The same war waged against God from its first celestial battleground continues through time to follow a peculiar group to the land of Canaan.
Flawed individuals will be asked to do the unthinkable. Supernatural events will shatter the laws of nature. As God's people embark upon a journey through a barren wasteland, oaths that warp the natural flow of history will both serve to protect and destroy them.
Welcome to the story of the kingdom of Heaven.
EXCERPT:
As they headed up the mount, Isaac tried to get his father's attention. Abraham's thousand-yard stare was stronger than ever now.
"Father?"
"I'm sorry. Yes son?"
"We have the fire and wood, but where is the lamb?"
Abraham stopped walking for a moment and faced his son. His eyes looked right through the boy. "My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering," Abraham said and then turned to proceed up the mount.
"Don't you mean that God will provide for us a lamb?"
Abraham kept right on walking, unaware of his son's reply or of his own prophetic statement.
At the top of the mountain, Abraham and his son began to build the altar. "This one is going to be bigger than normal, son," Abraham said. "We need to make it long enough for about three lambs."
Isaac's confusion had reached its tipping point. "What's going on? You've been acting strange this whole trip. Can you please tell me what is going on?" Abraham could contain himself no longer and wept aloud. He fell to his knees in front of the boy and covered his face with his hands. The sound of the man's sobbing was carried by the afternoon air up to the third heaven where the fifth cherub stood before the throne of God.
"He's going to quit!" Satan said.
"Just like Enoch and Noah?" the LORD replied.
Isaac helped his father stand back up. "It's okay, Father."
"No it's not, son. It's not!"
Satan laughed as the host of heaven watched the battle continue.
"Son, God told me to kill you!" Abraham cried. "He told me to sacrifice you on this altar. I have to do this, my boy! I don't know why he told me to, but I know he did! God's promises are real, and he must be willing to raise you from the dead if needed - but you have to die first!"
To say Isaac was stunned would be an understatement.
Satan smiled and turned to face the throne. "If you'll excuse me, I think I'll go visit that young man for a moment."
Isaac stood staring off into the valley as his father tried to gather himself. On instinct alone, almost mindlessly, he began to pick up more stones for the altar. Then the darts found a new victim. He's really lost it now! God didn't tell him that! The heathen do human sacrifices, not believers!
The young man's eyes turned from being glossed over to focusing on his father, as another dart struck him hard. Look at him, he's an old man. You don't have to go along with this. It's not as though he can make you do it! No one is going to blame you if you stop this madness. Your father will thank you later.
Isaac began to give in. "Father, I..."
That's it! Tell him he's crazy! Tell him you're going to start looking for a real lamb to kill, and that he needs to take a seat. Tell him!
"Father, I think you need to sit down."
"What, son?"
"It's been a long trip, Father. Please sit down and rest. I'll build the altar and then you can do what the LORD told you to do."