Leon just whimpered and wailed.
Carpathia cursed God and lifted his sword to the sky. Then he paused, seeing something in the heavens.
Vicki glanced up when God’s temple opened and a flood of brilliant light surrounded her.
Judd pulled Vicki toward a nearby wall as lightning flashed, thunder roared, and the earth shifted.
In seconds the earth buckled and swayed. Carpathia’s soldiers were swallowed through great cracks in the earth.
Conrad held on to Shelly while they rode out the huge earthquake together. Somehow the Global Community News Network managed to stay on the air and showed satellite pictures of the earth bathed in a light that originated from Jesus. In North America, a huge dust cloud hovered over Arizona, and reports that the Grand Canyon had been filled in and was now level brought oohs and aahs from their friends. Even more incredible was the shot over Nepal showing that Mount Everest and the mountain ranges surrounding it had crumbled and were now as flat as every other place on earth. Islands disappeared into the sea. Everything had been leveled except for the city of Jerusalem.
Someone gasped and pointed up. Conrad glanced skyward and saw Jesus, who spoke in a loud voice. “Speak tenderly to Jerusalem. Tell her that her sad days are gone and that her sins are pardoned. Yes, the Lord has punished her in full for all her sins.
“Fill the valleys and level the hills. Straighten out the curves and smooth off the rough spots. Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. The Lord has spoken!
“Watch, for the day of the Lord has come when your possessions will be plundered right in front of you! On that day I gathered all the nations to fight against Jerusalem. Half the population was taken away into captivity, and half was left among the ruins of the city. I went out and fought against those nations, as I have fought in times past.
“And I sent a plague on all the nations that fought against Jerusalem. Their people became like walking corpses, their flesh rotting away. Their eyes shriveled in their sockets, and their tongues decayed in their mouths. On that day they were terrified, stricken by me with great panic.
“I made Jerusalem and Judah like an intoxicating drink to all the nearby nations that sent their armies to besiege Jerusalem. On that day I made Jerusalem a heavy stone, a burden for the world. None of the nations who tried to lift it escaped unscathed.
“I caused every horse to panic and every rider to lose his nerve. I watched over the people of Judah, but I blinded the horses of her enemies.
“I defended the people of Jerusalem; the weakest among them will be as mighty as King David! And the royal descendants will be like God, like the angel of the Lord who goes before them! I destroyed all the nations that came against Jerusalem.
“Therefore, a curse consumed the earth and its people. They were left desolate, destroyed by fire. Few were left alive.
“Throughout the earth the story is the same—like the stray olives left on the tree or the few grapes left on the vine after harvest, only a remnant is left.
“That group called on my name, and I answered them. I said, ‘These are my people,’ and they said, ‘The Lord is our God.’ ”
Lionel followed the others to the east side of the Old City. Only a small portion of Carpathia’s army remained alive, and most of them had been injured. Piles of human bones stood several feet high in some places. Many of the living staggered toward shelter as Jesus sat on his white horse. A host of his army was behind him looking on at the one-sided victory.
“It’s going to be hard to get used to everything being flat,” Sam said.
Lionel smiled and looked at the sky. “There’s going to be a lot of things around here that won’t be hard to get used to.”
45
JUDD was proud of Vicki for having the idea of finding their new friend Ehud and releasing him. They crept through the narrow street, avoiding the surviving Unity Army soldiers, and found several dozen Jewish believers chained together in a basement of a two-story building. Ehud called to them and said many of the prisoners had been starved and tortured, but they all looked fine now. Judd noticed bones of a guard near a vending machine and fished through the man’s pockets until he heard keys rattle.
While Vicki loosed the prisoners, Judd smashed the vending machine and handed out food. Vicki wanted to look for more prisoners, but Judd thought it wouldn’t be safe with the Unity Army still around.
“How long before we see the Messiah return to the Mount of Olives?” a skinny prisoner said to the others.
When no one answered Vicki said, “It has to be soon. It looks like he’s already taken care of most of Carpathia’s troops.”
Ehud ran away with the other prisoners while Judd and Vicki moved through a gate and toward a hillside. Judd thought she looked as happy as he had seen her in months.
“Why is the Mount of Olives so important?” Judd said.
Vicki started to answer. Then her jaw dropped. “Look, the remnant is moving this way.”
Lionel left Sam and the rest of the remnant and jogged toward Jerusalem. When he reached the wall of the city, he climbed on top and scanned the area. Bodies lay strewn about the streets. Dead rebels were scattered among the bones of Unity Army soldiers. Surviving soldiers regrouped for another attack on the Temple Mount.
He wondered where the bodies of Dr. Ben-Judah and Buck Williams were. Perhaps Buck and Tsion were mixed in with the other dead in front of him.
Lionel scampered down from the wall and raced back to his friends. He was thrilled that he would be face-to-face with Jesus again soon.
Conrad and Shelly helped Enoch move his furniture from the basement to the first floor of his house. Enoch said there would be no more hiding now that the Lord had returned. Shelly called for them from upstairs, where they found Nicolae Carpathia and Leon Fortunato on television, surrounded by advisors, generals, and a swarm of reporters.
“You’d think he’d have enough sense to get out of there,” Enoch said.
“Denial’s not just a dried-up river in Egypt,” Conrad said.
“That was bad,” Shelly said, punching Conrad on the shoulder.
Carpathia waved his arms and barked orders at troops. Conrad turned up the volume in time to hear Nicolae say, “This city shall become my throne. The temple will be flattened and the way made for my palace, the most magnificent structure ever erected. We have captured half the enemy here, and we will dispose of the other half in due time.
“The final stage of our conquest is nearly ready to be executed, and we will soon be rid of this nuisance from above.”
Lionel looked up and saw Jesus hovering over the remnant. He spoke words of comfort and compassion, and when Lionel fell to his knees, Jesus spoke directly to him. “It has pleased God to tell his people that the riches and glory of Christ are for you, Lionel. Christ lives in you, and this is your assurance that you will share in his glory. I am a mighty Savior from the royal line of God’s servant David. The truth is, I existed before Abraham was even born!”
The remnant burst into praises to Jesus, drowning out the sound of the marching band that played “Hail Carpathia” in the distance.
Lionel moved along the edges of the crowd, watching Jesus.
Behind him a familiar voice said, “He’s blinded to the truth about himself and God. He’s leading every one of those soldiers to certain death.”
Lionel turned and saw Judd and Vicki. He put his left arm behind his back and yelled for them.
Their faces lit up when they saw Lionel, and they rushed toward him.
“Wait. I have a surprise,” Lionel said, pulling his left arm from behind his back. Vicki and Judd were amazed at what God had done, and they hugged Lionel.
“Can you believe we’re actually here?” Vicki said. “I’ve dreamed of this moment since we met in Bruce Barnes’ office at New Hope Village Church.”
“And we’re together.” Lionel began to tell them about his experience running from Petra to Jerusalem, but
when Jesus nudged his horse forward to the Mount of Olives, he stopped. The remnant stood and Carpathia headed toward them, his sword held high, the rest of his army trailing.
Jesus dismounted as Carpathia shouted the command to attack. As soldiers fired and horses galloped forward, Jesus’ voice sounded like a trumpet. “I AM THE ONE WHO ALWAYS IS.”
Immediately the Mount of Olives split in two. The newly formed chasm left Carpathia and his army on one side, Jesus and the remnant on the other. The firing and galloping stopped. Soldiers screamed in agony, and their bodies burst open.
Jesus spoke to those still held prisoner in Jerusalem. “You will flee through this valley, for it will reach across to Azal. Yes, you will flee as you did from the earthquake in the days of King Uzziah of Judah. Then the Lord your God will come, and all his holy ones with me.”
People inside Jerusalem shouted, and Vicki put a hand to her mouth. “Look,” she whispered.
Out of the gates came prisoners, some with chains still on their feet. Their bodies were thin and many had scars, but they ran toward the valley created when the mount had split. The earth rumbled, and Lionel stared as the whole city of Jerusalem rose higher and higher into the air until it stood thirty yards above everything.
Judd tapped Lionel’s shoulder and pointed toward two figures running for their lives. “That’s Nicolae and Leon, but what’s that bright thing bouncing ahead of them?”
Lionel shrugged. “They say that Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Maybe that’s old Lucifer.”
Unity Army soldiers chased the freed captives through the new valley. But when Jesus spoke, the soldiers fell dead.
“Life-giving waters will flow out from Jerusalem,” Jesus said, “half toward the Dead Sea and half toward the Mediterranean, flowing continuously both in summer and in winter. And the Lord will be king over all the earth. Today there will be one Lord—his name alone will be worshiped.
“All the land from Geba, north of Judah, to Rimmon, south of Jerusalem, has become one vast plain. But Jerusalem has been raised up in its original place and inhabited all the way from the Benjamin Gate over to the site of the old gate, then to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the king’s wine-presses. And Jerusalem will be filled, safe at last, never again to be cursed and destroyed.”
Tears came to Vicki’s eyes when Jesus mounted his horse and rode on. Every word he spoke devoured his enemies.
“This is the day of God’s vengeance, and the prophetic words of the Scriptures have been fulfilled. The arrogance of all people will be brought low. Their pride will lie in the dust. The Lord alone will be exalted!”
Voices from heaven shouted, “The whole world has now become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever.
“We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the one who is and who always was, for now you have assumed your great power and have begun to reign. The nations were angry with you, but now the time of your wrath has come. It is time to judge the dead and reward your servants. You will reward your prophets and your holy people, all who fear your name, from the least to the greatest. And you will destroy all who have caused destruction on the earth.”
As Vicki followed the people, she expected to see dead bodies about the streets and fallen weapons and equipment. Instead, as the remnant sang and danced and praised God, she saw clean streets and no bodies. And something else strange—all the walls had been leveled.
“There is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and people, I, the man Christ Jesus. I gave my life to purchase freedom for everyone.”
People lined up for miles behind Jesus, and finally they all were inside the city. Hovering over them were the hosts of heaven, still on horseback. Judd grabbed Vicki’s arm, she grabbed Lionel, and they moved to a ledge overlooking the crowd.
Jesus had dismounted and stretched out his arms. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem,” the Lord cried, “the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me. And now look, your house is left to you empty. And you will never see me again until you say, ‘Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ”
Vicki had held her breath for so long, but now she couldn’t help bursting forth, “Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord!”
Everyone else had shouted the same thing at the same time, and Jesus beamed.
Judd looked around at people from different backgrounds who spoke different languages. He put his head in his hands and whispered, “Thank you, Jesus. Thank you for letting us be here at this moment.”
When he looked up, five heavenly beings stood behind Jesus. Vicki nudged Judd and said, “The second one from the left is the one we saw in Wisconsin.”
People around them spoke the angels’ names. Nahum, Christopher, and Caleb had been angels of mercy, delivering some from certain death. The two other angels near Jesus were Gabriel and Michael.
Judd looked into Jesus’ eyes, and something stirred in his heart. Jesus said, “Come to me, my child.”
Judd’s mouth dropped open, and he put a hand to his chest. “Me?”
Jesus nodded.
Judd looked at Vicki. She and Lionel moved forward with him. The whole throng moved toward Jesus as he spoke to a million people individually. Incredible!
“Come to me, Judd, and I will give you rest.”
Judd kept moving, wanting to run into the arms of Jesus like a child, but he couldn’t stop thinking about his sin. He had been so selfish and felt dirty, as if Jesus might reject him.
But the Lord reached out with his scarred hands. “Come,” he said softly.
Judd looked into Jesus’ eyes—burning like fire and so loving. He ran into the arms of Christ and was gathered in.
“Judd, Judd, how I have looked forward to and longed for this day. I knew your name before the foundation of the world. I have prepared a place for you, and if it were not so, I would have told you.”
Judd tried to speak but couldn’t.
Jesus gently pushed Judd back and looked him full in the face. Judd was only inches away from the King of kings. “I was there when you were born. I was there the night at the youth group when you decided you would go your own way.”
“Forgive me …,” Judd choked.
Vicki stared into the eyes of love and wept.
“Vicki, I was there when you cried yourself to sleep. When your uncle caused you so much pain. I was there when your mother and father chose me and you rejected me.”
“I’m so sorry. …”
“I was there when you were left behind. I was there when you first met Judd. And I was waiting when you heard the truth and finally came to me.”
Vicki cocked her head, and a tear ran down her cheek. “Oh, Lord, how can I thank you?”
“I have loved you with an everlasting love. I am the lover of your soul. You were meant to be with me for eternity, and now you shall be.”
Then Jesus put one hand on Vicki’s shoulder and the other atop her head. “I pray that from my Father’s glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit. And I pray that I will be more and more at home in your heart as you trust in me. May your roots go deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is. May you experience my love, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
“Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope. May he be given glory in the church and in me forever and ever though endless ages. Amen.”
46
IT HAD happened so quickly, Vicki thought. And for everyone—a million people had experienced a personal encounter with
Jesus.
Vicki moved back to her place and took Judd’s hand. He and Lionel worshiped God in silence and with tears. But no one seemed ashamed of the emotion. They were all in the presence of the one who had loved them enough to die for them.
The next few minutes were a blur as Vicki thought of her encounter with Jesus. The Lord spoke, praying to God the Father for the people.
Gabriel also spoke finally, saying, “The Lord is faithful; he will make you strong and guard you from the evil one.”
At the mention of the evil one, the archangel Michael brought forth Nicolae Carpathia, Leon Fortunato, and the three Carpathia look-alikes—Ashtaroth, Baal, and Cankerworm—Vicki had seen on video a few months earlier. These were demonic creatures bent on deceiving the nations.
Gabriel leaned down to the three and said, “As a fulfillment of age-old scriptural prophecy, you kneel this day before Jesus the Christ, the Son of the living God, who, though he was God, did not demand and cling to his rights as God. He made himself nothing; he took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form.
“And in human form he obediently humbled himself even further by dying a criminal’s death on a cross.”
“Yes!” the three squealed. “Yes! We know! We know!” And they bowed their deformed bodies.
Gabriel continued: “Because of this, God raised him up to the heights of heaven and gave him a name that is above every other name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
“Jesus Christ is Lord!” they hissed. “Jesus Christ is Lord! It is true! True! We acknowledge it! We acknowledge him!”
Jesus leaned forward. “ ‘As surely as I live,’ says the Sovereign Lord, ‘I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live.’ ”
“We repent! We will turn! We will turn! We worship you, O Jesus, Son of God. You are Lord!”
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