Chapter 9
9:30 PM Thursday, Kansas City, Missouri - Liberty Memorial, Anchor Desk
In anticipation of the interview with Jack, the Bear News crew had set up an interview area off from the stage, behind the anchor desk. It came with the standard couch and interview chair; almost a duplicate copy of that of the New York studio.
John was sitting in the interview chair waiting for Jack. They had just about finished recapping the sermon, the assassination attempt, and comments from the multitudes. Next, they went to updates from around the world. They were somewhat surprised that no countries, especially in South East Asia or the Middle East, had yet made any comments about Elijah’s threats an hour ago. There was hope from the news team that Jack, now Enoch, would shed some light on what Elijah really meant. It was too bad they did not have Elijah on. That would be the preferred interview at this point, for Elijah seemed to be the leader of the two Witnesses. Elijah was the opposite of Enoch; he was not diplomatic and quite demanding.
Don went over to John and got his attention as he pointed to the stairs leading up to the stage. John looked over and saw Enoch and the woman he knew as Veronica walking towards them, accompanied by Elijah. He was elated when he saw both of them appear together and thought that maybe, just maybe, they would all be in the interview.
John got up immediately and walked over to them. When they stopped in front of him, Enoch reached out and grabbed his hand, shaking it excitedly and said, “John, we have a surprise for you. Elijah and Veronica have decided, if it is okay with you, to participate in the interview I promised you. Will that be okay with you and your producer?”
John was at a loss for words for a moment and finally said, “Definitely Jack, uh, Enoch, most definitely.”
He reached out his hand to Elijah, who shook it and said, “I have some things to clarify to the world and now will be a good time, John. I also brought Veronica with us, and if you have not figured it out yet, she handles the security for Enoch and me. She also handles Enoch’s schedule and any details that need to be coordinated in this modern world. She will know where and when we make our next appearances in the world.”
“No problem, Elijah. We are more than happy to let you say anything you want. If you could all follow me, we have an interview area set up behind the anchor desk over there.” John pointed to the couch.
“Sure, John.”
As he watched them move towards the interview area, John thought about how excited he felt. He could hardly contain himself. New interview questions were forming in his mind as he followed them to the couch.
Chapter 10
9:45 PM Thursday Kansas City, Missouri – Liberty Memorial, Anchor Desk
They sat all three of them on the couch with Enoch on the end, next to Veronica then Elijah. John’s chair was nearest to Enoch’s, as it had been on previous interviews. The technicians attached their microphones and placed inserts into their ears for sound. Then John came over and chatted about the interview.
“Am I to call you Enoch from now on, or Jack?”
“Enoch will be fine, John. My middle name is Enoch.”
“Then Enoch it is.”
Don came over and said, “We will be going live here in a couple of minutes. Mary Ann and Geraldo are almost finished with their segment. So, is everyone ready?”
They nodded their heads and John said, “Good, then we will just be winging it, as we have been doing with you since Monday, Enoch; no script, we’ll just hope for the best.” John looked at Elijah then said. Oh, Elijah, I have been wondering from your sermon why you don’t have a Middle Eastern accent?”
Elijah smiled and replied, “I have been in and around the west, including Israel, for some time. Many speak English, like you Americans. Now, if I had a Southern accent that would probably raise some eyebrows.”
Then Elijah laughed, and so did the rest of us.
John could not help thinking that Elijah actually had a sense of humor after all.
Chapter 11
10:00 PM Thursday Kansas City, Missouri – Liberty Memorial, Anchor Desk
They were all seated staring at the dot on the camera. Enoch whispered to Veronica, “Let the show go on,” as he smiled. She said, “Enoch pay attention,” giving him a dirty look.
The announcer began speaking. “Viewers worldwide, this is Bear News, live from Kansas City, Missouri, at the Liberty Memorial; with your host John Roddenburg. Tonight, as many of you know, Jack South, now referred to as Enoch, gave his first sermon here, not more than an hour ago. Enoch had agreed to do an interview following his sermon, prior to tonight’s broadcast, and we are now going live with that interview.”
The camera panned to the assembled group on the couch and then the announcer continued, “We also have the other witness you met tonight, who, like Enoch, says he is a witness from God. He claims that he is the Old Testament Prophet, Elijah, and has also agreed to participate in the post sermon interview with us. And now, here is John Roddenburg.”
As the camera focused in on John, he said, “Good evening to our viewers in the United States and the world. Our producers have told me that this show tonight is being broadcast worldwide. As of the last count, this broadcast has more viewers ever, including the Super Bowl and the World Soccer Cup Playoffs. That is a lot of households!”
John paused, smiling, after the comment he had made, then said, “Now, in our continued efforts to keep you up to date on the men who have proclaimed themselves to be God’s final two Witnesses, we have with us tonight Enoch, who many of you knew as Jack South, and Elijah. Veronica Magdalene, who is their assistant, also accompanies them. I am sure all of you have questions you want answered and we hope to get you answers for some of them tonight.”
John then turned to Enoch as the camera zoomed in and said, “Enoch, I have to say that during the ceremony, I was at a loss for words as to what occurred with the power of the staff you carried. You stated in your sermon tonight that this is the staff of Moses; the one he used when he appeared before the Pharaoh thousands of years ago, as in the Bible story known as the Exodus. Was the use of the staff tonight intended as a replay of the situation with Moses, Aaron, and the Pharaoh; or in this case Enoch, Reverend Marks, and the Bishop?”
Not waiting for a response John continued, “Then, although I am quite sure it was not planned by you, but the assassination attempt on live TV this evening was unprecedented. I am sure you will agree that what we have seen tonight is something that has never happened before in our times. In addition, we have noted that not even the local police or the security forces made a move. They sat and watched as if transfixed. Even the President’s Secret Service and the protection units for the other dignitaries, just sat there. Normally, they would have been all over the place with guns drawn. However, they did nothing. Well…it…was bizarre; to say the least. Can you explain this odd behavior? The other question I have for you…we want to know – did you know all of this was to occur beforehand?”
John had blurted out a litany of questions to. Enoch started to respond to them one at a time. “No John, not all of it. Let me start first with the Bishop and the staffs, the display in the heavens, and the basic sermon. Yes, that was all planned and part of what we intended to get the world’s attention. People need to understand God is serious and not relenting. The assassination attempt, I thought might eventually happen; that was a given. I am sure that it will not be the last attempt either. Many will later believe that I am personally causing all the grief in the world. Even though I am only the messenger carrying out Gods plan for the last days, I am still the prophet. Prophets are usually not very popular. The assassination attempt did not surprise me; it just scared me. For like you, I am also of flesh and blood. However, if you know your scriptures, neither Elijah nor I can be harmed for the next three and a half years.”
“And the Secret Service?” John asked.
“As far as the President’s Secret Service, police and all other sec
urity personnel are concerned, I can only say that God stopped them from interfering. I hope you realize that He has power over humanity, so I am sure he interfered. I would suppose that he wanted the sermon to continue. As for the President’s part, coming out of the stands to confront the Colonel, he probably was an unwilling participant. God obviously wanted him to be a part of the message to humanity that He planned for tonight.”
Enoch paused, putting his hands together, and then lifting them under his chin. Finally, he said, “However, Elijah showing up tonight was as much a surprise to me as it was to you and the world. Nor was I aware of his comments and sermon. Those he made on his own account and were not planned by me or our staff.”
“Thanks for your comments, Enoch. I am not sure if you answered my questions or just added to my questions. Let us move on to another subject. The question I have is about your staff and the Bishop’s staff. How did you do it?”
“I followed the orders given to me by God and did exactly as I was instructed to do. God did the exact same with Moses and Aaron. I followed his instructions and God took care of the rest.”
“Were you surprised the Bishop had a staff to challenge you, or was that planned too?”
“No. God had told me that He would move the Bishop to do as he did. I, as I always do, just followed God’s instructions.”
“So you are saying that God wanted to prove His power over the Catholic Church here in the world; or what was the intent?”
“The intent, John, is simple. Going into tonight and into the future, I knew I was going to cause controversy in the world. Now was as good a time as any to confront a high-ranking member of the Church. Simply put, in God’s eyes the church he founded through Jesus through Peter is corrupt. Now he wants the Christians of the world to know it. If you know your New Testament, John, I refer you and everyone to the letters to the seven churches by John, the disciple, in Revelations. If you read these letters then you will understand that the Church is corrupt. This means humanity must look inward and find God.”
“That is quite a statement, Enoch, and one that I am sure will not be taken well by the Church in Rome or other sects of Christianity.”
“I am not here to please anyone, John; just tell the truth. My ministry is to deliver God’s word and battle the evil here on earth. God’s hope is to save as many souls as possible during the time allotted. My other mandate is use God’s power to fight against the Antichrist, Satan or Lucifer and all his followers. This includes their assets, followers and their powers.”
“What powers do they have, Enoch?”
“Control over food, shelter, money, life or death, destruction by drugs, alcohol abuse, pornography, and perverted sexual practices, just to name a few.”
That is quite a statement Enoch. I am not sure what else to ask you. So, let me ask you a different question. You keep saying, “God told me.” Does he appear in person to you? Have you seen Him, or maybe even Jesus? How do you communicate with Him?”
“Simply by using prayer as we are all taught, John. When I pray for guidance, some sort of inner voice inside of me answers my prayers and instructs me about God’s plans. This is how I knew about the rains, the earthquakes, and the hurricanes that are coming. No, John, He does not sit and talk to me as you and I are doing now. However, as I have mentioned to you before, He sent his messengers, or as many would call them, ‘angels,’ to me. You may remember I mentioned them in our interview earlier in the week: Gabriel and Ariel. Moreover, John, they do talk to me just as you and I are sitting across from each other now. I refer you to Abraham in the Bible. Just as the three visitors described in Genesis 18, who Abraham entertained many thousands of years ago. However, one of his messengers was God. I have only had two and neither is God. It is just like that, John; just like that!”
“So you are saying that the ‘angels,’ Gabriel and Ariel, are among us here on earth now?”
“They have always been here, John. In addition, Satan, Lucifer, or the Devil, as many call him is here among us. They have all been here from the beginning of creation; he and his angels. Remember that one third of the angels were also banned from the heavens and fell to earth along with him.”
John then asked, “Any chance Gabriel or Ariel would do an interview, Enoch?”
That quick question caught Enoch quite unawares. He grinned, realizing what John had asked, then, with a bit of a laugh he replied, “No, John, I doubt that they would. However, there will be a time, very soon, when all men of earth both living and dead, will not only see them, but all the angels. They then will of course, all face judgment before Jesus and God himself.”
John sat back and decided not to take this line of questioning any further. It was all very difficult to believe and yet he had hundreds of questions to ask Enoch and Elijah.
He made up his mind what to ask next, so he then turned towards Elijah and asked, “Elijah, are you the same prophet who was taken up by a whirlwind or a chariot of fire as described in the Old Testament?”
“What do you think, John? You had the opportunity to see, as the rest of the world saw, and hear what I said and did with God’s help today.”
John hesitated in responding. He realized Elijah had turned the question back to him. He rephrased the question, “Well, based on what you said and what I understood you to say, you made it quite clear that that is who you are, or who you claim to be.”
“Then, John, your assumption is correct; but then I detect a bit of uncertainty in you.”
John then realized that this man was an absolute expert in interviewing. Elijah possessed an incredible amount of ability to use the right words to put it on the other person. After a few moments, as he gathered his thoughts John said, “Elijah, I have to tell you, I am having difficulty just asking these questions of you let alone answering the one you just asked me. If you look at the situation from my perspective, it is not just me but also the entire world for that matter. Now, for 2000 plus years since Jesus, God, the Bible and so on, have been based on nothing but faith, only for so many; no prophets, no proof of a God, absolutely nothing but faith. Until just a few days ago, there was no physical proof of the existence of a God, let alone the Christians’ Jesus. Now, Elijah, it appears that we have two real live prophets here. You and Enoch are the first physical evidence of God in the modern world since Christ. That, I have to say, is difficult to comprehend and even more difficult to believe.”
“So, John, once again, if I may ask of you, do you believe we are who we say we are?”
John hesitated on this question. The journalist in him wanted to stay neutral, but then he knew Elijah was testing him. His answer, he knew, would seal his fate one way or the other, in this life and the life hereafter. He tried to think of a way to avoid a direct answer and not affect his faith…but then, he did have faith. John made his decision.
“Yes, Elijah, I do.”
“Good, John. I know that was difficult to say and like the thieves on the cross with Jesus, you joined the one with the correct response and have made the right choice, not the wrong one. The promise of Christ for the one will also be your destiny when your work here on earth is done.”
“Thank you, Elijah,” John replied, wanting to take the focus off himself for he knew his producer would make a comment to him about always staying neutral. He had just violated that rule. Moving on, he asked, “I know the world wants to know, Elijah, when did you return to earth from heaven. Was it recently or have you been here for some time? I mean, there are those who have claimed, especially the Muslims that you have appeared here on earth several times before today. You were supposedly at the transfiguration of Christ with Moses. There are also rumors that you were actually John the Baptist reincarnate.”
As John asked the questions, Enoch thought that this was a question he should have asked in his meeting at the cave. He leaned forward to hear Elijah’s answer. The other prophet’s animation and facial features as he spoke spooked him. He noticed th
at Elijah was looking directly into John’s eyes.
Elijah said, “John, God’s angels, God’s servants, and God’s guidance and the holy spirit has been here since the creation of Adam from the dust. In modern times, you or anyone could have very well met one of us, maybe in a restaurant, on a crowded bus, or even sat by us in an airplane. I am sure you have heard such stories over the years where it seemed God had intervened in a calamity, a disaster, or even your world politics. We are like Lucifer’s angels here on earth. We come and we go, but until now, you were unaware of our presence here. Now you are. However, I will answer your question directly. I returned from heaven and have been in Israel since the founding of the country after World War II. I kept to myself and have lived among the Israelis for some time under various identities. I needed to be able to understand their hearts and help them through the difficult times of returning to the Promised Land. I have been there along with many other of God’s messengers and have overseen the promises of God to the Israelites, on behalf of God. Now, until a few years ago I was like many of God’s messengers; I was unseen. In time, I needed to make my presence known so I assumed the name, Shraya, and like in the New Testament, lived like John the Baptist lived and preached in the desert until today. Let me add, and this is very important for all to hear, I have a job to do to fulfill the final promise. This promise is that during the end times, God would reassemble all the Jews in the Promised Land, as He did with Joshua; which is why I am here.”
Enoch noticed that Elijah again paused, never taking his eyes off John. The camera had Elijah’s full-face profile on the monitor and you could see his eyes were wild and intense. Enoch continued to be transfixed by Elijah as he continued.
“Enoch and I are here to convert God’s people, also known as the Jews, to Jesus; to unconditionally make them know not only in their minds, but also in their hearts, that He is their Messiah. I am also here to help the Gentile’s Witness, Enoch, with his ministry to the gentiles, in the hopes of claiming the souls of men for God. All of this I have spoken of, John, needs to be accomplished before the final judgment, which is coming very soon.”