In The Beginning

Tobias meets an man of God in his nineties who provides her with an in-depth look at Michael from a biblical point of view as well as becoming her mentor to assist him in his plans to “go home”.

 

 

 

 

“In The Beginning”

 

Logline:  Tobias meets a man of God in his nineties who provides her with an in-depth look at Michael from a biblical point of view as well as becoming her mentor to assist him in his plans to “go home”.

 

 

 

Tobias travels to the small community of Potter’s Ville to meet the first person to “friend request” Michael’s Facebook page.  It is here that she meets Pastor Elijah Millstone, a small man in stature who is in his late nineties.  Although a man of God and long in years, Pastor Elijah is very knowledgeable about many things of the world to include electronics and every form of social media.

 

Pastor Elijah greets Tobias with a comment that puzzles her when upon shaking her hand he mentions that, “he has been expecting her for the longest time.”  Tobias shrugs the comment off due to her over excitement of possibly learning more about Michael. Pastor Elijah ushers her into the church to her amazement of its interior beauty.  Tobias is so excited that she barely makes it to the altar where a small table is set up for her to begin the visit.  Finally settling down, Tobias brings out her voice recorder and sketch pad.  And so the Pastor begins.

 

Pastor Elijah started by officially welcoming Tobias to Potter’s Ville and preceded to tell her about the history of the town, which was founded as part of the “40 acres and a mule” deal offered to freed slaves.  He explained that the town was built primarily on faith and as a form of “praise” to God for bringing them through slavery; the church was the first building erected.  Potter’s Ville was sort of their “Promise Land”.

 

Pastor Elijah further explained  his calling to become the new pastor of the church at the young age of 17 when his father could no longer keep up with the duties of the church that were passed on from his father.  Together with his young bride, Esther Ruth, Elijah fulfilled the spiritual needs of the community.  Elijah finished his history by telling Tobias about the growth of the church, the town, and the townspeople all while Tobias feverishly sketched in book.

 

                Only after a longer than usual pause does Tobias stops drawing and looks up to see a somber looking pastor.  She decides to change the subject by asking about Pastor Elijah’s encounter with Michael.  This change snaps the pastor back with renewed vigor.

 

 

 

 

Pastor Elijah began his tale of Michael by first informing Tobias about the origins of Michael.  Tobias learned that the Archangel Michael had long been the guardian of the Israelites as God’s special protector. That protection now extended to all His children who, through Christ, have become righteous. In the beginning, God used Michael as a warrior who fought Satan and his demons, but in the course of time, Michael now fights all enemies of God’s people, both spiritual and human.  To illustrate this, Elijah quoted from the Bible,

 

“Exodus 23:20.  God reveals His great and mighty love when He says ‘Behold, I send an angel before thee, to keep thee in the way and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared’.”

 

To continue,

 

“Therefore, as long as God’s children are exposed to the attacks of Satan and his demons in this world, Michael’s intervention in the ‘struggle’, on God’s behalf, will never cease.”

 

This statement causes Tobias to ponder about Michael’s coming to her aid on the dark road.  Elijah notices the quizzical look on Tobias’ face and smiles waiting for the next question.

 

“So if Michael only defends God’s Chosen, how come he came to MY rescue, being the skeptic I am?”

 

Elijah answers, “Your rescue comes from the intercession of a True Believer. Your mother perhaps?

 

                Tobias nods in agreement before asking Elijah if HIS Michael has wings.  Elijah explains, with a laugh, that his Michael does but he doubts that Michael goes “fluttering” around the earth. Elijah expands on his explanation by mentioning that Michael’s “battle gear” changes as the different situations call for them.

 

For example…

 

Pastor Elijah began telling Tobias the story of how he came to know Michael, the Protector.  The story started with Elijah telling Tobias about how he met, fell in love, and married his wife, Esther Ruth, at a very young age and how that love continued through the births and deaths of their four children.  Their faith remained strong because they had each other and above all, the love of God.

 

It was seven years ago that a young, startling attractive man came into town looking for a fresh start. Elijah spoke how the community adopted him and he worked as a grounds keeper around town.  Tears welled in Elijah’s eyes as he told of his regret of not seeing the “signs” sooner.  Tobias’ confusion lead Elijah to elaborate that his wife, who could talk the paint off the side of a building if you let her, always kept her conversations short and dry whenever the young man would try to talk to her.  Her only reply to Elijah’s asking her why she was so cold to his kindness was that “there is something dark IN him”.  She always kept her distance from the young man.  Elijah noticed why Esther felt this way first hand when he was discussing the Bible and God with the young man and he brought up his wife.  The man only smiled and excused himself to finish his chores.

 

Elijah remembered how the man’s smile sent a chill through his bones.  Elijah also mentioned how he should have prayed right then and there but was distracted by the men arriving for a meeting he had to conduct.  It was soon after that run in that Esther lost all sense of reality and gave up on life. Elijah regretted not putting it together until it was too late.

 

Esther soon passed and Elijah lost his way.  The young man slowly slipped into the position of the town’s “Man of God” while Elijah stayed locked up in the little house he once shared with his beloved Esther venturing out only long enough to get the basics from the town’s market.  Because Elijah always walked the path hidden behind the town, he was never aware of what was taking place in the middle town.  While Elijah was withdrawing from the town the church and God, the young man was taking to the pulpit with his own brand of the gospel.

The town’s oldest residents decided it is time to make a visit to Elijah about the change of events going on in town. Apparently the young traveler was able to convince the town that it needed to move into the 21st century of “worship”.  The “God helps those who help themselves” Movement.  This movement included the town building a new temple, a huge mega complex, in the center of town where the young man “fed” his followers.

 

Elijah ventured out one night as the town held festivities around the temple that resembled a street fair.  Elijah was careful to stay hidden as he observed the craziness taking place before him.  There was singing and shouting in a strange language that Elijah was certain he had heard before but could not quite make out. Just as Elijah was about to turn around and crawl back into his small hole of a world, his eyes caught the silhouette of another young man leaning against the wall in an alley.  Elijah was drawn toward the young man and before he knew it, the young man turned to face him with a wide, bright smile stretched across his face and his hand outstretched.

 

Elijah became introduced to TJ Bartholomew and soon learned that TJ was a drifter from a small town near the northern border of the state.  TJ didn’t give much info about his history except that he “got caught up with the wrong crowd and his Father told him to leave until he could get his life back on the straight and narrow”.  Potter’s Ville happened to be the current stop on his road to redemption. Elijah found out the reason TJ was only observing the festivities when TJ translated the foreign language in which the participants were singing.  The language was Hebrew and translated to “Worship our god. The god of our future.  All hail Abaddon! a.k.a. ‘the destroyer’.”  When Elijah realized that his town was unwittingly worshiping another god, he became distraught and cried out to God.  This rush of emotions coming from Elijah elicited happiness from TJ who calmly assured Elijah that “God hears him and all will be taken care of.”

 

 

Elijah soon formed a bond with TJ as he realizes TJ played an important part in his recovery.  With TJ’s constant positive attitude that God hasn’t turn His back on Elijah as Elijah did God and TJ’s support as a prayer warrior, Michael arrived to aid Elijah and his town.

 

 

 

 

Seven days from the day he met TJ, Elijah summoned up enough courage to enter into the temple during one of their mass services and confronted the young man.  Services were already in progress when Elijah and TJ entered.  They quickly took seats in the very back, but were not unnoticed by the young man standing in the pulpit.  The man stopped mid-sentence to stare them down especially making eye contact with TJ. His glare was only broken when one of the men sitting on the stage with him called out his name.  It was now that Tobias is introduced to Samael, however, pronounced as “Samuel” by the townspeople.

 

Samael continued “preaching” for a few more minutes before Elijah, having heard all he could stand of the blasphemous garbage spewing from Samael, stood up and shouted “Enough!”  Samael bore down all his attention on Elijah who was quite shaken by Samael’s icy glare.  TJ stood up beside Elijah to steady Elijah’s quivering body.  Elijah opened his mouth to speak, but his throat was paralyzed. Even with TJ’s whispers of encouragement, Elijah could not muster a single sound.  Elijah’s predicament delighted Samael who smiled broadly and mocked Elijah. Elijah’s became crestfallen as he heard the laughter of some of the townspeople he was trying to help. Elijah’s brokenness turned to anger as he looked up to see Samael laughing heartily in his face, but Elijah still could not bring himself to speak. Suddenly, Samael’s laugh faded from his face and a wave of peace overcame Elijah.  Samael’s attention was no longer on Elijah but on the massive man standing behind him.  Tobias perks up at the thought that this could be “her” Michael.

 

Sure enough, Elijah’s description of the stranger matched that of the Michael that assisted Tobias on the lonely road that night.  Tobias tried to hide her excitement as she believed Elijah can hear her heart beating in her chest.  Elijah continued telling Tobias about the scriptural showdown between Michael and Samael that was like something straight out the passages of Exodus.  The further the verbal fight moved along, Samael became more and more frustrated by the fact that the scales were falling from the eyes of many of the misled townspeople and repentance started setting in as those who are released fell to their knees.

 

As more and more people fell to their knees, Samael’s anger reached the boiling point and with a blood curding yell, the temple began to shake and the windows all flung wide open allowing a thick, black mist-like swarm to flood into the building.  To counter, Michael immediately raised his arms upward, and through an appeal to God for the believer’s protection, brought forth an illuminating force field that fell between the townspeople and the black mist.  Elijah recalled the disturbing sight of while he was watching the so-call “mist” slamming against the shield, it became clearer that the black substance that Elijah thought was just fog was actually thousands upon thousands of monstrous diminutive demons throwing themselves into the guard.

 

Michael’s deep voice was like thunder as he compelled the terrified townspeople to repent and give honor to God for His mercy.  As commanded the people became one unified voice in praise to God.  The sound of such reverence caused the demons to tear at their bodies shredding themselves to bloody pieces. Samael recognized his defeat was his near and fell to his knees as if preparing himself against some form of retaliation. Suddenly, Samael flung upward writhing in pain. Elijah saw the cause of Samael’s pain as Samael’s shirt tore a little revealing what looked like a small patch of rough scales forming on his left shoulder. Samael glared menacingly at Michael before exploding into an enormous sphere of fire disintegrating all remnants of the swarm. Michael then released the shield causing a blinding illumination of every corner of the building and in a blink of an eye, all that remained are the townspeople huddled and bowed in the center of the temple and Michael standing in the middle of them.

 

                The people all turned to face the towering Michael unsure if they should still be alive due to their disobedience. Michael turned and walked out of the temple with TJ practically jogging to keep up with his pace.  When they were a bit of a ways from the door, Elijah watched as TJ spoke to Michael. Elijah could not hear what was being said, however, by TJ’s body language; it appeared that TJ was pleading with Michael. The interaction between Michael and TJ ended with the two (men) shaking hands and Michael entering a black vehicle and driving out of town.  The conversation must have ended on a positive note due to the big bright smile taking over TJ’s face.  TJ trotted back to Elijah who was standing at the front door and as he reached Elijah, the people began filing out of the temple behaving as if it was any other Sunday service.  They greeted Elijah with handshakes, hugs, and mentions of missing him during his bereavement. Elijah was at first stunned that it was “business as usual”, but TJ walked him back to his house explaining that when the townspeople repented, God forgave and forgot their past sins, therefore He allowed the townspeople to forget, move on, and sin no more.

 

“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” T.J. recited.

 

Elijah nodded in confirmation.

 

TJ was the one who told Elijah all about Michael and Michael’s role as protector as well as it being Michael who spoke the scripture TJ had shared.  TJ also mentioned again to Elijah about his longing to return home, but he had an atonement that must be done.  TJ did not divulge any other information about what the atonement was all about, but Elijah began to have the understanding that fulfilling his obligation of atonement must have something to do with Michael.

 

             Pastor Elijah finishes his tale by calling for TJ and introducing him to Tobias.  Tobias is impressed by his positive disposition and charming personality, but her enthusiasm quickly changes to resistance when Elijah suggests that she brings TJ with her on the rest of her travels.  It is only when Elijah pulls Tobias to the side and reveals that he thinks TJ may have a personal connection to Michael, that Tobias relents and asks TJ to join her. 

 

              Although TJ is sad to leave Pastor Elijah, he knows that this is what must be done.  TJ promises Elijah that he will “see him in the end” then the pastor sends off the two to their next destination with a prayer.