Final Confrontation

by D. Brian Shafer

  Others began to chime in immediately.

  Gabriel smiled and looked at Crispin, who nodded his assent.

  “Go ahead,” Crispin said. “They all know the story, but it will be refreshing for them to hear it directly from the angel who actually experienced the glorious event!”

  “Thank you Crispin,” Gabriel began. “The event was indeed glorious. But to be sure, the glory is the Lord’s. Remember this—the Most High shares His glory with neither men nor angels. It is not for angels to glory in what they do.”

  The angels listening, nodded in agreement.

  “As to the events surrounding the birth of the Christ, it is true this was a marvelous spectacle. To be witness to, and take a small part in, the greatest prophecy given by our Lord was quite humbling.”

  “Was Mary truly unafraid when you appeared to her?” asked an angel seated in the front of the room.

  “Not quite,” answered Gabriel. “She was in fact quite frightened, as most humans are when first we appear to them. Of course we never appear to a human unless the events are extraordinary and warrant such an appearance, and usually only as commanded by the Lord Himself.”

  Gabriel stepped into the center and stood directly in front of the assembly, near enough to touch them if he had extended his hand.

  “Of course, the story didn’t begin with Mary,” he continued. “It began after the final prophecy was recorded by the prophet Malachi—some hundreds of human years earlier. During that time the words of the Lord were precious and few and only held in esteem by a remnant of Israel. The people of God had lost their way and their nation. But there was a man named Zacharias, of the house of Levi, who loved the Lord. He and his wife Elizabeth greatly desired children, but were unable to conceive. And now they were old in years.

  “His name meant ‘the Lord remembers,’ for it was to him the Lord remembered His promise of the Seed after hundreds of years of silence; it was to him the first whisper of the Christ Child was to be told while serving at the Temple—a whisper that included a son of his own, a boy to be named John…”.

  1 B.C.

  “Such a day, such a day!” exclaimed Zacharias.

  He hurried about the little house he had shared with his wife Elizabeth for many, many years. Elizabeth smiled at her husband, a man in his seventies, who today was acting like a young man. Zacharias was distinguished in his community, known for his faith and reverence for the Most High. His reputation for piety and devotion carried great weight in a time when such devotion was uncommon.

  Elizabeth was likewise held in great esteem. She, too, was of the house of Aaron, and was a righteous daughter of Israel. They were indeed a couple who honored the Lord with their lives. It was therefore a mystery as to why Elizabeth had remained barren all these years.

  Chronicles of the Host

  Zacharias’ Honor

  It had been King David who had ordered the priesthood into 24 divisions, each to take turns serving in the Temple. Zacharias was of the division of Abijah, and to be chosen by lot among so many was a once-in-a-lifetime honor. Zacharias had rehearsed the procedure in his mind over and over again in preparation for the event, and even as he bade his wife good-bye in the predawn hour, he thought about the heritage that he would live out today.

  Zacharias entered the Temple, as was his custom, and awaited the morning sacrifice offered on the altar outside the Holy Place. After the priest had dipped the blood on the horns of the altar, Zacharias began making his way up the steps leading to the Holy Place. Many eyes were upon the old man who had served the priesthood for so long.

  He was accompanied by two other priests who would assist in the ministry. They were to remove the old coals and place live coals in the censer and then leave. And so while hundreds of priests awaited Zacharias in the Court of Israel, Zacharias was quite alone in the Temple…or was he?

  “Zacharias!”

  The old man looked up and cocked his head. He waited a moment and then realized he must have heard the priests outside. He went back to his prayers.

  “Zacharias!”

  He looked up again. In the eerie glow of the room he could not make out anything. He was about to leave when he saw an angel standing to the right of the altar of incense. He was terrified and fell down before the magnificent being that was in white robes and girded about with a golden belt. Terrified he had committed some offense against the Lord, Zacharias prepared to die.

  Gabriel looked down upon the old priest. He didn’t intend to frighten the man but he knew that humans generally were affected this way when a spirit appeared to them. His mission was of supreme importance and he began to speak to the priest in reassuring terms.

  “Hear me, Zacharias,” said Gabriel. “The Lord has heard your prayers!”

  Zacharias looked up once more, now realizing he was in the presence of one of God’s holy angels.

  “Your prayer has been heard. Just as this incense is lifted to the Lord, so the prayers you have prayed have been received by the Most High God. Hear me! Your wife Elizabeth shall have a son! And you shall call him John.”

  “A son?” Zacharias managed.

  “He will be the cause of great joy in Israel,” Gabriel continued. “He shall be great in the sight of the Lord. He will drink neither wine nor strong drink. And he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit even in his mother’s womb!”

  “A son,” repeated Zacharias.

  “And he shall be the cause of many in Israel turning back to the Lord. He will go about in the spirit and power of Elijah. He will turn the hearts of the fathers back to their children, and the disobedient back to those who are filled with wisdom.”

  Gabriel paused for a moment to allow Zacharias to drink all of this in. The old man by now had managed to stand, albeit in a humble posture.

  “And he shall make ready a people who are prepared for the Lord!”

  Upon this pronouncement, Gabriel could feel a rumbling in Heaven. This was the beginning of the greatest prophecy ever given—it was the opening of a new phase of this long and bloody war with darkness. Gabriel awaited Zacharias’ reply.

  By now Zacharias had collected himself. Was this a dream? They had prayed all their lives for a son. Was his wife to give birth now, in her old age? Perhaps this was a deceiving spirit or the excitement of serving in the Temple on this special day. Doubt began to creep in.

  “Forgive me,” said Zacharias meekly. “But how shall I know what you have said is true? We have wanted a son for many years. But we are both old now and my wife remains barren. Elizabeth is…”

  “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of the Most High God!”

  Gabriel was a bit annoyed at Zacharias’ doubt. Why can’t humans simply realize God can do anything He desires?

  “Gabriel?” Zacharias repeated.

  “And I have been sent by the Lord to tell you these marvelous things that must surely be.” As Gabriel spoke he clearly heard the Spirit of God speak into his mind the next pronouncement: “And hear me! Because you did not believe these words I have spoken, you shall not be able to speak until these things take place—for surely they will happen at the appointed time!”

  Suddenly, Gabriel was gone.

  Zacharias took a minute to recover from the vision, then hurried out of the Temple to join the other priests waiting for him in the Court of Israel. It was the custom that whoever ministered the incense would also pray a benediction when he emerged from the sanctuary. The priests wondered what had taken him so long in the burning of the incense. Zacharias fell at the feet of the first priest he saw and started to tell him of the wonderful thing that had just happened. But instead of sound there was only a silence.

  The priest looked at Zacharias strangely. This frustrated Zacharias, who began making all sorts of wild motions, pulling on his robe and pointing back at the Holy Place. His face was pale. The man thought Zacharias had indeed lost his mind.

  The poor man looked to some of the others for help. The priest, still in the grip of
Zacharias, pulled away from him in horror. Would no one come to his aid? Zacharias remained on the ground, surrounded by the curious priests who stared and muttered among themselves while he continued to gesture wildly. He sank to his knees in despair. Finally, one of the priests, named Eli, approached him soothingly.

  “What is it Zacharias?” he asked. “What has happened? What did you see?” Then Eli looked at the old man’s face and asked, “Did the Lord speak to you?”

  Others crowded around the old man who by now was on his feet gesturing toward the Temple but unable to speak the words. The men concluded he had indeed had a vision of some sort. After a few moments he gave up, frustrated. He decided to quietly complete the remaining week of his duties in silence; then he would take the news to the one person who was sure to understand—Elizabeth.

  Chronicles of the Host

  Elizabeth’s Joy

  And so it was that just as Gabriel had prophesied, Elizabeth, the wife of Zacharias, conceived. For five months she kept herself in seclusion, perhaps to keep her reproach of so many years hidden until it was evident God had so blessed her.

  As for Gabriel, his ministry continued in the matter of this great event. Our opponent was convinced for a season that Elizabeth would bear the Seed, and she was under constant watch. She was, of course, well protected by the Host, and nothing the enemy brought against her came to fruition. As for Zacharias, he continued in silence, counting the days until his wife’s delivery.

  Six months after Elizabeth had conceived, the angel Gabriel was sent to Nazareth, in Galilee, to a maiden who was betrothed to a man named Joseph. The virgin’s name was Mary. The attention of the Host shifted dramatically to this young woman. The attention of Lucifer also shifted…

  “Greetings, O highly favored one!”

  Mary dropped the lamp, which broke at her feet.

  Standing before her was an angel of the Lord. She had often heard stories of visiting angels—even dreaming of them on occasion. But she never thought she would actually see one. Angels visited holy men and kings—not ordinary people! After a few seconds of studying the figure that stood in front of her in her little home, she began to question not only why he had come, but what he had just said.

  “Highly favored?” she whispered.

  Gabriel spoke to her in a soothing voice full of compassion and joy. He wanted her to understand completely what he was about to tell her. He continued.

  “Mary, do not be afraid—you are indeed highly favored of the Lord!”

  She remained silent.

  “You are to give birth to a Son and shall call his name Jesus,” Gabriel said. “He will be great and will be known as the Son of the Most High! He will be given the throne of David and shall rule over the house of Jacob forever. His Kingdom shall see no end!”

  Mary was staggered. A baby? She had never been married or even been with a man before. She was engaged to be married! How could this be? Overcoming her fear of the situation, she spoke to Gabriel.

  “But how can this be? I am a virgin.”

  “It will not be by man that you shall conceive but by the power of God,” answered Gabriel. “The Holy Spirit of the Most High shall create in your womb this coming Son—this Son of God.”

  “But…”

  “Listen! Your cousin Elizabeth, who has been barren, is also going to have a child.”

  “Elizabeth?” Mary responded, a rush of joy beginning to supplant her fear.

  “She is already in her sixth month,” said Gabriel. “You see? Nothing is impossible for the Lord!”

  Mary considered everything that had been spoken to her. It was impossible to drink it all in at once, and yet she knew in her heart it must be true. If this was of the Lord, then she was indeed highly favored. She looked up at Gabriel.

  “I am the Lord’s servant,” she said. “May everything you have said about me and Elizabeth come true.”

  Gabriel smiled at her and could not help but contrast her willingness to believe with Zacharias’ disbelief. He vanished as quickly as he had appeared. Mary was left with her thoughts. She was to carry the Son of the Most High? But why? What was the Lord doing? What did Elizabeth have to do with it all? Most of all—what was Joseph going to think?

  She decided that she must go and see Elizabeth at once.

  Lucifer’s leadership was meeting to discuss the recent appearances of Gabriel concerning the birth of the One who would be called Jesus. Lucifer had reconvened many of the Council members that had been with him in the days before the rebellion, before the Council of Worship had become the Council of War.

  The chatter around the table was a mixture of reminiscing over the old times in Heaven to the new threat posed by Gabriel’s intrusions. Many of these angels had not spoken to or seen each other since their expulsion from Heaven. It was quite a different arrangement around the table now—stripped of their offices and former prestige, they vied for whatever bits of power Lucifer tossed their way. The memories of this group were both bitter and sweet.

  Lucifer strode in and the room became quiet immediately. They met in an abandoned temple on Crete, in deference to Pellecus, whose principality over the Graeco-Roman world was now a brightly shining star. The temple was a Minoan structure dedicated to a long-forgotten sea goddess. The great civilization at Knossos, which once flourished here, had been destroyed in a violent earthquake. All that remained were pitiful ruins and relics of a glorious past.

  “Not exactly the same surroundings as when we met in Heaven,” said Lucifer, noting the ruined temple. “But an appropriate setting to be sure.”

  The angels looked at each other knowingly.

  Lucifer stood at the end of the long bronze table that had once served as a Minoan priest’s place of offering. He eyed each angel individually: Rugio, Vel, Nathan and Prian, his warrior commanders; Fineo, Drachon, Sar and Rega, former angels of worship; and Tinius, Pellecus, Lenaes and Kara, angels of wisdom, now turned angels of deception. Lucifer smiled faintly.

  “Brothers, it is good to have you back again as in the beginning,” he said. “We represent the future of this planet and the strategy of this present war. Of course we will have to do without Sangius, who betrayed us. But all in all we are united and represent the most powerful and resourceful angels in our realm.”

  Lucifer gestured at their meeting place.

  “I called this place fitting because it was once a place of greatness and glory. You are well acquainted with the former priests of this land who performed all manner of sorcery and conjuring.” He paused for a moment. “But the glory of their day faded and they have become dust awaiting judgment at the end of the age.”

  Lucifer ran his fingers along the ornately carved altar. He was brooding and melancholy. Finally he began speaking, looking more at the altar than at the angels staring back at him.

  “Like these once-proud Minoans, who have come and gone, we are on the threshold of a faded glory. We have fought and fought and fought. We have seen the destruction of countless humans and overthrown many nations. We have planted our lies deep into the hearts of men who seek the glory of the Most High in things He created for their amusement. And yet the war goes badly for us. The Child who was foretold has now been conceived by His mother. The Seed has been delivered.”

  The group, whose mood was becoming increasingly desperate, looked to Lucifer for some note of hope. Lucifer smiled and continued, “I have no answer for you.”

  The angels remained silent for a few moments. Finally, Tinius stood to speak.

  “My lord, are you saying the war is lost?”

  “Did I say that, Tinius?”

  “No, lord,” stammered Tinius, whose doubtful mind often played into Lucifer’s harsh disposition. “I’m not doubting your ability to lead us…”

  “I said I have no answer for you…at this time.”

  He produced a scroll.

  “When waging war it is wise to learn as much as you can about your enemy. In the case of our enemy, He has given us muc
h intelligence with which we might surmise our next move.”

  He began unrolling the scroll before them.

  “The prophet Isaiah, among others, has given us ample information on what we are to expect from this…this ‘Son of the Most High who is to be called Jesus,’ as Gabriel put it. We have discussed some of this before. But more recent prophecies bring new light to this reference. I often wonder at the wisdom of the Most High who seems bent on giving it all away.”

  He took the scroll and began to read:

  “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given,

  and the government shall be upon His shoulders;

  and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor,

  The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father,

  The Prince of Peace.

  Of the increase of His government there will be no end,

  Upon the throne of David, and upon his Kingdom,

  To order it and to establish it with judgment and

  With justice from henceforth even forever.”

  “The throne of David,” muttered Kara. “The same old dream. When will these people ever give up on that dreary idea?”

  Pellecus scoffed at Kara’s ignorance.

  “Why should they give up on the idea when the prophet Isaiah and others fan it for them?” he asked. “More importantly, why should they give up on the throne of David being established again when the Lord Himself places such hope before them?”

  “David’s throne was destroyed,” grunted Rugio, whose bitter memory of Goliath’s defeat still gnawed at him. “He is dust now.”

  “David is dust,” agreed Lucifer. “But his legacy survives. Don’t you see what this means? It is exactly as we feared. There shall be born in the derelict house of Judah the One who will regain the throne of David and establish it forever. Who could do this but the Lord of Hosts? And who but the Lord would be bold enough to foretell it?”

  “But there are so many prophecies being bantered about these days,” Kara said scornfully. “This nation thrives on them. What is another prophecy more or less?”