Fire and Sword (37 page)

The Maltese men who remained gathered wood and built a fire for the cold, wet castaways. They huddled around its inviting warmth.

“A fire certainly can change an attitude,” Paul said as the men gathered near the heat. “Now all we need is some food, and we’ll be quite set.”

“Paul, did you ever imagine these sorts of things?” Luke said. “I mean of all the things you have experienced since you have been in the Way?”

“You mean the fun parts?” Paul asked, smiling. “The stonings, beatings, attempts on my life, robberies, cold, hunger …” He indicated their situation with a wave of his hand. “Shipwrecks? Of course, one never knows.”

He leaned back. “But think of it, Luke. I’ve also been in palaces, had plenty. I’ve learned to be content in all situations so that I am never disappointed. My God will supply all my needs through His own treasury. Just as He supplied this fire.” He looked at the embers. “Which needs a little attention. Stay here, Luke. I’ll get some more wood.”

“Perfect!” Rugio said. “Nathan, where is that viper?”

Nathan pointed to a rocky outcrop. Underneath some driftwood was a snake, indigenous to this place. Rugio smiled. “Now we’ll introduce Paul to some
real
fire!”

Rugio vanished and entered into the body of the snake. Nathan watched as Rugio manipulated the snake and sent it slithering through the pieces of driftwood near where Paul was gathering sticks for the fire. Paul picked up several pieces of wood and piled them near the flames. When he picked up one piece, some of the islanders jumped back in terror and pointed.

Rugio saw his mark, and before Paul could react, sank the snake’s fangs deep into Paul’s arm. The angel could feel the venom coursing out. He came out of the snake and appeared next to Nathan to watch Paul die.

“Good strike,” Nathan said.

“Finally, one of us has succeeded,” Rugio said. “Now I can report back to Lucifer that Paul is finished.”

Paul realized what had happened and looked at the snake, still hanging onto his arm by its fangs. The men around the fire watched in terror as Paul shook the snake off his arm and into the flames, where it writhed in pain for a few seconds and died. Paul tended his wounds. The Maltese men talked among themselves. Ahmose overheard them.

“They are saying that you must be a criminal,” Ahmose said. “Because that snake bites and kills people deserving of death.”

“He is a criminal, all right,” said Rugio. “And deserving of death!”

“Yes,” said Nathan. “But why isn’t he dying?”

“Give it time, Nathan,” Rugio countered. “Some deaths are for relishing.”

As they waited, it became more and more apparent that Paul was not being affected by the snake’s venom. The islanders began talking again, looking at Paul in awe.

In fact, Paul was feeling better and better having eaten some food provided by the men of Malta. He sat back and enjoyed the warmth of the fire.

“They are now saying you are a god,” Ahmose said. “Because you did not die by the snake bite.”

Paul laughed.

Rugio did not.

“It’s time to report to Lucifer,” Nathan said reluctantly.

“I don’t understand,” said Rugio. “This snake kills a man in minutes. We have often seen men die by this venom. Ordinary humans die from this!”

“Ordinary humans, yes,” said Nathan. “But this is Paul.”

“Paul is a man just like any other.”

“Paul is a man,” said Nathan. “But not like any other. Because he has found something that other men have not.” They looked at Paul as he began teaching the others about Jesus Christ. “Favor with God. Paul will die when it is time. And I have the feeling that when the time comes—he will be ready.”

Paul’s Cell, Rome, A.D. 67

“…For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that Day—and not only to me, but to all who have longed for His appearing.”

Paul put down the stylus and massaged his aching hands. He looked over at Luke who was reading the other manuscript. He smiled as he continued writing.

“…Only Luke is with me…. Alexander the metalworker did me great harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done…. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom. To Him be the glory for ever and ever. Amen!”

“There,” Paul said, laying down the stylus. “See that this gets to Timothy in Ephesus. I’m hoping he can come to me this winter.”

Luke took the letter from his friend.

“Do you think you’ll still be…here…this winter?”

Paul smiled.

“If not, my friend, I will be in a far better place.”

Paul stood to stretch. This had been his home since appearing before Caesar. The acrid smoke of the recent fires filled the room as well as the prisons. Nero was arresting everyone—especially Christians—who might be a suspect in the fire.

“You must get this letter and yourself out of Rome before you are arrested too,” Paul said. “The fact that you are not a Jew will only help you so far in Nero’s world.”

Luke nodded, tears springing to his eyes. He looked at how Paul had aged over these few years. He remembered the early journeys—the days walking from town to town, the wonderful exploits of God, the many times God rescued him from men and beast alike—and now, this apostle of the Gentiles humbly awaited Nero’s ax man.

Luke turned to leave.

“If I don’t see you soon, I’ll see you soon,” he said.

Paul embraced the man.

“And soon we shall all be united once more,” he said. “You, me, Stephen, James. All of us who loved the Lord. We will celebrate again one day, Luke. And all who believe upon His name—from this day and onward. Every man and woman who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

“‘Every man and woman who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved,’” quoted Lucifer. “Fitting words for a man about to die. Finally.”

“Perhaps with Paul out of the way, we can finally bring the Church to its knees,” offered Kara. “We always knew that the leaders of this community were the real threat.”

Lucifer was silent. He looked at his council.

“I used to think that,” Lucifer said. “But I was wrong. The problem is not just killing off the leaders. They will come and go. The problem is what happens now.”

“What do you mean, my prince?” asked Pellecus.

“The Church will always be empowered by the Spirit and is therefore something we cannot destroy,” Lucifer continued. “As Paul said, the Lord will make Himself known to any of the vermin who call upon His name. Therefore, my friends, we have to make a shift in our strategy.

“Until now, we have been fighting the wrong people. We did all we could to stop the Messiah from appearing. We opposed Messiah Himself after He arrived. We took on the leaders of the Church and proved powerless to stop the spread of this. We will never destroy the Church in total. But we can destroy its individual parts.”

“Meaning…”

“Meaning, Pellecus, that humans like Paul and Stephen are exceptional. Most tend toward the Ananias and Sapphira variety.”

The angels laughed.

“As a whole, the Church will always exist, but individually we can weaken believers so the total of the Church is compromised. Hear me, brothers. Our task now is to discourage the Church individually, to create compromise, to lead people astray, to make people see the Church as a kingdom to build for self and not salvation. In short, the Church is only as strong as its individual parts. Weaken the parts, my friends, and the entire Body suffers.”

“That was Paul’s teaching,” Kara said.

“He was right,” Lucifer said. “The Church is a Body. Our focus cannot be merely on the head—from now on, we must attack
all
the parts of the Body, and by doing so, will encourage weakness throughout. Our work is clear.”

Lucifer stood and stared at the sun setting over the Aegean.

“If, as has been foretold, we are to be dragged into the very hell prepared for us, we shall do whatever we must to take as many humans with us. And we will bring such temptation, such persecution, such wealth, such force against the Church as we can muster—and in the end, this body will become a weak and pitiful organ—living but limp; a diseased and distant community, surviving but just barely.”

Lucifer looked over the group.

“Let
that
be the legacy of Paul!”

D. Brian Shafer is a pastor and writer. He lives in Waco, Texas, with his wife, Lori, and their three children, Kiersten, Breelin, and Ethan. He is the author of the
Chronicles of the Host
series, available in bookstores nationwide.

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