“Well you can rest assured they will attack us but most likely it will be quick and swift but not nuclear. They need permission to use them from the Americans. Most likely, though, in a very short time, we can renegotiate a temporary peace through the Russians. They will then stand down. The damage will not be terminal but it will destroy many of our people and some of our infrastructure. They are likely going to go for our nuclear research facilities.”
The President said, “That is what I would do if it was me. I would target the nuclear facilities. However, I think that if we want the Arab world and the Muslims of the world to stand behind us against Israel then now is a great time to strike. We have ample reason to do so. Many will praise us for our actions. We have an opportunity to become the leader in the Arab and Muslim worlds against the Zionists.”
“President Mauvad,” the Ayatollah Shahin began “Is the Dome worth saving other than face? It is not as if they are threatening Mecca. It was theirs to begin with.”
“No, it’s not the Dome, it’s the principle. We have threatened and threatened and the Arab world expects us to do something. Words mean nothing, missiles do. I vote we attack them and attack them now.”
Turning to Defense Minister Abbas, the Ayatollah asked, “What areas would we target in Israel?”
“We will target their government buildings in Jerusalem and then one of their bases; maybe three missiles total. As soon as they hit us back, we will then open up diplomatic channels to minimize the damage to our country. In other words, this is not a war but a statement.”
“What if they counterattack us, hard? I mean an all-out attack Abbas, and then what will we do?”
“In that event, we will do as we always said we would do. Hit them with all we have. However based on past actions I doubt if it will escalate to that level. The Israelis do not want a full scale war either.”
“Do you really want to do this then, President Mauvad?” the Ayatollah asked.
“Yes I do, Ayatollah Shahin, yes I do.”
Chapter 44
12:30 PM Friday President Stevenson’s Suite, Center City Plaza, Kansas City Missouri
As Enoch stepped off the elevator on the 24th floor he was immediately greeted by what he assumed was the Secret Service. They asked who he was even though they knew who he was. He was then patted down, and then they checked for weapons by a wand. Once they had finished, the taller of the two asked him to follow him.
They walked down the hallway to a double door at which the agent knocked. A duplicate copy of Enoch’s escort opened the door and ushered him in.
He was asked to take a seat on the couch, which he did. The agent then offered to get him some coffee, juice, or a drink of any type. He politely relied, “No, I am fine.”
He was told that President Stevenson would be out shortly. They then took positions by the front door, hands crossed in front of them.
In less than a couple of minutes, President Stevenson walked out of what appeared to be one of the bedrooms. As he walked towards Enoch, the Prophet stood and put out his hand. The President shook it.
“Thank you for coming here, Enoch. I was not sure you would accept my invitation.”
Still standing and looking at the President, Enoch noted very quickly that he seemed very, very stressed. He was normally confident and in control; but right now, he looked a bit haggard…almost a defeated man. Not saying anything about his observations Enoch said, “Well, you are the President of the United States.”
He laughed, then replied, “Please sit down; we need to talk.”
Stevenson looked over at the agents and dismissed them saying he would be fine here with the Prophet. They went out the front door.
After the agents left both men sat down, Enoch on the couch and the President on the love seat across from him.
“First off Enoch, this meeting I asked for was not sanctioned by anyone other than me. No one in Aafre’s organization is aware of us meeting together today. I know however, that they will find out about it, eventually. With that said, I wanted to ask you some questions; some along the lines of why you are hurting this country and other similar things.”
Stevenson looked down at his shoes as he finished speaking, appearing to be looking for the right words he really wanted to say.
Without waiting for him to continue, Enoch replied, “Mr. President, let me guess why you have had me come up here on such an impromptu basis. It was not to discuss my prophecies or predictions was it?”
“No, Enoch, that was not it,” Stevenson said, still looking at his shoes.
“Well then, let me help you; for I know what is happening right now in your life. Sometime today or very recently, your handlers told you that you were…uh, no longer needed. Is that somewhat correct?”
“Yes, but… how could you possibly know this?”
“It was not hard to figure out. You are, at this point in time, the absolute wrong person at the wrong time. Let me put it this way…there is…,” putting emphasis on the ‘is,’ “someone else meant to be in your position during this period; not you. Unfortunately or fortunately for you, God pushed up the timetable, and your handlers missed the mark. Am I close?”
“Yes you are, but…” Stevenson was at a loss for words. How could Enoch be aware of this? It made no sense. He himself had just found out a few hours ago. How did this Witness or whatever he was, know this?
Seeing the perplexed look on Stevenson’s face, Enoch decided to let him know why he knew what he knew. He said, “Mr. President I realize that right now you are somewhat concerned because I know of your dilemma without you telling me. But let me assure you it is not that I can read your mind but more so that I know who the participants are to be in this last time of man’s rule.”
Enoch paused, letting him ponder on what he had just told him. He continued, “And for you, that may well be a very good thing; not only for you but also your family.” He stopped again and watched Stevenson to see what his reaction would be. After a few moments and Stevenson not responding, he decided he would try something else.
“Mr. President, I have seen you as leader of the United States attend church on a regular basis. So, do you attend for political reasons or do you have faith and believe in God and His son, Jesus Christ.”
Enoch waited for an answer.
After his last statement, Stevenson realized that Enoch was purposely putting him on the spot. By answering this truthfully, Aafre would hear of it and who knew what he might do. Resignation then may not be enough. Aafre might well take the same road with him as he had done with Ken Giles. He raised his head and looked at Enoch. He was patiently waiting for an answer. Stevenson finally reached a decision.
“Yes.”
As soon as he said it, he again focused on the floor. Now he had written his own death sentence he thought to himself. Enoch then stood and walked over to him. He placed his hand on Stevenson’s head and started praying to God for his soul. He stood there for about five minutes praying, and then slowly, Stevenson raised his head as Enoch removed his hand. With Enoch, still standing in front of him tears began to well up in his eyes.
“What do I do, Enoch, what do I do?”
Enoch moved back from him and sat back down on the couch. Finally he spoke, “Mr. President, you need to let this pass and do as the men who put you here asked of you, and do so quickly. It is better that you be killed and sealed with the blood of Jesus Christ than to continue to fight the almighty God. Life here on earth is temporary, but life after death is forever. However, as you know, eternal life is only for those who choose God’s path. I cannot decide for you what needs to be done. Only you can decide that.”
“Are you saying then that even if I resign, as I have been told to do, I may be killed?”
“No, I am not saying you will be killed. What I am saying is during this time of sorrows, believers and non-believers will die. Those sealed with the Blood of Christ will live on forever, regardle
ss if they die now or later. If you have read the book of Revelations, do you remember the breaking of the fifth seal, and the souls of the martyrs under the throne? However, with that said, rest assured that I have no way of knowing your exact future.”
“Do you know who they want to take my place? The Vice President has also been told to resign.”
“Yes, I do know, Mr. President; and if God had waited another few years to start Tribulation then this person would have been elected to the post, anyway.”
“So, it’s the Speaker, isn’t it?”
“Yes, that is who it is.”
“Any reason you can give me as to why him?”
“Do you know the Bible, especially Genesis and the story of Adam and Eve, the serpent, and the first sin?”
“Yes, I know.”
“If you really know this story, then rest assured that the person who needs to replace you is Lucifer’s son.”
“Cain?”
“Yes, Cain.”
“Cain, the Biblical Cain, is the speaker of the house?”
“Yes, he is.”
“How can that be, we have a whole dossier on him, his childhood…well, everything. I mean this man would have to be over 6000 years old.”
Enoch smiled at Stevenson then said, “Much older than that sir, but then, they say the same thing about Elijah and I.”
Stevenson sat back in the chair with his hand stroking his chin. The Prophet could see that he was in deep thought. Men of science, he knew, had difficulty understanding God’s power. Even Abraham had a difficult time understanding when confronted with God’s power. He had started questioning and asking for more assurance. It all boiled down to faith. Without faith, even the eyes and ears could be deceived. Then the person would ignore God.
Stevenson then said to him, “So Enoch, you are saying that I should resign as I was told to do by Aafre. So that you know, I had wanted to wait until the last possible minute to do so. What do I do, resign right now?”
“What I would like for you to do, Mr. President, is to hold a press conference. I want you to tell the world that the real leaders of this world are godless and that you refuse to be a part of leading humanity down the wrong path.”
“I can’t do that.”
“Why can’t you?”
“Aafre won’t let me. He would have me killed before he would ever allow me to do that.”
“Not if you make the call right now with me here. He would not even try to touch you. Call Bear news right now and tell them. They will have a crew here in minutes.”
“Where will I go, what will I do? Aafre will kill me if I resign and say these things…I know...”
“Mr. President, I will not let any harm come to you, your wife or your son. You need to have faith in me. I promise you that if you have faith and do as I and your God are asking you, then you should have no fear.”
As he sat thinking about Enoch’s request a secret service agent opened the door and said, “I am sorry to interrupt, Mr. President, but I need to turn on the television in here. There has been a terrible accident. The Vice President’s plane has gone down in Colorado with him and his family on board.”
“What did you say, agent?”
“The Vice President’s plane has gone down in Colorado, Mr. President.”
“Are there any survivors?” Stevenson asked.
“I don’t think so. According to the news broadcast, his plane was en-route to Cheyenne Mountain, and then something happened.”
“Please turn the TV on, but after you do, please give me a few more minutes. I need to finish my meeting with my guest.”
The agent turned on the TV to Bear News then left. On the screen, a field correspondent was talking about the crash that had just occurred. Enoch looked over at Stevenson who had a look of shock and fear on his face. His mouth was open, and he worked his jaw nervously back and forth, as he massaged his chin with his fingers. Finally, he turned from the television. He faced Enoch with a bewildered, wild-eyed look and said, “I am next, Enoch. I am sure of it. He will kill my wife, my child, and me. Please help me, Enoch; please help me. Call Bear News. I have made my decision.”
Chapter 45
9:45 PM Friday The Temple Mount Entrance to the Dome of the Rock
It was still raining; but then it would rain until Enoch’s prophecy ended, which was in about twenty-five days or so. Elijah heard a car approaching so he looked up and saw that an official Israeli limousine had pulled up to the gate. The rear passenger door opened and he could dimly see that is was Chief Rabbi, Benjamin Hagen, from the Sephardi and Yona Salant, the Chief Rabbi from Ashkenazi.
They crossed the bridge and stopped right in front of where he was sitting. They each had umbrellas and Benjamin carried an extra one. He looked down on the Prophet and extended his hand, offering him the extra umbrella. Elijah reached up and took it from him. He opened it, and placed the handle on his shoulder, as he covered his head with the umbrella.
Then he asked them, “Would you like to sit with me upon the stones of our holy ground?”
They both replied, “Yes,” and sat down on the wet pavement with him.
After a few moments of silence, while Elijah stared at the stones, Yona asked, “Elijah, why are you sitting here at the entrance to the Temple?”
“I am waiting for the destruction of the Dome so that we can rebuild the Temple, then restore it to its original glory; place the Ark of the Covenant and the other holy items which need to be placed back into the Temple, the way it is supposed to be.”
“We are not rebuilding the Temple or destroying it,” Yona said. “You must come with us out of the rain and find someplace where we can talk; maybe a synagogue.”
“Yes,” Benjamin said, “Yona is right. We are not going to antagonize our enemies and rebuild the Temple. In addition, even if we did rebuild the Temple, the Ark of the Covenant is lost and has been for a very long time. Not only is the Ark missing but so is the Showbread, Menorah, Veil of the Ark, the vestments, and serving vessels. They are all gone, and lost to antiquity.”
Elijah leaned forward, looked deeply into Benjamin’s eyes for a long moment. He was silent as he stared into his soul. Not removing his gaze from his eyes, Elijah said, “You have no faith in Adonai Benjamin, to say the things you just said. For if Adonai wants this Temple rebuilt it will be rebuilt. As for the Ark, yes, it is missing and so are the other items you mentioned. You of little faith in Adonai; and you call yourself a religious leader of the Jewish Nation.”
He looked away from them for a moment as he thought that maybe he should try to reason with them, so he said, “To help you understand, I know where all of the Temple’s treasures are; every piece, to the last serving vessel, the gold plates, the table, and the utensils for sacrifice, all of it. The veil with the blood splattered on it from the Day of Atonement. Yes, Yona, they will all be found and put in their proper places once we rebuild the Temple. If you have faith and believe in Adonai’s power then all these things you complain about can be resolved.”
“Elijah,” Benjamin said, “We cannot rebuild the Temple. Our enemies surround us and they will unite against us. The country Jordan is one of our allies. They are in charge of the Dome itself, and destroying it will make them our enemies. This action will cause the other Arab and Muslim countries to unite and turn against us. We barely keep our sovereignty now. If not for our resolve, they would have pushed us into the sea long ago. It has taken years to get to this point and we as a nation are at grave risk, daily.”
Elijah looked up at Benjamin and asked, “In your opinion, who do you think I am?”
Benjamin immediately replied, “Elijah, the Prophet.”
“Do you really believe that, Rabbi, for I cannot feel in my heart that that is what you feel inside. What I see in your heart is not compassion, but anger that I am here. You do not like that I am here and what I am doing. It takes from your power and your eloquen
ce. So let me ask again, who do you think I am?”
“I do not know Elijah; I only know what you tell me.”
“You are one of the two leaders in Israel of the faith, are you not?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Then you should know your scriptures, should you not?”
“Yes, I do know them, Elijah. I know them well.”
“So, if you know your scriptures, then you should know that before what you claim is the arrival of the Messiah, I would come back to Israel. Is that not correct?”
“Yes, that is what I believe, as many others do.”
“Well, I did come back before the Messiah, but you don’t read the New Testament like most Jews. In Matthew 7, Jesus the true messiah said in verse 12, ‘But I say unto you, that Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they liked. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.’ That refers to John the Baptist, Rabbi. Jesus said it and I lived it. Now, in anticipation of the return of Jesus, I am again here to pave the way. I am again here to bring the House of Israel back; not only to Adonai, but His son, Jesus Christ. I am also here to rebuild the Temple. All of these things I will do ‘Chief Rabbi, Benjamin Hagen of the Sephardi.’” Elijah said contemptuously.
“I don’t believe Jesus was the Messiah, Elijah. It is very difficult for me to believe any of this. Please forgive me but there is nothing in my life or my education that points to the Messiah being Jesus, as you say. But this conversation is not why I am here tonight.”
Benjamin looked down at the wet stones beneath him then raised his head; and after a deep breath said, “Elijah, we have a government and this government makes the decisions for our people. We the religious leaders do not make those decisions for them. Israel has not had a prophet for thousands of years and I find it hard to believe that they have one now. Elijah, we don’t make the decisions, and neither do you.”