Great Tribulation 4: God's Counter-Offensive Begins
The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the world. Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. (2 Corinthians 10:4, BSB)
Previously . . . Katie, Rachel, David, and Anna were caught up to heaven, where they were part of 144,000 who received God’s divine commission and empowerment to proclaim a gospel ultimatum to every person on earth.
Chapter 4
A Treacherous Voyage
Summer, Southeast Alaska near Ketchikan
Katie gripped the side of Moses’ small metal boat, her knuckles white against the cold, shiny rail. Rachel sat across from her, their faces strained with tension as the boat slammed violently into each wave. The journey to Kataan, which had begun in the calm shelter of their fiord, was proving far more perilous than expected.
“Hold on!” Ethan shouted as he steered the boat into a rogue twelve-foot wave.
“God,” Katie prayed quietly, “don’t let this boat’s outboard motor have any problems. Our lives depend on it.”
The six-foot swells were relentless, each one throwing a cold, salty spray into the air. Katie felt the sting on her cheeks, the cold water soaking through her layers of clothing. Each wave was a reminder of the physical dangers of their mission. But, despite the danger, her spirit was anchored in faith, and she had inner peace. She knew as long as they did what they could, God would take care of the rest. And she knew God would keep them until every person in their area heard the gospel ultimatum.
The boat lurched and bucked, struggling against the sea. Their little outboard motor pushed them slowly up the face of a wave, then they’d pause for a second, like when you’re at the top of a roller coaster, then they'd race down the wave’s backside, until the boat’s bow crashed into the valley, sending salty spray over everyone. Then they'd start up the next wave in a seemingly endless cycle. Katie glanced at Ethan, who nodded reassuringly, his face set with determination.
“You think this is rough?” Rachel shouted, her voice just audible above sea and the engine. “Wait until you see what’s ahead.”
Katie forced a smile in return, gripping the rail tighter as another wave slammed into the boat, sending a fresh spray over them. She glanced up at the dark clouds swirling above. She was tired on the inside. God, let this be over.
In Kataan, Alaska
After two hours of struggling against the sea, their little boat finally pulled into Kataan’s small harbor. Soaked and sore, Katie was never so thankful to stand on solid ground.
As they walked down the village street toward Pastor David Kusteel’s chapel, they passed a gray-haired Klinatok woman walking with a cane in the opposite direction. She recognized Katie, smiled, and said, “Welcome back, princess.”
Katie felt her heart skip a beat. The title brought back memories of her family’s legacy in this village, and in the Klinatok tribe. Seeing Ethan’s curious look out of the corner of her eye, she told him, “I’ll explain later.”
Entering the small wooden chapel, a low murmur of conversation between David and Anna filled the room, blending with the comforting crackle of a fire in the wood stove. Pastor David welcomed them and sat them near the stove to get warmed and dry. They peeled off their outer layers and hung them to drip and dry. The summer clothing they were still wearing would dry quick enough near the radiating woodstove. Anna brought hot mint tea to warm their insides as well.
After a few pleasantries, David unrolled a large, detailed map on the table. “We need to plan our mission. Our assigned area is vast, so transportation is our first challenge.”
Rachel ran her finger along the map’s myriad of islands and coastal communities. “We definitely need a better boat than we rode here on, especially to the south of Metlakatla where there aren’t any islands to protect us from the open ocean. It wouldn’t be safe.”
Katie, still not fully recovered from their stressful journey, nodded in agreement.
“You’re right,” David said, “let’s pray and ask God to provide the resources we need to do his work.” They bowed their heads as David prayed.
“Jesus, you said if we ask anything in your name, you will give it to us. We need reliable and safe transportation to accomplish our assigned mission. Please provide it. Amen.”
They all agreed, saying, “Amen.”
In the meantime, we can start proclaiming the gospel ultimatum here in Kataan. They agreed David would speak the first night, Katie the second, and Rachel would lead the third revival meeting.
The First Meeting - David’s Proclamation
The team advertised a three-night, old-time revival, hoping to stir the hearts of the villagers.
On the first night, only five people showed up. All five were elderly villagers who lived alone and probably hungered for any kind of social activity. At the announced start time, they sat in the mostly empty church pews, their faces a mix of curiosity and skepticism.
But instead of holding a traditional church meeting, David had a different plan.
“We’re taking this revival outside. Let’s go!” he announced with a wave of his hand. He led the small group out of the church and through the winding paths of the village. They came to the decrepit wooden house of a dying woman. As her pastor, David and Anna visited her often, so she was glad to see them.
She was surprised to see the small crowd that followed David into her house, but she didn’t have the energy, or care enough, to ask who they were, or what was happening.
Katie remembered this woman from when Katie lived in the village as a teenager. She and her husband had a commercial fishing boat, and Katie remembered her lifting heavy crates of salmon onto the dock. She was strong and vibrant. But now Katie saw a frail, bald, and pale soul with her bodily life draining away. Her narrow twin bed had been moved into her living room, probably so she could watch TV and see the world passing-by through her dirty picture window. Many pillows elevated her head and shoulders to a semi-sitting position. The dimly lit room smelled of dust and urine.
Pastor David said, “Hello sister Peggy. We’re here to pray for you.”
“That’s nice,” she said. She fumbled with the TV remote, finally muting it.
David said, “Can we pray for you? Would you like to be healed?”
“Yes, I can always use more prayer.”
He and Anna stood on opposite sides of her bed. They laid their hands gently on Peggy’s skeletal shoulders. Katie and Rachel stood behind, placing their hands on David’s and Anna’s shoulders. The others watched from inside the doorway, disinterested.
With no introductory words, David commanded, “Sister Peggy, be healed in Jesus' name!” Katie felt a chill run down her spine.
To everyone’s astonishment, Peggy sprang up. Her eyes, once clouded with hopelessness and pain, were now clear and alive. She looked up at David, then at Anna, in shock, her face filled with surprise and joy. Peggy swung her legs around and stood up. She hugged Anna. Then she raised her arms, looked up, and shouted, “Thank you Lord! Praise you Jesus!”
The Second Meeting - Katie’s Proclamation
Word of Peggy’s healing miracle spread like wildfire. By the next evening, the small church couldn’t contain the crowd that gathered, so they moved to a nearby covered pavilion. Katie felt a thrill of excitement as she saw the pavilion filling up with villagers, eager to witness more miracles.
Pastor David started the meeting with prayer, then everyone sang a mixture of rousing and worshipful hymns and choruses, with acoustic guitar and autoharp accompaniment. The singing started somewhat hesitantly, but by the third chorus the Holy Spirit had everyone singing with gusto.
As they sang, people kept glancing at Sister Peggy, who was standing in the front row. They all knew she was almost dead until yesterday, so the entire village was amazed to see her praising and worshiping so energetically. Outwardly, her body still looked emaciated, bald, and pale, but life and joy were overflowing out of her.
After the last song, Katie stepped to the front and turned to face the gathered villagers of Kataan. The familiar faces of her childhood looked at her with awe and curiosity. Sister Peggy’s healing amazed the whole community, and they all knew Katie was one of the people who prayed for her.
She took a deep breath. Here we go.
Looking into their eyes, she said, “Sháa duwaaltí Katie Whitefeather, Klinaatok qaan. Ixdláan aan satí.”
For those who don’t speak our Klinatok language, I said, “My name is Katie Whitefeather, princess of the Klinatok tribe. Life and peace be unto you.”
“Thank you all for coming. Many of you remember me as a rebellious teenager who made more than her fair share of mistakes. For those who don’t remember me, my mother was Julie Whitefeather, the Klinatok clan leader until 2008, when she and my father were killed in a plane crash. After that, my Aunt Ella became clan leader, and I lived with her until 2016. I was next in the line of succession to lead this clan.” She glanced at Ethan, who now knew why people called her princess.
“But, as a teenager, I chased after worldly pleasures and became entangled in sin. As many of you know, I got pregnant and then chose to have an abortion in Ketchikan. I thought my secrets were safe, but my sins became known by the entire village. One consequence of my sin was the shame and rejection I experienced by this tribe.” Katie paused, taking a deep breath.
“So, if someone told me back then that I’d be here today, speaking to you about God, I wouldn't have believed them.” Katie paused, her brown eyes meeting the gaze of several villagers. “But that’s not the end of my story.”
“When I thought I was beyond saving, God used your Pastor David, and Anna, and my Uncle Andy in Ketchikan, to show me that everyone can be forgiven and transformed through repentance, faith, and God’s love. When I decided to follow God's way, my life changed completely. I found not just forgiveness, but a purpose and a peace that I'd never known."
She drew in a deep breath, her voice steady with conviction. “Sister Peggy’s healing shows that God is able and willing to bless and heal us. I stand before you as living proof that, no matter how far you've wandered, God is always there, with arms open wide, hoping you'll decide to come back. He took me, broken and sinful, and made me whole again—even better than before. If he can save me, he can save you. The same God who healed Sister Peggy will forgive you, heal you, give you hope, and guide you to eternal life. So, choose to follow him and you'll have life and peace.”
She took a sip of water.
“That’s the carrot. Now, here comes the stick. If you choose not to walk with God, and decide to continue following Hussein and Satan instead, you will die in your rebellious state and have no hope in the world to come.”
“I can see that many of you are considering the consequences of this choice. So, let me make them clear.
If you choose to follow Satan and Hussein, these will be your consequences:
On the positive side, you’ll remain a citizen of Hussein’s world system for the rest of your mortal life, with access to buy and sell what's available that you can afford.
But, on the negative side, you’ll suffer God’s wrath when he totally destroys Hussein's government, and all who follow him. According to the Bible, this will happen within the next three years.
And when you die, you’ll be condemned to hell for eternity.
But if you choose to follow Jesus, these will be the consequences:
On the positive side, you’ll become a child of God, a citizen of God’s kingdom.
You’ll have forgiveness and joy in your spirit.
And, after you die, you’ll live forever with God in his beautiful heaven.
But, on the negative side, you’ll be defecting from Hussein’s global government, so Hussein will exclude you from the world economic system and persecute you, possibly unto death.”
Gesturing toward Rachel and the Kusteel’s, Katie said, “We’ve recently been to heaven. It’s real, and it’s glorious. It’s worth the price you’ll pay. The choice is yours.”
Almost all of Kataan’s 289 residents were listening to Katie when they heard a commotion beginning in the back of the crowd.
Then Katie heard a young boy’s voice exclaiming, “I can walk! I can walk!” A boy walked through the awestruck crowd, which parted like the Red Sea to let him walk directly up to Katie.
Smiling from ear to ear, he said, “Jesus just appeared to me and offered me his hand. When I reached for it, he pulled me up out of my wheelchair. I can walk! He healed me!”
Later, Katie learned the 8-year-old boy had been paralyzed in an ATV accident. Doctors told him he’d never walk again.
The Third Meeting - Rachel’s Proclamation
On the final night, the pavilion overflowed with everyone in Kataan and some from neighboring villages—about 400 people.
With the congregation’s praise rising to heaven, Katie, Rachel, David and Anna's faces radiated the light of God's glory.
Knowing that people weren’t coming to hear a message, but to experience the Living God, after Rachel delivered her version of the gospel ultimatum Pastor David created four prayer lines, posting himself, Anna, Rachel, and Katie at the front of the crowd. He invited everyone who needed healing, or had a prayer request, to line up to have one of the four saints give them personal ministry.
The meeting lasted until after midnight, with hundreds of villagers receiving personal ministry and prayer. God healed everyone who asked for healing, without exception.
Moved by these miracles, several grateful villagers approached the team. One offered his offshore cabin cruiser to David, the man’s eyes brimming with tears of gratitude.
Another, a man Katie recognized as the paralyzed 8-year-old boy’s father, handed Katie the keys to his floatplane. “God told me you need this,” he said, his voice trembling with emotion.
Overjoyed, Katie said, “Thank you. This is an answer to my prayer.”
Completing Their Plan
Back at the chapel the next day, the team reconvened to reassess their strategy.
David started by saying, “My sense is that all of Kataan saw God’s love and power, and about eighty percent of them will follow the Lord, regardless of the cost.”
Rachel said, “So, you believe every soul in Kataan heard the ultimatum? Can we cross Kataan off our list?”
“I believe so, but there are one or two hermits outside the village who may not have. I’ll take responsibility to make sure Kataan is at 100 percent.”
Rachel, Katie, and Ethan nodded in agreement as David laid out the map once more, the old pastor’s eyes bright with excitement and determination.
He paused, resting his hand on the map. “Five days ago, we didn’t know how we were going to cover this vast and wild area. But, thank God for his provision, and for authenticating his message with his presence and power. Now, we can do it.”
All agreed, “Amen!”
Looking at the map, Katie said, “I think it makes sense for Rachel and I to use the floatplane to reach the distant places to the south, everywhere south of Metlakatla.”
David nodded. “And Anna and I can cover Metlakatla and the villages to the north with the cabin cruiser.”
“When one team finishes,” Rachel added, “we’ll assist the other. And finally, all four of us can come together to bring the gospel to Lilith’s stronghold in Ketchikan.”
An Alien Invasion?
That evening, the news on the shortwave radio included reports regarding the miraculous works the 144,000 were doing around the world.
Hussein had to respond. In a chilling TV news broadcast, he said the 144,000 were alien invaders with extraterrestrial powers, intent on deceiving humanity.
Ethan wondered out loud, “So, that’s going to be how they explain your ministry? You’re alien invaders with superpowers. I guess they had to explain it somehow, and they couldn’t say you’re God’s representatives to turn mankind away from Satan and his Antichrist.”
Katie felt a cold dread settle in her stomach. In Kataan, the twenty percent who had not accepted the gospel would be quick to report the past week’s events to Lilith’s headquarters in Ketchikan. She knew the stakes had just gotten higher.
Meanwhile, Back Home
At the high cabins, Juan, Catalina, Miguel, and Raphael finished their spinach and egg omelets, and the boys were gathering their hoes, rakes, and other tools. They planned to do some weeding and harvest some ripe cucumbers, beans, berries, and squash.
As Catalina gathered the breakfast dishes for washing, the intruder alarm sounded. Probably another false alarm triggered by a deer or a bear.
She yelled out the door, “Intruder alert!”
As they’d done many times before, Juan and the boys immediately dropped their tools and ran to the cabin. They gathered their bugout bags and rifles, then rushed up the mountain into the forest to wait and watch.
They barely reached their hide positions when—to their surprise—they spotted black-uniformed, armed men sneaking up the mountain toward the high cabins.
Juan identified them through his binoculars. “Lilith’s agents.”
The family watched as the agents ransacked and burned all four cabins and razed their garden crops. Fortunately, they didn’t discover their underground food and supply caches nearby.
Concerned that the agents may have left sensors on the site to detect their return, possibly with agents hiding nearby to capture them, Juan and his family didn’t dare return to the high cabins. Instead, they hiked down to the longhouse—their new home.
Katie and Rachel’s Return
Katie relished the familiar sounds and vibrations of the floatplane as she piloted it toward home. Rachel sat in the copilot seat. To keep the government from learning about their new airplane, Katie flew low, 300 feet over the water, with her radar transponder off, so she wouldn’t be seen by Ketchikan’s radar.
They planned to call Juan on his ham radio, then make a low pass over the high cabins to show them their new plane.
When they got within a five miles of home, they called Juan.
“Amigo, this is compadre.”
“Compadre, this is Amigo. It’s good to hear your voice. Where are you?”
“We’re about to fly over the house in about three minutes.”
“Okay, be advised we’re not there. We’re all at location Bravo.”
Katie knew government agents could be monitoring their transmissions, so she didn’t ask anything further. She knew Juan’s family were all safe, and where they were, so that was enough for now.
“Roger. Out.” Why are they at the longhouse?
Three minutes later, Katie and Rachel hugged the mountain as they flew 2000 feet up to the smoldering remains of the high cabins. When they flew through the thin column of smoke, the smell of their charred cabins and possessions filled the cockpit. So, that’s why they’re at the longhouse.
Katie’s heart sank, a cold shiver running down her spine. This wasn’t an accident. For all four cabins and the garden to be destroyed, it must’ve been a deliberate, calculated attack. The realization drove home the grim reality they were facing.
Katie’s stomach tightened as she realized they’d crossed a threshold—a point of no return. Up to now, we’ve felt safe as long as we didn’t venture into town. We felt like we were peacefully co-existing with Lilith’s people. But now, they’re actively coming after us. Their peaceful home was now a smoldering ruin, a reminder of the Satanic malevolence they faced.
“They really mean to destroy us,” Rachel whispered, her eyes wide with a mix of disbelief and sorrow.
Katie took a deep breath, unconsciously clenching the plane’s controls.
“This isn’t just about survival anymore,” Katie said. “This is war.”
Rachel nodded, her tears glistening in the corners of her eyes.
Katie banked the plane and flew around to the backside of the mountain and down to the fiord below the longhouse.
They landed smoothly on the water of their secluded cove, near Andy’s bugout cabin. As they secured the plane, David and Ethan arrived in David’s new cabin cruiser, towing Moses’ small boat behind it.
Juan’s family heard Katie’s approach and came down to greet them.
Juan recounted what happened at the high cabins, and how they’d made it safely to the longhouse with their bugout bags and rifles.
Since they didn’t need the underground cache materials right away, they all agreed not to return to the high cabins until it was necessary.
Ethan and Katie swept and dusted Andy’s old bugout cabin—their new home. Rachel moved into her own space within the longhouse, which also sheltered Juan’s family. Partitions inside the longhouse gave each resident some sense of privacy.
Global Escalation
Later that day, Katie, Ethan, Rachel, and Juan’s family gathered in the longhouse for dinner.
Catalina dug into the longhouse stash to prepare pots of rice and canned venison in brown gravy. Rachel and the teens foraged a salad of wild sorrel, spruce tips, and berries. They had spring water or mint tea to drink.
Afterward, they gathered around Juan’s battery-powered TV to watch the evening news. Reception wasn’t good on the backside of the mountain, but they could still understand local TV broadcasts through the static.
Fire From Heaven
A few minutes before the scheduled evening news, they noticed a ‘Breaking News’ banner, which got their attention. The news anchor said,
“We interrupt our regular programming for a breaking news update. Yesterday, eyewitnesses in Jerusalem heard the two religious fanatics, infamously known as the ‘Two Witnesses,’ make an extraordinary declaration that now seems to be happening. They threatened that fire would fall from heaven, and the oceans would be turned to blood as a divine act of judgment.
We’re just now learning the Earth is passing through an asteroid field in space, causing two unfolding disasters.
In Space, Satellites Destroyed
First, these rocks in space are colliding with military and civilian satellites, destroying our surveillance, GPS, and weather reporting capabilities, as well as satellite TV, satellite phones, and other satellite systems.
On Earth, Wildfires Across Africa and Asia
Second, and even worse, asteroids are falling into our atmosphere as blazing balls of fire. While most of these are small, they get extremely hot as they fall through the atmosphere. Scientists predict they’ll ignite wildfires in grasslands and forests across Africa and Asia, causing immense damage to ecosystems, agriculture, and wildlife.
In the Sea, Waters Turned to Blood
That’s their effect on land. Scientists also predict large portions of the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific will be polluted with iron oxide, turning the ocean red, like blood, and killing all marine life in those areas. It’s an unprecedented ecological disaster.”
The Antichrist’s Response
The news anchor continued, “Our global president Hussein just released a statement stating, and I quote:
The Two Witnesses are apparently allied with the aliens who recently appeared in every nation in an apparent attempt to conquer and enslave mankind. As extraterrestrials, they knew earth would pass through this asteroid field today. So don’t believe it when they say God is punishing humanity for not surrendering to their domination.
My administration is now responding to the alien invasion. This response must be swift and effective to eliminate their threat to mankind. The aliens are like a virus, and to stop the spread we must remove all affected individuals from our healthy population. Sadly, because these aliens are already embedded within some of our populations, I’ve had to make a very difficult choice to save mankind from this extraterrestrial threat. To survive as free people, I’ve ordered the removal of every population center that includes these aliens, or that has been infected with their deception.
Sadly, a few innocent people must be sacrificed to save the many of us who remain. We will honor the memory of these innocents with gratefulness and appreciation.
That’s the end of President Hussein’s statement. We will continue to monitor this developing story and provide updates as more information becomes available. Stay with us . . .”
Katie said, “Quick! We need to contact Pastor David to warn him.”
Coming next week . . . the Antichrist retaliates globally against the 144000 and their converts. Kataan obliterated. Do David and Anna survive? The saints must revise their plan.
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