Carl told them about the GC plans to find believers throughout the country. “I’m not going back to active duty. I have to warn those people.”
Pete scratched his chin and looked at Carl. “You might want to rethink that. I don’t pretend to know everything, but maybe God wants you to stay on the inside. That could be a big help.”
“But dangerous,” Mark said. “If they catch you—”
“I don’t care about that,” Carl said. “I wanted to get more teaching and make sure we warn as many as we can.”
“I’ll drop you off at the schoolhouse tomorrow,” Pete said. “You’ll get a crash course there and then you can decide.”
Carl nodded and stared at his plate. Mark knew whatever Carl decided would be dangerous, but if it meant saving the lives of believers, he was ready.
5
THOUGH he was exhausted, Lionel couldn’t get to sleep. When he closed his eyes, images of frightened people on the plane flashed in his mind. He saw the locusts, teeth bared, attacking the passengers. He thought of the woman inside the airport terminal and wondered if she had found her daughter. So many needed help.
Judd and Sam slept soundly, which increased Lionel’s frustration. He tossed and turned until the wee hours of the morning, then gave up and went to the kitchen for a drink. He found Yitzhak at the kitchen table pecking away at a laptop computer.
“Every morning I thank God for a new day to live and be part of this adventure,” Yitzhak whispered. He pulled out a chair for Lionel. “I could very easily be in heaven right now. The GC could have killed me while I was locked up there, but they didn’t. So God must have something for me to do.”
Yitzhak turned. “Do you realize we have something other believers have never had?”
“What’s that?” Lionel said.
“We know when Jesus will return! Believe me, I wish I had recognized the Messiah, but even though we are going through terrible times, each new judgment from God is a sign that he is real and he keeps his promises.”
Yitzhak had logged on to Tsion Ben-Judah’s Web site and read it carefully. “Tsion believes, though he admits it’s only a guess, that the locusts need bite a person once, and then they move on. I haven’t seen one up close yet.”
Lionel shook his head in disgust. “I have and it’s not a pretty picture.”
“I’m glad they’re working for God and not against believers.”
“What do you mean?” Lionel said.
“If Tsion is right that these are demons, these creatures must be going crazy. They hate believers. They must want to kill us, but they are under instructions from God to torture only unbelievers.”
“What Satan means for evil, God is using for good.”
“Exactly,” Yitzhak said.
Lionel looked out the window. Yellow light signaled another beautiful sunrise. But with the beauty came the racket of the locusts searching for new victims. “I don’t know if I can take five months of that noise.”
“Look at this,” Yitzhak said, pulling up the latest report from the 144,000 witnesses. Like Mr. Stein, they were reaching remote tribal groups that understood the message in their own language. Those people were becoming tribulation saints and spreading the message even more.
“I can’t wait for Mr. Stein to get back and tell his story,” Lionel said.
“That may take months,” Yitzhak said. “Transportation is at a standstill.”
Tsion wrote that one day the world system would require a mark on every person to buy and sell. Once a person took the mark offered by the Global Community, it would seal the fate of that person for all time, just as the mark of the believer sealed the person as a child of God forever.
I beg of you not to look upon God as mean when we see the intense suffering of the bite victims. This is all part of his master design to turn people to him so he can demonstrate his love. The Scriptures tell us God is ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in kindness. How it must pain him to have to resort to such measures to reach those he loves!
It hurts us to see that even those who do receive Christ as a result of this ultimate attention-getter still suffer for the entire five months prescribed in biblical prophecy. And yet I believe we are called to see this as a picture of the sad fact that sin and rebellion have their consequences. There are scars. If a victim receives Christ, God has redeemed him, and he stands perfect in heaven’s sight. But the effects of sin linger.
Oh, dear ones, it thrills my heart to get reports from all over the globe that there are likely more Christ followers now than were raptured. Even nations known for only a tiny Christian impact in the past are seeing great numbers come to salvation.
Of course we see that evil is also on the rise. The Scriptures tell us that those who remain rebellious even in light of this awful plague simply love themselves and their sin too much. Much as the world system tries to downplay it, our society has seen catastrophic rises in drug abuse, sexual immorality, murder, theft, demon worship, and idolatry.
Be of good cheer even in the midst of chaos and plague, loved ones. We know from the Bible that the evil demon king of the abyss is living up to his name— Abaddon in Hebrew and Apollyon in Greek, which means Destroyer—in leading the demon locusts on the rampage. But we as the sealed followers of the Lord God need not fear. For as it is written: “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. . . . We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.”
Always test my teaching against the Bible. Read it every day. New believers—and none of us are old, are we?—learn the value of the discipline of daily reading and study. When we see the ugly creatures that have invaded the earth, it becomes obvious that we too must go to war.
Yitzhak turned the computer screen toward him and read the next paragraphs aloud. Through trembling lips he read:
“Finally, my brethren, with the apostle Paul I urge you to ‘be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
“‘Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
“‘And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel.’
“Until next we interact through this miracle of technology the Lord has used to build a mighty church against all odds, I remain your servant and his, Tsion Ben-Judah.”
“Pray with me,” Yitzhak said, bowing his head. “Lord God, I ask your protection on my young friend and his companions. Give them strength to follow your will. Show them the way to go and give them peace.”
Lionel went back to his room and thought about what Tsion had written. Though the demons were terrifying and the world was in chaos, God was in control and would be victorious.
The sun peeked over the horizon and sunshine streamed through the window as Lionel put his head on the pillow and fell asleep.
It had been a long, exhausting day for Vicki. On normal nights the kids would stay up late talking or searching the Internet for the latest news. On this night they went to their rooms quietly and fell into bed.
Vicki jolted awake. Something moved. A locust landed on the cove
rs of her bed. “Apollyon!” the creature said.
Vicki kicked at the covers and the locust flew away. She shuddered and thought about what had happened that day. Earlier, Conrad had played a game with Charlie and Darrion, seeing who could hit the most locusts with a baseball bat. Each took turns swatting at the beasts. Conrad made up rules as he went along. The kids were awarded singles, doubles, and home runs, depending on how far the locusts were hit and how long they were unable to fly.
Charlie hit two locusts with one swing, and the kids cheered. Darrion timed a swing perfectly and hit one locust into another. One locust screamed, “Apollyon” just as Conrad whacked it past the tree line. “No,” Conrad said, “Apolly-going-going-gone!”
Lenore shook her head and took Tolan inside.
Shelly said the game was gruesome. “You’re playing with demons!”
“Maybe we’re saving somebody some pain,” Conrad said. “If we keep these busy, they can’t sting somebody else.”
“It’s just not right,” Shelly said.
“We’re just having a little fun,” Darrion said.
“Can’t you do something?” Shelly said to Vicki.
Vicki shrugged as Shelly went back inside. She finally asked them to stop when Conrad put duct tape on a locust’s wing and watched it fly in a circle.
“Where do you think these things will go when they’re finished stinging people?” Conrad said.
Now Vicki thought about the question as she lay awake. Maybe they would go back into the hole where the meteor hit. Perhaps they would disappear when God was through with them.
Someone moaned and footsteps sounded on the floor above her. Vicki climbed the stairs. Melinda was alone in the upstairs bedroom, half asleep but still writhing in pain. Janie’s bed was empty. A door closed downstairs. Vicki walked quietly to the kitchen and tried the door to the basement. Suddenly, two locusts shot past her screaming, “Apollyon!”
Vicki jumped back and took a deep breath. She wondered when things would get back to normal. But what was normal now? People vanishing, earthquakes, meteors, freezing temperatures, and now flying demons. Nothing was like it used to be.
Something spilled in the kitchen and Vicki found Janie kneeling, picking up pills and stuffing them into her mouth.
“No!” Vicki said, grabbing the jar away from her.
“Give it back,” Janie said. “I want to take all of them and get this over with.”
Vicki shook her head. “It doesn’t matter how many you take, you won’t die.”
Janie slumped to the floor and cried. Vicki put an arm around her, but the girl pushed her away.
“How long will you run from the truth?” Vicki said. “We tried to warn you and you wouldn’t believe us.”
Janie moaned and reached for more pills. Vicki dragged her from the pantry and closed the door.
“If I believe like you guys, will it take away the pain?” Janie said.
“No. Once you’ve been stung, you’ve just got to ride it out. And it might get worse.”
“Worse!?!”
“You still have the chance to believe,” Vicki said. “God will forgive you.”
“I helped that woman and her baby. I put my life on the line for them. What more do I need to do?”
“You still think that doing good things will make you OK with God. That’s not how it works.”
“I’ve tried my best,” Janie said.
“No. You didn’t listen to a thing we’ve told you about how to connect with God. You’ve tried to be a good person and do good things so they’d outweigh the dumb stuff you’ve done.”
“What dumb stuff?”
“The drugs and the lying,” Vicki said. “You almost got yourself killed back at the detention center because nobody trusted you.”
“Wasn’t my fault,” Janie whined.
“When are you going to take responsibility for your life? You’re the one who’s gotten yourself into this mess. Don’t blame anyone else.”
Janie grabbed her stomach and rolled on the floor. “How can you be so cruel, preaching to me when I’m in so much pain?”
“Because this is the first time you’re listening. Maybe getting stung by that locust will be worth it if you finally realize—”
“Nothing is worth this much pain,” Janie said. “You don’t know what it feels like.”
“You’re right, I don’t. But the pain you’re feeling now is nothing compared to the pain of being separated from God forever. Multiply what you’re feeling right now by about a million and—”
“Don’t try to scare me.”
“I’m telling you the truth!” Vicki yelled. She wondered if she had awakened anyone in the house. She paused, then heard Tolan cry in another room. A few minutes later he stopped and apparently went back to sleep.
Vicki looked closely at Janie and was scared. The girl’s eyes were hollow and her lips chapped. Her face was white as a sheet.
“If God would do this to me,” Janie said, “I don’t want to connect with him. He doesn’t care.”
“That’s not true,” Vicki said. She grabbed a Bible. “God could have wiped out everybody who didn’t believe in him. Instead, he’s being patient with us.”
“How do you figure that?”
Vicki turned to Second Peter. “This was written a long time before the disappearances, but it’s still true. It says, ‘He does not want anyone to perish, so he is giving more time for everyone to repent.’ A little later it says, ‘The Lord is waiting so that people have time to be saved.’”
Janie rolled her eyes. “God is stinging us and putting us through earthquakes because he cares? I say that’s a weird way of showing it.”
“Don’t you see?” Vicki said. “This is your only hope.”
But no matter how Vicki tried to explain God’s love, Janie wouldn’t listen. She stood and hobbled toward the stairs. “If you can find anything in there about how to kill yourself, let me know.”
Vicki made sure Janie made it to bed before she went to her own room. Melinda awoke a few minutes later and screamed for some medicine to help with the pain.
It’s going to be a long five months, Vicki thought.
6
THE NEXT day, Vicki heard a truck and rushed outside. The paralyzing fear that the GC would show up and bust them was gone, but anytime the kids heard a strange noise they knew it could be trouble. She stayed behind a tree and watched.
Vicki couldn’t place the driver and the other passenger, but she knew Mark’s smile. He jumped out and introduced Carl. Vicki noticed Carl had the mark of the believer.
“And you’re not going to believe who I ran into,” Mark said. A burly man walked out from behind the truck.
“Pete!” Vicki screamed.
Pete hugged Vicki and the others, then turned to the schoolhouse. “Some place.”
“Works for us,” Vicki said. “Come inside and catch us up on everything—”
Pete shook his head. “Work first—talk later.”
The kids pitched in and unloaded the truck. This was the biggest shipment Z had sent them. They filled the shed and the storage area near the kitchen and moved to the basement. They even lined the underground tunnel with canned food, making sure there was room to get by in case they needed a quick escape.
Pete heard the moans and cries of Melinda and Janie upstairs. Vicki explained the situation and introduced Lenore and Tolan.
The truck was nearly empty when Pete suggested they take a break for lunch. He told the kids what had happened on his trip south. Vicki thought it incredible how God had prepared Pete to give the gospel message to people around the country. Each truck stop was a new opportunity.
While the others ate, Conrad asked Mark and Vicki to join him in the study room. “I know Carl’s supposed to be a believer, but isn’t it kind of dangerous bringing him here?”
“Supposed to be?” Mark said.
“I’m not trying to be difficult,” Conrad said. “I just want to be careful.”
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Mark held up a hand. “I wrestled with the question a long time before I brought him. He’s OK.”
“I don’t like it,” Conrad said. “Even if his mark is real, he’s still GC. If those guys track him here . . .”
“You were GC before we took you in,” Mark said. “Why shouldn’t—”
“Want to inspect my mark?” someone said behind them. “Go ahead.”
Vicki turned. Carl stood in the doorway. “I don’t blame you for being suspicious. Here. See if you can rub it off.”
Conrad shook his head. “It’s OK. I didn’t mean anything—”
“Sure you did,” Carl said, walking closer. “What we’re doing is dangerous. If the GC find me, I’m dead meat and you guys would be next.”
“Which is exactly what I’m saying,” Conrad said. “I know how the GC operate. They could easily drag the truth out of any of us if they caught us.”
“That’s why I don’t think I should go back there,” Carl said. “There are just too many ways for the GC to—”
“We can talk about the future later,” Mark said. “The point is, you’re one of us now and you’re here.”
Carl looked at Vicki. “I want to learn as much as I can as fast as I can.”
Vicki nodded. “We’ll help you.”
Lionel was still asleep when Judd awoke. Judd spent the day watching news reports of the locust attack and reading Tsion Ben-Judah’s Web site. He couldn’t wait to hear what had happened to Mr. Stein. He imagined the man riding through dangerous territory and giving the gospel in languages he had never even heard of before.
Judd wrote an e-mail about his travels and what he had seen in Africa. He sent it to Tsion Ben-Judah and the kids back at the schoolhouse.
Sam joined Judd and read over his shoulder. When he finished, Sam said, “I’ve made up my mind. I’m going to see my father.”
Judd turned his chair around.
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