Fiction - Week 7 - A Fiasco in a Restaurant.

All the characters in this story are fictitious and bear no resemblance to any person, living or dead.

A story based on Biblical truth.

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As we sat together in a group of around a dozen people, I couldn't help commenting; How is it that the topic of ancient history has become so popular? In this group, at least three of us have studied it. A mere coincidence? Or is there something more?

No one answered. Instead, I heard something on the radio which caught my attention. I reached up to turn up the volume. The announcement came that Gaius Caligula was standing at the podium in front of the Basilica of St Peter, the same spot where he had stood earlier. From there, he began his speech.

A crowd gathers in Rome to hear Gaius Caligula.

Good evening, Italy and the world. As I have already ordered, the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem is ready for demolition, in readiness for the Jewish Temple, after the pattern of King Solomon, to be built on that precise site.

A delegation of angry Muslims has made a journey to Moscow for the Russians to intervene and halt the project. Fortunately, I have already contacted the Russian President about a peace deal. As far as I'm aware, the President, who respects me as a world leader, agreed to keep the peace. As for the dissatisfied Muslims, I have persuaded them to listen to me, as I'm preventing another cosmic abduction like the one which occurred last night. They are now on a Russian plane returning home.

My ambition is to usher in a world peace that is to last a thousand years. This New World Order will have its international capital in Jerusalem. In due course, I will be establishing my central office in the Middle East, preferably in Jerusalem itself. 

As I hold the position of a world leader, I must lay some rules which will be binding to every citizen globally. That is, to look to me for a fulfilled life. I will ensure that you will eat and not go hungry or suffer poverty. I will also establish the Universal Health Service to replace the NHS in the United Kingdom. The American private health insurance system will also be replaced by the UHS, headquartered in Jerusalem. With this new healthcare put into place, every citizen will have access to all institutions free at the point of use. Gone will be the need to sell one's own home to pay fees that the insurance company refuses to cover. 

Therefore, for our world peace to be established, all devotion should be focused on me. We cannot afford dissention, as the saying goes, a divided house cannot stand. Nor a divided kingdom. We must stand as one. This global standing together as one will deter any further cosmic abductions. I have spoken.

Gaius Caligula continued in his speech. Back in 1971, John Lennon released his single "Imagine". It contained the verse:

Imagine there are no countries

It isn't hard to do,

nothing to kill or die for,

and no religion too.

Imagine all the people

living life in peace.

Here, I make one slight change to the 4th line. Instead of "and no religion too", it is now "and one religion too."

Caligula then continued, Religion is a force which binds a society together. But this binding together only occurs if everyone lives and believes in harmony. No more different sects, denominations, or religions. Instead, just one faith. This one faith is to believe in me.

Although all this was coming from a radio perched on a cupboard and had no TV picture, we all could visualise exactly what was going on in Rome. As Caligula paused in his speech, the vast crowd in St Peter's Square raised their voices in a loud cheer. The cheer lasted a couple of minutes until Caligula raised his hand to quell the noise. 

Therefore, to worship Allah, Buddha, Shinto, or Hindu, and especially Jesus Christ, must be made illegal, so that we can build a peaceful, stable society as narrated in John Lennon's song, "Imagine".

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, and may the peace of God be with you all.

We all looked at each other. Then all turned to Peter, who was sitting next to me. In my heart, I made a vow, a promise to God. Never would I bow the knee to Caligula. And, despite making it illegal, I will always worship and honour Jesus Christ. After all, it was he who suffered an agonising death on the cross, was buried, and it was he who rose from the dead on the third day. Caligula achieved none of this.

We sat together, and we all promised each other that we would never stray from our faith.

                                                                   6

The days turned to weeks, and weeks into months. I didn't spend all our time confined at St John's Church in Egham, although the rest of the group did. I returned to my college apartment. With a fully functional TV, I had a better reception of the world news than from the radio.

I also devoted myself to the Bible I took from Padula's house, with the Internet. Talking of which, that house didn't stay empty for long. A few days after the Rapture, it was invaded by squatters, and with the original homeowner forever absent, the squatters would never be evicted.

By studying, I slowly learned how to put together the end times foretold by prophecy. Fortunately, I had an academic mind and was able to grasp the complexity of the genome at a level many students would have struggled with. I slowly learned that the days of free grace are over, the Body of Christ, which was the Church, was taken to Heaven, and we are now in the first part of the Tribulation period, centred on Israel. This is the time when one has to have faith and endure severe trials to be saved.

The second half will be worse than the first half. It was then that the full force of judgment would fall on our natural environment, such as the sun becoming fiery hot, water turning to blood, famine, and massive earthquakes. In addition, the whole of humankind would gather together in the Valley of Megiddo for the final battle of all history.

However, as I watched on TV, a large crowd of Jews, believed to be as many as 144,000, had assembled around the Western Wall and beyond. These Jews were an irritation to Gaius Caligula, for each one stood in defiance of the leader's peace programme. They were all dispatched from Jerusalem to spread the message of Jesus Christ crucified. And report after report was broadcast on both my TV here in my apartment, and the radio I left at the church. Some of these Jews were heading across Europe and the UK.

I still managed to buy food for those at St John's Church and myself. However, lately I have begun to see those airport-type security scanners erected at the entrance to all shops and public venues, including doctors' surgeries, clinics, and hospitals. Indeed, this brilliant UHS is for those devoted to Gaius Caligula. Anyone who believes in Christ, in particular, was a sworn enemy of Caligula, according to the news broadcast, and he was termed by him as a Hater. That is, he hates the New World Peace Order. These people who have devoted themselves to Jesus Christ will be barred from using all these facilities.

However, at this moment, the scanners were non-functional, as it was not yet time to set them into operation. As it was, I could still buy food, but I also knew that supplies were running out on an international scale.

Airport-type scanners are being installed at every shop.

However, as the weeks elapsed, I had to spend more and more time with my friends at St John's Church. Not only was food brought in, but the main chapel was converted to a makeshift dormitory. It was decided that the men would sleep in the chapel. The women slept in one of the fellowship rooms. Each returned home to collect their bed mattress. Since these were heavy furniture, each was brought in one at a time by a team. The reason for this setup was that the world outside was becoming more dangerous. Caligula was becoming more hostile against all Christian believers, and the launching of the 144,000 added to his ire.

One day, it was Peter's turn to go and find some food. He had to keep a sharp eye for any of Caligula's agents prowling around. At the shop, he met three men. Each of these men had a special mark on their foreheads.

Who are you? Peter asked, startled. And what is that mark you have on your forehead?

Are you devoted to Christ or to Caligula? One of them responded by asking with a serious tone.

Peter mustered up the courage to answer the truth. As far as he knew, these men could be sporting the Mark of the Beast, that is, the Mark of devotion to Caligula. If that was true, Peter could face arrest on the spot.

I'm devoted to Christ. It was Christ, not Caligula, who atoned for my sins by his shed blood. Peter answered.

All three men smiled warmly, and each held out his hand to shake Peter's. I am Zadok. This is Joseph, and Zechariah. We are Jews devoted to the Lamb of God wherever he goes. We are of the 144,000 sent out from Israel by God to evangelise the world before the judgments begin. The Mark you see on our foreheads is the Mark of God, divinely stamped on us without human hands. Every one of the 144,000 has one. It sets us apart from the rest of the world.

Peter then exclaimed, The 144,000! I'm Peter Wilkins, a post-graduate in Theology at Cambridge University. My studies included Eschatology, and I learned about people like you. That was before the Rapture. Peter shook his head sadly. I have learned that academic knowledge and faith aren't the same. Great men of theological knowledge included Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and Christopher Hitchens. All three knew the Bible well, and their writings filled the shelves in many bookshops. Yet, they were the world's most famed atheists.

Peter then asked, Have you a place to stay?

We have just arrived here, a few days after crossing the Channel from France. We are part of a larger unit that arrived here a few days ago. The unit then split into small groups like ours to reach as many people as we can. To answer your question, no, we have nowhere to stay.

Then come back with me. Peter said. A group of twelve is staying at the Church of St John here in Egham. Don't be afraid. We are all believers in Jesus Christ, and we will never bow to Caligula. Do come. We have food and bedding for all of us.

Around the corner, just out of sight from the four believers, Phil Banks recorded the whole conversation on his mobile phone before disappearing.

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To be Continued.