Lucifer's anger subsided. "Steward over what, Octrion? Birds
and fish? Perhaps when the Lord creates a more challenging crea-
ture I will be interested. I have no desire to be the zookeeper of the
Most High. Farewell, Octrion."
Octrion hurried off toward the Temple, chatting with what-
ever angel might listen to him about the earth's newest life. Lucifer
walked along the walls of the outer court of the Temple, glancing
now and again at the earth looming blue and distant in the heavens.
Five seasons of creation, he thought. When will it end? When will
He make a finish of it? He thought about the progress of recent events
and was pleased. Kara's actions in the Council were flawless. And
now they waited the strategic moment to address the Most High as
to their recommendation. Everything seemed to be moving accord-
ing to plan. And yet...he entered his house and walked to the edge
of the balcony overlooking the Great City.
Toward the north was the Great Mountain, atop which was
the Most Holy Place, shimmering as always in the distance. Within
that sacred site dwelt the greatest being alive: the Most High God,
Creator, King, Lord, the Father, Son and Spirit. God of mystery,
God of power, all-knowing, all-seeing...
What do You see when You look upon the Morning Star now, O
Most High God? Lucifer wondered. Do You see an angel who is using
the intellect You gave Him to further himself for the advancement of the
Kingdom? Do you see a creature that You fashioned as an instrument of
worship becoming the object of worship? Do You see a wretched malcon-
tent grasping at opportunity? Or do You see at all?
How did the Lord look upon this? Lucifer encouraged the oth-
ers that when the decisive moment came, the Most High would do
nothing except react gracefully to a foregone conclusion. Still, the
question badgered away unanswered and looming: How long shall
the Lord allow me to progress? If He is truly Lord why does He not have
me exposed and be done with it? he thought to himself.
"If there is a rebel spirit in Heaven it flows from the Throne, not toward it." 153
Lucifer perceived the Lord's apparent laxness as the subtle
flaw in His character. The Most High is the nearest being to perfec-
tion that exists. But perfect? How could One who is so awesome in
power, so splendid in beauty, which commands the adoration of
every living creature--how could such a God be so impotent at
such a time? Certainly the Lord's blind eye to Lucifer's plans indi-
cated at best an unwillingness to confront him--at worst an inabil-
ity to. Was He willing to confront Lucifer, but unable? Or was He
able to confront him but unwilling? Therein lay the gamble of it all.
Lucifer knew that for all his planning and all his subtlety, he
was taking an enormous, horrific risk. He knew that to lose in this
meant shame, disgrace, loss of his high office--or worse. But to
win...to win meant everything. Should he win in this endeavor and
be allowed to rule as steward of the earth, without interference
from on high, then he could at last fashion a world in which true
freedoms were allowed--freedoms orchestrated around Lucifer's
own teachings and dispensed by Pellecus and other wisdom angels
through a true academy. No more bowing low to a benign God who
cannot even discern or disable a rebel plot in His own Throne Room.
Rebel plot? Did he just think that? Certainly rebel is not the cor-
rect word. Lucifer assured himself that he was not a rebel, but a lib-
erator. He didn't foment open strife, but healthy debate. A rebel
would seek to turn the Kingdom over--Lucifer merely intended in
sharing in it. A rebel would create havoc and deceptions to throw
the enemy off. Lucifer felt himself an honorable angel who was
only fostering the self-deceptions that Crispin and the others had
bred into the Host, and used those to his advantage. A rebel would
actively enlist support from others by influencing them to his way
of thinking. Lucifer was only encouraging the feelings already res-
ident among many of the angels and was offering a place of hope
and comfort. One cannot deny one's own discontent.
Shall I pretend all is well here? Lucifer mused. The truth is that if
it. God, in His desire to be loved, has allowed Himself to become indecisive
and posturing, Lucifer concluded. He is the rebel, having rebelled from
His responsibility to reign effectively by becoming sentimental. No being
154 CHRONICLES of the Host: Exile of Lucifer
could expect to hold onto power who is unwilling to exercise it. The old
Kingdom must give way to the new, just as the prophecy spoke.
Lucifer looked toward the glowing, holy Mountain. I know
that I will never be greater than You, he thought, but I can indeed be like
You. I cannot speak into existence as You, but I can govern that which
already exists. I cannot create a world out of nothing, but I can move what
has been created. I cannot construct a universe, but I can conduct one as
I would any arrangement.
Lucifer gazed intently into the shimmering light and began to
speak boldly toward it in a monologue that he had rehearsed in his
mind a thousand times before. "It is said that You are all-knowing.
How can that be? If it were true, would You not be hearing my
thoughts even now and responding? Yet I continue forward in my
efforts unimpeded. What good is all of Your knowledge if not acted
upon?
"It is said that You are all-powerful. How can that be? If it
were true...Ah!" Lucifer angrily turned from the light, unable to
hold his eyes upon the brightness any longer. He continued more
forcefully, still looking toward the hill but not directly into the
light. "If You were truly all-powerful would You have allowed my
activities to flourish to the point that upwards of one out of every
three angels is following me? What sort of power sustains such
indecision?
"It is said that You are ever-present. How can that be? Were
You present at the Council meetings when Your name was held in
contempt by every angel there? Were You present when Kara mis-
led Michael and Gabriel and those who would interfere with that
which will soon happen? Were You truly present when I made the
decision in my heart that You are not fit to rule? If these few exam-
ples indicate the power of Your presence then we are very lonely
angels indeed.
"I am humble enough to admit, O Most High, that I am not
all-knowing," Lucifer continued, arms folded behind him now as
he paced the balcony, assuming a lecturing posture. "I cannot know
the thoughts of angels, yet I can observe the intentions of their
heart and thus influence them. Therefore the knowledge I have is of
far greater utility than Your own. Neither am I all-powerful, O
"If there is a rebel spirit in Heaven it flows from the Throne, not toward it." 155
Lord. Yet I can decisively exercise such powers as I have, not per-
haps w
ith Your authority, but certainly with my own.
"You are great, O Most High God," said Lucifer, "and shall
always be great. Your holiness, Your purity, Your goodness--none
of these shall ever be denied You. On earth we shall commemorate
Your greatness periodically as we look into the heavens and recog-
nize Your presence from above.
"I will never surpass Your greatness, Most Holy One...but I
will not be denied my own. I will never rule from on high...but I
shall rule. I will never come to expect the worship of all my sub-
jects...but I shall be worshiped. I will never command the heaven-
ly Host as one...but angels will be commanded of me. My authority
will never accede Your own...but authority I shall have. And when
in ages hence, Your power and presence on earth becomes increas-
ingly dim in the minds of Your creatures--a shadow rather than a
substance, a speculation instead of a certainty, a star in the evening
sky rather than a light in Heaven--then shall there be truly one god
to reign on earth.
"The Host will come to recognize this. The earth will come to
recognize this. And even You will come to recognize this...and thus
will the authority of the Morning Star be forever established on
earth, just as Your authority is established in Heaven."
Lucifer then recited the prophetic words he had himself
recorded:
The Greater now gives way to thee,
Thy wonders to behold.
----------------
Even though his rank and title gave him privilege into the
Throne area of the Temple, Gabriel felt like an intruder as he made
his way deeper into the complex. The heart of the Temple was the
Most Holy Throne, from where the Most High ruled with all power
and authority. The place was shrouded in mystery, and was a sub-
ject of speculation among the Host, for only exceptional angels
were allowed access into this chamber. Even Lucifer, the Anointed
Cherub, seldom ventured near this most sacred spot. And now
156 CHRONICLES of the Host: Exile of Lucifer
Gabriel entered into this most holy place to inquire about some-
thing that was perhaps unholy.
The Throne Room was two rooms really. An outer chamber
served as a place of worship for the Twenty-four Elders. Gabriel
noticed 12 seats on either side of the center aisle where the Elders
would gather to offer their praises--and now apparently their
advice--to the Most High God. The room was adorned in beauti-
fully colored precious stones and gold, and a purplish-crimson cur-
tain separated this room from the Throne Room itself. As Gabriel
walked the length of the room he could hear voices on the other
side of the heavily curtained doorway crying out "Holy, Holy,
Holy" over and over again.
He gathered the curtains to one side and a shaft of intense
white light beamed from the room and lit up the room in which
Gabriel stood. He quickly let go of the curtain and the room was
dark once more. Gabriel fell to his knees, staggered by the realiza-
tion that the Most Holy Presence was enthroned behind that veil.
He felt strangely ashamed for being in such a sacred place with
such a sordid purpose. Overcome, he began to worship. He sang
along in his heart and mind the words, "Holy, Holy, Holy." He lost
himself in the praises to the Lord and soon had a calm about his
mission. The situation with Lucifer seemed completely petty in the
presence of so great a God. Who were Michael and Gabriel to assist
the Lord in anything? Were they not behaving as arrogantly as the
Elders by thinking of themselves protectors of the Lord's interests--
as if He needed their little interference? God would deal with this
in His way and in His time. Gabriel decided that it was proper to
leave this all in the Lord's hands and carry out his expected duties
and service to God without presuming to aid Him in administering
the Kingdom. He started to leave, ashamed that he had even come,
when from behind him he heard his name called out.
"Gabriel!"
----------------
"Do you really think that Pellecus will debate me openly?"
asked an astonished Crispin. "I mean in a fair and public setting?"
"Lucifer told me to make the arrangements," Michael said.
"If there is a rebel spirit in Heaven it flows from the Throne, not toward it." 157
"Interesting," mused Crispin. "Bit of bait in there somewhere
to be sure."
"Possibly," agreed Michael. "But we cannot assume anything
at this point. If there is a possibility of a reconciliation in Heaven
and a clearing up of this situation, then we must take up the
offer...with your consent, of course."
"Of course, of course," answered Crispin, already making
mental preparations for the contest. "I try not to assume the worst,
Michael," he said, rising from his desk and looking through some
of the scrolls scattered here and there around him. "Ah, here it is,"
he said, picking up a scroll with a crimson ribbon tied around it.
"However, if I know Pellecus, he won't enter into such an event
without some consideration as to its outcome." He looked up at
Michael intently. "He's not one to take a risk unless he is confident
that it will turn to his advantage."
"On the contrary," said Michael, "I'd say he is quite a risk taker
if in fact he is throwing in with Lucifer in some unimaginable plot."
Crispin thought for a moment. He looked up at Michael and
said, "I can only repeat myself, Michael. Pellecus would never ven-
ture into a contest without confidence as to its outcome. And I can
assure you he would never `throw in with Lucifer' as you say unless
he was certain of THAT outcome as well." He paused for a moment.
"If in fact there is something amiss in Heaven in which Pellecus has
a hand, you can rest assure, Michael, that those who would oppose
our Lord are extremely confident in their opposition."
He sat back down and assumed the role of instructor once
more. "Understand, Michael, there is nothing wrong with being
confident. It is by confidence that our Lord has created this King-
dom, knowing that His abilities are part of who He is. It is with
confidence that He can speak the word light and create light.
Lucifer cannot do that. No creature can do that. Only God Most
High can do such a thing."
"So Lucifer and Pellecus are merely fooling themselves," said
Michael. "Trying to attempt that which they will never be able to do."
"Confidence can itself be misleading, Michael. And misplaced
confidence is a disaster in the making. But supreme confidence in
one's own abilities, which seems to be the strength of this group, is
158 CHRONICLES of the Host: Exile of Lucifer
an abomination. Our Lord will neither share His glory nor His
power with angels. It sickens me to think that any angel would
attempt such nonsense in the face of such holiness." Crispin had a
faraway look in his sharp eyes. He caught himself. "Yes, Michael, I
would be glad to debate Pellecus. Pass that along. Perhaps if noth-
&nb
sp; ing else this might be a lesson in humility."
"For whom?" asked Michael, smiling.
Crispin looked up and smiled. "For whoever needs humbling,
of course!"
----------------
Gabriel turned and instinctively prostrated himself before the
voice, not knowing whether he was encountering creature or Cre-
ator. The holiness that pervaded the room in the presence of this
being crept like thick smoke which engulfed Gabriel. Gabriel kept
his face low to the floor, not daring to look up, unwilling to speak
until first addressed. The voice came again: "Gabriel! Stand up!"
Gabriel slowly stood, his eyes averting the direction of the voice,
still shaken by the spectacle, feeling as if he were more of an intrud-
er than a petitioner.
Slowly Gabriel moved his eyes upward, scanning the figure
that stood before him, and saw the most incredible creature in the
Lord's entire Kingdom. Here stood a figure whose virtue and holi-
ness was so pronounced, that one might be standing in the very
presence of the Most High, if one did not know otherwise. Well
could it be said that this was a very sacred creature to the Most
High.
It was also a bizarre being, and true to Crispin's description,
did indeed have the face of a beast--recognizable now as having a
newly created counterpart on earth. The lion-faced creature
motioned Gabriel forward, benign but commanding respect. As
Gabriel observed the creature more closely he noticed that it was
covered both front and back with living eyes which seemed to bore
into him deeply. "This way, Gabriel," he said. "We know why you
have come."
"If there is a rebel spirit in Heaven it flows from the Throne, not toward it." 159
Gabriel followed the Zoa through the veiled doorway and
into the room from where the light had earlier shot forth. As he
stepped in he could make out the silhouettes of three other figures,