Rising Darkness (7 page)

“Much like the Lord’s meeting with Moses on Sinai, hmm?” inquired Crispin. “What with the sandals being removed and all.”

“Very much so, teacher,” said Michael. He then added with an unbelieving shake of his head, “The Most High and the humans who resist him. Such a paradox. Sometimes I wonder if Lucifer isn’t correct.”

He read Crispin’s face and quickly moved to qualify the statement. “I’m not saying Lucifer and those who follow him are right in their position. They gambled and they have lost. But I mean the core of his opposition rests in the idea that, given the freedom to choose, humans will ultimately choose to oppose God. It is their nature.”

“True, that image of God that rested in them so purely in Eden has been distorted beyond repair,” said Crispin. “And yet our Lord finds men irresistible to the point of giving them a faint hope in a hopeless world.”

“The prophecy,” said Michael.

“Just so,” said Crispin. “As we stand here, as the Lord speaks with Joshua, angels both holy and impure are contesting for the minds and hearts of men. All over this world, from east to west, humans are engaged in a war that most of them know absolutely nothing about. A small portion of these humans have been acquainted with our Lord, whose apparent plan through their father Abraham is to see the whole world ultimately blessed. We understand that to be somehow connected with the prophecy—the Seed of Eve.”

Crispin looked at the archangel, captain of the Lord’s Host. He understood Michael to be a passionate warrior whose one impulse was to serve the Lord with all his might. Naturally there were times when the war seemed so pointless—that ultimately humans would turn on their Creator.

“I understand your feelings in this, Michael,” continued Crispin. “But ultimately we must trust in the Lord’s wisdom despite human frivolity. Somehow this Seed of the woman promises something great.”

He snickered a bit. “How Lucifer must tremble at the thought of what he unleashed in deceiving Eve!” He resumed his lecture to the archangel. “To be sure, Michael, our rebellious Lucifer’s mission is not merely to disable humans. It is to destroy the possibility of the prophecy rising up one day and biting him just as he struck at Eve. He is not concerned with people who die apart from the knowledge of God. They are of little contest to him. But he realizes he is vulnerable to humans like Joshua, and others who believe the Lord and are committed to Him. Thus he opposes not a man, nor a family, nor even a nation. He opposes a prophecy.”

Michael always enjoyed the words of Crispin. He had a way of making sense of situations. He nodded his head in agreement.

“And so Lucifer must contest such faith with fear,” mused Michael.

“Exactly,” said Crispin. “Because his greatest fear
is
faith!”

Chronicles of the Host

Gabriel and Michael stood on the low hill overlooking Jericho. They watched as the Hebrews lined up once more in procession, to march around the city. The Ark of the Testimony went before the armed men, borne by the priests, who were also carrying trumpets looted from Egypt years before.

“The city seems more still than usual,” remarked Gabriel. “Even the enemy seems more subdued.”

Michael agreed. Over the past six days the demon presence, which had played such a prominent part early on in cajoling and attempting to strike fear in the hearts of the men of Israel, had slowly ebbed. Now there were only those few devils who remained on in possession of particular people, or who remained loyal to Khasis—who had vowed to resist until it was over.

“I thought at first that Joshua’s marching might only encourage the enemy to their usual mockery,” said Michael. “Instead they seem to have vanished.”

“There is more here than marching, Michael,” said Gabriel. “They sense that the Lord is about to judge this place and they have abandoned it.”

Just then an alarm went up in the city as a watchman observed the Israelites approaching in their usual procession. Soldiers began peeking up over the walls, watching with bemused looks the strange behavior of Joshua’s men. Occasionally a man would curse the Hebrews, or dare them to come nearer the walls. But Joshua’s troops resolutely began their trek around the city. One…two…three…and finally six times.

“Six times today,” said Gabriel. “There is something different in this.”

“I can sense a shift in Jericho,” agreed Michael. “And the Host is moving in as well. They know it will soon be over too.”

“They have been instructed in what to do?” asked Gabriel.

“Of course,” said Michael. “On Joshua’s signal they will move in.”

Gabriel observed as thousands of shimmering angels descended upon the scene, preparing to do battle with an enemy that was largely vacating the battlefield. Every so often an enemy spirit would shriek and curse and fling himself through the angelic cordon, vowing that the fight was not yet over.

“Strange how the city seems so unaware…so ordinary,” said Michael. “It’s as if nothing has changed for them in these past six days. They seem totally unaware of what is about to befall them. Even their fear is beginning to subside in the face of no real war.”

Gabriel pointed to a particular section of the wall.

“There is one in Jericho who is aware,” he said.

High above the ground, dangling from a small window, was a red cord that cascaded down about 20 feet.

“Rahab,” said Michael quietly.

“Shout! The Lord your God has given you this city!”

Upon Joshua’s command, the men at arms who surrounded Jericho began shouting with all their might. The priests accompanying them blew on their trumpets—and a great noise filled the city.

Khasis and what was left of his demon attachment were filled with panic as they saw thousands of the Host descending upon the city. What was left of his troop scattered like dust and only he remained fixed—preferring to stay in Jericho in defiance.

The Host slammed into the walls, hitting them with their great swords. The men on the walls were still laughing at Joshua’s men, making jokes about the concert they were enjoying. Some of them blew trumpets back in mockery.

Suddenly the walls began to shift and the men who stood upon them became silent. They looked about themselves in disbelief as first one, and then another section of the walls gave way with a great crash. Scores of men fell with the walls and were killed by the great stones.

As the walls continued collapsing, Joshua gave the command for the Israelites to attack. Joshua’s men poured through the great cloud of dust that had engulfed the once proud city, and began killing the defenders. Panic had set in completely, as the people of Jericho fled in every direction, trying to escape the vengeance of the Lord.

Here and there, devils and angels were locked in battle, swords flashing and curses being uttered. Khasis knew he was defeated, but he and his few remaining defenders determined to face their former brethren from Heaven head-on. Khasis brought his sword down hard on Sangius, one of Michael’s chief aides, who had led the Host into Jericho.

Sangius yelped in pain and swung back with his own sword, clipping Khasis on the shoulder. Khasis grinned and brought his sword down once more, narrowly missing Sangius’s head. Then, over Sangius’s shoulder he saw the red cord dangling from Rahab’s window, and he growled and lunged in that direction. He swung at Sangius with his sword as he flew toward the harlot’s home, narrowly missing him once more. Sangius could only watch him for a second before he was engulfed by several more of the enemy, including a captain of Jericho’s evil host.

“I will at least see that traitor Rahab dead,” said Khasis in a rage to his aides, his reddish aura manifesting in uncontrolled anger.

Several demon spirits accompanied him with enraged anticipation of what Khasis would do to Rahab. Inside her home, Rahab waited and prayed to the God of Joshua for herself and her family who had managed to find shelter with her.

Khasis and his devils burst into the room. There was only one holy angel guarding her, and Khasis immediately ordered his warriors to distract him. They immediately set upon the guardian, who fought them off valiantly. Even so, they forced him away from Rahab so Khasis might be able to approach her unhindered. He grinned and lifted his sword high. Her guardian watched, unable to get to her in time to help.

The crash of Michael’s sword against the sword of Khasis was so loud that every angel in the region heard it. Khasis’s sword spun out into the heavenlies, and he reeled and turned, cursing Michael, whose sword was lifted high for another blow. Khasis shrieked and vanished, as did every other enemy angel with him.

Rahab’s guardian watched as Joshua’s two spies, who had promised Rahab that she would be spared, entered the room and placed her under their protection. Outside, as Rahab and her family were escorted to Joshua, the last remnants of resistance were killed by the Israelites. Every man, woman, and child of Jericho was put to death as the Lord had ordered.

One of Joshua’s generals, the one who had been fighting a demon-inspired depression, appeared before Joshua.

“A wonderful victory, sir!” he said jauntily. Joshua was glad to see his spirits up again. “A dreadful stronghold.”

“The Lord is good,” Joshua admitted, looking over the carnage. “I have pronounced a curse over this place. Should anyone ever attempt to rebuild this city it will be at the cost of his firstborn.”

Several of Joshua’s officers walked about with gold cups and other valuables in their hands. They were enjoying the fruit of plunder. Joshua pointed to the men.

“Commander, remind the people that this unrighteous place is devoted to destruction. Everything in it is to be destroyed or left behind in honor of our Lord. No plunder!”

“As you wish,” said the commander, who went to the men and spoke with them. The men looked at the commander and then over at Joshua. They dropped their goods where they stood and walked off, muttering a bit. The commander walked back to Joshua.

“I’ll go throughout the ruined city and make sure that nothing is taken,” he said to Joshua. “Although it will be difficult to explain to some of the men.”

“You let me worry about the men, Achan,” said Joshua. “You just carry out the order that nothing be taken.”

“It shall be just as you have said,” Achan responded, as he looked down at the small gold ring that he had let casually drop to the ground while talking with Joshua. After Joshua left, Achan looked at the ring that he had found and was going to give to his wife. For a few seconds he stood there as the sun hit the ring and made it shimmer. He shook himself to his duty.

“Such a pity,” he said and ground it into the dust.