Again, there was a swell of cheering and clapping from the crowd.
There were three more testimonies. One was from Joseph, the Level Four man who had come from Hamburg, in Germany. He spoke about getting over the grief of losing family and friends in the war, and his experiences of losing people who had been moved to Level One. The crowd listened soberly and with sympathy.
There were two testimonies from women. One woman was Scottish and spoke of the pain of losing a child, and how God had helped her in her pain. The other woman had been a Level Three Worker, and she spoke of her experience of being saved and of joining the church. She loved the fellowship they had at the camp. She told them about the night the Lord told them to come to Iceland. She had wept for them. She said she felt God’s compassion for them.
The spotlight moved to Jasper. He said that they would like to play some worship songs, and invited the crowd to join in if they wanted to. Mark went over to his keyboard to get ready to play.
They played a series of songs with Imogen and Jasper leading. The common thread was the experience of salvation. The first songs were more about praise - lifting up the name of God. The later songs were more gentle. The last song had the words, “so do not be afraid.”
The music faded and came to an end.
Silence fell on the whole crowd.
The lights went dim for about half a minute. Then lights shone onto the main stage. They picked out Jonathan, Helena, an Icelandic leader and Susan, the Intercessor lady.
“We want to pray for you now,” said Jonathan.
“We believe that God is going to touch you in a special way,” said Helena.
“Many of us have waited a long time for this,” added the Icelandic man. “I believe that this is going to be a very special moment for all of us.”
Then Susan spoke gently, but with authority,
“I believe that this is what the Lord says to you: ‘I know all the hardship you have endured. I know the pain you have had. You have suffered enough. Now I come to you. It is time for you to know salvation. It is time for you to feel joy at last.’”
They held out their hands towards the crowd. There was quiet for a short time. Mark closed his eyes and waited. Then he heard people starting to cry.
Jonathan asked the whole team to come onto the stage and hold out their hands. They all went up, including many of the children. They formed a circle, looking out in every direction. They stretched out their hands and prayed.
The sound grew. Some of the crowd were crying, others were calling out, still others were moaning as if they were wounded or in pain.
Then Jonathan spoke,
“Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Salvation is when you cross over. Jesus said, ‘repent because the kingdom of God is near.’ The kingdom of God has come to you tonight. The Spirit is here. It is time to repent. To repent is to turn. It’s a change of mind and a change of direction. All you have to do is say yes in your heart. Then say sorry if you have been living for yourself, if you have been ignoring God, if you have resisted him. He says that he stands at the door. He knocks on the door of our hearts. We have to let him in - he will not force his way into our heart. He only comes in if you open the door. Do not be afraid. He is good. He is kind. He is gentle. He is strong.
“I encourage you to say yes to God, tonight. Come into his kingdom. Come under his wing. Come and know the truth. Come and know that you are loved. Love is stronger than anything - even death. Come and submit to him as Lord. His name is above every name. He is the Lord of lords. He is the King of kings. There is no one worthy, like he is worthy. He died for you. He paid the price to bring you into God’s presence. He offered the sacrifice. Humankind was separated from God through what Adam did. Humankind was reconciled, reunited with God, through what Jesus did. Jesus was blameless. He took the blame for us. When he died, he said, ‘it is finished’ - it’s paid for. It was the most important day in history.
“He redeems you. Someone sold into slavery could be freed, if a relative paid the redemption price. He did that for you, once for all. He paid the price. It cost him his life. Every single one of you who calls on the name of the Lord tonight, will be saved. Believe in him, and cross over from death to life.
“I pray that God will come to you tonight. Lord, reveal your salvation to your children. Come Spirit of God. Many will see. Many will fear. Many will put their trust in you.”
As soon as he said these last words, there was an invisible wave that swept through the whole space. It started at the front, near the stage, and went out like ripples on a pond, all the way to the back. People were dropping to their knees and falling down on the ground. Many people were calling out, “Jesus.” Some lay on the ground like they had been knocked out. The volume coming from the crowd increased. Mark thought it was like a God-ordained chaos: the din was like nothing you would get in the Level Three city. Compared to the order in his unit, this was happy mayhem.
The meeting was officially over, but for several hours there were people praying together in small groups. Mark, Johnson and Sanjay spent much of that time moving through the crowd, laying hands on people and praying with them.
When it was close to midnight, they were sitting on one of a line of coaches, heading back to the city. They were grateful to wash and to fall into their beds on the train.
That night, Mark dreamt of the meeting: he was dancing on the stage with the others in front of an exuberant crowd.
24th April 2035
DAY 13
They woke in the morning when the carriage came to life. They washed and dressed, then followed others to breakfast, as they had done the day before.
At the meeting, Jonathan, Helena and the other leaders shared the news of the impact of the meeting the night before. They told them that many churches had sent encouraging messages and they played several for them to see. Mark and the others were delighted to see the excitement in the message from the New Birmingham church sent by John, Sebastian, Michael and the others. They had watched the entire evening meeting. They could not contain their joy.
“Mark, Johnson and Sanjay - you were awesome!” called Sebastian to the camera.
There was news that another train had arrived that morning with more supplies.
The leaders outlined what each of the teams were planning to do that day. The whole team was going to meet at five o’ clock, as they had the day before. The Worship group was going on a tour with Petur and Sessilia.
After some prayers of thanks, the meeting ended and Jasper’s team followed their guides out to the coach.
“We have some treats in store for you today,” Petur told them.
Their coach drove out on a highway heading South East.
Someone had asked Petur to tell them about what life was like before the war, when he was at school so he told them stories of his childhood in Hafnarfjordur. His parents both worked. His father was an engineer, making prosthetic limbs, and his mother worked in a hotel. In the winter, they would skate on a nearby lake. In summer, they could play football outside. He loved to go to the public baths and go on the waterslides.
Their first coffee stop was in an old shopping centre in a town near the coast. There was a slab of glass over a large crack in the floor, where an earthquake had split the building many years ago. They could stand with one foot either side of the crack.
The local people they came across all wanted to shake their hands, and thank them for the meeting the night before. Some people asked for them to lay hands on them and pray for them.
“The best night we have had for a long time,” said one older man.
They drove on past fields and onto a wide plain covered in black stones. A high hill rose up on its own. They drove down a track to its base. The coach parked and they all spilled out to climb up to its summit. There, they stood and looked out to the views in every direction. To the South, the sea glistened. To the North, the land rose up to a mountain covered in a glacier. There was no
sign of movement except the wind blowing on the tufts of grass. It looked like a desolate wilderness.
“This hill we are standing on is an extinct volcano,” said Sessilia.
“This landscape reminds me of a story I read when I was a lad,” said Jasper. “There was a black land called Mordor.”
They descended down the steep path and climbed back on the coach. They drove on to a place with some high, black cliffs that rose high above the flat plain that stretched towards the sea. The coach pulled over and Petur led them towards a high waterfall. A path went around under the cliffs, into a shallow cave at the rear of the waterfall. Mark gazed up at the overhang and water raining down.
“Who is coming in?” called Jasper as he ran forward.
“Not me!” replied Imogen.
Mark pulled his clothes off with some of the others and they waded out into the pool. The water was up to his shoulders at the base of the waterfall. The water beat down on them from the high cliff top. It was very cold, but it was exhilarating.
“The water comes from a glacier!” shouted Sessilia, over the loud sound of the water landing on the pool. “Are you guys completely crazy?”
They were shivering now, so they retreated to where Imogen and Sessilia were holding some towels. They had a run along the bottom of the cliffs to warm up. Petur had flasks of hot tea for them back at the coach.
A few kilometres further down the highway, they turned off towards another line of high cliffs. They separated the coastal plain and the high plateau inland. There was another beautiful waterfall. In the bright sunshine, the spray created a vivid rainbow. They stood in a line and stared at it for a while. Mark was mesmerized by the quantities of water gushing off the top of the cliff.
Then they took lots of photos and film. Petur suggested that they try drinking the water, but not to wade in again. Mark picked up some of the smooth black stones and stuck them in his pocket. The water tasted incredibly pure and refreshing. There was a small hamlet of old buildings. They had their picnic lunch out of the wind, in the old schoolhouse.
The coach driver took them down to the coast. They went to the beach and threw countless smooth stones into the breaking waves. Mark, Johnson and Sanjay had never been to a beach before. They pulled off their boots and socks, and ran in and out, trying to avoid the reach of the freezing, foaming water.
They climbed up and stood on the cliffs, with the strong breeze in their hair, and looked out to sea. Waves pounded the shore, far below. Mark loved the sight of the majestic North Atlantic Ocean: thousands of miles of open sea; line upon line of waves riding with the wind towards them; a clear sky stretched high over them.
Looking along the coastline, they could see jagged rocks sticking up in the sea, under a constant onslaught from the waves. They stood out darkly against the pale water.
“We call those rocks ‘dragon’s teeth,’” said Sessilia.
“What an incredible country!” said Johnson.
The others nodded.
They had a race back to the coach.
It was time to head back to Thingvellir. The coach drove through more bleak and empty landscape until they crested a ridge, and they could see the long lake and the meeting tent in the distance. There were more trucks parked and the whole site was a hive of activity. They were curious to hear what was happening.
They walked towards the catering piazza. They passed new tents and cabins, then a group who were engrossed in setting up something. Jasper spotted Stevie and called to him.
“Hi Stevie,” he said, “what is going on here, matey?”
Stevie came over and greeted them.
“Take a wee guess,” he answered with a cheeky grin.
“It’s for more catering?” tried Johnson.
Stevie shook his head.
“It’s for prayer teams?” asked Mark.
“Na’,” said Stevie. “Tomorrow morning, this whole area is gonnay be one massive theme park! All the kids who come are going to have the time of their lives. Look over there.”
He pointed to a colourful structure at the top of the hill, above the cliff, beyond the meeting tent.
“There are slides running all the way from the hilltop up there, all the way to the lake. Over there you will find machines that spin you around. You would nay believe the kit they brought from the train this morning!”
Stevie called to the others in his team to break for tea, and they made their way through more installations to the catering piazza. Mark was glad to find quantities of hot tea and a range of cakes and tasty treats. They sat together and talked about their trip. Sanjay, wearing his apron, came and sat with them.
Something about the view of the lake drew Mark’s gaze. The sunshine glittered brightly on the water. He went quiet, as he listened to the excited chatter around him, silently staring out across the lake, towards the South West.
Something moving in the distance drew his attention.
“What is that?” he asked suddenly.
He pointed.
The others stopped talking and looked in the direction he was pointing. There were small dark shapes moving towards them across the lake. At first, Mark thought they were birds. They came at speed. They were moving too fast to be birds. The dark shapes came hurtling towards them in formation, dipping low near the water, then soaring up over their heads and turning. They made a few circles around them, then slowed and came down to land on the grass, close to where they were sitting. There were five people in black suits with what looked like wings sprouting from their shoulders.
Everyone in the piazza had stopped to watch.
The one nearest them, pulled off a helmet, and called over cheerfully,
“Are we in time for tea?”
Imogen gasped, and put her hand up against her heart.
“Archie?” her voice was uncertain.
“Hi, darling sister,” came the reply.
The figure was walking towards them.
“Sorry we did not let you know we were com…”
He did not finish his sentence, because Imogen had sprinted over to him and had jumped into his arms, flinging her arms around his neck.
“Archie, Archie, Archie” she kept repeating. She was laughing.
Jasper had joined them now, and he had thrown his arms around the man.
Mark and the others walked over to greet the visitors.
Jasper turned to introduce them.
“Guys, this is Archie. Our little brother.”
Mark looked into the handsome face below the blonde locks: the brown eyes, and the warm smile. The handshake was firm and friendly.
“You guys are total legends!” Archie said. “Man, we could not do anything but watch the whole thing, last night. What a night! O my Lord! We woke up early this morning and we pleaded with the Lord to let us come over here. It has taken us most of the day to get here!”
“Where have you come from?” asked Johnson.
“We have been at a mission base in the mountains of Northern California.”
He introduced the other four.
Imogen was embracing a woman called Caley.
“How are my parents?” the woman asked.
“They will be here soon,” Imogen replied.
“Come on. What are these things?” Jasper was prodding Archie’s suit.
“Jet suits, bro’,” he said. “They are stealth, very fast. Handle brilliantly. They’re on loan. Naturally. I must give you a try later.”
They climbed out of the suits and came and sat at the table, where they all chatted animatedly.
Sanjay and two others on his team plied them all with food and drinks.
Jasper spotted Jonathan and Helena approaching with the leaders.
“Heads down, you guys!” he whispered quickly.
Imogen got up and went over to Helena.
She took her arm.
“There’s a surprise,” Mark heard Imogen saying.
Helena looked towards them. Her eyes met those of the woman.<
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“Caley?” she called, uncertain.
Caley leapt to her feet and ran to them. Arms and heads knitted together. Mark loved watching the way they embraced. Helena was laughing and crying at the same time. Jonathan joined in. Then one of the male visitors stood up and went to them.
“Nathan!” Jonathan and Helena said together.
Mark watched them share hugs, tears and more laughter. He could not help but smile.
Jasper explained that Caley and Nathan were Jonathan and Helena’s children. They had been at the Nairnside camp for many years until they had been called to go to North America, about two years before. Archie had gone to join them a year ago.
Jonathan and Helena came and sat with them. They traded questions. The visitors wanted to know how it had felt at the meeting, the night before.
“Come on, Mark. What was it like up there when you sang ‘Don’t you worry’? asked Archie with a friendly grin.
“At first, I felt very alone,” replied Mark, “standing up there in the spotlight, everyone looking at me. But then I remembered the words Susan had spoken to me at supper. By the end, I did not want to stop. It was amazing, seeing the reaction from the crowd.”
“He is well into music and we are happy to have him in the worship team,” added Jasper, winking at Mark.
“Not bad choice of song, for you!” Archie kicked Jasper’s chair.
“Archie, have you brought your toothbrush?” Jasper asked mischievously.
“Are you kidding?” retorted Archie, “I was hoping that you brought a spare!”
“Funnily enough, I did! I suppose you are going to nick my clothes too. You can share my berth on the train. What is mine is yours. It’ll be like old times,” said Jasper.
“Just love you,” said Archie, smiling, “have you got something for me to play tonight? Don’t expect me to sit on my derriere at the back!”
“We will fix you up, if you can remember what to do,” said Jasper.
Archie playfully made like he was going to throw a punch his way.
“Now, you two, remember bed by ten,” said Imogen, poking fun at them.
2035 Revelation Page 16