At one of the meetings on the Mount, something new was introduced. The angelic masses gathered on the Mount not for rehearsals or concerts but rather for speeches and discussions. Each angel would be given the chance to present their views on certain matters or bring up any request they wished to make. These sessions were sprinkled with times when Lucifer would teach of Yahweh’s qualities and characteristics, a subject that a lot of angels were curious to look into.
Considering the incidents that occurred on the Mount in the recent past, the angelic hosts would not have expected Lucifer to be speaking of Yahweh with such respect and exaltation. Whatever thoughts they had lingered about a rift between him and Yahweh were now put to rest. The angelic masses once more seemed like they were in cohesive harmony.
At one of these teaching sessions, Lucifer spoke at great length of Yahweh’s attributes. ‘Yahweh is holy,’ Lucifer said grandiosely, ‘holy, meaning that for all eternity, he is totally separated unto justice, truth and righteousness. There is no turning of shadow in him. He is immutable in nature and it is not possible for him to change.
‘Yahweh is omnipotent and omniscient, but these attributes are tempered by wisdom, love and holiness. Know that he is also omnipresent; though you see him sitting here on this throne and shielded from you under my wings, he is everywhere else. What you see is not a part of him—-in fact, he is actually right here in all his totality and yet he is everywhere at the same time, not in part but in his totality as well. How is this possible? We do not know. It is a mystery and in this is also his glory. This is why we live. This is why we worship.’
Lucifer’s words enthralled everyone. Angels listened keenly as the archangel taught. Lucifer was an excellent speaker and his poise and eloquence captivated his audience.
At one of the meetings, an angel got up to ask a question. ‘The clouds of glory that dwell over the Mount are a mystery to us, Sire,’ the angel remarked, ‘could you tell us about it?’
‘Excellent question,’ Lucifer commented before he answered. ‘What you call the clouds of glory is actually the Holy of Holies. It is Yahweh’s abode of residence when he is not among us. As to its nature and interior, I cannot speak. It is off limits and anyone who tries to enter or go near it will find himself quite burnt to a crisp by the unapproachable Shekinah light.’
At this, many of the angelic ranks laughed at Lucifer’s humor.
As time went by there was always talk among the angels of how wise or amiable, or eloquent Lucifer was. Many sang his praise at how he could take a complex thought on any subject, from theology to nature and make it simple and understandable. Many boasted that Lucifer had taught them things that they would never have learned.
As time went by, there were more meetings, concerts and discussions. Ariel and Joel were returning from a concert when Ariel suggested that they visit the Dextor and the Myriads. They made sure that no one saw them and secretly entered the White Mountain.
‘Let me guess,’ Dextor said when they arrived, ‘you want me to modify your harps.’
Joel gave a puzzled look.
‘What are you talking about?’ said Ariel, ‘We are only here to visit you, why would we want to modify our instruments?’
Dextor scratched his head, then said, ‘Oh, I thought you were here on Lucifer’s behalf.’
‘I don’t understand,’ Ariel responded, ‘why would you think Lucifer sent us?’
Dextor made a beeline flight and landed on Ariel’s outstretched palm. ‘Because he has sent others here of course.’
‘What would he send anyone here for?’ Joel asked, quite puzzled.
Dextor gave a sigh of frustration. ‘Lucifer has been asking us to make modifications to certain musical instruments. It was said that they wanted them to be more versatile. That request we could follow but lately we have been asked to create strange looking objects that we clearly have no idea what their purpose is for.’
Ariel’s brows wrinkled together in question. ‘’New objects? Can we have a look at a sample of them?’
‘Wait here one moment,’ Dextor said and left for a moment, then returned with a group of Myriads carrying a gold plated chest. The Myriads placed the chest on the table before Ariel and Joe,l then went back out of the chamber.
‘Open it?’ Dextor pointed to the chest.
Ariel gently opened the chest. Inside were four shiny objects of varying lengths and shapes.
‘What are these?’ Ariel puzzled.
‘Do not ask,’ Dextor said wryly, ‘we were only instructed to make them. As to what they are for, I was not told, but one thing is for sure, they are not for making music.’
Joel picked up one of the shiny objects and ran his fingers along the smooth, flat edges. ‘Ow!’ he suddenly exclaimed and dropped the object, which landed on the floor with a resounding ring.
‘What is it, Joel?’
Joel held out his finger as he winced in pain. His finger was cut and was bleeding liquid light.
‘Oh, no!’ Dextor gasped. ‘Look what it did?’
Ariel picked up the object from the floor and examined it. ‘It is sharp,’ he commented somberly, ‘looking at it, I can only guess that it is some kind of cutting instrument.’
Joel gingerly touched his cut finger. The wound was already beginning to close and heal. ‘What would Lucifer want these things for anyway?’
‘I was never comfortable about making them,’ Dextor lamented, ‘but Lucifer is the guardian cherub. We have to take his orders.’
Ariel was gazing down at the sharp instrument now with great dislike. ‘What if they are creations that go against Yahweh’s wishes? These things are more dangerous than anything else.’
‘Yahweh is omniscient,’ Joel interjected, ‘surely he already knows of whatever is happening so it must be of his approval.’
Ariel rested his chin in his palm and his elbows on the table. ‘I do not know about that, Joel. There have been times when I thought Lucifer acted out of character and Yahweh did nothing in response. These objects worry me. It is obvious that Lucifer is acting discreetly and of his own volition. What I would like to know is why.’
‘Please, do not tell anyone what I have told you,’ Dextor pleaded, ‘I am not sure that Lucifer would be pleased if it was common knowledge.’
‘Do not fret about it, Dextor,’ Ariel assured, ‘we will take full responsibility for what we know. ‘
Joel pointed to the sharp, shiny objects as though fearing to touch them again. ‘By the way, how many of these are you supposed to make?’
Dextor gave a weary sigh. ‘As many as we can for each day, is what I was told.’
‘Dextor,’ Ariel said, ‘May I keep one of these objects?’
Dextor leaned his head in deliberation, then said, ‘Very well, I suppose. But do not let anyone catch you with it, though.’
Ariel nodded his agreement.
Later that day, Ariel met with the rest of his friends at his living quarters. When Ariel showed the object he got from Dextor, Gaius let out a low whistle.
‘Someone could really get hurt from something like this,’ Gaius remarked as he held the thin strip of metal in his hand.
‘So you think it is a weapon of some sort?’ asked Alden with keen interest.
Ariel shook his head. ‘I am not sure and Dextor does not know either. In any case, we cannot let anyone know what we know. This discussion stays here.’
Everyone nodded their agreement.
Joel leaned back on one of the couches and let out a fretful sigh. ‘If these objects Lucifer is creating are weapons, then is his wish to eradicate other angels?’
Ariel shook his head. ‘ No. That would not be practical. According to Lucifer’s teachings, we are spirit and light. We were created immortal, so we could not kill each other.’
‘But we could experience a world of hurt if attacked, though,’ Gaius put in.
Joel held up his now perfectly healed finger and said, ‘I can attest to that. The thing almost took my finger off just by touching it.’
‘What do you think Lucifer could be up to?’ Alden pondered.
‘Your guess is as good as mine,’ Joel said matter-of-factly.
‘It is hard to imagine,’ Ariel said, ‘but the worst-case scenario could be that there is a war brewing. My heart does not want to believe so but my mind is tugging at that conviction.’
‘If there is a war, what would happen to us?’ Gaius said, suddenly sitting up.
Joel got up and began to pace the floor. His face was etched with worry. ‘I do not even want to contemplate the prospect,’ he commented bitterly, ‘nothing good could come of it. Think of it, a realm of warring angels pitted against each other in battle, all our fellowship, concerts, recitals, joy, all gone, consumed by the scourge of war. Imagine never feeling safe, always being paranoid that someone is waiting to pounce on you at any moment. And after that, where would it all end? We are immortal, so how would such a war end?
‘The way I see it, none of us will ever have the same kind of life again. I cannot for the life of me figure out why Lucifer or anyone else would want to mar heaven with such a conflict. It just does not make any sense at all to me.’
Alden looked out of one of the windows of the apartment and viewed the wide panorama of heaven in the distance. ‘Maybe we are just overreacting. Maybe this is all but a misunderstanding. Lucifer is the wisest of our kind; surely he would know better than to bring about a war in heaven.’
Ariel stood and laid a hand on Joel. ‘Maybe Alden is right, Joel. Maybe we are overreacting. Let us give this time and see how things work out.’
‘If there is a war, Ariel,’ Joel began, ‘there will be sides taken…’ he paused and looked at the faces of everyone in the room then said, ‘…I do not want to lose any of you.’
‘You won’t lose any of us, Joel,’ Ariel assured. ‘We will stick together through whatever comes.’
Joel outstretched his arms and they all came together and embraced. Together in that room, the four angels silently whispered a prayer for peace.
