Listening by Dave Mckay - HTML preview

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Chapter Twenty-Nine--Two Witnesses

Chaim broke down when he was safely inside his room, but his grief was matched by a feeling of triumph. He had passed a test by not letting his emotions come in the way of what had just transpired. He knew that it was what had been required of him.

Someone would discover the body by morning, and even with the gun in her hand, an autopsy would show that Sheree had died from the lightning bolt and not from foul play. There would be no link to himself.

The next morning, Wednesday, Chaim went off to work again as usual, though he detoured around the local park on the way. At the library, he started by reading the newspaper.

Huge headlines announced the death of Xu Dangchao, shot in the head and in the heart by a crazed assassin in Jerusalem. It had happened late on Monday, Israeli time (Tuesday morning, Sydney time), which was why Chaim had not seen anything in the papers the previous day. Dangchao had been inspecting a huge statue in front of the Cathedral of the Divine Creation -- an achitectural twin for the Jewish Temple, located at the opposite end of the Temple Mount -- when the attack took place.

Chaim was not surprised by the news. It was what he and Rayford had been expecting. The media was filled with expressions of shock and praise from national leaders around the globe, who were freely lauding Dangchao as the greatest statesman the world had ever known.

Later that morning, an article by Rayford dropped into Chaim's inbox. It declared to the whole world that Dangchao was not really dead, that he would be revived, and that when it happened, people should understand that the body of Dangchao was inhabited by the devil himself. Rayford planned to post it on his website after approval from Chaim. In it, he predicted that Dangchao would desecrate the new Temple in Jerusalem, turning it into a palace for himself, where people could come and worship him. These were amazing predictions, but the two agreed on their accuracy, and after a few suggestions for minor changes, Chaim sent the article back to Rayford (and copies to the six judges).

He then posted it on his own website.

Queries flowed in from the tribal judges about the news, and Chaim was busy responding to mail for the rest of the day. He said nothing to anyone about what had happened to Sheree.

Even before he reached the library on Thursday morning, Chaim overheard people outside shops talking loudly about the miraculous overnight resurrection of Secretary General Xu Dangchao. Some reports said that it had been a mistake that he was reported dead in the first place, while others said a miracle had, in fact, taken place. Either way, the world was rejoicing that they had their saviour back. At the library Chaim read further and learned that Dangchao had decided that the only place safe enough for the world's greatest leader would be the new Temple in Jerusalem. "Temporary" offices would be set up there for him and other U.N. leaders. The entire city would be placed under United Nations control.

Then, later in the day, an urgent email arrived from Rayford. It said: I suggest you urgently sever links with your ISP. Our site seems to be secure. You can have mail forwarded through it. Neville (my assistant) will provide you with details.

Also, I must know whether you have had any experiences with fireworks happening when you speak. I mean literal y. If you are who I think you are, you'll know what I'm talking about.

Chaim replied immediately:

Yes, I have. So where do we go from here?

What Rayford was referring to was something that Chaim had been thinking about ever since the incident in the cave.

Bible prophecy spoke of two "witnesses" during the final three and a half years before Jesus returns. They would be given supernatural powers, including power to call down fire from heaven on anyone who opposed them. It was common for some mental patients to imagine themselves to be one of the Two Witnesses; but it appeared that Chaim (and he assumed Rayford) had the fire-making credentials that the others lacked. If so, it would be a huge responsibility for them to use their power wisely and graciously... if there really is such a thing as a gracious thunderbolt.

The irony of a lifelong pacifist being given a job as God's executioner did not escape Chaim. Later, he wrote to Rayford:

It seems that this whole movement centers on getting people to change sides. We all get a chance to see how it feels to have the shoe on the other foot.

Chaim had been an outspoken critic, not only of war, but of the death penalty and of abortion. He did not go so far as to oppose the killing of animals for food, but he did believe that their treatment even when being slaughtered should be handled humanely. Now here he was being given the job of killing people for God!

Rayford wrote back:

Can you imagine how it would be if he had given this power to someone who was not a pacifist? Even his own disciples couldn't handle it. All we can do now is pray that we will use it wisely.

It was a huge relief to be able to open up to someone else about what he was going through. Chaim shared openly now with Rayford -- about what had happened in the cave, and about Sheree. Rayford shared similar confessions, and it bonded the two men as nothing else ever could have. They were, indeed, part of a very exclusive club!

The news about Dangchao having been "mistakenly" reported as dead, and about his release from the hospital with only the loss of sight in one eye to show for his ordeal, let Chaim know that there was no turning back. Dangchao definitely was the Antichrist. He and Rayford definitely were the Two Witnesses.

And the last three and a half years before the return of Jesus, known as the Great Tribulation, definitely had begun. They were crossing over that line where prophecies stop being fanciful theories and start becoming part of history.