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the Levites began to move, the people were to follow—but not too closely to the Ark. They kept a distance of about one thousand yards between themselves and the sacred box.
    All around the nation, and in great numbers, groups of holy angels created a whitish canopy that grew in intensity near the Ark. Following God’s directions in the law, the Levites carefully carried the Ark, and set out in step, slowly moving to the water. Some of the people looked to Joshua, who stood on a slope watching the proceedings, and then back to the commotion of the Ark.
    Devils had been moving in as well, hoping to throw confusion into the ranks of the people. But the Ark’s proximity kept most of them at bay. Much as they would have liked to tear into the Ark and destroy it, the Presence of God—which they knew was resident within the golden container—was too much of a risk for even the strongest of the rebel angels to contend with. They would have to await another day to take the Ark as a trophy.
    The Levites proceeded to the edge of the river and stopped, awaiting Joshua’s final instructions. Joshua and his aides then came to the river to address the Levites and the rest of the people who could hear him.
    “The Lord was with Moses and now He is with me. He has delivered us from Egypt and brought us to the land promised to us through our father Abraham. Therefore, we shall drive the enemies of our God from the land and claim it in His name. Only watch and be faithful!”
    “But how are we to cross?” came a voice from somewhere in the area where the leaders of the tribe of Dan stood. A few other voices grunted in affirmation.
    Joshua raised his hands to quell any further such questions.
    “Hear me! When the priests reach the water with the Ark of the Testimony, the river will stop flowing and we shall cross over. This is the word of the Lord!” He glanced toward the Danites. “This will prove that our God will be with us both on this side of the Jordan and beyond!”

    “What are they doing down there?” demanded Khasis. He began laughing. “He brings them to the river’s edge and only then realizes that he cannot get across?”
    The devils with him began laughing.
    Khasis noted some spies sent from the king of Jericho were observing the movement of the Israelites from a bluff on their side of the river.
    “Make sure that the king’s men see this ridiculous display,” he said. “I want all of Jericho to hear about this day!”
    One of Khasis’s aides vanished immediately and stood among the spies from Jericho. The men were puzzled by the commotion on the other side.

    “What does this mean?” asked Jarez, one of the men from Jericho. He was peeking over the top of a red stone and looking down upon the river at the great cloud of people on the other side facing them. “Why have they stopped?”
    “
Perhaps the God of Israel cannot cross the gods of Canaan
,” came a voice—Khasis’s devil whispering into the mind of the other spy, Zogor.
    “Our priests have called upon the gods to stop the invaders,” said Zogor. “Perhaps our gods are mightier than their gods!”
    Jarez nodded back in nervous hope.
    “
We should report this to the king,”
continued the voice.
“Perhaps they will even turn on Joshua. Perhaps…
”
    “Look there!” came the astonished voice of Jarez. He pointed to where the priests had begun moving toward the water. “What do they think they are doing?”
    “Perhaps our gods are luring them to their deaths in our sacred river,” offered Zogor, who felt for his weapon. “They carry the magic with them in that box. Let them and their sorcery drown in the Jordan!”
    The devil with them looked up to where Khasis had stationed himself, indicating that he was completely puzzled by the Israelites. Khasis remained fixed on the movement of the humans. More urgently, he observed the great cloud of holy angels beginning to move along with them toward his domain.
    The priests got closer and