He Steps his Mighty Step
Five: Calm Before the Storm
80 Months of Tribulation…July
Tanana Valley………………
I was a beautiful quiet summer as the Northern Force team enjoyed some time without a lot of opposition. As far as they knew, the Sheriff and his bunch were either burning in hell or planning another attack on them from afar.
They leaders had traveled all over the north after the rescue of Chris Senior, witnessing the message of salvation to as many as they could of those who had not taken the mark. They did not see any opposition as of early July. The team still had its ultimate mission in mind, and that was winning the lost for Jesus.
Chris Senior and Chris Junior figured they had at least one hundred new converts that had moved into the cave. New accommodations were built and a larger area to for public meeting and fellowship were under construction. The team communicated weekly with Geo and the evangelists in the Holy Land.
The month of July was here and since it was so quiet and there was no UW presence that they knew of, the Meyers began planning a huge Fourth of July picnic in the out of doors. They had cleared an area near the old Parks highway and had built some homemade barbecue pits.
Before they continued working on the picnic area, they prepared for Geo’s weekly video call. Chris Senior turned the system on and they could see their old friend, Geo.
Then Geo spoke over the video connection, “Good to talk to you, Chris. Any new news since the last time we talked?”
Chris answered, “We have begun construction on a bigger meeting room and fellowship hall….Large enough to accommodate three hundred or so. I figured the way God was moving we could use a bigger place to have church and eats.”
Geo laughed, “Yea, that’s what we all like is fellowship and a lot of food. We eat our fill here, too. I’m going to tell you God is on the move down here, as well. People are being healed like in the book of Acts and in Jesus’ ministry. It won’t be long and the King Himself will be here. Praise, God.”
Chris junior inserted, “So true, Geo …so true…We are excited to be here, alive when he returns…We believe we will see some of it right here from our cave entrance and then on your video, too. At least that is the plan but only God knows for sure.”
“Yeh, we are making plans to be down at or near the Mount of Olives when he steps His mighty foot. Don’t exactly know how that is going to work. We still don’t know exactly when He’s coming. But we are going to be in this area preaching. Believe it or not there are still many who have not taken the mark.”
Chris Senior inserted, “It’s that way here, too. How are they buying without the mark and you, Geo, how do you buy?”
“We depend a lot on the missionaries. They had stored supplies in advance. We share the food we have with those who have not taken the mark. You guys do similar to us. You live and eat together and that’s another good way of conserving food.”
“Well, good talking to you, Geo. Speaking of getting together, we are having an outdoor…like a big picnic for a fourth of July celebration. Remember those, you ole trapper?”
“Sure do…I let you guys get going on your picnic and we’ve been talking so much about food that I’m getting hungry. Talk to you this time next week. Bye all you Alaskans…Love you!!”
“Love you too, Geo. We are out.”
The two Chris’ turned the big screen off and headed outside to continue the preparation for the big feast in two days.
Near Clear, Alaska……………….July 4
The July Fourth feast was ready and hundreds were there to participate and help serve and cook. Chris Junior and Jose supervised the barbecue which consisted of moose hot dogs and steaks, and caribou steaks and burgers. Every other type of homemade picnic foods were prepared after all they were in the Tribulation and the grocery stores were closed.
Chris Senior visited with as many as he could and counseled with new believers. He realized he had to be the spiritual leader to this team of end time believers since Geo was in the Holy Land and Pastor Nick went home to see his maker. Izzy did her part to work with the younger women in the group as well as take care of the two little girls.
Janise had her homemade twin carrier, that Jose had manufactured for her, to push around through the crowd. She and Izzy patrolled the grounds to make sure everyone had enough to eat and Izzy helped Jason, Joyce, and Christina with the games for the youth.
Chris Junior and Jose had built a makeshift flagpole out of a tall skinny tree and buried it in the middle of the picnic area. They had one of the seamstresses in the Force to fashion an American flag with all the stars and stripes. The Northern Force had a little ceremony, raised the flag, and Chris Senior lead a tribute to their beloved United States of America even if thou really wasn’t a United States, right now. This was a highlight of the entire festivities.
As the big party was beginning to break up and many had already returned to the cave, the security that was set up on the perimeter, just in case the presence of intruders, noticed military vehicles heading their direction. The security immediately reported this to Chris Junior and Senior.
Jose and the rest of the men hustled everyone down to the cave and cleared the area of everything but the flagpole. The security team gathered in the trees watching as the vehicles got closer. There looked to be at least twenty-five UW officers and some civilians in a van.
When all the Force members were accounted for and safely in the cave, security and the leaders quietly fell back and covered their path as they returned to the cave.
Chris Senior, Jose, and Junior waited and watched as the vehicles stopped near the picnic area. They observed as the troops spread out into the trees looking for anybody they could find. Stepping out of the van that had followed the trucks into the area, Chris Junior recognized a familiar face. The familiar face immediately after seeing it, pushed the flagpole over and in fell into the dust.
The group of UW did not find one person but they weren’t going to give up. They set up a camp in the picnic area and sent daily reconnaissance into the Clear and Anderson vicinities.
For a month, the Force watched the UW team without the UW even knowing it. The UW had virtually surrounded the Force so they could do nothing but hold tight in their secured location.
Then as the Jose spied on the intruders, the earth started to shake.
Six: The Great Earthquake
82 months of Tribulation…Fall
Revelation 16:17-21
17 The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, “It is done!” 18 Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since mankind has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake. 19 The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath. 20 Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found. 21 From the sky huge hailstones, each weighing about a hundred pounds, fell on people. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible.
The Holy Land………..
“Do you hear that, Geo, it’s a loud cry from the heavens just like in The Revelation 16? It is saying, ‘It is done!’”
“Yes, and look at that lightning and hear the thunder that means the earth quake is beginning…the Great Earthquake …Hold on!”
The earth began to rock like it had never rocked before. The earth shook and the mountains crumbled to the ground. At the same time, Gutierrez arrived back to Babylon and the city was split into three parts and all the buildings he had built fell to the ground. The Supreme Ruler barely survived the tremor.
Geo was taken by the missionaries to a sheltered place as the city of Jerusalem was shook at its core. Those in the city, who worshiped the Anti-Christ, cursed God and threw their fist into the air in anger and spite. Many cried out for the rocks to fall on them so they would die. There was chaos everywhere.
Joseph talked to Geo, “We have to make sure as many as possible get protected areas. The hail will fall soon…. Large hail that will kill many. There is a group of believers around the corner…shall we get them in here with us?”
“Let’s hurry…”
Geo, Joseph and several other believers combed the streets for those who survive the first tremor. It was shacking again and the earth was opening up in front of them as they attempted to rescue a dozen or more women who stood nearby. They were able to drag several out of a big gap in the sidewalk and brought them back to their secure shelter around the corner.
Joseph decided it was too dangerous for Geo or anyone that wasn’t a missionary to go outside any more, as the earth broke open and buried many alive. In preparation for this, the missionary team was able to secure an earthquake shelter below the old city that had survived many large quakes over the years.
Alaska……………………
The UW officers and Pearson began intensely searching the area for the Northern Force when the earthquake began. Chris and Junior watched as the mountains in the distance all around them came tumbling down, filling the lowlands with rocks and dirt. The Meyers pair barely got back to the cave before the ground they were standing on dissolved behind them.
“Chris, what about those guys up top? Should we try to save them?”
“Dad, I don’t see how we can without putting our lives in danger. When the tremors stop maybe we can sneak up there, but I don’t see how they could survive. All that dirt and rock is going to be surrounding us, soon.”
“Dear, God, I would pray for their mercy but they have already taken the mark. They are probably up their cursing God at this moment.”
Jose rushed to the entrance from the back of the cave because he wanted to check on his two friends that had not come back yet. He was relieved when he ran into the Meyers as they scampered back through the entrance.
The trio watched the rock and dirt pile up in the canyon below them. Coincidentally, the cave was secure and hardly a rock fell inside.
Junior inserted, “Jose, it was really a good thing we stashed those ATV’s in a more secure location. At least they won’t be buried by rock and dirt.”
“We might have to dig the entrance out a bit but we are good for now. The hail should be falling soon. Is there anyone we could get inside here without killing ourselves?”
Chris Senior spoke, “We just barely go in here alive….We will check as soon as these tremors quit. We haven’t had one for a while. Is everyone OK, back in the cave, Jose?”
“Some of the women and children were frightened but we sang some songs and played some games to calm them down. Most were aware all this was going to happen. We train everyone pretty well.”
Junior answered, “Yea, Dad is the big one on that. Everyone should know exactly what is happening next. I think that’s what Penny’s job is today.”
Chris Senior spoke, “guys, I’m tired…Can you guys stay up here and watch things. I’d hate for us to get completely trapped in here. Keep me posted and we can us out of here if we need to.”
“Sure thing, Dad. As soon as the little quakes stop I want to go check on those folks over by the creek. The hail will be really bad..”
Jose quipped, “As if the earthquakes weren’t just kind of bad. Ha, ha!!”
“Very funny, friend. Good night dad.”
Chris walked very slowly to the back favoring his back. Junior noticed it and they spoke to Jose, “Do you see how he was walking. I wonder if he’s hiding an injury from when he was in jail.”
“Or today rushing back inside here,” Jose inserted.
“Remind me to ask him tomorrow.”
“OK, remind him tomorrow,” Jose kidded.
“I mean….you joker. You in a good mood tonight or something?”
Junior chased Jose around the entrance and beat lightly on his head. Then something caught Junior’s attention in the twilight at midnight.
“Jose, look…Out there…the lake is no longer. Do you think the water will come this high?”
“Wow, I don’t know….Let’s put everyone on alert for possible evacuation.”
“Yea, let’s go.”
The two friends ran back into the cave to begin the potential evacuation alert process. Of, course they wouldn’t be able to tell everyone in the cave due to sheer numbers but also to prevent the possibility of panic on the part of some. They let Chris Senior know first.
The Holy Land…………………….
“Look at the hail, Geo….We have people to rescue…you stay in here. We, my fellow missionaries will bring as many as we can in here. We’ll need some nurses and medical aid if you can ask anyone in here for us, Geo.”
“We’ve already found a couple of nurses and some material provided to use for bandages. You get out there and save some people and we will take care of them in here. God speed, Joseph.”
The missionaries continue to bring in many more who were injured by the 25 pound hail stones that literally knock people out in the streets. Finally the storms stopped and the tremors quick shaking the whole earth. The humans that survived this God instigated disaster looked around and saw the mountains that were flattened and the valleys filled with debris.
Alaska…………………………
“Chris, does it look safe enough to stay here? Can we get all of us out if need be?”
“Jose, it looks like the water will not come much higher than it is. Junior will keep monitoring it. You go back and check on the injured we brought in. Check on your family and the children. I’ll gather the rest of the men together to let them know what is happening.”
Chris continued, “The three of us will make a trip outside in a couple of hours and look at the damage and then see if we have to evacuate. I do think our cave withstood the damage and we can wait right here until the Glorious Appearing.”
“Amen, brother. Amen!”
