Day #11....The Story Continues

The other dimension, the one where Enemy is supreme ruler, is dark, void, and full of wickedness. Millennia before, Enemy, along with his legions, had been cast into this obscure dimension, was given full authority over it, and was left. The door to the outside was slammed shut and locked by Father.

Time in complete solitude had caused Enemy to become bored, and he had also grown more and more angry, but he continually reminded himself that his time would come. Even though he wasn’t fully aware of Father’s plans, he knew Father was busy developing a game where he would play a major role. He spent each moment waiting, pent up emotions ready to be unleashed on this plan of Father.

A created being, Enemy had many appealing qualities. No other being ever created had the wisdom, cunning, and beauty that had been given to Enemy. Enemy prided himself on these characteristics. He made adoration of himself a regular event. His minions, on the other hand, were not too bright. They had brute strength, and most were very mischievous, but none displayed the wisdom that Enemy had.

Only days ago, a window had opened within Enemy’s dimension, called Earth, to the outside. For the first time since being cast to Earth, Enemy was given sight and sound to the outside. In response, Enemy called for an assembly, gathering the leaders from each of his twelve tribes for a meeting to discuss what he was now calling: “The Happening”.

So, from the twelve corners of the Earth, he gathered the leaders from the twelve demonic tribes: Zeus, Hera, Athena, Poseidon, Appollo, Artemis, Demeter, Hermes, Aphrodite, Ares, Hephaestus and Hestia. (One of many attempts Enemy has made to copy, thereby counterfeiting, the Almighty. Since Father has twelve angelic tribal leaders, Enemy must match Him by having twelve demonic tribal leaders of his own, a part of Enemy’s strategy.) They all traveled with haste and were now assembled, bowing in reverence to Enemy as he took a seat on his throne.

“All rise”, spoke Enemy. As one, they stood. Secretly, as Enemy looked about the assembly, he wished there were more brains in the group, but for now, brawn, mixed with an enthusiasm for mischief, would have to suffice.

“Our time has come, soldiers. The battle for what rightfully belongs to us is about to begin. You have pleased me with your performance thus far. Each of you has managed your tribal stations well. You have waited and watched for our enemy, Father, to return to us. He is returning soon. Come, follow me.”

The soldiers followed their captain to a place where he stopped to point up high, into the void that surrounded them, to an opening. They gasped with disbelief. After such a long time, the twelve were looking through a window and seeing home again……wait, stop, fight the thought…..they were seeing what used to be home. They deserved that home, not the darkness they had lived in for so long. Vengeance filled their bellies, and it showed in their faces. Enemy noticed and was pleased.

“I’ve been watching and listening intently while waiting for you to arrive. My secretary and chief assistant, Molech, has successfully taken notes of “The Happening” since the window to the outside opened. At first, there was a lot of talk going on between Father and His weakling followers, but lately something more has been brewing. I believe Father is up to something. Here is what we have learned thus far:

Enemy read the notes to the twelve, watching them as he took needed breaths. He could see the anticipation mounting. Yes, soon they would have work to do….within their reach was a new earth where they would be set free from constant quiet and darkness…….light and color would again touch their eyes…….the sound of music would tingle their ears…..warmth would kiss their skin……exotic smells would fill their nostrils……and they would finally taste the blood they had dreamed of. The incredible expectancy was almost too much to bear.

Their fantasy was awakened with a thunderous CLAP! and a voice that shook the earth, Enemy shouted: “THIS IS A TRAP, YOU FOOLS!”

The twelve recoiled at the sound. Enemy continued:

“Father is reeling us in with talk of beauty, light, sound, touch and taste. Do you really think this plan of His is about us? No. Before I was thrown out of His heaven, I turned to Him and said: “You need me. If given a choice, and if given time, all of your supposed creation would turn to me and I would be their god”. I’ll never forget His face as he lifted me and carried me to this disgusting pit. There was something in His eyes…..I knew a time would come when He would set a trap for me, a trap for all of us. Well, the time has finally come. However, what Father has discounted, my pets, I will use to my advantage. Time in solitude has given me time to think and has made me much wiser. Father has not had the luxury of quiet isolation as I have had. I will beat Him at this game of His and will destroy His plans completely. In the end, Father will bow to me; I will be god over all!”.

“I don’t know about you, Artemis, but my muscles are primed and ready for a fight”, Zeus murmured while Enemy was still speaking, “there are a few angels that I would like to smash wide open with my bare hands”. Artemis responded with a thumbs-up. Zeus continued: “Enemy has chosen Molech as his right hand man, however, soon Enemy will see that it is I he can trust”. An evil smile swept across the sculptured face of Zeus. The smile soon ended, however, when a second thunderous CLAP filled the space!

A voice sounded again, but this time, it was Father. As He spoke a door swung open before them:

“LET THERE BE LIGHT!” And there was light. Everywhere. Beautiful light. Father’s glory had entered their space.

“Here we go, fellas, I told you He was up to something. Let the games begin. I hope you have planned to stay awhile longer, because we have some strategizing to do. Let’s see if we can figure out what old Father is up to, then let’s beat Him at His own game”, Enemy spoke as he laughed a sinister laugh. Even the demons around him turned to stare; the hair on their necks rose when he growled: “This will be a new game. We will use our strength, for certain, but we must also use our wits. You will have to listen to my orders and follow them precisely. For those who falter will be replaced immediately. The torture that will await those who commit the sin of insubordination will be worse than any nightmare you have ever dreamed. I am god, this is my earth, and all will obey me!”

Enemy and his twelve called for more demons to gather with them. They quietly watched all of “The Happening” unfold before their eyes:

After five days, days were of course created when light was separated from darkness during Father’s creation miracle, the Almighty swooped into a spot on the new earth that had been left bare. With His own hands He began to build a home in that bare spot…….a beautiful home, full of flower gardens, vegetable gardens, lakes, and tasty fruit trees. He then called out to all kinds of animals and asked them to join Him in the garden. The animals ran to Him, and He took time to pet each one. The animals wagged their tails, the birds tried to out sing one another, and the fish jumped for joy from the lakes that surrounded them. The grass swayed and bowed beneath Father’s toes and the wind swirled around and hugged Him. Father’s eyes sparkled with joy as He put the final touch on the new garden: a fence and a gate to border it. The new home was perfect.

On day number six, Father reached down to the earth with His bare hands, scooped up some mud into His fingers, and formed the body of what was to be the first man. As He molded the new man, all of creation watched in silence and awe. Next, He retrieved the man’s soul that had already been created from the heavens above, carefully placed the soul into the newly formed body and breathed life deeply into the nostrils of the new man. The man’s eyes opened, and Father giggled. Then the man giggled. Father took the new man up into His arms and rocked him back and forth as he whispered: “I love you. I love you so much. I will love you forever. Nothing will ever separate you from my love”.

All of heaven watched the event. In fact, God had invited every angel to a “Creation Party”. The event had lasted 6 days, and the partiers were getting tired. Father looked around and saw that everything He had created was good. With a sigh, He announced: “Let’s all rest”. So on the 7th day, everyone rested. Adam, the new man, curled up into Father’s lap and spent wonderful time with Father that day. Father told him about special plans He had for him. He instructed Adam gently on how he should live and about unseen dangers that surrounded him. But mostly, Father spoke to Adam about His love for him. Adam relished every moment. Then Father, resting His head on Adam’s head, soaked in the new moments with His first-born of man, drinking in every detail about the child He now cradled in His arms.

So, on the seventh day, worship was established. Not in a cathedral, in fact, the first worship service didn't happen in a building at all, but in Adam's new home, with true intimacy, just he and Father. God loved the day of rest so much, He established it that day in the garden for all generations that were to come.

Enemy had been watching the event unfold over the seven days of creation, and so far, the game was not at all what he had expected. This seemed too easy. Enemy looked at the poor sap now lying asleep in the arms of God and formulated a plan: “I can make this man called Adam love me. I can be his ‘daddy’ and offer him more than God could ever offer him. I’ll offer him the whole world if that is what it takes to get what I want.”

While Enemy was still contemplating his plan, in the distance he noticed Father was doing something to Adam’s side. Was he removing something? Then, He watched God gather up more mud and form another man, but this one looked noticeably different from the first. God again called toward heaven and retrieved a soul, He then put the soul into the form along with the piece he had removed from Adam, and breathed the breath of life into the motionless body. Like the first-born of man, this one awoke with bright eyes. Again, the Almighty laughed aloud with delight. He awoke Adam from his slumber and introduced the two. Adam was so excited to see this other human. He heard God call the new one: “Eve”. Enemy was surprised at Adam’s immediate infatuation with Eve. His plan then shifted…..in that moment, he decided he would use Eve in his scheme against God.

As days past, Father told many things to Adam and Eve. Enemy, along with his minions, crafty and sly, crouched in hiding around the threesome and heard the life instructions as well. Father offered much freedom to his two children, but strangely, He had given them a steadfast rule to follow. For the first time, He was actually stern with His voice when He told them: “You may eat of anything in your home, for it is all good for you. However, dear ones, do not eat of the tree that is in the center of your garden.”

Enemy needed to hear no more. Later that same evening, he exclaimed: “This is going to be so easy, I’m going to take care of it all by myself”.

And he did. He tricked the woman, Eve, into eating of the forbidden tree. And when she told her husband, Adam, what she had done, Adam chose to disobey Father too. On this day, separation from Father entered the new Earth. As a result of the disobedience, an animal was slain, because Father needed to teach them a rule that had been established: sin = death. So, the first animal was sacrificed as a substitution for the lives of Adam and Eve to cover their sins. And for the first time, Enemy, Molech, the twelve demonic leaders, and all the other demons who were presently in hiding watching "The Happenng" saw BLOOD! And they were thirsty for it. Especially Molech.

Molech rubbed his hands together and licked his lips with a long pointed tongue: "Enemy, as your chief assistant, if it pleases you, I will place myself in charge of gathering blood. My heart is pounding, and I've never felt the excitement I feel right now looking at the thick, red liquid."

"Molech, I hereby entrust you to this mission. You will now be known as Molech, The Blood Gatherer", enemy said as he shook hands with his chief assistant.

Zeus watched the exchange between the two and contemplated in his mind how he could overthrow Molech and become the chief god under Enemy. What he didn't know was that Molech no longer cared about his position of authority under Enemy. He had found his new calling, one that was overtaking him, a passion for blood.

The skin was taken from the slain animal, and Adam and Eve were clothed and put out of the garden, just as Enemy and his followers had been put out of the heavenlies so long ago. The gate to the garden was closed and locked. Adam and Eve were forced to leave their home and would no longer be allowed to eat from the Tree of Life that had been placed in the garden for them. Now, they too, would experience death. Life changed drastically that day.

The first shot of war had been fired and had successfully hit the desired target. The passageway to other dimensions was opened before Enemy and his minions once again. The war with Father had begun.

But just before this time of beginnings, the heavenly angels, the twelve leaders from the twelve tribes, were still having discussions with Father about His plans. They very much wanted to know what the future was going to hold for them. What the Enemy would not count on, and what he could not possibly comprehend, was the sovereignty of Father. What the angels would soon learn is Father had already planned for all things that were to yet come.

“Father, what are we to expect now? You have created millions of souls; we have seen them before our own eyes. Do you believe they can be trusted with your plan of what is to come?”

”Yes, Peter”.

“You have told us so little. We know we have been preparing for a great battle with the fallen ones, however, will we also be at battle with the created ones?”

“In a way, yes, Peter”. Father seemed troubled by the statement.

Father then walked over to the souls who were being kept safe for the bodies they would eventually inhabit. With care, He selected several to set aside. As He held them close to Himself, He said aloud: “Hello, Special Ones”.

The twelve who were gathered watched as Father spoke over the souls who had been set aside from the others. They heard every word He spoke over the souls, the plans He had for their lives, but none of it made sense to them. They watched intently as Father kissed each soul and then placed them back from where He had drawn them out.

He then turned to His twelve: “You are the mightiest angels in all of the heavens. You are powerful leaders for sure, and you have been chosen to lead your armies in the battles that are to come. However, even you do not have the power that I have just given these souls today. They will be the greatest in my Kingdom that is to come.”

“You have instructed us to approach You with boldness, Father, and I wish to say, with utmost respect, I simply do not get it”, spoke Thomas of Gad with utmost concern. “I listened intently as you just spoke, and from what I heard, if those selected have been chosen to be your leaders, then we are doomed for much trouble. Are you quite sure you have given this sufficient thought?”

Father chuckled out loud, slapped His knee and said: “Thomas of Gad, I have created another whose name shall also be called Thomas. You will be guardian of him while he is fulfilling his purpose in his time. I have named him after you, because of my great love for you. I look forward to your opinion of him in the future”.

The gathered just looked at one another. They, too, had heard the Father’s Words spoken over “The Special Ones”. Was anything going to make sense to them anymore?

While they were questioning, Father walked toward them, wrapped His big arms around each of them, one at a time, taking them up into a heavenly embrace before placing His hands on their shoulders. Over each, He spoke these words: “I believe in you, be strong and of good courage. I will not call you to any task you are not prepared for. You are ready to lead your men into the battle that is upon us”.

After the final blessing, a door appeared before Father. He did not open it, but turned toward his twelve and began to explain: “Once I open this door, everything changes. I have a surprise for you. I have decided to give you a gift before I open the door. This gift will empower you and prepare you for what is ahead. Close your eyes with me and receive my gift....believe…..trust me and focus completely”.

After each had reached the needed level of faith required to receive the unexpected gift from Father, He commanded them to open their eyes. And when they opened their eyes, this is what they saw……..