The Remnant: On The Brink of Armageddon (28 page)

We ran in our circles, had nice things, a beautiful home. Life was good. We were even church people. I had grown up going to church, but I was a little embarrassed about it, to tell you the truth. I thought my mama and my aunties were a little too emotional and showy. And about the time I thought that Jesus wouldn’t even go there. I would have said it was sophisticated and proper.

That’s the kind of church Felicia and I found in the suburbs too. It fit our lifestyle to a T. We could dress the way we did for work or socializing. We saw people we knew and cared about. And we definitely were never hollered at or insulted from the pulpit. Nobody called us sinners or hinted that we might need to get something right in our lives. Now our kids, on the other hand two girls with a boy in between they went the other direction.

They got off to college and wound up, every one of them, in the kind of church I grew up in. Wrote us. Pleaded with us to get saved. Asked why we hadn’t exposed them to this when they were kids. Flabbergasted me, I have to tell you. But did it reach me, change my mind? Not on your life. But then somebody in our neighborhood invited us to a Bible study. If it hadn’t been for who it was, we never would have gone. But this was a cool guy. This was a guy who had made it, and big, in real estate development. He made this deal sound as casual as a golf game. No pressure. No hassle. They just read the Bible and talked about it, and they traded off meeting in about six different homes. We said sure, put our house on the list, and never missed.

I was kind of bemused by it. After a while they started adding prayer to the thing. Nobody got called on or had to pray, and so Felicia and I didn’t. But people starting telling prayer requests, asking for prayer for their families and themselves, their ailments, even their businesses. I mentioned a couple of prayer requests now and then, but still I never prayed. One time the guy who invited us the first time asked if he could talk to us afterward. When it was just the four of us his wife didn’t say anything he kind of put it to us. Wanted to know where we were spiritually. I thought he meant where did we go to church, so I told him. He told me that wasn’t what he meant. He laid out how to become a born again Christian. I had heard it. I knew. It was just a little overboard for me, that’s all. I told him I appreciated his concern and asked if he would pray for us.

That always got ‘em, was my experience. But he thought I meant right then, and so he did. He wasn’t pushy. Just a little intrusive. I forgave him. That’s sort of what it felt like. I thought it was good to feel so strongly about something and feel so deeply that you felt you should tell your friends and neighbors about it. That was it for me, end of story. No big deal. Two days later, millions of people all over the world disappeared. Including are you ready? every last person in that Bible study except us.

And all three of our kids were gone. Saved? We got saved in, like, ten minutes. Abdullah was so excited about the operation with his old friends that he had been packed and ready for several days. He didn’t know or care how much of the actual piloting he would get to do. It would be enough to be together with Mac and Albie.

To him the idea that the International Commodity Co op could pull off such a huge trade, given the stepped up persecution of believers around the globe, was just one more proof of the sovereignty of God. When he knew Rayford and the other three from San Diego were in the air, he could barely contain himself. They would head directly to Argentina to load the wheat, which meant Mac and Albie would soon be on their way to pick up Abdullah. They were often spied upon and followed, so the plan was that they would bring some supplies into Petra and stay the night, not leaving for India until the next day.

That way, if everything worked according to plan, the three of them plus their Indian fourth, Bihari, would be in the air toward Argentina at the same time the Americans were on their way from Argentina to India. Abdullah felt a spring in his step as he moved about Petra, singing more loudly with the mass congregation, trying to pay attention and listen as Tsion and Chaim taught the Scriptures.

This was the day that the computer and television technology center in the city would beam a signal of Tsion to Global Community headquarters at the palace in New Babylon, and a large monitor in Petra would receive the GC’s transmission of Leon Fortunato. Abdullah, for one, believed Leon didn’t have a clue what he was up against in a man as scholarly as Tsion especially considering Tsion was a man of honor and truth. Early in the afternoon Abdullah scaled the heights and peeked down from one of the high places onto the airstrip that had been built just for runs in and out of Petra.

When Mac and Albie arrived, Abdullah would pilot a chopper to the end of the runway and bring them into the city. As he scrambled back down, looking for something to occupy him until the great debate, he was surprised to see yet another gathering of thousands, with Chaim and Tsion trying to quiet them. Were they early for the telecast, or was something amiss? As he drew closer, he could see that several hundred of these did not bear the mark of the believer on their foreheads. They were jostling for front position for the debate because, one of them hollered, as soon as it was over, they were leaving Petra for a few hours to hear another speaker.

He will be right close by, and many believe he is the Christ. Jesus come back to earth to perform miracles and explain the future! Please! Chaim called out. You must not do this! Do you not know you are being deceived? You know of this only through the evil ruler of this world and his False Prophet. Stay here in safety. Put your trust in the Lord!  Who are you but the second in command? someone demanded. If the leader will not beseech us to stay, why should we stay? I do beseech you, Tsion began, but Chaim interrupted. Why would you trouble the mind of this man of God on the very day he has been anointed and called to counter the False Prophet? You are being used by the evil one to wreak havoc in the camp.

To Abdullah’s dismay, he noticed that some of the dissidents rose up before Tsion and gathered themselves together against him and against Chaim, and said, You take too much upon you. Why do you put yourselves above the congregation? Tsion slowly covered his face with his hands, fell to his knees, and pitched forward onto the ground. Then he raised his head and said, The Lord knows who are his and who is holy. For what cause do you and all those gathered here speak against the Lord? And why would you murmur against Chaim?

Tsion called on two among the assembled and said, Please, come to your senses and stand with me against this shortsightedness! But they said, We will not stand with you.

Is it a small thing that you have taken us from our motherland, our homes where we had plenty, and brought us to this rocky place where all we have to eat is bread and water, and you set yourself up as a prince over us? Abdullah had never seen Tsion look so stricken.

Tsion cried out to God, Lord, forgive them, for they know not what they do. I have neither set myself over them nor demanded anything from them except respect for you. Tsion continued, God is telling Chaim and me to separate ourselves from you to save ourselves from his wrath. Many fell on their faces and cried out, o God, the God of all flesh, must we die because of the sins of a few? Would you take it out on all of us?

Tsion spoke to all the assembled and said, Unless you agree with these, it would do well for you to depart from the presence of these wicked men, lest you be consumed in all their sins. From this point on, let it be known that the Lord has sent me to do all these works; I do not do them in my own interest. If these men do what is in their minds to do and God visits a plague of death on them, then all shall understand that these men have provoked the Lord.

As soon as he finished speaking, the ground under hundreds of the rebels opened and swallowed them. They went down into the pit, screaming and wailing as the earth closed upon them, and they perished from among the congregation. Thousands around them fled as they heard the mournful cries from beneath the earth. Run! they said. Run or the earth will swallow us also!

But Abdullah heard many grumbling and saying, ,.,.Tsion and Micah have killed these people. We will stay with our plan of leaving from this place to hear the man who would be Christ. Abdullah went to comfort Tsion and Chaim, but as he drew near them, he heard them. Lord, Tsion said, we pray an atonement for those left. Spare them your wrath so that we may yet reach them with your truth.

By now Chang was bold. Not only was he tapped in to
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to monitor the great debate between Tsion and Leon, but he was also prepared to override New Babylon control. He was so tired of hearing the advertisements for Leon’s special envoys and their Miracle Fairs that when he noticed Tsion was speaking to the assembled at Petra just before the debate was to begin, he patched him through and put him on the air early.

Tsion was telling the several hundred closest to him that they should repent of their plan to leave Petra and go into the wilderness to hear the charlatan who claimed to be Christ. Once Chang had Tsion on the air, he switched to Carpathia’s office for the expected outrage. Tsion was saying, I would ask that all pray during the broadcast that the Lord give me his wisdom and his words. And as for you who still plan to venture away from this safe place, let me plead with you one more time not to do it, not to make yourself vulnerable to the evil one. Let the Global Community and their Antichrist and his False Prophet make ridiculous claims about fake miracle workers.

Do not fall into their trap. Carpathia shrieked, What are we doing? We want these people to come and to hear and to be persuaded! Get him off the air! Tsion said, Messiah himself warned his disciples of this very thing. He told them, `Many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he who endures to the end, he shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a wit iess unto all nations. `If any man says to you, Lo, here is Christ, believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and they shall show great signs and wonders so much so that if it were possible, they would deceive even you. If they say to you,

Behold, he is in the desert, do not go. Behold, he is in the secret chambers, believe it not.’ Abdullah stood in the midst of the million or so in Petra, thrilled to see that Tsion was already on the air and that he was speaking against the thousands of false Christs springing up everywhere. They claimed power from Carpathia himself and from the leader of Carpathianism, the Reverend Fortunato.

They taught heresy, and yet multitudes were taken in by them. Resounding off the rock walls, a woman’s voice came from New Babylon
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control. Dr. Ben Judah, please stand by as we switch to our studios, where the Most High Reverend Father Fortunato waits to engage you in respectful debate. Thank you, ma’am, Tsion said, but rather than stand by, as you flip your switches and do whatever it is you have to do to make this work, let me begin by saying that I do not recognize Mr. Fortunato as most high anything, let alone reverend or father. Fortunato appeared on the split screen in one of his elaborate outfits, all robed and hatted and vested in velvet and piping.

He was behind an ornately carved pulpit, but it was clear he was seated. His smile looked starkly genuine. Greetings, Dr. Ben Judah, my esteemed opponent. I heard some of that and may I say I regret that you have characteristically chosen to begin what has been intended as a cordial debate with a vicious character attack. I shall not lower myself to this and wish only to pass along my welcome and best wishes. He paused, and Tsion did not respond.

After a few seconds’ silence, Tsion said, Is it my turn, then? Shall I open by stating the case for Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the living  No! It was the moderator, the woman from central. That was merely a welcome, and if you choose to ignore it, we shall begin. May I ask a question, then, Tsion said, if we choose to be so formal? Is one of the ground rules that the moderator is permitted to editorialize about the statements from this end of the argument? Such as concluding that my ignoring a greeting from an enemy was rude?

May we begin, sir? she said. The Reverend Fortunato has the floor. My premise is simple, Leon began, looking directly into the lens. Abdullah was rattled. He had always considered Fortunato a bit of a buffoon. But the man on the screen, though Abdullah knew better, seemed so warm and kind and loving that it had to give him credibility among the uninformed. I proclaim Nicolae Carpathia, risen from the dead, as the one true god, worthy of worship, and the savior of mankind, Leon said. He is the one who surfaced at the time of the greatest calamity in the history of the world and has pulled together the global community in peace & and harmony and love.

You claim Jesus of Nazareth as both the Son of God and one with God, which makes no sense and cannot be proven. This leaves you and your followers worshiping a man who was no doubt very spiritual, very bright, perhaps enlightened, but who is now dead. If he were alive and as all powerful as you say, I challenge him to strike me dead where I sit. Do it, Lord, Abdullah prayed. Oh, God, show yourself right now. Hail, Carpathia, Leon said, still smiling, our lord and risen king. Leon looked as if he were about to continue, but Tsion took over.

I trust you will spare us the rest of the hymn written by and about the egomaniac who murders those who disagree with him. I raise up Jesus the Christ, the Messiah, fully God and fully man, born of a virgin, the perfect lamb who was worthy to be slain for the sins of the whole world. If he is but a man, his sacrificial death was only human and we who believe in him would be lost.