■ Steven’s Amazing Adventures, and the Future of the World ■ (PART 19) - "The Surprise" - (A STORY about the END TIMES, with Messages from God) (PART 19)

Steven’s Amazing Adventures,

and the Future of the World

(A Story about the End Times 
with Messages from God)

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(Click to Read PART 1.)

(This story chronicles the adventures of Steven O'Neill, his wife Sarah, and their friends during the End Times. Judgment has already struck the U.S., and Steve and his friends have reached the vast continent of Asia. Witness the amazing things God will reveal about the coming kingdom of the Beast (or the Antichrist), the Mark of the Beast, and the Tribulation period. This story should keep you fascinated, as a realistic account of the future unfolds in the form of a fictional story.

But, this story is not just a story. It contains messages from God and prophecies that actually shall happen. It is written as fiction with fictional characters, but the message of the story is very real, and the cataclysmic events, touched on in this story, will actually impact this earth as God’s Holy Bible and its prophecies unfold. The world will soon enter a time much like that portrayed in this story. I encourage you to seek God about this to see what He will show you.)

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Chapter Nineteen

(Click here to see The Table of Contents.) 

PART 19: “The Surprise"

(Soldiers with ushankas. Click for source.)

Sledgehammers swung and shattered rocks into pieces. Vasily Volvakov worked hard, crushing rocks with his sledgehammer, hour after hour, with only three breaks for a period of twelve hours per day. In spite of his age of 60, he had energy that even younger men didn’t have, who worked in the rock-crushing enclosure at a labor camp in Siberia. The Russian guards even commented to one another, on occasion, about Vasily’s endurance and strength. But when he overheard them, he quietly gave God the glory.

The cold air stung his face as he worked, but Vasily tried to keep blinking and moving his face muscles to keep them from becoming numb. It felt like it was negative 30 degrees Fahrenheit.

After becoming a Christian in the labor camp, Vasily had begun speaking more and more to God and hearing His loving voice better. God had given him supernatural strength for him to work well, without feeling exhausted like other men, who worked for 12 hours with two fifteen minute breaks, and a half-hour lunch break. This added up to 13 hours outdoors, in sub-zero temperatures. Every so often, men died from exhaustion or sickness. [See “Footnote” 1.]

“Hey,” a prisoner ten feet away said, when the guards had moved away from earshot.

“Yes,” Vasily said just before he slammed his hammer into a rock, bursting it into small chunks.

“I heard you speaking to God. Are you a Christian?” the man asked just before he swung his hammer.

They had to keep working or a guard would crack a whip a few feet from their backs as a warning not to “slack off.” 

“Yes, I am,” Vasily said, glancing at the man.

The prisoner was dressed in the standard orange jumpsuit, orange hat, coat, and gloves that inmates typically wore in prison systems around the world. Appearing in his forties, he had a stubbly brown beard and brown eyes. But, Vasily noticed that there was the softness in his eyes and expression of a young boy.

“I am a Christian too. I love Jesus,” the man said before turning back to his work.

“What’s your name? I am Vasily Volvakov,” Vasily asked between swings.

“I am Dimitri Averin,” the man said.

Soldiers dressed in thick camouflage jackets and ushankas approached them and passed by, on a routine walk. Once they were gone, Dimitri said, “Vasily, would you like to take part in my Bible study?”

“Where, when?” Vasily said.

“Don’t tell anyone unless you feel God prompting you to,” Dimitri said.

“That sounds reasonable. Where and when do you have this study?” Vasily said, feeling more curious now than ever. He had a hunger to read the Bible. He had not read the Bible, except for a verse here or there, when he was a non-Christian.

“The Bible study will be at night,” Dimitri said. “Meet me at barracks number 20 tonight, at twelve O’clock. Don’t tell anyone else about this, unless the Lord directs you to.”

“Okay,” Vasily said, continuing to break rocks into pieces.

______________

“Moving at Night”

Vasily cracked the door of his barracks open and gazed at the brick clock tower which sat atop the brick prison camp administration building in the middle of the large, fenced-in enclosure. Each of the four clock faces read 11:55 P.M. As he peered out at the tower, Vasily prayed that all the men in his barracks would remain asleep.

It wasn’t quite time just yet to sneak over to barracks number 20, but he felt itching to move, and he had been awake since 11:40, thinking about the Bible study with a spiritual thirst for God’s written Word. Vasily also was nagged by thoughts regarding the risk of having a secret, midnight Bible study in a labor camp. What if guards caught him sneaking around, or worse; found him partaking of a secret Bible study? Would he be tortured? Would he be placed in solitary confinement? Nevertheless, Vasily felt the risk was worth the blessing of drinking from God’s Word the spiritual refreshment he needed.

When the clock read 11:56, Vasily looked up and silently said to God, “Dear Heavenly Father, will you blind the guards so that we can meet to have a Bible study? Also, please provide light so we can read. I trust you will. What would you show me? Should I stay or go?”

“My son, Vasily,” God said to him in a kind, loving voice, “I love you very much. You may go at 11:58 and I will be with you. Do not fear. I will blind the guards so that they will not see either you or anyone else who meets to have this Bible study. And, I the Lord your God and Abba Father have spoken.”

“Thank you, Abba Father,” Vasily said, feeling peace settle into his heart.

He prayed for the study to go well as he waited. Finally, the hands on the clock tower face read 11:58 P.M. It was time to move out. Looking back over the bunk beds with sleeping men, Vasily waited to see if there was any movement. A half a minute passed before he was sure only he was awake. Then, he slipped quietly out the door and shut it carefully behind him.

In the moonlit night, Vasily saw the labor camp with its guard towers, high fences, rows of numbered barracks, its chow hall, its brick administration building, its hospital, its latrine building, and its prison or solitary confinement building. Other buildings sat outside the fenced enclosure, including barracks for Russian soldiers, garages for their vehicles, and other structures that Vasily had no idea what purpose they served.

(A concentration camp. Click for source.)

Careful to avoid the roving beams of searchlights mounted on guard towers, Vasily walked quickly from one barracks to another, leaving his barracks, number 9, behind. Staying in the shadows as much as possible, he slowly made his way to barracks number 20. He had to make sure that no guards on the ground or in the towers were looking in his direction. A guard was stationed at the entrance to the hospital, which was behind the chow hall. The guard was currently out of sight, since the hospital was located behind the brick chow hall and the nearby latrine building.

Vasily’s barracks sat behind a row of barracks numbering from 1 to 5. Those provided him cover from a guard stationed at the administration building, which was two stories high and made of brick and mortar. A small courtyard opened to the night air in the middle of the administration building. But, that courtyard was the last place he’d like to go.

Behind the administration building stood the prison which was dutifully guarded by two soldiers. A number of inmates were locked up in solitary confinement cells, including men who had attempted to escape the labor camp by way of a tunnel system some days earlier.

While the barracks 1 to 5 provided cover from the guards, an open space between two clusters of ten barracks made him pause to consider his options. There was no cover in that snow-covered space between the sections of barracks. If a searchlight swept through that area while he was in the middle of it, he would be spotted and thrown into solitary confinement, with reduced rations, and would likely have to stay there for over a week.

Or, worse, they might expect him to work three hours more per day, with reduced rations and without any breaks. For many men, this increased the chances of an early death from exhaustion or sickness. But, Vasily wanted to trust God to take care of him.

“My son,” God’s gentle voice said to Vasily as he hesitated.

“Yes, Abba Father,” Vasily said, trying to breathe deeply to slow his heartbeat.

“Walk across that field and do not fear,” God said to his spirit and soul. “I will blind their eyes so that they will not see you. They will only see snow if they were to look in your direction. Do not fear. Just give the fear to Me, and trust Me, and you will do well. Trust is a choice: it is not a feeling. And, I the Lord your God and Abba Father have spoken.”

“I will take a risk and trust you,” Vasily said, still hesitant, as he eyed a couple guard towers and their bright searchlights, which were scanning the ground outside the base. Others were shining on barracks and structures within the enclosure, slowly sweeping over them.

“Father God,” Vasily said, looking up, “I choose to give you my fears. I was afraid I would be caught and either worked to death, or put in solitary confinement with small rations. But, I give those fears to you. You will protect me from these communist guards.”

Then, he took a step of faith into the white field between the barracks sections. Vasily hesitated for a few seconds before he took another step, and another. A couple seconds later, a soldier came around the corner of the admin. building and looked in Vasily’s direction for three seconds. The Russian prisoner was in clear view and would be easily spotted, but the soldier shrugged his shoulders and continued walking, as if he only noticed a mouse in the snow or something ordinary.

(A razor wire fence. Click for source.)

Breathing a sigh of relief, Vasily began walking across the field more quickly. As he was just a few feet from the cover of a section of ten barracks, a searchlight swept across the tall, razor-wire topped, chain link fence, and the beam of light headed his direction. Before he could run, the beam reached him, illuminating his bright orange coat and jumpsuit in white light. But, the beam continued its sweep as if Vasily didn’t exist.

Once he was in the section of ten barracks, Vasily breathily exclaimed, “Praise you, Lord God, for blinding their eyes! Praise you, Lord, for protecting me!”

“Shh,” a man’s voice came from Vasily’s right.

A tall man with a burly build and a rugged face, dressed in orange, approached Vasily slowly. He was a prisoner Vasily hadn’t met before. The man looked somewhat tough, and Vasily apprehensively wondered what this prisoner would do next.

“You’re Vasily, aren’t you?” the man asked without a trace of inflection.

“Yes,” Vasily said with a little trembling in his voice.

“I am Georgy Veselov,” the tall, burly man said. “Dimitri told me about you. Come this way.”

Vasily wondered if this man could be trusted, but he decided that the only thing to do was follow him. Georgy led Vasily down an alley between two barracks. This alley faced the chain link fence. In the middle of the alley, a 9 foot by 9 foot concrete square appeared in the snow, rising four inches above the ground. Snow remained on its surface, despite the fact that footprints appeared all around it and throughout the alley. An opened, rusty lock rested a few inches from a metal hatch, which filled the slab’s surface.

“What’s that for?” Vasily said, pointing to the lock.

“That rusty lock used to keep us out of the sewer system, but not anymore,” Georgy said. God answered our prayers and had an angel open it. We didn’t have any tools to lock pick it, but prayer unlocked it. It doesn’t work anymore, so we can reattach it and make this sewer hatch look unopened.”

“What about your footprints in the snow?” Vasily asked.

“We walk around our barracks throughout the day, and sometimes at night, to disguise our footprints going to and from this hatch,” Georgy said as he reached for the handle and pulled the hatch open with a slight heave.

The open hatch revealed a metal ladder crawling down the side of a vertical, concrete shaft.

“After you,” Georgy said, motioning toward the hole with a hand.

‘Could this be a trap?’ Vasily wondered, glancing at the big man. But, curiosity got the better of him. He slowly lowered himself down to the ladder and began descending one rung at a time. The air felt more humid the further down he went and the foul smell of sewage wafted faintly up to his nose. But, electric light appeared below his feet, splashing onto a paved walkway.

Once he reached the last step, he hopped down a couple feet and landed with a slight thump. He was standing in a corner formed by two tunnels. The tunnel to the left vanished into the darkness. The tunnel to the right, which was at a right angle to the left side, contained ceiling lights in steel cages and three metal doors in its right wall. This passage came to an abrupt end at a wall of concrete.

As Vasily took in his surroundings, the closest steel door flung open and Dimitri Averin appeared in the entrance. Motioning for Vasily to come, he said, “I am so glad you were able to make it. Come this way.”

Vasily heard a clanging sound come from the concrete entry shaft. ‘It must be Georgy closing the hatch,’ he thought.

Passing through the nearest door, Vasily blinked several times, surprised at what he saw. Inside a 20-by-30-foot concrete room, about thirty men were standing. A handful of them carried small stacks of paper and three had leather-bound Bibles in Russian. All of them wore the standard orange uniform of labor camp inmates.

A door in one wall, leading into the next room, was opened to provide more space for movement. It seemed to Vasily as if God had provided the area for the men to gather in secret. The room was clean of all miscellaneous junk that most utility or storage rooms tended to collect. And, it was brightly lit by ceiling lights, which were encased in protective metal cages. It seemed as if the Russian soldiers or utility workers paid no attention to this particular underground room.

“Brothers in Christ,” Dimitri said warmly, motioning toward Vasily, “welcome a new friend of the Lord. This is Vasily, who I learned is a true Christian.”

Several of the men smiled and waved. One approached Vasily, saying, “I am glad you could join us. We are glad to have more brothers in Christ in this camp.”

He was man in his forties with red hair, blue eyes, and a medium build.

“Who am I speaking with?” Vasily said.

“Oh, forgive me. I am Artemy Aminev,” Artemy said, extending a hand. Vasily shook it, feeling grateful to have friendly hosts.

“I’m happy to see that more Christians than I thought was possible could fit inside this church building,” Vasily said, smiling as he glanced at the room, and then back at Artemy.

Artemy chuckled before saying, “There are more of us in this camp than most people realize. The Gospel message is spreading through this prison camp like wildfire, Vasily. God is able to touch many people here, and many are turning to Him for salvation through Jesus Christ.”

“That is wonderful. Glory be to God!” Vasily said with excitement and joy in his heart.

“Brothers in the family of God, may I have your attention?” Dimitry Averin said, loud enough to get everyone’s attention.

When all eyes had focused on him, Dimitri opened his brown leather Bible.

“Brothers,” Dimitri said, scanning across the many faces, “we are gathered here tonight to enjoy the Word of God and to share it with each other. Our life in this camp is very difficult, but our loving Father God is giving us the grace we need for each new trial we face. Most of us here are placed in this camp for the very fact that we desire to worship God, not in a man-made religion, but in a relationship on a very deep, personal basis with our loving God.

“Our children and wives were separated from us and placed in camps or in orphanages because we determined to obey God and His Word over the pressure society has placed on us. We are here because the world hates us like how they hated our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Listen to what Jesus said in Matthew chapter 10, verses 24-25: ‘[24] The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. [25] It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?’

“If the world falsely called Jesus ‘Beelzebub,’ which is an evil spirit, certainly they would call us false labels, such as ‘traitors to the state,’ ‘religious fanatics,’ ‘extremists,’ and ‘purveyors of lies.’ But, all these false accusations spoken against us… We stand against these lies and reject them. Sadly, some of our people have denied the Lord and denied that they were Christians. Some have even turned us in for being obedient to God. Jesus spoke of such people that they have chosen whom they will serve.”

(Jesus speaks to his disciples. Click for source.)

Dimitri flipped his Bible over to another passage. Once he was there, he said, “In the book of Luke, chapter 16, Jesus spoke of how we much choose to either serve Him or serve something else. In Luke 16:13, Jesus said: ‘No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.’

“It is impossible for us to serve God and serve material possessions or money. But, this principle applies to people as well. Listen to what Jesus told His disciples and the multitudes that followed him in Luke chapter 14, verses 26-27. He said: ‘[26] If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. [27] And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.’”

A man raised a hand and said, “Dimitri, why did Jesus said that we should hate our family members? I’m confused.”

“He is not saying that we should actually hate anyone,” Dimitri said, “because Jesus clearly said in that same sentence that we should hate our own life also. He is not speaking of self-hate or anything of that sort. What Jesus is saying is that we should love ourselves and other people less than we love Him.

“So, if Jesus is telling us to warn our family or our friends, and they reject the Gospel and tell us to stop preaching to people, we must tell them that we ought to obey God rather than men. We must do God’s will even if there is a cost. Because, after all, having eternal fellowship with God now and in Heaven is far, far better than temporary relationships on earth at the expense of fellowship with God forever.”

“Are you saying that Christians can fall away from the faith?” another man asked.

“What does the Bible say?” Dimitri asked, rhetorically. “In Hebrews chapter 10, the Holy Spirit, through the writer, speaks of a man who trampled underfoot the blood of the covenant whereby he was sanctified. Let’s look at that.”

He began flipping through the pages until he found the place he was looking for. Once he found the spot, Dimitri said: “Hebrews 10:26-30 says: ‘[26] For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, [27] But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

‘[28] He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: [29] Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? [30] For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.’”

A hush fell over the room.

“Was that man really a Christian?” a man close to Dimitri asked.

“Yes, because verse 29 shows that he was sanctified by the blood of Jesus Christ. That means that the blood of Jesus had once made him holy before God. And, verse 30 speaks of how God will have to judge His people. But, to clarify this further, let’s look at Revelation chapter 3, verse 5.”

Flipping quickly over to the spot, Dimitri placed his finger on the verse and read it aloud: “‘He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.’ So, Jesus speaks of people who will not have their names be blotted out of the book of life. But, by saying that, He is showing that some people will be blotted out of the book of life.”

Dimitri flipped through the pages once more until he came to a certain spot. Then, he said, “In John chapter 15, Jesus spoke of how He is the vine and that we Christians are the branches, which are attached to Him. Here is what Jesus, in John 15:1-2, said: ‘[1] I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. [2] Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.’”

“For the branch to be in Jesus, that branch must be depending on Him for the power to produce fruit,” Dimitri said, again scanning the men’s faces. “But, when a branch, which was depending on Him at one time, ceases to produce good fruit, and instead produces bad fruit, Jesus will call out to that person. But if that person doesn’t repent, Jesus will eventually have to remove it and cast it into the fire. In John 15:6, just a few verses down, Jesus said: ‘If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.’”

(A fire. Click for source.)

“This fire is not temporary, brothers,” Dimitri said soberly. “This is Hell and it is eternal. The Holy Spirit in Revelation chapter 14, verses 9 through 11, declares that anyone who worships the beast, or who receives the mark of his name, will be tormented with fire and brimstone, which is burning sulfur, and this torment shall last for ever and ever. Forever is a long time.”

Dimitri quickly flipped to Revelation 14 and said: “I’ll read Revelation 14:11 to you. It says: ‘And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.’

“Only a hardened person would continue to go after sin in opposition to what the Lord was showing him. And, only a hardened person would worship the beast, who is the Antichrist, because God’s Spirit would powerfully convict such a person not to do that abomination.”

“Dimitri, you mentioned Revelation 14, which speaks of people who took the mark of the beast,” Vasily said. “Could you explain what the mark of the beast is? I am a new Christian, and I have never really read the book of Revelation. I was an atheist before I met Jesus while in solitary confinement, in this camp.”

“Certainly, brother Vasily,” Dimitri said. “The mark of the beast is a substance that is placed into a person’s skin. This thing, whatever it may be, will allow one to buy or sell. Without this mark, no one who lives within the civilized areas of the world will be able to buy or sell. You can read about that in Revelation chapter 13, verses 16-18. But, God will certainly provide for the needs of those who turn to Him. The Holy Spirit in Psalm 34, verses 9-10, has the psalmist write: ‘[9] O fear the Lord, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. [10] The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.’”

Suddenly, the door flung open and Georgy Veselov, with some fear in his eyes, said, “The soldiers… they found the hatch and I, I heard their voices coming through. They noticed the lock is missing. They are opening the hatch as I speak! We have to go to the sewer passage now!”

Men looked at each other with concern and began talking quickly among themselves about what they should do.

“Men,” Dimitri said loud enough to get everyone’s attention. He raised his hands and said, “Men, brothers, don’t fear. God hasn’t given us the spirit of fear. Let us pray and trust God to take care of us. Running through the sewers to escape is only going to delay them by a few minutes, since the sewer is only under this base and the nearby military base a couple miles away. God will provide for us. Don’t give up your hope in God. He is greater than any problem we face.”

“You’re right, Dmitri,” Artemy said. “I will seek God about this.”

The men began praying fervently and quietly. Some looked worried. But, Vasily noticed that Dimitri’s face was calm and peaceful. There didn’t seem to be fear in his expression but just joy and peace. Footsteps came from the passage outside the door and something clattered against its metal surface. A minute passed.

Vasily prayed fervently, begging God to spare them from being found. He felt fear attacking him with the thought that they might be tortured or placed in solitary confinement with little food or water.

(Russian soldiers. Click for source.)

Suddenly, the door swung open and a soldier peered in, swinging his AK-74M machine gun side to side. The man looked a little surprised. Then, his expression turned cold and hateful. “You fools! What you think you’re doing down here? This area is supposed to be sealed off to people such as you.”

Another soldier appeared behind him. The first soldier continued, saying coldly, “What are you doing? Having a prayer meeting? Praying in groups is against the camp policies. We will place all of you for five hours in the cold without your coats or gloves; we deprive you of food for ten days; we will give you no work breaks, such as lunch; and we will place half of you in solitary confinement, with no pillows, sleeping pads, or shoes.”

“And,” the other guard added, “if you still conduct illegal prayer meetings, we will give you each twenty lashes with a whip and we will force you to work at night, under supervision, in addition to your daytime work. I want you all to move out in a single file. Get moving!”

Just as he finished his order, the sound of an earthquake – a rumbling shudder– shot through the air. The soldiers turned around, looking up at the ceiling to see where it came from. As they turned away from the Christians, a miracle happened which would stun the guards for the rest of their lives. The soldiers returned their attention to the Christians, but found an empty room where more than thirty men had once stood. Both men’s jaws dropped in bewilderment at the vanishing.

[Footnote 1: The prisoners in this Siberian concentration camp started work well before the winter sun rose and ended about the time it was setting. Spotlights would illuminate the work sites and camp during the early morning darkness, until the sun illuminated the landscape. Hours later, as the sun set, the lights would come back on for several hours, before shutting off at 10 P.M. Then, searchlights would scan the camp at regular intervals.]

____________________

(Click to Read Part 20.)

(Click here to see The Table of Contents.) 

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[Footnote: The Chinese are not the enemy, neither are the Russians. Both are people just like you and me. But, God will use Russia and China to judge wicked nations, which will not repent from their rebellion against Him. And, the devil will seek to stir up men to persecute the Church. But, God will deliver all who seek Him and trust in Him.]

EXCERPT from Part 20:

 ... Moving a joystick forward, Karl sent the control cab rolling down a long crane arm that stretched many yards out over the docks and above the water. As the cab rolled forward on its track, Karl thought about what God had told him. He wanted to share that new information with Inga Jacobsen the next time he saw her.

Just as he was close to the point where he would need to be for unloading the containers, his radio came to life. “Karl, this is Jens. We need you to return and come down to the ground level. Some undercover cops are wanting to see you. Over.”

“Copy. I’m coming. Over,” Karl said, feeling his heart beat quickening.

He stopped and then pulled back on the joystick, sending the control cab back toward its resting position near the elevator and balcony. He felt fear gripping his stomach area as he returned. This was the last thing he wanted to hear. What kind of trouble was he in? Why would undercover cops want to talk to him? Did they learn that he was conducting an illegal Bible study in the basement of an apartment building late at night? ...