And there went out a champion out of the camp
of the Philis'-tines, named Go-li'-ath, of Gath,
whose height was six cubits and a span.
Samuel: Chapter 17 Verse 4
6:1
The army of the Philistines marched into Ephesdammim, overlooking the valley Elah, where a settlement of Israelites camped in the mountains of Judah. The king’s army had gathered there expecting an attack from the nearby godless troops.
With swords and shields raised, the Philistines charged into battle. The conflict ensued and the ground became soaked with blood.
King Saul watched from a distant vantage point with his most trusted soldiers. As the battle raged on, it appeared as though they would be able to hold off the enemy.
Back at the temple of the Philistines in Gath, hundreds of miles from the war, Samyaza stepped out through the arched doorway, into the morning sunlight. He took in a deep breath, expanding his gigantic chest.
With arms outstretched and muscles flexed, he called out into the sky with his mightiest voice, “God of Israel! God of the dimensions of light! Betrayer of your own brothers, I call to you! Show yourself!”
God could hardly believe it. The voice he was hearing was one who should have been dead long ago in the flood. At that moment he knew that he had been fooled. What he was not aware of was that the trickery was just beginning.
God’s energy was charged with a fiery rage that thundered across the sky in crimson bolts. The clouds became dark and the winds howled. His divine anger carried him over the land to the temple of false idols. Samyaza knew that God’s punishment would be terrible and swift. He was counting on it.
With Israel’s deity gone, a signal was given from the nearby forest. The Philistines immediately retreated west, to make way for their champion. King Saul watched from a distance as Goliath stepped out from the trees. The giant said nothing. He only smiled as he raised his great hammer of wood and stone into the air. The Israelites scattered with fear at the sight of him. They had all heard the tales of the invincible giant warriors that had pillaged the countryside. They were the men of old, with renowned strength.
Goliath went running hard into the God fearing valley swinging his mighty hammer as the men cried out to God. One brave warrior ran toward him with spear in hand. His spirit was pushed out when he neared the giant. Goliath smashed his skull before the human could hit the ground. It was an explosion in mid air as the thick stone found its target. The giant stopped and lowered the bloodied weapon to his side. The humans cowered with fright at the deformed threat.
“Whosoever among you that would challenge me, step forth.”
He looked them all over carefully, smiling. The humans stayed far back from the monster, cowering in fear.
“Will none of you come forward to smite me?”
Not one of them wanted to fight him. Many dropped to their knees in the dirt and prayed. Others turned and ran for fear of death.
The King looked up from his prayer and said, “Surely the Lord has abandoned his children.”
Saul looked over a group of men who had recently arrived with provisions for his army.
He called out, “Run for shelter and stay there until this battle is done. This is no place for you.”
All five took to the forest. David, a man of little more than twenty years, stopped behind the others and called to his creator. He refused to accept that his God would not help them.
“Please Lord, show us your wisdom in this dark time!”
Lucifer, who was waiting nearby, descended down to David. The human was in awe of the energy floating in front of him. He could heel its pure power like an electrical charge biting at his skin. He was sure it was God.
He dropped to his hands and knees, “Oh Lord, you heard my cry!”
Lucifer, the liar, was pleased with his reaction.
“Rise boy, and meet your master.”
Trembling, David got to his feet. A small circle of light formed in the center of the energy. It compressed smaller into itself until it glowed red-hot. A smooth stone lifted off of the ground from David’s feet and entered the light. There was a brilliant flash when the two met, and David fell backward onto the grass. The light subsided and the stone dropped down. It rolled over to the human. The devil spoke again.
“Take this stone, my son, and cast it at your enemy.”
“I am not a soldier, Lord. My aim is not true.”
“The vessel has been anointed with my power. Use the sling and you shall smite the enemy!”
David picked up the stone carefully and held it up in the palm of his hand. Staring at it, he saw it looked like any other. He lowered his hand, holding it tight. Lucifer said one last thing before leaving the forest.
“Go now. The God of Israel commands you.”
Samyaza was standing in front of the temple when the whirlwind of wrath arrived. The air’s whipping punishment carried with it the sting of earth and stone. The fallen angel held rigid in his tracks, waiting for the inevitable.
Laughing, he mocked God,
“You are the creator of all we see and yet your enemy’s presence goes unknown? Perhaps you have divided your energy too many times. Your power is weak.”
The exploding cloud did not respond. Slowly it formed into a great tornado. Lightning danced around the twisting dirt and stone. The accompanying thunderclap dropped the giant to his knees, his ears bleeding. His screams of defiance went unheard in the deafening wind. The great storms’ pull lifted the giant from the earth and into its barrage of swirling pellets. The nearby temple crumpled into flying sand and wood, as did the other buildings.
The angel who had been earth bound for more than four hundred years, without the power to soar through the heavens, found himself flying. Round and round inside God’s own hate, he was slowly being beaten to death. His leathery skin had given way to the blasting of sand and rocks. The magical blood flowed out of every pore in his skin. And then, in an instant, God ripped the mortal flesh apart. In a thousand different directions went a thousand pieces of meat.
Samyaza’s soul screamed in agony as it escaped. He was finely free of his mortal prison. God turned the angel’s body into etheric energy and absorbed it back into himself. He cast Samyaza out of the mundane world. The fallen one couldn’t wait to get back home, to Hell.
Goliath stood in the hot sunlight mocking the pathetic humans. He laughed heartily and swung the gigantic hammer. All of Saul’s soldiers stayed far back, away from the monster. A young man came running up through the crowd.
Saul, seeing that it was David, called out to him, “Get back! Keep away from the devil!”
He paid no attention to his king and ran out to face the giant. He stopped when the distance between them was fifteen cubits.
Looking down, Goliath smiled with his black gums dripping, “I shall swallow you whole, boy.”
David trembled, gripping his spear.
Goliath laughed mightily, “Am I a dog, that you would come at me with staves?”
“The Lord God has spoken to me. He has given me the power to smite you, devil!”
David dropped the wooden shaft to the ground and fished the rock out of the leather pouch. He pulled it tight in the sling.
Goliath lowered his weapon and called out, “Well, so be it. I beg you, cast your stone.”
The son of the fallen ones stood ready. He knew that his time on this wrenched earth would end when the Israelite loosed the stone. David stood swinging the leather above his head in large circles. He swung faster and faster until his arm ached.
He heaved as hard as he could and let the rock fly. As soon as it left the sling he knew he had missed. The stone was too far off the giant’s left shoulder. It was going to fly right past him. But as Goliath turned his head to watch it soar by, it began to turn. It circled far around behind him and began to increase speed. It was glowing like a star when it came around the other side and hit Goliath right between the eyes. His skull smashed in the impact and he fell face forward into the hard ground, shaking the nearby trees.
The soldiers cheered at the sight of the giant’s death. The opposing army who had temporarily withdrawn ended the celebration quickly. They charged in once more and the battle continued.
One man unnoticed by the others went to the dead monster lying in the dirt. A large stream of blood ran out from the giant’s face and down the hard packed soil. The man gathered the magical substance into a vial that had been forged by the devil himself. When enough was collected he stood and ran into the woods.
The king of Hell was waiting for him. Lucifer cast the impurities out of the fluid and sealed the vial. A small dust cloud rose up from the dry ground. It spun into a whirlwind of sand and rocks. The fragments’ collisions glowed bright red in mid-air as a small mass of earth and stone began to collect.
Karradel’s eyes widened, watching it get bigger, forming the shape of a bird. Some of the elements were swooped up from the surrounding area while others seemed to appear from inside the cloud. When the talisman was complete the dust settled and Lucifer then bound the oval vial into place, under the bird’s talons. A huge clap of astral lightning exploded around the necklace, sending Karradel to his knees.
He looked up, shaking with fear and excitement. He saw what he had helped create clearly, for the very first time. The gray stone had striations of a white mineral running through it in jagged, sharp lines. The sculpture was a hawk and had been carved beautifully. The magic blood in the glass vial swam entrancingly, glimmering in the sunlight. A panting, nervous laugh pushed through Karradel’s lips. He alone held the power to destroy the God of Israel in his hands. He was the only man alive who knew of the creator’s weakness.
Karradel received the container once again. He was amazed at the blood’s constant movement, the way it danced in the sunlight.
The magic of the Nephilim was in the hands of a mortal. God’s failure was now tangible. It was something that could be seen and touched. His wrath had made way for his own death.
Lucifer couldn’t help but be amused.
copyright ©2002 Brian Holtz
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