by Black, Chuck
CHAPTER 21
When Bad Things Happen
Sydney tries to help Drew understand a little about God’s character and sovereignty, but Drew has a hard time believing her because bad things happen to good people. Drew’s logic is flawed because he doesn’t understand that there is evil in the world and sin has changed the nature of mankind and the nature of all of creation.
For we know that the whole creation groans and labors. (Romans 8:22)
Despite all the pain and suffering people experience in this world because of sin, God has a promise for His children. It is a promise that comes from the almighty God who is sovereign in everything.
And we know that all things work together for good. (Romans 8:28)
CHAPTER 22
God’s Call
Sydney tells Drew that she is obeying God’s call on her life. Sometimes God calls us to do things that don’t make sense because we don’t see the whole picture. Hearing God’s call is the first step. Taking action and following is the next and potentially most frightening. If we want to be vessels through which God can work, we must be willing to say yes and then step out in faith.
I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send …?” (Isaiah 6:8)
CHAPTER 23
The Attack of the Enemy
Drew witnesses an attack on Ben by the dark invaders. See chapters 15 and 16 for further explanation.
CHAPTERS 24–25
Help from Above
Drew and Ben are given help by a mysterious cab driver. Angels do interfere in the affairs of mankind in such ways. Two such biblical examples are Peter receiving help from an angel to escape prison, and two angels helping Lot and his family escape the destruction of Sodom.
Behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone. (Acts 12:5–10)
The angels urged Lot to hurry, saying, “Arise, take your wife.” (Genesis 19:15–17)
The Secret War
Drew and Ben speculate that mankind subconsciously knows about the secret war between the invaders. Although they haven’t yet discovered the truth about who the invaders really are, they are right about this deduction. The theme of good versus evil is central to almost every story told from the beginning of time. That element of story is a shadowy indicator of the truth of the real epic, invisible battle taking place all around us right now. People are so completely drenched by the concept of good battling evil in all of our legends, books, and movies that many do not even realize or consider that its origin lies in the truth of spiritual warfare.
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood. (Ephesians 6:12)
CHAPTER 26
Risk of Loss
Drew witnesses the death of an invader. What does spiritual warfare really look like? According to Daniel 10:20, angels do fight with demons. Whenever there is a battle or a war, there is risk of loss for both sides. If this fighting has been going on for thousands of years and a demon has never won a fight, why would they ever try. I think it is fairly safe to speculate that demons have won some fights over the millennia. What happens to an angel when a demon wins the fight is sheer speculation. On this subject the Bible is silent. However, we do know that a defeated demon can be sent to the abyss.
They begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss. (Luke 8:27–33)
This is a dramatic example of the power of Jesus over the forces of darkness. Even a legion of demons feared him and knew they had no power over him. A typical legion in the Roman army of the day was approximately 5,400 soldiers. From this example, “the abyss” indicates a place of imprisonment and may refer to the bottomless pit referred to in Revelation. When Jesus does battle, He never loses!
CHAPTER 27
Deception
When Sydney discovers Drew and Ben’s true intentions, she feels deceived. Although Drew did not tell her for her own safety, she still feels betrayed by the deception. Even with the best intentions, deception is never healthy in a relationship. Drew should have told Sydney that there were things he could not tell her for her own safety and to trust him.
He who speaks truth declares righteousness. (Proverbs 12:17)
Good and Evil
As Reverend Ray witnesses to Drew, Drew comes to a dramatic conclusion that refutes secular science and evolution: good and evil exist, and they exist in both dimensions. He witnessed moral acts of good and evil in the physical world and in the spiritual world. Because of that, he struggles with the question, Where does morality, or good and evil, come from? It cannot come from evolution, reason, conscience, human nature, or utilitarianism. Because good and evil are universal, the moral laws that define good and evil must come from a moral commander. Drew was beginning to understand this and had to face the conclusion that his logic was driving toward. Believing in and appealing to morality requires one to believe in or appeal to that moral commander: God.
I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways. (Deuteronomy 30:15–16)
CHAPTER 28
Morals and Ethics
Moral laws come from God, and although ethical laws can be derived from the laws of God, they are generated by man for the proper functioning of society. Sometimes people face a dilemma when moral laws come in conflict with ethical laws. Drew makes a difficult decision when he assaults the FBI agents near Reverend Ray’s church. Although it was ethically wrong, in his mind it was morally right because lives were at stake. In essence, he was sacrificing himself for the lives of Sydney, Shana, and Micah because he knew it would be an act with dire consequences, possibly costing him his life. Those decisions are the hardest to make. If a man must break an ethical law to accomplish a moral law, he must be willing to accept the consequences. There is an excellent example of this in Joshua, when Rahab lied to the soldiers to protect the two Jewish spies (Joshua 2; 6), and also in Acts, when the High Priest commanded Peter and the apostles not to preach about Jesus.
But Peter … answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29)
CHAPTER 29
Demon Possession
Drew again encounters a “double-faced” man similar to the one he faced in chapter 14. We don’t know what demon possession might look like in the spiritual world, only that it is real. Biblically, when a demon possess a person, he is controlled by the demon and may even possess certain unusual abilities. Mark 5:3–4 tells of a demon-possessed man having extra strength such that even chains and fetters could not bind him. Acts 16:16 tells of a woman possessed with a spirit of divination or the ability to predict future events. Today there isn’t much credence given to the possibility of demon possession, but it is quite certain that the demons have not gone away. Believers in Jesus Christ need have no fear of demon possession because they are filled with the Holy Spirit and the “room” of a person is filled so that it cannot be occupied by an evil spirit (see Matthew 12:43–45). Also, the Bible tells us that God is much greater than any evil spirit, including Satan.
He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. (1 John 4:4)
The Power of Prayer
Drew witnesses power being wielded against the dark invaders through Sydney, not realizing that it is God working through her prayers. How God uses prayer is a mystery, but Jesus affirms over and over that there is great power in prayer. See Matthew 17:21; Matthew 21:22; Acts 12:5; 1 Corinthians 7:5; Philippians 4:6; and James 5:16 for just a few examples.
The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. (James 5:16)
CHAPTER 30
Angels
Drew learns that the name of the angel who has been helping him is Validus. The abilities and the limitations of angels are not clearly defined in Scripture, and there has been much speculation about them. There are a few things we do know about angels, however. For example:
• They have names (Lucifer—Isaiah 14:12; Michael—Jude v. 9; Gabriel—Daniel 9:21).
• They fight (Daniel 10:20).
• They hav
e power to affect things in the physical world (Matthew 28:2; Luke 1:19–22; Revelation 7:2).
• They are not all powerful (Daniel 10:13).
• They are not all knowing (1 Peter 1:12).
• They carry weapons (Numbers 22:23; 1 Chronicles 21:16).
• They can appear to people (Genesis 19:1–3; Hebrews 13:2).
• They deliver God’s messages to people (Luke 1:19).
• They eat food (Genesis 19:3).
• At least some have wings (Ezekiel 11:22).
• They are holy (Acts 10:22).
• Children are protected by them (Matthew 18:10).
• At least some, if not all, stand in the presence of God (Luke 1:19).
• They carry the believing souls of people to heaven (Luke 16:22). Beyond this, almost everything else about angels is speculation.
POWERFUL ALLEGORIES BIBLICAL VALUES
Sir Kendrick and the Castle of Bel Lione
In this first of Chuck Black’s companion series to the popular Kingdom series, Sir Kendrick and Sir Duncan are sent to stop a dangerous new order that threatens their mission to serve the King.
Sir Bentley and Holbrook Court
In this second installment in Chuck Black’s Knights of Arrethtrae series, readers will be drawn to the action, adventure, and romance of the story of Sir Bentley, an honorable young knight who battles the forces of evil and discovers the power of compassion to overcome the destructiveness of greed.
Sir Dalton and the Shadow Heart
Sir Dalton, a knight in training, is young, well-liked, and a natural leader. He has earned the respect and admiration of his fellow knights, and especially the beautiful Lady Brynn. But to defend the kingdom, Dalton must face the evil Shadow Warrior—this time will he survive?
Lady Carliss and the Waters of Moorue
Determined, smart and a master of both the sword and the bow, Lady Carliss races against time to save Sir Dalton’s life, but an evil plot foils her efforts and she must choose between saving him and saving countless others.
Sir Quinlan and the Swords of Valor
Two best friends are called into duty for the Prince, but only one has the courage to follow. Can Quinlan overcome distrust and his own limitations to bring the Valor Knights back together?
Sir Rowan and the Camerian Conquest
The Dark Knight, deceptive and proud, is determined to destroy Cameria from within, but one young man will learn the power of humility and deliver truth to his people.