Storymania - And The Lord Said . . . by W N Dayley

And The Lord Said . . .
W N Dayley

And the Lord Said . . .

Jesus said to God, “Father, Humanity has become complacent and decadent. You endowed them with reason, with the will to decide their own paths in life. In your infinite mercy, you gave them the capacity to believe in your existence or deny you, their Creator, and live lives of sin and immorality.”
And the Lord God replied, “Yes, My Son. Humanity has gone astray. They have forsaken me and the path of righteousness. They have chosen sin over the Word, and believe they do not need My guiding hand to shepherd them through the world as once they did. They have deceived themselves into thinking My patience is infinite.” God shifted on his Golden Throne, leaning toward His Only Begotten Son.
“But it is not. After millennia of their mortal years, My patience has worn thin. I grow tired of their wars and posturing. Of their hubris. Once, when the world was young, I indulged their occasional folly, believing they were simply experiencing the rashness of youth. When their misguided ways continued, I sent them a warning: I flooded the earth, sweeping away the unbelievers and making way for the righteous to repopulate the world, to spread My gospel.

“And for a time, Humanity flourished in My divine light.” God fell silent, dropping his chin into his palm and staring into infinity.

Jesus gazed past his feet at the world below. Dark clouds were gathering in the atmosphere over three-quarters of its surface. They couldn’t obscure his vision of the population gathered in their meaningless social groupings, though. The clouds became thin as vapor, parting to allow his divine sight to penetrate wherever he wished, to study any segment of the race his father created – his brothers and sisters, the descendants of the same people for whom he once gave his mortal life. The memory of that painful execution still burned within Him: His wrists ached from time to time, and the scar from the spear thrust to His side throbbed whenever He traveled through Italy. Still, he loved the race of Humanity. He loved them despite their faults, despite their pettiness and bigotry. He believed them to be young still and, as with all children, the need for rebellion still burned within them. “Eventually, they will realize that Your Mercy is finite; that they must repent and rejoice in the power of Your love.”

“Bah!” God stood up, upsetting his Divine Throne. It rocked on its back legs but settled after a moment, automatically reorienting itself to its previous position. “Humanity has reached its peak. The sons of Adam will never be able to contain their enthusiasm for their own genius, their own cleverness to be able to accept that they know nothing. I control their destinies! I decide what happens in their puny lives! They owe their existence to me! Me!”

Thunder ripped across the heavens. Jesus felt the ether ripple beneath his feet and knew that His Father’s wrath was about to be unleashed upon the unsuspecting mortals below.
“Father, allow me to venture forth among them once again.” God turned his face toward his son. Jesus could tell His Father was going to deny his request: his deeply –creased brow, the set of his jaw – and hurried to plead his case before he could be denied. “In their midst, with eyes that see the world as they do, perhaps I can learn what it is they lack, why they are resistant to Your Divinity. Then, if it is within Your power to provide it, Humanity can be brought back into the fold.”

God was shaking as Jesus finished his argument. His shoulders, hunched and taut, continually flexed and relaxed, as if he were spreading wings He no longer possessed. Jesus took a step back, fearing His Father’s wrath. A flash of lightning caught his attention and He looked down in time to see a thick bolt streak through the darkening clouds. It struck the sands of the Sahara and dissipated without causing any damage.

“If it’s in My power? Son, do you forget with whom you are speaking? I am the Lord God! I am the Creator and the Destroyer, the Benevolent and the Vengeful. I am He Who Giveth and He Who Taketh Away. There is nothing beyond My power!”

“Forgive me, Father,” Jesus spoke quickly in hopes of dispelling a further outburst. “I spoke hastily and chose my words poorly. I did not mean to imply there was anything Your Glory could not accomplish. I only meant to suggest that more research might be necessary. The world has changed since the time of Moses, since Solomon, and David dictated to their subjects.”

“Do not patronize me, Son. I know full well how the world has changed: I have allowed it to change, have I not?”

“Yes, Sir. You have. I misspoke again. Forgive me”

“You are forgiven, My Son.”

Jesus clasped his hands behind his back and began to pace back and forth in front of God’s throne. “Humanity is a fickle animal. Like the others beasts of the field that roam the earth, they have base urges, instincts that allow them to survive against incredible odds. Though they have far exceeded the expectations I set for them during my short time among them, I believe there is more potential in them than in any other race you have created.” God, deep in thought, nodded absently. “The Tem'ora are a highly-cultured and civilized species, who show proper respect and reverence for You and Your Divinity.”
“The Tem'ora are intellectual babies. They believe in nothing unless it is written down. At least Moses could extrapolate from Ten Commandments. The Tem'ora have received a hundred times that many and still they pray for guidance. They are devoid of imagination.”

“Yes,” Jesus admitted, “but You did not endow them with free will.”

“True,” God admitted.

“Humanity, however, is willful, arrogant, stubborn and ungrateful. Despite their faults, they are an interesting species. I do enjoy watching them proceed as though You are actually among them, paying attention to their ceremonies and choosing sides in their conflicts based on who shows the highest level of devotion.” Jesus chuckled at the image that popped into his mind: Humans kneeling in prayer for the blessings of God to fall upon them as they maim and murder their fellow humans.

“I should have left people on Mars,” God suddenly added. “The competition would have been good for the Sons of Adam. And the Martians were pious, God-fearing beings. They built all those monuments to me; those faces did not look a thing like Me, but it was the thought that counted.”

“They were interesting. They gained knowledge faster than any of the races I created on Earth. Remember the Saurians -- lumbering beasts that ate too much and thought too little? I finally had to eliminate them: they were destroying the planet.”

“And you cared more for the planet than for the creatures You created?” Jesus could not believe His Father was saying something so callous.

“Yes, actually,” God answered, irritated that His Son would even ask such an obvious question. “I spent six days creating that planet. The Saurians were a whim, a failed experiment, just like the Sons of Adam. Six days to create this beautiful paradise and they ruined it in no time.” God sighed, and Jesus watched as a hurricane swept across the surface of the Earth, destroying homes and lives in its wake.

“If I played by the rules, I could end their tenure on Earth in a month, two at most. Or I can prolong their suffering, make everyone on the planet suffer as Job suffered.” Distracted by the devastation, the comment caught Jesus off his guard.

“Surely You do not want to waste all the time and effort You invested in the Sons of Adam just to destroy them.”
God did not hear the question. “I think I would rather be rid of them sooner, start anew. They have been tainted, the experiment compromised. Lucifer forced My hand in this one.”
As if the mere mention of his name summoned the Adversary, Lucifer appeared at God’s left hand, a blinding nimbus of light surrounding him.

“You beckoned, Boss?” Lucifer asked.

“No, I did not.” God cringed at the appellation. Ever since the two had become rivals for the souls of Humanity, Lucifer insisted on calling God “Boss” as an off-hand reference to their former relationship. “Since you are here, let Me ask you a question.” God leaned forward, hand still resting beneath his bearded chin. “What do you think of the Sons of Adam? Do they deserve to continue to exist?”

“Yes, Sir,” Lucifer responded, an eager glint in his smoky eyes. “An intriguing species, that one. They are so wonderfully complex and sadistically mysterious. But I’ve managed to do fairly well with them inhabiting their little planet down there.”

“Fairly well? The twentieth century alone nearly tripled the size of your congregation!” God exclaimed. “Your followers, as well as some few of those who claimed to believe in My Word, put forth tremendous effort to assure you would get the credit you deserved.” God spat out the last few words, his ire rising because of the absurdity of the situation. “I, in My benevolence, created the race of Humanity, beginning with Adam and in My Own Image, and allowed the subsequent generations to proceed as they wished. And what did they do with my leniency? They flocked, in droves, to your banner!”
God threw his hands into the air, his blinding white robe fluttering about his powerful arms. “There is nothing left for me to do but eliminate the lot of them and. I can create another race in a day or two. I’ll just start over. This time, I will make them in someone else’s image.”
As God contemplated in whose image he could create the second race of Humanity, he had an intriguing thought which had not previously occurred to Him.

“Son, do you think that Humanity would have fared better if I had not created them in My image? If I had not planted the seed for them to possess the power to determine their own destinies?”
Jesus thought about His Father’s words for a moment. He stroked his wiry beard, sweeping it forward then back, considering the possibility. Before he could respond, however, Lucifer chimed in with his opinion.

“Hey, Boss, maybe you can create the next race in my image.” Lucifer laughed, amused by his own attempt at wit.
God looked at his former angel with something akin to incredulity. “Why would I do a thing like that?” he asked.

“Since the humans are destined to join me in the Pit anyway, why not create one in my image? That way, if you manage to convert a few of them away from me, you’ll feel like you’ve accomplished something.” Lucifer looked pleased with his suggestion as he waited for God to mull it over.
The mere idea of creating a race of beings modeled after the Fallen One, the once-beloved angel of judgment, was appalling to God. But as He was about to dismiss the idea out of hand, Jesus spoke.

“Father, perhaps Lucifer’s suggestion has merit.”

“What? How could such a sinister plan have any merit whatsoever?” God waved his arms in the air as if attempting to grasp on to something tangible that might make the absurd notion even plausible.

“If You will indulge me for a moment, I might be able to explain it in terms more appealing to You.” Jesus began to pace, stroking his beard as he formulated his scheme into words. “You are disappointed in the manner in which Humanity has developed since Creation. You seek to dispose of the Sons of Adam and begin anew with a race that will heed Your commandments and adhere to Your gospels. Rather than eradicate this species, however, allow us to proceed as Lucifer has suggested,” Jesus indicated his wicked half-brother with a sweep of his upturned hand, “and give the Sons of Adam over to his charge.

“We need not begin again and hope for different results. And I certainly do not wish to be crucified again, no matter how worthy a cause it served.” Jesus shivered at the memory of that harrowing experience.

“What’s the matter, Brother? You didn’t enjoy your little visit to my neighborhood?”
Jesus shot Lucifer a look of utter disdain, but offered no reply. Instead, he regarded His Father. God’s face showed His skepticism at the proposition Jesus was offering. Squaring his shoulders, Jesus prepared to plead his case further.

“I . . .,” he began. Before he could continue, however, God raised his hand to forestall his continuance.

“Perhaps there is merit to this wayward angel’s plan.” God looked to Lucifer, sizing up the level of intended mischief his former associate was hoping to unleash. “However, I do not agree in total. Instead, I will compromise.

“I will send a plague to eradicate half the population of Earth. We can work out the details of exactly which Sons and Daughters of Adam will be swept aside. The remainder will continue to inhabit the Earth, outside My Benevolent protection, unless – or until – they repent. At which time, I will welcome them into My Grace and admit them into Heaven.”
Jesus was nodding and smiling as His Father outlined his plan. In His estimation, God would save all but the most irredeemable souls through his plan. Some few would immediately repent and be brought to Grace; others would have to suffer before receiving His Mercy.
Lucifer seemed pleased with the arrangement as well. Whether he saw the flaw in the plan that would allow Humanity to escape his torments, Jesus could not tell. And it did not matter, in any case: God had spoken.
Except where Lucifer was concerned.

“Are we agreed, then?” God asked the Fallen One, obviously thinking along the same lines as Jesus.

After a brief pause, Lucifer nodded, his wicked sneer clearly showing that he believed he was receiving the better of the bargain. “Agreed. But I get to devise the plague with which Humanity will be infected.”
“Very well,” God sighed. “Devise the plague and I shall send it. And in a fortnight, the Earth shall be yours and yours alone.”
Lucifer bowed deeply to his former sovereign. “Thanks, Boss. I knew you still cared.” With a wink, Lucifer disappeared.

“He should pay closer attention to the fine print before making deals,” Jesus remarked.

God smiled and nodded sagely. “I intend to honor My bargain. Only those souls who ask for forgiveness and are redeemed shall find My Grace.

“Of course,” Jesus agreed. In fact, Jesus felt compassion for the Sons and Daughters of Adam; he had once died for their sins, after all. But God’s will was immutable.
A moment later, Lucifer reappeared, bearing a sack the color of a bruise covered with pale yellow veins which pulsated with pestilence. Composed of a fibrous yet malleable skin, the violence of the disease roiling within caused tiny fissures to appear along its surface. From these fissures, rivulets of the virulent puss escaped. This excreta emitted a leprous, nauseating odor: the smell of suffering. “Here you go, Boss.”
Taking the sack in His hands, God held it out as far away from Himself as possible. He looked vaguely queasy as he regarded the abomination he was about to unleash upon His creation. With the cloying smell assaulting his nostrils, He briefly considered rescinding the deal. Dismissing his qualms, he squared his shoulders, his resolve bolstered by the fact that eventually, the souls of Humanity would return to him anyway.
Lucifer glanced from God to Jesus, his features set in a rictus grin. With a sudden burst of gleeful laughter, he disappeared again.
The echoes of that laughter hung in the ether surrounding God and His Son, and a momentary unease settled over them.

“I really do not like him,” Jesus said after a moment.
God offered His son a guarded smile, understanding completely the tensions that often existed between brothers.
Without another word, the Almighty sat forward and parted the clouds with a wave of his hands. Onto the Earth he set the plague Lucifer had given him, a plague the likes of which made the ten plagues of Egypt seem like a walk in the park.
The effects were immediate.

As the Sons and Daughters of Adam began to die seemingly at random, a great chasm opened in the Earth and Lucifer emerged on a flaming black steed to usher the souls of the wicked into the Pit, smiling his wicked grin as the damned filed past him.
God sat back and waited for the moaning and wailing of the tormented to rise out of the suffering He had unleashed but to his surprise, He heard nothing.
Turning his attention to the suffering multitudes, He watched as their loved ones succumbed to disease and famine, murder and despair. He watched as the line of souls streaming into the Pit grew longer and longer with each passing moment.
And still no souls cried out for his Mercy.

The image of Lucifer’s sinister grin returned to Him then and he realized His error.
“What have I done?” God whispered.

“Father?” Jesus asked. He had been watching in horror as Humanity succumbed to Lucifer’s plague and had not heard the question.
A rage built up within God then and he bellowed at the Fallen One. “Lucifer, what have you done?!”
“Nothing, Boss,” Lucifer replied from the edge of the Pit. “Merely what we agreed upon.”
God looked closely at the souls who were not affected by the plague, waiting to hear their lamentations, waiting to offer his benevolent blessings upon them. After half of the dead and dying had been ushered toward their eternal fates, Lucifer honored the Almighty with another of his wicked laughs.
God realized He had been duped.

Revisiting the terms of the bargain, God realized His error. Only those souls who specifically asked for forgiveness would be spared. Lucifer designed a plague that attacked the central nervous system, preventing it from regulating the electrical impulses that kept the brain functioning: autonomic functions ceased to function, allowing people to die in extremely painful ways.
Not one resident of Earth was unaffected by Lucifer's plague, however. Every member of the Human race suffered ill effects, most notably the ability to communicate. The vocal chords were ruined, the tissues decayed beyond repair. The centers of the brain that regulated language and cognition were eradicated, leaving the baser instincts intact. Lucifer had returned Humanity to a level less evolved than the Australopithecus; devoid of speech and the ability to process higher concepts such as God and Mercy.
Jesus turned to God and, seeing the expression etched across His face, understood that Humanity was lost.

“NO!” God bellowed and a thunder clap broke over the surface of the Earth Pockets of magma erupted, spewing forth white-hot death over the surface of the planet, killing all in its path. The release of so much magma at once destabilized the planet’s tectonic plates: horrendous earthquakes shook the earth, shattering that which the magma did not consume. Tsunamis washed away whole regions, uprooting trees, leveling dwellings and dousing the lava creeping across the land, leaving a smoldering black scar where life had once flourished. The devastation was remarkable.
And Lucifer continued to usher the souls of Humanity into the Pit, laughing as he witnessed the fall of Humanity and its Almighty God in the one fell swoop.
God sat on his throne and considered the ruse into which He had fallen. His one-time protégé had surpassed his mentor, duping the Lord with his guile. God could not help but laugh, which He proceeded to do. Great bellowing peals of laughter issued forth from His august presence.
“I guess it is true: the Devil is in the details.”
Stunned, Jesus could not respond immediately. He stood staring at His Father, incomprehensible, for a long time. Finally, after the initial shock of the truth wore off, he asked, “So how do we get Humanity back? You can get them back, can you not?”
“No,” God answered frankly. “I cannot.”

Jesus stammered for a moment, words failing to form. He shook his head, attempting to clear the cobwebs that had suddenly formed in his thoughts. “So what do we do,” he asked in a slight, concerned voice.
God looked directly at Jesus. “We begin anew.”