again for reading through your post because it was quite lengthy, Gosh, i cant imagine the cost of your research work. how do you get your money back?

yea right, raider of the lost ark. i won't mind you thanking me again for reading through your post because it was quite lengthy, Gosh, i cant imagine the cost of your research work. how do you get your money back?

skipo87:

yea right, raider of the lost ark. i won't mind you thanking me again for reading through your post because it was quite lengthy, Gosh, i can't imagine the cost of your research work. how do you get your money back?

Skipo,
All right.

I write only 10 pages a day.

I am a professional writer.
But I was out of circulation for over 12 years when I went on preaching the gospel and abandoned my writings until recently. And lack of practice has affected the quality of my prose.

I wonder why most of the Nigerian writers wrote their best works before age 40.
Achebe and Soyinka wrote their best works before age 30.

10 pages a day. Wow, it seems like a lot to me, considering the fact that you probably use MSword.

Yes.
I use MSword.

When engaged in full time commissioned writing, I write over 20 pages a day.
You know I was already a professional writer for NTA Channel 10 at 18 and I was contracted to write 25 different episodes and 19 were produced.
We wrote scripts in the following format.

CAM/SHOT: AUDIO: VIDEO:

Boy-O-boy ! You guys must be great writers 10 and 20 pages a day using MSwords; DAMN!!! I don't write at all even starting to post on naira land took a lot of courage. i wished you guys could help me start writing. i don't know what to write about how to write about (IF ANY TOPIC). Specifially to Orikinla I was wondering, if eventually you find the evidence, would you be allowed to take it out of egypt? and you stil haven't answered my question on your source of funding

skipo87:

Boy-O-boy ! You guys must be great writers 10 and 20 pages a day using MSwords; DAMN!!! I don't write at all even starting to post on naira land took a lot of courage. i wished you guys could help me start writing. i don't know what to write about how to write about (IF ANY TOPIC). Specifially to Orikinla I was wondering, if eventually you find the evidence, would you be allowed to take it out of egypt? and you stil haven't answered my question on your source of funding

Skipo,
Imagination. Imagination. Imagination.

Just imagine it and begin to note it on paper. Then, you can order the notes into prose or drama.

The research in Egypt is just to enable me know the exact places as already identified in the first chapter.

I want to be there. Do the survey of the locations and know the community of Jews and ask questions. The knowledge will help me in my description and characterization.

On funding?
I have two books being sold in Nigeria and abroad. And I am a professional writer for international magazines and clients.

I am the Editorial Consultant for a Nigerian magazine and the Executive Director of an international magazine.
(please, I won't mention the names.)

@ Orikinla

Seems you are already half way in archieving what you are looking for, travelling to Egypt might not be as easy as you see the Americans do in films, but if you really want to travel then you mustn't go alone you need someone maybe in helping you socializing with them, i have a friend that lives in Egypt, but when he went there it was not that easy for him to associate with them because (you know arabians they are kind of hostile _{sorry to say that} ) but if you really wanna travel you need to get there with someone who understands their language very well, i have gone through you first story about Egypt and it was intresting and i think you are really talented,

Being an Editorial Consultant and also Executice director of a Foreign magazine i wasn't suprised to see how talented you were.

But be really if you wanna still make the trip to Egypt cos you're right by saying without making the trip then the story can't be completed, just be careful man.
Take care.

Marlet,
Your good advice would be very helpful.

But I am actually suspicious of things happening in my life. Because, there is what we call The Conspiracy of the Universe in the destiny of everyone.

I believe everything about my life has already been written by God as you know that our history is actually His- Story.

Dr. Mike Murdock said what you love most to do is your ministry.

I wrote my best literature from age 17 to 30.
There are 8 novels written so far awaiting publication. And I have been published in book form since 1987 with my Children of Heaven being my first book. I got four books published last year.

Some of my fellow writers have passed away and nobody knows about their works and I have to succeed to tell their stories. Because, I am afraid that if I don't succeed, nobody will tell our stories.

There are so many Nigerian geniuses and many of them have passed on unsung.
Because, Nigerians are the most intellectually ignorant and selfish people in the world.

Not much is known about our heritage, because we have little or no record of them. And if not for the great artists of Ife, Nok, Benin, Igbo Ukwu and others, our heritage would have been lost and buried in the sands of time.

I have already started a documentary on the soapstone figures of Ise in Kwara State of Nigeria and they are the largest single collection of soapstone sculptures in history. But when I met with the former Minister of Culture and Tourism in Abuja, he was so clueless about the importance, relevance and significance of the heritage of Ise and I developed the project for the National Museum to carry on. But they have abandoned it.

Most Nigerian workers are not working as service, but just to earn a living.
That is why Nigeria is a country of salary earners and not achievers.
Because, the greatest ambition of most Nigerians is to earn a seven-digit salary and not to accomplish another Microsoft, Google or Apple.

Nigerians actually worship Mammon and pay lip service to God. For even our churches and mosques do not minister to the poor. I was at a church where a visiting minister was making fun of the poor who gave N20 or N40 offerings.

We must tell these stories online and offline, otherwise we may never survive long enough to do so later.

1Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

2I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:

3Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.

Psalm 78
1Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

2I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:

3Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.

4We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.

5For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:

6That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:

7That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:

8And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.

9The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.

10They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law;

11And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had shewed them.

12Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.

13He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap.

14In the daytime also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.

15He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths.

16He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.

17And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness.

18And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust.

19Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?

20Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? can he provide flesh for his people?

21Therefore the LORD heard this, and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel;

22Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation:

23Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven,

24And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven.

25Man did eat angels' food: he sent them meat to the full.

26He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven: and by his power he brought in the south wind.

27He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea:

28And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations.

29So they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their own desire;

30They were not estranged from their lust. But while their meat was yet in their mouths,

31The wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel.

32For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works.

33Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.

34When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and enquired early after God.

35And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer.

36Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues.

37For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant.

38But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.

39For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.

40How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!

41Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.

42They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy.

43How he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan.

44And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink.

45He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.

46He gave also their increase unto the caterpiller, and their labour unto the locust.

47He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycomore trees with frost.

48He gave up their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts.

49He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them.

50He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence;

51And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham:

52But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.

53And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.

54And he brought them to the border of his sanctuary, even to this mountain, which his right hand had purchased.

55He cast out the heathen also before them, and divided them an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.

56Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies:

57But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.

58For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images.

59When God heard this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel:

60So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which he placed among men;

61And delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy's hand.

62He gave his people over also unto the sword; and was wroth with his inheritance.

63The fire consumed their young men; and their maidens were not given to marriage.

64Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation.

65Then the LORD awaked as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine.

66And he smote his enemies in the hinder parts: he put them to a perpetual reproach.

67Moreover he refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim:

68But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved.

69And he built his sanctuary like high palaces, like the earth which he hath established for ever.

70He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:

71From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.

72So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.

Wow!

If its immagination alone, then yours must have ben thoroughly trained to "operate" at such speed.
I love the research angle, it makes your work different. Keep it up.

Your best might still be ahead of you, if you believe that your destiny is already mapped out (I don't believe that sha), then you don't know what God still has in store for you, Success is best measured by the impact you have had on others. One nursery rhyme we had to learn goes this way:

If the begining is well,
You must struggle not to fail,
For the Beginning and Ending,
Must leave nothing pending.

uzygirl:

Wow!

If its immagination alone, then yours must have ben thoroughly trained to "operate" at such speed.
I love the research angle, it makes your work different. Keep it up.

Your best might still be ahead of you, if you believe that your destiny is already mapped out (I don't believe that sha), then you don't know what God still has in store for you, Success is best measured by the impact you have had on others. One nursery rhyme we had to learn goes this way:

If the begining is well,
You must struggle not to fail,
For the Beginning and Ending,
Must leave nothing pending.

Uzygirl,
Thanks.

I will now show you what my recent research has led me to.

The Egyptian name of Moses was Tutmoses.

In Serabit El-Khadim there was erected a stele in the 11th year of reign. It bears the image of Princess Neferure and it is to her, oddly enough, that the regnal years are ascribed. She is accompanied by her steward Senenmut [Moses], bearing a fan. A.H.Gardiner, T.E.Peet and J.Cerny, The Inscriptions of Sinai, Part II (Oxford, 1955) pp.151-152.

Senmut/Tutmoses II (Moses) is groomed to become pharaoh. He is the architect of Deir El Bahri, the mortuary temple of Hatshepsut.

Tomb No. 71 at Deir El Bahri was first of two tombs intended for Moses (Senenmut). Tomb No. 353 was the second, but work stopped when he fled Egypt, and the tomb remains unfinished.

I have to still spend at least 30 Days on location in Egypt.
I have to follow my spirit.
I have to go to Mount Horeb.

@ Orikinla

That was also nice again, have you ever tought of aspect like movie production or script writing as well, cos being such a learned writer, it wouldn't be difficult for you to face that aspect, knowing fully well that you could as well expand your horizon to that area, from what i've read on your golden manuscript it could also be acted and you could be the lucky producer for that great movie.

I don't really know what your plans are but seeing so much talent in you i urge you to try and start your own, either script writing or movie production would be ok.

Thanks to Seun for this Nairaland cos i've come across alot of talent and ambitious people as well, and am still looking forward in meeting more of them.

Orikinla just try and stay focused on your findings and i wish you the best of luck.

Marlet,
I am very glad and grateful for your sincere appreciation.

I started my career from the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) as a scriptwriter for four years. My last paying job was as the Production Manager of Money Wise on DBN TV in Lagos from 1998-2000.

My last stage production was Sleepless Night sponsored by Dele Momodu the publisher of Ovation International and the French Cultural Centre in Lagos.
My last musical recording was She Comes On Sundays played on the BBC with an interview on my performance poetry.

I am now an Associate Producer with Ark Resources Entertainment (ARE) the best TV and film production company in West Africa and I am working on the production of my first feature Naked Beauty written by Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima and Chika Christian Onu the Nollywood director of Living in Bondage, Glamour Girls and over 120 other movies.

Naked Beauty is going to be a classic romantic film that God will use to exalt His Holy name in my life and for the benefit of Nigeria.
The screenplay is already being sold online and offline.
And my goal is to win an Oscar to the glory of God before 2010.

I live and work for charity.

Orikinla

Thanks man,
I see a bright future ahead of you, keep it up?

Marlet,
Thanks for encouraging me.
But I do get depressed by the terrible things going on in the Niger Delta on Nigeria.
My comrade is in detention.
8 cult members were killed in a bloody clash just after the dawn of the New year.
A brother used a dagger and stabbed the other brother to death and an elder went to the home of a chief and used his rifle to blow off his head. And I have been depressed since I got the details of the tragedies.

Tragedies like these horrifying and terrifying one above can make me lose interest in everything, because I am only happy when others are happy.

@ Orikinla

i don't really know what that area is turning out to be, from what i do hear about that area i know the Nigerian Government has been trying it's possible best to stop the unending drama that is going on there, too much bloodshed, kidnapping and all sort of unlawful act has been going on.

i wonder what the youth of that area are doing with their spare time, other than using it wisely they are using it to terorize their fellow citizens and also the Government.

Now is brother to brother violence and all sort of bad drama, for now, it's only prayer that can help that place nothing more,

The Nigerian Government has tried it's possible best but they could not still help the situation, now is just God alone that can revive the place.

Let's just keep praying that this 2007 elections going on there in Nigeria would be peaceful and no more bloodshed would be involved as they have already been killing each other in the past years.

As for you Orikinla, keep expanding your horizon in any manner you know how, as i said earlier stay focused on everything you do then you will reach the top, i too i get alot downcasted by such news anytime it reaches my ear i feel like crying, but i know there is nothing i can do about the situation other than prayer, just keep putting them in your prayers this year, maybe God could work wonders for them,

Take care man, cheers.

Marlet,
Thanks.

The Golden Manuscript will be over 300 pages from my notes so far. And my new editor Chasity Moody is a genius. So, don't worry. The novel will be worth reading.

Once it is about to be published, I will buzz you to include you among those on my acknowledgement list.

Thanks and god bless.

Ok man

Take care and God bless you as well.

I have not had time to continue this book project, because my passion has shifted from books to movies for now.