Arrived (31 page)

Vicki was excited about Jamal and Lina's spacious apartment. The two offered to give Judd and Vicki their bedroom, but instead they put down sleeping bags from Petra in the living room.

The next few weeks Judd and Vicki spent time getting to know the complex series of passageways underneath Jerusalem. It would be their job to supply ammunition to the rebel forces seeking to keep the GC away.

“We respect your wish to not be involved in the actual fighting,” Jamal said, “but your job will be just as critical to defending Jerusalem.”

After dinner one evening, Lina showed Vicki pictures of their family and pointed out Kasim and Nada. “I miss them both very much, but it won't be long before we're together again.”

“It might be sooner than we think,” Jamal said. “Judd just showed me an intercepted message from a top Global Community officer.”

“What did it say?” Vicki said.

“Basically, it warned all Peacekeepers and Morale Monitors throughout the world to prepare for a new assignment in the Middle East. We think it will only be a few days before hundreds of thousands join the GC One World Unity Army.”

“Which means people without Carpathia's mark will be able to come out of hiding,” Vicki said.

“As long as they're careful,” Judd said. “Citizens can still kill people without the mark and get a reward. But it looks like the end is close.”

Lionel was talking with Sam Goldberg when he noticed Rayford Steele running toward the helipad. Lionel and Sam walked to a rock outcropping as droves of people headed for a clearing.

“What's going on?” Lionel said.

“Maybe it's the evacuation of New Babylon,” Sam said. “I heard that pilots from here will fly the rescue mission as soon as word comes that believers are to move out.”

“They'd need something bigger than a helicopter, don't you think?” Lionel said.

Many people near the chopper wept. Sam climbed down and ran to the edge of the crowd, then returned. “They're saying good-bye to Dr. Ben-Judah. He's going to Jerusalem.”

A few moments later, Tsion and Buck Williams moved through the crowd. Tsion pulled what looked to Lionel like a handkerchief from his pocket and waved it as Buck climbed aboard the chopper.

“People! People!” Tsion shouted. “I am overwhelmed at your kindness. Pray for me, won't you, that I will be privileged to usher many more into the kingdom. We are just days away now from the battle, and you know what that means. Be waiting and watching. Be ready for the Glorious Appearing! If I am not back before then, we will be reunited soon thereafter.

“You will be in my thoughts and prayers, and I know I go with yours. Thank you again! You are in good hands with Chaim Rosenzweig, and so I bid you farewell!” Tsion kept waving at the people as the helicopter lifted off.

“Wish we could be going to Jerusalem,” Sam said.

“You're part of Zeke's brigade,” Lionel said. “There'll be plenty of action here.”

Lionel sprinted toward the tech center. He couldn't wait to tell Judd and Vicki that Tsion was heading their way.

31

JUDD'S
head spun with Lionel's news of Tsion's departure from Petra. Then Chang Wong reported that hundreds of thousands of troops would arrive in the valley of Megiddo the following day. Everything was happening so fast.

“That's going to be a nightmare to feed and equip all those soldiers,” Vicki said.

“The Global Community's been preparing for this a long time,” Jamal said. “They'll find a way to mass their troops.”

With the help of others, Judd and Vicki placed ammunition boxes in strategic places throughout the tunnels. When the fighting began in Jerusalem, they would be able to get ammo to rebels within minutes.

“They keep talking about a guerrilla war,” Vicki said. “What's that mean?”

“Lots of little wars throughout the city,” Judd said. “Basically the rebels know they have no chance of beating this army head-on, so they're going to spread out and try to make it as difficult as possible for the GC.”

Rebel leaders barked orders, and young men and women prepared for battle. Teams of workers went into the street to set up barricades.

“Chopper's landing at the Temple Mount,” one man yelled as he ran through the tunnel to get more Uzis and grenades.

Judd grabbed the man by the arm. “Is it a GC chopper?”

“Didn't look like it, but I didn't stay long. There's an angry mob out there.”

“You think that's Tsion?” Vicki said.

“Has to be,” Judd said.

It took Judd a few minutes to get his bearings once he and Vicki had climbed out of their hiding place. Making sure there were no Global Community forces nearby, they headed for the Temple Mount.

Judd was surprised to see old men praying at the Wailing Wall, something they hadn't been allowed to do for a long time. “I haven't seen so many unmarked people since Masada.”

“These people must have been in hiding for years,” Vicki said. “But you can tell they're scared.”

“They're scared, but you have to understand. This is their city. They'll do anything to defend it.”

“Even if it's going to fall?” Vicki said. “You know Tsion believes it will.”

Judd took Vicki's hand, and they ran to the place where Judd had seen the two witnesses, Eli and Moishe. He wished they would come back now and preach.

Suddenly there was a commotion when a man with a gun at his side pushed his way through the crowd at the Wailing Wall. He wore loose-fitting canvas-type clothing and a jacket. On his head was the traditional covering of the Jews, a yarmulke. “Men of Israel, hear me!” he bellowed. “I am one of you! I come with news!”

“It's Tsion!” Judd whispered. “Come on!”

They pushed their way to the edge of the gathering, then climbed higher for a better look. Men yelled at Tsion, but Judd couldn't tell what they were saying.

Finally, Tsion said, “What you need is Messiah!”

Some cheered, many laughed, and even more grumbled. Judd caught sight of Buck Williams.

“Many of you know me! I am Tsion Ben-Judah. I became persona non grata when I broadcast my findings after being commissioned to study the prophecies concerning Messiah. My family was slaughtered. I was exiled. A bounty remains on my head.”

“Then why are you here, man? Do you not know the Global Community devils are coming back?”

“I do not fear them, because Messiah is coming too! Do not scoff! Do not turn your backs on me! Listen to our own Scriptures. What do you think this means?” He read Zechariah 12:8-10: “ ‘In that day the Lord will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; the one who is feeble among them in that day shall be like David, and the house of David shall be like God, like the Angel of the Lord before them. It shall be in that day that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.

“ ‘And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.' ”

Judd felt tears coming to his eyes and glanced at Vicki. She was overwhelmed with emotion too.

“You tell us what it means!” someone yelled.

“God is saying he will make the weakest among us as strong as David,” Tsion said. “And he will destroy the nations that come against us. My dear friends, that is all the other nations of the earth!”

“We know. Carpathia has made it no secret!”

“But God says we will finally look upon ‘Me whom they pierced,' and that we will mourn him as we would mourn the loss of a firstborn son. Messiah was pierced! And God refers to the pierced one as ‘Me'! Messiah is also God.

“Beloved, my exhaustive study of the hundreds of prophecies concerning Messiah brought me to the only logical conclusion. Messiah was born of a virgin in Bethlehem. He lived without sin. He was falsely accused. He was slain without cause. He died and was buried and was raised after three days. Those prophecies alone point to Jesus of Nazareth as Messiah. He is the one who is coming to fight for Israel. He will avenge all the wrongs that have been perpetrated upon us over the centuries.

“The time is short. The day of salvation is here. You may not have time to study this for yourselves. Messiah is God's promise to us. Jesus is the fulfillment of that promise. He is coming. Let him find you ready!”

People shouted at Tsion, clearly offended. Some walked away, but others seemed to want to hear more. Even with all the noise and confusion the crowd grew, and Judd was worried Peacekeepers or Morale Monitors might show up.

Tsion kept talking, quoting Scripture, and explaining it. He spoke of the armies gathering to destroy them, but he urged the people not to be afraid of them but to be ready for the Messiah.

“If you want to know how to be prepared for him,” Tsion yelled, “gather here to my left and my associate will tell you. Please! Come now! Don't delay! Now is the accepted time. Today is the day of salvation.”

Vicki looked at Judd. “Does he mean Buck?”

Judd nodded in amazement. Buck wasn't Jewish and was a reporter, not a preacher.

But to Judd's astonishment, Buck began speaking after a short pause. “When Jewish people such as yourselves come to see that Jesus is your long-sought Messiah, you are not converting from one religion to another, no matter what anyone tells you. You have found your Messiah, that is all. Some would say you have been completed, fulfilled. Everything you have studied and been told all your life is the foundation for your acceptance of Messiah and what he has done for you.”

Tsion bowed his head in prayer as Buck told the men how to accept God's gift of salvation through Jesus. “He comes not only to avenge Jerusalem but to save your soul, to forgive your sins, to grant you eternal life with God.”

Lionel stared at the computer screen, now split into two sections. On one side he watched troop movement into the valley outside Jerusalem. On the other he monitored GCNN's coverage of the pending battle. For the last several days, reporters had talked about the Euphrates River drying up.

Now they focused on Nicolae Carpathia riding a huge, black horse. The man held a long sword and grinned from ear to ear. “We have the absolute latest in technology and power at our fingertips,” Carpathia shouted. “My months of strategy are over, and we have a foolproof plan. That frees me to encourage the troops, to be flown to the battle sites, to mount up, to be a visual reminder that victory is in sight and will soon be in hand.

“It will not be long, my brothers and sisters in the Global Community, until we shall reign victorious. I shall return to rebuild my throne as conquering king. The world shall finally be as one! It is not too early to rejoice!”

Vicki couldn't believe that she was seeing prophecy fulfilled before her eyes. As Buck prayed with people pressing toward him, Tsion Ben-Judah told others the truth about Jesus, and more Jews streamed in to hear the message. The people who had rejected Jesus for so long now believed he was their Messiah.