“In a sense, this has become their battlefield. If their actions will spur others to join them for the sake of the country, I assure you they’re willing to die or be put in jail to protect America.”
Dr. Lee Kim said, “What’s the point, Braxton? It’s a losing cause…”
“You know that, and I know that, Lee, but they don’t!”
Calloway said, “At the very least, we know how much they hate Cipriano. And they despise Romanero almost as much as we do…”
“You’re focused on the wrong thing, fellas. What happens when they’re put in prison and Cipriano really puts the screws to them. AFK members who aren’t believers will ultimately squeal. What if they mention our group, and the joint plans we had made?
“Everyone has their limitations. I can assure you the right blend of torture can make anyone squeal. What if the five hundred we met with underground told others about our organization?”
Braxton said to Jefferson, “Sir, you told us yourself, at Camp David, that you appointed licensed behavior specialists to observe both groups from behind closed doors, to study our facial gestures and body movements. Didn’t they conclude some from the other group couldn’t be trusted with top-secret information as time marched on?”
Danforth buried his face in his hands, “What have I done?”
Rice bit his tongue to keep from saying something he might regret. Former President or not, it was a foolish thing to do. Then again, there was plenty of blame to go around. He was just as foolish himself, not to mention Clayton or Travis, for not thinking it all the way through.
Charles Calloway’s phone rang. It was Brian Mulrooney. Everyone was grateful for the distraction. It was starting to get heated.
“Hey, Brian. How are you?”
“As good as can be expected, Charles. I just chatted with our friend from India.” Brian was careful not to mention Yogesh by name. “After praying about it, he decided to share his second dream with me. All I can say is, ‘Wow!’ He gave me permission to share it with you all…”
“Wait! Let me put you on speaker phone, brother.”
As Brian told them, every hair on their bodies stood at full attention.
Clayton Holmes said, “Who else knows about this?”
“Only Ajit Langari and his new friends who were visited in dreams by the one hundred and forty four thousand. Not even Hana knows.”
Braxton snorted. He was already upset. “I applaud his boldness and bravery, Brian, I really do, but how in the world can we possibly help him? Sounds like a suicide mission to me!”
“That’s why I’m calling you. Other than me, he has no friends outside of his country. If we don’t help him, he’ll never survive! Besides, Braxton, it’s beyond boldness and bravery; it was part of the dream…”
Mulrooney waited for someone to say something. When no one did, he went on, “What if God caused him to reach out to me? After all, he is part of the second wave of converts! I believe we must trust that his dream is from God. How could it not be, right?”
Braxton rubbed his chin but remained silent. His mind raced with a million thoughts.
“You make a good point, Brian.”
Brian recognized the voice. “Who’s this?”
“Jefferson Danforth.”
Brian’s pulse raced in his ears. Former President or not, it was still mind-boggling for him. “Greetings, Mister President…”
Jefferson let it go. There was no time for posturing. “What’s our friend from India doing now to prepare for it?”
“Sir, he’s been giving money to his new friends in India who had the same first dream, so they can start building an underground shelter.”
Braxton interrupted, “If he goes through with it, he’ll never be able to go back to India. At least not until things calm down.”
“Is there anything we can do for him?”
“I don’t think anyone can help him. But for what the man’s about to do, we owe it to him to at least try, right?”
“Thanks, Braxton, it means so much to me.”
“Don’t thank me yet. I haven’t hatched an escape plan.”
AFTER THINKING IT THROUGH and sharing his escape plan with Holmes, Hartings and Gang, Rice contacted ETSM billionaire member, Nigel Jones, in Sydney, Australia.
Upon hearing the plan, Jones happily agreed to have two of his Gulfstream V planes presently out delivering supplies to ETSM members on all five continents, diverted to the Middle East for the Day of New Beginnings celebration festivities. He didn’t have to be told about the danger factor connected to this particular mission.
Jones said, “With so many dignitaries going to Dubai, runway space will be extremely limited. But I have solid contacts in the Middle East. We made lots of money for each other before the Rapture. I’ll try to use my clout to gain runway access there.”
“Think it will work?”
“Let’s see if being a billionaire still has its privileges...”
Hopefully their plan, simple as it was, would work enough to help Patel escape when that time came.
In the meantime, even though Yogesh hadn’t yet had dreams about the ETSM, he would be vetted in advance, just in case…
26
DUBAI—UNITED ARAB EMIRATES—THREE WEEKS LATER
“YOUR EMINENCE, WE HAVE reason to believe the number of pregnant women not registered in the new global census is much higher than first thought.” Jurgen Staat, former NATO Secretary-General, said hesitantly.
“Go on.” Salvador Romanero was calm, as if he expected to hear this.
“We know for certain these individuals survived the aftermath of the disappearances; their names are stored in the supercomputer in Brussels.”
“Are we talking about Muslims?” With their population cut nearly in half, Romanero knew they were too fearful and too busy rebuilding their lives to take the census, even though it was mandatory. He also knew they were hiding their newborn children. But they weren’t his focus for now.
“No, your Grace.”
“Who then?”
“Those who became born again Christians after getting pregnant…”
Romanero felt heat rushing to his head, “How many?”
“Hard to say, but there’s been a huge uptick in numbers. We believe it could easily be in the millions.”
They’re trying to steal my children! “Who’s treating them?”
“As of yet, we don’t know. It’s like they’ve fallen off the face of the earth, like we’ve had a second round of disappearances…” Romanero glared angrily at Staat, “Many of their friends and family members have already been interviewed. No one knows where they went. We must assume they are hiding underground with the rest of the wackos.”
Staat took a deep breath and exhaled, “Even more alarming, your Grace, is that some who are registered in the database suddenly stopped showing up for their doctors’ appointments. Judging by their due dates, some have undoubtedly given birth by now.”
Romanero flinched, then shifted in his seat, “How many?”
“The numbers are in the hundreds of thousands.”
Romanero’s eyes flashed, “Where are they now?”
“Some are still living in the homes and apartments you’ve provided for them. Others have since left and are living with friends. As for the rest, all attempts to contact them have been fruitless…”
Staat eyeballed the Miracle Maker very carefully, “Like the rest, we believe they became born again Christians after getting pregnant.”
Romanero gritted his teeth, “I want photographs of all new pregnant Christians to be forwarded to the new push alert division, along with those who already gave birth, after rejecting the care I provided for them.”
“But there are millions of them…”
“Just do it! But tell the push alert division not to make a move until after I address the world. This gives you three days.”
“Yes, your Eminence,” Staat said, sheepishly. “Speaking of the Day of New Beginning
s celebration, it appears that ten of the first one hundred women to give birth never caught their flights to Dubai.”
Romanero erupted, “What?! Where are they?”
“We don’t know. But after interviewing friends and family members, we learned they all became born-again Christians and are living in hiding with the rest. They even stopped calling their children by your name.”
“The arrogance!” Romanero took a few deeps breaths to calm himself, then stood and paced the floor, piecing it all together. “Have the next ten new mothers flown here immediately!”
Jurgen Staat gulped hard, “Your Eminence?”
Romanero snapped, “Must I write it down for you, Jurgen?! Numbers one-oh-one to one-ten! Have them flown here as soon as possible.”
Staat’s face quaked in terror. When he voluntarily stepped down as NATO Secretary-General, handing all power over to Romanero, he didn’t know it would lead to this. “It seems number one-oh-seven also went into hiding. Shall we have the next new mother in line flown here?”
“Yes. After the last monetary card has been awarded to new mothers, I want the arrests to begin. Not only them, but everyone helping them! For those living in hiding, we’ll send emergency push alerts to every mobile device on the planet, with their images on it, offering rewards to anyone assisting in their capture. Perhaps someone will see them at the market or a gas station. But I want all pregnant women to receive the best of care in jail. I want healthy children!”
“As you wish, your Eminence…” What a Megalomaniac!
Romanero glared at him angrily, “I want those ten mothers found! Number one-oh-seven as well!”
“What about the many Muslims who are hiding their newborns?”
“Let’s keep the focus on Christians for now.”
“Yes, your Grace...”
MEANWHILE, 1700 MILES EAST of Dubai, the Two Witnesses were still teaching and prophesying at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem.
Mingled in with the many protesters were more of the young Jewish virgin men sent there by Yahweh to receive instruction from His Two servants.
With so many of them, God sent the 144,000 to the Jewish Holy Site in shifts. Some lived in Israel all their lives. The rest came from all other parts of the globe.
They started showing up the day the peace treaty was signed, the same day God’s Two servants started speaking judgment over the House of Israel. In the six months since the peace treaty signing, nearly 100,000 of them had already sat under their instruction.
None would be sealed until all were first converted...
Providentially, many were sons of rabbis who opposed God’s Two Witnesses so vehemently. How ironic that the Scriptures they forbade their sons from reading, and never allowed to be read in most synagogues, were the very ones Yahweh used to open the eyes of their offspring.
After hearing what Isaiah recorded in 52:13-53:12 for the very first time, the prophetic passages of the Suffering Servant shot straight up into their hearts and minds. As God’s Two Witnesses connected the Old and New Testaments, and bridged the two in such a way, it was impossible for the 144,000 not to connect the dots for themselves.
Suddenly aware that the very Scriptures that had been withheld from them all their lives, really did point to their coming Messiah, they read the Word of God in its entirety—both the Old and New Testaments.
By so doing, they realized Messiah had already come once, in the Person of Yeshua HaMachiasch, the very One Israel had crucified, thus proving beyond all certainty that the very same Jesus countless Gentiles had trusted for their salvation, really was Israel’s promised Messiah, the Righteous Branch and Holy One of Israel.
In short, they saw a crystal-clear connection between Isaiah’s prophecy and the New Testament biographies of Jesus, the very One who was despised and rejected by most Jews, worldwide, for more than 2,000 years, as recorded in the texts they were forbidden from reading, which, astonishingly, was recorded 700 years before it ever happened…
Not only did Isaiah record a vivid description of the crucifixion 700 years before it happened, he also recorded the bitter lament of a repentant Israel more than 2,000 years after the crucifixion occurred, near the end of human history when the Jews would look back on the One they had long rejected, and will finally embrace Yeshua as Lord and King.
In short, Isaiah recorded Christ’s death on the cross and the response of Yahweh’s chosen people, the Jews, in the past tense, as evidenced by the past tense verbs he used.
Zechariah also recorded this time of great lamenting for the Jewish people in 12:10: “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.”
With their eyes and ears fully opened, the 144,000 now understood why these “forbidden” passages in most Jewish circles were often referred to as the fifth Gospel of Jesus Christ to so many.
So profoundly precise was this text that when compared to any of the four Gospels, which clearly record Jesus’ birth, life, death by crucifixion and His resurrection, it would be impossible not to see a crystal-clear connection between the Gospels and Isaiah 53.
They mourned bitterly then repented of their sins before Yahweh God and trusted in His Son Yeshua, their Messiah, for the forgiveness of sins.
As of yet, these young men didn’t know they were prophesied about in the Book of Revelation 2000 years ago, or that they would soon be sealed as Yahweh’s 144,000 servants.
Nor did they know they would be responsible for leading multitudes from every nation, tribe, people and tongue to faith in their Messiah, Yeshua HaMasciach, both Jew and Gentile.
The Two Witnesses, on the other hand, were quite mindful of the “special” men who had been flocking to Israel from the far corners of the earth to hear their teaching were the ones Yahweh chose to fulfill this wonderful prophecy.
Even surrounded by crowds of protestors, God’s Two Witnesses always knew when someone from the 144,000 were in their presence, and from which tribe they belonged.
They also sensed the young Jewish men—now including the New Testament as part of their daily reading—were starting to piece things together, and were gaining a collective sense of their future Calling…
27
MEANWHILE, SINCE ARRIVING IN Dubai, Hana Patel was busy day and night attending gala parties honoring the 100 first mothers to give birth, doing interviews with local and global media outlets, and taking selfies and signing autographs for her many fans.
Three months ago, she was a shy and timid woman. The thought of being interviewed by anyone caused fear to snake through her. Now, basking in the spotlight of an adoring public was her favorite thing to do.
Hana very much felt like a celebrity. Her new friends had all the right connections. Her latest makeover made her look ten years younger.
She pursed her lips together to make sure the lipstick was spread evenly. Satisfied that it was, she checked her look in the mirror one last time. “Are you sure you don’t want to join me?”
“No thanks,” Yogesh said. They’re not interested in me, only you! The feeling’s mutual!
Hana shrugged her shoulders. “Suit yourself.”
“If I’m not here when you get back, I went for a walk.”
“Okay. See you later.” Hana kissed her husband on the cheek and left the suite for the bank of elevators. She was excited about this meeting with Hollywood and Bollywood executives. Desperate for a comeback, they were joining forces on a lucrative book and movie deal with her.
Hopefully they would reach an agreement and sign a contract before Hana left the Middle East. Her new attorney would join her just in case.
Yogesh left the suite a few minutes later. He, too, had a meeting to attend, a secret meeting with Braxton Rice and Nigel Jones, at a coffee shop down the street from the hotel at which the Patels were stay
ing.
Not wanting to be seen together, the three men sat in the far corner wearing surgical masks, so no one could read their lips as they spoke. With so many security measures in place, they were already taking a huge risk by coming here. But when Brian told Braxton that Yogesh was having serious doubts, Rice wanted to look him in the eye and take his temperature to see if he would go through with it.
If not, there would be no need to discuss the plan.
After exchanging pleasantries, Braxton studied Yogesh’s eyes very carefully. He looked hesitant. “Are you sure you want to do this?”
Patel spoke through his face mask, “I’m scared to death, Braxton.”
“I understand. You have so much to lose. We all do, in fact.”
Yogesh scratched his scalp, “I don’t care about the worldly stuff. I’ve been poor all my life. I can handle it. But the thought of losing my wife and daughter makes me want to just keep my mouth shut.”
“Understandable, mate,” Nigel Jones said. “I’d be petrified too. But imagine the reward you will receive in the end. It will be well worth it.”
Patel’s eyes begged to differ. “Hope I have the strength to do it…”
Braxton said, “Let’s go over the plan, just in case. More than a hundred thousand people are expected outside the arena during the ceremonies. This should work to our advantage.
“Once you finish doing your thing, you must leave the arena through these exit doors.” Rice circled it on the brochure he would leave with Yogesh. “It’s the closest exit to the stage. It’s important that you remember this. If you leave through any other exit, we may not be able to spot you in the sea of people. Got it?”
Yogesh nodded yes.
“Once you’re outside, look for a bright yellow canopy tent. Nigel will be there selling novelty items—hats, sunglasses and the like. We already have a seller’s permit. Two other men will be with him. They’ll set it up as close to the arena as possible. That will be your first opportunity to change your appearance. What do you plan on wearing to the event?”
The Sealing Page 18
