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David Hassid, midtwenties; high-level director for the GC; presumed dead in plane crash; actually en route to Mizpe Ramon
“Our base trained for combat,” George said. “When Carpathia told the nations to destroy 90 percent of their weapons and send the other 10 percent to him, you can imagine how that went over.” “The U.S. was the largest contributor,” Rayford said. “But I’ll bet we also held on to more.” “What’ve you got?” “Probably more than you need. Want to see the samples?”
Bottom line, Chang, is that you don’t have time for this right now. Too many people are counting on you, and the very success of a life-and-death operation is in your hands. Doing harm to yourself because you can’t figure out why God might have let something happen would be the most royally selfish act you could conjure up.
“Just keep a rein on that camel there, desert boy,” Mac said. “You watch it, Texas-cowboy boy. I will learn some slurs about you and torment your ancestors.” “Just a minute, Ray,” Mac said. “Smitty, you mean my descendants. My ancestors are dead.” “So much the better. I will make them turn over in their tombs.”
Fail, Carpathia, you fake and stupid thing; Fail, Carpathia, fool of everything. I’ll hassle you until you die; You’re headed for a lake of fire. Fail, Carpathia, you fake and stupid thing.
“But what’s with the pig?” “Christianity has Jewish roots,” she said, still not looking at him. “What’s more offensive to a Jew than an animal he’s not allowed to eat?” The man shrugged, and finally she turned to look at him. “It’s hardly subtle.” “That’s what I’m thinking! You’d think he’d have more class.”
Suddenly the crowd fell deathly still, and the thunder diminished to low rolls that seemed to come from far away. Fortunato stood surveying the massive throng, still scratching, but his eyes piercing. Carpathia had somehow maintained his pose for several minutes. Heads and eyes turned toward a high, screeching voice from the base of Golgotha. The crowd evaporated from around a woman who stood pointing at Carpathia and Fortunato. “Liars!” she railed. “Blasphemers! Antichrist! False Prophet! Woe unto you who would take the place of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin
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“We’ll see. You heard from Buck?” “Can’t raise him,” she said. “Me neither. I imagine he and Chaim are treading carefully.” “I just wish he’d check in, Dad.”
Chaim found his way to where Hattie had been immolated. He knelt by what was left of her ashes and carefully scooped a handful into the little pot and pressed the top down. Chaim put the container of ashes back into his pocket and stood. “Come, Cameron,” he said. “We must get to the Temple Mount.”
He expected, within twenty-four hours, the first of more company than he would know what to do with.
If only. =(
Paul writes, “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” Our hope is in the promise that “the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of his mouth and destroy with the brightness of his coming. The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and
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“I did not want to give away that we even have people in the area, though I am certain the GC assumes we do.” “And yet, Tsion,” Chloe said, “you mentioned Petra by name.” The rabbi covered his mouth with his hand. “I did, didn’t I?” “I meant to say something before you transmitted it,” Chloe said. “That is why I wanted you to review it.” “I’m sorry, Tsion. I assumed you had a reason.” “It is not your fault,” he said, collapsing into a chair. “What was I thinking?”
“They are suffering. Soon they will be as bad off as poor Mr. Fortunato, who must be miserable almost unto death by now. How utterly ingenious for our Lord to plant in someone’s mind the brilliance of having the GC personnel go first yesterday. They received the mark of the beast; then they worshiped his image. And now they are victims of Revelation 16:1-2.” “The plague of boils!” Buck whispered.
David was not sure what time the noise of heavy equipment woke him, but he knew immediately what it meant. He had been nonplussed by Dr. Ben-Judah’s mentioning Petra in his worldwide post, and there was no question the enemy monitored the Web site.
“You said it yourself, you pray about this stuff. That doesn’t make your messages like the Bible, I guess, but God’s not gonna let a regular human like you mess up his plan with one mistake, is he?”
“All right,” Carpathia said. “I concede I have you to thank for the fact that nearly my entire workforce is suffering this morning.” “Probably all of them,” Chaim said. “If they are not, you might want to check the authenticity of their marks.”
“If you are a believer in Jesus Christ as Messiah,” Chaim said, “leave now for Petra by way of Mizpe Ramon. If you have transportation, take as many with you as you can. Volunteers from around the globe are also here to transport you, and from Mizpe Ramon you will be helicoptered in to Petra. The weak, the elderly, the infirm, find your way to the Mount of Olives, and you will be flown in from there.” “And if we do not believe?” “If you have an ear to hear, make your way to Masada, where you will be free to worship God as you once did here at his temple. There I will present the case for Jesus
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“Make no attempt to stop Israeli Messianic believers from getting to Petra.” Carpathia stood. “Have you not noticed? I am the only full-time employee of the Global Community not suffering from the plague!” Chaim remained calm. “And that only because you have not taken your own mark, though I daresay you worship yourself.” Nicolae rushed around the table and bent to face Chaim from just inches away. “Our medical experts have determined there is no connection between the application of the mark of loyalty and—” “Why does your bad breath not surprise me?”
“I am willing to trust God with my life,” Abdullah said. “And if he would allow me, I would happily use a DEW to make toast of the enemy.”
David scrambled to his feet, only to discover something seriously wrong with his ankle. He tried hopping toward a cave, but unarmed he would be easy prey there. He heard his pursuers separate just below the ridge, the sounds of their boots in the rocks coming from about twenty feet apart. If they rushed him, David had nowhere to go.
“David?” A desperate cry, a shout in Hebrew, burps of gunfire from at least two weapons, a fall, a grunt. David’s hoarse whisper, “God, please!” Liquid splashing.
Rayford’s phone was still open, but all he heard after more deafening rifle shots were expressions of effort and what he could only imagine was the lifting of a body and the flinging of it over the side of a mountain. Then footsteps away from the phone, until they faded out of range. Besides dreading what he would find at Petra, Rayford couldn’t deliver a chopper full of believers to a spot that could be teeming with the enemy lying in wait. Hating himself for already thinking past what sounded for all the world like David Hassid’s death, Rayford knew he had to keep that phone from falling
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“I’m okay,” Leah said, her voice quavery. “Found David’s phone.” “Good.” “Not so good. Lots of blood here, and it leads over the side of a ridge.” Rayford let his eyes shut for several seconds. “Better stay put.” “I’ve got to know, Ray.
“I want to know if it was David, Leah.” “So do I. Say when.”
The mere sound and fury of Rayford’s weapon putting a hole in the rock above them should save the helicopter, but he needed more incentive to take the risk. It came from the radio and Leah’s flat, halting news. “It’s David . . . they butchered him . . . the birds are already upon him.”
Rayford’s knees buckled, but he was borne up by Mac, who held him and pulled his face close. “This is war!” Mac said. “These men murdered our unarmed guy, and they would have killed any one of us. They were drawin’ a bead on that packed chopper. You saved us all, Ray!”
“Of the billions and billions of people who have ever lived, One stands head and shoulders above the rest in terms of influence. More schools, colleges, hospitals, and orphanages have been started because of him than because of anyone else. More art was created, more music written, and more humanitarian acts performed due to him and his influence than anyone else ever. Great international encyclopedias devote twenty thousand words to describing him and his influence on the world. Even our calendar is based on his birth. And all this he accomplished in a public ministry that lasted just three
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Scripture says, “Whoever believes on him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon him. For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’
“Civilian, you are violating a curfew established by Potentate Carpathia himself.” “I don’t recognize the authority.” “Repeat, Carpathia! His Excellency himself!” “I recognize the name, GC. I repeat, I don’t recognize the authority.”
“We’re all going to need some grieving time, and we won’t likely get it until we head back to the States. Meanwhile, we need you, Hannah. We don’t have the luxury of grieving the way we used to. Too many people countin’ on us.
“Micah’s assistant is not Cameron Williams, Suhail. I would know. And let me tell you something else—Micah is not Dr. Rosenzweig.” “All due respect, Excellency, but miracles of disguise can be wrought today.”
“So,” Rayford said, “all the benefits of the Trib Force, but none of the responsibilities.” “Oh, they’ll pay,” Chloe said. “They’ll work. They’ll travel. They’ll exchange all kinds of things for food and necessities, just like any other co-op members. It’s not like they should owe us rent on a building we don’t own.” “They’ve made a point about not answering to us?” “No, I’m making that point. Is it a requirement that they be subordinate to you?” “That’s not it at all, Chloe. We just don’t have time for squabbles, lack of organization, confusion about responsibility.” Tsion held up a hand.
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“The time has expired on any grace period related to every citizen receiving and displaying the mark of loyalty to Nicolae Carpathia. Loyalty mark application centers remain open twenty-four hours a day for anyone who for any reason has not had the opportunity to get this accomplished. Effective immediately, anyone seen without the mark will be taken directly to a center for application or the alternative, the enforcement facilitator.
Your father says we will risk our lives, live in hiding, or face the death machines before we will take the mark. He is nearly suicidal over forcing you. I tell him you already sealed by God, and so is Ming. I will connect to Ben-Judah Web site. We will be worshipers of God and fugitives. Pray.
He pulled from his pocket the tiny urn and removed the lid, shaking the contents into the wind. “She defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by her testimony, for she did not love her life but laid it down for him.”
