Left Behind: Assassins Review–Part 2
On page 168, I’m troubled by Charismatic ideas, and clichéd phrases: Tsion feels that “the Lord suddenly impressed deeply upon my heart that I should pray for someone in danger.”
Any such talk of “impressions” immediately makes alarm bells go off in my head, after the time I spent deceived by Charismatic ideas.
Then we read Rayford’s two prayers, which contain the clichés “I covet him for the kingdom,” “I agree with my brother in prayer” and “your supernatural hedge of protection.” Do we really need to read these prayers?
By page 170, the spirit steeds have been killing for some time now, snorting the plagues of smoke, fire and sulfur which are poisoning many. We read,
In their wake, the leonine steeds left bodies. Some jerked spastically before freezing in macabre repose. Others writhed ablaze until death brought relief. Or so they thought, Mac mused. In truth, the victims passed from one flame to another….
Even from behind and far away, Mac found the horsemen and their mounts dreadful. They hovered inches off the ground but galloped, trotted, stepped, and reared like physical horses. Their riders urged them on, stampeding people, buildings, vehicles, wreaking destruction.
I’m getting tired of reading about all the death and destruction. Yet on page 167, our heroes Mac and Abdullah (two believers in the Tribulation Force) hope the horses stick around long enough for Mac to see them.
Earlier, we learned that Christians who did not believe in the Rapture ended up in the One World Faith. Now, on page 172, we learn from Tsion’s latest Web posting that
While many have come to faith after being convinced by that horrible judgment [the demon locusts], most have become even more set in their ways.
It should have been obvious to the leader of the Enigma Babylon One World Faith that devotees of that religion suffered everywhere in the world. But we followers of Christ, the so-called dissidents–enemies of tolerance and inclusion–were spared.
On pages 173 and 174, we see that the symbolism of Babylon in the ancient prophecies has been lost on the authors, who take it as the literal geographical Babylon. However, Babylon was a ruined city long before Revelations was even written, and it was likely a veiled reference to the Roman Empire.
Pages 174 to 175 make you wonder how on earth the world survived before the Christian era, how any societies managed to keep law and order. Apparently, the loss of all the premillennial dispensationalist Christians will lead to unbelievers who
will insist on continuing worshiping [sic] idols and demons, and engaging in murder, sorcery, sexual immorality, and theft. Even the Global Community’s own news operations report that murder and theft are on the rise. As for idol and demon worship, sorcery, and illicit sex, these are actually applauded in the new tolerant society.
It seems that no other religion is capable of keeping such things in check, not even Judaism or Islam. Or any of the multitudes of religions which teach its adherents to be kind to others. I can just see that: sorcery, idols and illicit sex rampant in Saudi Arabia. Or Buddhists turning into raping, killing machines.
On page 176, Tsion says, “If you think it is bad now with millions having disappeared in the Rapture, children gone, services and conveniences affected, try to fathom life with half of all civil servants gone.” What services and conveniences are affected? He still has electricity to post his blogs, there are still hospitals, grocery stores….
Ending his blog, he writes,
I would not want to be here without knowing God was with me, that I was on the side of good rather than evil, and that in the end, we win. Pray right now. Tell God you recognize your sin and need forgiveness and a Savior. Receive Christ today, and join the great family of God.
Receive Christ today or you will die horribly!
On page 179, we meet Dwayne Tuttle, a Christian–er, Tribulation Saint–pilot who briefly confronts Fortunato.
Mac had called for a Mayday after an assassination attempt, to which Dwayne responded; Abdullah and Fortunato are with Mac. Dwayne makes it clear that he believes Nicolae to be the Antichrist.
He says to Fortunato, “But I don’t mind tellin’ ya, I feel like I’m aidin’ and abettin’ the enemy. Personally, I’d leave you to die, but God’s gonna get you in the end anyway. Read the Book. We win.” Later on, he says, “Much as I’d like to kill a couple of your staff, I promise I won’t.”
??? What happened to helping and loving your enemy? the Good Samaritan?
On page 187, Buck needs a new identity to help him travel to Israel without getting caught by Global Community forces. So he goes to see Z, who has been helping local Christians get fake IDs.
Z has a file full of information on various people who are now dead. He finds this information by sneaking off with the wallets of people killed by the “smoking horses,” before GC gets to them. Vultures! And what does he do with the money and credit cards?
On page 197, Chloe tells Rayford, “[The Tuttles are] going to handle a huge South Sea area for us. That they were close enough to hear Mac’s Mayday is nothing short of a miracle.”
Rayford replies, “It’s a contact straight from God.”
Yep, deus ex machina for sure. Which works great in real life, but strains believability in fiction. Unless, of course, it’s an ancient Greek play. (Actually, even then it got critics.)
On page 203, we finally begin to see more of what’s in the Antichrist’s head–not just manipulative strategies, but his connection to Satan–as he prays,
O Lucifer, son of the morning! I have worshiped you since childhood. How grateful I am for the creativity you imbue, O lion of glory, angel of light. I praise you for imaginative ideas that never cease to amaze me.
You have given me the nations! You have promised that I shall ascend into heaven with you, that we will exalt our thrones above the stars of God. I rest in your promise that I will ascend above the heights of the clouds. I will be like the Most High.
I shall do all your bidding so I may claim your promise to rule the universe by your side. You have chosen me and allowed me to make the earth tremble and to shake kingdoms. Your glory will be my glory, and like unto you, I will never die. I eagerly await the day when I may make plain your power and majesty.
Okay–either he’s reading a scripted prayer such as you might find in a prayer book for Satan worshippers, or he’s speaking this way off the cuff. And who the heck talks like that these days? Apparently Satan’s minions speak just as stiltedly as the Christians–er, I mean, Tribulation Saints–in these books.
To be continued.