A Christmas Conundrum

A/N: Basically this is the Christmas story, but told in a different way. Do we realize how strange God's plan was? What we cost Him? What was Joseph thinking? What happened to Mary's plans? How did the host of Heaven react? Just a shot at what might've happened.

I am starting a revision of my story from back in 2011. I found that the story in and of itself was good, but the way I wrote it seemed very dated with a lot of "you knows" and "anyways." I've added detail but have also taken a lot out that didn't really fit since quite a bit was commentary. Also, for your convenience, I've added Bible sources for at the end. Where I got my descriptions of Heaven from. Jesus' prior visits to earth. God's message to Mary. It'll all be at the bottom so take a look.

Disclaimer: God is the author of the Bible, which I am using to base ALL of my facts for this story upon. Everything around the facts are poetic license to retell a most fabulous piece of history.

The foundations of eternity shook in a constant hum of power as the angels gathered before Almighty God's throne. [1]The train of His robe cascaded through the temple and billowed with smoke. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: two over their eyes, two covering their feet, and two with which they stayed aloft. Around him were the thrones and cherubim on their wheels and all cried to one another in praise, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty! The whole earth is full of his glory!"

"Gabriel," Elohim called.

The archangel bowed low before his master and answered, "Holy is the Lord Almighty!"

"Gabriel, you may summon them."

Nodding, Gabriel took his order and revealed an ornate horn. From the horn came a powerful note that reached past the borders of the earth, echoing like thunder. At once, angels from all corners of creation flocked to the throne room, prostrate and chanting praise.

It was a rare occasion that all angels had been summoned, especially with the goings on of Earth in those days. Ever since the fall of man, the powerful created beings that roamed Heaven had watched mankind grow worse and worse and how they took the earth with them. Kings had risen to power and were wiped out; entire nations corrupted by the betrayer Satan and his followers. The accuser and alike whispered in the ears of mongers, but it was man who continually sinned and eventually sealed their fate.

Judgments had been pronounced on much of the population. After the flood, sin continued to spread like a disease even when men were wiped out, given over to their lusts and evil desires. [2]Natural was traded for unnatural, mercy for sacrifice, compassion for pomp, and life for war.

And so it was that the messengers of God, the armies of the Most High, were in constant action against the enemy. Until today.

Gabriel glimpsed toward the earth and saw the Roman legions spread over much of the world. "How long will He stand for the humans' contempt? They have been given centuries to repent and still most remain adamant in their sin,"Gabriel thought as he bowed low before his King. The Father, the Son, and the Spirit of God were all together, His glory and holiness shining brilliant. Something was happening today. When the last of the heavenly beings had arrived, the cherubim quieted and a hush fell over the host of Heaven.

"Mankind has sinned against Me," The Holy of Holy's said, His voice a deep rumble. Lightning pealed through the air. "An offense worthy of eternally being set apart from My presence."

"Maybe today is the day?"

"But they shall not be," He continued. "Not yet."

A murmur rippled throughout the chamber. Not yet? What did this mean?

"The penalty for human sin is human blood," the Lord continued. "Who among man could pay this price for all his kin?"

A rhetorical question. No one dared say the obvious that no man alive could carry such a burden, let alone pay that price. All men were born into sin. It was the inherent trait passed down since Adam.

"Who among the glories of Heaven can accomplish this?" He asked, and that's where things got interesting.

[3]Who can know the mind of God? Who can teach Him or rebuke Him? There is no one greater than the Father. Even parts of His being- the Son and Spirit- remain unaware of some of the Father's plans in a never ending cycle of faith and deep set trust since before the concept of time. Who among Heaven could possibly fix the creation that betrayed Him?

When God starts asking questions- especially rhetorical ones- He is bound to make a point. This was something the angels knew well, and their ears itched for what the Ancient of Days was going to do next.

"We have known man's destiny and the time has come…"

The anticipation was tangible. Even the cherubim, the holiest of angels, were hanging on God's every word for the answer to humanity's ultimate crime.

"I will go."

Suddenly the Son was standing before them and before the Father. The Godhead had split! He had done so many times in the past, but there was something different about this event. Something grand and unspoken between the two facets of Elohim's character.

He said He would go. He would go to Earth.

Adonai had gone to Earth many times before this. [4]He reminded Joshua that the general was for God and not the other way around. [5]He saved his three servants from the furnace of Nebuchadnezzar and answered [6]Daniel in his time of need.

So why did this feel so… final?

"How will this be Sovereign One?" asked one angel.

"Will You go like all the other times?"

The Son betrayed no answers in His holy face except the one thing in His eyes that Gabriel recognized every time God watched His creation sin: sadness.

"Blood must be paid in blood," said the Father before turning to Gabriel again. "I have a message for you to deliver to a girl on Earth."

"A girl?"

"Yes. Tell her [7]Greetings and that I am with her and have found favor in her."

Gabriel gaped a little before nodding that he had heard the message. She must have been quite extraordinary for such a compliment. Not many humans received such a praise anymore.

"Tell her that she is to be with child and she will give birth to a son." Not unheard of, thought Gabriel. God has sent angels down with those promises many times.

"He will be called Jesus." The name rung out like a song, the words overlapping in every tongue of man. Jesus… Yeshua… Isa… Yesu… Iosa… Iso… "He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High." The angels froze. The Son looked at His Father and back to the head of the messengers. The pieces of the puzzle started putting themselves together.

"The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."

The weight of the words hung so heavily, Heaven's host could barely breathe. He was going to do it. He was going to become human. The Son would descend to mankind.

"Explain how it will happen. My Spirit will come upon her and overshadow her so that the holy one will be called the Son of God. She will ask and her faith will be tested. Remind her that even her cousin Elizabeth is having a child in her old age and barren state. For nothing is impossible with God."

Gabriel pondered that last bit. "So that was why God told me to send Couriel to Zechariah," he wondered.

"Go," the Father commanded, His voice resounding and whispering at the same time. Gabriel obeyed, bowing once more before flying away from the throne and towards the earth. The declaration of his King echoed in his mind.

He will be the son of the Most High. His kingdom will never end. His spirit shall overshadow her and he will be called the Son of God.

The archangel chanced a glance backwards, his eyes widening at the wave of colorful light cascading behind him. God's Holy Spirit was descending, carrying with Him the Son; now small but still marvelous and beautiful.

And the angels watched, and they waited for the glory of God to be revealed to all mankind.

A/N: So... what did ya think? Don't be shy. Go ahead and click the review button and send a comment. But here is a warning: I don't mind flames or criticism, but when they get insulting or have nothing to do with the story whatsoever then I will report it as abuse. Review responsibly.

Bible references:

[1] Isaiah 6:1-4 & Ezekiel 10 … A description of Heaven. Angels are freaky guys. No joke.

[2] Romans 1: 18-32

[3] Romans 11: 33-36

[4] Joshua 5:13-15 It can be argued that Joshua was speaking with an angel, but the description about him says otherwise. He's the commander of the Lord's army PLUS he doesn't tell Joshua to get up when he falls facedown to the ground. In every story involving an angel where someone tries to bow and worship, the angel stops them because the glory isn't theirs. Jesus doesn't.

[5] Daniel 3:25 This one is kind of a stretch. There are other times throughout the Bible that angels are described as "sons of God" most notably this passage and Genesis 6. Considering it's a pagan man proclaiming this, it is highly likely it was an angel sent and that was the description the king used BUT it could also have been a moment of truth revealed by God that it was his Son in there. I mean, God has used Nebuchadnezzar to prophecy before hand. This one is kind of left more for the imagination WHO EXACTLY freed Shadrach, Meshiach, and Abendego.

[6] Daniel 10:5-12 The description of the man that Daniel relays is a very similar description to Jesus in Revelation 1:12-18. Read them side to side. It's pretty mind blowing.

[7] Luke 1:26-38 Christmas Prophecy