In the beginning…12b. Earth Overlook: Day Seven

Lucifer took a roundabout path to the palace. Just as he was turning a corner at a fairly brisk clip, his thoughts occupied with the immediate future events, he ran smack into a shiny, metallic figure. His grunt was matched with a somewhat startled but sincere, “Excuse me!” from the other being.

With a quick look up, Lucifer immediately, though barely, recognized the face and countenance of the Son of God. Standing mesmerized, Lucifer did not quite believe what his eyes were relaying to his brain. Jesus was dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.

The angel’s first reaction was a feeling that he was going to faint. He recovered swiftly and was about to continue on his way when a hitherto unnoticed figure came from behind Jesus. It was Michael. He stepped up to Lucifer and spat with a whispered snarl, “What do you want?”

Though caught off guard for only a moment, Lucifer was literally taken aback by Michael’s aggressive confrontation. He quickly recovered, replying, “None of your business.”

Immediately Jesus intervened between the two and the moment of conflict faded in his dominating presence. “Now, guys, this is a day of celebration; calm down. The show’s about to begin.”

His voice had the immediate effect of serenity and Lucifer took a step backward, turned, and rushed back around the corner in the direction from which he had come, sidetracked momentarily from his mission. He had planned to set a distracting trap to be triggered late in the performance that would disrupt it and bring embarrassment to the gala initiates. Those plans would have to be canceled. Much as he longed for a legitimate confrontation with the Son of God, this wasn’t the time or place; he was ill-prepared. That would have to wait until, what was it everyone was saying? “Tomorrow?” Yes, that was the word. He would put this off until tomorrow. With those thoughts filling his mind, Lucifer literally ran back to the palace to rejoin his cohorts.

Watching the angelic retreat, and still with a restraining hand on Michael’s arm who would no doubt have liked to pursue Lucifer and finish what had just begun, Jesus paused. He pondered the fleeting rendezvous, wondering what Lucifer could be doing back here at a time when everyone was supposed to be gathered for the performance.

“Oh, well,” he thought to himself, “he’s not even worth using my omniscience on just now. I’ll think about him later…tomorrow.” Remembering that he had a pressing engagement, he gave a friendly nudge to the angel at his side, “We better hurry, Mike; don’t want to be late for the big introduction. My father is really going to love this.” The duo entered the back door of the palace that led directly to the staging area for the celebration.

None of the three realized that this brief encounter was but a foreshadowing of more foreboding events that would play out in the not-so-distant future. It was to be a prelude to bigger occurrences that would reshape not only heaven’s history but mankind’s outcomes in a monumental way; but all that could and would, as two heavenly beings had so aptly surmised, wait until tomorrow.

Jesus and Michael hurriedly entered the Father’s special meditation room. When God wasn’t on or near the throne or strolling the streets of heaven, this is where he could generally be found. He looked up from his ponderings as the two entered.

“Is all ready?” God inquired.

“Yes, Father,” Jesus replied. “Is something the matter?”

“Nothing that can’t wait until after the celebration, Son,” he procrastinated, knowing that everything was playing out as it had to. The thought saddened him.

As though remembering, Jesus continued, “Oh, Father, we just ran into Lucifer in the back hallways. I don’t know what he’s up to, but he seemed in a hurry and nearly knocked us down. He was tense and anxious, even a little angry.”

God nodded, “I know, Son. I’m afraid Lucifer will be a thorn in your side and an irritant to us all for a long time.”

Michael jumped eagerly into the conversation, “I can handle that ‘angel’!” he nearly spat the last syllables. “You just say the word!”

God calmed him, “Michael, you’ll get your chance; but for now, let’s concentrate on the matters at hand. It’s a day of celebration; a day I have made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

With that final edict, Jesus and Michael escorted God to his throne in the large room. As God and Jesus took their seats on their individual adjacent thrones, Michael’s eyes were focusing on a group in the back toward the sides. His eyes made contact with Lucifer’s for only a moment, but it was a look Michael would never forget. “Someday…just you wait, Lucifer!” the silent but venomous thought filled his mind.

[to be continued]