Shaking his head sympathetically, he said, “It is not possible for me to restore all their lives. But those who mourn the deaths of friends and family need not grieve. Instead, rejoice in the knowledge that they aren’t truly dead. They will feel the Earth beneath their feet again, for gods cannot truly die. As Jesus told Nicodemus two thousand years ago, ‘You must be born again.’[17] So it is for those who have left us. Whether it is called reincarnation or being ‘born again’ or by some other name, the truth is that a few who died over the past three and a half years have already been born again and are infants and children even now. Nonetheless, as the Hindus and Buddhists teach, the suffering they underwent in their previous lives serves as a stepping stone to higher, brighter futures. So don’t weep or mourn. Dry your tears and rejoice that when they return, they will be born into the New Age, the Age of Ascension for all Humankind.
“People of the Earth, people of Jerusalem, the time has come to put aside those things that separate us. The destiny of all Humankind awaits the unity of all Humankind. No longer let there be division between races or nationalities. And no longer let there be Gentile or Jew. All of these distinctions are now null and void,” Christopher said. “All people are the chosen people!
“As such, let this building no longer be a temple to Yahweh, but a monument to the godhood of man. No more shall gentle innocent animals be led here for brutal slaughter to a bloodthirsty god. From this day forward the killing must cease and this Temple shall be open to all!”
Standing near the front of the assembly, Decker Hawthorne braced himself for what he knew was about to come.
“If any still doubt,” Christopher said, concluding his oration, “I offer a final proof that I am who I say, and that what I have told you is true. Four billion years ago, it took twenty-three hundred years, traveling at nearly the speed of light, for the crude Theatan space vessels to reach the Earth. Now, in their evolved, spirit form, that distance can be traveled in less than a second!
“All that is Theata’s is yours for the taking. At this very moment there is a great host of witnesses all around us. They have come to lead, to guide each person of Earth in the way they must go to enter into oneness with the universe.
“Can you see them?” Christopher cried. “Can you see them?” Christopher raised his right hand in the air, held his head back triumphantly and shouted, “Behold the hosts of heaven!”
Suddenly the sky was filled with thousands of beautiful lights, some as small as the head of a pin, some hundreds of meters across, some moving slowly, some darting about at incredible speed.[18]
“Behold the hosts of heaven!” Christopher thundered and then leapt from the pinnacle.
Chapter 1
A God Who Thrives on Fear
For most people, the future that Christopher described in his address from Jerusalem was still far too ethereal to grasp. It was clear that he had great power — the whole world had seen his resurrection, his effortless dispatch of John and Cohen, and the amazing growth of plant life he miraculously brought forth all over the planet. But, while Christopher’s revelation of a coming period of dramatic world change and human evolution painted a much needed vision of hope, for most, just staying alive had become a full-time endeavor. It was difficult for them to imagine what tangible changes might actually result from what he promised. Besides, politicians’ promises were always grander than their eventual enactment.
In the context of all that had happened in the past three and a half years — the asteroids, the locusts, the powers of the two prophets, his death and resurrection — Christopher’s astonishing account of the Theatans seemed not so difficult to accept. Most people already believed in extraterrestrial beings. The disclosure that Yahweh and Jesus were native to Theata was more the answer to an ancient riddle than a startling revelation. Further persuasion was offered by the appearance of the light entities as they danced and moved about, passing over and around and even through many of the people in the crowd. (Those who experienced a “pass through,” as the media called it, described it as exhilarating and energizing and perhaps even tickling a little.) All had watched in amazement as Christopher suddenly leapt from the pinnacle of the Temple; but instead of falling to his certain death, he had been caught up and then suspended above the crowd by the strange lights, thus exhibiting the ability of the light creatures to take on a solid form and, more significantly, demonstrating Christopher’s authority over the beings. They were, he explained later, what in earlier days had been called angels and were capable of taking on any form, including human.
Still, for most people the idea that they themselves would be a part of humanity’s evolution to some form of powerful spirit beings was more than they could readily accept. Evolution was an easy concept as long as it took place over tens of millions of years, but the idea that they would personally be witness to and a part of a great evolutionary leap, though enticing, was far more difficult to comprehend. Psychologists, discussing the subject in the media, likened the anxiety and confusion people were experiencing to the emotions of those who had won the lottery: They wanted to believe, but nothing so extraordinary had ever happened, and they weren’t sure how to deal with it.
Additional confusion resulted from Christopher’s allusion to people living for a thousand years, and he did little to explain this later in his address — saying only that the path to this extended life “would be revealed soon.” Decker, too, was unclear about this and later asked Christopher how he would deliver on this promise. Offering little elucidation, Christopher answered only that after a period of perhaps a year or two — once people adjusted to the new realization of truth and the new paradigm of life — they would be given “the communion that gives eternal life.”
Though there was still much that the world didn’t comprehend, what everyone did understand was that John and Cohen were dead and that the Earth was miraculously being restored. Although the amazing plant growth that Christopher initiated had slowed to normal, the Earth’s restoration was still obvious: Flowers bloomed, grasses grew, leaves opened, and vines stretched forth. Even the most devastated areas of the Earth were becoming green and lush again. After all the destruction and death the planet had experienced, most of its survivors were eager to believe in Christopher and all he had promised, even if they didn’t completely understand it. The world was alive, and once again there was hope.[19]
Around the world great celebrations marked the death of Yahweh’s prophets and the restoration of the planet. People sent gifts to each other to mark the end of John and Cohen’s reign of terror.[20] In Jerusalem — despite Christopher’s warning that the bodies still possessed great residual power and shouldn’t be touched for at least four days — a crew of city workers had been dispatched to dispose of the corpses shortly after the crowds receded. The results were disastrous. The three workers burst into flames the moment they touched the bodies. The gruesome scene, captured by cameramen and reporters, served to punctuate and confirm the earnestness of all that Christopher had said.
And so the bodies were left where they had fallen, with cameras poised nearby should any other unexpected event occur. In a way, the bodies became a sort of grisly trophy, not just for Christopher, but for the people of the Earth — for Humankind — who had steadfastly refused to bow to John and Cohen’s teachings and demands. The result was a countdown until the remains of the two men could finally be removed. Thus, ironically, for the next three days the celebration of new life for the Earth and hope for Humankind revolved around the vigil of the bodies of the two Jewish prophets that lay dead in Jerusalem.
At the United Nations, Christopher Goodman officially took the office of secretary general.[21] While many, including some members of the Security Council, encouraged him to accept even greater control over world government, Christopher declined, explaining that his purpose wasn’t to establish some benevolent planetary dictatorship, but rather “to lead Humankind toward a place of complete individual self-governance.” An
y other goal, he explained, would be anathema and contrary to the design of the New Age. “Humankind must ultimately look within itself for the answers, not to me or to any other savior,” he stated emphatically. “In the days to follow,” Christopher vowed, “I will work together with the Security Council and the rest of the United Nations to lay the foundation for world recovery and the universal advancement of the people of the Earth toward the promise that lies ahead.”
Nevertheless, because of the annihilation of the populations of the Middle East and East Africa, Christopher accepted caretaker authority over those regions while continuing in his role as primary for Europe.[22]
As he promised in his Jerusalem address, one of his first acts as secretary general was to recommend changing the international calendar to reflect the dawn of the New Age. The recommendation received unanimous backing from the UN, and thus, though the months and days remained the same, the year was officially changed to the first year of the New Age, notated as 1 N.A.; and March 11, Christopher’s resurrection day, became New Year’s day.[23]
Not everyone welcomed Christopher’s rise to power, however, and not all celebrated the deaths of the prophets. Certainly the members of the Koum Damah Patar and their followers did not. But neither did they pause to mourn their fallen leaders. Instead they loudly urged the people to flee Israel, asserting that a proposed monument to Christopher was the “abomination that causes desolation” prophesied in the Old Testament by Daniel[24] and that the name Christopher Goodman, written phonetically in Hebrew, had a numeric value of 666 — a number which, according to the book of Revelation, is the value of the name of the Antichrist.[25]
It had seemed reasonable to assume that at least a few KDP would have accepted Christopher’s offer to join him. His promise of amnesty and acceptance, made in Jerusalem and restated in his inaugural address to the UN, was certainly a generous one. Instead however, without exception, the KDP declared that in contrast to Christopher’s message of hope and peace, the world was on the brink of even greater disaster.
[Caption: Christopher Goodman, written phonetically in Hebrew]
Thursday, March 15, 1 N.A.
Jerusalem
It was the evening of the third day following the deaths of John and Cohen. A light rain had been falling since before dawn and continued until about four o’clock, leaving the formerly dry earth moist and alive. The air was filled with the fresh smell of spring. The Jewish Temple, though quiet since sunset, had been filled with activity each day since Christopher’s address from the Temple summit. Attorneys representing High Priest Chaim Levin had lodged formal protests against Christopher with the United Nations, and Levin spewed an unceasing fount of charges against both Christopher and Robert Milner. As intended, the desecration of the altar and sanctuary by Milner and Christopher had brought to a halt the daily animal sacrifices.[26] Even more infuriating to the high priest was the destruction of the stone tablets on which the Ten Commandments were written. A massive effort by a team of priests and Levites had begun to reassemble the tablets, but there were so many pieces — some little more than dust — and it appeared that many of the recognizable parts had been pocketed as souvenirs by onlookers. There was little hope of actually completing the task.
Near the foot of the Temple’s southern steps lay the undisturbed remains of John and Cohen.[27] Still charged with strange power, the bodies appeared unaffected by the passage of time, untouched by rodents or insects, and with no sign of decay. Though nothing had happened since the deaths of the unfortunate sanitation workers three days earlier, a few cameras, mounted on tripods, maintained their vigil. The cameramen, assigned to what had become the most boring task imaginable, were killing time playing cards while their cameras provided the world a “live” feed of the motionless scene via internet.
Unnoticed by the men, three teenage boys taunted a younger toward the corpses. Slowly moving closer, one of the older miscreants produced a stick and dared the younger boy to use it to poke at the bodies. Quickly the other two boys joined in, urging him onward.
One of the cameramen, who was having a less than prosperous night of cards, looked up and saw the boys. “Hey, look at that,” he whispered to the other players.
One of the men started to get up to warn the boys, but was stopped by two others. “Let ’em be,” one said as he rose quietly from his seat.
“Let ’em be,” echoed the second as he moved with equal stealth toward the tripod that held his camera.
The fourth player, whose back was toward the dead prophets, now turned to see what was so important as to interrupt him from his three eights. Almost immediately he understood and looked dumbfounded at the cameraman whose warning had been silenced. The latter offered only a shrug as he, too, got up to attend to his camera. Within seconds they had notified their respective networks of the situation. The boys weren’t yet close enough for the networks to decide to interrupt normal broadcast programming, but that decision would have to be made soon. If they went to live coverage and the boys chose to break off their mischief, the networks would appear foolish and would risk angering their regular program viewers. In a way the networks, like the boys, were playing a game of chicken; for while no one wanted to be too quick to commit to live coverage, neither did they want to be beaten to the story by their competition.
Soon enough the decision was made for them. Ten yards from the bodies, the boys suddenly froze in their steps as one by one they saw what had thus far eluded the adults. Following the boys’ terrified gaze, the cameramen quickly realized the reason for their distress. The bodies of the two men had begun to glow.
Immediately the boys turned and ran in fear, and the networks went live. For just a moment, it was possible to make out the glowing forms, and then there was an explosion of light. As horrified millions watched, it became obvious they had seen this same drama played out just four days before with the resurrection of Christopher. In mere seconds, the worst fears of the world were realized. As the light subsided, John and Cohen stood restored to life.[28]
In the stunned moments that followed, the people of the world relived the personal suffering each had survived and the terror they had endured for the past three and a half years. When John and Cohen were killed, it seemed that the worst was over. But now they were back, and no one dared imagine what savage horrors they and their god might bring with them.
Now unattended by the fleeing cameramen, the cameras continued to record the event as the two men dropped to their knees and appeared to be praying. It was an ominous sight. There could be no telling what curse the two were about to rain down upon the earth.
Then, with a voice that sounded like a mighty crash of thunder, and speaking in the same universal language used by Christopher when he addressed the world three and a half days earlier, the sky itself seemed to speak. “Come up here,” was the entire message.[29] No sooner had the echo ceased than those who had heard it began to wonder if it hadn’t been a clap of thunder after all.[30] That doubt quickly evaporated as the two men rose again to their feet and then, looking up, physically ascended into the clouds of the night sky. One of the cameramen — perhaps more daring, perhaps more foolhardy than the rest — ran back to turn his camera to follow the prophets’ ascent. The others quickly followed, pointing their cameras toward the steadily rising forms.
Trembling from panic, it took a moment for them to realize that it wasn’t just their nerves that shook. As the live picture began to shift they realized that the earth itself was shaking, violently throwing the cameras, tripods, and men to the ground.[31]
Monday, March 19, 1 N.A.
New York
The meeting wasn’t scheduled to start for another ten minutes, so Decker was in no hurry as he arrived at the auditorium in the UN’s Secretariat building. His intent was simply to slip in and find a place to sit where he wouldn’t be noticed. Christopher had asked him to attend and so he would, but Decker had never been entirely comfortable around these people. Apparently the feeli
ng wasn’t mutual, however, for as he entered the room, he was quickly greeted by loud and sustained applause. His various positions in life had brought him close to many great men and women, and his position at the United Nations, one might argue, conferred upon him some modest level of greatness. But while occasionally his words had been applauded, he himself had never been accorded that honor — and certainly never for simply walking into a room. A little uncomfortably, he nodded and waved to acknowledge and thank the assembly.
“Come with me,” a familiar voice said from behind him. It was Jackie Hansen, who, either by coincidence or design had been near the door where Decker entered. “Gaia wants you up front with her,” she said, referring to Gaia Love, the director of the Lucius Trust and sponsor of this gathering.
Attendance was high, and it took them several minutes to make their way to the front. Everyone they passed wanted to shake Decker’s hand or pat him on the back. One woman in her mid thirties, an adherent of Wicca — a nature religion aligned with the New Age — was a bit more expressive in her admiration for the man who had raised Christopher from a child. Unnoticed by Decker or Jackie, the woman slipped loose the knot of a cord wrapped around her waist, and when they were within a few feet, she opened wide the long robe she wore, revealing her totally nude and well endowed body. In a flash, she wrapped her arms around Decker, swallowing him into the warm silken cocoon of her robe. Things had changed a lot since Decker was young: Most of the old taboos had disappeared, except among a few conservative religious groups. Public nudity was common in most of the world, and it wasn’t unusual to find couples or even groups having sex on the beaches or in the parks. Still, Decker was old fashioned enough to be a little stunned by the Wiccan woman’s attentions.
“Gaia is waiting for Mr. Hawthorne,” Jackie said as she tugged Decker loose from the woman. Whether out of respect for Gaia Love or for Jackie’s six foot two inch stature, the woman grudgingly released her hold and retied the cord. Decker swallowed hard, caught his breath, and politely smiled back at the woman as he and Jackie continued their trek.
The Christ Clone Trilogy - Book Three: ACTS OF GOD (Revised & Expanded) Page 4