Chapter 26

Reuben tossed restlessly as pictures and voices danced in and out of his fitful sleep. He dreamt he saw Simon and Ari in some remote place, welcoming him, but he slipped from their grasp. He tumbled over and over backwards through a hellish place of shadowy figures, each one trying to catch him. Their long slimy fingers tore his flesh as he slid from their grip. Down and down he went through the blackness into a fiery glow. He cried out in his sleep, wanting the dream to end. Words came to his distorted mouth, "God, help me, I can't escape."
The instant he spoke these words, the dream and his sleep ended, leaving him in a lather of perspiration. He had never experienced fear like that which shook him now. His foggy mind tried to understand the dream. Somehow his spoken words had put an end to the horror in his subconscious mind.
Reuben remembered something in a letter Ari had written, warning him of Macro and Warwick.
'Beware of these two men. They are cheats, liars and totally evil. Our battle today is not just against men like these, but against supernatural powers.'
At the time Reuben didn't understand, or even care what this meant, and dismissed the words as another of Ari's Christian ramblings. He now wondered, What if Macro and Warrick are somehow part of an evil supernatural power?
The sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach was unsettling. He felt the chink in his armour growing as he began to question the authority of Macro, Warwick, and their recently revealed leader, Satan. His disillusioned cry rent the air.
"They allowed me to suffer at the hands of those evil creatures. Am I nothing to them?"
Although Reuben did not believe in prayer, he remembered praying when his grandmother died. He let the anguish of that moment well up inside his tortured soul. He wept, not only for her, but also for his father killed in battle long ago - and now for himself. Reuben despised the pitiable wretch he was. He had allowed hate to fester inside him, separating him from Simon, Ari and David's love.
He decided to return to Jerusalem. He wanted to confront Macro and Warwick one more time. Over the last few days he had decided he wanted no further part in their organization. Reuben knew he had, like a fool, sold himself totally to their cause. His money was gone. Had the arms supplied to his Arab people really helped them regain land? The plant lay in ruins with little hope of reopening. Attacks by the demonic creatures had lessened, but many continued to suffer torment from their wounds. Reuben's precious morphine brought some relief, making his drive into Jerusalem more comfortable.
He was soon entering Macro's underground chapel where for the first time, he noticed the overwhelming dank oppression that clung to him. Macro and Warwick stood on each side of the golden throne where Satan sat.⁽¹⁾ This was the man Reuben had seen when the demonic creatures attacked. Satan was handsome in a sinister way. His fearless voice was as smooth as honey.
"What brings you here?"
Reuben knew he was in real danger.
"I want no more of your organization or your plans."
Satan's venomous laugh startled Reuben. "You bear my mark and cannot escape. I have you in my grip. The God of all Christians will reject you. He cannot forgive all you have done to help my rise to power. My next great army of demons is waiting to attack the entire world."
With a flash of light Reuben was thrown against the wall, knocking all breath from his tormented body. As Satan rose impatiently, Reuben slid to the floor and lapsed into unconsciousness. He awoke amidst the decomposing, uncollected rubbish. His eyes fluttered open as Satan's supernatural army thundered through the streets.
Wild demonic horses led the way, eyes staring, nostrils flaring.⁽²⁾ Their ruthless riders urged them on, trampling everything in their path. Behind them rolled trucks and tanks armed with atomic weapons and nerve gas. Death claimed millions as Satan's armies swooped simultaneously across the whole world.
Reuben struggled to his feet as the heavy tank inched its way towards him. He reeled backwards when a full volley of bullets tore into his chest. He remembered saying once he would die in Jerusalem - but not this way - not now. He had so much to put right. His warm blood ran into the gutter, just as his father's once did. He began to pray in rasping breaths.
"Father in heaven, hear my prayer. I know the truth. There is no good in either Macro or Warwick. They are Satan's agents. I despise myself and hate what I have done."
Reuben thought he heard a tormenting sinister laugh. Grotesque spirits, as black as ravens, hovered all around. His body convulsed after his last breath escaped through blue tinged lips. Satan swept past the body without giving it a second glance. His treachery and deception cost Reuben his life. Satan's words were far worse than the sound of rapid gunfire that had slain Reuben. "You poor fool, God did not hear you. Your prayer came too late, for you bear my mark. I have claimed you and today your entrance is into hell. For you there is no eternal life with God."⁽³⁾

Satan's armies continued their bloody slaughter until more than two billion people lay dead. His followers worshipped him and his idol. However, the tragedy of war failed to change the attitude of most. People were still selfish, hard hearted and eagerly hoarded their riches and possessions. Macro had legalised all drugs, making them readily available to everyone. As a result, substance abuse was common, forcing many to steal, kill, or prostitute themselves to maintain their habit.

The NovelNotes Feature

These are a helpful feature of this novel. Their use is optional. They may be used if you want to understand more of the underlying Biblical aspects of the story, or the historical and factual material. However, you do not have to use these to follow the story line of the novel.

Chapter 26 NovelNotes

1. Satan has always been God's major adversary from the time he rebelled against God. Prior to that, he was God's most beautiful angel. As a spirit being, Satan does not often appear in person, but does have the ability to transform himself into anything he chooses.

2. This is what is known as the sixth trumpet judgement of God. The Bible tells us the story in Revelation, Chapter 9, verses 13 to 21. Verse 15 says that one third of mankind will be killed.

3. Reuben's confession came too late. He had already accepted the 'compulsory' mark from Warwick. As a result, he could not be accepted by God. God saw Reuben as rebelling against Him, because he had already decided for the Antichrist when he took the mark. Reuben, if he had known the truth, or had taken the trouble to find out from his friends who were believers, could have been a Christian many years before and been taken to heaven with other believers in the rapture. At worst, he could have refused the mark during the reign of the Antichrist. Accepting the mark decided his eternal future, sending him to hell. It would have been better if he had not taken the mark, been executed by Macro and finished up in heaven with God.