God’S Champion

Copyright © 2014 Don & Joyce Wilson.

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Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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ISBN: 978-1-4908-2803-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-2804-6 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-2802-2 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014903657

WestBow Press rev. date: 03/24/2014

CONTENTS

Dedication

Preface

Chapter 1   Beyond All Beginnings

Chapter 2   How Satan Got His Start

Chapter 3   Skeletons In Our Closet

Chapter 4   The Demon Seed

Chapter 5   Satan At His Frightening Best

Chapter 6   The Heritage Of A Hero

Chapter 7   Power Struggle

Chapter 8   God’s Champion

Chapter 9   The Fall-Out Of Easter -

Chapter 10   When Dreams Come True

DEDICATION

To my patient wife Joyce, my children: Don, Dan, Joy (whom I affectionately call Mouse), and a long list of others with the desire that this volume will be a nudge toward further friendship with God’s Champion.

PREFACE

A s a minister of the historic, fundamental, Christian Faith, I found my convictions challenged and my curiosity aroused by the avalanche of popular books dealing with speculative aspects of religious reality. A casual once over in the local bookstore will convince anyone that modern minds have turned their investigative and imaginative talents to themes having profound implications in the realm of religion.

The writings of Erich Von Daniken offer convincing evidence that our planet was inhabited prior to man’s appearance. Documented U.F.O. sightings and stories make us wonder about angels, demons, and life in other galaxies. The final scenes of the film, Close Encounters Of The Third Kind, suggest a religious explanation to the U. F.O. question. Radio columnist, Paul Harvey, observed that there was a strong plot resemblance between Superman: The Movie, and the Biblical story of God sending His Only Son to benefit mankind.

Is my Bible to be rewritten, my faith faulted in the face of countless books on reincarnation, the occult, after death experiences, psychic phenomena, and scientific experiments dealing with the nature and origin of life? Or is it possible that many of these so call far out themes are not contradictory but actually companionable and even complimentary?

I must admit that I cannot put all or even most of the pieces of the puzzle of life in their proper places. Still, I have not found it necessary to compromise my conservative philosophy of perceptible history. It is my belief that within the ancient Scriptures there is room for a very wide range of possibility which would make many modern writers unintentionally spiritual prophets rather than sensational fiction writers.

This all came to a head for me in the latter part of 1977 with the very imaginative film title, Star Wars. Not knowing what the story was about, I envisioned an enterprising visionary seizing upon the statement of the Biblical prophet Isaiah, as he depicts the pre-historic defection of Lucifer from the angelic ranks of The Almighty. The passage says in part, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God, I will sit also upon the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High (Isaiah 14:13-14).

For months I was excited about the idea that a Mr. George Lucas had fantasized the story of Satan into a box office hit. When I found out that Star Wars was about Luke Skywalker and not Lucifer, alias Satan, the idea of telling Satan’s story stuck with me.

At the beginning of the 70’s a man named Hal Lindsey burst onto the scene of religious literature by taking the topic of Biblical future prophecy, a very specialized and quite technical field of study, and translating it into our popular understandable terminology. His book, The Late Great Planet Earth, became an instant attention grabber. What Mr. Lindsey did, making prophecy plain and palatable, has become an incentive to me.

A great deal of the message music of the late 60’s and early 70’s still haunts me. The sentiments of the songs to which I refer are both searching and sad. I believe these ballads are a skillful portrayal of the souls of a large segment of our society. One of the most poignant was Gilbert O. Sullivan’s Alone Again Naturally. Another mourned the passing of Abraham, Martin and John and asked, Can you tell me where they have gone? The despair of Who Will Answer or Bye Bye American Pie was not lost on me. Then there was the here today, gone tomorrow emptiness of Seasons In The Sun, and Is That All There Is? Yet none is so relevant and revealing as Andrew Lloyd Webber’s and Tim Rice’s Rock Opera Jesus Christ Superstar.

In the spring of 1971, I occupied some of my time with a daily half hour religious radio broadcast aired over a small western New York station. As we approached the Easter Season, the radio station manager asked me if I would be willing to serve on a panel of three clergymen in an ‘open line’ talk show about the Rock Opera Superstar. The format was for the station to air the entire score of Superstar from 6 to 8 P.M. and then for their interviewer to question the three of us and for us to field phone questions as well. I thought it was a great idea and the station set it up.

To prepare, I borrowed a copy of the Superstar script intending to retype it so that I could make notes in the margins and take my own copy to the talk show interview. When I was about one third of the way through the chore of typing the score, I noticed that I was using the question mark a great deal. When I finally finished the task I counted and circled in red all the question marks. I found one hundred twenty two and virtually no answers throughout. From I Don’t Know How To Love Him, to Jesus Christ Who Are You, What Have You Sacrificed?, there is not one positive character, one optimistic individual, including Jesus.

I do not mean to criticize the work; on the contrary, I believe it is a masterful expose of the attitudes of our time. I accept the attitude expressed as valid, but insist that those espousing this view admit that they censored the story of Jesus Christ to conform to their overview of life.

Each of the seven sayings of Jesus on the cross is mentioned with the exception of the second. The very positive assertion to the thief, Today you will be with me in paradise. The opera ends with the reading of John’s Gospel chapter nineteen and verse forty-one where we find God in a graveyard. The deletion of the next and last chapter of John’s Gospel is the denial of resurrection. My point is, I hear where many are coming from God is dead, and I would like to tell you there is an alternative.

What you are about to read I do not say is meant to be entirely Biblically accurate. I am not wise enough to give you such a book. I believe that much of my story is supported by the ancient Scriptures. Some of it had to be speculative due to the many Bible silences on such matters. I found, in writing, as you will no doubt find in reading, that when one muses about the mystery of life, the universe, God and Satan, we quickly reach beyond reason, thinking far out beyond our intellect.

What you have before you is a novel. Writing it has expanded my life. It has caused me to know and love more deeply the ultimate Champion. This book will pose answers, but perhaps it will create more questions. Keep in mind that it is reasonable that God is beyond our reason. Faith is born of God’s revelation, not of man’s reason.

CHAPTER 1

BEYOND ALL BEGINNINGS

I t is agreed. We will create beings to carry out our will, beings of personal identity, and intelligence of such magnitude that they can comprehend and comply with our co mmands.

They will be, as we are, spirit beings. Having a diversity among their species while retaining the central concept of our design. The qualities of unending existence, great power, dexterity, speed, and moral fiber will grace these first creatures of our manufacture.

The triune council of Father, Son and Spirit communed as individuals within Their indivisible unity. The Self-existent One is a family fellowship, needing nothing, lacking nothing, the potential source of all things. I-Am’s environment is Himself. He has no past, no benefactor. He is the beginning of the beginning before all beginnings.

The entity known as Spirit within the singular essence spoke. Let us will into existence one hundred billion of these messenger spirits. Angels that will adore their creator-God and praise the manifestation of our attributes as we progressively share ourselves with them.

Willing worship resulting from relationship and revelation, all said in unison.

I will that these beings be, said the Son.

I will that the eternal now become divided into the dimensional segments of yesterday, today and tomorrow, said the Father.

I will that space become substance so that Our creatures may be distinct from Us as We have decreed, said the Spirit.

The agreement was all that was necessary to enact the instant appearance of the heavenly host and their creation in no way diminished the inner resources of The Council. He spoke and dazzling luminaries beamed continuous light in every direction. No physical form was visible, yet there were noticeable differences between each and every one. There were variations in the intensity of light and color and a pulsating rhythm integrating these with sounds which may only be described as heavenly, so that one thousand Fourth of July fireworks displays would be as nothing in comparison.

Receding from their creator in ranks above calculation to form a sphere of worshippers occupying the newly established existence known as space, these beings destined to be called angels hovered close by. A thousand sunsets over-laid with a hundred rainbows would still not describe the half of the beauty which had now come to be. The beauty of these constantly changing creatures seemed to swim in an aura of song. Harmonies exquisite in their performance lovingly offered as praise to the person of I-Am.

Ten thousand times ten thousand ages were devoted to the expanding and elaborating and orienting of devotion from creature to creator. The new dimension of time was put to use by the calling forth of throne rooms, the establishment of a Northern most height as the fixed temple palace residence of The Most High. A language of love and instruction, and appropriate emotions rebounded from protégé to potentate.

There was instituted a rank and functionary system among the billions of spirit beings. Lesser spirits were directed by greater ones. Those at a distance were led to the Northern heights by those occupying adjacent spots to the throne. Each spirit received from the graciousness of I-Am, and each rallied around the throne in willing obeisance.

The Triune’s revelation of Himself to the angels was an ongoing extravaganza without any suitable comparison. They listened and He spoke. They praised the knowing of His nature and He smiled. The exchange of giving and gratitude was ceaseless without ever being dull. There was no calendar and no sense of the passage of time, only non-stop harmonious relationship. All that the angels had become and all that was external to them belonged to, and had been originated, by The Almighty. Everything outside The Almighty flowed to the Triunity for it was of the I-Am.

This universe I have made must be full of the witness of My wisdom. I have made it to exhibit My essence. I command that it no longer be a vacant storehouse, but an emerging showcase of My glory. The Almighty communes within His Triunity, said Lucifer the mightiest of all the angelic creatures, to the assemblage of angels. God often assigned Lucifer, the Son of the Morning, the task of interpreting and instructing the highest ranking angels, who in turn performed the same ministry to the descending ranks of angels. Then, as the angelic aggregate watched, not being able to discern which person within the plural God-head spoke, a cascade of commands thundered from the midst of the Northern Heights throne.

Stars, gases, meteors, particles, galaxies, elements, light, quasars, nebula, fusion, fission exist in abundance. Form into masses great and tiny and spread over My heaven in an array of geometric designs and structural configurations displaying the endless genius of My majesty.

The heavens became a mural of an enormous celestial schoolroom. Upon the canopy of space the signature of a supreme sovereign was traced. Glistening prophetic portraits of enemies and heroes, victories and feats of daring thus far without stage or antagonists emerged as diamonds sprinkled liberally over the reaches of outer space. The heavens became the blueprints of future creations. Objects from the animal world, tools, and man himself, all traced by the alignment of the stars before their time.

The finale of this starry sermon was the creation of three spheres: the sun, a giant thermonuclear energy cell; the moon, a dark but reflective magnetic mass; and earth, a tiny bit of mineral, water and atmosphere bonded together and whirling through space with a numberless variety of created trivia declaring the glory of the Creator Council. It was upon the last of these three, Earth, that God chose to cause vegetation, bird, insect, and animal life to dwell.

The angels devoted centuries, a term which came into its own with the creation of the solar system and its resultant night and day cycle, to the study of The I-Am disclosed in the gaily colored flowers, the habits of bats, spiders, the fly, the snowflake design, the veins in a leaf, and many other such things. In spite of all the wonders of the star filled heavens, it was little earth that became the depository of an infinite number of testimonial treasures. Next to the Celestial City, where the kingdom throne of The Most High resided, the angelic host delighted to visit planet earth. It being the focal point of I-Am’s self revelation. Lucifer, gather together the entire population of the sons of God, My angelic family. I have purposed to commission a permanent colony of five million of your number to oversee My jewel among the stars, Earth.

It is done your majesty. I will dispatch my aids at once, declared Lucifer.

Over the next three days seraphs and cherubim from remote galaxies, earth, and crisscrossing travel lanes throughout the universe congregated at their assigned stations before the throne of the Triunity. There were no diversions, no jostling, no small talk; everyone was intensely drawn by wonder to the expected new revelation from the throne of God.

Lucifer left his station of highest honor above the throne of I-Am and assumed a position in front and below the Almighty facing the marshaled spirit host. As he did this Michael and Gabriel, who constantly hover above and to the left and right of Lucifer, assumed the place that Lucifer vacated.

The I-Am Council has decreed that a colony of five million of the noblest of our number be selected to oversee planet earth. You will have full charge of the forests, the flowers, the oceans, the caverns, mountains, the birds, animals, yes, all that God has lavished upon that speck so valued by Him. Lucifer’s words instantly prompted the entire angelic company to burst into a song of praise to the One who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

All knew that to become an earth angel would be a great honor since earth was I-Am’s favorite spot. The angels understood that God is always everywhere, but for several hundred years He had been developing His presence upon earth more than anywhere else in all of the universe. Why, only a century ago, I-Am had picked out a plot of ground, no larger than a roomy backyard, and there, He planted a garden. The angels had watched with amazement, realizing that they could have collected every variety of flower and all sorts of precious stones and placed them in a most exquisite landscape. If they had been ordered to make a garden, they would have delighted to do so, but the Triunity planted this garden paradise.

Rivers flowed to the right and left of the garden. An ocean lapped the shore a few miles to the south, and lush greenery circled by a continent of sand formed the garden’s border. All manner of beauty nested in this place. Every imaginable flower and stone purposely situated by I-Am was shaded by fruit trees at one height and more stately trees at a higher level. Birds sang and the world’s animals grazed nearby.

After God had chosen the five million angels, the God-head honored Gabriel and Michael, giving them the privilege of leading the company of caretakers to their new and permanent assignment. Lucifer, being the brightest and most noble of the Council’s spirit creations, did not at once assume his special station as a living canopy over the Eternal’s throne. As the earthbound spirits sped toward earth, singing as they went, the Son spoke from out of the midst of the eternal seat of omnipotence.

Lucifer, you are the most gifted of all our creatures. There is none that compares with you in beauty, knowledge, strength, and musical artistry. From the instant I created you; you have stood adjacent to me.

When Gabriel and Michael return, God, The Spirit, continued the revelation of the Triunity to Lucifer, they will return to the place you have known above My throne.

I command you to assume personal regency of planet earth and oversee the angelic colony now quartered there. You will direct their worship, coordinate their tasks, and lead them in welcoming me when I desire to walk in the world," the Father’s voice seemed extra enthusiastic.

Lucifer bowed before the dazzled enthroned presence of The Almighty. The remaining on looking angelic spirits immediately bathed the Celestial City in an anthem of adoration. Lucifer sustained his posture of subjection until Gabriel and Michael reappeared before the throne. Then, as if on cue, Lucifer, the Son of the Morning, made known I-Am’s will to the two newly promoted archangels, escorted them to their place of secondary prominence, and with a song of joy hastened toward his new assignment, the prince of planet Earth.

I-Am visited the earth often. He took delight in the acts of obedient care flawlessly performed by the spirit being population. Platforms were erected to welcome heavenly delegations. The angels from elsewhere in the universe saw the many splendored qualities of The Almighty in earth’s storehouse of treasures. Worship areas were marked off at various places around the globe.

All that the earth workmen did under the supervision of Lucifer was, as that of all created things, directed adulation and worship to The Council. Arrangement, order, enjoyment, enlightenment, from the world’s wealth of minerals and trees all reflected the grace and greatness of The Father, Son and Spirit. These monuments to His Majesty, were capped by celebrations in honor of Him who sat on the northern most throne in the heaven of heavens. All was a labor of love. All activity served as lessons in the knowledge of Him who is the giver of life.

Though I-Am’s visits were frequent, they were always special. Sometimes He would tour the planet and take pleasure in the accomplishments of his angelic creatures. Often God would meet with the earth angels at the entrance to the garden paradise he had planted. Lucifer would lead the procession of adoring spirits to a respectful and comfortable assembly area. Then, after addressing the throng, God occasionally invited Lucifer to come closer so the two could commune together privately. To the very watchful eyes of the spellbound spirits it seemed that Lucifer walked into the very blaze of the purity of I-Am’s essence. While extolling the name of I-Am, this magnificent of all created beings blended his light with the greater light of the corporate Creator. Millions of light beings sparkled and sang in spiritual ecstasy, enthralled by the additional demonstration of The Council’s nature as He and Lucifer conversed together.

It was not, you understand, that Lucifer enhanced the image of God, as if he were truly external to him. But as an extended exclamation of I-Am’s energy, Lucifer, the Son of the Morning, amplified the attributes of The Triunity to all the observing cherubim and seraphim. Lucifer too, learned as he beheld the heavenly host, the cosmos, the earth dwelling animals, insects and birds. This beginning beyond all beginnings was a time when the heavens declared the glory of God, and the firmament showed His handiwork. Day unto day preached His power and night unto night introduced His personality.

CHAPTER 2

HOW SATAN GOT HIS START

I n the fourteenth millennium of angelic existence, Lucifer rebelled against the I-Am Council, and was successful in leading a revolt of the earth spirit population. The defection of Lucifer was without provocation, a corruption chosen by his moral freedom. Throughout fourteen millenniums Lucifer exhibited whole-hearted allegiance to his maker. He was content to be what he had been created, second best, the covering cherub to Number One. On this day, which seemed like any other day, but in reality was like no other day, Lucifer willed against the will of the Almighty. He set himself to usurp the throne of The Triune. Lucifer became within himself a rival source of reality and fulfillment. No longer was the universe unified.

Gabriel and Michael, the two cherubim who were assigned the duties of Lucifer after he became the prince of the earth and its atmospheric environment, had just finished instructing a large group of the heavenly host in a yet undisclosed segment of God’s attributes. Then, surprising these student spirits, though scheduled by The Council, an elite chosen company of the earth spirits sped past the sun toward the celestial city. The spirits in the celestial classroom were first attracted by the ascent of this more superior body of earth spirits, when it seemed the sun had split in two and that its larger portion had altered it course and was headed toward The Eternal City.

The sight made the lesser angels gasp. Not a gasp of fear, that emotion being unknown and unnecessary to them, but of ecstatic merriment. They did not, at first, realize that the light, which out shown the sun announced the coming of Lucifer and his band.

Long before individual spirits were discernible in the speeding formation, the class of student seraphs enjoyed an anthem of adoration to the Council from these oncoming spirits. The music was thought projected, and though those before the throne heard it from within themselves, they also perceived it to originate from the Lucifer led choir. The music caused them to visualize scenic vista upon the planet earth.

Though the earth visitors were coming very fast, they were orchestrating their approach and arrival to achieve the greatest possible effect. At the moment of their final ascent, after they had passed all the galaxies, and were in clear unobstructed view, the seraphs were aware of delightful fragrances which they were at a loss to identify. Their teacher, Gabriel, explained that these were the smells of the earth scenes they were seeing in their minds. The ocean, a freshly cut lawn of grass, flowers, spices, apple blossoms a daybreak in a mountain glen, and other enjoyable essences brought earth to heaven as a gift from the visiting dignitaries.

Behind the procession of earth spirits came spirits from various parts of creation, all drawn by the knowledge that prince Lucifer was coming to lead the worship of I-Am. What a glorious experience they anticipated.

Lucifer’s production and personal performance did not disappoint a single spectator. The convocation lasted more than a month without a single feat or display being repeated.

The result was the prostration of all before the throne of the Almighty. He was the glory of every gifted being, of talents, of every good; yea, their existence and energies flowed endlessly as gifts from the Triunity.

Lucifer standing tall, gazed upon the sea of his prostrate fellow angels. He remained erect for an unduly long interval. His superior standing among the angels prescribed a private protocol on his part, but his eminence was overdrawn on this occasion. As he bowed, and looked toward the one seated on the throne of the northernmost heights, Lucifer’s thoughts turned inward rather than upward. He was preoccupied with his beauty and abilities. Pride, not gratitude, filled his consciousness. He conceived of his identity as being independent of The I-Am.

Returning from the Celestial City, where the earth spirits had responded to Lucifer’s musical praise of The Almighty, Lucifer thought within himself of the great service he performs for The Almighty without ever receiving any recognition. For the first time his mind and feelings harbored contempt where for fourteen thousand years there had been honor and humility. As this mightiest of angels flew homeward to earth, hostility reigned supreme in his mind and heart.

Was he not as god to the millions of spirits who lived in The Council’s paradise? Michael and Gabriel and the other notables of the heavenly realm stepped aside for him. He was the cause for the applause that greeted The Great One. He was so much superior to even the best among his own band. All of these things were true, and yet no one dreaded him. His own workers did not honor him. A knee had never been bowed to him. Could it be that Lucifer was being taken advantage of? Was he a slave, worthy to become the master?

Lucifer turned within the light beam which encircled his being. Arronel, Hugel, and Surnel, Lucifer’s lieutenants formed an arch directly above Lucifer. Has our visit ever been more gratifying? he said.

No never, they all shouted at once.

I-Am is all and all, said Arronel, his subject instantly exhausting his ability of adequate description. Lucifer’s brightness intensified, and he began to sing the notes of his latest praise anthem. It was beautiful, and somehow entrancing. Lucifer repeated the complicated melody with cunning variations. The three spirit aids were captivated by the musical skill of their leader. Hugel was the first to join his voice to this sweetest music this side or inside of heaven. Before they were able to pass from the fourth galaxy to the fifth, as one numbers from the outer reaches of heaven to the edge of earth’s planetary community, all of the returning angels were joined in the jubilant song. The spirit population of each star formed the likes of a parade route corridor. Their audible appreciation added a nice touch of accompaniment.

Lucifer ceasing to sing, queried, Is it not these pleasant sounds that made this visit the great event of your existence?

It is indeed, I feel the same as I felt in the presence of I-Am, shouted Arronel.

Several aids then shouted, Lucifer’s lullaby is sweet, is our joy, our luster of life.

A familiar chant resounded from star to star. "All hail to the