by Jim Plautz
The flotilla of native Ethiopian boats sailed from Lake Tana, forded the spectacular Tis Abay falls, and began the two-month journey to Jerusalem; the original site of Solomon’s Temple built to house the Ark of the Covenant. The path took them South along the Blue Nile River, past the falls and hydro-power station, before the Blue Nile curled west and then north towards Khartoum, Sudan, where the Blue Nile merged into the Nile. The flotilla sailed north along the Nile towards Cairo, Egypt and the Aswan dam. Millions of Egyptians lined the river, eager to catch a glimpse of this magnificent procession. The symbolism left no doubt that this was a convoy sent by God to defeat the Antichrist. The lead boat was painted white and housed two thrones where Matthew and Amar sat side by side, waiving to the thousands upon thousands of people that lined the river banks. Before them in the boat’s bow, was the Ark of the Covenant, glowing in its majestic wonder, for the people to behold.
The white barge was preceded by four “tankwas” or longboats, thirty feet in length with high, curved prows, each paddled by a dozen native Ethiopians. The boats were identical to the ‘vessels of bulrushes’, or ‘papyrus skiffs’ mentioned in the book of Isaiah, and still in use on Lake Tana today. The figure of a horse was sculptured into the bow of each boat; one white, one red, one black and the fourth, a pale horse believed to signify death.
The procession was nearing the Aswan Dam when an army of more than a million Muslims appeared out of the East carrying black flags or banners of war, a sure sign that the appearance of the Mahdi is imminent. Written in Arabic were the words, “There is no God but Allah and Mohammed is his Messenger”. The black flag, called Ar-Raya, is called the flag of jihad by radical Muslims.
The Messenger of Allah said: The black banners will come from the East and their hearts will be as firm as iron. Whoever hears of them should join them and give allegiance, even if it means crawling across snow.
There were two flags behind Amar’s throne. The white flag, called Al-Liwaa, proclaimed that he is the true leader of the Muslim army and the Islamic State. The black flag represents violence for radical Muslims.
When Mohammed returned to his home city of Mecca after being exiled for eight years, he returned as a conqueror. With him were ten thousand Muslim soldiers. They carried with them black flags. On the flags was one word written in Arabic: punishment. Symbolically, the black flag behind Amar was inscribed with the word peace.
The world watched in wonderment as the Muslim army from Iran laid down their arms and burned their flags. The Muslim soldiers knelt along the river and paid homage to their leader who they believed would guide them to better times and set up a new world order based on justice, righteousness and virtue. It was evident to the world that the Mahdi would not pursue the destruction of other religions or their subjugation to Islamic beliefs. The Mahdi was a man of peace.
The journey to return the Ark of the Covenant was almost complete. The procession wound its way through Jerusalem and approached the Temple Mount. The destruction that had killed Ahmadinejad and destroyed his false temple had been cleared away. Father Sean McGinnis had begun construction of a new temple that would be headquarters for Matthew’s new, world church.
Matthew and Amar stood side by side at the top of the steps leading up to the Dome of the Rock as the Falasha priests, the Black Jews of Ethiopia, carried the Ark of the Covenant up the steps and placed the Ark at their feet. The world watched as the two leaders knelt in prayer. Would Matthew allow Amar to lead the prayers as some scholars have prophesized?
I was near enough to see Matthew Wilson, the boy that I once knew as the greatest basketball player that I had ever coached, rise and step forward ever so slightly and proclaim;
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last.”
The Agents
The Next Sports Thriller by Jim Plautz
