Intermission....(as it happened on Easter Sunday 2000 years ago).

Christ died and because he bore our sins He went to hell. The devil was right about that but what he did not count on was what would happen when Christ got to hell. You see up to a second after Christ died the devil thought he was smarter than God but as soon as Christ entered hell well let’s just say  ‘all hell was let loose on hell’.

The angels who up onto the last moment had their heads bowed in pain, which the demons had mocked’ were suddenly the ones laughing. Oh boy did they laugh. But before they laughed they fought. The devil thought he could claim Christ just as he claimed so many men of faith.  Remember the righteous people who rose up and went about preaching after the death of Christ there was a battle for them.

When Christ descended, the circle and the multitude went with him ready to fight for their King with a determination to turn hell into heaven if need be. Imagine their happy surprise when Christ declared “Lucifer I have come for the souls of the righteous u have kept trapped in Sheol.” “What do you mean u have come for? You are a dead sinner now remember?” Retorted the devil "Lucifer the sad thing about you is you never learn. I am God. I know the end from the beginning” Christ declared.  “Did you really think you can blindside me?" He asked? His glory fully restored He shined brighter than the sun. His glory brought light even to the darkest places in hell. At that moment, understanding came upon the multitudes of angels and they began to laugh with relief, joy and respect for the Ancient of days. "What is so funny to you all?" Asked Lucifer. "Answer me!!" He bellowed when no one seemed inclined to answer. "Poor Lucifer" said Michael," You were never the smartest were you? Then again if you were you won't have dared God. This is what happened. Christ was sent to die from the beginning. He is the sacrifice for sin. You know God can't behold sin; there was only 1 way to get the sins of the world heaped on Christ. Make you believe this was your ultimate play. Make you think you could win this battle by keeping you ignorant of the details. A rightoues man can't enter hell Christ needed the sins for two reasons to come and set these ones you held captive free and ensure that anyone who calls on Jesus Christ would be set free even the generations to come. So you see you never stood a chance.” “No!!!!” Screamed the devil "No. Not possible!" As he screamed the demons that had not being paying attention turn to see what was wrong. "Why is he so upset on our victory day?" Verflucht asked Elend who was beside him. “How would I know? Are we not here together?" Elend and Nutzlos responded eyeing Verflucht. "I won't allow this I would fight this!” Shouted devil “O my please do" said Dinami "I was hoping you would say that" said angel Chará another member of the circle.

 And so swords were drawn and the angels who were laughing just a few minutes ago looked menacing enough to kill just with a look. This definitely sent some demons running to different hiding places. "Stay your swords!" ordered Christ "Give me the righteous they are all I came here for." Christ said. "You can't have them" stammered devil "they have sinned. And the blood of goats and cows can’t purify them. ” “Yes they have but I have been wounded for their sins, bruised for their iniquities and the chastisement for their peace has been laid upon me. I have purified them with my blood. They are not yours anymore." As Jesus Christ spoke those words the chains that bound the righteous fell away. And they began to go to earth and preach the gospel.  "Apollyon, who is on the winning side now?" Asked angel Próodos.

The demons began to wail and mourn throwing themselves into the fire. All of them trying to avoid the devil and realising that they would never win. No matter what they do they could never win God and now that God has given mankind Jesus Christ any man that trust in Him would be saved.           

All the while this was happening in hell, the angels who had stayed in heaven with God laid prostrate before the Jehovah worshiping as the events began to unfold and their understanding was opened. God sat on his throne smiling with pride at his son and laughing as the angels taunted and the demons. It was a happy day in heaven and if only mankind had been aware of what was happening, it would have a day of celebration as well.

So as we move from Good Friday to Easter, let us remember that the Saturday in between was not left empty we might not have named it but on this day too God was ensuring a space for those who walk in the path He has laid before them.       

 by Dupe Holloway

     

Crucifixion..!!!

At the point of Jesus’s arrest when He said ”put away your sword” many believe He was talking to the disciples who were trying to defend him actually He was talking to the host of angels who had drawn their swords to slay the men who had dared to lay a rough hand on Christ. This is what happened:

Every time Jesus walked with him disciples, He had his body guards (angels with blazing fiery swords) walking with him they moved in an unbreakable circle round him. We would call them the circle. When Judas and those who arrested Jesus came close the circle sensed that they would try to harm their king but Christ silently commanded them to let them through. The demons behind these men started to jeer and sneer at the circle.

As they arrested Jesus and started to manhandle him the circle surged forward, swords drawn and ready to do battle that was coincidentally the same moment a man cut off another’s ear so when Jesus said “put away your sword”,  we assumed he was talking to the ear cutting man but he was actually talking to the circle.

At this point the upset members of the circle sent a delegate to talk to angel Michael maybe he can get God’s permission to destroy the mortals who are being rude to their king. We would call the delegated angel Dinami. “Do you mean to tell me that they dragged my King away in your presence and you all did nothing? Michael bellowed Dinami takes a step back before responding “it was out of our hands sir that’s why I was sent to ask you to talk to God so we would know how to proceed.” Michael looks at Dinami like he has grown 4 heads “Christ is His son, His ONLY son. of course he wants us to protect Him. Slay the mortals as for the demons make them regret the day they aligned themselves to Lucifer.” “You would do no such thing” said the booming voice at the sound of it the angels fell to their knees and bowed their faces. The voice belonged to God. “Dinami do as Christ ordered and stay out of it. Be by his side but offer no help and no protection do you understand me?”  “But God He was dragged away like a criminal a whole King of the Earth.” “That is the least of all He is to face” came the response from the booming voice. Surprised every angel in heaven and the 24 elders looks at the face of God for the 1^st time and that’s when they see that he is in pain tears streaming down his face. Their surprise becomes shock. “God!! You are crying?” Hearing this, the 24 elders turn and look at the earth then they see. They see Jesus being slapped punched, whipped, and mocked they gasp and double over as though they are in pain too. On hearing the gasp Michael and Dinami turn to look at the 24 elders seeing them bend over confused them. They too looked at what the elders were looking at. They looked at the same moment a whip connected with the skin on Christ back on seeing this, all the angels of war let out a roar and drew their swords. All of them ready to descend on the earth in fierce anger and kill every1 hurting their King. The world would have come to an end that day if not for God. "Michael stand down" came the surprising order. "What??? God did you just say stand down?" God raises an eyebrow "you dare to question me?" Contrite and bowing Michael responds "am sorry my God. I was confused and angry that's why I stopped thinking. Please Majesty forgive". "Rise. All of you rise. I understand and I am proud of you all however this battle is not against man and it cannot be fought with swords. This is a love war. I have choosen to give my son so mankind would know just how much I love them. He would be put to death." A collective gasp went round the inhabitants of heaven. "I know it is a lot to ask you to sit and watch your King being beaten, speared and killed but remember he is me and I would sit by and watch it is not going to be a walk in the park but I would do it. If I can, then you should too."  

Meanwhile on earth while the circle waited for a response from Michael that was yet to come, they decided to find ways to help Christ so in the night they visited Pilate’s wife. They said and did nothing but stood and stared at her yet she was very afraid. As afraid as anybody who finds himself surrounded by over 10 feet tall men with blazing swords by their sides would be. Early the next morning, she sent a message to her husband telling him to have nothing to do with Christ unjust death because of what happened during the sleeping hours.

 Back in heaven, as the inhabitant watched Peter deny Christ, the angels could not control their astonishment and confusion “My God I don’t understand if your son dies Lucifer would win!” said angel Eerbied. “Righteous Lord it is not our place to question you, you have given that privilege to man only but just out of curiosity how you can love these ungrateful mortals to the point where you give up your only son! It is amazing!”  Declared angel Nura. Just as Nura spoke they notice God’s face is clenched in pain again this prompts them to turn and look at the earth and they witness the mock coronation the soldiers were performing for Christ. Michael who had been sitting quietly all through got up. “And where do you think you are going Michael?” Michael looks at God with reverence “I come to ask that I may go and stand with Christ. I just want to be close to him one more time. Please God.” God smiled. A smile that said ‘I know more than you do’ and at the same time it said ‘I know how you feel’  “You may go. All of you who want to go may go. But do not interfere I repeat............” He fell silent the 24 elders understand why it was the same instance that the cross was placed on Christ shoulders. Some angels sat quietly with God too sad to look at what was being done to Christ but they might as well have looked for every time Christ felt pain they could see it on God’s face they heard him scream even as a spear entered the sides of Christ. They heard the scream again and again every time the nails entered the body of Christ.

Multitudes of angels left heaven that day and came to stand by Christ on earth. They were a sight to behold. Thousands of 10 feet+ beings stood by helpless and watched while their King was nailed to the cross. If only the soldiers who were mocking Christ and the ones who nailed him could see them they would die of fear. The angels stood their heads bowed as they helplessly watched. Demons also in their multitudes stood before the angels jeering at them and mocking them. Apollyon stood toe to toe with Michael tipped his head up and said “you should have come over to Lucifer’s side and you would have been a winner today.” Then he laughed deep and loud you could tell he was happy. Probably for the first time in ages.

At the same time, Lucifer stood and screamed at God “I told you I would win didn’t I? You love ungrateful creatures. You know what your problem is? You think too much of yourself you think you are the high and mighty one you won’t share right? Well they are all mine all mine I say. And even better I have your son. I have a plan that would make you abandon him completely. You are predictably holy, and cannot behold that which is sin. I would make him sin” And just like in any well choreographed dance, as soon as Lucifer said that the demons stood and began to heap on Christ the different sins the devil had collected from everyman –born and yet unborn- they heaped on and on and on for a long time and as they did God looked away from Christ. Now we hear Christ voice in protest screaming “Dadddyyyyyy! Fatherrrrrrrr!  Don’t look away. Please don’t leave me like this” God could not look at his son again no matter how much he wanted to he couldn’t. At this the devil began to dance and laugh “he is mine now I would take him to hell and torture him knowing you would feel every single pain I inflict. O I would enjoy this.”

This is the day we celebrate as Good Friday. It is not just a public holiday it is a day to reflect remember and rejoice for this was the day man received the opportunity to call God father.

I am happy to have this day. 

           

 by Dupe Holloway