Chapter 8 - To Speak or Not to Speak
“Obedience is better than sacrifice,” Eli reminded his sister and fellow servant of the Most High.
“Brother, the Prophet will not fail. He is our faithful friend,” Jasmine replied with confident assurance.
“How great is the Father’s love for them!” declared the Surrounding Ones. “His mercies last forever! Blessed be His glorious name!”
“Arise, my Prince. The time to lead Beloved has come.”
Micah tossed and turned all Friday night. He was deeply troubled.
“Lord, what’s happened to Peter? Show me how to pray for him. And Lord, please show me why I’m here in the middle of all these bizarre events and what it is You want me to do. In Jesus name. Amen.”
Micah opened his eyes and realized he was sitting in the back seat of a moving car. Jason Massad was asleep next to him, with his head resting peacefully against the car door. Peter Massad was driving. Micah assumed the woman sitting next to him in the front seat was Peter’s wife. Micah could hear the two adults arguing.
Mrs. Massad said, “Peter, those men are crooks! You know they are. Why would you risk going to jail? We don’t need their kind of money. God will take care of us.”
Peter momentarily turned his head to look at his wife as he yelled back, “Enough already with this ‘Jesus’ stuff! I’ve already told you, I’m not interested.”
When Peter again focused his eyes on the road ahead of him, he screamed. His car was racing towards a large cement truck that had driven through a red light. He slammed on the brakes but it was too late. Peter’s car crashed head-long into the rear of the truck. Upon impact, Micah’s side car door flew open. He was violently ejected from the vehicle and found himself on a nearby sidewalk unharmed.
Riveted to the scene now unfolding in slow motion before him, Micah watched as Mrs. Massad’s body was thrust from the front seat of the car, out the passenger door, her twisted frame landing face down in the street. Jason was violently tossed forward and backward, but his seat belt restrained his body from being thrown out of the vehicle. He lay unconscious on the back seat, his body covered with blood and broken glass. Peter’s head had been forced through the wind shield. His forehead was bleeding profusely as he lay unconscious, sprawled over the steering wheel.
An instant later Micah found himself standing at the bottom of the Rapha Hospital parking garage. The ground was smooth and hard, and looked ready for the rebar and concrete. Micah noticed a large pile of cement sacks in the center of the hole. He walked over to the pile and read the name on one of the bags: Amir and Associates. On the ground next to the sacks was a wooden sign that read, “Tel Aviv Parking Garage.”
In the twinkling of an eye, Micah found he had been transported to the front of a collapsed multi-level building. Huge chunks of broken concrete, shattered glass and twisted steel were everywhere. As he gazed around the rubble, Micah noticed a half-crushed metal sign covered in dirt. Picking up the sign and wiping away some of the dust, he read the words, “Rapha Children’s Hospital and Eye Clinic.”
A moment later, Micah heard organ music. He turned around and found himself standing in a cemetery. A long line of mourners were walking slowly behind a casket being carried by six men. Micah watched as the men brought the small casket to the grave side. Peter Massad was standing next to the open grave. Just as the casket was being lowered into the hole, Micah looked inside the grave. Lying in the dirt at the bottom was an empty brown sack with the words, “Amir and Associates.” Suddenly the mourners vanished and Micah saw the etching on the gravestone. It read, “Here lays Jason Peter Massad, Beloved Son.”
The YMCA clock across the street from the King David struck midnight. Being jolted awake, Micah sat straight up in his bed. He was covered in sweat and gasping for air.
“It was a dream! Oh God, it was all a dream. You have just shown me the past, the present and the future, just like those unicorns said you would. But God how does the hospital collapse? And what does Amir and Associates have to do with all this? And dear Lord, does Jason have to die? Is there no alternative? Why wouldn’t those unicorns answer my questions?”
Micah spent the remainder of the night weeping and praying like he had never prayed before. Early Saturday morning, Micah called his father.
“Wow! That is indeed an alarming vision, son,” said Tony Collins soberly. “But it makes perfect sense. I believe Peter is a man in a great deal of pain. He probably blames himself for his wife’s death and his son’s blindness. Grief and guilt often drive men to make unwise and hurtful decisions. And according to your dream, I suspect Peter has been struggling with greed for some time. His own conscious is tormenting him, driving him to make a choice between his lust for money and what he knows in his heart is right.”
“Micah, God is extending mercy and redemption to this man. We dare not stand in His way,” the senior Collins continued. Pausing for a moment, he then said, “The Lord has put us in a very difficult position. Peter is our employee. If he wants to be nasty, he could sue us claiming CEI uses their authority to force their religious beliefs on their employees. And since most people today don’t even believe in God, he would probably win in a court of law.”
Still deeply troubled Micah said, “But dad, he could ruin the company.”
“He could, but I don’t see any other choice,” his dad replied. “We really don’t know how Peter will react to a prophetic message from the God he has vowed to hate. But the response of the hearer is not the prophet’s problem. Your responsibility is to trust and obey. The rest is God’s problem. Give Peter a chance to respond. Then we’ll know better how to proceed.”
The senior Collins then added, “If this Amir character had anything to do with the collapse of that Tel Aviv parking garage, Peter may know something which could help the police bring him to justice. And as far as Jason’s death, I have a hunch Peter is the key to his own son’s future and quite possibly, the future of our hospital as well.”
“You know dad, I don’t think I want to be a prophet any more. It’s too painful,” Micah confessed. “I’ve never cried so much in my entire life. My heart was broken as I saw those images. I don’t know how God is able to bear the sins and sorrows of every person on earth day in and day out. I can’t! I’ve ask God to send someone else.”
“Micah, there’s no such thing as ‘out’. There’s no way around obedience. You know that. You must first make the decision to obey; then God will give you the strength to act. I know. I was in a similar situation once,” revealed Micah’s dad.
“God called you to be a prophet? You never told me this before Dad. What happened?” Micah asked.
“Some other time. Remember, God built CEI. This company is His and it is His responsibility to protect it. You speak what God has shown you. Your mother and I will pray that Peter is willing to hear and receive the words of the Lord. Call me after you’ve spoken with him. I love you son. Goodbye.”
Mr. and Mrs. Collins called their daughter-in-law. The three agreed to pray through the night for Micah, Peter, and Jason, and to pray against the supernatural forces trying to destroy the children’s hospital and the reputation of Collins Enterprises.
The tender Jasmine smiled at her brother. The Healer and the Warrior continued their vigilant watch. No wicked thing was allowed near the prophet and demands for his life fell on deaf ears.
After Micah ended the call with his father, he heard a still small voice inside his head say, “Take no thought for yourself. Your life is and will always be safe in Papa’s hands.”
Micah spent several minutes in prayer then phoned Peter Massad.