Authors: D. Brian Shafer
"I don't intend to start a war in Heaven--I intend to finish one." 271
the Kingdom of God. No longer would they enjoy the sweet
Presence of the Most High; no more could they worship with
their fellow angels and enjoy the beauty of holiness. They were
cut off from the fellowship of Heaven and took refuge in each
other's disgraced company.
And so they became increasingly embittered, as their rage ran
unchecked, and they abandoned themselves completely to the
so-called freedoms espoused by their leader. They took on the
very image of the vile and contemptible behaviors to which
they were becoming increasingly held captive. Soon the beau-
ty of their outward appearance could neither hide nor contain
the corruption that lived inside of them. And so they took on
the hideous characteristics of the lusts which drove them.
Angel became demon; messenger became monster; and Lucifer,
the Morning Star, became Satan, the Adversary.
In Heaven there was rejoicing that the Lord's name had once
more been vindicated. Yet there was the feeling among many
that the struggle had only been interrupted; that the greater
struggle lay ahead. The words of Lucifer rang loudly in Heav-
en, "This is not over, Archangel!" And thus did the Host in
Heaven gird itself for the inevitable conflict.
The fallen angels soon regrouped under Lucifer's capable and
vengeful eye. Time was against Lucifer and he realized that a
judgment awaited him and the others at the end of the age.
They knew that the recently created Sheol was to be their final
destiny. And so Lucifer reconvened his Council, now called the
Council of Liberation, and together they reasoned that unless
the war could be continued from afar, all was lost. And so it
was that Lucifer's host drew the lines of battle, from where
they could still strike a meaningful blow against the Lord, on
earth...in Eden.
273
Chapter 18
"The battle will be played out
in the minds of humans."
The morning sun peeking over the mountains to the east of
Eden was always a beautiful and welcome sight. A'dam loved the
morning. He sat up and considered the great blessings he enjoyed.
He had a Heavenly Father who loved him and took care of him; he
had the most wonderful place to live; and now, with Eve at his side,
he was complete.
He looked at Eve, lying beside him under the great tree in the
meadow where they always settled for the night. She was so beau-
tiful. He recalled vividly that day when he first called her Eve,
because she had been taken from a part of him. She was bone of his
bone, and flesh of his flesh--united as man and wife as the Lord's
caretakers. He loved her so. He caressed her hair and she stirred.
Eve opened her eyes and looked at her husband. She smiled at
him.
"Why do I always find you staring at me when I wake up?"
she said.
"I cannot help it," A'dam replied. "I love you so very much
that I enjoy seeing you there...knowing you are at my side. I am so
thankful that the Lord has been so good to me."
274 CHRONICLES of the Host: Exile of Lucifer
"And to me," Eve replied.
A'dam stood up and stretched, yawning and surveying the gar-
den. He thought about what he must do today and looked at Eve.
"Where did that face come from?" she asked, smiling at him.
"So serious all of a sudden!"
"Eve, there is something I must tell you...show you," A'dam
said.
"What is it, my love?" Eve asked. She stood up and came to
her husband's side.
"Follow me and I will tell you," said A'dam.
Eve took her husband's hand and they began walking through
the garden. She loved walking with her husband in Eden. But she
was a little disturbed by his behavior this particular morning. What
was bothering him so? What could be this serious?
"I have never seen this part of Eden before," she finally said.
"Where are you taking me?"
"To the center of the garden," A'dam replied.
----------------
"Such eventful times in Heaven," commented Crispin. "This
will certainly be an interesting situation for the chroniclers of the
Kingdom!"
Michael and the others laughed at Crispin's remark.
"Ah, Crispin," said Michael. "I might have known your first
thought would tend toward the academic!"
"My interests are academic to be sure," agreed Crispin. "But I
want to make sure that all of creation knows what happened here.
Realize, Michael, that if darkness can exist in Heaven it can exist
anywhere!"
Michael, Sangius and Serus were all enjoying the company of
Crispin in his quarters at the Academy. Serus had recently been
invited into this circle and was making great strides in becoming
reacquainted with the fellowship of the Host.
"I certainly found that out," said Serus. "I shudder when I
think of how close I came to staying with Lucifer."
"The battle will be played out in the minds of humans." 275
Michael smiled at Serus and said, "Yes, my little friend. The
Lord never gave you up. And now instead of being steward to
Lucifer you are apprenticed to me! I am very proud of you, Serus."
Serus looked at Michael. How different it was to be in the
company of those who treasure service to the Lord! "You're right,
Michael," Serus responded. "It was the Lord who never gave up on
me. I thought I had transgressed too far. But I suddenly realized
that my heart was not in it after all. I also realized that Lucifer was
never going to win against the Most High God. What presumption!
"So it was that while in their proud assembly of leaders that I
realized once and for all time that my loyalty and heart belonged to
God Most High." He looked to Michael rather sheepishly. "I hate to
admit it was just before they had designed the plans to hold you on
earth while Lucifer made his move in Heaven. For that I am truly
sorry." He looked down, ashamed.
Michael smiled. "Don't let it trouble you, Serus. Better a
change of heart late than too late!"
"Well put, Michael!" said Crispin, impressed with Michael's
response. "I could not have said that better myself."
Everyone laughed.
Serus continued. "So I made up my mind that when the right
opportunity came up, I would do something." He began looking
around the room, now becoming more animated as he relived the
experience. "When I knew I would be returning to earth with a
message for Rugio, I decided that it was time and just...well...
attacked the mob of angels holding you."
"And for that we are all grateful," said Crispin. "You have
done well."
Serus smiled, completely grateful of his new life and compa-
ny of friends.
"So Heaven is clean once more," said Sangius.
"Any word of Lucifer?" asked Crispin.
"Nothing in detail," said Michael. "The Elders are meeting
with Gabriel right now. He will have instruction for us soon regard-
ing the whole business. As well as our roles on earth."
"Earth," said Serus, "is where you will find Lucifer."
276 CHRONICLES of the Host: Exile of Lucifer
"Would he dare such a thing?" asked Sangius. "He has already
been removed from Heaven for his profanities. Would he dare
defile earth as well?"
"You must understand," said Serus. "Lucifer does not consid-
er himself beaten. If I know him he will call this a setback. He will
redouble his efforts and continue the war. And the most logical
place from which to continue is earth."
"I quite agree with Serus," chimed in Crispin. "The heart of
the conflict was earth. That is where he will draw the next line of
battle."
"But how?" asked Michael. "What can he possibly do on earth
that he was unable to accomplish in Heaven? He knows A'dam has
the authority on that planet. Like it or not he must abide by that!"
"Oh, he doesn't like it," said Serus. "Neither will he abide by it."
Gabriel entered the room and greeted everyone.
"Ah, Gabriel," said Crispin. "Perhaps you can enlighten our
thinking. What will be Lucifer's next course of action? Will he
storm Heaven or simply foul up earth?"
"Neither, dear teacher, "said Gabriel. "The Lord has instruct-
ed us that so long as A'dam has his authority on earth, Lucifer can
do nothing. In short, Lucifer is powerless against the name and
authority of God which A'dam carries."
"Interesting," said Crispin.
"So there is nothing Lucifer can do to A'dam," remarked
Michael. "That is quite encouraging. Especially when you consider
the transformation that our former brothers have undergone."
"Yes, they are quite hideous, "said Crispin. "I have seen one
or two of them myself. They sometimes come to the edges of the
Kingdom--completely profane and given over to their most base
instincts." Crispin shook his head. "Distorted, frightening, ugly,
cunning beasts they have become."
"The thought of that kind having access to A'dam is quite dis-
turbing," agreed Michael.
"They never shall," said Gabriel, "provided that A'dam main-
tains the authority God has placed in his hands."
"The battle will be played out in the minds of humans." 277
He continued telling the group of the angels' role on earth.
The Host would be serving man as they grew in numbers. Specific
angels were to be assigned to individual men and women. Angels
were never to interfere with the choices or situations humans found
themselves in unless instructed by the Lord. They were not to talk
or appear to humans. They were simply there to guide and watch--
and in some cases protect.
"Protect from what?" asked Crispin. "Everything on that
planet is at peace with everything else!"
"Just because Lucifer does not have the authority now does
not mean that he will not do everything he can to take it away from
A'dam," Gabriel said grimly. "In such a case earth would legally
come under the authority of Lucifer--at least until the end of the
age when the Lord promises to judge these fallen creatures."
"Unbelievable! You mean A'dam could have his authority
taken away?" asked Crispin.
"No," replied Gabriel. "I mean that A'dam could give it
away."
----------------
A'dam led Eve to the clearing in the center of Eden. She
looked at him with a bemused "okay, what now?" sort of look.
A'dam looked tenderly at his wife whom he deeply loved. As they
stood before the trees a young deer came up and nudged at
A'dam's hands, looking for tender young shoots he often fed the
animals. He indicated to the deer that he had nothing and the ani-
mal wandered off.
"Eve, first of all know that I love you with all of my being,"
A'dam began.
"You didn't have to bring me here to tell me that," said Eve. "I
know your love for me is true, as mine for you is."
"But my love for the Lord Most High must always come
before you or anything else. You understand that, don't you?" he
asked hopefully.
"Of course I do, my love," said Eve. She pictured in her mind
the many evenings when A'dam consorted with the Father in the
278 CHRONICLES of the Host: Exile of Lucifer
garden, or stared into the Heavens in communion with God. "And
I promise you I will never be jealous."
"That is not what I am trying to say," said A'dam. "Rather, it
is the Lord who is jealous."
Eve looked at him quizzically.
"The Lord is jealous? Of you? Of me?" She laughed.
"He is jealous of our love for Him. Jealous of our obedience to
Him. That is why I have brought you here, Eve."
A'dam pointed to the two trees in the midst of the meadow.
"You know that the Most High has given us everything in the
garden. We may eat, drink and enjoy the plenty that the garden
produces. The animals are blessed with the same situation. We all
eat of the fruit of the garden..."
"Yes," said Eve. "Go on."
"But we must never eat of the fruit of these two trees. The
Lord has forbidden them to us. If we eat of this fruit we will surely
die. The Lord told me this Himself--right here where we are stand-
ing now."
Eve looked at the trees. She smiled at A'dam.
"As you wish, A'dam," she said. "I shall not eat of these trees.
But may I ask you what is so special about these trees?"
"What makes these trees special from every other tree is that
we may eat of every other tree and not these. That is all there is to
say." A'dam shuddered a bit. "I don't even like being near them."
"Come on, my love," said Eve. "It's all very interesting. And I
promise we shall never come into this part of Eden again! Now,
come and follow!"
Eve bounded off into the garden the way they had arrived.
A'dam raced after her, grateful that he need not be worried about
the trees. As lawkeeper in Eden, it was his responsibility to see that
this command of the Lord be kept. Particularly since there was such
a devastating penalty attached to the breaking of it. He took off after
Eve, calling her as he ran. Suddenly, he stopped and looked back.
"Hello?" he called. "Lord?"
No response. The only noise was the wind blowing through
the trees. A'dam felt foolish at the notion that there might be someone
"The battle will be played out in the minds of humans." 279
else in the garden when the only other human had run on ahead.
Still he thought he had sensed another person. He shook his head
and took off after Eve.
He could not possibly have known that Lucifer stood in the
meadow near him, and had been there during the whole conversa-
tion with Eve. He surveyed the trees and then turned his eyes in the
direction the human couple had run.
"Forbidden fruit?" he said, addressing Heaven. "If I may bor-
row Kara's phrase, this is delicious! And with a death sentence
attached? Isn't that a little risky, O Lord? Didn't You learn Your les-
son in Heaven when You lost one-third of the Host to choices?
Choices are dangerous, remember?" He walked over to the first
tree and put his hand on one of the lower hanging fruits. "But if
that is the way it is played on earth, I'm up to the game. I've
become rather an expert on the subject of choices."
----------------
"Come to order!" Lucifer screamed.
The Council of Liberation was meeting to discuss the next
course of action. Most of the members of Lucifer's former Worship
Council sat on this Council. Kara was a new member, taking the
place of the traitor Serus, and had only recently been asked to
attend. The Council met in a deep fissure of the earth, far below the
surface. Lucifer had decided that he no longer wanted to be in
proximity of Eden or its beauty officially until it was his to steward
alone. Only then would he make good his promise to set up his
throne between the two great trees in the center of the garden.
The rowdy Council got quiet as Lucifer stood to speak. He
was pained by the increasingly malevolent characteristics that all of
his angels were taking on. The beauty of holiness had given way to
the reality of iniquity--and the angelic exterior was rotting away.
Some of the angels were actually difficult to look at, though most in
the Council still managed enough of their former presence that
they continued on as before.
"Grim looking lot here, hmm?" said Lucifer, whose own
appearance had taken on an angry countenance devoid of the joy