Arrived (43 page)

When the lights went out, Vicki grabbed Judd's arm and stood. They felt their way to the edge of the barbed-wire fence and listened to the anxious voices of the Unity Army officers. The woman Vicki had talked with had prayed with her and asked God's forgiveness for not seeing Jesus as her Messiah. The woman immediately began talking with other prisoners.

“Is this some kind of—?” Judd began, but he stopped.

Light.

Intense white light from heaven covered everything.

It was so bright that GC officers cried out even more than from the darkness.

Vicki glanced up at the thick cloud cover and gasped as it scrolled back.
This is it!
she thought.
This is what we've been waiting for!
But nothing came from her mouth. She and Judd fell to their knees in awe.

As heaven opened, a white horse appeared. On it sat Jesus, the Messiah, Creator of the universe, Son of God.

Vicki's eyes were riveted on her Savior—right in front of her, his eyes flashing, his head held high. He wore a white robe that stretched to his feet. On the robe were the words:
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS
. Around his chest was a golden band. In his right hand were seven stars, and his face shone like the sun. People—a crowd so big it was impossible to count—followed him on white horses.

An angel stepped forward, held out its arms, and beckoned to the birds saying, “Come! Gather together for the great banquet God has prepared. Come and eat the flesh of kings, captains, and strong warriors; of horses and their riders; and of all humanity, both free and slave, small and great.”

Then Jesus spoke with a voice that shook the earth. “I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end.”

Is everyone else seeing this?
Vicki wondered.
Is everyone on earth hearing what we're hearing?

Lionel was thrilled at the voice of Jesus. So this was why Bruce Barnes, Tsion Ben-Judah, and others called it the Glorious Appearing.

Lionel wanted to reach out and thank the Lord for restoring his arm, for hearing his prayers, for saving him from his sins, for his love and justice—for everything!

When Jesus spoke his first words, Lionel glanced at the Unity Army as thousands of soldiers fell like a sea of dominoes. At first, it looked like their bodies sank into the sand, but as Lionel looked closer he noticed bodies ripping open and blood pouring out.

“I am the living one who died. Look, I am alive forever and ever!” Jesus said. “And I hold the keys of death and the grave.”

Judd felt like he was in a dream. He had seen people play the part of Jesus, but the real Jesus didn't look or sound like them at all. His voice spoke peace to every part of Judd's heart.

“I am the Son of Man, the Son of God, the Amen— the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. I am the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David's throne, the one who conquered to open the scroll and break its seven seals.”

Judd glanced at the soldiers around him. They stared, mouths open.

“I am the Lamb that was slain and yet who lives. I am the Shepherd who leads his sheep to the springs of life-giving water. I am the God who will wipe away all your tears. I am your Salvation and Power. I am the Christ who has come for the Accuser, who accused our brothers and sisters before our God day and night, the one who has been thrown down to earth.”

Believers looked on in awe and worship while God's enemies whimpered.

Conrad couldn't take his eyes off Jesus. The moment he had waited for since he had asked God to forgive him had finally come. He fell to his knees and soaked in the Lord's presence.

But how was Jesus doing this? How was he appearing to him in Illinois
and
in the Holy Land? And for that matter, Conrad thought, to people around the globe?

“I am the Word of God,” Jesus said. “I am Jesus. I am both the source of David and the heir to his throne. I am the bright morning star.”

Everyone in Enoch's group remained quiet and listened. Conrad heard soft weeping from Shelly, and he put his arm around her. A commotion next door distracted Conrad for a second when a door opened and neighbors burst from their homes. The light from Christ blinded them, and they ran through the yard, bumping into each other.

“I see him, Mama,” little Tolan said, reaching toward the sky.

“That's right,” his mother, Lenore, said. “And he sees each one of us down here.”

“Where did he get that horse?” Tolan asked.

Lenore smiled and put a finger to her lips, watching Jesus in the sky.

Conrad thought it was a good question. And they had plenty of time to get answers. A thousand years, in fact.

42

VICKI
stared at the heavenly scene, overwhelmed by the sight of Christ. She knew, deep down, that this is what she had been waiting for all her life, not just since she had become a believer. All the drinking and partying, the sneaking out on her parents, all the nights alone—abandoned by her so-called friends—the tears, the sorrow. Jesus was the answer to all her questions, and he was the source of love and everything good. His plan, his life was what she had always needed.

She noticed the people behind Jesus and realized that somewhere back there was her family. Ryan Daley was there too and Pete Davidson and Mark. The list went on and on, and she couldn't wait to see her friends, but that would be later. Right now she focused on the Messiah.

“I am able, once and forever, to save everyone who comes to God through me. I live forever to plead with God on their behalf. I come from above and am above all. My Father has delivered all things to me. God has put all things under my authority, and he gave me this authority for the benefit of the church. I am the anchor of your soul, strong and trustworthy. I am the Lord's Christ.”

Vicki had read that Jesus appeared with a sword from his mouth and assumed this sword would be the Word of God. Was Jesus killing his enemies at Petra? What was going on there?

Lionel tore his eyes from Jesus and picked up the high-powered binoculars on the ground. He had to see what was happening on the desert floor.

“I am the vine; you are the branches,” Jesus said, his voice booming off the rocks above Lionel. “Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who parts from me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned.

“I am God's Messenger and High Priest, appeared in the flesh, righteous by the Spirit, seen by angels, announced to the nations, believed on in the world, taken up into heaven.

“I am the Son whom God has promised everything to as an inheritance, and through whom he made the universe and everything in it. I reflect God's own glory, and everything about me represents God exactly. I sustain the universe by the mighty power of my command. After I died to cleanse you from the stain of sin, I sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God of heaven. I am far greater than the angels, just as the name God gave me is far greater than their names.”

Lionel scanned the battlefield and was amazed at the amount of blood. Some soldiers saw their fallen comrades and were so upset they turned their guns on themselves. Others dug into the blood-soaked sand, trying to find a place to hide from the white light of God.

The army—at least those still alive—ran away from Jesus. But where were they going? Where could anyone go from the gaze of almighty God?

Lionel remembered comforting words from the Psalms: “I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence!” Now that verse took on new meaning. Where could any enemy go to get away from God's judgment?

As the rest of the living fled, Lionel scanned the perimeter of Petra. For miles he saw dead and dying soldiers, holes in the sand where trucks and tanks lay buried, dead horses, and a few skeleton-like people walking in a daze. Above this awful scene circled a huge flock of birds. They flew to the bodies and began eating.

In the lull that followed, someone began singing, “Praise God from whom all blessings flow. …” It was Mr. Stein, standing with Chaim and the elders. Soon a million others joined their song of praise.

Conrad had imagined this moment a thousand times. He had pictured Jesus riding on a horse the size of an airplane, running about ten feet off the ground, his hair trailing in the wind. He'd also dreamed of a hundred-foot-tall Jesus walking toward Jerusalem, smashing things like monsters did in horror movies. But Conrad had never imagined anything like this. It was as if Jesus had come for Conrad alone and was looking straight at him.

“Just fellowship with your Savior,” Enoch said quietly.

Jesus said, “Keep your eyes on me, on whom your faith depends from start to finish. I was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy I knew would be mine afterward. Now I am seated in the place of highest honor beside God's throne in heaven.

“Now God commands everyone everywhere to turn away from idols and turn to him. For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising me from the dead.