by John Price
"Really? Even when they don’t know anything about the charges? You did say a sealed indictment didn’t you? To quote Jack Nicolson, why don’t you fellows try selling crazy someplace else? We’re done here. Enjoy your trip back to the asylum."
12
St. Patrick’s Cathedral
Manhattan, New York City
Cardinal Thomas Micah Bolton was wearing his most casual clothes, which for a Cardinal of the Catholic Church was never very casual. He wore the mandated black wool cassock, the rabat Roman collar and red silk skull cap. He preferred this most acceptable non-formal clothing when he was in his working office at St. Patrick’s, the 150 some year old edifice which occupied a full city block, from 50th to 51st streets and from Madison Avenue to Fifth Avenue. Today was a working day, as he needed to finish his remarks to be delivered as part of the upcoming Sunday service, though normally, he didn’t participate in the weekly mass, which was handled by one of the priests honored with the task. Cardinal Bolton had wrestled with the title for his homily, which he recognized would ruffle feathers at the White House. No stranger to doing so, the Cardinal had frequently stood up for the church when it was under attack by the administration. When the White House ordered that religious organizations must provide abortion coverage to employees, he spoke out, leading the legal challenge in the courts. Consequently, Cardinal Bolton was widely perceived as a leading vocal opponent of the President by many Americans, most of the mainstream media and certainly by the President and his advisors.
Cardinal Bolton had been watching the news with rising horror as he realized that his country was apparently not going to come to the defense of its most valued Middle East partner, the State of Israel. With each hour the news from northern Israel got worse, as Russia and Iran rolled south. The video showed hundreds of tanks and troop carriers manned by troops numbering in what appeared to be many tens of thousands, prepared to kill Israelites. Cardinal Bolton knew that he could be quiet no longer. His church had remained largely silent during the holocaust. This Cardinal, for one, was about to assail his own government for not defending Israel. He was well aware that some within his denomination did not see Israel as God’s chosen people, but his reading of scripture and history convinced him. He knew that it was time to call on the President to do the right thing.
Earlier that morning he had shared breakfast with his best friend in the media, the international affairs reporter for Fox news. During their sharing of everything bagels and cinnamon cream cheese, the Cardinal let it be known to his friend that he would strongly assail the President this Sunday. His reporter friend asked if Fox could run a trailer at the bottom of its news screen revealing that Cardinal Bolton during Sunday services at St. Patrick’s would call on the President to come to Israel’s defense? The Cardinal thought about it for a moment, decided it couldn’t do any harm. In fact, as he shared with his media friend, advance notice of his upcoming words might even push the President to help Israel, now, rather than later after more Israelis were dead. The Cardinal’s hope that the White House would take action once it read the trailer on Fox reporting on his upcoming verbal assault was correct. What was incorrect was what kind of action the President would order.
13
Hannah and Gary’s Family Room
Birmingham, Alabama
Scott was angry at what the three couples in their small group Bible study were seeing on TV. "You just heard the same thing I heard. The Russians and Iranians invade Israel, the President announces that the US won’t come to Israel’s defense and then no other country is willing to do so. I was hoping that maybe Canada or France, who have been friendly to Israel recently, would step in and help little Israel survive. Blood is about to start flowing in Israel. How could this be anything except what the Bible said would happen?"
Beau, who had demonstrated through the years his widespread recall of scripture, responded, "Yup. Jeremiah said it in chapter 51. Let’s see….here it is….verse 35….and 36. May the violence done to our flesh be upon Babylon, say the inhabitants of Zion. May our blood be on those who live in Babylonia, says Jerusalem. Therefore, this is what the Lord says: ‘See I will defend your cause and avenge you’….and I think there’s a similar verse a little later….yes, here it is. Verse 49. Babylon must fall because of Israel’s slain."
Hannah asked, "Beau, didn’t we study a verse in Psalms along the same line?"
"Good memory, Hannah. It’s in 137 as I recall….un-hunh….verse 8. O Daughter of Babylon doomed to destruction, happy is he who repays you for what you have done to us."
"We all concluded from the thirty prophecy clues revealing the identity of Mystery Babylon, that it has to be America, our country. It’s also named in scripture as the Daughter of Babylon and Babylon the Great. Beau, didn’t one of the prophets label Babylon as a betrayer?"
"Again, good memory guys. It was Isaiah. Let’s turn to Isaiah, very powerful language. Go to 21:2….You all there?....OK, here’s what Isaiah said. A dire vision has been shown to me: The traitor betrays, the looter takes loot. Elam, attack! Media, lay siege! I will bring an end to all the groaning she caused.
Audrey looked up from her well-worn Bible and asked, "Who are Elam and Media again? I know we discussed this before."
Gary said, "Didn’t we learn that both Elam and Media are in present day Iran? And just as Ezekiel said, some of those troops that we’re seeing on TV invading Israel are from Iran. Look….right there….see those tanks, look at the emblem on the turrets. Looks something like a bird. That’s the emblem of Iran, it’s in the middle of their flag. Iran and Russia, and the other Muslim nations that Ezekiel listed, are definitely invading Israel. To kill Israelites. What’s wrong with our country….that we can’t keep our word….that we betray our only friend in the Middle East?"
Scott had been paging through his notes as the others talked. "Do you all recall The Message translation of Lamentations 4:17 that we looked at last year? Let me read it, We watched and watched, wore our eyes out looking for help. And nothing. We mounted our lookouts and looked for the help that never showed up." What a sad description of what the people of Israel have been going through since the invasion started. America promised to bring the full might of our military into Israel to protect what? The trees? The buildings? No, the people of Israel. The millions of men, women and children who may either already be dead or facing imminent death. We are truly betrayers. I love my country, and I don’t want to see it destroyed, but I completely understand why God is about to do what He said He would do. Completely understand."
There was silence in Gary and Hannah’s family room as the three remaining couples of the small group realized the enormity of what would soon happen in America.
Audrey, tears obvious on her cheeks, broke the silence, "Men, we women have talked and we’re scared. Really scared. Once America’s major cities are nuked, it looks like that’s what’s prophesied, then it won’t take long before every grocery shelf in town will be cleaned out. We’ve all laid up a fair amount of canned goods, rice, beans and such, but we all know that our minimal prepping efforts won’t last very long. People….we are going to be out of food soon. Maybe, by scrimping, being very careful, we might make it two months, not much longer."
"Audrey," Hannah, also crying, sniffled, "We gave a lot of our food to Uncle Paul’s family. Since he was killed, they’ve had some financial problems, so we wanted to help them out. So….I doubt that we could feed ourselves for even a month….what….are….we….going….to….do?"
14
The Moshe and Sophia Guttman Home
Petah Tikva, Israel
The General’s words sent Moshe, Sophia, Golda and Yitzhak into stunned silence. Israel had been invaded and it might not survive, especially since the U.S. reneged on its written promise to defend Israel were it to be invaded. Not wanting his family to see his reddened eyes, Moshe went to the restroom. Drying his face, he returned to find three tearful watchers of the televised pictures from an IDF drone flying a
bove the Golan Heights. The televised pictures were in almost HD clarity compared to the previous satellite shots, taken at a significantly greater height. Seeing the Russian and Iranian tanks, helicopters, multiple rocket launchers, self-propelled artillery, assault breachers and troop carriers, including their nation’s bright markings emblazoned on them was a jarring sight. These were massive machines of war being driven rapidly into Israel for a single purpose – to kill Israelis. As potential death targets the Guttmans could do nothing but shed tears and cry out to God for help. Moshe suddenly realized that maybe there was something he could do.
Moshe excused himself and went to the back hall. He punched in his brother’s long distance number in Fairfax, Virginia. He looked at his watch. He would be up by now.
"Moshe, great to hear from you, what’s up?"
"Ben. Have you been up long enough to see the news? Do you know what’s happening here?"
"News? No. I’ve been out of cell range. Our synagogue had a camping retreat, with our sons. What’s happ…."
"Ben, listen. We’re being invaded."
"What? Invaded? What do you mean invaded? Who would be that crazy? This is the 21st century."
"Russia. Iran. Maybe Libya. Muslim radicals. You get the idea. They’re already across the border with Syria and into the Golan."
"Oh, no….What’s the IDF doing?"
"So far, Ben, even though the IDF is on heightened alert, it looks like the nation’s armed forces are waiting to see what the U.S. does. Saudi Arabia just issued a challenge to Russia and their old enemy Iran asking them what the heck they’re doing, are they coming into Israel to take a great spoil? Don’t they have enough oil and gas that they need more from a conquered Israel? The European Union a few minutes later raised similar questions."
"So, why is the IDF waiting?" If you’re being invaded, why not massively respond? Throw everything at them, including nukes. That is, if you have any. I know that’s been a not very well-kept secret?"
"Think about it, Ben. As soon as Israel launches its full forces it invites a full scale counter by the invaders. Full scale, as in nukes. Russia and Iran both have nuclear weapons. Iran has made it clear that they want to nuke Tel Aviv, for starters. So we start to fight back and then the nukes rain down on us. Israel’s destroyed and the invaders pick up the pieces, including the new oil and gas fields."
"Humh. I get it. So….there’s only one way to halt the invaders. America has to intervene. Right?"
"Correct. I’m bothering you because you once told me that one of your dental patients there in northern Virginia worked at the Pentagon. Am I remembering right? A general or an admiral or some ranked officer?"
"Yeah. He’s a great guy. But, he was promoted and he’s not stationed in the DC area. Not sure where exactly. We became fairly close, so I can locate him from our records. Why?"
"It was a long shot, Ben, but I couldn’t think of anyone else I could call. Here’s the deal. You know where we live. Anybody east of Tel Aviv is on the entry point to the city. If America decides to help us, we’ll probably be alright. Your nephew and niece will live to become adults. But, if America continues to turn its back on us and walks away, we could be….well, we wouldn’t likely survive. I’d just like to know from someone on the inside, if that’s possible, which is it going to be? Will the U.S. keep its word, does America have our back, as the President once said, or instead, will the President not change his mind? Can you make an inquiry? America has to help us, Ben. You promised."
"I’ll find the General and see what he can tell me, if anything. He’ll be limited, as you can imagine, in what he can divulge, if he even knows anything. Maybe America can be convinced to get in, Moshe. Israel’s our best friend in that part of the world."
"Ben, you know as well as I do that the U.S. has not been Israel’s true friend. Things have gone downhill ever since the President came into office. Why did Israel give up so much land? Why is there a Palestinian capital located in East Jerusalem? Why is our remaining land now so narrow, not really defensible?"
"Well, Israel was sold on the idea that its security was guaranteed by its Muslim neighbors. That sounded good when you all were sitting under your fig trees in peace and security, to use a Biblical phrase. But, now….Israel is being invaded. America has to come to Israel’s defense. We must. I’ll get back to you as soon as I can reach the General."
15
Western/Wailing Wall (Kotel)
Jerusalem, Israel
Chief Rabbi Isaac David Herzog loved Israeli food, lots of it, but not today, maybe never again. He knew when he called for Israel to fast and pray that he would not be eating again until the invading army was destroyed. He knew, though, that the invading army could conquer Israel. He concluded that now was the time to earnestly seek God, to fast and pray for mercy and God’s protection from the invaders flowing from the north into Israel. He made his calls on other Jewish religious leaders, quickly organizing them, and their followers, to meet and implore God to save Israel.
Rabbi Herzog, the Sephardi rabbi for Jerusalem for the last five years, walked slowly from his office in the Jewish Quarter to the Kotel at the western side of the Temple Mount in the Old City. As he walked, with nearly a thousand rabbis and Jewish religious leaders in his wake, he recalled that for 19 years after the establishment of the State of Israel, no Jewish persons were allowed to worship and pray at the Wall. In 1967, however, when Israel was attacked, it captured the Old City, opening the Wall to use by Jewish worshippers. Most in Israel considered the Western Wall and the adjoining Temple Mount as the most sacred sites in the nation.
Rabbi Herzog said nothing on the way to the Wall, his head downcast, his hands clasped. His somber demeanor was observed by Israeli media walking with him and the crowds gathering along the way. Tears began to flow from those watching and waiting for the Chief Rabbi. As Rabbi Herzog walked slowly onto the stone plaza adjoining the wall, he also began to quietly weep as the enormity of his task came upon him. The very continued existence of Israel, and its 7,700,000 residents, three-fourths of whom are Jewish, was at hand.
Rabbi Herzog turned in front of the Wall, facing the growing crowd and numerous media, with cameras relaying his words to Israel and the world. He nodded to the sounder of the Shofar, the long Ram’s horn used since ancient days. The first sound, the Tekiah, was a long, loud wailing sound used to announce God’s intent to establish the area He will occupy. Next came a series of several short, sharp ‘breaking sounds’, the Shevarim, announcing God’s intent to break through barriers and shatter resistance to his will. Thirdly, the Shofar was sounded in nine staccato notes, the Teruah, the sound used to announce God’s arrival on the scene. The last sound from the Shofar, traditionally known as the sound to declare God’s complete domain, was an unbreaking, commanding sounding of the Shofar trumpet.
As he prepared to speak, the Rabbi felt a strange stirring in his body, unlike anything he had ever experienced before in his fifty-seven years. He felt as if God Himself had placed his hand on his shoulder. Rabbi Herzog was so overwhelmed by the sensation that for at least a full minute he was unable to speak. During his silence the Rabbi felt he was being given dictation for his message.
Finally able to speak, the Chief Rabbi said, "The Prophet Joel foresaw this day. This very day. We read Joel’s prophetic words in the Holy Scriptures. He was shown a day in which a great and powerful nation would come down from the north against the Holy Land, like has never been seen before. The assembled armies that have entered Israel have come with fire and sweeping destruction, just as Joel was shown. These armies of invaders were shown to Joel to have teeth like lions and fangs of a lioness, and to resemble great war horses and chariots, leaping on the tops of mountains. We look at our television news reports and we see the great and powerful armies that Joel was shown by Jehovah over 2,700 years ago, even including Russian assault helicopters which we see on TV leaping across the mountains of the Golan Heights.
"What is Israel told to d
o when this day of darkness and gloom comes upon us? Joel was given the answer by the Almighty. We are told to consecrate a fast, call a solemn assembly and gather the elders and the inhabitants of the land….to cry out to the Lord. Joel tells us to blow a trumpet in Zion and sound an alarm on his holy mountain. Today we are crying out to the Lord, as a people whose faces are pale and who are trembling as we face imminent death and destruction. The priests and ministers of the altar are called on by God through Joel to put on sackcloth, to fast and to lament. Will it be enough? Can Israel, and its people, be spared in the face of this great and powerful army invading God’s Holy Land?
"Our media in Israel are filled with only two questions: They ask first, will America intervene to save us? Secondly, if America doesn’t save us, are Israel’s armed forces strong enough to save Israel? My reading of the Holy Scriptures shows me that no nation, not the United States, not any nation will come to Israel’s assistance. If our strongest ally lets our blood flow at the hands of this great invading army, will our military be strong enough to win the war which has already started? Again, the Prophet Joel was shown that the invaders will charge, scale walls, leap upon cities and….burst through our weapons….and….and….not be halted."
The Chief Rabbi stopped, recognizing fully the enormity of what he had just said, that Israel had no hope, no defenders and insufficient military strength to survive the invasion from the north. Millions of tears flowed from millions of eyes across Israel as Israelites glued to their televisions watched as the Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem delivered his fatal message. News commentators all day reported America’s refusal to keep its treaty commitment to Israel, but to hear it from the lips of such a respected religious leader was more than many could take. Just as difficult was the thought that Israel’s military might not be able to throw off those who were coming into Israel to kill, maim and destroy. Many viewers in Israel decried their nation’s decision to give up part of the land, contrary to God’s directive not to do so. Now in an untenable, indefensible position, Israel faced annihilation, invaded by foes committed to wiping Israel and its 7.7 million people off the map.