Caleb Vigilant (Chronicles of the Nephilim) by Brian Godawa Read Free Book Online

known they were coming and had all shut up within their walls, prepared for a siege of great length. The surrounding villages had all fled, leaving a howling wilderness before them.
    Joshua stood at a distance with Caleb looking out upon the plains and the city. Even from afar, Jericho’s walls looked menacing.
    “I have no idea how we are going to breach those walls. We have no siege experience like the Hittites or Mittani. All those who may have aided us from their knowledge of Egyptian sieges are dead. And the prophets have had nothing to say.”
    The three prophets of Israel would often accompany Joshua in his war tent as he considered strategies. They would sometimes have counsel from Yahweh. But sometimes Yahweh made Joshua figure it out on his own. In this case, the prophets had told him the first target but not a strategy. To Joshua, it was like receiving half of a crucial communication.
    Caleb stared at the gigantic fortification standi ng before them in the distance. It was impressive. As a first target, it could well be the hardest. Normal strategy was for the first target to be an easy win. It built courage in the soldiers by setting a victorious momentum.
    Caleb said, “ If we fail in our very first battle, or take too long with heavy losses, untold damage will be done to the morale of the forces. It could devastate us.”
    Joshua said, “Or if our first battle is an impossible victory that can only be attributed to Yahweh, then it is all downhill from there. We will have an army full of faith required to subdue the rest of Canaan.”
    Caleb could not deny it. Joshua was crazy. But he was right. And crazy faith is precisely what they would need to face the giants of this land.
    He said, “Yahweh gave this target, did he?”
    “Through the prophets.”
    “I would not want to argue with him.”
    S uddenly a single cloaked figure appeared as if out of the waves of heat that distorted their view of the distant landscape.
    Their senses piqued. It was a messenger.
    He seemed to make vast jumps of space with the distorting effect of the heat waves on their vision.
    One moment, he seemed to disappear. Joshua and Caleb squinted to see if it was just a mirage, an apparition of the desert heat.
    They saw nothing and turned to mount their horses and return to their men.
    But Caleb called out before Joshua could mount his steed.
    “Commander.”
    Joshua stopped and turned.
    The figure was suddenly right upon them as if he jumped time and space.
    Joshua grabbed his sword.
    The figure already had his drawn sword in his hand. And he was wearing strange-looking armor Joshua had never seen before.
    No, wait, he had seen it before.
    “Are you for us or for our adversaries?” he asked.
    “No,” said the figure.
    Caleb said, “No, you are not for us, or no, you are not for our adversaries?”
    The figure said, “Neither. I am the commander of the army of Yahweh.”
    Joshua whispered under his breath, “ The Angel of Yahweh.”
    He was the Son of Man in an earthly presence.
    Joshua and Caleb dropped to their knees and worshipped the Angel, who said, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are is holy.”
    Joshua and Caleb obeyed. Caleb knew in his heart this was another connection to Moses who had removed his sandals before the burning bush of Yahweh’s presence.
    The Angel spoke with a calm assurance, “I would wager you are wondering how in the world you are going to assault the mighty walls of Jericho.”
    Joshua said, “The tho ught had crossed our minds, my Lord. You would not happen to have any secrets about its weaknesses that might help us?”
    “No,” said the Angel. “But be strong and courageous this day, for I will tell you how you will conquer the city by the power of Yahweh.”
     
    Joshua and Caleb had returned to their men and were standing before their commanders of thousands and hundreds.
    Othniel, Caleb’s younger brother , was one of them and stood dutifully by him.
    Salmon, the spy