Part Two: As Earth Churns…16. Heaven

It had been many days since the unforgettable scene in the palace that culminated with the expulsion of Lucifer and his followers from heaven. This had been a time of incredible activity for the angels. All had received their assignments and were eager to allow the goings-on to enable them to forget the rather scary events of the recent past.

This particular morning found Gabriel standing with hands on hips, admiring the Tree of Life that had just been planted beside the River of Life. “I can’t tell any difference between this tree and the Tree of Life over there on the other bank that’s been here all along,” Gabriel announced to his work crew. His companions had done most of the work while he had supervised every step of the transplant from Eden’s now deserted forests to the celestial riverbank.

He continued, “Well, that’s that. We might as well return to the construction sight.” Just then he sighted his best friend Michael crossing the bridge. “Hey, Mike!” he shouted.

“Gabe? Is that you?” Michael hollered.

“In the flesh, uh, so to speak,” Gabriel replied. “I haven’t seen you for a month of Sundays, Mike; what’ve you been up to?”

“Oh, mostly I’ve been down on Earth spying on Lucifer, tracking Adam and Eve, and making sure Zerub and his helpers keep that flaming sword flashing as God decreed so nobody, not even Lucifer, gets back into Eden,” Michael explained in one long, breathless sentence.

“Has God decided what He’s going to do with that beautiful garden yet?” Gabriel inquired.

“Not that I’ve heard,” Michael replied. “I spoke with Jesus a few days ago and he thought perhaps His Father was just going to let it sit there for awhile. Meantime, we have to keep both men and angels, uh, I mean devils, from reentering it. How about you, Gabe? How’s the construction project coming over which God made you foreman.”

“All right, I guess. Biggest job I ever tackled. Glad he gave me almost every angel in this place to help with the building,” Gabe continued. “I’m still about as incredulous as I was the day the Father directed me to start this project. ‘Gabriel,’ He said, ‘I want you to start constructing some really nice, spacious rooms connecting on all sides of the palace except the front.’ Michael, you remember what he said when I asked him how many he wanted built?”

“I sure do; like it was yesterday. ‘Thousands and thousands,’ wasn’t it?” Michael suggested.

“Actually God’s exact words were, ‘Thousands and thousands and thousands,’” Gabriel insisted. “When I tossed out what I thought would be a really ridiculous number so I could get a better idea of the venture, remember what happened?”

“How could I forget, Gabe?” Michael assured him. “You said, ‘How ‘bout 144,000?’”

“Yeah, and He said, ‘Sure, that will be a good start.’ That’s when I nearly lost it and blubbered something like, ‘Good start!’”

Michael interjected, “I thought you were going to faint dead away.”

“I almost did,” Gage agreed. “But God was quick to continue, ‘Build those 144,000 rooms and then just keep building.’ I asked him how long and you know what he said?”

“Until I tell you to stop?” Michael guessed.

“That’s right. I’m using nearly every angel in the place and we’re just to keep building these large, lovely rooms onto the palace until God tells me to stop,” Gabriel concluded. “Now how do you like that?”

“The question is ‘How do you like it?’” Michael corrected.

“You’re right, Mike,” Gabriel went on. “I’ve got nothing better to do. But, what’s it all for? Do you have any hypotheticals?”

Michael frowned, “Hypo-whaticals?”

Gabriel explained, “Ideas. Guesses.”

“Possibly, Jesus said he thought we were preparing rooms for lots and lots of people from Earth who would someday come to live with us here in heaven,” Michael suggested.

“By the scope of this building project, there could be millions!” Gabriel declared.

“I guess so, Gabe; but you know, ours is not to reason why,” Michael concluded.

“Yes, I know,” Gabriel finished the statement, “Ours is but to do.”

“You got it, Gabe; ours is but to do just what the will of the Master is,” Michael finished.

“Guess I better get to doing,” Gabriel started to move off from the riverbank. “I’ve got the choir working on the first thousand rooms on the back side of the palace. Allen’s in charge. You know, I never knew just how good he was at directing and leading men until God suggested I put him in charge of part of the overall construction.”

“He is a good choir director,” Michael reminded.

“I’ve always known that. He’s the best. I just didn’t know he could lead his angelic choir in a massive building project,” Gabriel explained. “But he sure can. He’s hours ahead of either of the other side room work details. Well, gotta get busy; catch ya later, Mike.”

“See ya,” Michael waved and entered the palace looking for Jesus, while Gabriel skirted the right side and headed toward the rear.

Gabriel’s ears were soon assailed with the noise of sawing and hammering and…what was that other sound? Singing? Gabriel thought to himself, “Leave it to Allen to have his crew singing while they work. Perhaps that’s the secret to his being so far ahead of schedule.”

[to be continued]