His Love In Time: Volume I
Chapter 11: Daniel

WHAT HAVE I DONE? I WAS HOME FREE, AND because of this, I have to relive everything that just happened. How do I stop Azazel from controlling him? Or was this God’s plan the entire time? The questions that go unanswered has got to be the scariest part of anything in this life. I decide that it was a good idea to keep my distance. If there was a way to prevent this from happening I would, but I do not want anything to happen even worse. My presence here could cause a ripple in time, and my child might not be born. I watch Saint Peter call Orias up to the platform for questioning.

“Next!” Saint Peter says. I miss the Santa Clause looking man. He is so bright and cheerful, made the day go by a little more smoothly. “What is your name, sir?”

“Orias Forrester,” the man replies. The way that Orias talked was from a different lifetime. It was from the time that he walked with Moses, that much I am sure. But he doesn’t seem happy. Like something is happening while on earth, something that I did not take into consideration.

“Orias, I apologize, but I cannot find you in the book. Either Azrael has taken you too soon or…”

It feels weird watching this from a different point of view. All the events are adding up, but something is just not right about this situation. Could I have been thinking of Limbo AND Orias? I continue to watch the events unfold. To my right, I notice Azazel is standing next to Samael. I am reminded of the fight that we just had, and it bothered me that he might have been able to catch up to him. But why him?

Before my eyes, Azazel transforms his appearance to look like Leviathan. Together, they take Orias to the portal. I hear Samael say those insulting words, “You heard winged boy…” They firmly grip Orias by the arms and lift him up. They walk through the portal, but something bugs me about the situation. One of them wants to be human, for some reason.

I glance over and see myself standing there. Technically if I wait long enough, I

can take over from the Jacob standing there. But I knew that would not be an okay thing to do.

There was something off about the events that are unfolding, but I cannot quite put my finger on it. The only thing left to do is to jump into that portal and check it out of myself.

I run to the portal and dive in to see what is going on. As I am traveling through the time, space, continuum I can look at the stars spinning around me. I see the light at the end of the tunnel. I haven’t traveled this long in a portal since the very… beginning… “Oh no,” I say while moving.

I fall, hard, onto a golden statue. The statue looks like another Ramesses but different.

Three men, came to my aid, to see what has happened. I quickly ask, “Are any of you Orias?”

The three of them chuckle, “No. You must have hit your head,” one of the men say. “Come, we will make sure you are alright, the last thing you want is anyone finding out that you touched King Nebuchadnezzar’s statue.”

Realizing where I am, I follow their wishes.

Later that night the three of them help me by feeding me and giving me fresh clothes to wear. “I must say, you three are the nicest brothers I have seen in a long time.”

“Where do you come from traveler?”

“I come from a land… quite far from here,” I continue. “Tell me, what are your names?”

“My name is Shadrach.”

“I am Meshach.”

“And I am Abednego.”

“Together we are administrators over the province of Babylon. Our beloved friend, Daniel, helped us obtain this position. But it has gotten difficult to be a believer of God,” Shadrach explains.

“Why is that?” I ask.

“Because Nebuchadnezzar thinks that he is god,” Shadrach says.

“And he is to be worshipped as such,” Abednego intervenes.

“Should he find out that you are giving anyone but him praises, he will throw you into the fiery furnace,” Meshach says.

“Gentlemen, I think that the reason I am sent here is to protect the three of you.”

Together they smile, and we decide to turn in for the night.

While the three men are fast asleep, I decide to pray. “God, I am confused. You told me that I am able to go home, but you send me back here. Why? If my calculations are correct, I only traveled two thousand years and some change. There is something serious going on back home. Please, give me some light.” Wait, some light. I take my halo out and do what God told me to do before. While holding it, I thought about Lynn, Limbo City, and my surroundings. But the halo was not working… again.

“Jacob,” Gabriel says. “Do not be afraid…”

“Gabriel, I swear if you say that to me I am going to tear off your wings and make you eat them.”

“Jacob?!” he says again.

Gabriel walks into view from an invisible portal. “Yeah?”

“I did not realize that God was sending me to talk to you.”

“What does Father have to say now?”

“He says that your job is not done yet. Though He allowed you to go home for a moment, you did the right thing in going after Orias.”

“Then why am I here?”

“Because three boys need protection from a fiery furnace.”

“Great.”

“Remember, regardless of what it looks like… God is still in control, always.”

Gabriel vanishes the same way that he appears.

The next morning King Nebuchadnezzar called the entire town of Babylon to meet him in front of his statue.

With the three brothers the administrators, they too had to be there.

“Babylon! Now is the time to bow down to my statue. Remember, anyone who does not will be arrested!”

Instantly, thousands of residences all got to their knees and bowed down. Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, and I did not. The king, however, did not notice them. He saw me.

“You there!” he points to me. “Why are you not bowing? Are your legs broken? Are you having a hard time breathing? Do you wish to raise your hands up to the statue?!”

I tried to think fast at the response, “I am a traveler, I am not from here,” I say.

“Arrest him!”

Two guards, from behind the king, jog to me and put on heavy handcuffs. They felt like a ton. I thought to myself, ‘If the jails from my time used these, no one would escape.’

“Sentencing will be carried out this afternoon,” he turns to look at the three brothers that are not bowing. “I want you to make sure… wait, why aren’t you bowing?”

“Because though you are king, you are not God,” Abednego says.

“What?! Guards, arrest them too.” His anger was out of control, he was furious that the Jewish brothers refused to worship him. All they had to do was bow down, they could have prayed to God in the meantime. “The sentence will be carried out immediately. I will throw the four of you into the furnace!”

Knowing that I have escaped hell, I was not worried about a little fire. I knew that all I must do is believe God will shield them. I am reminded of the conversation that Gabriel had with me. I am to protect them from the fiery furnace. The guards throw us into the furnace.

Shadrach says, “I am not afraid. Our God is able to deliver us.”

“You’re still going to die!” Nebuchadnezzar says, mocking them.

“If that is our fate, we still will not bow before your image.”

“Light the furnace!”

As the flames ignite and engulf the four of us in a fire, I bring my wings up and shield them. Though no one else can see the wings, it is shielding them from the flames. The fire is not even touching me.

“Hold on! Why aren’t you ablaze?!”

“We told you, God will protect us,” Meshach says.

“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Highest God, come out! Come here!” The three of them exit, with me, thinking, what about me.

I stand there in the fire and watch the three brothers get looked at all over. Everyone notice that they are not burnt, at all.

The king speaks, “Praise God that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were set free from the fiery furnace. He protected them while they trusted in Him. Though the defied me, their God is worthy to worship. Should ANYONE dare to harm these three, I will cut them down to pieces and burn their homes. Only a God of this magnitude can save in this way.”

“Your Highness, what about him?” Shadrach points to me, standing in the furnace without any flame around me.

“Oh, I did not realize that the fourth was also unharmed. Please, come out!”

I walked out of the furnace.

“Gee, thanks,” I say sarcastically.

I stood carefully, worried that it was too good to be true. I have come and gone a lot in this era, but I have never had a moment that I got thrown into jail or a fiery pit. Unless you count Lucifer’s’ minions throwing me down the well. But that, to me, was different.

I walk to the three brothers standing next to the king and feel at calm, knowing that all is going to be well. The king calls out to his son, “Belshazzar! Come here and greet our guests of honor!”

“Father?”

“These men are to be treated as though they are royalty. Quick, call the messengers and the wise men, I must speak with them!”

The way that the king was acting seemed a little strange, even for a king of this day. He was acting like he was overjoyed, but something tells me that there is more to it than what meets the eye. Not knowing much about what is going on, I decide to stay out of the way and just be at peace while everything is unfolding.

To my surprise, nothing was strange after everything the king did.

Time flew by, as I watched the three brothers continuously get praised for. They were worshipped as kings, but they did not act as such. The more gifts they received, the more they gave them to those who needed it. It was a beautiful site to see.

But as all good things must come to an end. After around sixty years of me walking around aimlessly, trying to figure out why my Halo still doesn’t work, I am arrested again. This time by the son of the king that praised the three brothers. Little Belshazzar, had me arrested for being a spy. Although he cannot prove it, he still thinks that I need to be the dinner for a pack of lions.

While in jail I meet a man, Daniel, that talks to me about his master Darius the Mede. “I was asleep, one evening, and Darius had me arrested.”

“Any idea why they chose to arrest you?”

“No, I mean I am one of the few Jewish people here that are high up on the totem pole, but that is no reason to arrest me,” he says.

“Well, whatever the fate of us is, we need to make sure that we trust in God, right?”

“That is correct. Trust in God is the ultimate goal, no matter what.”

I don’t know if this was planned or not, but it felt like the moment that Daniel says “no matter what” the guards came into the prison.

The prison here is not exactly the same as any state prison. The ground is covered in dirt, liquid, and dried up food. The food that is brought down here is dried up as it is, but not like a rock. The fluid on the ground does not feel like water. Something tells me that it is the only way that the prisoners can use the bathroom. Not precisely hygienic during these times. I bet if the prisons were this way during my time, a lot fewer prisoners would want to relapse, that is for sure.

“Daniel, you are amongst the administrators. But because you have chosen to break the law, we have no choice but to throw you into the lion’s den!” the guard says.

“What law have I broken?” Daniel asks.

“You have broken… well, there is the… you can’t forget the time that…” the guard was confused on what to say. “Look, it doesn’t matter what you did, the point is I have my orders.”

“Your orders are wrong,” I step in.

“Oh, I’ll get to you!” he says.

“Oh, yeah? I’d like to see you try,” I say with a smile on my face.

He looks at me with a smirk on his face and ignores the invitation. He escorts Daniel out of the jail cell and takes him up the stairs. My fate has yet to be determined, but I have a funny feeling that I am the dessert.

After a few short minutes, I hear the lions growl and roar, louder that when Adam and Eve walked the earth, well Adam anyway. They were hungry, but the roars continued.

“Pray to your God, Daniel!” I hear people mocking him.

“Pray, pray, pray,” more mocking.

To think that someone was sentenced to be eaten by a lion, just for praying, is crazy. Meanwhile, in heaven, thousands of angels are giving Him praises.

“Father,” I hear in my head. “Have mercy on the people that have done this,” I have never heard a prayer before. “The people are confused, but if it is in your wishes that I am killed today, I accept my fate, and I look forward to coming home, God.”

“Jacob,” a new voice pops into my head. It is God, the voice is of the Creator, “I have given you permission to hear Daniel. He is giving mercy to the people. It is time to make an example of him. That no one is greater than I Am.”

“What shall I do, my Lord?”

“I want you to use the portal in the corner of the cell, and walk into the den. There I want you to calm the lions to sleep. In the morning, Darius will see that Daniel is unharmed and be joyful.”

“What will happen to Darius?”

“Nothing, he has been tricked by the accusers.”

“I understand, God,” I say. Then I realized that I had a question about my halo. “But wait...! God...? Really?!”

The silence in my head was louder than any trumpet. I was not happy, but an assignment is an assignment.

I walk to the corner of the cell and walk, through the portal, into the lion’s den. There I see Daniel sitting in the corner praying. The lions are trying to make sure that they didn’t go hungry for the evening. I was behind three of the four lions in the den. The fourth lion was behind me. I did the only thing that I could think of, get on my knees and offer me as an offering. I know that they cannot hurt me.

I spread my wings out as far as they can stretch. The three lions turn and look at the large wings. The fourth one, from behind me, rubs her body against me. She then bunts her head into my hand and begins to purr. The purring is still like a growl, but it was not terrifying. The other three did the same, each taking their turns rubbing their body against me. It was a precious moment.

I began to talk to the four lions, in their language, “Lions, I know that you are hungry. But if you do not eat that man over there, more food will come.”

“More?” one of the lions responded. I never, in a million years, thought that I would be talking to a lion. I don’t even think I ever spoke to the lions when they were around Adam and Eve. It was not that it was strange, it was just weird. And the crazy part is, they understood me.

“Yes, lions, more than just one.”

The look at the skinny Daniel laid themselves down and went to sleep. I too went to sleep, cuddling up to the four lions.

The next morning, just as predicted, King Darius looks down into the den and see’s that Daniel is still alive. “Get him out!” he says.

Daniel was lifted out of the den. While I hid away in the shadows, I could hear everything that was being said.

“People, look! Not a mark on him. Those lions spared his life because God protected him! The same faith that freed his people, the same faith that conquered kingdoms, and the same faith that shut the mouths of lions. Guards, go fetch the men that falsely accused Daniel.”

“Sir!”

“Daniel, we are going to give you a great feast! Together, we will make sure that the Jews are always protected!”

“Oh, if only they knew how wrong they are,” I say, quietly in the shadows of the den.

After about an hour, the lions start to get restless. If my calculations are correct, they have not eaten in over a week. They are licking their chops, and I know that I am looking terribly yummy.

But a man is thrown into the den, startling the four lions. They each get up and start to, quietly, walk towards the man. The four of them circle, but one says, “The angel says there would be more to eat. It was our deal.”

“Yes, but perhaps he was offering himself,” another lion says.

The lions look up at the hole of the den, and another man is thrown into the den. One lion jumps up and grabs the man. She throws the man to the ground. Four more people are thrown into the den, followed by two children. All of which give two humans per lion, as promised. Seven of the eight people are in the corner, cowering in fear. One of the lions looks to me, nods her head. This tells me that I am safe to leave the den.

I turn around and leave the den, through the portal that was there prior. I walk back into my cell, just as a guard enters the prison. He looks at me and says, “I have been ordered to let you out.”

“Thank you.”

“Do not thank me, thank Daniel for saying you are innocent as well.”

The guard takes me in front of the Darius and Daniel, enjoying each other’s company.

“Ah, Jacob! Welcome,” Darius says. “Daniel has told me a lot about you. I hope that I did not scare you.” I shook my head, no. “However, Daniel says that you were the angel in the den with him?”

“God was in the den with him, He used me as a vessel.”

“You are Jewish as well?!”

“No, I am Christian.”

“What is a Christian?”

Realizing that Christianity is not a thing yet, I tried to figure out the best way to get out of the mess I just put myself in. “It is a Jew that believes in the Messiah,” I say. “The Messiah that. Hasn’t. Happened. Yet. So, I’m a Jew, yes.”

Darius looks at me confused, then laughs. “You are a funny man, Christian. I have issued a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear the God of Daniel. He is a living God, and he will live forever. It is God that rescues and saves, he performs miracles and even kept Daniel from the mouths of the lions. That to me is a powerful God.”

I turn around and start to walk outside the palace, while Darius and Daniel enjoy each other. It is nice to see the recognition of God.

Before long my halo starts to vibrate. I pull my halo out, and a portal appears. It was like a cell phone calling me, but a little different. I walk through the portal to enter a completely white room. It was like I was at the beginning again, only it was white.

“Jacob,” God says as he enters the room.

“Father?”

“I need you to do me a favor. Cain has created an army and attacked the Israelites. All of the vampires need to be destroyed, including Cain. I have lifted the curse from him so that you can finish him off. I know you have the power to do so. I will send you to meet with Samuel. He will believe you when you tell him that I sent you. Now, go!”

I did as instructed and arrived in a campground. The tent that I walked into sat a man, kneeling in front of incense burning. He was praying, “God, I need your help.”

“Samuel,” I say.

Samuel turns around and says, “The Lord has provided a soldier!”

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