You note that I have used the word 'exile'. The Jews were not imprisoned but allowed to settle in Babylon, develop businesses and even rise to high office in the government. The only restriction was they had to stay within the nation of Babylon. Only the leading citizens were exiled. The ordinary people were left to themselves, but they became prey to other nations and many of them drifted away to find refuge in these other nations. This was the beginning of the dispersion of the Jews, though it did not reach its full extent for several centuries when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem again. Some of the refugees fled to Egypt, taking Jeremiah with them and settling on an island called Elephantine in the river Nile, where they built themselves a copy temple.

As the 70 years drew to a close, the Almighty called Gabriel and myself into his office to discuss how to set the Jews free. He had planned to overthrow Babylon and install a benevolent king, but the city was so well defended it was considered impregnable. I went down to see what could be done. After wandering all round I eventually realised that a branch of the river Euphrates ran through the city, and therefore it must go under the walls somehow. If the river were dammed outside the walls there would be a rather muddy passage through the wall into the city. This idea was accepted by the Most High and I was given the task of pointing the idea out to the captain of the invading Persian army. I had also noticed that the deputy-king of Babylon, Belshazzar, was to give a big party one evening. This seemed a good time for the attack as all the leaders of the city would be at the feast. The plan came together beautifully. Gabriel even embellished the event by sending an angel to write a message of doom on the wall of the room where the feast was held. Belshazzar saw the angel as a rather ghostly finger writing the words.

Once Cyrus, the King of Persia, had consolidated his rule over Babylon and several other countries, and established a peaceful empire, he ordained that the Jews could go back to their own land and rebuild the city of Jerusalem. Before he did, however, there occurred an incident which alarmed me. Satan had been very quiet during all this period, although his minions were quietly influencing many of the Jews. However, he suddenly appeared on the scene in person. It happened like this. A wise Jewish man called Daniel, who had risen to high office in Babylon, was transferred to a high position in Persia. There he spent a lot of time in prayer for the return of the Jews to Jerusalem. One time Gabriel was taking him a message when Satan suddenly appeared with an army of his demons and stopped Gabriel who was quite unprepared for the attack. He fought hard for 3 earth weeks, but finally had to send for help. I took my full army down and we had a battle-royal with the demons while Gabriel slipped away and delivered his message.

After Cyrus gave permission, many Jews, led by the priest Ezra, returned to Jerusalem and started to rebuild it. As they had left Jerusalem in several waves so they returned in several waves but, even so, many Jews stayed in Persia and Babylon where they had good businesses. They restored their homes and rebuilt the Temple, but opposition from neighbouring tribes disheartened them, and the result was far from the glory of earlier days.

The Almighty was not satisfied with this half-hearted rebuilding and called for a man who would have the ability and character to do better. I found a man called Nehemiah, who had the honoured post of cup-bearer to the King. I whispered to him about Jerusalem to encourage him to think about the city. Then, some Jews from Jerusalem visited the area and told him of the dilapidated state of the city and in particular that the walls had never been rebuilt. So he got permission from the King to go and get something done. Such was his authority and strength of purpose that he inspired the people to rebuild the walls and complete the work. The Almighty also encouraged the people by sending prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, with powerful messages.

The Jews stayed under the rule of Persia until the army of Alexander the Great conquered the Persians; then the Jews were subject to the Greeks. Eventually, one of the Greek rulers, Antiochus Epiphanes, desecrated the Temple in Jerusalem, and this caused the Jews to rise up in fury. Led by the priest, Judas Maccabeus, they defeated the Greeks and for some years they were a tiny independent nation. However, the Roman army conquered the whole known world, including the Jews, who for the next few centuries were subject to the Romans. I was not allowed to interfere with all this, although I dearly wanted to, because the Jews never properly restored their relationship with the Almighty. They stopped calling on Him by his name and they became very nit-picking over the interpretation of the Law. The Almighty had intended the Law to build saintly characters but the Jews used it to hide their hypocrisy.

The Almighty is always far ahead of anyone else with His thinking and planning, and, while I was bewailing the desperate state of a once glorious people, He sprang His greatest surprise. We angels have always been aware of the complex nature of the Godhead, with three beings, whom we knew as Father, Son and Spirit, in some strange way being only one person. We knew it but could not understand how it could be. Now, however, the three beings separated in some way and the Son became a baby in the womb of a girl called Mary. I pondered this and remembered old prophecies which had been given of a great King to come and re-establish the nation of Israel. Was this the King, I wondered?

He grew up to be an ordinary carpenter, then, at the age of 30, he started to preach. Just before he started preaching, a prophet, John the Baptist, came on the scene preaching repentance and prophesying the coming of the King. I thought this was the answer to prophecy as did many Jews, but the Jewish leaders grew jealous and manipulated the Roman governor to have the Son crucified. I went to the Almighty to protest but found the Son back with Him. They explained that this death had to occur to release goodness on the earth, and that the human body of the Son would rise from the grave and be taken up to heaven. I was told to stay my hand and let the Jews go their own way for the time being while the work of the Son and the Spirit among all nations on earth was completed. Then I could let loose all my forces and destroy Satan's influence over mankind. Satan himself would be imprisoned. The purpose of the Almighty's planning was becoming clear, but I was in for many surprises yet!