Light of the Last
Page 39
There are more than coincidental similarities between terrorism and the tactics of our spiritual enemy, Satan. The goal of both terrorists and Satan is to strike fear into the hearts of people. Both attack when you least expect them. Both are invisible before they strike. Both have goals to destroy and kill. And finally, both intend to destroy freedom and put people into bondage. The mastermind behind earthly terrorists is clearly the archenemy of God, Lucifer. Contrast his tactics with the tactics of God.
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7)
And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13)
Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. (John 8:36)
Rejoice that we serve a good God who offers life, liberty, and love!
CHAPTER 10
When God Draws a Soul
Drew feels the tug on his heart as he encounters the holy Word of God for the first time. The Bible is clear that only those that God draws can come to Jesus.
No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:44)
But the Bible is also clear that God desires that none should perish. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)
Since both of these scriptures are true, the natural conclusion is that God draws all people to him at some point in their life. Whether they choose to follow Christ and receive the gift of salvation is up to them.
CHAPTER 11
Mighty Weapons
Drew finally gets a chance to ask Sydney directly about her apparent superpowers over the dark invaders and is still amazed at her influence over them. What he doesn’t understand, and unfortunately many Christians don’t understand, is that a believer in Jesus, filled with the Holy Spirit, is a powerful vessel through which God can work to disrupt and even destroy the works of the Enemy.
For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. (2 Corinthians 10:4–6)
The Burden of Command
When Sason dissolves because of his severe injuries, Validus experiences the painful and overwhelming burden of command. Few possess the ability to lead men and women into harm’s way and bear the burden when loss occurs. As long as sin continues to taint the universe and work its evil, God will raise up men and women who are able to make the tough calls without becoming callous and uncaring. Jesus was just such a man, for He prepared His disciples for lives of tremendous trial and persecution. He did not flinch from the pain that was in store for those He loved, because He knew their sacrifice would not go unrewarded or be made in vain.
Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:11–12)
CHAPTER 12
The Ultimate Search
Sydney makes Drew promise to read the Bible once more but this time with the intention of discovering truth and of knowing God. When a person earnestly seeks God, the Lord promises that person will find him. Acts 17:27 says that He is not far from each one of us.
And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13)
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6)
CHAPTER 13
Betrayal
Drew felt betrayed by his friend and partner Reed when he discovers that Mr. Ross knows Drew is seeing beings no one else sees. Betrayal hurts worst when it is done by someone close to you. Jesus felt the sting of betrayal too when Judas, one of His disciples, gave Him over to the chief priests to be crucified.
From that time he sought opportunity to betray Him. (see Matthew 26:14–16)
Jesus understands every hurt we feel and every temptation we have endured. He is a Savior whom we can turn to even when we feel betrayed.
We do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize. (Hebrews 4:15)
CHAPTER 14
Great Men Sacrifice Greatly
Dr. Whitton makes a statement when Drew opens up about his admiration for his father. Dr. Whitton says, “Great men sacrifice greatly.” Perhaps an add-on to this would be “The greater the man, the greater the sacrifice.” When there is evil in the world, there are continual opportunities to sacrifice on behalf of others. Great men and great women sacrifice time, money, freedom, prosperity, comfort, and health for others all the time. Good parents sacrifice for their children. Ultimately, the greatest sacrifice of all was made by the greatest man of all, Jesus Christ. He sacrificed His life so that we could be saved.
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. (Titus 2:11–14)
CHAPTERS 15–16
Brought Low to Look Up
Although Drew doesn’t seem like a man full of pride, it is his pride that is keeping him from discovering God—pride in his intellect, pride in his abilities, and pride in his thinking that Christians are weak-minded. Imagine what God might think about a person who considers that His children are foolish and weak-minded. Validus and his team take action to bring Drew to a point in his life where there is very little left to be prideful about. Unfortunately it is often when we are at our lowest that we can finally look up and see our Savior for who He really is. A prideful man can’t repent, so the first step toward salvation is to humble oneself.
And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. (Matthew 23:12)
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. (James 4:10)
CHAPTERS 17–19
Friendship
When Drew and Ben are finally reunited, Drew is overjoyed with being able to reconnect with his friend. Friendship is a gift from God. The Bible tells us in Proverbs 18:24 that there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. God fulfills our need for friendship through the lives of others, but perhaps one of the most remarkable offers God makes to us is His friendship.
No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. (John 15:15)
CHAPTER 20
The Great Experiment
President Harden borrows a concept from French historian Alexis de Tocqueville when he calls America “the Great Experiment.” His improper application of the concept to justify dissolving the sovereignty of the nation is a trick of the devious. Perhaps the most significant aspect of the Great American Experiment was the implementation of biblical thought and principles into a government that was to grant equality and freedom to all people. In a ten-year study conducted by the University of Houston, researchers examined fifteen thousand documents by our founding fathers and discovered that 34 percent of their quotations were from the Bible, the highest by far of any source. Never before on planet Earth has such a government with its foundation placed squarely on God’s Word been formed. As politicians, judges, lawyers, and educators drift further from biblical thought and closer to secular humanism, the Great American Experiment may end with dire consequences warned
of by our forefathers.
If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do? (Psalm 11:3)
CHAPTER 21
Failed Experiment
Validus and his men discuss why the LASOK didn’t work for Drew and Ben. This is an appropriate place to be reminded that no matter how advanced man becomes and no matter how successful the Enemy seems to be, God is sovereign and is in control. There is a barrier that separates the spiritual world from the temporal world that is not to be transcended without the express permission of the Creator. Crenshaw testifies to this fact by quoting Jesus in John.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (John 3:6)
CHAPTER 22
The Threat of Salvation
Validus and his mighty warriors prepare for an onslaught from the Fallen as Sydney and Drew come together to discuss God. To our Enemy, Satan, salvation is a serious threat because he doesn’t know what this new creation with the power of the Holy Spirit will be capable of. Will the new believer receive the Spirit of God only to stifle His promptings and retreat to a life of mediocrity? Or will he rise up to be a powerful vessel through which the gates of hell cannot prevail? If the angels in heaven rejoice over one sinner coming to repentance, can you imagine the angst among the demons when the same occurs?
Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents. (Luke 15:10)
The Simplest Hardest Thing to Do
When Sydney explains how simple it is to ask Jesus into his life, Drew is amazed. John 3:16 is the clearest explanation of what it takes to be saved.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)
But simple doesn’t mean easy. Jesus makes it very clear that following Him would not be easy. Accepting Christ as Savior is not a ticket to easy street but rather a promise of victory, joy, renewal, and persecution.
Remember the word that I said to you, “A servant is not greater than his master.” If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. (John 15:20)
The Miracle of Salvation
Drew is saved because he repents of his sin and puts his faith in Jesus Christ. The depiction of salvation from a spiritual perspective is purely speculative, but we do know that such an event is a miracle of God, for only by the power of God can a soul be saved from hell. Paul testifies to this in Romans.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. (Romans 1:16)
CHAPTER 23
The Last Salvation
There is much conjecture and opinion about the sequence and timing of the End Times events. Although Validus and his angels thought that Drew’s salvation might trigger those events, the Bible makes it clear that no one, not even the angels, knows when Christ will return again. Our duty as believers is not to be so concerned with the “when” but with the “how.” Jesus charges us as to “how” we should behave until that day comes, and it has everything to do with being obedient, faithful servants of God, sharing the gospel with a lost and dying world until the very end.
But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. (Matthew 24:36)
Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. (Matthew 24:45–46)
CHAPTER 24
Secret Missions
Mr. Ross has had Drew on secret missions for many months now, and it appears that what Mr. Ross is asking of Drew could mean he might even lose his life. Believers in Jesus Christ have had a veil removed from their minds so that they can see the reality of the spiritual war being waged around them. We are, in essence, secret agents on mission for God. The lost do not see what we see and do not understand what we understand. Our struggle is fierce and our cause desperate, for millions of souls are at stake. Sometimes God may even call us to a mission that may require our very lives. Whatever God calls us to, He promises to go before us and equip us.
And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. (Ephesians 4:11–13)
CHAPTER 25
Dark Lord
Drew sees Satan for the first time in his life, and the encounter momentarily incites great fear in him. The most powerful created being in the universe would certainly have that effect on anyone. But then Drew hears the whisper of God, and his peace and confidence is restored. We need to remember that our Enemy is already defeated and Jesus made a spectacle of it on the cross. Furthermore, the Holy Spirit lives within us, and thus we are protected by His presence.
God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7)
You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. (1 John 4:4)
CHAPTER 26
Six Things the Lord Hates
Drew discovers that although Senior Advisor Dougherty is guilty of playing a key role in a major terrorist plot, President Harden and Director Ward are also guilty of egregious acts that have cost many Americans their freedom and their very lives. God calls such men “workers of iniquity.” There is a specific list of actions that God spells out as things He hates.
These six things the LORD hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren. (Proverbs 6:16–19)
Drew is disgusted by Harden and Ward, and rightly so, for they have committed all seven of the things God hates.
CHAPTER 27
Prayers That Move the Hand of God
Drew offers up a prayer to God on behalf of his team and on behalf of the nation. It is quite apparent that during the prayer the Holy Spirit leads him to speak words of genuine repentance and petition. There are some outstanding examples of effective prayers throughout the Bible, prayers that move the hand of God. We ought to pay attention to such things because Jesus Himself told how to pray and how not to pray. Vain, repetitious prayers are worthless. Effective prayers are initiated in absolute humility, asking first for forgiveness and offering heartfelt praise to God. The Lord tells us to ask Him for help in our time of need, but He also tells us that many ask with the wrong heart and wrong intentions. The noblest prayers of all are those offered up on behalf of other people or even an entire nation. Below are examples of prayers that move the hand of God.
And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name….(Matthew 6:7–13)
And I prayed to the LORD my God, and made confession, and said, “O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments, we have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments….” (Daniel 9:4–19)
And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, “God, be merciful to me a sinner!” (Luke 18:13)
And Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior….” (Luke 1:46–55)
CHAPTER 28
A Deadly Virus
Drew and Ben reveal the LASOK to their team with the hope of being able to use it to identify the deadly Ebola virus. Here’s a tidbit of sheer speculation about viruses. It is interesting to note that unlike bacteria, there are no “good” viruses. All viruses are designed to invade a living host, replicate itself, and destroy its host. That doesn’t sound like part of God’s “good” creation. For decades, scientists and biologists have been trying to determine if viruses are living organisms. At first they believed them to be a type of poison, then a living organism like bacteria, but now they agree that viruses are not true living organisms because they lack the ability to reproduce without the aid of a living host and don’t use the typical cell-division approach to replication. They are a complicated “assembly” of molecules that include proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, and carbohydrates. It is almost as if they have been engineered to destroy life whenever possible. The creation of life can only be accomplished by God Almighty. Is it possible that the Enemy has attempted to imitate the creation of life but for the sole purpose of destroying it? Has he somehow been able to devise a molecular system that can only function when it invades or “possesses” a living host and change its very nature? Again, this is the sheer speculation of this author.