That night was unlike any before. The sky was exceptionally clear, radiant, and filled with stars, without a cloud in sight. A soft breeze drifted across the shimmering sea, whose waves seemed hesitant to break along the shore, choosing instead to dance under the starlight. Trees swayed gently in the wind, their leaves waving as if in quiet conversation. The atmosphere was one of reverence.
On this night, God summoned all the angels to gather, and as the night deepened, the meeting began. Each angel was asked to report on the state of the universe, delivering their updates in detail. When they finished, God began to speak.
“Do you remember what I did to the people of Lot and Noah?”
The angels fell silent, the room thick with tension.
“Do you remember?”
“They were deniers and disobedient, Lord,” one angel replied. “They were a people who defied Your will, and You destroyed them.”
“Yes. And as you know, in one corner of the Earth, there is now a nation more corrupt than the people of Lot and Noah. By My decree, this nation must be destroyed to prevent them from spreading ruin upon the earth.”
“Which nation, my Lord?”
“Which people, Lord?”
“Which corner of the Earth do they inhabit, Lord?”
The silence grew as the angels waited with bated breath.
“You pretend not to know. It is the people of the emerald archipelago.”
The angels were stunned. “Indonesia, Lord?” several replied in unison.
“Why are you so surprised?”
“Isn’t Indonesia a deeply religious nation?” one angel asked.
“Yes, all the people there follow religions You have given them,” added another.
“Indeed. But answer Me this.”
“We are Your humble servants, Lord,” the angels replied.
“Tell Me, what haven’t I already provided to the people of Indonesia? Is there anything left that I have not given them?”
The angels hung their heads, saying nothing.
“I have given them everything so that they might lead other nations in building a perfect civilization on Earth.”
“We are Your servants, Lord.”
“Is there another nation that I have blessed with such beauty and natural wealth as I have Indonesia?”
“We have borne witness to it all, my Lord.”
“I spread countless islands across their seas, with bountiful resources in their depths. I expanded vast oceans in all directions, filled with wealth and beauty, and formed towering mountains rich with sources of energy. I sent rain to keep their forests thriving, and I set the sun’s path to bless them with ideal climate and weather—so exquisite that they call their land the Emerald of the Equator.”
“We have borne witness to it all, Lord.”
“That was not all. I destined them to be a tapestry of ethnicities and races, colors, and languages, allowing them a life rich in diversity.”