the hands disappear back into the shapeless form of light and begin
to dissipate.
The creature was supremely beautiful. Michael felt that were
he not a man he should be an angel. He lay completely still--almost
vulnerable, and yet strangely at peace. Was this to be the subject of
this world to be governed by Lucifer? Michael shuddered at the
thought of releasing so beautiful a creation into Lucifer's authority.
Suddenly the angels began singing in spontaneous praise to
the Lord. Michael recognized Lucifer's wonderful Creation music
and soon every angel was praising the Most High in rapturous har-
mony. Michael himself was overcome with the same joy and began
to praise God, lifting his hands toward the Heavens.
----------------
Lucifer too heard the music that he had created and enjoyed
its effects on the angels. Even Kara was caught up in worship as the
angel voices filled the Heavens and the earth. The angelic choir
continued singing even as three glorious lights suddenly appeared
over the man. Lucifer thought he could make out figures within
these lights but the brilliance kept him from seeing clearly. He
could hear thunderous noises as the figures within the lights
dialoged with one another. The angels continued singing as this
apparent conversation went on. Suddenly above all else came the
words:
"Let Us make man in Our image..."
The words were spoken quietly, and yet with such authority
that every angel was thrown about in chaotic disarray. Lucifer him-
self was violently impacted as if he had collided with an invisible
force and was thrown backwards. The singing was interrupted
momentarily as the angels slowly regained their posture.
Lucifer looked for Pellecus but the wisdom angel was still
recovering from the impact of the Lord's words. Kara too was slow
to recover. Lucifer turned to look once more in the direction of the
"The Most High knows well what He is doing in this." 231
Most High. He had just regained his composure when the voice
spoke again:
"...and after Our likeness..."
Though slightly better prepared for the words, Lucifer was
nevertheless thrown backwards into the Heavenlies once more. All
of the angels were disoriented for a moment as the Voice, which
spoke as they had never before heard, issued forth.
Lucifer, once more fully recovered, along with Pellecus and
Kara, perched himself above the garden and watched as the Three
moved in closer to the man. The angels watched in complete
amazement as one of the figures bent down toward the man and
tenderly breathed into the man's nostrils.
A sound of a mighty rushing wind could be heard throughout
creation (although not a leaf stirred anywhere on earth) as the
breath of life moved from Creator to creature and the man became
a living being. And because the man was created from the dust of
the earth, he was named A'dam. No angel dared speak as first the
Son and then the Spirit departed, leaving the Father alone.
A'dam breathed the first breath of air ever taken by a man. As
his lungs filled, he slowly opened his eyes. The angels watched with
intense interest as the man, A'dam, blinked his eyes and then turned
them away from the light of the Father who stood nearby. The
Father reached His hand out and A'dam took it and stood up. The
man looked about him with a dazed expression on his face, taking
in the world around him. He then looked to the light of the Father
and was at complete peace, smiling as if by instinct. He instantly
knew he was where he belonged...this was his home... this was his
Father. They walked off together in the cool of the garden.
----------------
Chronicles of the Host
Creation's End
And so it was that the Lord Most High created man and
declared him to be in His very image--an honor never
232 CHRONICLES of the Host: Exile of Lucifer
bestowed upon the Host. Man was truly marked for greatness,
as was the commemoration of these great events. For it was the
Lord's will that a seventh day be decreed, a blessed day, a sab-
bath day in which A'dam would meditate upon the holiness
and grace of the Most High in creating him. Thus did God
declare that though all of Creation was good in His sight, this,
the sixth day was indeed very good in His sight.
And God blessed the seventh day,
And sanctified it:
Because that in it He had rested
From all of His work
Which God created and made.
As A'dam, the man, walked the breadth of his new world in fel-
lowship with the Father, it was the angels' honor to realize that
the special bond between God and man was even more sacred
than previously thought. No mere angel enjoyed the commun-
ion with the Most High as did A'dam. And though the Host
felt no less loved by the Lord, they knew in their hearts that the
name "Father" was especially significant to A'dam.
Most angels found great assurance in this, knowing that the
Lord in His wisdom and love, had finally created a being with
whom He would share Himself in ways that angels would
never know or understand. There were some angels, to the
shame of the Host, who saw A'dam in a completely different
light...
----------------
"A'dam! A'dam!" cried Lucifer aloud. "How much more of
this A'dam must I hear about?" he shouted to the Council. Tinius,
who had simply remarked about some minor detail on earth, dared
not look up at Lucifer.
"Is A'dam the only creature in the universe?" he asked. Every-
one at the Council sat quietly, waiting for someone else to speak up.
Finally Pellecus began talking.
"The Most High knows well what He is doing in this." 233
"It is only natural, my prince," said Pellecus, "given the com-
pletely new state of affairs, that the curiosity of the Host is
touched." He stood up as if in one of his old classes giving a lec-
ture. "A'dam is different. A'dam is new. A'dam is highly favored of
the Lord--and therefore the Host is merely curious."
"Curiosity is for fools, Pellecus," retorted Lucifer, "of which
most of the Host is comprised, I am convinced. Sit down!" Pellecus
humbly retook his seat. The warrior angels snickered in delight.
"The longer he remains in Eden without being governed, the more
accustomed to independence he will become," Lucifer continued.
"I am weary of waiting!" He pounded the table with such force that
Serus came rushing in to see if his master wanted something. This
broke the tension in the room as everyone laughed.
Lucifer began outlining his current thinking. He was now
more than ever ready to take over as governor. The new man was
the first, but certainly not the last human to be made. There would
be more. It was time to make this official. He looked at Kara, who
had been invited to this special meeting.
"I cannot abide this inaction any further, Kara," Lucifer
snarled. "Ever
y day that the man lives is another day that he dom-
inates that world. Why, he has even begun to name the creatures
there! That is not his prerogative!"
"Ah yes," said Kara, amused at Lucifer's predicament. "It
seems that the Most High has given the man some responsibilities
on earth."
"I am responsible for that world," said Lucifer. "Not he."
Lucifer stood up and began pacing as he talked. "How like our
Lord to allow this...this A'dam...to share in the responsibility of
naming the beasts. A'dam is himself a beast! Such presumption."
He looked at Kara pleadingly. "Kara, you must make a move now.
Or there shan't be any reason for me to be named steward. I'll not
have my authority usurped by this mud-man!"
"Patience, Lucifer," cautioned Kara. "The Chief Elder is even
now presenting your name to the Most High. I urged him to cir-
cumvent the Zoa who seem to be moving slowly on this. But be
234 CHRONICLES of the Host: Exile of Lucifer
advised: This mud-man is a delight in the eyes of the Lord. Be care-
ful how you refer to him--beast or not."
"Kara, you take me for a fool," said Lucifer. "You know as
well as I that this unforeseen passion the Most High has for A'dam
is a threat to us all. Do you realize that if we are not careful we
angels may be serving A'dams rather than the other way around? It
is a pathetic but distinct possibility."
"But unlikely," said Pellecus, who had recovered from
Lucifer's earlier rebuff.
"How so, learned one?" asked Lucifer with a sarcastic tone.
"Since when do you anticipate the thinking of the Lord? You who
said that whatever the pinnacle of the creation was to be, that he
would be lower than angels!"
"And so he is," said Pellecus calmly. "A'dam is a product of
the earth. He is created out of dust. He is material, sensual, and
therefore inferior. I confidently assert that the Most High will never
relinquish dominion of the earth to him. Some responsibilities? Of
course! Let him name the creatures of the earth...so long as your
name is over all creatures on earth what does it matter?"
Lucifer began thinking through Pellecus' statement. He
looked out the window onto the streets of Heaven. "Perhaps you
are right, Pellecus. If this A'dam is to have a share of responsibility
in the world, then I should be courting him rather than opposing
him. I should be promoting him to the Lord--building him up and
supporting him. Demonstrating to God that I too cherish A'dam.
What better way to display my ability to rule over man than by
being in harmony with him?"
"Sounds very plausible," agreed Kara. "For if the Most High
has in fact determined that A'dam is to have a measure of authori-
ty, then you best serve your purposes by..."
"Recognizing A'dam's authority?" offered Lucifer.
"Well, yes," said Kara sheepishly. "It does not mean you are
surrendering your own authority to him. After all, yours will be the
final authority on earth. It has been prophesied. It must be that an
angel shall rule and perhaps be assisted by an A'dam."
"The Most High knows well what He is doing in this." 235
"To think that I might have to share any amount of authority
with a beast. I shall never understand the way our Lord thinks.
However, seeing one of their own in a position of some importance
might help to keep the other beasts in line."
"A'dam is not quite a beast," replied Pellecus. "Not like the
others."
"Are you presuming to lecture me, Pellecus?" asked Lucifer.
"I think, lord, that Pellecus is merely pointing out that A'dam
is vastly different from the other creatures on earth," Kara said,
attempting to deflect Lucifer's anger.
"Just so," Pellecus responded. "No other creature is like
A'dam. Mind you this includes the angels. Every other creature on
earth is animal. Brutish. Instinctive. Created by decree. But A'dam.
He is created in the image of the Most High. He was enlivened by
the very breath of God--and this is why the Most High delights in
him."
"I know, I know. I saw him created, Pellecus. And I heard the
Most High declare him to be made in His own image. But are we
not all created in His image? Are not the angels created with God's
image in them?" asked Lucifer.
"Well, yes. To the degree that--like the Lord--we are reason-
ing, moral creatures, we share some attributes of God. But A'dam
shares a unique place in that he alone has been declared to be in
God's image. We angels were never accorded such honor." Lucifer
frowned and folded his arms in disgust as Pellecus continued. "The
real question is not what image angels are made in, but what the
Lord's ultimate intentions for A'dam are."
Lucifer looked at the Council and smiled wanly. "Ah well.
Perhaps until I am named steward we can use the fact of A'dam's
unique position in creation to our advantage." He took his seat
once more.
"So you say, Kara, that the Lord will now be personally aware
await His decision. I only hope the Chief Elder is proficient in
declaring our position."
236 CHRONICLES of the Host: Exile of Lucifer
"You mean the Council's position," Kara answered. The Coun-
cil of Worship laughed nervously.
"Ah yes," said Lucifer. "Good and well. So you see, my
friends, it is only a matter of time before we shall be free from these
chains and ruling earth."
"Or at least assisting A'dam," Pellecus said humorously.
"I shall only assist A'dam in relinquishing whatever authority
he has taken which rightfully belongs to the steward of earth,"
replied Lucifer. "Which is me."
"I would like to assist the dirt man myself," said Rugio. "To
think that he believes himself God's special creature! He could be
so easily..." Rugio stopped himself.
"Not so easily, Rugio," said Lucifer. "The reason he believes
he is special in the Lord's sight is because the Lord has so led him
to believe. Observe how frequently the Most High visits and con-
sorts with A'dam. He actually accompanies A'dam for strolls in
Eden--in a severely diminished capacity, of course, or He would
kill the poor creature! Visiting A'dam won't be easy, Rugio. That's
why the best course is to obtain legal authority and then deal with
whatever impertinence might exist."
"Perhaps, lord, whenever the day comes that such imperti-
nence is to be dealt with, I might represent you in the matter and
deal with this A'dam personally."
"Of course, Rugio," answered Lucifer. "But gently, gently."
Everyone laughed.
"And now the wait," said Lucifer, as the room quieted down.
"I know that our Lord prides Himself on His ability to be patient in
all things, longsuffering and all that. But I hope that His decision in
this matter will take precedence over whatever else might be on
His mind--whatever that might be!"
237
Chapter 16
"You must never eat of this tree."
A'dam loved Eden. Every day he learned something new
about his world, and that made him feel closer to God. By now he
understood that God had created him as a free man to love and be
loved of the Father; to worship his Creator; to walk the breadth of
Eden and learn of it; to name its creatures; to eat of its fruit. A'dam
looked up to the Heavens and was supremely thankful.
As he looked skyward he saw a majestic bird that he had not
noticed before. It was soon joined by another bird of the same kind.
The two birds flew together gracefully and began circling the forest
above A'dam's head. They then flew down and lighted near him on
a large cedar log.
A'dam looked at the birds for a moment or two and named
them. Upon hearing their new name, the birds screeched and took
flight, disappearing into the deep blue sky. It had been this way
ever since the Lord had commissioned him to name the animals. An
animal or two, or sometimes a large group of animals would wan-
der over to A'dam, who would name them and off they would go.
He was grateful that at least he didn't have to go looking for them!
A'dam had everything he could possibly need in his world.
All of the food he could eat was always a few steps away. He had
238 CHRONICLES of the Host: Exile of Lucifer
plenty of cool water for drinking. The animals were his friends and
he enjoyed a wonderful relationship with God, who would often
visit him in the garden. He was truly grateful for his life. And
yet...there was an emptiness stirring within him. A longing.
As he watched the male and female eagles disappear he once
more realized that every animal in creation seemed to be in twos.
The birds, the beasts of the field...all of these were accompanied by
another of its own kind. He sometimes wondered as to the reason