The Grim Reaper in The Battle for Jesus

 

The Grim Reaper, the angel of death, in the book The Battle for Jesus is the opposite of all that we have been led to believe in such an iconic character.

Small and affable, the Grim Reaper proudly wears a black cape made by The Mother Mary with a hood to hide his skull and skeletal features, and he carries a scythe which is the symbol of his authority.

The Mother Mary made the cape especially for Grim. It has a hood and two inside pockets, one either side of the cape, enabling him to hide his skeletal hands and wrap the cape around his skeleton. Grim is extremely conscious of his small stature and skeletal appearance.

Grim does not hurt, intimidate, or instil fear in anyone. He is, in fact, in the story, a gentle person with kindly thoughts. He merely escorts our souls to Heaven when the time comes. Although he cannot be seen by mortals he makes every effort to avoid scaring anyone, celestial or otherwise.

Grim is invisible to us mortals until the time of our passing.

He is the conduit between Earth and Heaven. He is highly respected by the Archangels, Saint Gabriel and Saint Michael.

Before the start of the story, Grim tells the Lord and the Souls in Heaven that global warming is threatening the existence of Earth itself. He is the one that says, “No Earth no Heaven, no Heaven no Earth”. He is the reason why the Archangels return to Earth. And, Jesus joins them to help save the world.

Being a ghost, he can only be seen by the solid spirits who are The Mother Mary, Saint Gabriel and Saint Michael.

Jesus and Mary Magdalene are the only mortals that can also see Grim.

Saint Gabriel and Grim team up and they travel the world in a celestial tow truck.

Grim has secreted Moses’s staff in his scythe. It is an exceedingly powerful weapon that the Archangels do not wish to carry around with them. Within the story, there are consequences to this.

It is impossible for Grim to inflict harm on any person. Nor does he want to. Nor does he want to scare anyone, especially Mary Magdalene.

Mary Magdalene, in the story, does not die after the time of the Cross in the Holy Land. She lives on as the Archangel’s ‘boots on the ground’. Grim gets to know her because she is, by command, the only mortal he is not allowed ‘to take’ without her permission.

Mary Magdalene does not hide her love for Jesus and she pines for his return.

Before the start of the story, Grim, over the years, checks on Mary to ensure she is okay. He, with the Archangels, protect her across the two thousand years leading up to the beginning of the novel.

Over the years, Mary Magdalene and Grim get to know each other.

Grim is a lonely fellow and Mary, a beautiful woman, is the only mortal he can talk too.

It is only natural that Grim develops feelings for her. Mary, in turn, gets over his appearance and enjoys his company. He is an acquired taste! She tells him repeatedly that she loves him, but she means this in a platonic way because he is a ghost and nothing could ever become of their relationship.

However, situations change. Grim, other than his scythe, acquires the ability to pick things up. Mary, in turn, can affectionately touch his bones if she so wishes.

The Grim Reaper becomes besotted with Mary. He is still a ghost, but a dilemma evolves in the form of a lover’s triangle between Grim, Mary, and Jesus…