by Irvin Baxter
“As a result, twenty-two years later the epitome of nationalism, Nazism, plunged the world into the abyss of World War II. By the time the guns fell silent, fifty-two million of the world’s finest men lay silently in their graves. The intolerable level of this carnage of war finally goaded the world’s leaders to create the noble organization I have the honor of addressing today: the United Nations. But even at its creation, the seeds of its own impotence were treacherously sown into its soul. Once again the shortsightedness of national sovereignty refused to make the necessary total commitment to world peace. The right of veto by certain nations was demanded and given. This effectively tied the UN’s right arm behind its back as it was sent forth into a hostile world to attempt to slay the dragon of war and to provide a global home of peace and security.
“Consequently, I stand before you in horror and shock as, even now, we attempt together to bury two billion human beings, one-third of the world’s population. Ladies and gentlemen, brothers and sisters, must I point out to you that we no longer have a choice? Is it not obvious to all that we have just received our final warning? We will not have another opportunity to do what we must if we fail our test of courage and resolve at this hour. The time has arrived for national, religious, and personal differences to be set aside in favor of the greater common good. We must now succeed where previous generations have failed. The time has come to fully embrace a structure of international law and to adopt a global leadership that can guide us safely out of the treacherous waters of national conflict and into the safe and secure shores of global cooperation under the benevolent direction of the World Community.
“The last thing that I feel compelled to point out in this, my most urgent appeal ever to the World Community, is the need, not only for world law, but also for world leadership. These goals of which I have spoken today will but fall to the ground unless we have the visionary leadership needed to chart the course that the entire world must now walk. Fortunately, just such visionary leadership is amongst us and willing to assume the responsibilities to which destiny now calls. The only question is—will we follow that leadership, which divine providence has placed on this earth at this strategic time?
“We must act now or there will be no tomorrow! We must now beat our swords into plowshares and our spears into pruning hooks. My dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you! Do not hesitate. Let’s banish war forever from the face of this earth. No more war! Never again! Never again!”
The global leaders and the UN delegates sat in awe at the power and the eloquence of the Pontiff’s oration. Such clarity of vision and force of logic had seldom, if ever, been brought to bear on this august world forum. As the Pope turned from the podium, the entire General Assembly rose to its feet as one man in thunderous applause. Tears glistened in the eyes of the world’s leaders, and a new resolution surged through the hearts of each person present. “We will not fail! We will not be deterred! We will have courage and build a genuine world order—free of war, free of fear.”
Chapter 6
Michael Arachev absolutely emanated an aura of destiny. His mind was like a steel trap. He could grasp difficult issues quickly, and he knew exactly what he believed when it came to reshaping the world for lasting peace and security. Standing about 5 feet 11 inches and weighing 210 pounds, his stout physique matched his bulldog determination. Once he made up his mind about something, he never let go till he saw it through. And he let no one, friend or foe, get in his way. To Arachev, the issues were simple: Get with his program of reform or be swept aside.
When he first came to power in the Soviet Union, the dreaded Cold War was in its death throes. People around the world watched in amazement as the barbed wire of the Iron Curtain was rolled up. Not one person on the earth would ever forget the feeling of relief and hope that swelled up when young East Germans started streaming over the top of the hated Berlin Wall. When Arachev left power six years later, the threat of a nuclear holocaust had receded dramatically. World News Network’s Theodore Joiner even dared to say that Michael Arachev was the greatest world leader in the past two thousand years! Yet, this champion of peace had actually been rejected by his own people. Of course, don’t people always reject their messiahs?
In spite of being rudely cast aside by the world he had done so much to save, Arachev continued to work tirelessly to promote his much vaunted and maligned New World Order.
The horrible nuclear meltdown at Chernobyl had made an indelible impression upon him. His goals had included achieving total nuclear disarmament of the world by 1999, making the world environmentally safe, and creating a new form of global governance equal to the challenges of the globally interdependent electronic age. To accomplish these things, he became the world’s foremost activist on environmental issues. At the same time he used every ounce of his considerable influence to promote the necessity of an international system of global governance. To any who would listen, he eloquently argued that the day of the nation-state was over and the time for international government had arrived. Arachev also quietly organized worldwide meetings of those behind-the-scenes “king-makers” whom he knew had the power and the influence to bring a world governmental system into being. These meetings commonly featured speeches from high-profile former military generals. These speeches passionately implored the world to save itself from total annihilation by enacting nuclear disarmament for the entire globe.
All of the world’s leaders knew that Arachev had lobbied tirelessly for a nuclear-free world by 1999. Now they were painfully aware of the fact that, had they listened, this horrific tragedy would not have occurred. At Arachev’s yearly forums, the world’s best minds had attempted to map the path to world peace. But one obstacle always remained stubbornly in the way: national sovereignty. They all knew what to do, but powerful nations—the United States in particular—refused to surrender their veto power so that the United Nations could become a bona fide world government. It now seemed apparent to all that the time had come to turn to this extraordinary leader who had brought the Cold War to an end, but who had been prevented from leading the world on into the promised land of the New World Order.
In the wake of the nuclear disaster, Michael Arachev seemed to be everywhere—making speeches, expressing condolences, supplying answers. It seemed that here was a man whose time had genuinely come. He had not been idle all those years while out of political power; he had been working diligently on a plan for global governance for a time that he was sure would someday come. That time had arrived. And the world had never been more ready for a strong man with answers!
Massive teams of doctors were recruited from all over the world to ease the suffering of those dying from nuclear fallout and to help those who could be saved. All the nations of the world donated millions of dollars in supplies, equipment, and manpower to bury the dead throughout Asia. In the meantime, the United States struggled to deal with twenty million dead and dying as a result of China’s final revenge.
On the global scene, actions previously unthinkable were accepted without question. Nations began wholesale disarmament and declared NATO to be a world police force under UN authority. Russia and many other nations joined this retooled, world peacekeeping body. It was appropriately renamed World Alliance for Peace and Safety (WAPS).
International disputes previously allowed to fester were now settled boldly and resolutely by UN resolutions. One by one, the world’s trouble spots were dealt with—Bosnia, Chechnya, and even Northern Ireland. Only the Gordian knot of the Middle East remained an issue.
But, Michael Arachev had made up his mind that he would suffer no opposition. The days of war and conflict were over—period. The world’s nations would bow to the authority of international law—or else. He had once before made the mistake of being too weak and indecisive. He would not let it happen again.
Chapter 7
Officer David Freeman was finally due for a week off. He had been working sixteen-hour days ever since the war with China occurr
ed. Of course, even his off-duty time was spent in L.A.’s Defense Center, since nuclear contamination made it impossible for him to go outside. He had been exceptionally busy because of his pivotal role in warning the nation. Some hailed him as a national hero for remaining so vigilant and giving the earliest possible warning of China’s attacks. Phone calls had poured in requesting interviews and talk show appearances. There were even some book offers.
The soldier who was to replace David arrived in a special suit that protected him from radiation. It took three hours for him to go through the de-contamination process. When he finally emerged, he handed over an additional protective suit that David would use to leave.
It had been over a month since David had seen the light of day. And it had been six months since he had been with Sharon and the kids. Was this ever going to be a welcome break!
When David stepped into the sunlight, he stood still for a moment, allowing his eyes to adjust. He knew things would not be the same as when he had gone in, but he was totally unprepared for what he saw. Destruction! Total, utter destruction! Everything was leveled. No buildings were standing. There were no human beings. Civilization had simply vanished. It was as though some angry God of unlimited power had passed through, wreaking vengeance on the human race and the structures they had created. For a moment David had a mental vision of an awesome God, one hundred feet tall, rampaging through the earth. He could almost hear His voice rumbling like the sound of a thousand thunders as He twisted the architectural achievements of men into pretzel-like pieces of junk and then hurled them violently to the ground!
As David looked around at this other-worldly scene, he marveled that the Defense Center had been able to withstand such incredible force. It was then that he noticed the outline of a human form on the Center’s wall. He stared at it silently. Then realization struck. The power of the nuclear blast had hurled someone against the wall, and then the 3,000-degree heat had vaporized all of the human substance, leaving only the eerie outline to testify that this poor person had ever existed. The remains resembled a charcoal rendering of a life now forgotten.
David’s knees suddenly turned to jelly, and fear encased itself around his heart. His hands shook uncontrollably. Never had he experienced the awareness of the reality of God as he did right then. If this was God in His fury, then David never wanted to be the target of that wrath!
By sheer force of will, David snapped himself back to reality. Only the nuclear-free vehicle that was waiting to take him to the de-contamination center gave any indication that anything living remained on earth.
As they traveled north, away from L.A., the extent of the devastation began to decrease, little by little. Metal beams that once supported large buildings still stood, even though they had twisted into grotesque shapes under the intense heat of the nuclear explosion. David was astounded as he tried to imagine the force that could twist four-foot-wide metal beams as though they were made of rubber! As they continued farther, a few scattered buildings remained standing. But there were still no human beings in evidence.
About 50 miles north of Los Angeles, David saw the big sign, “End of Lethal Radiation Zone.” Immediately, they began to meet cars. A few people appeared on the sidewalks in the towns through which they traveled. Twenty miles farther, things really started to appear normal.
Upon his arrival at the de-contamination center, David was immediately directed to a shower designed to remove as much radiation as possible from his protective suit. He then was guided to the next specially designed room for the removal of the anti-radiation suit. Over the speaker system, an emotionless voice instructed him to pass as quickly as possible through the heavy lead doors to his left the instant he was able to extricate himself from his anti-radiation coveralls.
Once past the double lead doors, David was escorted to a special shower using special chemicals. After he emerged from that shower, he moved to a normal shower for rinsing. As he finally slipped into the fresh clean uniform that had been brought for him, he breathed a sigh of relief. Am I ever glad that is over, he thought.
Leaving the de-contamination center, he resumed his trip north toward San Francisco. David’s flight left from there. Normally his scheduled flight would have stopped through Denver, but of course, Denver was no more. All planes now stopped through Las Vegas on their trips to the east.
When his flight finally touched down in Cincinnati, Ohio, David’s pulse quickened. He knew that Sharon, David Jr., and Misty would be waiting for him. It had been too long!
David’s family ran over to him the minute he stepped through the gates. David Jr. grabbed him first. Then he felt Misty’s little arms wrap around his leg. He picked her up and squeezed her tight as he tousled David’s hair with his other hand. After a minute or two, he turned his attention to Sharon. When he looked into her eyes, big tears slid down her face, and she melted into his arms. “I didn’t know if I would ever see you again,” she murmured as she clung tightly to him.
“I know exactly how you feel. I wondered myself. Oh, Sharon, I didn’t realize how much you meant to me. I don’t ever want to leave you again.” The words just came pouring out of David. There was so much that he needed to say that he had neglected to say before. He would not make that mistake ever again. He had determined on the flight home that from now on he would say what he felt. A man never knows when it might be his last chance!
During the short week he was home, David listened continually to the news reports. The entire United States was on an emergency footing while attempting to deal with the aftermath of China’s attack.
All areas within a fifty-mile radius of each of the nuclear explosions were declared off limits. Wherever the nuclear rains had fallen, the crops in the fields had to be destroyed and properly disposed of. Millions of cows, chickens, and other animals that were affected by the radiation needed to be buried. The manpower required to deal with this unprecedented situation was absolutely overwhelming.
In the aftermath, America’s stock market plunged downward until it lost two-thirds of its value. Major companies had sustained massive property losses, not to mention the loss of key personnel. It would require many years to rebuild. As a result, economic leadership swung like a huge pendulum to the European Union. America’s preeminence in world affairs was temporarily ended, if not forever.
Not all results of America’s catastrophe were negative. Those who lived through the holocaust had a new appreciation for life. Community spirit was rediscovered. People worked side by side to rebuild the nation. Most importantly, a great spiritual revival began to sweep across the land. Churches were filled to capacity. Mid-week Bible study groups were commonplace in every community. The Ten Commandments suddenly reappeared in schools, government buildings, and other public places—and no one raised a voice of objection. It was as though a malignant tumor had been surgically removed from the American soul.
During his week at home, David himself dealt with the spiritual question. On Wednesday, Sharon suggested that they attend church that evening. Before the attack, David would never have considered it, and he wasn’t sure that Sharon would have asked. Now, however, it seemed that almost everyone was undergoing significant changes in their previously held values.
Sharon especially wanted to go to this particular meeting because the speaker’s subject was titled, “The Chinese-American War in Bible Prophecy.” When David heard that, he knew he definitely did not want to miss it.
That evening, they entered a packed sanctuary and found a seat in the back. They watched with interest as Roger Cornell, the prophecy teacher for the meeting, opened his lecture by reading the Bible passage containing the prophecy:
And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men. And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them. Revelation 9:15-16
David saw immediately where the teacher was going. This 2,000-ye
ar-old prophecy foretold a war that would kill one-third part of men. The world had just experienced a war that had, in fact, killed one-third of the world’s population! David couldn’t believe it!
He listened intently as Roger Cornell explained that Mao Tse Tung, an earlier leader of China, had actually boasted in his diary that he could field an army of 200 million soldiers. That was the exact number of the army that was prophesied to start this war. Wow! David had never heard anything like this before. He continued to focus his attention on the prophecy teacher.
Cornell went on to say that the Chinese-American conflict was only one of the major prophecies of the Bible. He explained that a world government would arise to power out of all this chaos. There would be some kind of a covenant confirmed in the Middle East that would pave the way for Israel to build her Third Temple.
What I want to know, David thought, is what all this means, and where does it lead? He didn’t have to wait long to get his answer.
Cornell continued, “Things are going to get worse before they get better. The forces that have long dreamed of one-world government will use this horrible calamity to usher in their vision. Anyone who resists their plan for this New World Order will be considered an extremist and an enemy of peace. This will ultimately degenerate into political and economic persecution of all who do not agree with this new global structure.”