by Irvin Baxter
The van was now only twenty feet ahead, but it was still moving at close to twenty kilometers per hour. Maybe Moshe hadn’t seen him after all. “O God, help us right now!” When Shlomo was ten feet away from the moving van, he heard the click of the latch on the side door, and then he understood. He timed his leap right for the side door. Miraculously, the door flew open, and he found himself lying gasping and exhausted on the carpeted floor. Instantly, as though it had never been opened, the door slammed shut behind him. Shlomo heard the roar of the 352 engine as Moshe buried the accelerator in the floor-board.
“All you all right?” he heard Moshe scream.
“I’m just fine,” Shlomo gasped. “Thanks.”
Chapter 16
Yossi Etzion had moved to the settlement of Otniel in 1995. What an honor to be among those privileged to reclaim the land promised to Abraham four thousand years ago! As he worked from sunup to sundown tilling the land and building a home for his family, he knew he was a player in something not only historic, but also prophetic. Many times he had read the promise to Abraham in Genesis 15:18, “In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates.”
Sometimes life was hard in the areas of Judea and Samaria, but it was worth it. It made his blood boil when he heard politicians say that some of the land might have to be given back to the Arabs in order to have peace. Yossi couldn’t believe it when the plan was implemented, placing his beloved Otniel under Palestinian rule! What was the godless government in Jerusalem thinking? Had they no faith at all?
It drove him mad when some of his fellow settlers decided to forsake their homes just because the government sold out to the pressure of the international community. Oh, he had heard the rumors! A time of great trouble lay ahead. Even his close friend Yoni had been deceived by those rumors. He thought back on the night when they had talked around the fire.
“Yossi, my family and I are thinking of leaving Otniel,” Yoni had said.
“What?! How could you?” Yossi had exclaimed.
“Just let me explain,” Yoni had pleaded. “Listen to me.” Yoni went on to present why he was making this difficult decision. “Yossi, you know I love the land of Israel just like you do. But I think we will have to come back to some of these disputed areas when the Messiah arrives. I’m convinced there is a horrible slaughter ahead that none of us will be able to stop, no matter what we do.”
By then, Yossi was so angry he couldn’t keep silent. “You’ve been listening to those prophets of doom again. Those are the voices that have taken Israel down to defeat throughout her past history!”
“Yossi, please hear me out, and then I’ll listen to anything you’ve got to say,” Yoni pleaded. “I have a friend in Jerusalem, Moshe, who has a very good friend in the United States. This friend in the U.S. loves Israel very much. Moshe’s friend has been a student of the Bible’s prophecies for many, many years. He told Moshe several years ago what the Bible says is coming. And, Yossi, so far everything has come to pass!”
“Like what?” Yossi challenged.
“He told Moshe that Israel would trade land for peace. And it happened. Then he told him our temple would be rebuilt on the Temple Mount. That is happening now.”
Yossi interrupted, “So what? We have all believed that the temple would be rebuilt.”
“I know. But that’s not all,” Yoni continued. “He told him several years in advance that the temple would be built north of the Dome of the Rock, leaving the Dome of the Rock in the temple’s outer court. Yossi, you know that none of us believed that would ever happen, but that’s where they’re building right now! He also said that animal sacrifices would be resumed, causing worldwide opposition by the animal rights activists. You know the debate that’s raging right now over the plan to reinstitute the daily sacrifices when the temple is completed.”
“But what does this have to do with your leaving our settlement?” Yossi demanded.
“That’s the point,” Yoni explained. “It has everything to do with it. This man also told Moshe that the Bible predicts in great detail a horrible slaughter in the area of Judea for the times immediately ahead of us now.”
Yossi exploded. “All of these so-called prophecies are nothing but a plot to weaken the hands of God’s people! You know yourself how many have deserted us because of these prophecies. And besides, aren’t some of these supposed prophecies from the New Testament? Why should we give those any consideration at all?!”
“But they have all come to pass!” Yoni argued. “How can we ignore them? And it looks like the ones that haven’t happened yet are right on target.”
“So what do the prophecies say we should do about the coming trouble?” Yossi asked.
“They say we must flee Judea. They say a horrible slaughter is coming that will sweep away all who remain,” Yoni explained.
Yossi’s reaction was violent. “You’re just like all the rest—cowards! I thought you were the one person in the world I could count on. But no! You’re just a yellow coward like the rest of the deserters!” Yossi almost spit out the bitter words, as if they were so vile he had to get them out of his mouth. “I don’t care what your stupid prophecies say. My family and I will defend the holy land of Israel, and we will gladly die for this soil, if necessary. Run like a coward, if that’s what you want to do. We’re staying!”
Yossi’s words cut like a dagger into his friend’s heart. Yet Yoni knew that Yossi really believed them. “Yossi, one more thing before I go. There is a very specific event that is supposed to happen that will trigger the coming holocaust prophesied for Judea. The prophecy states that a great global leader will ascend to power. When the furor develops over the animal sacrifices, this global leader will stand in the temple, stop the sacrifices, and claim to be the Messiah. At least keep your eyes on the news, and if those things happen, get out of here!”
Yossi remembered the conversation as if it were yesterday, though it had occurred many months ago now. He had tried to put all of those superstitions out of his mind. But try as he would, sometimes he would think about them—especially when he heard the news. And especially since the Temple dedication two days ago.
Just this morning on the radio they had been discussing world reaction to the animal sacrifices. Yossi had thought to himself, They can kill Jews. Just don’t kill their beloved animals! He understood that Michael Arachev was scheduled to hold a news conference on the Temple steps at noon today concerning the subject. Yossi decided to come back to the house at noon so he could see for himself what it was all about.
Before he headed to the field, Yossi checked his guns, his ammunition store, and the hand grenades he had purchased just in case things got really rough. He wouldn’t admit to himself that the possibility of the fulfillment of the prophecies was making him nervous. But it never hurt to be sure.
At noon, when he arrived back at the house, his wife Sarah had lunch already on the table. Yossi quickly flipped on the television. The news conference was only beginning. Michael Arachev, smooth as always, began:
“Many of you have been concerned about the offering of animals in the new Jewish temple. I share your concern. At the same time, we all know that, in the days of the First and Second Temples, this was an integral part of the Jewish religion. So, is there a compromise? Yes, I’m happy to announce that there is a solution to this conflict.
“Considering recent events, many have been asking if I could possibly be the promised Messiah. I’m sure each of you have read some of the articles in the press speculating about this possibility.
“Because of the present conflict, I feel the time has come to acknowledge what many of you have known instinctively for some time. I am the promised one! And I have come to lead the Jewish nation and the entire world into a new era of peace and security. As for the present issue, of course animals no longer need to be sacrificed. Your Messiah is here!”
Thun
derous applause swelled from the crowd that had gathered for the press conference. But Yossi had a horrible sickened feeling deep in the pit of his stomach. “Yossi, you’re not eating your lunch,” Sarah noted, concerned. “Are you all right? You look like you’re becoming ill.”
“No, I’m all right. But, Sarah, we could be headed for some trouble. Take the kids down to the settlement bunker, and then meet me at our assigned defense position as quickly as possible.”
“Yossi, what’s wrong?” Sarah cried.
“Don’t ask any questions. Just do as I say!” Yossi was already running out the door.
As the afternoon wore on, unusual activity was noticed among the Palestinians—and among their military personnel, in particular. Along about evening, Yossi heard the cry from the Palestinian command post nearby. “Allahu Akbar! God is Great! God is Great! There is no other god but Allah! Death to the infidels! Death to the Jews!”
He heard the low whine of the first incoming missile. It slammed directly into the town hall where the settlement’s men held their town meetings. The town hall exploded into flames. This was not merely an isolated harassment to which the settlers had become accustomed. This was all-out war!
As if out of nowhere on a given secret signal, Palestinians began to converge on Otniel. “God is great! God is great!” they screamed as they surged forward. From his defensive position above, Yossi began to pick them off one by one. When the magazine clip in one rifle was emptied, Sarah handed him a loaded one. Yossi and his fellow defenders exacted a terrible price from the attackers. But still they came. The sheer numbers were absolutely staggering! It was bone-chilling to see the fanaticism in their faces as they ran blindly forward, screaming, “God is great!”
The defenders fought valiantly, but they were severely outnumbered. The position of the advancing attackers inched slowly forward. The settlers knew that they were standing alone. There would be no Israeli army to rescue them this time. When the separation plan was implemented, they had been told in no uncertain terms that, if they chose to remain under Palestinian authority, they could not expect to be rescued in case of hostilities.
The first break in the defense line came to Yossi’s left. He saw his close friend Baruch go down. They had worked in the fields together. They had helped each other build their houses. Many sabbaths were spent together dreaming of the time when Eretz Yisrael would be under total Israeli control and at peace. Yossi looked away. The whole right side of Baruch’s face had been blown off.
The Arab attack was savage! The incoming fire was unrelenting. The Israeli settlers had no choice. They had to pull back their line of defense. The bloody house-to-house fighting for their settlement had begun. For every Israeli that went down, he took five Arabs with him. But they were outnumbered twenty to one!
The perimeter of their defense slowly but surely shrank, moving ever closer to that precious bunker holding their children. There they would make their last stand.
As the Palestinians reorganized themselves for their final assault, Yossi and Sarah found themselves alone for a moment. Both knew that hope was quickly vanishing. Sarah had, during many evenings, encouraged Yossi to follow Yoni out of the settlement and into safety. She had watched the fulfillment of one prophecy after another until she had no doubt that they were true. However, in the face of every argument, Yossi would always square his jaw and say, “This is our Promised Land. I will never leave it! I will die here, if necessary.”
Yossi looked at the fear in Sarah’s eyes. “I should have listened,” he said. “I’m sorry.”
Sarah smiled sweetly into his eyes, “I love you. I always have, and I always will—whatever happens. Just don’t let them take me alive. I couldn’t stand the horrible things they might do.”
“That won’t happen,” Yossi promised. He paused. “But we must see about the children.”
The massacre was now in full swing. Three Arabs had slipped through the back way and had reached the safe-house where the children were. A mother was pleading with one of the attackers, “Kill me, but don’t kill my baby.” The Arab yanked the little boy from her arms. “The only good Jew is a dead Jew,” he screamed. With that, he flung the little boy into the air, catching him on the end of his bayonet. As the boy screamed in the agonies of death, the mother fell on top of him with an unearthly wail of agony. “My baby, my baby,” she cried, oblivious to her own mortal danger. Then her body convulsed as the Arab’s bullets brought an end to her tortured screams.
It was obvious that all was lost. Only Yossi, Sarah, their two children, and eleven other settlers huddled in the innermost bunker. The incoming fire was withering, and they were almost out of ammunition. Twenty minutes later, Yossi put the rifle to his shoulder once again. Click. It was empty.
Apparently the Arab just around the corner from the opening of the bunker heard it as well. He slowly stuck his head into the door with a look of triumph on his face. All the settlers could do was huddle helplessly in the corner of the bunker. The Palestinian pulled the pin on the grenade and slowly lobbed it into the bunker. Just before the death-dealing explosion, the cry of the fleeing Arab was heard, “God is great!”
Chapter 17
Two days later, Shlomo saw the ad in the Jerusalem Post.
End-time Prophecy Conference
Subjects:
• Is Arachev Really the Messiah?
• Pope Peter II—Elijah or False Prophet?
• The Meaning of the Judea Persecution
• Will It Be Peace or the Gog-Magog War?
Jerusalem International Convention Center
Thursday, 7 p.m.
Public Is Invited!
Former residents of Judea-Samaria especially
encouraged to attend.
“Moshe, look at this!” Shlomo exclaimed, showing the ad to Moshe. “Let’s go see what this is all about!”
The conference was to start the next evening. Shlomo and Moshe made sure they arrived early. Even so, the Jerusalem International Convention Center was packed. They were surprised to see how many former residents of Judea and Samaria were there.
The featured speakers were two quite ordinary-looking men, but what they had to say was anything but ordinary. The power with which they spoke exceeded anything either Shlomo or Moshe had ever experienced.
The first speaker, Roger Cornell, opened with the session, “Is Arachev Really the Messiah?” Cornell took them step by step through the prophecies in the Bible concerning the Messiah.
“Micah 5:2 explicitly says that the Messiah will be born in Bethlehem—‘But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto Me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.’ Was Arachev born in Bethlehem?
“Isaiah 7:14 tells us that the Messiah will be born of a virgin—‘Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel.’ Was Arachev born of a virgin?
“Genesis 49:10 says that the true Messiah will come from the tribe of Judah—‘The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto Him shall the gathering of the people be.’ Does Arachev come from the tribe of Judah?
“Ladies and gentlemen, the answer to every one of these questions is, absolutely not. The plain truth is that Arachev is simply not your Messiah, or mine! And if he is not the Messiah, as he claims, then what is he? He is an imposter! He is not the Messiah. He is the anti-messiah. He is not the Christ; he is the antichrist!”
Shlomo and Moshe looked nervously around the room. These were dangerous words to be speaking. Since the New World Order had gained control, such open speech was no longer tolerated. Moshe had to admit, however, that it was quite refreshing to hear someone speak plainly and with courage. It had been quite a long time since anyone had dared.
Speaker Cornell continued, “How do I know that arachev is the antichrist?
Because he fulfills all the biblical prophecies concerning what the antichrist will do. Allow me to list a few.
“First, he confirmed a covenant concerning the future of Jerusalem and the Temple. You’ll find that in (Daniel 9:27). Second, he came to power in the midst of a ten-nation union. Look at Daniel 7:24. Third, he caused the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, as in Daniel 9:27. And fourth, he sat in the Temple and claimed to be Messiah and God. Refer to the New Testatment Book of Second Thessalonians 2:3-4.
“These are just a few of the fifty prophecies concerning the antichrist and what is prophesied he will do.”
By this time Shlomo’s mind was racing. It all makes sense! For one man to fulfill all of these prophecies just cannot be a coincidence.
The second speaker, David Freeman, stepped to the podium. “I want to speak on the following subject: ‘Pope Peter II—Elijah or False Prophet?’”
Both Shlomo and Moshe sat spellbound as Freeman went through the Bible’s prophecies about the Holy Roman Empire. “The Holy Roman Empire was born in 800 A.D. when Pope Leo III placed the crown on the head of Charlemagne. At that time, Pope Leo III made the pronouncement, ‘I now crown you emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.’ You see, there were always two leaders in the Holy Roman Empire—a political leader and a spiritual leader.
“The Bible prophesies that the one-world government of the endtimes will be the final revival of the Holy Roman Empire. That’s why the Book of Revelation clearly states there will be two leaders in the last-day world government—the antichrist and the false prophet.
