In the beginning…15. Earth Overlook and Throne Room

Earth Overlook

Michael led the way to the Earth Overlook where not a moment was lost nor any pretense of ceremony offered. The entire group of wayward angels was hurled bodily over the railing. Obviously they had at least temporarily lost their powers of flight as each of them landed with a thud and a loud groan of pain on the dirt and rocks below. “And don’t even think about trying to sneak back into heaven,” Michael shouted down at Lucifer.

Lucifer and his angels staggered to their feet and limped into a nearby forest to set about the daunting task of removing the chains that bound them humiliatingly and painfully with abilities little better than mortal man possessed. Once out of sight of heaven, they discovered they had most of their powers restored.

“This is better anyway,” Lucifer reasoned to himself. “Now I can set about gaining complete control of mankind and this world that the Father,” the name seemed to spit loathingly from between half-clenched teeth, “has made for me!” Then, so all his accompanying angels could hear him, he seethed, “Vengeance is mine, saith the Accuser, I will repay!” With that, the group melted deeper into the forest. They would find a secluded place, perhaps a dark cave, and begin making plans to take control of this world.

Throne Room

Back in the throne room of the heavenly palace, God was completing his instructions to the various angels assigning their imminent tasks. He renewed his statement to Gabriel.

“Now then, Gabriel,” God took up where he had previously left off upon seeing Lucifer’s presence in the throne room, “I need you to take a group of angels and journey down to Eden. I want you to chop down and then thoroughly burn all parts of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.”

“Is that all, Lord?” Gabriel asked.

“No, once you complete that job, I want you to dig up the Tree of Life and bring it up here to heaven. Replant it on the opposite bank of the River of Life from the Tree of Life already here in our heavenly city. I will have more vital tasks for you later. Do these two things as quickly as possible.”

“I will, Lord,” Gabriel affirmed. Signaling to several angels nearby, he left on his important errand.

As soon as Gabriel left on his mission, Michael returned to the palace and reported, “Majesty, Adam and Eve have been expelled from Eden and Zerub and his aides are in place on the east side with the flaming sword to ensure they don’t return.”

God said, “Thank you for handling that so efficiently, Michael.”

“You’re welcome,” Michael acknowledged. “I figured that I might as well do that while I was scouting Lucifer’s whereabouts. He and his devil angels...”

God interrupted him, “Michael, no one is ever to refer to Lucifer and the others as angels again. They are devils and messengers of evil. He is the Prince of Darkness, powerful but conquerable.”

“What do you mean, Father?” Jesus, silent for awhile, spoke up at this point.

“I’ll explain it all soon, Son; just be patient. You have a most important task to fulfill which I will tell you of shortly,” God added.

“My omniscience doesn’t seem to be working too well just now, Father,” Jesus queried.

“I know, Son,” God explained. “That’s how it must be for now. We’ll talk tomorrow.”

“All right, Father,” Jesus seemed pacified and reconciled to the delay.

“Michael, where did you last see Satan?” God inquired.

“He and his band were on the west side of Eden and moving farther west. They didn’t seem the least bit interested in harassing Adam and Eve,” Michael reported.

“They will be, Michael,” God assured him, “but not for awhile. Now, if you will all just return to your business for the present, I have some thinking and planning to do.” God smiled at Jesus, “Son, I’ll see you in a few hours, so we can have that talk.”

“I understand, Father. This has been a very long day, hasn’t it?” Jesus observed.

“Yes, it has, Son. It’s been the longest day. Now let’s use what is left of it to get some rest. In fact,” God continued, “I hereby bless the seventh day and make it holy. On this day we will rest from all the work of creating that we have done. Man also will rest from his six days of toil and labor.”

Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.

[the end of Part One]