Gabriel could barely keep his wings on, he was so excited. He had no confirmation yet but had heard through the grapevine that the Son would be joining them on their next mission. He flew to report to Michael as quickly as his wings would allow. Upon reaching his mentor, he skidded to a stop inches shy of colliding with him, regained his composure, and tried to play it cool.
“You wanted to see me, boss?” Gabriel said nonchalantly.
“Yes, Gabriel,” Michael said without a hint of enthusiasm. “Is your report on the twin cities ready?”
“My what?” Gabriel was so confident this meeting was about his upcoming mission, not his previous mission, which he had practically forgotten about once he caught wind of this new one. “Oh, yes. The twin cities. I have indeed completed that mission. I did a full reconnaissance of both cities, and my report is, they are bad.”
“Bad?”
“Yes. Bad. Wicked. Dens of evil. Full of nasties.” Gabriel’s attempt at casual was now paper-thin at best. “So, did I hear you already have a new mission for me?”
“Did you get an accurate count?”
“A count? Oh, yes! The count. Um, less than ten, definitely less than ten. Actually, less than five would be more like it.”
“Are you positive?” Michael prodded. “I specified with this mission that I would need exact numbers. It is imperative that the count is both thorough and accurate. Much hangs in the balance.”
Gabriel realized he would hear nothing of this new mission until he had completely wrapped up his previous one to his mentor’s liking. He took a deep breath, calmed himself, and said, “Sir, the official report on the twin cities is that there are fewer than five righteous people living there. In full disclosure, there is one righteous man and two and a half righteous women.”
“Two and a half?” Michael questioned raising an eyebrow.
“I couldn’t get a clear reading on one of them. She had all the appearances of righteousness but seemed…on the fence about it.”
“Fair enough,” Michael consented. “Now, for your next mission—”
“Yes.”
“It is an important one—”
“Uh huh!”
“It is not too far from your last mission—”
“Yeah!”
“It should not take too long—”
“Okay!”
“Gabriel, are you alright?” Michael said sounding more bothered than concerned. “You seem on edge.”
“On edge? Pfft!” Gabriel feigned casualness once again. “I’m great! Never better!”
Michael eyed Gabriel. “You know already, don’t you”
“What?! I know noth—” Gabriel could pretend no longer, “Yes, I know. Or at least I think I do. Some of the other guys said they heard something about you and me and a mission with the Son. So does that mean it’s time?”
“Time?”
“You know. The Plan!”
“It involves the Plan but it is not the Plan. Not yet. Not for a few more millennia. There is still some groundwork that must be laid.”
“But I thought the Son was going to Earth?” Gabriel said bewildered.
“He is, but just for a brief visit and a quick miracle.”
“A quick miracle?”
“Yes. A few years ago, the Father made a promise to a man, and because that promise has not yet been fulfilled the man is becoming discouraged and is beginning to feel this promise will never be fulfilled.” Michael informed his apprentice. “He has even resorted to trying to bring about this promise in his own power.”
“Oh, that never works.” Gabriel said.
“Correct. Because this man’s discouragement is so great, and to prevent any more failed attempts at bringing about the promise himself, the Father is sending His Son to speak directly with this man concerning this promise, and to personally deliver the miracle.”
“It sounds like something the Son could do by himself. Where do we come in on this mission?”
“We are to accompany him in the delivery of this message. Afterwards, we will part ways. The Son will return here, and you and I will proceed to another mission.”
“Another mission? What is it?” Gabriel asked.
“We will get to that soon. Right now, it is time to meet the Son.”
~~~~~~
Michael and Gabriel accompanied the Son to Earth. They landed in a desert area a few hundred yards from an oasis with a large oak grove. Dozens of tents were pitched in the area. As the trio approached the tents, Gabriel noticed a lone figure, an elderly man, sitting in the shade outside of his tent. The Son fixed his gaze on the old man and moved near his tent.
When the old men noticed the three strangers standing near his tent, he rushed to greet them as if he had known them for ages. Then he bowed down before the Son and called him lord.
“Does this old man know the Son?” Gabriel whispered to Michael.
“His name is Abraham, and I cannot say. I do not recall the Son ever meeting Abraham face to face before, though he and the Father have had many conversations.”
“About the promise He made,” Gabriel observed.
“Correct. Although Abraham may have never met the Son, it seems Abraham can discern the Son’s greatness and uniqueness.”
“How can he see that?” Gabriel wondered.
“Abraham walks by faith.”
“Faith. That’s a rare trait among humans.”
“For now, yes,” Michael agreed, “but once the Plan succeeds, faith will abound on the Earth. Truly, it will be a new era in human history.”
While they were talking, Abraham rushed back into his tent.
“Where did he go?” Gabriel asked as three servants emerged from the tent with large cushions for them to sit on, followed by three more servants with wash basins and towels.
“It appears we are staying for lunch.” Michael said sitting down, taking off his sandals, and placing them in his wash basin. The servant immediately began scrubbing the dirt from his feet.
“You mean we’re going to eat…people food?” Gabriel said in disgust, as a servant helped him to his cushion, and tried to unfasten Gabriel’s sandals. “Hey! That tickles!”
“Please do nothing to embarrass us. Eat what is presented to you and, when in doubt, follow my lead,” Michael instructed. “Whatever you do, keep your voice down and let Abraham and the Son speak. This is an important interaction.”
Soon lunch was served. The Son and Abraham spoke while Michael and Gabriel ate.
“What is this?” Gabriel whispered holding a bit of roasted meat.
“It is meat. Calf, to be precise.” Michael whispered back between bites.
“Like one of those animals grazing in the field?”
“Yes.”
“That’s gross,” Gabriel gagged. “I thought humans ate only fruits and vegetables.”
“Not since they left the Garden. Have you seriously never watched what humans eat? They have been on this Earth for a few thousand years now and you have never watched a human prepare a meal?”
“Why would I care what humans eat when we get to eat the Bread of Heaven? It’s so much better than anything humans could ever eat,” Gabriel smirked. “If humans ever tasted of our food, they’d never want to eat anything else, ever!”
“Perhaps, but humans have peculiar tastes. Remember, they are no longer in their ‘Garden’ state.”
Gabriel took a sip of white liquid from the cup that was given to him. “Hmm,” Gabriel smiled. “That’s not too bad. I like this juice. What kind of fruit did it come from?”
“It is called ‘milk,’ and it did not come from fruit,” Michael said.
“Where did it come from?” Gabriel asked.
“Do you see that cow over there?”
“Yes,” Gabriel said taking another swig from his cup.
“Do you see that large bag-like object dangling from her belly?”
“Yes…” Gabriel slowly lowered his cup letting the remaining milk in his mouth fall back into his cup. “Please tell me for once in your eternity that you’re joking.”
“No,” Michael said smiling.
“Humans. What’s wrong with these people.” Gabriel said setting his meal down, unfinished.
“Now hush,” Michael admonished. “The Son is about to make good on the promise the Father made Abraham.”
As they listened to the Son promise Abraham that this time next year Sarah, Abraham’s wife, would be holding her newborn son, the atmosphere around them changed. Neither Abraham, nor his servants could sense anything, but the two angels and the Son could see it. What could be best described as ribbons of golden light swirled around Abraham for a moment, then entered the tent where Sarah was.
“What was that?” Gabriel asked.
“The birth of a nation,” Michael said awestruck. “The Spirit has come upon them to help them conceive a child.”
“The promise?” Gabriel was beginning to understand what their visit was about.
“The Father promised Abraham many years ago that he and Sarah would have a child, and that their descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the night sky. To this day she has never conceived, but that has just changed.”
“Amazing,” Gabriel said, then turned his attention to the conversation of which Sarah was now a part.
Sarah had laughed in her heart at the idea that she could bear a child in her old age. The Son knew what she had thought and reminded her of something that Gabriel and Michael had seen proven hundreds of times over; nothing is impossible with God.
Soon Abraham escorted his three guests to the edge of his camp. Michael and Gabriel walked on while the Son stayed behind to have one final conversation with Abraham.
“What are they talking about?” Gabriel asked as they left.
“Our next mission.” Michael said solemnly.
“Okay! What’s next boss?” Gabriel said, energized by this miraculous encounter. He was geared up for their next mission, but once he saw the look on Michael’s face, he changed his tone. “Is everything okay?”
“Remember the reconnaissance mission you recently had—the two ‘bad’ cities?”
“Yeah?” Gabriel sighed. “More judgment?”
“Yes.”
“What’s our job?”
“A rescue mission.”
“How many?”
“One man and two and a half women.” Michael answered, not smiling.
The two angels walked toward their destination in silence.
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