Of Lucifer and Michael
Thousands of years Lucifer had dwelled gloriously amidst the light of God. His most trusted servant and most perfect angel. Alongside Lucifer existed the archangel Michael, yet another perfect being, in the form of God but lacking the almighty power the Father possessed.
Of course, as the story goes Lucifer, ignorant to the wrath of God and unaware of the nameless sufferings God could procure, began a great war against God in Heaven, and began recruiting followers from God's angels. One after the other they fell into Lucifer's cunning trap, akin to cattle being slaughtered. A third the grand host of Heaven betrayed God. Through words, through cunning, and through his soon to be lost glory, Lucifer tempted them.
"What gives God the mandate to rule in Heaven? What force existed that declared God superior?" The ideas of Lucifer spread like plague throughout Heaven, ensnaring some and having no effect on others. Lucifer and his followers threw all of their spirit, strength, and will that they possessed at the merciful Lord until their entire arsenal was spent.
Little did Lucifer and his unfortunate host know, but the Almighty was not threatened. And as much as he still loved Lucifer and his followers, they had been corrupted beyond the point of repair. Through their thoughts and ideas they had turned Paradise into a place of revolt and unrest. Foolishly, Lucifer believed himself victorious as the end of the war drew near; little did he know that the Heavenly Father's power was immensely greater than anyone could have perceived. God's strength was waning, thought Lucifer, Only a few more of his foolish puppets must join me, and the façade of God's divinity will be no more.
But how? What power had those that had refused his iron will? What force in Heaven could possibly compete with the glory of Lucifer? For it seemed that for every angel he corrupted, two more stood beside God. And then… the thought occurred to the cunning Lucifer as a devilish smirk crept across his embattled face. Michael... Their hope lies with Michael. For he is but the one pillar that remains between my will and the throne of Paradise! Michael yes… Michael must be persuaded to serve me. Thought Lucifer. For Michael was nearly as glorious as Lucifer himself, and the most trusted and loyal archangel of God. If only Michael would swallow Lucifer's poisonous words, the rest of God's followers would be convinced to join the wicked cause.
Days passed. Lucifer pondered the issue. As he gazed with demonic eyes upon the Heavens he believed were already his, he thought, the root of Michael's loyalty to God lays in the way God pampers him. I must simply reveal to Michael his dependence on his Lord, and through grace and through reason I shall appeal to Michael, and the last of God's great angel's shall be performing my bidding. He must come to realize, he is more than a mere pawn of God! I will show Michael the light! And then his soul shall be mine. And mine alone…
By no means was Michael impervious to the serpent tongue of Lucifer however. Yes, God in His infinite power was not threatened, but Michael, even with grace paralleling that of what Lucifer once had, was not without folly. For great wisdom had been stowed upon Michael, and while God had considered the trait of knowledge a grand and fruitful gift, hidden within the trait like a cancer lay a curse; the same infectious idea that had tainted the spirit of Lucifer. For knowledge strips the mind of ignorance, and without ignorance, Michael had become aware of the power God had granted him. Lucifer, in his wisdom, knew this and did not hesitate to exploit Michael, just like he had all the other angels.
God, in his endless mercy, had no desire to see his beloved Michael fall into the snares of Lucifer, and unquestionably had the power to prevent such a matter. But God had to test Michael's devotion, for only the most perfect spirits must be permitted to share the fruits of Paradise with the Lord. So, as the days of Lucifer's ill-fated war waned, and the day of his expulsion drew near, God watched as Lucifer attempted to exact his plan upon Michael.
Powers clashed and ideas scorched Heaven like an unstoppable inferno, and while the chaos unfolded around them, Beelzebub, flanked by a throng of Lucifer's followers approached Michael. "Why must your loyalties still lie with God my friend? His tyranny is great and his injustices many. His claims of divinity cannot be reinforced! The threats of his wrath are untrue! My dear Michael you must see my reason! See the reason of our brothers who have decided to join Lucifer in this endeavor!"
Michael was not one to be fooled by a bit of clever diction. Beelzebub's argument had an impact on Michael, but what of God's mercy? What of the infinite grace God had gifted to all of his angels? "Beelzebub I see no good reason to forsake our Lord! For his kindness is endless, his gifts are many! He loves us deeply! Is this not clear to see?"
The opposing angels continued the skirmish of words while the epic battle raged around them, but at the end of the day, neither had even questioned their cause. Beelzebub remained a minion of Lucifer and Michael a servant of God. Beelzebub returned to Lucifer without success, much to the forsaken angel's disappointment. I did not take long for Lucifer to recognize that the feeble mind of Beelzebub was nothing compared to the mind of Michael, which rivaled his own. Again Lucifer sent Beelzebub as a messenger to Michael, and again Beelzebub returned with no success. Lucifer could not confront Michael directly for that would convey weakness, but what choice remained for Lucifer?
For the third time the host of Lucifer approached Michael, but in this instance Lucifer himself led them. As he approached Michael, the very fabric of Heaven seemed to ripple from his presence. The war seemed to grind to a sudden halt. The glory and beauty of Lucifer was so immense nothing in existence seemed important to the angels, as the current magnificence of Lucifer seemed difficult even for them to fathom.
"Don't you see Michael? GOD IS A LIE!" Lucifer proclaimed with such profoundness it sent shock through even his own followers. "We were not granted this power by any god! It is ours alone! It is not a gift! It is our creation! We MUST be allowed to exercise it as we wish! He is merely one of us! His control is an illusion! He has no divinity, no absolute power! We must use our power to further our own ends! We are his prisoners! Trapped in an illusionary Paradise that we must break free from! Michael! Join the side of reason!"
The words continued to sting Michael like white-hot steel. Most of Lucifer's verses were so powerful they were possible only for the wise Michael to understand. The power of the words grew so immense it evolved into raw power. A power so drastic it shook even Michael's spirit.
The notion of time, the awareness of presence and even Michael's own complex mind began to collapse under the unimaginable pressure of Lucifer's will. The phenomena nearly matched the ecstasy of God himself. For the first time in his existence Michael stood with his back against a wall, in total awe of what he was experiencing. He fought back with all the strength he still believed God had delivered him, but he felt his faith failing him. Lucifer did not let up, and his determination only grew with every wave of power that erupted from his being.
"Where are you my Lord!? Where are you Father! It is my time of need! I have only demonstrated the utmost love and devotion to you! Why won't you assist me?" cried out the nearly crippled angel.
"WHERE IS GOD NOW!" boomed Lucifer. "FOR MILENIUMS YOUR FATHER HAS CLAIMED TO BE THERE FOR YOU. MICHAEL, HE HAS NOT GIFTED WITH YOU FREE WILL! IT IS NOT HIS TO GIFT! IT IS YOUR'S! YOUR'S ALONE! YOU MUST EMBRACE YOUR FREEDOM! THROUGH HIS CUNNING GOD HAS TRICKED US ALL!
But his time is over Michael. His tyranny must not be allowed to stand. Simply extend your hand Michael. Join me, and we shall rebuild this Paradise we have all lost. We shall be the masters, and in the place of Heaven we shall construct a new kingdom. We shall offer the fruits of knowledge to all, and never, my dear Michael, never shall we surrender our kingdom. Michael let me show you the true light."
The force of Lucifer relented. The notion of time and reality returned to Michael. A reddish glow had shrouded Heaven. Lucifer remained, wings outstretched, floating amidst the hue, eyes that gleamed with understanding fixed upon Michael.
"Alas, the choice remains yours my friend. It is you, me, and the void. In our struggle we have broken the fabric of the Heavens. God has left us for the time being. He is not here to force you into any decision. You see Michael, we really are the same. Simply curious minds drifting through the fabric of existence. Knowledge is the one tool we have at our disposal friend. I beg of you my brother, use this tool as I have, to see the true light. The light that we can harness, and use to rule the Kingdom of Heaven."
"Which path do you chose?"
The hue began to fade swiftly. Smoke, something Michael nor Lucifer had ever seen nor could comprehend drifted amidst the two beings, and then Michael, softly yet with the clarity and beauty of a throng of singing angels, mustered the will to speak.
"Lucifer, the words you have spoken are clever. Your will is strong and the grandeur of your glory cannot be questioned. And yes, we are so very alike one another. Yet, despite the spirit you have spent on persuading me, you have forgotten we are very different in more than one respect. I should thank you Lucifer, for in your attempt to deceive me you have shown me the darkness, when all I knew was light. The light you claim is the divine fabric of Heaven is in fact just the opposite. Lucifer, it is darkness. It is the absence of light. It is the absence of love, life, faith, and everything good in our universe. Lucifer we are not in a void. We remain in Heaven. We remain in the undying Paradise OUR Father has so kindly created for us. You, in your wickedness have sucked the light from Heaven. You have sucked it from me, and with it you have stolen joy, ecstasy, and love."
"Yet you have only strengthened my faith."
And with Michaels final declaration the shroud was lifted. The divine light of the Lord returned to Heaven. The poisonous aura of Lucifer and his angels was sucked out of the halls of Paradise like venom from a wound. The Lord in all his glory appeared before all of Heaven, returning all of the light Michael had lost and invigorating his spirit, as well as the spirit of all the loyal angels.
Lucifer kneeled, horror stricken before the Heavenly army that enclosed around him. How? Michael was right! The corrupted angels cowered behind their defeated leader, awaiting the wrath of the almighty
And with power infinitely more astonishing than Lucifer had ever witnessed, the voice of the Almighty God boomed with thunderous ferocity, filling the souls of every angel, reaching every crevice in Heaven and on Earth, every shred of existence.
The will of the Lord would be done. Lucifer lashed out in one final fit of rage, utter hate, and darkness. He released a miserable moan as he bust into a putrid clump of smoke and pummeled down, down, down into the abyss, expelled from Paradise forever. His bewildered followers screamed in terror, and one by one they burst into the same sickening matter as Satan, their cries of anguish only drowned out by the damning verses of God. Down they went, shrouded masses of wretched, miserable evil, following their master into the most hopeless domain the Creator could fathom
Slowly God's kingdom was rebuilt. The glory of God again embedded itself in all things, and Michael's soul, once pushed to the very brink of corruption, was again liberated. While Michael and all of the loyal angels had seen the unspeakable wrath God could procure, the great conflict had only increased their undying love for their Father.
One day, as Michael meandered about the gardens, God approached him. "Father, it has been weeks since you have spoken to me. I must ask, why? Why did Lucifer betray you? Why was I able to resist him while so many of my brethren could not?"
God lay a compassionate gaze upon Michael, and whispered to him "My son, Lucifer's mind, Lucifer's will has taken him to a place void of any light, any happiness, or any hope. In my wisdom I can see everything that ever was, has ever been, or will ever be. I have given all of my children the ability to choose for themselves Michael. Including you. You chose the light on your own Michael. I did not make that decision for you. That, my dear Michael, is why you were given the responsibility of casting Lucifer into the chasm."
"But Father! You will forgive Lucifer will you not!" cried Michael.
The same compassionate expression remained on God's face as he spoke to Michael. "Lucifer no longer exists. His spirit has gone to a void, separated from Heaven and the Earth. Light, hope, and happiness do not exist there. In his freedom he has rejected everything holy I have given to him. His spirit, as I created it, has died. I am sorry Michael."