They had planned to go out in Disciple-making together on Saturday morning. But when he woke up, Samuel couldn’t summon the energy to get going. He told Judith he didn’t feel well. David also begged off, a common event these days. This clearly annoyed his mother, who told him he needed to apply himself to The Word more diligently. He wisely let this comment slide.
“You need to get moving to,” she snapped at Samuel, “this new job is interfering with your relationship with The Lord. It isn’t right, time is short, we’re about to collect our reward and you want to spend your weekends sleeping in, instead of serving The Word.”
Samuel didn’t want another lecture, and snapped back at her, “You know that’s what’s wrong. I dedicated myself to The Lord Almighty, not a bunch of men sitting behind big desks telling me what to do.”
She stared at him. Her mouth worked for a few seconds, but no words came out. He knew he needed to walk that back quickly.
“I’m sorry, Honey. I don’t feel well, I’m tired, and this new program means extra work on the Servant Committee. I shouldn’t have said that, and it’s not how I really feel.”
“Well I hope not. This is an important time. Don’t forget we’re going to see Charlene soon.”
“I know,” he answered wearily, “like I said I’m tired. I’ll work on my attitude.”
Judith pulled out her phone and arranged to work with Sophia. Caleb, it turned out had to go show a house. Samuel started to speak then held his words. He wasn’t the only one skipping Disciple-making. His wife already had plenty to say to Sophia between houses.
After Judith left he went to his den, and turned on the computer. Not sure what wanted he wanted to do, he shuffled through some books and papers. Nothing interested him. Maybe he’d clean up some, the place needed it. He opened the closet door, it contained nothing but old junk. The shelf held a few boxes, he couldn’t remember what was in them, they’d been there for years.
The first one contained cassette tapes. Good grief, he wasn’t even sure Goodwill would take them. He poked through them for a minute, he didn’t expect to find anything interesting. Then one caught his eye, the label read “Grand Gathering, Seattle, 2007.” This was it! The recording he wanted. Long used to newer technology, he’d been looking for a CD, not a tape. Even The Foundation’s website didn’t have a recording, he suspected because they didn’t want anybody to hear it.
He rummaged around the closet and found the old tape player. He dusted it off and plugged it in. Another miracle, it worked. He put in the tape and hit play. The quality was terrible, but he could still understand it.
"Do you believe?"
"Yes," the crowd shouted back.
"Do you affirm that The Lord God Almighty established His Foundation, the Word of God in 1933?"
"Yes."
"Do you affirm that seven years later he cast Satan to the earth as demonstration of that power?"
“Yes.”
“Do you believe the year 1941 is marked in Scripture, a signpost of the approaching time of the end?
"Yes!"
Do you believe the year 1948 and the creation of the State of Israel marked another signpost pointing to His Paradise?
“Yes”
"Do you affirm the Lord God Almighty is your Lord and Master?"
"YES!"
"Do you affirm that this world is ending, and that only the Godly will see the Paradise on Earth?"
"YES!!"
"Do you affirm the Apostles of The Word of God Foundation are His visible representatives?"
Again the crowd roared its response.
With each affirmation, the assembled Disciples responded with growing enthusiasm. Rodgers paused for effect. The crowd grew quiet again, expecting the climax of the speech.
The Chief Apostle, who had been shouting louder with each question suddenly spoke quietly.
"Do you, personally, affirm that you accept direction from The Lord's Apostles, as His representatives...”?
The crowd began to clap and shout even before Rodgers finished his sentence, making it hard to hear on the tape.
"...And do you affirm that it is your obligation to carry the message of His Apostles to an ungodly world..."
The applause and shouting grew louder
"...and will you carry that message, in defiance of all obstacles, in defiance of Satan..."
As scattered shouts resounded around the stadium, he grew quiet again, although he had been growing louder.
"...In defiance of your own doubts, which Satan may plant in your mind."
Rodgers suddenly boomed forth in full voice.
"Disciples of The Word the question is simple: will you serve Satan or will you serve The Lord God Almighty, as directed by his apostles...GIVE YOUR ANSWER NOW!"
The crowd went into a frenzy, a roar, on the tape recorder it sounded like a huge storm of static.
“My fellow disciples, careful examination of scriptural chronology, world history, and fulfilled prophecy all give clear indications.”
He paused again for effect. More cheers and applause punctuated the pause, it sounded like static.
“The Day of the Lord is at Hand.”
Cheering.
“The time for God’s Disciples to be downtrodden at the hands of his enemies is over.”
More cheers.
“Our victory is NOW.
“Next year, 2008, marks the fulfillment of the 1335 days of the book of Daniel, the final signpost pointing to the Great Day of The Lord.”
“Do you expect great events in this marked year of our Lord?”
The cheers of the crowd overwhelmed the tiny recorder’s ability to repeat the sound.
“I take it you are ready to live in Paradise.”
“Yes, my fellow Disciples we know that this year’s series of Grand Gatherings, ‘Paradise is at Hand, will be the last held on this wicked Earth before the Lord Almighty removes sin forever…”
A pause for cheers. Samuel smiled at the memory. He thought maybe he’d climbed onto his seat, everybody had been crazy.
“Yes, my friends, next year will see Paradise brought to the Earth, A Paradise the Bible foretold many years ago…”
The cheering crowd overwhelmed the tinny voice on the cassette.
“… a message preached by The Word of God Foundation for seventy four years is now arriving.”
The tape stopped a minute or two later, leaving him sitting in his chair staring at the machine. His memory did not deceive him. John Rodgers himself had promised the arrival of Paradise in 2008. How could a man claiming direct guidance from The Lord Almighty be so wrong? Why would anybody believe him now? But clearly four million Disciples all over the world, hung on every word he uttered. It was ridiculous. A wave of sadness swept over him. That was Charlene’s last Grand Gathering.
**
Judith came home around midafternoon. Samuel assumed that she and Sophia went to lunch or shopping or something after morning Disciple-making. She responded to his casual questions with cold indifference.
“I cleaned my den this morning.”
“Good for you. I’m glad you found something you thought worth doing.”
He apologized for not going out in Disciple-making with her, again saying he didn’t feel well. She showed no interest in his excuse.
“Caleb says the Disciple-making is more important now than ever before. This is the Outsiders last chance to accept The Word. Their salvation depends on our preaching efforts. If there’s someone out there that would respond if you talked to them, it’s your obligation to go talk to them.”
“Don’t you think that if The Lord wants somebody to hear The Word, he’ll make sure it happens? That’s what Jesus said.”
“The Lord also says we’ll be bloodguilty if we don’t do enough preaching. We could die at Armageddon if our faith is lacking, and we show our faith by preaching The Word.”
Samuel decided to let it drop. There was no reasoning with her. He wanted to play the tape from the 2007 Grand Gathering, but this wouldn’t be the time. He had hoped it might wake her up. Probably it would make no difference, she would stand by The Word no matter what.
That evening he got the call that set in motion the storm that would alter his life.
“Hi Caleb, what’s up.”
“I would like to talk to you privately tomorrow after Gathering.”
He felt a cold hand on his shoulder, Caleb’s tone was ominous.
“What about?”
“Oh, nothing big. We’re just worried about you.”
“I’m doing fine, but if you want to chat that’s alright by me.”
“Good. See you tomorrow.”
Armageddon’s Slaves © Jeffrey Thomas All rights reserved.
This is a work of fiction. All events and characters are
products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living
or dead is purely coincidental
No comments:
Post a Comment