Kingdom Come - The Final Victory (23 page)

“As soon as those who pursued them had gone out, they shut the gate. Now before they lay down, she came up to them on the roof and said, ‘I know that the Lord has given you the land, that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of you. For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the Amorites on the other side of the Jordan, whom you utterly destroyed. Our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.

“ ’Now therefore, I beg you, swear to me by the Lord, since I have shown you kindness, that you also will show kindness to my father’s house, and give me a true token, and spare my father, my mother, my brothers, my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.’

“The men answered, ‘Our lives for yours, if none of you tell this business of ours. And it shall be, when the Lord has given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with you.’

“Then she let them down by a rope through the window, and the men said, ‘When we come into the land, bind this line of scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down.’

“When they returned, they said to Joshua, ‘Truly the Lord has delivered all the land into our hands, for indeed all the inhabitants of the country are fainthearted because of us.’

“Then Joshua rose early in the morning, and they set out from Acacia Grove and came to the Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they crossed over. So it was, after three days, that the officers went through the camp; and they commanded the people, saying, ‘When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests, the Levites, bearing it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it. Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you must go, for you have not passed this way before.’

“Then Joshua said to the priests, ‘Take up the ark of the covenant and cross over before the people.’

“And the Lord said to Joshua, ‘This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. Command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, “When you have come to the edge of the water, you shall stand in the Jordan.” ’

“So Joshua said to the children of Israel, ‘By this you shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will without fail drive out from before you all your enemies: Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is crossing over before you into the Jordan. And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of the Lord of all the earth shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters shall be cut off, and they shall stand as a heap.’

“And, children, so it was. When we set out to cross over the Jordan, and the feet of the priests who bore the ark dipped in the edge of the water, the flow was cut off, and we crossed over opposite Jericho on dry ground.”

The children were cheering again, but Joshua held up a hand for silence.

Caleb continued, “The Lord spoke to Joshua, saying, ‘Take for yourselves twelve men, one man from every tribe, and command them to take for themselves twelve stones from out of the midst of the Jordan from the place where the priests’ feet stood firm.’

“Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests who bore the ark of the covenant stood, and we hurried and crossed over. About forty thousand prepared for war crossed over before the Lord to the plains of Jericho.

“You see, on that day the Lord exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel, and we feared him as we had Moses. And Joshua commanded the priests, saying, ‘Come up from the Jordan,’ and when the soles of their feet touched dry land, the waters of the Jordan returned and overflowed all its banks.

“We came up from the Jordan and camped in Gilgal on the east border of Jericho. And those twelve stones we took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up in Gilgal. Then he spoke to the children of Israel, saying, ‘When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, “What are these stones?” you shall let your children know, saying, “Israel crossed over this Jordan on dry land”; for the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, just as He did the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed over.’

“And, young ones, here is why. Are you listening? ‘So all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty, that they may fear the Lord their God forever.’ Will you vow to do that? Will you? Raise your hand if you will.”

All over the athletic field, youngsters raised their hands, and many waved.

“All right, we’re getting to the story you’ve all been waiting for, and I know you want to hear it from the man himself.”

More applause as Joshua traded places with Caleb.

“We had been in the wilderness for more than forty years by now, and it was time to possess the land. We camped in Gilgal on the plains of Jericho. We ate of the produce of the land, unleavened bread and parched grain. The manna from the Lord ceased the day after we had eaten of the land, and we ate the food of the land of Canaan that year.

“One day I looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite me with His sword drawn. I went to Him and said, ‘Are You for us or for our adversaries?’

“He told me he had come as Commander of the army of the Lord. I knew who He was. Do you? He sits on the throne in the temple even today. I fell on my face and worshiped, and said, ‘What does my Lord say to His servant?’

“The Commander of the Lord’s army said, ‘Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy.’ And so I did.

“Now the people of the city of Jericho knew we were nearby, and so it was locked up tight, no one going in or coming out. The Lord said, ‘See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor. You shall march around the city, all you men of war, once every day for six days. And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. But the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets.

“ ’It shall come to pass, when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, that all the people shall shout with a great shout; then the wall of the city will fall down flat.’

“I called the priests together and told them what the Lord had told me. And I instructed the people, ‘Proceed, and march around the city, and let him who is armed advance before the ark of the Lord. You shall not shout, nor shall a word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I say to you, “Shout!” Then you shall shout.’

“So I had the ark of the Lord circle the city, going around it once. Then we came into the camp and lodged. And I rose early in the morning, and the second day did the same thing. We did this every day for six days as the Lord had commanded.

“Well, you know what happened next, so perhaps my friend and I should leave now?”

The children leaped to their feet, crying, “No! No! Stay and tell the rest!”

Joshua smiled broadly and signaled them to sit and be quiet. “All right, you persuaded me. On the seventh day we rose about dawn and marched around the city, only this day we circled it seven times. On the seventh time around, when the priests blew their trumpets, I said to the people, ‘Shout, for the Lord has given you the city! The city shall be doomed by the Lord to destruction, it and all who are in it. Only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all who are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent. All the silver and gold and vessels of bronze and iron are consecrated to the Lord and shall come into His treasury.’

“So when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, they shouted with a great shout, and the wall fell down flat.”

The children were cheering again.

“Then we marched straight in and took the city as the Lord had commanded. We utterly destroyed it and everything in it with the edge of the sword and with fire, protecting only the harlot, who had been faithful to the Lord, and her family.”

Caleb stepped forward once again. “So you see, little ones, the Lord was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout all the country. You too can be blessed of the Lord if you remain strong and have courage, trust in the Lord with all your heart, and remain obedient and faithful.”

Joshua closed the time with the children by praying, but when he finished, the children pressed forward. They wanted to touch the men, to ask more questions. For more than an hour, until Cameron could restore order, kids milled about, leaning in, their faces expectant as they clearly longed for their moment with these heroes.

Unlike when Noah had visited, for some reason very few of the children left with their parents when it was over. Kenny was overwhelmed with kids who had questions and others who wanted to act out the scenes they had just heard. Some asked if they could build stone monuments, and Kenny promised to try to find stones small enough so everyone who wanted to could do it.

He was most impressed, however, with children who had deduced that the Commander of the Lord’s army was Jesus Himself. One little boy said, “Mr. Williams, I want to be in Jesus’ army.”

“Oh, don’t you realize,” Kenny said, “He accepts only those who trust Him for forgiveness of their sins and for salvation?”

“I will.”

“You will? How will you do that?”

“I’ll tell Him.”

“Right now?”

“Can I?”

“Yes, and you don’t even have to travel to the temple. Just pray to Him and tell Him that you know you are a sinner and that you want His forgiveness. Then ask Him to be your Savior and thank Him for dying on the cross for your sins. You know that story, don’t you?”

“Sure, everybody knows that. At least everybody here.”

“Do you understand that Jesus wants you to decide to follow Him?”

The little boy nodded, and Kenny prayed with him. He couldn’t wait to tell Ekaterina, and he was sure she would have similar stories.

Abdullah sat in his cramped new office at the back of
TOL
headquarters in Amman, reading his Bible and making notes for a lesson he was prepared to give if ever asked. He looked up when he realized Sarsour was peering at him from the other room.

“Need anything?” Abdullah said.

The young man, wiry and nimble, shook his head, but his body language gave him away. He seemed drawn to Abdullah.

“Feel free to come in. Anytime. Chat. Or just sit.”

Sarsour wandered in as if he could take or leave the invitation. He pretended to study stuff taped to the walls, but it was all old and faded and likely had been affixed there by him, so Abdullah knew he was just self-conscious. Abdullah went back to his reading, keeping an ear open. He began to hum an old hymn and then softly sing.

“Oh, the love that sought me,

Oh, the blood that bought me,

Oh, the grace that brought me to the fold,

Wondrous grace that brought me to the fold.”

Finally Sarsour sat. Abdullah slid his Bible and his papers to the side and looked at him expectantly.

“You really believe this stuff, huh?” Sarsour said.

“I do. And you don’t?”

“’Course I don’t. I’m a TOLer.”

“Your parents have to be believers.”

“Yeah. But it’s not for me. They tried to raise me in it, but as soon as I started reading other stuff and talking to other people, I realized the Bible isn’t the only idea.”

“What about all the prophecies that have been fulfilled, all the people who have been resurrected, the ones who have already been in heaven? And what about the fact that Jesus is with us now and sits on the throne, judging the nations?”

Sarsour shrugged. “It’s like He’s head of the occupying army. We’re the resistance, that’s all. The rebels.”

“And you don’t feel destined to lose in the end?”

“We’re outnumbered. We’re the outcasts, the rejects, the dregs. But we won’t give up hope until it’s all over. And then we’ll see who wins.”

“Your compatriots, the ones who reach one hundred, are dying every day.”

“I know.”

“Do you know of any exceptions?”

“No.”

“And that doesn’t tell you anything?”

“It just proves God isn’t who He says He is.”

“How do you figure?”

“He’s mean and unloving and unforgiving, violent and judgmental. Disagree and you get killed.”

“He’s not willing that any should perish. Even you, Sarsour.”

“Don’t start with me.”

“How about I tell you my own story? I wasn’t always a believer, you know. I was raised in another religion entirely.”

Sarsour shrugged again and looked away. “I don’t need to hear it.”

Abdullah cocked his head. “Sometimes I just need to tell it. How about I talk and you listen only if you care to?”

“I already told you; I don’t need to hear it.”

“And I told you; I need to tell it. I was married to a beautiful woman and had two precious children. I was a decorated fighter pilot in the Royal Jordanian Air Force.”

Sarsour had stood and was moving away, as if he couldn’t care less. But that last stopped him. “You were?”

“Yes. I was what some would call a star. I taught. And I was given the best assignments. I considered myself religious because I followed all the tenets of my faith. Keeping away from impure things. Trying to do right. Praying at prescribed times every day. Then something happened to my wife. . . .”

Abdullah fell silent, and Sarsour sat back down. “What? What happened to her?”

“Oh, you don’t want to hear it.”

“It’s okay. If you need to tell it, you can keep going.”

OVER
THE
next several days, Kenny vacillated between the thrill of his relationship with Ekaterina—they had both professed their love by now and had begun enjoying brief good-night kisses—and a dread over what he was going to do about communicating with Ignace and Lothair Jospin. There would soon be no more putting them off.