Rising Darkness (5 page)

He smirked at the Council. “If we have learned anything about these Hebrews, we have learned that they have no stomach for setbacks. Let’s see how they feel about their land of milk and honey after we sour their milk and give them hornets in place of honey!”

Bethlehem, 4 B.C.

“Did the spies make it into Jericho?” asked Joshua, who like the other shepherds was hanging on every one of Eli’s words. Of course he and every son of Israel already knew the answer to that one. Eli smiled.

“Yes, Joshua,” the old man answered. “The Lord safely conducted the spies into Jericho. But the king got word of it and sent out his own spies to find them and bring them to him. They searched throughout the land and in every house in Jericho but the Hebrews were nowhere to be found…”

“Rahab,” Joshua whispered a bit too loudly. His father smiled at his son’s eager response. A couple of the shepherds laughed aloud.

“Yes, Rahab,” said Eli. He then leaned toward Joshua as if telling him a great secret. She was a…she made a rather questionable living.”

“Yes, she was a harlot,” said Joshua casually, to the surprise of all and the delight of some.

“Well, er…yes,” said Eli. With a quizzical look on his face and glancing at Joshua’s father he followed with, “Do you know what a harlot is?”

“Of course,” said Joshua. “A harlot runs an inn for men!”

Eli looked at a bemused Elron and some of the other shepherds, who were trying to conceal their laughter.

“A very questionable occupation indeed, Eli,” said Jazzer, a middle-aged shepherd who was wiping his chin from a drink of water. “Very questionable those harlots…”

“Yes, well, at any rate, Joshua, as you know, Rahab took the spies in and hid them on her roof under some flax. She said she would help them if they helped her. They all agreed that she was to tie a red cord from her window, which would provide protection for anyone staying in the house. A bit like the lamb’s red blood that protected our fathers in Egypt on the Passover night.”

“Eli?” asked Joshua.

“Yes, young man?” responded Eli.

“It seems that whenever the Lord is saving His people He uses something red.”

“Yes, He does,” mused Eli. “It seems the color red and salvation go together quite well.”

Gabriel watched as a few more angels came trickling in around Bethlehem. The opposition was sure to gather soon as well. Thus he had posted sentries all around the area, especially with a particular couple who would be making their way into the city to register for the census.

He looked across the meadow to where Bakka stood watching his charge, Daniel. Bakka glanced at Gabriel and motioned for him to come over. As Gabriel made his way to his friend he looked over at the group of shepherds still engaged in Eli’s discussion.

“How is our friend doing?” asked Gabriel, looking at the sullen human.

“Still moping, I’m afraid,” sighed Bakka.

“Looks like two moping spirits here,” said Gabriel, eyeing Bakka.

Bakka was taken aback.

“Gabriel, I am not moping!” he said excitedly. “I simply wanted to be assigned elsewhere, that’s all. Tonight is to be an incredible evening. Look at all the angels pouring in. And whatever is to happen, I wanted to be a part of it. Not guarding a contentious and shallow human!”

“You continue to encourage Daniel,” said Gabriel. “That is your part.”

They looked at the man whose head was resting on his knees. He seemed to be listening from time to time to the others, but never fully taking it in. Bakka looked back at Gabriel, who motioned for him not to say another word.

“Encourage his heart,” continued Gabriel. “And never forget that every assignment by the Lord is an important one. Daniel has a great opportunity tonight to learn something of eternal importance.”

He glanced sternly at Bakka. “As do you!”

Chronicles of the Host

Jhara, a warrior under Khasis’s command, and some of the angels in his troop watched from the opposite side of the Jordan as the trumpets were sounded. The people, who had been waiting 40 years for this moment, watched as the Levites lined up and carried the Ark of the Lord in solemn procession toward the banks of the Jordan. The other tribes watched and waited for their turn to cross.

Never mind that it was flood season, and that the Jordan was swollen in its annual deluge. Of course nothing was too difficult for the Lord, and from Joshua they had heard of the great crossing of the Red Sea. But the Levites were headed straight for the banks as if there was a bridge for them to casually stroll across. Joshua had given the order that as soon as the Levites began to move, the people were to follow—but not too closely to the Ark. They kept a distance of about one thousand yards between themselves and the sacred box.

All around the nation, and in great numbers, groups of holy angels created a whitish canopy that grew in intensity near the Ark. Following God’s directions in the law, the Levites carefully carried the Ark, and set out in step, slowly moving to the water. Some of the people looked to Joshua, who stood on a slope watching the proceedings, and then back to the commotion of the Ark.

Devils had been moving in as well, hoping to throw confusion into the ranks of the people. But the Ark’s proximity kept most of them at bay. Much as they would have liked to tear into the Ark and destroy it, the Presence of God—which they knew was resident within the golden container—was too much of a risk for even the strongest of the rebel angels to contend with. They would have to await another day to take the Ark as a trophy.

The Levites proceeded to the edge of the river and stopped, awaiting Joshua’s final instructions. Joshua and his aides then came to the river to address the Levites and the rest of the people who could hear him.

“The Lord was with Moses and now He is with me. He has delivered us from Egypt and brought us to the land promised to us through our father Abraham. Therefore, we shall drive the enemies of our God from the land and claim it in His name. Only watch and be faithful!”

“But how are we to cross?” came a voice from somewhere in the area where the leaders of the tribe of Dan stood. A few other voices grunted in affirmation.

Joshua raised his hands to quell any further such questions.

“Hear me! When the priests reach the water with the Ark of the Testimony, the river will stop flowing and we shall cross over. This is the word of the Lord!” He glanced toward the Danites. “This will prove that our God will be with us both on this side of the Jordan and beyond!”

“What are they doing down there?” demanded Khasis. He began laughing. “He brings them to the river’s edge and only then realizes that he cannot get across?”

The devils with him began laughing.

Khasis noted some spies sent from the king of Jericho were observing the movement of the Israelites from a bluff on their side of the river.

“Make sure that the king’s men see this ridiculous display,” he said. “I want all of Jericho to hear about this day!”

One of Khasis’s aides vanished immediately and stood among the spies from Jericho. The men were puzzled by the commotion on the other side.

“What does this mean?” asked Jarez, one of the men from Jericho. He was peeking over the top of a red stone and looking down upon the river at the great cloud of people on the other side facing them. “Why have they stopped?”

“
Perhaps the God of Israel cannot cross the gods of Canaan
,” came a voice—Khasis’s devil whispering into the mind of the other spy, Zogor.

“Our priests have called upon the gods to stop the invaders,” said Zogor. “Perhaps our gods are mightier than their gods!”

Jarez nodded back in nervous hope.

“
We should report this to the king,”
continued the voice.
“Perhaps they will even turn on Joshua. Perhaps…
”

“Look there!” came the astonished voice of Jarez. He pointed to where the priests had begun moving toward the water. “What do they think they are doing?”

“Perhaps our gods are luring them to their deaths in our sacred river,” offered Zogor, who felt for his weapon. “They carry the magic with them in that box. Let them and their sorcery drown in the Jordan!”

The devil with them looked up to where Khasis had stationed himself, indicating that he was completely puzzled by the Israelites. Khasis remained fixed on the movement of the humans. More urgently, he observed the great cloud of holy angels beginning to move along with them toward his domain.

The priests got closer and closer to the water’s edge. Jarez and Zogor were now both watching from their perch in the rocks. This would be a great day for them! The king always awarded the bearer of good news with some bestowment or another. They would become great men in Jericho.