Armageddon: The Cosmic Battle Of The Ages (26 page)

“I’m glad you raised this, Tsion, because I had been meaning to talk to you about your deference to me. It makes me uncomfortable. I do not see Petra as the headquarters for the Tribulation Force. Yes, I feel God has put the mantle of leadership on me in regard to them, but clearly he has chosen you to lead the Remnant of his people, now a million strong. You must not feel you answer to me. You have your elders and your colleague Chaim, and however the Lord leads you through them is fine with me. In fact I prefer it.”

Tsion reached and squeezed Rayford’s shoulder. “I very much appreciate your confidence, Captain Steele. But you must not denigrate your own leadership responsibilities. I was about to ask you about my next inter-nationally televised message.”

Rayford was puzzled. “Your messages have been going out daily via the Internet, haven’t they?”

“Of course. But occasionally God lays on my heart a message that I believe he wants addressed to believers and unbelievers alike. And while I know the Web site is available to all and that many unbelievers stumble across it, if we were again able to pirate the international airwaves, I would be grateful for the opportunity. I believe God has given me a message he wants even the god of this world and his minions to hear. When people hear the truth of God preached on the Carpathia-owned networks, well, it is like taking the gospel into the very pit of hell.”

“`And the gates of hell shall not prevail against it,”’ Rayford quoted.

“Excellent. So, what do you think? Can we do this, and when?”

“First, Tsion, you don’t need my permission.”

“Consider it informing you then.”

“Fair enough. Just know that we have the best techies in the world here, and that means more than just Chang. He’s tops, but Naomi is right there, and they’ve developed a team that can do anything. They work as much for you as they do for me, so anytime you want them to do anything, just say so.”

“You have such wonderful rapport with them, Rayford. And with me. I would prefer to go through you.”

“As you wish. All I’m saying, Tsion, is that no matter when we do this, it is pirating. It is illegal.”

“You have a problem with that?”

“None whatsoever. Not even a second thought. We are at war, and I am prepared to use any means necessary to gain an advantage. All I’m saying is that this does not have to be planned. Chang has built his system in such a way that it’s simply a matter of throwing a switch. Then they’re off and we’re on. Say when and say the word.”

“Well, I should think we would want to do this at a most opportune time, when the most people are watching. Maybe during some official pronouncement from Carpathia, or one of the most popular programs.”

“You know what those are.”

“Don’t remind me. I suppose one time is as good as another. How about tomorrow at noon, our time?” “Consider it done.”

“I shall call a meeting of everyone, as I am energized by a live audience.”

“A million strong? I can’t imagine why. We’ll have the cameras set up and Chang in position.”

The next day Tsion found himself uncharacteristically nervous. Petra had many newcomers, and he never knew what to expect from the crowd. The elders had prayed for him and encouraged him, and Chaim had introduced him. And sure enough, when he emerged to speak and Master Chang gave the cue that he was on live international television, Petra erupted into an ovation.

It was just what Tsion had feared, and though he called for quiet and tried to transfer this outpouring of emotion to the Lord by pointing up, the people would not be deterred until they got it out of their system. Rayford must have noticed how uncomfortable and displeased Tsion was, for he rushed to the rabbi and whispered, “They are just loving you and thanking you, Tsion! They are so grateful for what you have meant to them. Just acknowledge it and it will subside.”

“But Captain Steele! In Isaiah 42:8 God is clear! He says, `I am the Lord, that is My name; and My glory I will not give to another.”’

“And I’m telling you these people are not trying to glorify you. They are merely thanking you for pointing them to him.”

But Tsion could not acknowledge the people, as much as he wanted to believe Rayford was right. He’d rather the earth had swallowed him right then. He merely hung his head and stared at the ground for several minutes until the people apparently grew tired of cheering.

Chang had ducked back into the tech center once the transfer was made, and he enjoyed listening in on the chaos in Baghdad. “What is going on?” someone shouted. “How did this happen? It’s impossible!”

Someone else ordered the control team to shut off all the affiliates. “We can’t,” came the reply. “All our systems have been overridden.”

And so it wasn’t just the million strong at Petra who heard the message of God through Tsion that day. It was billions around the world.

“God has laid on my heart a message that I believe he would have me share with you,” Tsion began. “I shall not whitewash or sugarcoat it, as we are at the most perilous time in the history of mankind. We are nearly into the last six months of life as we know it. The battle of the ages that has raged since the beginning of time is about to reach its climax.

“The evil ruler of this world, the Antichrist, is spewing his anger and vengeance primarily on God’s chosen people. All over the world innocent men and women are being tortured, even as we speak. Their crime? They are Jewish. Some are believers in Jesus as Messiah, and many are not. Regardless, they refuse the mark of loyalty to Nicolae Carpathia, and he makes them pay every day.

“You have seen the footage, and you know the glee with which the evil one watches his plan carried out.

“Many years ago I began proving the truth of God’s Word by telling you in advance of the judgments and plagues to come, things clearly prophesied hundreds, yea thousands of years ago. We saw the fruition of the prophecy of a rider on a white horse, promising peace but bringing a sword. The red horse, World War
III
, followed that. That brought the black horse of famine, then the ashen horse of death. Next came the martyrdom of many saints before the Wrath of the Lamb earthquake.

“Those six judgments had been foretold in Scripture, and the seventh ushered in the next seven. Hail and fire rained on the earth. Then the burning mountain fell into the sea. Wormwood poisoned the waters, and then the sun, moon, and stars were dimmed by one-third. Demonic locusts attacked those who were not sealed by God, and then we were plagued by an army, two hundred million strong, of demonic horsemen who slew much of the population. The fourteenth judgment ushered in the last seven, five of which have already befallen us.

“Millions suffered from boils, and then the sea turned to blood, then the rivers. The sun scorched people to death and burned a third of the earth’s greenery. The darkness that has fallen on New Babylon has been defended, rationalized, and explained away. But no one can account for the fact that it is so pervasive that it causes those caught in it to gnaw their tongues from the pain.

“Many have speculated how long this will last. I tell you nothing in Scripture indicates it will abate before the end. That is why the ruler of this world has moved out of his own kingdom. He may think the day will come when he and his people can move back in, but I proclaim he never will. Two more judgments await before the glorious appearing of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ.

“Hear me! The Euphrates River will become as dry land! Scoff today but be amazed when it happens, and remember it was foretold. The last judgment will be an earthquake that levels the entire globe. This judgment will bring hail so huge it will kill millions.

“I am asked every day, how can people see all these things and still choose Antichrist over Christ? It is the puzzle of the ages. For many of you, it is already too late to change your mind. You may now see that you have chosen the wrong side in this war. But if you pledged your allegiance to the enemy of God by taking his mark of loyalty, it is too late for you.

“If you have not taken the mark yet, it may
still
be too late, because you waited so long. You pushed the patience of God past the breaking point.

“But there may be a chance for you. You will know only if you pray to receive Christ, tell God you recognize that you are a sinner and separated from him, and that you acknowledge that your only hope is in the blood of Christ, shed on the cross for you.

“Remember this: If you do not turn to Christ and are not saved from the coming judgment, this awful earth you endure right now is as good as your life will ever get. If you do turn to Christ and your heart has not already been hardened, this world is the worst you’ll see for the rest of eternity.

“For those of you who are already my brothers and sisters in Christ around the world, I urge you to be faithful unto death, for Jesus himself said, `Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested…. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.’

“What a promise! Christ himself will give you the crown of life. It shall be a thrill to see Jesus come yet again, but oh, what a privilege to die for his sake.

“The good news is that I believe that the enemy, whether he admits it or not, knows his time is limited. That too has been prophesied. Revelation 12:12 says, `Therefore rejoice, 0 heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.’ Lest you doubt me, remember that everything this man has done was foretold. Revelation 13:5-8 says, `He was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.’

“You can have your name written in the Book of Life! That is the good news.

“Now I must tell you there is also bad news. The wrath of the evil one will reach a fever pitch from now until the end. There will be increasing demands for all people to worship him and take his mark. To you who share my faith and are willing to be faithful unto death, remember the promise in James 5:8 that `the coming of the Lord is at hand.’

“Oh, believer, share your faith and live your life boldly in such a way that others can receive Christ by faith and be saved. Think of it, friend. You could pray to be led to those who have not yet heard the truth. You may be the one who leads the very last soul to Christ.

“Second Peter 3:10-14 says that `the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.

“`Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the com-ing of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

“`Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless.’

“I urge you to imitate our Lord and Savior and say with him, `I must be about My Father’s business.’

“Some have legitimately questioned how a loving and merciful God could shower the earth with such horrible plagues and judgments. Yet I ask you, what else could he have done after so many millennia to shake men and women from their false sense of security and get them to look to him for mercy and forgiveness?

“Think of how merciful he has been. He removed his church before the Tribulation began. He sent two supernatural witnessing preachers to Jerusalem to communicate his love. He poured out his Holy Spirit in power, as he promised through the prophet Joel, to convince mankind of its need to receive Christ rather than serve Satan and his demons.

“He sealed 144,000 Jewish evangelists to fan out across the globe and reach what the Bible calls `a great multitude which no one could number’ with the saving knowledge of the Son of God. He sent three angels of mercy to help people make their decision for Christ. And he has promised to supernaturally warn mankind before he destroys Babylon.

“Most of all, in his mercy, God still allows people to decide their own eternal destiny, whether to choose Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior or to believe Satan.

“The most wonderful news I can share with you today is that God has prompted us to use the brilliant minds and technology we have been blessed with here. Anyone who communicates with us via the Internet will get a personal response with everything you need to know about how to receive Christ.

“Yes, I know the ruler of this world has outlawed even visiting our site, but we can assure you that it is secure and that your visit cannot be traced. We have thousands of Internet counselors who can answer any question and lead you to Christ.

“We also have teams of rescuers who can transport you here if you are being persecuted for the sake of Christ. This is a dangerous time, and many will be killed. Many of our own loved ones have lost their lives in the pursuit of righteousness. But we will do what we can until the end to keep fighting for what is right. For in the end, we win, and we will be with Jesus.”

Near the end of Tsion’s message, Rayford picked his way through the throng and made his way to the tech center. He stood behind Chang, watching as the young man chuckled and kept track of the frustration in Baghdad and at the affiliate stations around the world.

When he noticed Rayford, Chang said, “Here, listen to this.” He clicked on a session he had recorded in the conference room where Nicolae was demanding to know whom to fire or kill because of the TV disaster.