The Remnant: On The Brink of Armageddon (29 page)

But Scripture proves him to be all that he claimed to be. His birth was foretold hundreds, yea, thousands of years before it was fulfilled in every minute detail. He himself fulfills at least 109 separate and distinct prophecies that prove he is the Messiah. The uniqueness and genius of Christianity is that the Virgin Birth allowed for the only begotten son of God to identify with human beings without surrendering his godly, holy nature. Thus he could die for the sins of the whole world. His Father’s resurrecting him from the dead three days later proves that God was satisfied with his sacrifice for our sins.

Not only that, but I have discovered, in my exhaustive study of the Scriptures, more than 170 prophecies by Jesus himself in the four Gospels alone. Many have already been literally fulfilled, guaranteeing that those that relate to still future events will also be literally fulfilled. Only God himself could write history in advance incredible evidence of the deity of Jesus Christ and the supernatural nature of God. Fortunato countered, But we know our king and potentate arose from the dead, because we saw it with our own eyes. If there is one anywhere on this earth who saw Jesus resurrected, let him speak now or forever hold his peace. Where is he? Where is this Son of God, this man of miracles, this king, this Savior of mankind?

If your Jesus is who you say he is, why are you hiding in the desert and living on bread and water? The god of this world lives in a palace and provides good gifts to all those who worship him.

Tsion challenged Leon to admit to the number of deaths by guillotine, that ground troops and weapons of war were swallowed up by the earth outside Petra, that two incendiary bombs and a deadly missile had struck Petra with full force, yet no one had been injured and no structure jeopardized. Will you not also admit that Global Community Security and Intelligence Peacekeeping forces have spent millions of Nicks on attacking all traffic in and out of this place, and not one plane, flier, or volunteer has been scratched?

Leon lauded Carpathia for the rebuilding effort around the world and added, Those who die by the blade choose this for themselves. Nicolae is not willing that any should perish but that all should be loyal and committed to him. But, sir, the population has been cut to half what it once was, the seas are dead from the curse of blood prophesied in the Bible and sent by God. Yet the believers-his children, at least the ones who have survived the murderous persecution of the man you would enthrone as god are provided water and food from heaven, not just here, but in many areas around the world.

Leon remained calm and persuasive, soldiering on, praising Nicolae. At one point he disparaged disloyal Jews, of whom you are one, Dr. Ben-Judah. You say it pejoratively, Mr. Fortunato, and yet I wear the title as a badge of honor. I am humbled beyond measure to be one of God’s chosen people. Indeed, the entire Bible is testament to his plan for us for the ages, and it is being played out for the whole world to see even as we speak.

But are you not the ones who killed Jesus? Fortunato said, grinning as if he had parried the killing dagger. On the contrary, Tsion said. Jesus himself was a Jew, as you well know. And the fact is that the actual killing of Christ was at the hands of Gentiles. He stood before a Gentile judge, and Gentile soldiers put him on the cross.

Oh, there was an offense against him on the part of Israel that the nation and her people must bear. In the Old Testament book of Zechariah, chapter 12, verse 10 prophesies that God will `pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications; and they shall look unto me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him.’ Israel must confess a specific national sin against the Messiah before we will be blessed. In Hosea 5:15, God says he will `go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offense, and seek my face; in their affliction they will seek me earnestly.’ The offense?

Rejecting the messiahship of Jesus. We repent of that by pleading for his return. He will come yet again and set up his earthly kingdom, and not only I but also the word of God itself predicts the doom of the evil ruler of this world when that kingdom is established.  Well, Leon said, thank you for that fascinating history lesson. But I rejoice that my lord and king is alive and well, and I see him and speak with him every day. Thank you for being a quick and worthy opponent.

You call me that and yet never answer the claims and charges I have made, Tsion said. And, Leon continued, I would like to greet the many citizens of the Global Community who reside with you temporarily and invite them to enjoy the benefits and privileges of the outside world. I trust many will join one of our prophets and teachers and workers of miracles when he ministers in your area less than an hour from nova. He will  Tsion interrupted, The Scriptures tell us that many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. Such a one is a deceiver and an antichrist. If you’ll allow me to finish, sir whoever abides not in the doctrine of Christ, has not God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ, he has both the Father and the Son.

If any come to you and bring not this doctrine, do not receive him into your house, neither bid him Godspeed, for he who bids Godspeed partakes of his evil deeds. All right then, you’ve worked in all your tiresome Bible verses. I shall be content to merely thank you and  For as long as you have me on international television, Mr. Fortunato, I feel obligated to preach the gospel of Christ and to speak forth the words of Scripture. The Bible says the word shall not return void, and so I would like to quote  But he was cut off the air, and much of the multitude at Petra cheered and applauded his presentation.

A remaining rebellious faction, however, even after hearing all that Dr. Ben Judah said, began its exit. We shall return, many of them shouted when confronted by the majority, who chanted and pleaded with them not to go. Tsion cried out,  `Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.’ There is amnesty for us! one said. No one pays for missing the nark of loyalty deadline, now so long past! Abdullah could not make it compute.

Surely these had to be among those who waited too long to consider the claims of Christ. Their hearts had to have been hardened, because there was no logic in their behavior. He hurried back to his quarters and took binoculars that had been delivered with the last shipment from the Co op.

He climbed again to a high place to watch for their emergence from the Siq and their two mile walk to where the Global Community had already erected a platform.

MAC
HAD
learned to ignore the warnings of the GC when he flew into restricted airspace over the Negev. They see me on the radio, they sent reconnaissance plane ,they even tried to crowd him out of the sky. Often the threatening GC planes flew close enough to reveal the pilots’ faces. The first few times, Mac recalled, they looked determined. Later, when their mounted rifles missed their targets without explanation, they looked scared. When their heat seeking missiles found their targets but seemed to pass through, the GC had backed off so as not to become targets themselves.

Today they went through all their typical machinations: the radio warning, the fly alongside, the shooting, the missiles. When Mac could see the pilots, they looked bored or at best resigned. They seemed as puzzled as the Co op pilots why the GC continued to waste such expensive equipment, munitions, and warheads. Mac looked at Albie and they shook their heads.

Another day, another deliverance, Albie said. I’ll never take it for granted, Mac said. I’m glad it doesn’t hinge on clean living. You live clean enough, Albie said. Not by any virtue of my own, friend. As they went screaming over the desert to the Petra landing strip, Mac looked for the oversize plane Chang had appropriated from New Babylon. It sat at the end of the runway, big and plain as day. How do you figure that? Mac said. God must be blinding these guys. You can see it from a mile away, maybe more.

Look there, Albie said. Almost directly below them was a serpentine line of several hundred exiting the mile long Siq that led into and out of Petra. They were headed for the concertlike setup in the middle of the desert. As Mac focused on the airstrip and began his descent, he saw the chopper hopping from inside Petra to the end of the runway from where Abdullah would ferry them in. You think Smitty would want to get a closer look at this deal? Albie said. Why? Would you? Sure . I’m game. We protected that far out? In the air we are. Might be takin’ a chance on foot. Let’s go in the copter.

This is an answer to prayer, Abdullah said a few minutes later. I so want to see what is going on out there. It’s a risk though, Smitty, Mac said. You’ve got a pretty good cover, lookin’ like you belong out here. Albie and I have had our covers blown, and we got no disguises, no aliases, no fake marks, no nothin’. You’d better decide if we’re worth being seen with. Abdullah could not hide a smile. You rascal, Mac said, grinning. I set myself up for a shot there, didn’t I? And you almost took it. I was not about to shoot you, Mac. ,Verbally you were. You sure were. I guess I have decided I would rather not be seen with you when we get back to Petra. Cute. But seriously now . . .  I believe God will protect us.

We should stick together, look official, but not make it plain that we do not have marks. Your turban covers you, and we’ve got caps. You think that’s enough? Should we be armed? I have no idea how many GC will be there, Albie said, but I’m guessing once we get there we’re going to be vulnerable. Guns won’t help is what I guess I’m saying.  Abdullah rubbed his forehead. We should stay in the chopper. If we can see and hear from there. And if we’re approached? You speak Texan at them and they will be puzzled long enough for me to lift off.

Oh, you’re hot today, Smitty. Who would want to come close to a helicopter when the blades are turning? Abdullah studied his friends. It was clear they were as curious as he was. Should we check in with someone? Mac said. Who? Abdullah said. Your mommy? Mac nodded, conceding that Abdullah was developing a sense of humor, but not rewarding him with more than that. Rayford’s in the air somewhere. It’s on us. What’re we gonna do? I’m in,

Albie said. Abdullah nodded. Mac climbed in the back of the chopper. Abdullah slid in behind the controls. Albie sat next to him. When they were in the air, Abdullah shouted over the din, We could check with Chang. Have him put something in the computer. Neither responded, so Abdullah abandoned the idea. He wondered if they were being foolish. Down deep he knew they were. But he could not stop himself from going. It was clear to Mac that this show was set up exclusively for the rebels from Petra. He tried to get out of Abdullah why anybody would want to leave the safety of that city, but it was an unanswerable rhetorical question.

Abdullah was clearly taking his time, but the chopper quickly overtook the walking masses and set down about a hundred feet from the stage, whipping up a cloud of dust that a light breeze carried directly to the people on the platform. They stared at the chopper. Mac saw several armed GC looking and talking among themselves. One approached, a young, thickchested man who would have been stocky even without the bulletproof vest that became apparent as he drew near. Abdullah had shut down and the blade had just stopped.

Just sit here and look at him, Mac said. Make him make the first move. Vest Chest stood with his weapon dangling, totally nonthreatening, but he looked expectantly at Albie, who sat in the second seat by the door. You going to open up? the young man said. Not if we don’t have to, Albie said. The AC still has this thing cooled. You have to, the Peacekeeper said. Albie looked back at Mac. Mac nodded. Albie opened the door. Mac leaned forward and spoke in a gruff voice, You don’t want to be too close to this machine, son! Engine’s still hot, and she’s been known to spit some oil. And we might want to fire her up again, just for a little air that’s your business here? Same as yours. Security. Monitoring.

Now I’m going to have to ask you to back away from the craft. It was gutsy, but after what Mac had been through the last year, to him it was like a walk in the park. If the guy wanted to get into a contest of wills, Mac would stall him long enough for Smitty to get the engine roaring again, and they would be out of there. Of course, even small weapons fire could bring down a chopper from close range, but maybe planting in his mind about the spitting of hot oil would give the GC pause. Mac’s ruse worked.

The man just nodded and backed off. Start ‘er up, Smitty, Mac said. Got to give him a reason to concede. The dust blew again. Abdullah shut down quickly. The GC returned. Mac took the offensive. He leaned past Albie and opened the door himself. Don’t worry, he said, that’s the last time we do that till we leave. We don’t want to get people dusty or keep ‘em from hearin’ or anything, okay? ,Just what I was going to say, sir.

Mac gave him an index finger salute, anal the people began showing up, already looking exhausted. It took only a few minutes for the crowd to gather, and it appeared that an otherwise normal looking guy, whom Mac thought looked like a younger version of Leon Fortunato, grabbed the microphone. He wore white shoes, white slacks, a white shirt, and sounded like a motivational speaker, all peppy and crisp. He said he was the whole show announcer, performer, everything.

But I’m not typical. No, folks. People have called me a type of Christ. Well, you be the judge. All I can tell you is that I am not from here. That was not a joke. I am not even from this world. There’s no music today, no dancing girls, just me, a wonder worker. I come under the authority of the risen lord, Nicolae Carpathia, and I have been imbued with power from him.