by Goodwin,Mark
“Every religion except Christianity, you mean.” Everett was sure the old man had misspoken.
Elijah rocked back in the chair. “Like the pope said, he’s still here. And the next speaker, Jacob Ralston is the poster child for protestant Christianity as a religion, at least in America. You tell me, Everett; is being devoted to the Christian religion enough to make you a child of God?”
Everett sat with his mouth hanging open. He was confused and had no idea how to answer. “What about me? What about Courtney, and the prayer we prayed to God? Are we in or not? How can I know?”
Elijah held up his hand and closed his eyes. “John says, ‘These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life.’ There’s no guess work. You did not place your faith in religion. You put no false trust in your own deeds or a set of instructions. You and Courtney professed that you believed on the name of the Son of God. Furthermore, you showed that your repentance was sincere by your obedience. You forsook your former ways, refusing to live in sin any longer. That’s not religion my friend. That’s a relationship of trust and walking in the light as he is in the light.”
Everett took Courtney’s hand and held it. He smiled as he looked at her. Turning his attention back to Elijah, he asked, “Everything he said about the rapture is a lie. How are people falling for that? It seems so obvious to me. Just listening to the pope speak made me feel sick to my stomach. Then when Luz started in, I wanted to come out of my skin.”
Elijah put his index finger in the air. “Remember, only hours ago, the scales were still on your eyes. But now you see, the Holy Spirit makes all things known to you. It is not so for those who will not come to him. They will continue to be deceived.”
Courtney shook her head. “So God took the children? All of them? And they’re not coming back like Luz said they would?”
“The time of Jacob’s trouble is here. It is a time of human suffering that is unparalleled in human history. And it is a direct manifestation of God’s wrath. Messiah said of this time, ‘For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.’ The children who had not yet reached the age of accountability, like those who had been washed in the blood of the Lamb, are innocent in the eyes of God. He has spared them from the full onslaught of his wrath.
“And no, they are not coming back. That is simply a lie, a distraction to lead people further from the truth. Luz is doing just what his father has always done; dangling a false promise before the eyes of the deceived.”
Everett was beginning to trust Elijah and decided to open up to him, just a little. “The man who gave me this cabin, John Jones, he told me the narrative for the rapture had been crafted long ago. He said the power elite and the secret societies have had this story in place for years, in anticipation for the disappearances.”
Elijah nodded. “That is true. All governmental powers try to control information to steer the minds of the populous toward their own agendas. This final world empire should be no different.”
Courtney asked, “And everything he said about the Watchers, that’s all lies too, right?’
Elijah furrowed his brow. “Hmm, not everything. This idea that they are alien life forms, which has been so widely sold to the public, is a lie. Even the sightings of their activity don’t mesh with what we know about the physical universe. The way the lights appear in the sky, move at great speeds, then make sudden 90 or even 180 degree turns. And the way they come and go suddenly without being detected despite our most advanced telescopes, they defy the most rudimentary laws of physics. These . . . beings, are not of this realm.”
“So they’re what?” Everett wanted clarification.
“Demons, fallen angels.”
Courtney stared at the ceiling. “And what about Luz being the offspring of a human mother and a Watcher for a father? Is that a lie?”
Elijah crossed his hands as he sat patiently in the chair. “I’m afraid not. In the Book of Genesis, we read that the sons of God went into the daughters of men and procreated with them.”
“And do you think Luz is in contact with his father, this Watcher or fallen angel, or whoever?” Everett was trying desperately to get his head wrapped around what he was hearing. Even with what Jones had told him before, this was all new information.
“He is in contact with his father. And he’s not just some arbitrary fallen angel.”
Courtney crossed her arms. “Then who is he?”
Elijah paused, looking them both in the eyes, one at a time, before he spoke. “His father . . . is Satan.”
Chills ran up Everett’s spine. Courtney quivered and turned away as if she’d heard enough.
The radio commentator announced that the broadcast to the Americas was being turned over to Pastor Jacob Ralston and Minister of the Americas, Richard Clay.
Everett shook his head. “I can’t wait to hear what President Clay has to say.”
Courtney corrected him. “Minister Clay. You have to have a country to be a president. The United States doesn’t exist, remember?”
Pastor Ralston began speaking. “Minister Clay, before we start, I want to congratulate you on your appointment as Minister to the Americas. It’s a much bigger territory than what you were responsible for before the Global Republic charter was signed. But, with the experience you gained as President of the United States, we all have the utmost confidence in your ability to lead these two great continents.”
“Thank you, Jacob. And I can’t go without congratulating you. The pope has granted you the position of Global Republic Minister of Religion. Next to his position, it’s the highest spiritual title in the new republic. You really have your work cut out for you.”
“Yes, Minister Clay, I am going to give it my all. But I can’t take more credit than is due. The infrastructure for the new Ministry of Religion already existed through the World Council of Churches. The council has long been a friend of the UN, co-laboring with them on so many initiatives. And as you know, Lakeview Church has been a member of the World Council of Churches for many, many years. We’ll still be seeing most of the same faces.”
Clay quipped, “So what are you telling us Jacob? Other than a new office and some fancier stationary, it’s just business as usual? And please, call me Richard.”
Ralston laughed. “That’s right Richard. We will be moving our base of operations to our own wing of the new Global Republic mega complex in National Mall Center.”
Clay’s voice was light and playful. “Oh, so you’ll be right next door to me. We’ll have to do lunch on Thursdays. While it won’t be such an adjustment for other parts of the globe, a long standing tradition in the Americas has been the separation of church and state. How do you reconcile that notion with your department and your new position?”
“Richard, I’m so glad you asked. This idea that our governmental life, our spirituality, and even our finances are all these separate things, and that they have nothing to do with each other, is totally false. It’s been this flawed belief system that has caused so much dissension and strife. I, for one, am happy to see that we’re finally moving past all of that. Yes, our spirituality has some distinct characteristics. Just like your heart is distinct from your lungs, but Richard, I don’t have to tell you that they would be hard pressed to try to exist in two separated systems, independently of each other.”
Clay laughed. “Now there’s the understatement of the day. But what a great analogy, Jacob. I’m really looking forward to working more closely with you.
“We’re anticipating the future with zeal and excitement, but I don’t want to gloss over the pain that many of us are dealing with right now. Like holding a nickel up to the sun, the tragedy from this morning doesn’t darken our hope for the future, but we can’t pretend it didn’t happen either. I know you had four children. Two of them were young, they were taken, but you know you’ll see them again when the children co
me home. The other two are older and they’re still with you, is that right?”
Jacob Ralston paused. “Grace and Emanuel were 7 and 9, respectively. Yes, they were taken, but we still have 21-year-old Raelynn with us. She’s involved with the dance ministry at Lakeview. Her older sister, Melanie met a boy from a church in California and got married. We didn’t approve of the type of church that it was, but as a parent you can only do so much. We haven’t completely given up hope yet, but we haven’t heard from her, and most everyone in that church was taken. Unfortunately, it was the kind of church that His High and Most Prepotent Majesty and His Holiness were talking about. They were consumed by a dogmatic distorted interpretation of the Scriptures and believed in a vindictive God who was out to punish everyone. That’s not who Jesus was. He wanted understanding and tolerance. We are going to miss Melanie, but she made her own choices.
“And despite my grief, I’m overflowing with hope, because not only have Catholics and Protestants come together now, but Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Pagans, and Buddhists. That’s all Jesus ever wanted, that’s all Mohammad wanted, it’s what we all want; to live together in peace and unity, accepting one another as we live our lives the way we feel is best for us. For my younger children, I’m so glad that they’ll be coming home to a better world.”
Clay jumped in. “I don’t mean to interrupt, but I just got a tweet from my oldest daughter, Megan. It says ‘We miss you Josh but will see you soon.’ Hashtag hope4thechildren. Our youngest, Josh was taken and my 19-year-old daughter was shaken up by it. But here she is, focusing on a better tomorrow and the hope of seeing her little brother again.”
Ralston replied, “Richard, that is so wonderful. I believe that’s what we all have to do. Let’s follow Megan’s lead and get to work so we can provide a better home when the children return.”
Clay said, “I agree, Jacob. But like you said, it is going to take some work. The first thing we’ll need our citizens in the Americas to do is get registered. Unfortunately, the disappearances have negated the progress of all the census workers, so even if you’ve already registered, we need you to go back to the closest census station and re-register. And now for some more good news, production of the Mark implants has been ramped up since they were announced on New Year’s Day and all the census stations are fully stocked, so citizens will be able to take their pledge to the republic and have their implant placed on the same day. Commissaries are set up at the largest census station, so they’ll be able to purchase staples like rice, beans or powdered milk all at the same time. Your Mark will come with 500 GR credits upon your pledge being administered.
“The generous republic gun buyback program will also add another 150 GR credits to your account for each gun you turn in. The amnesty period for weapons has been extended to match the amnesty period for your pledge and census registration. You’ll have until March 15th, but why wait? Get registered, get your Mark so you can start spending your GR credits on much needed items today. This is all going to help jump start economic activity and get the ball rolling.”
Ralston added, “And I want to put everyone’s mind at ease about the pledge, Richard. You are not pledging against anyone. You are pledging for the good of us all. People are lying if they tell you that you’ll go to hell if you take the pledge, which asks you to deny Jesus Christ as God’s only Messiah. That is simply not true. Jesus is still the same person and he loves you just as much. This clause is in the pledge because it’s part of the dogma of the people who have incited violence against the republic. You can still believe that Jesus is a messiah, but a messiah is simply someone who shows up when you need a little help. It would be unfair to the Most Prepotent Majesty, Angelo Luz to say Jesus is the only messiah. After all, it is totally undeniable that His Highest and Most Prepotent has come along at just the right time when the world needed him most.”
“I couldn’t have said it better myself. To quickly review the technology in the Mark, it is totally safe and very comfortable. In fact, I just had my implant put in a few weeks back and I didn’t feel a thing. Even now, the only time I notice that it’s there is when I need to use the phone app, or the commerce app, or the internet search app.”
Ralston snickered, “Or the camera, or text, or the map, or email, or games, or listening to music, watching videos on YouTube.”
Clay cut him off. “Did you have the speaker upgrade implanted in your ear?”
Ralston laughed. “Don’t tell my wife, she thinks I’m listening to her.”
Clay chuckled. “I’ve got to tell you, Jacob, I don’t know how I ever lived without my Mark. I start my car with it, turn on the lights, turn off the lights, it sends the security code to let me in my house, my office. I never have to worry about losing my phone, my keys, or my wallet ever again. It’s always with me.”
Ralston said, “I never remembered to charge my phone, so I was always missing calls and texts. The Mark is powered by an internal bio-charge system. A micro thermoelectric generator utilizes your body heat to power the device and keep the batteries topped off for high-power-usage applications.”
Clay added, “And the technology is so efficient. The small pico projector projects your Mark’s interface on your arm and allows you to manipulate the Mark like a phone or tablet computer via optic sensors. They call it embeddable tech. The screen on my arm is coming from micro projectors under my skin. The tiny processor, battery, speaker, sensors, and projectors are all just under my skin. The mark on your skin is roughly the size of a freckle.”
“Which is where it gets its name, the Mark!” Ralston said.
“I’ve heard this scripted sales pitch before.” Everett turned the radio off. “I can’t listen to another second of this. It’s like QVC. They’re glorified sales men.”
“Thank you!” Courtney said as she began serving the stew. “I was thinking glorified entertainers. It was like a really bad cross between daytime talk and late night comedy.”
Elijah smirked. “President Clay and Pastor Ralston were never more than salesmen and entertainers. It’s somewhat refreshing to see them in a more fitting role.”
Everett stood to help Courtney bring the cornbread and utensils to the table. “They sure rolled over quick and acted out their performance as directed.”
The three of them ate their simple meal together and Elijah returned home. Courtney and Everett turned in early, and . . . well, it was their honeymoon night.
CHAPTER 3
For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
Matthew 24:21
Everett took the last pancake from the pan and cracked four eggs. “Good morning, princess.” He winked at Courtney as she reached the bottom of the ladder.
“What did you do to me last night?” She wrapped her arms around him and kissed his neck from behind. “And how do you have energy to be up cooking breakfast so early?”
“It’s almost noon. I’ve been up since nine.” He poured the eggs in the pan and walked back over to the fireplace, bent down and set the pan on the makeshift grill he’d built from rocks and the old oven rack to cook over the coals.
She followed him into the living room and stretched her arms. “Nine? What have you been doing since then?”
“Reading the Bible. I finished John and read Romans.”
“Any good stuff about the Great Tribulation?”
“None, but I feel like I’m getting a better handle on what it means to be a Christian.” Everett took a seat on the hearth to stir the eggs.
Courtney walked back into the kitchen to retrieve a coffee cup, returned and sat on the hearth next to Everett. “John and Romans; okay, I’ll read that after breakfast.”
Everett poured some coffee into her cup. “I’m thinking of trying to contact Mr. Black to invite him and Ms. White to come up here.”
“To live with us?”
“Yeah, what do you think?”
Courtney sipped her coffee p
ensively. “I’m not sure. What do we know about them?”
Everett paid close attention to the eggs, making sure they wouldn’t burn or stick. “We know they were part of the resistance. We know they don’t believe in Luz or the pope. We know they do believe that the rapture is what caused the disappearances. We need more people than you, me, and Elijah to survive. We have to set up a security watch. Food and resources are scarce, people are desperate and yesterday probably won’t be the last time we get robbed or attacked.”
She stood with the coffee pot and her cup to take to the kitchen table. “I get all of that. But do we know if they’ve committed their lives to Christ?”
Everett followed her with the eggs. “We don’t know, but is that fair to judge them? Ken and Lisa accepted us when we weren’t saved.”
“Ken and Lisa weren’t saved either when we came up here. Besides, Jones left this place to you. From Lisa and Ken’s perspective, it was come up here with you or take their chances riding out the chaos in DC. What if they get up here and decide the tribulation is too tough? What if they decide to take the Mark and turn us in?”
“These two were on Thinthread’s team. They’ve been risking their lives to fight against the New World Order ever since the false flag attacks were blamed on the patriots and the Christians. I’m relatively certain that they won’t flip quite that easily.” Everett put the two plates on the table, sat down and began eating.
Courtney looked at him. “Are we going to pray before we eat?”
“Oh, yeah. We should.” He laid his fork on the table and bowed his head. “God, I’m still not too good at this, but thank you for providing us food and a safe place to live. We pray that you’ll continue to protect us and give us wisdom to make the right decisions.” He looked up.
