2035 Revelation

by Freddy Campbell

  “I sense that he wants to give the three of them a close friendship. They are like brothers.”

  Then John said, “let’s wait on the Lord for these three.”

  He asked for wisdom and invited the Lord to speak.

  “I sense the Lord saying that Sanjay is gifted in teaching.”

  “I see them playing music together. Others are gathering round to join them. They feel the joy of true worship.”

  “The Lord wants you to know that he has known you from the moment you were conceived in your mother’s body. He knows all about you and everything you have been through.”

  “Do you remember that song Jasper taught us? The one that goes, ‘He is God.’ I feel like we should sing it over them.”

  This last voice sounded like Sebastian.

  There was some movement, and then the musicians began to play a song.

  It had a gentle opening, and then they sang,

  “Who is there that loves me as I am?”

  As Mark listened to the words about a loving father who wipes tears away, who gives strength to face the day, he felt something rising in his chest. Before he knew it, he felt a strange sensation in his closed eyes. His face was tingling and eyes were welling. Two little tears crept out from his lids and slid down his cheeks. He sank to his knees then dropped his face onto the floor. He wanted to bow down to this God. He felt that He was going to do the things he had heard them pray: he was going to restore him to the man who he was supposed to be. The thought had a sense of certainty. More tears rolled down onto the floor.

  A voice said, “let’s all pray for Mark.”

  His eyes were shut but he sensed bodies moving close to him and hands placed on him. Someone asked for the Lord to show him what he wanted to do.

  “Lord, give him eyes to see and ears to hear what you are doing now.”

  “What do you see or feel, Mark?” one of them asked.

  Mark spoke slowly, “I see a bridge. It crosses a deep valley, with cliffs on either side. A man dressed in white is standing on the bridge. He is reaching his arms out to me.”

  Some different voices then prayed for revelation for him, for God’s love to draw him, for peace to fill his heart.

  “What do you see or feel now?”

  “The man is taking my hand and leading me over. It is beautiful on the other side, like a garden.”

  “Mark,” said one of them, “do you want to be sealed as a child of God?”

  “Yes. Definitely.” Mark had never been more sure of anything.

  “Jesus is God’s son. He came to earth a long time ago. He died as a sacrifice to make a way for us to come back to God. His death paid the price of our wrong. When we were enemies of God, he made peace through his death. When you receive him as Saviour and Lord, you cross over from death to life. ”

  The man led him for the next prayer and Mark repeated after him, in his heart.

  “Lord, I come to you. Take me as I am. I ask you to forgive me for not living for you. From today, I belong to you. My life is yours.”

  Mark felt weak, like he was surrendering. Then something strange happened. It was like a dam in his heart had been broken and a flood was released. Tears filled his eyes. He did not feel sad; it was more relief. He felt that at last he knew that God was there and that if he died tonight, he had at last lived. Nothing mattered more. His cheeks were marked from the steady stream of tears. He let them flow.

  Most of the men were praying for Sanjay now, but three men still had hands on Mark. They were praying quietly, under their breath so that Mark could hardly hear what they said.

  Johnson was prayed for after Sanjay.

  The group agreed they were ready for some more worship.

  “I believe in You,” they sang. The song had a faster beat.

  The next song had a drum beat that reminded Mark of pictures of marching soldiers, “Praises rising, our eyes are looking to you,” it went.

  The words seemed to speak directly to him.

  “In your presence, all sins are washed away.”

  Mark felt his heart joining in the worship of a God who saves.

  The men around him were singing with strength, passion and joy.

  The third song was more intimate, and brought on tears in another wave. There was now a damp patch on the floor by his feet.

  “I fall at your feet, and I worship you now, Jesus,” went the song.

  There was a mixture of feelings in Mark’s heart. There was gladness, relief, yearning, things he could not name, and he just let it wash over him. He did not have to work it up. He let it flow, even when he did not understand what was truly happening. It was like falling into the strong current of a river and being taken downstream. He felt that this was the most important moment of his life. He knew that he would never forget this night.

  Much later, they said their farewells. Some of the men gave them hugs. One of the brothers held Mark. Mark’s whole body relaxed in the embrace. He felt that he belonged in this motley group of men. He looked back at the group as they made their way to the first of the heavy doors. Sebastian led them quietly back to the Sick Bay. They whispered good night and washed before falling gratefully into bed.

  In a dream that night, Mark found himself wandering dimly lit passageways. He had the feeling he was underground. As he wandered, he came across other people. It was like a party except no one wanted to talk to him; everyone was hostile and aggressive. They told him to go away. Everyone was fearful of everyone else. Everyone wanted to be alone and yet they were isolated and horribly unhappy. He was lost and could not find the way out of this strange subterranean place.

  * * * * * *

  Flashback Saturday 15th January 1955

  The four friends met in the Swiss Alps on the invitation of the Englishman.

  After a day’s skiing, they were back at their hotel and were taking a sauna.

  “What on earth are we doing in Davos, Switzerland?” asked the Indian.

  “A change of scenery, old chap,” said the Englishman. “Frightfully good for the constitution. Actually, I think I am going to buy a chalet here. I think this skiing caper is jolly good fun and it attracts the types with wealth and influence that we are after.”

  “What he really means is that there are plenty of pretty girls who flock here,” said the American. “I expect a tall, handsome, titled, wealthy Englishman gets plenty of interest.”

  “Well, there are a few opportunities for behaving badly,” replied the Englishman, “but consider: the Swiss have a reputation as trusted bankers of discretion. They draw the world’s rich. The rich like to play. And where do they play in winter? Places like this. Travel is getting easier and cheaper. Skiing is going to rise in popularity, I am sure of it.”

  “I expect next you will be telling us we should buy land here,” said the South African.

  “I do fancy buying up some land in the valley, yes indeed,” replied the Englishman. “There are a couple of farms I have my eye on. But I have been thinking. Being rich is like being a member of an exclusive club. Like school. This is a venue for that club. The rich come here like bees to honey.”

  “You are probably right, old chum,” said the American. “And besides, you would not miss the summer season in England or the shooting season in Scotland! Do tell us: what have you learnt about the possibility of unity in Europe?”

  “Well, there are signs that France, Germany, Italy and The Netherlands want to sit at a table with a number of others,” replied the Englishman. “They want to have some kind of cast iron guarantee that another war in Europe will never happen again. They see a long-term agreement as their best option. They think that forming an economic group will be beneficial. The Treaty of Paris was the first step.”

  “Do you think they will be able to achieve economic union?” asked the South African.

  “Frankly, I think they will be able to put something in place,” replied the Englishman, “but I would bet that it will not be permanent, despite their
best efforts. There is deep distrust and there are significant differences that I think will never be resolved. Take the Swiss. They are profoundly independent. The lesson of the last forty years for them is simple: do not join in the shambles of European politics and power struggles. They will not be a part of it.”

  “What have you learnt in the United States?” asked the Indian.

  “The impasse between the US and the USSR is going to be with us for many years,” replied the American. “The propaganda is heavy on both sides and the gulf is wide - as wide as the ocean. I hate to say it but I think our aims cannot be achieved while there are fingers hovering over the red buttons on both sides, and while the threat of nuclear war is so imminent. Khrushchev is an old school Soviet and Eisenhower is a product of the land of the free. They are poles apart. I think it is going to take years for a new generation to move into power and for there to be any warming of relations.”

  “Then this may the winter of our discontent,” said the Englishman, “so I say let us eat, drink and be merry while we wait for our opportunity. Come on, one and all.”

  He opened the outside door and threw himself naked into the deep snow.

  “What?” cried the Indian, “I risked my life on the slopes today and now you want to die of exposure?”

  He hopped from foot to foot while the other three lay laughing in the snow.

  Back in the sauna, the Indian cleared his throat and said, “Gentlemen, I have my eye on my first recruit.”

  The others turned their attention towards him.

  “She is a young post-graduate in London. Biochemistry is her field. I went to hear her lecture on how drugs affect the brain. She held the audience in an iron fist. Very controlling, very intelligent. A prime candidate to join us, I believe.”

  “Come, come, old fruit,” said the Englishman, “do you think a woman will think as we do?”

  “Indeed. In time, you will eat your hat,” said the Indian with a smile. “I have been pondering what we said about a central government. I have been thinking about how bees are organised. All the Worker bees serve the queen bee. They do not question their role. An interesting model, I suggest.”

  The American studied his face then turned to the Englishman.

  “So what has His Grace got planned for our entertainment tonight?”

  “Dinner in a restaurant that serves a rather delicious local dish,” replied the Englishman, “washed down with copious quantities of local beer, then we shall sally forth and go dancing. The stakes are as follows: two pounds if you get intimate with a French or Italian gal, three pounds for a German or a Swiss.”

  “And ten pounds if she’s a lesbian!” added the American.

  The laughter could be heard along the corridor.

  15th April 2035

  DAY 4

  President Hussain was having breakfast in a private dining room. The two aides stood while he was flicking through pages on a screen.

  “This one. The man in the race. How sure are you that you can execute successfully?” he asked, without looking up.

  “We are one hundred per cent, Sir.”

  “Okay. Do it. But he must not die.”

  * * * * * *

  They slept well into the morning. The nurse, Michael, brought Mark breakfast when he roused. He wheeled up a table and chairs so that the Johnson and Sanjay could sit with them. Michael asked them how the meeting had gone. He sat down while they took it in turns to relate how they had been prayed for.

  “It felt like a turning point for me,” said Sanjay. “I feel like my life up to now has been like stumbling around in a thick fog, and now the fog is clearing and I can see the sunshine. I can see where I am. People were dark shapes in the fog, but now I am starting to see more clearly.”

  “I think I felt like I belonged in my unit, but it was cold and unfriendly,” said Johnson, “and now I am really glad to be part of this group. I want to go every night. I have no idea what is going to happen to me, but I am not going to worry about that. I want to follow the Lord. I want to know so much more. This is a completely new thing for me. I feel like a young child inside.”

  Michael smiled at them. “That is such great news. I should tell you something. When you were back in your units, you would lie down to sleep at night and your whole unit would be treated with a gas called NIG312: Neural Interceptor Gas, Level 3, version 12. It was specially developed to keep Level Three Workers placid so that they would not feel emotions. This Sick Bay does not have outlets for gas because it interferes with healing from viruses and other sicknesses. It normally takes about three days for the effects of the gas to wear off. That is partly why you feel so different now. Before, it was difficult to interact meaningfully with other people. Now you will be more and more in touch with your feelings. It might be strange at first. Be patient with yourselves while you get used to it. It is a gift that you are here together. You have so much to share. Take your time. There is no hurry. You will have lots to ponder and lots of questions.”

  “That explains why everyone in the unit would be all out together when the lights were turned off,” said Sanjay. “In my unit, I can’t remember one time when anyone got up in the night.”

  The other two nodded.

  Mark told them about his dream and described the bizarre situation of encountering aggressive people in dark corridors.

  “Let me tell you what that sounds like,” said Michael. “Hell. It’s a place of fear and rejection. Where everyone hates everyone else. There is no love, no peace, no trust.”

  The three of them were quiet.

  “That aside, I have a suggestion for you today,” Michael said with a bright glint in his eyes. He picked up the hand-held device by Mark’s bed, and waved it to activate it.

  “Watch this.”

  He held it up in front of them and said clearly, “Jesus is Lord.” The screen went dark for an instant then it lit up with patterns of colourful rainbows.

  “The device is voice activated. It flips to a whole new set of settings. On here now, you will find a library of Christian music, you can read the Bible, call up different Scriptures; listen to teachings on a menu of subjects and much more. See what you can find on it. You each have one. It will help you more than I can say.”

  The three murmured their thanks.

  “I will see you at lunchtime.” Michael took their plates and left them.

  For the rest of the morning, they used the devices. Mark had never had an opportunity to listen to music of his own choosing. Back in the unit, the music was played for them, as it was in all areas. He scrolled through the lists. There were whole genres he had never encountered before: Rock, Pop, Hip Hop, Chillout, Soul, Rhythm & Blues, Reggae, Folk, Dance and several others. He had a growing sense of wonder that there was such breadth in music: so much creativity reflected in so many tunes and melodies. When he found a track he liked, he added it to a playlist. The more he tried different songs, the more he enjoyed it. It was like sampling lots of delicious pieces of food: there were so many different tastes. Before long, he had several playlists under headings like ‘Joyful,’ ‘Intimate,’ and ‘Loud.’

  When Michael brought them lunch, they gathered again to discuss what they had found in their searches on the devices.

  Sanjay had spent the time listening to teaching. He told them that there were menus of talks about lots of different subjects. Each talk had images which came up and sometimes animations, film footage or footage of the speaker.

  “A good series for you all to listen to today would be the series on salvation,” said Michael.

  Mark told them about how he had been exploring music and what a wide range there was.

  Johnson had been looking into what information there was about the church. He had learnt that before the War of Unification, there had been millions of Christians in most countries, who were all part of the church.

  “People who were Christians could meet openly, every week. They used to have buildings of their own,” he sai
d.

  “The church has a long history in Europe, added Michael. “The way that most countries were organised was based to a large extent on Christian principles. Music has been a major part of worship in churches for centuries. It will be good if you find out more about the church in the present time. We have so much to learn and you three can help each other by sharing.”

  They talked on after Michael went off with their lunch things. Their eagerness to learn more led them to agree that they would meet later on and share what new things they had found.

  Mark looked up some teaching on salvation. He watched a team of men and women explaining about how the death of Jesus opened a way to renew a relationship with God that had been broken with the first man. They mentioned that a person crosses over from death to life when they accept Jesus as saviour and Lord. It reminded him of his picture of the chasm with the bridge. He wanted to ponder the teaching, so he went back to his music playlist and listened to a song that had the words, “Hallelujah, gracious Saviour, Christ has come to show us the way.”

  He marveled again at the creativity of the artists who wrote and played these songs. He lay back and closed his eyes. Over three days, his life had taken such a significant turn that he could not even contemplate going back to the numb existence in the unit.

  Michael came and asked them to dress. He took them upstairs to another room. It was a gym. He introduced them to the instructor. Michael asked him to do some sparing with them.

  “Take any frustration out in the ring,” he told them.

  They took it in turns to box with the instructor.

  Johnson went first. He threw punches that the instructor either blocked or dodged. He received some sharp jabs to the head cover and his breast. He charged the instructor but the instructor jumped out of the way. Eventually he managed to land some punches. The instructor called time out and Johnson was glad to retire. He was sweating and moving ponderously.

  Sanjay and Mark fared little better and ended up weary and panting.