Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: CROWD (07/06/17)
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TITLE: Return of the lost | Previous Challenge Entry
By Graham Keet
07/12/17 -
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“Hey, honey, what’s happening today? What big event am I missing?”
Lucy Baron opened one eye. “What are you talking about?”
“The street’s crowded with people; there must be something happening today.”
“Why don’t you go down and find out?”
“Okay,” he said, pulling on his jeans and a shirt. “I’ll come back and let you know.”
“You do that.” She pulled the blankets over her head.
Luke ran downstairs and out onto the crowded sidewalk. Seeing a man about his own age coming towards him, he held up his hand. “Morning fella, do you mind telling me what’s going on?”
“Don’t know,” the man said in a heavy accent that Luke thought could be Russian. “You tell me—where am I? The last thing I remember I was dropping from a platform with a rope around my neck, on the orders of Tsar Nicholas ll.”
Luke wondered whether the man had been drinking. “When did that happen?”
“Yesterday—tenth of July 1898. But what’s the date today; everything’s different?”
If this guy’s serious, thought Luke, he’s not going to believe me, but here goes. “It’s the third of April, Millennium Year 1001.” As soon as he said this, a strange feeling came over him and something he’d learned long ago came back to him. “Come inside; we need to talk.”
The man turned and pointed to a group of men and women standing in a huddle close by. “I’ve been walking with those people for hours—they all want to know what’s happening. Can they come too?”
For a moment Luke wondered what Lucy would say if he brought in a group of strangers at this time of the morning, but he said, “Sure, call them over.”
Luke and Lucy, who had now joined them, had never seen such a diverse group before. Apart from the Russian who said he had been executed by Tsar Nicholas, the rest of the group included two prostitutes from the twentieth century, three British soldiers killed during the Second World War, a gunfighter from the old American West, and a priest from the twenty second century. Each had a unique story, and each recalled a previous life but were completely blank on what happened after that.
Luke looked directly at the priest, “Father, you know what I think is happening?”
“Revelation twenty?” the priest said with a slow smile.
“Exactly.”
“What’s Revelation twenty—do you mind telling us?” said Maribeth, one of the prostitutes.
“In a nutshell,” said Luke, “a thousand years ago the world went through what was called ‘The Great Tribulation’. It was a time of great hardship and suffering, but it ended with Christ, the King, returning and setting up a new government, which has been in existence for the last thousand years. I was born three hundred years ago—yes, we live a long time in the Millennium Kingdom. Although my parents followed the King and His way of life, I used—or rather misused—my free will and did things I’m not proud of.”
“Join the club,” said the priest. “I too was tempted into sin, much to my regret. But I think what Luke is saying is that each one of us, and all those people out there, have been resurrected at this time to face our final judgment; and maybe the lake of fire. Is that how you see it, Luke?”
“I’m afraid so,” said Luke.
“Well nobody’s gonna judge me,” said the gunfighter. “I’m getting out of here and if anyone tries to put me in any fire … well, they’d better watch out.” With that he stormed out the door.
“We want to stay and find out more,” said Maribeth, going over to Lucy Baron and giving her a hug.
“Me too,” said the Russian. “I’ve suffered a bad judgment before; not again.”
Lucy brought a Bible and for the next two hours they studied the scriptures concerning the end of time, the Book of Life and the final judgment, known as the White Throne Judgment.
“But isn’t it too late—aren’t we all already condemned,” asked one of the soldiers.
The priest placed an arm around the young man’s shoulders. “We’ve all sinned, that’s why we’re here. But God is love, my son, never underestimate God.”
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so true!
Blessings~