Bein' a Berean
…outside the box but inside God's Word...
Where am I? What is this? What just happened? Who is this? He called me 'Helel.'
What is He doing now? Another one, something like me just appeared. He called him 'Gabriel.' And now another named 'Michael.' Suddenly, millions of others just start appearing. Wow! He just spoke a word and there they were!
As we stand there, looking around and at each other, I hear Him speak.
Then He turns and looks at some lights in the sky, calling them sun, moon, and stars, and adds, “This is good.”
The Fifth day is starting, or at least that is what I understand. We were created on the fourth day—though it feels like we have been around much longer. “My Stars,” He calls us, millions of us. Each one is different, unique, and special. It seems, too, that He created us with different ranks or stature. The three of us, Michael, Gabriel, and I, are cherubs, and we stand out as different from the others. Somehow, I know my name, Helel, means shining one or light bearer. We were created before the others, the angels, as He calls them. That may be why many of them look up to me. Somehow, a third of all those lesser angels respond to me, a third to Michael and the rest to Gabriel. As I mentioned, Elohim, the creator, seems to come to me more often than He goes to the others, as though He has a higher regard for me.
Elohim has begun to create things again. These creatures are different! Unimaginable! If I was not seeing it unfold as I watched... four-footed things, flying things, buzzing things, huge and tiny, AMAZING! He calls them forth, and they appear—animals, insects, reptiles, birds, beasts of the field, the air, and the waters. Look at the colors, and the diversity, each having its unique function and purpose. They are made of something different than us, kind of solid, and they have very limited abilities. But wait, again, something different, the same but different, like they fit together, but in pairs, males with females. Incredible! He says this enables them to reproduce, each after their kind, their species. This is all very different from us. All this is unfolding as we watch. He involves us in moving these over there and those to this place. These creatures have not been given names like we have. I wonder why.
As I stand, awestruck at all that Elohim has created I yield to a growing impulse to bow on my knees before him and speak his praises. WOW! In doing so I feel such joy and fulfillment, like this is my purpose! Let it never end! As I continue, I hear music coming out of my whole being. Has He created this in me? Others do not have this effect. As I glance around, the others are watching me. An intense glow emanates from me as I continue to bow in worship and speak His praises. That must be why He calls me His ‘shining one, a bearer of light.’ Do I outshine all the others? Colors, and more colors, all dancing to the music, shifting, sparkling, and radiating as if they had life. And as I look at Him, I see Him smiling, not only at my delight and pleasure but also in appreciation of my worship and the praises I speak. Is that my purpose, my function—to worship Elohim and speak his praises? This is wonderful! Amazing! Awesome! He truly is above all and greatly to be praised! Those around me are admiring the display, my worship, my performance…especially those angels who are under my authority…
Elohim is looking around again. Quiet now! Again, He is going to speak.
“This is good.”
Now begins the Sixth day. Yesterday seemed almost an eternity with all that was accomplished. What could Elohim possibly do to top what He did yesterday? What else needs to be done?
Wait! Listen, Elohim is speaking!
“Let us make man in our image.”1
There is such authority, such determination behind His words.
I have no idea what the man thing is, but if this is anything like yesterday, I will soon know.
He begins to work, but this is taking longer than the others. Why is this creature, this man thing, taking longer to create? Gabriel and Michael did not take this long, as I remember, nor did the animals.
This man thing looks something like us, with some differences, but Elohim seems to be giving a great deal of attention to detail on this one, and taking pleasure in it. I wonder why. That’s interesting; the man thing has a body not like ours, but with substance like the things he created yesterday—animals I remember he called them. This man thing stands upright like us, but it is not yet moving, like it is just a shell. Now what is Elohim doing? Is something different again? Look, he is breathing into the man thing. No! He is putting into this man thing some of his spirit! Is that what Elohim meant when he said, “In our image?” Suddenly, this man thing is moving and even talking to Elohim. The animals can’t talk like that! How is it that this man thing can do this? Why is it so special? He has even given it a name—'Adam!'
Now Elohim turns to us and says, "You will be ministering spirits that I am sending to serve and protect man."2
What? Serve this piece of dirt?
Shhh! Listen! Elohim is speaking again!
“Rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”3
I don’t have that authority, but I should! I shine brighter than he or anyone else here, except maybe Elohim!
Elohim even asks him to name the animals.
Adam has finished naming the animals, and God is walking, talking, and having fun being with him. Yet the man seems sad or lonely. I guess none of those animals seems to be adequate companionship for him when Elohim is away. They are together too often anyway! With all those extra things he was given, this looks good on him! Now he knows how I feel being the brightest shining one around here.
What’s Elohim doing how? He laid Adam down and put him to sleep. Yuck, He is opening Adam’s side, taking out a bone, and closing the hole!
What is happening?
He is doing something with that bone. Elohim is working on this bone as He did while creating Adam.
Wow! Is it another Adam? This one is a bit different. Nice looking and shaped in places where Adam has no shape. Again, Elohim is breathing his Spirit into this new man thing and now it too is alive! A female, a helper, He calls it, or rather, her. As He presents her to the man, Adam says, “This one at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one will be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.”4
There is no sadness in Adam now! He is so happy he is making music with his words—SINGING praises to Elohim! It sounds so wonderful, and melodic, and Elohim is enjoying this. They are both singing and in harmony like they belong together!
Ah! It is like the animals! These two can recreate themselves like the animals! But wait, we can’t do that! I can’t do that!
It appears He created them a little lower in rank or ability than Himself!5 And above ME?!
Now He's instructing us, the angels, that we are to service the needs of these two and their offspring.6
Elohim is smiling, laughing with delight! This, too, He says, is good. No, this is not good!
No, not a Seventh day! This is no time to rest! Some things need undoing! This man thing is too much! Listen to them! They are singing His praises again! Why are they able to sing? I can’t sing.7 I was created before they were! I was created to worship Elohim and speak His praises! I should be able to sing His praises like they do! NO! I should be able to sing better than they! I should be greater! I am brighter than they are! I am greater than they are. I won't serve them. I AM…I AM A God!8
What just happened? Suddenly, it’s dark and cold. My followers are here, but no one else. Where am I now? Am I out of Elohim’s presence?
This is Elohim’s doing! I’ll get Him back! None of this would have happened to me if it weren’t for that man thing! It’s man’s fault! I’ll show them! They should be serving me! I’ll make them serve me! Yes, I will! Yesss! Yessss! Hisssss!
