A Little Lower Than The Angels (The Generations Book 1)

by Caryl McAdoo

  Along the path to the front door, he had lit torches to light the way. She loved the effect on her flowers and trees she’d planted. Even his stone path reflected the glow. He stopped at the front door, put her basket down, then lifted her into his arms.

  “When Abba showed me how He wanted our home, I floated through it as if I rode on a feather.”

  Kissing his cheek, she wrapped an arm round his neck. “I like you carrying me around, always did.”

  He stepped over the threshold with her in his arms.

  For a few heartbeats, her eyes adjusted to the dimmer lamp light, then a swarm of chill bumps washed over her. The beautiful stone and brick home he had built had become a peaceful and stunning indoor garden.

  Ferns hung from the rafters, their fronds gracefully arching. Small trees and flowering plants grew from beautiful clay pots.

  And even the birds! The canary’s sweet song wafted on the fragranced air from its new hanging home. Each room shown more beautiful and interesting than the last. “Oh, Adam, it is wonderful.”

  He smiled then carried her to their sleeping room. Furs where spread on the bed and steam from the bathing pool rose in a swirled dance of its own. A hint of lilac and roses rode the gentle breeze.

  “Bless the Lord. I’m glad you approve.”

  “Oh, yes.” She could hardly take it all in, or even speak, as something clogged her throat, but she managed a whispered, “Yes, indeed, dear husband.”

  He eased her down onto the bed then pointed toward the wall at the bed’s foot. “What do you think?”

  A sheet of her best wool hung with a picture of Lion and Lamb, just like in the garden, The King gazing off, and Lamb kissing him.

  “Oh, Husband. I love it, adore it. You are so gifted. Did you do all this in six days? When did you make the pots and planters and paint the picture and dig up all greenery?”

  “With God’s help all things are possible.”

  She leaned back and extended her hand. “Bless His Holy and wonderful name.”

  He joined her.

  Exactly nine months later, on the occasion of the one hundred and thirtieth anniversary of Adam’s creation, Eve delivered a son in her husband’s own likeness. The happy parents named him Seth, meaning son of my right hand.

  But the child’s life and those of his son’s and his sons’ sons’ and their sons’ are another story.

  The End

  Search the Scriptures

  Scripture from the King James Version of the Bible.

  A few of the Biblical clues that guided this work of fiction.

  What do you believe regarding Adam’s age when created?

  Have you found it curious that Jacob’s Joseph became governor of Egypt at age thirty, just as Saul, David and Solomon who began their reigns at the age of thirty? Scripture tells us Jesus—or Yeshua as all those who walked with Him called His name—was about thirty when He began His public ministry.

  Genesis says God made himself a man. Think of His new creation as a species. As opposed to fowl, fishes, and animals already created, He made a man in His own image. To my way of thinking, the way one makes a man is to start with a baby then rear him up in the admonition and fear of the Lord. And according to Jewish tradition a male lives thirty years of experience and being taught by his father before he become a man.

  Consider Genesis 2:19 And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. If Adam was created a baby, and God took the normal time in earth days to teach His man how to talk, two to three years would’ve passed. If Abba brought little Adam one animal or fowl, fish, or creepy thing that crawls, how long would that possibly take? Naming every living creature?

  Doesn’t that sound like a proud father bringing his son every living creation to see what he would call them? What fun for Abba! Even if He took a dozen each day, wouldn’t that take years in itself? I mean the poor boy has to sleep. My experience confirms that God does not rush things. He’s never in a hurry.

  But bringing all those to His man to name, the word says no suitable helpmate was found. Genesis 5:1-2 This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created. She was in him from the beginning, one with Adam. Genesis 2:21-22 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.

  So if Adam was created a baby, and the Lord doesn’t give him Eve until he turns fifteen, and she’s a baby at that time, then he’s thirty and she’s fifteen when the testing comes. Adam is tested with the one thing he cannot bear to lose.

  All of my life, I’d wondered why Adam—who walked with God every day—would ever have disobeyed and ate from that one tree, especially with so many trees in the garden. This story makes it logical to me why God’s first man would choose to eat the forbidden fruit. He could not bear life without his Eve; his love for her proved too great. He didn’t trust God to give her back to him.

  General consensus—the tradition of men—is that God created Adam full grown. All the pictures in our children’s Sunday School lesson books, and Michelangelo painted it so on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, but how can a man be a father without first being a child himself? Are your beliefs based on scripture or men’s traditions?

  What do you believe regarding Adam’s taking his sons to God’s Mountain to sacrifice?

  Genesis 18:19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.

  Adam being present with Cain and Abel at their first sacrifice seemed logical. Abraham was a firstborn direct descendant of Adam, and he practiced burnt offering sacrifices, as did Noah. I suspect the other firstborns from Adam were commanded—each by his father—to keep the Way of the Lord.

  As to the manner in which God accepted the sacrifices, consider 2 Chronicles 7:1 Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the house. –and— 1 King 18:38 Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

  How God accepted Solomon and Elijah’s offerings with fire led me to the manner in which He accepted Adam’s and Abel’s.

  What do you believe regarding Adam’s taking so long to know his wife again?

  So if my timeline is right, and Adam was thirty and Eve fifteen when tempted then the twins were born shortly more than nine months later. If he took his sons for their first sacrifice, as men, when Cain and Abel were thirty. Adam was sixty when Cain killed his brother, yet one hundred and thirty before Seth was born. What took the first couple so long to have more children?

  Genesis 4:25 And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew. –and—Genesis 5:3 And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, and after his image; and called his name Seth:

  Jewish tradition is that the son must have his addition to his father’s house completed before he goes and gets his bride, and it’s the father who declares it finished. Jesus didn’t spell it out, but only referred to this tradition in the parable of the ten virgins (Matthew 25:1) since His crowd all knew it well. And how He’s gone even now to prepare His bride a place in His Father’s house.

  Seemed like God would have started the tradition with the first couple.

  What do you believe regarding Sher
iah, Cain’s sister-wife?

  Genesis 3:20 And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living. –and— Genesis 4:16-17 And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden. And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch.

  So if Eve is the mother of all the living as scripture says, then Cain’s wife must be his sister. And I put forth the proposition that Cain and Abel are twins per Genesis 4:1-2 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord. And she again bare his brother Abel. Think of the conflict between the two brothers with only one little sister. Only one would get a wife. Could that have caused additional stress between Cain and his brother?

  What do you believe regarding the angels?

  Regarding Gabriel and the archangels: Luke 1:19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.

  When God’s messenger visits Zacharias with God’s message regarding the priest’s prayers concerning his wife Elisabeth’s barrenness, Zacharias doubts what Gabriel has said because he and his wife are old, and questions Gabriel. The archangel’s response was that he stood in the Creator’s presence. How great a calling card to say ‘I stand in the presence of God’! I can’t imagine me doing anything but falling to my face before Him—much like the cherubim in my story.

  Regarding the cherubim: Revelation 4:4, 10-11 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. –and—Chapter 5:8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.

  I hadn’t really, in my mind, seen the seats before. I always saw them on the floor prostrate and worshiping. I saw their white raiment (clothing or apparel) glowing, soaked in the glory of God. After being seated, they do fall down and worship, casting their crowns before the throne. And I love the song they sing, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power:for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. Revelation 4:11 Do you know it? I love singing scripture.

  They all have harps and golden vials full of odours which are the prayers of the saints! How awesome is that? In this story, those around the Throne are cherubim—the elders of Heaven, the first angels created. Definitely not chubby baby-looking angels! Traditionally, I think most people have always considered the elders to be men since we have elders in church leadership.

  Regarding the Changing of the Watch: Job 2:1 Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the Lord.

  So the ‘Again’ tells us this ‘presentation’ has happened more than once. I call it the Procession at the Changing of the Watch. We’ve all watched how earthly kings have copious amounts of pomp and circumstance with divisions of their armies or military marching by with precision and in costume/uniform.

  I can only imagine how glorious such a presentation must be passing Heaven’s Throne! I have three divisions because God does so many things in threes—thus the seventy-two cherubim I spoke of earlier. I don’t mention the time length since God isn’t in time, but when our Messiah reigns on earth for the next age, we will all go once a year to present ourselves.

  Regarding how the angels war: 2 Chronicles 20:21-22 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the Lord; for his mercy endureth for ever. And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.

  Because angels are eternal beings, and according to what Gabriel told Daniel that they do war against each other, what can be at stake? How can there be victors and losers in the Second Heaven when battle has no casualties? When no one dies?

  The seraphim’s six wings, and the Arc of the Covenant with two golden cherubim on either end with their wings spread over it…the wings seem important. I thought, what if two armies of angels, when they meet for battle, come together and fly circles, each going in opposite directions?

  And I imagined two or four—whatever the number—flying into the center of the circles and singing against each other. The rules are simple. A new song trumps an old one, and God Himself is the righteous Judge. The loser’s feathers start falling off, and that loss impairs his flight. It helps decide victor.

  If eventually decimated, the loser is forced to leave the battle. He must go to the Temple Made without Hands (where Moses went) to re-grow his feathers before the next watch. If he cannot participate in the watch by then, he must remain until the next watch changes, weakening his legion.

  Other than the clues mentioned, my understanding of how angels war is from my imaginations and observations.

  Isn’t that how Satan seduces so many? With his unholy music? And is music not an instrument of war?

  What do you believe regarding Paradise?

  Paradise being in the center of the earth was easy to believe. Remember the story about the rich man and the beggar? Luke 16:22-26 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

  And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

  But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

  And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

  Ephesians 4:9-10 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

  Another hint of the location of Paradise, speaking of where Christ went after His crucifixion.

  What do you believe regarding the Guff and when God know us?

  Jeremiah 1:5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

  The Guff of Souls Namrel mentions comes from Jewish beliefs, a term meaning ‘body’ used in the Talmud referring to a place where unborn souls reside. It teaches the Messiah won’t come until the guff is emptied, but the guff is in no way scriptural. But we can know how early God knows us.

  Other Titles by Caryl McAdoo

  Vow Unbroken a historical Christian (western adventure) romance from Howard Books, a Simon & Schuster division; Book 1, a Texas Romance

  ISBN 978-1-4767-3551-1 / ebook 1-4767-3551-4

  In 1832, Susannah Baylor reluctantly hires Henry Buckmeyer to help her along the Jefferson Trace, the hard stretch of land between her Texas farm and the cotton market, where she's determined to get a fair price for her crop. It's been a long, rough ten years. The young widow stands to lose the land her husband and his brother left to her and the children. She needs help to get both her wagons safely to Jefferson.


  Henry's reputation as a lay-about is well known, and she’s prepared for his insolence, but never expects his good looks or irresistible, gentle manner. Soon they are entwined in a romantic relationship that only gets more complicated because Henry doesn't know God the way she does.

  Dangers arise on the trace--but none as difficult as the trial her heart is going through. Will Susannah and Henry's love overcome their differences?

  And will she get her crop to market and sell it for enough to save her farm? In this heartening and adventurous tale, a young woman's fortitude, faith, and heart are put to the ultimate test.

  (See 5-Star Review snippets in the front pages of this book.)

  Hearts Stolen a historical Christian (western adventure) romance; Book 2, a Texas Romance

  ISBN 978-1-5003-3651-6 / ebook 1-4767-3551-4

  Unbeknownst to loved ones, a headstrong young wife is snatched off the prairie by two Comanche braves, carried north of the Red River, and traded to their war chief for ponies. After five years, a small detail of Texas Rangers rides into camp, and she determines that day will bring freedom or death. She’ll remain captive no more.

  Sassy Nightengale almost gives up hope before the big brother of her best childhood friend shows up at Bold Eagle’s peace camp. She learns they’ve come for the negotiated exchange of stolen white women, except her name isn’t on their list. Purposing in her heart to escape captivity with her blue eyed, four-year-old that day, the chief’s third wife does everything she can think of to be noticed.

  Famed Texas Ranger Levi Baylor spots the red-headed beauty and agrees to the war chief’s price adding his personal horse and weapon to the Republic’s agents’ offerings. The trade propels the couple on a trail of joy and sorrow. Sweet love blossoms but must be denied. His integrity and her faith in God keep them at arm’s length, not even allowing a kiss. Sassy’s still married to her son’s father, and Levi’s honor- bound to deliver her home—to her husband.