“I saw them, and I never want to see them again,” Shelly said.
“It is helpful to know this current plague was created by the releasing of four angels bound in the Euphrates River. We know that these are fallen angels, because nowhere in Scripture do we ever see good angels bound. These were apparently bound because they wanted to create chaos on earth. Now they are free to do so. In fact, the Bible reveals they were prepared for a specific hour, day, month, and year.”
Melinda raised a hand. “I don't get it. I thought angels were good.”
“They were all created by God to follow him,” Vicki said. “But a third of the angels followed Satan and became demons. Angels only got one chance to choose.”
“I'm glad I'm not an angel,” Charlie said. “It took me a long time to decide to follow God.”
“What's the deal with the river Tsion mentioned?” Shelly said.
“I'm getting to that,” Mark said. He turned a page and read:
“It is significant that the four angels have been in the Euphrates. It is the most prominent river in the Bible. It bordered the Garden of Eden, was a boundary for Israel, Egypt, and Persia, and is often used in Scripture as a symbol of Israel's enemies. It was near this river that man first sinned, the first murder was committed, the first war fought, the first tower built in defiance against God, and where Babylon was built. Babylon is where idol worship started. The children of Israel were taken there as prisoners, and it is there that the final sin of man will culminate.”
“That means Nicolae is going to get clobbered one day,” Charlie said to Melinda.
Mark smiled and continued.
“Revelation 18 predicts that Babylon will be the center of business, religion, and world rule, but also that it will eventually fall to ruin, for strong is the Lord God who judges her.”
Mark moved to a blackboard and wrote:
R
25%
75%
25%
50%
“What do those numbers mean?” Shelly said.
“I studied what Tsion wrote and came up with this chart,” Mark said.
“I'll bet the
R
is for Rapture,” Darrion said.
“Right. Tsion told us the horses and riders will kill a third of the population alive right now.” He pointed to the
R
. “After the Rapture came a great war, an earthquake, and meteors. All of that killed 25 percent of the people alive after the disappearances. That left 75 percent of the people who weren't taken away by God. Follow closely. One-third of 75 percent is 25 percent, so the current wave of death will leave only 50 percent of the people left behind at the Rapture.”
Vicki shook her head. “And the worst is yet to come.”
“This next section is a little difficult,” Mark continued. “Tsion thinks God wants people to come to him, but this latest judgment might be preparation for the final battle between good and evil. He's weeding out the people who won't accept him.”
“I don't understand,” Shelly said.
“Let me read,” Mark said.
“The Scriptures foretell that those unbelievers who do survive will refuse to turn from their wickedness. They will insist on continuing worshiping idols and demons, and engaging in murder, sorcery, sexual immorality, and theft. Even the Global Community's own news operations report that murder and theft are on the rise, and idol and demon worship are actually applauded in the new tolerant society.”
“So God is taking away people who would be against him in the big battle?” Charlie said.
“Exactly,” Mark said.
“So how much longer will the horsemen be around?” Darrion said.
“Tsion believes it may continue four more months, until the three-and-a-half-year anniversary of the treaty between Nicolae and Israel.”
“Which will also be the end of our friends Eli and Moishe,” Vicki said.
“They're going away?” Charlie said.
“In the due time, the Antichrist will execute them,” Vicki said. “But they won't stay dead.”
“Here's the bad news for us,” Mark said, finding his place in the letter.
“This will usher in a period when many more believers will be martyred.”
“What's that mean?” Charlie said.
“Killed because you believe in Jesus,” Conrad said.
The room fell silent. Vicki thought of the adult Tribulation Force and those believers who even worked inside the Global Community. Could they survive for long when they were employed by the enemy of God? What about Buck Williams and Rayford Steele? Vicki closed her eyes and wondered how many in this room would make it to the Glorious Appearing of Christ.
“Let me finish the rest of this, and we'll get some sleep,” Mark said.
“Many of you have written and asked how a God of love and mercy could pour out such awful judgments upon the earth. God is more than a God of love and mercy. The Scriptures say God is love, yes. But they also say he is holy, holy, holy. He is just, as in justice. His love was expressed in the gift of his Son as the means of salvation. But if we reject this love gift, we fall under God's judgment
.
“I know that many hundreds of thousands of readers of my daily messages must visit this site not as believers but as searchers for truth. So permit me to write directly to you if you do not call yourself my brother or sister in Christ. I plead with you as never before to receive Jesus Christ as God's gift of salvation. The sins that the stubborn unbelievers will not give up will run out of control during the last half of the Tribulation, referred to in the Bible as the Great Tribulation
.
“Imagine this world with half its population gone. If you think it is bad now with millions having disappeared in the Rapture, children gone, services and conveniences affected, try to fathom life with half of all civil servants gone. Firemen, policemen, laborers, executives, teachers, doctors, nurses, scientists ⦠the list goes on. We are coming to a period where survival will be a full-time occupation.”
Vicki glanced at Melinda. She was hanging on every word of Tsion's letter.
“I would not want to be here without knowing God was with me, that I was on the side of good rather than evil, and that in the end, we win. Pray right now. Tell God you recognize your sin and need forgiveness and a Savior. Receive Christ today, and join the great family of God. Sincerely, Tsion Ben-Judah.”
Mark folded the pages and put them in his pocket.
Lenore said, “You did a great job making that understandable.” All the kids agreed, then, one by one, stood and headed off to bed.
Shelly hugged Conrad. “Thanks for all the driving you did.”
“My pleasure, little lady,” Conrad said in a mock cowboy voice. He laughed, and Shelly winked at Vicki.
“Wait a minute,” Vicki whispered. “Are you interested in Conrad?”
Shelly yawned. “I'd love to stay up and talk, but I'm pretty tired.”
“Not fair!” Vicki said, but Shelly was already out of the room.
Melinda sat alone at the table. Vicki put an arm around her. “You want to talk?”
“I don't trust the others like I do you.”
“I'm glad you trust me.”
“When they told me about those horses and riders, I freaked. Getting stung by the locust was bad enough, but this next thing sounds awful.”
“It will be. It is. But you don't have to be afraid. If you'll justâ”
“I know. All I have to do is believe like you guys.” Melinda turned. “I don't want to do this simply because I'm scared.”
“Understood, but God's trying to get your attention.”
“He's doing a pretty good job of it.” Melinda looked out the window. “I had nightmares after they told me.”
“Nightmares?” Vicki said, stifling a smile.
“What?”
Vicki put a hand to her head. “I'm sorry. I'm just really tired. We were talking about the horses, and you said you had night
mares.
Bad joke.”
Melinda smiled. “You're crazy. That's one thing I like about you. A lot of church people I met would never laugh.”
Vicki snorted and put a hand over her mouth. “My mom used to call this the tired sillies. We'd laugh our heads off late at night at the dumbest things.”
When Vicki settled, Melinda said, “Maybe that's one thing that scares me. If I believe like you guys, I'm afraid I'll never have any fun again.”
“I used to think the same thing. Church people seemed so stiff and uptight, like if they cracked a smile their face would break. But the believers I've met since the disappearances are the real deal. They're serious about their beliefs, but there's something different.”
“They're happy on the inside.”
Vicki nodded. “Yeah. God can give you joy, even in the middle of the worst things anyone on earth has faced. He puts something indescribable in your heart. He gives you hope.”
Melinda nodded and looked away. “I want that,” she whispered. “I don't want to live scared anymore. In my dreams, those horses had big hooves, and they were tromping all over people. One stood by my bed and breathed on me.”
“To be honest, those horses and riders were even worse than your nightmares.” Vicki described the heads of the horses, the tails, and the fire and smoke that came from their mouths and noses.
The more Vicki said, the more worried Melinda looked. “How can you see that and not be terrified?”
“I was. And so were Conrad and Shelly. But after we figured out it was a judgment from God, we knew we wouldn't get hurt.”
Melinda brushed hair from her face. “You've done a lot for me. You helped me when Felicia died, when my feet got frostbitten, and even after those locusts bit me. I know you care.”
“Believe me, God cares so much more for you than I ever could.”
“Maybe I'm one of those weeds God's getting rid of,” Melinda said.
“What do you mean?”
“In that letter from Dr. Ben-Judah, Mark said there were some people who would reject God and just go on doing what they wanted. Maybe I'm one of them.”
Vicki put a hand on Melinda's shoulder. “I've seen how you listen when I teach. I saw you listening to the letter. I think you want to know God.”
“I could never be as good as you and the rest.”
“You don't have to be goodâ”
“If somebody came and tried to arrest me and threatened to kill me like I did to you guys, I'd never let them stay here. I'd have sent me back to the GC as fast as I could.”
“Let God work on your heart, Melinda. You'll be surprised at what he can do. I was just like you. I thought religion was for people who had it all together. But God takes you like you are. He wants to come in and help change you from the inside out. He can take away the fear.”
Melinda closed her eyes and clenched her teeth.
Vicki knew there was a battle raging. She felt Melinda needed a challenge. “What do you believe about Jesus?”
Melinda sighed. “I think ⦠I think he was God, like you've said.”
“Do you believe he died in your place, to take away your sin?”
“Not if I'm one of those weeds.”
“Stop it,” Vicki said. “Don't pass up this chance. I can tell God is working on you. Let him do it.”
“Okay,” Melinda said. She rolled up her sleeves and put her hands on her knees.
“Do you believe Jesus died for you?”
“Yeah, I think he did.”
“He's offering you a gift right now. Do you want to accept it?”
Melinda paused, then looked up. “I'd like that a lot.”
“Then pray with me.”
As Vicki prayed, Melinda repeated the words. “God in heaven, I'm sorry for the bad things I've done. I believe you died in my place to pay for my sin. Right now I want to receive the gift of eternal life that you offer. Make me a new person. Be my Lord and my Savior from this moment on. In Jesus' name. Amen.”
Melinda looked at Vicki and gasped. “When did you get that thing on your forehead?”
JUDD
kept to himself and tried to deal with Nada's death alone. He awoke in the middle of the night, sweating. The whole experience felt like a bad dream. Surely Nada would walk through the door any minute, and everything would be all right. But what had happened wasn't a dream. Each time he awoke and realized she was gone, he felt a stab in the heart.
Mr. Stein asked to speak with Judd. “When my wife died, it was very difficult. Since my daughter had left my faith and had become a believer in Christ, I felt alone. I responded to my wife's death by withdrawing. That wasn't all bad, but there came a point when I had to talk with someone.”
Judd nodded. “I guess Sam is going through the same thing.”
“Yes. He came to me yesterday, and we had a long talk. It is difficult for him since his father never responded to the message of Christ.”
“That's a tough one. I know it'll be good to talk with someone, but I just don't feel ⦔ Judd's voice trailed off.
“I am available when you're ready.”
Lionel came in the room. “Did you hear what happened to Mac McCullum?”
“Mac who?” Mr. Stein said.
“The pilot who flew us to New Babylon,” Judd said.
“What's up?”
“A few days ago Mac's plane was attacked,” Lionel said.
Judd raced to the computer and looked at the information Lionel had downloaded. The first reports were sketchy. Officials feared that the supreme commander, Leon Fortunato, and the others on the Condor 216 had all been killed by the mysterious smoke and fire. Later reports told a different story. The plane had landed in Johannesburg, South Africa, for a planned meeting with one of Nicolae Carpathia's regional potentates. It was ambushed by gunmen who believed Carpathia was on the plane. Mac McCullum was hailed a hero by Leon Fortunato.
Judd pulled up a video clip from a news conference Fortunato had held not long after the incident. “I was prepared for a meeting with Regional Potentate Rehoboth, but what I received was nothing short of an assassination attempt. Though there was a hail of bullets, I was able to escape. If it had not been for the quick thinking of myself and the flight crew, we would all be dead right now.”