Fantasy Novel "The Seventh Sentinel" Wins New Apple Book Award for Excellence in Independent PublishingThe story of angels removing artifacts from the Temple before its destruction is very ancient, appearing first (as far as I can tell) in the Old Testament pseudepigraphon 2 Baruch (c. 100 CE). Chapter 6 (Charles translation):
Dayton, OH, April 01, 2015 --(PR.com)-- "The Seventh Sentinel" by Yolanda Ramos receives Medalist Honors in the Fantasy category of the 2014 New Apple Book Awards for Excellence in Independent Publishing.
Book Synopsis
Moments before the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., the seven Archangels remove powerful, ancient artifacts from the Jewish temple. These are given into the safekeeping of seven men. Throughout the ages, these men and their descendants become known as the Seven Sentinels. In medieval times, the Seven Sentinels formed various military Orders as a cover for their activities. Today, of the Seven Sentinels, two are dead and two have turned rogue, which means only three remain to carry out their roles. A war rages between Heaven and Earth. It is up to the newly empowered Seventh Sentinel to stop the rogues and Fallen Ones, from using these artifacts to gain control of the souls of mankind. Can the Seventh Sentinel endure?
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6 1 And it came to pass on the morrow that, lo! the army of the Chaldees surrounded the city, and at the time of the evening, I, Baruch, left the people, and I went forth and stood by the oak. 2 And I was grieving over Zion, and lamenting over the captivity which had come upon the people. 3 And lo! suddenly a strong spirit raised me, and bore me aloft over the wall of Jerusalem. 4 And I beheld, and lo! four angels standing at the four corners of the city, each of them holding a torch of fire in his hands. 5 And another angel began to descend from heaven. and said unto them: 'Hold your lamps, and do not light them till I tell you. 6 For I am first sent to speak a word to the earth, and to place in it what the Lord the Most High has commanded me.' 7 And I saw him descend into the Holy of Holies, and take from there the veil, and holy ark, and the mercy-seat, and the two tables, and the holy raiment of the priests, and the altar of incense, and the forty-eight precious stones, wherewith the priest was adorned and all the holy vessels of the tabernacle. 8 And he spoke to the earth with a loud voice:In this novel the angels hand the artifacts over to human guardians, which is more reminiscent of the story in The Treatise of the Vessels. (The latter, however, does not have angels involved in the hiding of the treasures.) I suspect the author of The Seventh Sentinel was at least familiar with the story as found in 2 Baruch.
'Earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the mighty God,
And receive what I commit to you,
And guard them until the last times,
So that, when you are ordered, you may restore them,
So that strangers may not get possession of them.
9 For the time comes when Jerusalem also will be delivered for a time,
Until it is said, that it is again restored for ever.'
10 And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up.
If you keep an eye out for it, you find the influence of the Old Testament pseudepigrapha all over the place.
