Rising Darkness by D. Brian Shafer Read Free Book Online Page A

sure, Michael, our rebellious Lucifer’s mission is not merely to disable humans. It is to destroy the possibility of the prophecy rising up one day and biting him just as he struck at Eve. He is not concerned with people who die apart from the knowledge of God. They are of little contest to him. But he realizes he is vulnerable to humans like Joshua, and others who believe the Lord and are committed to Him. Thus he opposes not a man, nor a family, nor even a nation. He opposes a prophecy.”
    Michael always enjoyed the words of Crispin. He had a way of making sense of situations. He nodded his head in agreement.
    “And so Lucifer must contest such faith with fear,” mused Michael.
    “Exactly,” said Crispin. “Because his greatest fear
is
faith!”

    Chronicles of the Host
    Peculiar Strategy
    As one angel recalled, the lights coming from Jericho in the evening sky “danced above the imposing walls, creating a bizarre effect that made every shadow appear to be an enemy soldier, and every flicker a possible threat.” So it was that Joshua’s men had surrounded the city and had been encamped about it for six days—and still Jericho remained safely in the hands of the enemy. We watched and waited for the coming battle. But apart from the unorthodox strategy of marching around the walls for the past six days, not much that smacked of real fighting had actually happened. This was not lost on the men…nor on the angels of both sides who watched and waited….
    Gabriel and Michael stood on the low hill overlooking Jericho. They watched as the Hebrews lined up once more in procession, to march around the city. The Ark of the Testimony went before the armed men, borne by the priests, who were also carrying trumpets looted from Egypt years before.
    “The city seems more still than usual,” remarked Gabriel. “Even the enemy seems more subdued.”
    Michael agreed. Over the past six days the demon presence, which had played such a prominent part early on in cajoling and attempting to strike fear in the hearts of the men of Israel, had slowly ebbed. Now there were only those few devils who remained on in possession of particular people, or who remained loyal to Khasis—who had vowed to resist until it was over.
    “I thought at first that Joshua’s marching might only encourage the enemy to their usual mockery,” said Michael. “Instead they seem to have vanished.”
    “There is more here than marching, Michael,” said Gabriel. “They sense that the Lord is about to judge this place and they have abandoned it.”
    Just then an alarm went up in the city as a watchman observed the Israelites approaching in their usual procession. Soldiers began peeking up over the walls, watching with bemused looks the strange behavior of Joshua’s men. Occasionally a man would curse the Hebrews, or dare them to come nearer the walls. But Joshua’s troops resolutely began their trek around the city. One…two…three…and finally six times.
    “Six times today,” said Gabriel. “There is something different in this.”
    “I can sense a shift in Jericho,” agreed Michael. “And the Host is moving in as well. They know it will soon be over too.”
    “They have been instructed in what to do?” asked Gabriel.
    “Of course,” said Michael. “On Joshua’s signal they will move in.”
    Gabriel observed as thousands of shimmering angels descended upon the scene, preparing to do battle with an enemy that was largely vacating the battlefield. Every so often an enemy spirit would shriek and curse and fling himself through the angelic cordon, vowing that the fight was not yet over.
    “Strange how the city seems so unaware…so ordinary,” said Michael. “It’s as if nothing has changed for them in these past six days. They seem totally unaware of what is about to befall them. Even their fear is beginning to subside in the face of no real war.”
    Gabriel pointed to a particular section of the wall.
    “There is one in Jericho who