Edge of Apocalypse Read online

  "Dr. John Walvoord was one of the greatest prophecy scholars of the twentieth century--a prolific writer and president of Dallas Theological Seminary. He once described over a thousand prophecies in the Bible, more than half of which have already been fulfilled. Only God can write history in advance and have it come to pass. Those fulfilled prophecies prove to us beyond a shadow of a doubt that the end time prophecies of the Bible will also be fulfilled literally, just as over five hundred of God's predictions have already occurred throughout the past ages. Some of those end time prophecies are unfolding even now, in our own generation."

  But then the pastor took a turn that caught Joshua by surprise. Campbell began to zero in on a single person in the Bible. Seconds later Joshua realized that he should have seen it coming.

  Campbell was forging an argument about who Jesus was, based on His fulfillment of multiple prophecies.

  "I'm convinced that fulfilled prophecy confirms that Jesus was truly the one and only Messiah who came to 'seek and to save the lost.' Just think about it for a minute--He fulfilled all 109 Old Testament prophecies regarding the Messiah when He came to this earth. No other human being even comes close, yet Jesus fulfills them all. From being born of a virgin in Bethlehem--predicted seven hundred years before--to being spirited away to Egypt as a young child, to healing every kind of disease, particularly restoring sight to the eyes of blind men...to being betrayed by 'a familiar friend' for thirty pieces of silver...to being hung on a cross between two thieves, to being resurrected on the third day after His crucifixion, as He predicted six times in the Gospels...and finally announced miraculously when the angels who rolled away the stone first told the women. Remember that? They came to the tomb on the first day of the week and were told, 'He is not here. He is risen as He said.' Obviously this Jesus of the Bible was one-of-a-kind. Unique in all of history. And here we are, two thousand years later, still talking about Him. Why? Because He rose from the dead, signaling that God Himself was satisfied with His sacrifice for our sin on the Cross. Christianity is the only religious faith in the world that is based on the resurrection of the founder. And the best evidence for the resurrection is not just the unanimous testimony of the twelve apostles, and not just the five hundred witnesses of Jesus who saw Him in the flesh after He rose, but it is also proven by the very existence of Christianity today. And remember, Christianity was birthed in the first century in the midst of a furnace of unimaginable persecution, yet people still believed in Jesus, the Messiah, the Savior. Such is His supernatural impact on those who receive Him. If Jesus' resurrection were a fraud, do you think anyone would be here worshipping Him today? He and His followers have influenced this world more than anyone who ever lived. Friends, listen, today Christianity is the largest religious faith in the world. Why? Because Jesus is exactly who the Bible says He is."

  Joshua found Campbell's comments interesting enough, but his mind was starting to wander. What about the title of the sermon? What about the rise of "globalism?" That was the threat that he and his fellow members of the Roundtable had recognized. An increasing loss of American sovereignty to a world order. That's why he came to the church that night.

  But Campbell seemed to beat him to the punch.

  "So, now let's look at prophecies about the future, the end times. While there are many important signs of the return of Jesus Christ and end of this age, signs that the disciples asked Jesus about, one of the most prominent in our current world is one we call 'globalism.' Previous government officials had called it a 'one-world government.' In fact, the world planners, whoever they might be, came up with the idea after World War I. So they called it the League of Nations. The Senate of the United States rejected the idea, and the notion wasn't revived until 1945. That is when it was called the United Nations.

  "Now you can look at the idea of a unified world system, what the Bible refers to as the future 'Babylon,' like a three-legged stool. Global Government, Global Economy, and Global Religion. In the Bible, each of those are prophesied to be world powers at the end of the age. And by the way, each of them will be destroyed by God according to biblical prophecy. You can read it for yourself in last book in the Bible, Revelation, chapters seventeen and eighteen.

  "Ever since the seventeenth century there have been those who dreamed of a global government and used the slogan 'global peace' as the supposed goal. But what was behind it? Ultimately a craving for control over the lives of people through the iron grip of ever-expanding government. In recent times you can find countless leaders in media, education, and the government who have tirelessly supported the goal of a global economy. George Soros, one of the most influential and richest men in the world, has gone one step further, openly declaring that you can't have a world economy unless you also have a world government."

  Campbell stepped away from the pulpit and put his hands behind his back. He stared silently at the audience for nearly thirty seconds. Then he continued.

  "The rise of this kind of political Babylon, a global system of government, will be an integral element of the end times as predicted in the Word of God...and as I stand here today...and listen carefully to what I say next...this very day I believe we are seeing the stage-setting for the eventual rise of this new Babylon. For there must be, the Bible says, a global unification among the nations gathered around its grand capital. A political and legal coalition. It's right there in chapters seventeen and eighteen of the last book of the Bible."

  Then Campbell put a capstone on it in a voice that cracked a bit and grew raspy with emotion. His words rose up, almost pleading, as he said, "Be honest with yourself...as you look around, don't you see the beginning movement among the nations of this planet to work together to create a new world order?"

  THIRTY-FOUR

  Paul Campbell had captured Joshua's attention. He was beginning to see the connecting points between the Bible prophecies that the pastor was describing and the issues that were consuming his Roundtable. The erosion of American sovereignty. The movement to force United States courts to embrace the international laws of the nations of the world. The mantra calling for a single global government.

  For Joshua it was a little like being at Hawk's Nest Ranch in the fall when the fog rolled in with a cold snap early in the morning. But when the sun broke through, the white blanket of fog would clear, and the imposing mountain peaks rising up all around would suddenly show themselves. Joshua wondered for just an instant whether his mission statement in founding the Roundtable might have been too small. So, I wanted to save America...but was that enough? What if all of this is bigger than just the United States?

  Campbell moved to his second main point.

  "So there will be a political Babylon, certainly. A unification of the powers of the nations of the planet. But there will also be a religious Babylon in the end times. Another leg of our three-legged stool. A merging of the religions of the world into one massive conglomerate of false spirituality. When will that happen? Ultimately not until the Church...and by that I mean the sum total of all true believers in Jesus Christ...until the Church is 'raptured'...taken up instantaneously to God...and when that happens, with the restraining power of the Church gone from the earth, there will be nothing to stop this massive global merger of the world's religions. And that is when there will be the hideous appearing...a false prophet will come and set in motion the blasphemous idol worship of the Antichrist exactly as predicted in the thirteenth chapter of Revelation.

  "But in addition to the political and religious aspects, there will also be an economic Babylon. The apostle John, in Revelation, describes this future global financial center: '...the merchants of the earth have become rich by the wealth of her sensuality.'

  "When God finally vanquishes Babylon, as we are told that He will, who is going to mourn her great fall? We are told that 'the merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargoes anymore...' What are the signs of this coming global economic Babylon? We are warned in the Bible t
hat there will be a future international system of buying, selling, trading, and investing. Revelation chapter thirteen tells us that the Antichrist, the 'beast,' will eventually establish a world financial and monetary system that will have the entire planet within its deadly grip:

  And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name.

  Campbell pulled a piece of paper out of his Bible. He said it was something he happened to stumble across on the Internet. A recent piece from a small web log called the Barn Door.

  "I am holding up a short article that mentions a decision that apparently was made by lawmakers in Washington. A decision to convert American currency to the new international form of money being used widely among nations along with the euro, a new currency called the CReDO. Strangely, when I went back to follow up on this blogsite, it had disappeared. Why, I don't know. But I will keep looking. And I would advise you to do the same. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees of His day for failing to recognize the signs of the times. Of course, some people will say that the Bible assures us that we can't know the specific time that Christ will return to the earth. And that's true. On the other hand, why would Jesus, as we are told in the gospels of Matthew and Mark, have given us an exhaustive list of the events that will precede His return if He didn't want us to use that information? If He didn't want us to watch the times and to discern them so we could recognize the signs of His coming soon? One of the great questions that has plagued philosophers over thousands of years is this one: how can I truly know that what I know is true? I have a suggestion for you. You can know for sure what you know by basing your knowledge on those things that God has chosen to reveal. And the only way you can do that is by relying on His Word, the Bible. His Word says that the world is heading toward a global, unified economic system. And that, my friends, is something you can definitely bank on..."

  It just so happened that matters of banking and finance were on the agenda in the Senate offices of Washington, D.C., that night.

  The congressional staffers were working late again. That was one of the things that came with the territory. Low pay and long, grueling hours--at least while Congress was in session. But there was always the hope that soon they could move up the political ladder. Perhaps a job as chief legal counsel on one of the influential committees some day. Or maybe the possibility of moving into the private sector, with a six-figure job in a D.C. law firm or lobbying shop.

  A young female legislative assistant, who was part of the political night crew, ripped an urgent note off the top of the message pad in the lobby of Senator Wendell Straworth's office. In her panic she tore the corner of the note. So she riffled through the receptionist's desk, found some tape, and slapped it on the torn note, piecing it together.

  Then she scurried across the lobby, down the adjoining hall, and up to the closed door at the end, leading to the senator's office. The LA paused in front of the door. She knew he was in there with the Senate Majority Leader Russell Beyers. They were not to be disturbed unless it was something absolutely critical.

  The LA took a deep breath and then knocked twice on the door, still gripping the taped note in her hand.

  The door was opened by Senator Straworth's chief of staff. The LA thrust the note into the COS's hand. In the background she glimpsed Straworth and Beyers sitting across from each other in leather chairs.

  The chief of staff closed the door and handed the note to Senator Straworth.

  He read it and then looked up at Beyers.

  "The vice president wants a decision. She's demanding a call. Immediately."

  "We asked for a call directly with the president," Beyers mumbled to himself. "Why are they cloistering him like this? What's going on? Does he have cancer or something? Has he suffered a nervous break-down? I get the feeling that Tulrude is now running the Oval Office."

  Straworth just shook his head but suggested they make the call. They had no choice.

  When the vice president was finally on the line, they put her on the speaker phone. She was typically blunt. "Are we going to get the vote on this new monetary currency or not?"

  Beyers bristled a little. As majority leader he didn't like being treated like a schoolboy who was turning in his homework late. But then again, that was the style of Jessica Tulrude.

  "Madam Vice President, we have everything under control," Beyers said. His voice was confident, polished. Calm.

  "Which means what?"

  "A vote tomorrow to begin converting the entire U.S. currency system over to the CReDO."

  "What's your plan to deal with public opinion?" Tulrude shot back.

  "Well, the CReDO issue is buried in a huge omnibus spending bill. The thing's as thick as the New York phone book. Frankly, most of the senators haven't read the whole bill. I doubt if the press will. But our people in the Senate generally understand that this is a must do because of the dollar being devastated in the currency exchanges."

  "Have you counted noses?"

  Beyers tensed his jaw a little but forced a smile as he spoke. "Of course we've counted votes. It shouldn't be a problem. We've got a solid majority."

  Then Beyers paused and added another thought. He moved closer to the speaker phone and said, "Madam Vice President, I assume that when we give you the vote on the currency issue, as I know we will, the administration will back me on the three bills I described in my message to the president the other day."

  Jessica Tulrude cleared her throat and said, "Russ, you know I'm as good as my word."

  That's all that Russell Beyers needed to hear. He said his good-byes to Tulrude and strode out of the office to a caucus meeting while Straworth quickly offered his apologies and said he couldn't attend.

  On a signal from Senator Straworth, his chief of staff left the room closing the door behind him.

  Straworth took the call off speaker and began talking on the tiny voice-activated phonecell clipped to his lapel.

  "So, as you can see," Straworth tried to explain to the vice president, "I've kept my part of the bargain. I've got the majority leader and the Senate behind the currency conversion."

  "And?"

  "Are you going to make me spell it out?"

  "No need."

  "Good."

  "But you still have one more assignment..."

  "Yes, I know, the RTS business. But I just want you to know that this morning I secured the approval of the sub-committee to authorize subpoenas to be served on Joshua Jordan. He will have no choice now but to appear and produce his RTS documents--or risk going to jail. And if he thinks he can weather a jail sentence, he will be sadly mistaken. It will take his professional career and his business reputation and reduce them both to an oil stain on the sidewalk. Checkmate. So, Madam Vice President, I've done everything I've promised."

  "And the position that you're interested in, that's still the same?"

  "I think I'd make an excellent Supreme Court justice."

  "Well, the inside rumor is that Justice Manweiller is going to last through the present term and will probably be announcing his retirement after the presidential election next November. If all goes well, I'll be the person in the Oval Office making that appointment. Wendell, with the support of your fellow senators, your confirmation to the Supreme Court should be a shoo-in."

  Wendell Straworth smiled. He had waited a long time for this. The pieces were falling into place.

  "And has the President definitely agreed to step away after only one term and give you his full support during the primaries? That rarely ever happens..."

  "We've never had a president in this situation before," Tulrude snapped back. "Just remember, I'm in control over here..."

  "I wouldn't think of questioning that," Straworth said. His voice was dripping with apology.

  "
Fine," the vice president said. Her voice was condescending, but there was also an air of satisfaction now that the big-dog-versus-little-dog situation with Senator Straworth had been cleared up.

  After the vice president said good-bye, Straworth exhaled a long breath and leaned back in his chair. He was poised to set in motion a series of events that would be certain to cinch his professional future. He reached over to his work table and grabbed his copy of the subpoena. The original was being couriered over to the U.S. Marshals Service first thing in the morning.

  Straworth relished the words at the top of the document:

  BY THE AUTHORITY OF THE SENATE OF THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

  TO: MR. JOSHUA JORDAN

  YOU ARE HEREBY COMMANDED TO APPEAR BEFORE THE BELOWNAMED COMMITTEE OF THE U.S. SENATE, AT THE TIME AND PLACE BELOW DESIGNATED, AND THEN AND THERE TO PRODUCE ALL DOCUMENTS, RECORDS, AND PAPERS RELATING TO THE DESIGN, CONCEPTION, ENGINEERING SPECIFICATIONS, PRODUCTION, AND OPERATING PRINCIPLES OF THE WEAPONS SYSTEM COMMONLY KNOWN AS "RETURN-TO-SENDER" (RTS), INCLUDING THE USE OF LASERS TO REVERSE THE DIRECTION OR TRAJECTORY OF OFFENSIVE MISSILES.