This book was written in 1999 and is “as told by John Steinbeck”. The actual author, or author who heard this through prophecy, is not mentioned. The cover was drawn by Rain and Darren and it was published by The Family and printed in Thailand. The book is written in the past tense, with the first three chapters written in first person from the three main characters perspective, and the rest in third person as an omniscient narrator. Some pages have footnotes to explain words from the System or the 70s – if it needs longer explanation, it is put in an endnote, where it’s explained in more depth.

The book opens with an Introduction explaining the state of the US in 1970, the time in which this novel begins. It talks about how God used music and drugs to get hippies to him, and how God used a new revolution of Light and Love to bring people to him and create an offensive movement, because the Last Days were coming. It corresponds to an endnote at the back of the book with a “message from Jesus on the drugs and music of the hippie scene, and today.”

This first chapter is narrated by Lenny, one of the main characters. Lenny is running while tanks and soldiers gun down Denton, Texas, where he lives. In his mind, he wonders why the tanks are there, and a heavenly voice answers him, saying they’re after him, because he and his friends are a threat. Lenny doesn’t understand but sees a glowing cross which turns out to be a sword. He grabs it and shouts out a battlecry: “It’s the End! Your feeble attempts at conquest shall be turned back in the face of our fiery onslaught, for your power is puny before ours.”

Lenny wakes up – he had been dreaming or high. Everyone thinks he’s crazy and gets frustrated with him for his loud, weird trips. He goes to the balcony to think, and we find out he’s a junkie in his early 20s. His girlfriend, Gypsy, follows to comfort him. He reminisces about when he met this special girl in college – she’s your typical hippie, with long brown hair, big green eyes, a poncho and bell-bottom jeans. They started dating and she taught him about nature, the System, and sexual freedom. “Gypsy seized every opportunity to doff her clothes.” She moved in with him after a month, and they’ve been living with Lenny’s best friend, Don, and Don’s girlfriend, Sherry. Don’s gone for the summer, so Lenny and Gypsy are staying in a commune and getting high with some friends who are in a band.

Lenny doesn’t know what to do with his life – most of his friends have one more year of college, Gypsy included, while he graduated in spring. He’s glad he won’t die in Vietnam, but he doesn’t know what he will do now. Gypsy has been comforting him in this trying year, not just this evening. This evening, her comforting leads to sex.

Lenny goes to sleep, wakes up the next morning, and goes on a long walk after being teased by the others when they talk about their beliefs. The others being Sam, their resident drug dealer who’s in the band, but we never find out what he played – he believes in karma and reincarnation. Then Will, the drummer, the one of the commune who pays the bills – he thinks when you die that’s it, so the goal of his life is to get high and bang chicks. Roy is 15 and the band’s guitarist; he’s been high since he was ten. He’s thinks maybe everything is all in his mind. Lenny thinks about how no one takes Roy seriously since he’s always high, but no one is willing to help him and tell him to get off drugs, even though they all think he’ll be dead by 20. During Lenny’s walk, he also thinks about Don, his best friend. Don’s gone back to his dad’s – his dad is a pastor, which is uncomfortable for Don and he doesn’t talk about the church, but he is looking for answers like Gypsy and Lenny.

When he gets back, Gypsy says they have more LSD and they both get high. Lenny has another trip, this time running away from the tanks into a cave, where he has to make four choices between godly things or cool Systemite things. He always makes the “right” choice (the sword, a white robe with a scabbard, a lake with a harp and a magical book, and then Jesus over Gypsy).

When he wakes up he feels transformed and like Jesus is with him. He tries to tell the others, but they don’t listen, since the church is the enemy. He goes outside to get some air and Gypsy follows him – ashamed of his words – and they decide to part ways so he can search for his purpose in life.

Gypsy narrates Chapter 2. We pick up where we left off, with her and Lenny hugging and saying goodbye. She physically notices how she feels better when Lenny prays for her. The next morning they talk about where to go and he “feels” he should go to Austin. Gypsy decides to go back home. They have sex one last time, then at breakfast they announce they’re leaving. The others make fun of Lenny for following Jesus. Collin, the band’s bass player, reveals that he’s Christian and “digs” Lenny’s choice. Lenny, quoting his “trips/dreams”, says, “Don’t you know we’re living in the last days and we need to warn the world?” Will freaks out, as does Sam, saying the world is not ending. Lenny answers with a one-and-a-half-page speech about the terrible things happening in the world that prove it’s the Last Days. He then promises to figure it all out and come back to tell them and save them, because he loves them. His speech is so epic that Gypsy is incredulous, wondering how he changed “from one day to the next” and how it’s the first time she’s seen him truly happy.

They leave together, him hitchhiking one way, her the other. She’s crying when a hippie couple, Gray and Frizzy, picks her up and asks her why she’s crying and she explains. They support Lenny, saying how Jesus was the first hippie and they believe in him ever since they met some crazy dudes at Huntington Beach in California. Gypsy has difficulty with Jesus being a hippie because she “knows the church is the enemy”. They advise her to stick with Lenny because his trip is good. Right before Gypsy leaves, Gray gives her a New Testament and kisses her. She’s worried Frizzy will be upset, but Frizzy kisses her, too. She gives them her address, and there’s a small time-skip to when she gets a letter from Frizzy, saying they’ve both quit drugs and have been looking for the Huntington Beach Christians ever since.

Gypsy arrives home to her alcoholic, abusive father and her poor mother. While there, she goes for walks in the woods. One day she realises God must have created nature and gets high on God; she starts dancing in her underwear through the woods, then goes swimming, certain that she shouldn’t be ashamed of her body since God made it. She gets super excited as all her senses are heightened and she begins to get sexually aroused and she believes sexuality is connected to spirituality. She prays and apologises to Jesus, then realises he wants her to read her Bible. She goes home and starts reading Matthew. She thinks it’s incredible and better than any drug. When she reads Chapter 24, she realises that Lenny was right, the end is coming!

The next morning, happiness filling her being, she tries to tell her mom the good news. Her mom is freaked out, saying that drugs were bad enough, but the church is much worse. That evening the parents “gang up” on Gypsy. For once her dad is sober and asks her about scaring her mother earlier. Gypsy denies this and tries to explain her change so they can experience it, but her father wants none of it. When he asks her a question and she doesn’t know what to reply, he slaps her, ordering her to give him her Bible. She quietly tells her parents she loves them and respects them, but she’ll keep her Bible. Her dad gives in as long as she keeps the Bible hidden in her room. Her parents decide she should stay home from college, because hippies are a bad influence on her. She decides to stay to show her parents the love of Jesus, even though she’s 20 and could legally leave.

The chapter ends with her praying for everyone she knows. She specifically prays for Roy, then falls into a dream-filled sleep about Lenny and the magic sword.

This chapter is narrated by Don. We start off in his Father’s church, where Don is bored. His attention is caught when his Father mentions The Last Days. Don is intrigued, as Lenny had nightmares about it. Don’s father dismisses the Endtime and says it’s symbolic. Maybe Heaven will come down to earth literally, but anyone who names an exact date is a fraud.

Don receives a letter from his girlfriend, Sherry, whom he describes as “hot, sexy and beautiful”. Sherry isn’t a hippie; she doesn’t have deep talks about poetry and Dylan’s music that he, Lenny and Gypsy do. They’ve been together for two years, because their differences fade away in bed. He gets a phone call from Gypsy. She wants to visit him, to tell him about her and Lenny’s changes. Don drives back home, wanting to see Gypsy instead of Sherry, because Gypsy might have answers. He forgets this when he sees Sherry in skimpy clothes and they sleep together.

When Gypsy arrives, Don and Sherry are surprised, since she seems happier. Gypsy tells them everything and Don is sceptical; he knows Jesus and God suck in church. Gypsy emphasises she and Lenny don’t go to church. She offers to read from her New Testament, but Sherry doesn’t want a sermon and tells Don to choose between her and Gypsy. Gypsy tells him this is a test – her or Sherry, God or the Devil. Don “chooses” Sherry and Gypsy leaves. When Don wakes up, Sherry is happy that Gypsy is gone and Don decides to be a grown-up and live in reality. We get a small description of Don: He has curly hair and wears glasses.

Months pass: It’s 1971 and Don has converted to Nietzscheism, since he’s studying philosophy.  Nietzsche didn’t believe in God, but in self-awareness. Don starts having panic attacks, which he hopes will stop as he follows philosophic teachings. However, when he finds out that Nietzsche died a schizophrenic, he freaks out and goes to his professor for answers. Don asks if Nietzsche, “Was cursed by an angry God for his teachings?” His professor explains that suffering is to be expected as a part of life. Don finds peace in pride, which he uses to replace his search for happiness.

Another time-skip goes to winter of 1971. The guys from the band are on tour as Led Zepplin’s front act. They have a new manager, Marduke, who’s a white magic witch. Will sold her his soul so they could gain fame and talent. They play better, but they’ve lost their joy for music. Collin tells Don to stay away from Marduke, since Don is a child of God, surprising Don. We get our first description of Will, who has long, blonde curly hair, wears small, dark glasses, and has empty eyes.

Don meets Marduke and feels called to her, but pulls himself back. He prays to God, asking him to show Don if Marduke is evil and prove if Don is God’s child. When Marduke looks him in the eyes, Don feels like his spirit is ravaged and violated. He feels a shock and jerks away from her, then runs. He drives off, not saying goodbye. He searches his heart, realises Sherry is holding him back and decides to leave her. He searches his heart again, finding a second fault in pride. He decides his pride is okay and he wants to keep it, so he can’t be ridiculed by others of the world.

That night he has a weird dream. He sees a mountain with sheep. An ewe with Gypsy’s eyes and voice tells him he has to break free from his cords. He realises he’s on a chess board and has cords attached to him. He’s on the edge, but can’t leave, because he is tied by lust of the flesh and the pride of life. Gypsy tells him she has the way to God and happiness. He looks around and sees others attached: his father, Will, Roy, Collin and Sherry. He sees Collin’s strings leading to a giant bird, who asks, “How will your game play out?” Don wakes up, freaks out, and wonders the same: “How will my game play out?”

The rest of the book from this point on has an omniscient third-person narrator. Lenny is in a colony in Atlanta. His haircut is quite botched and messy and he’s got a toothbrush and memory verses around his neck. The Colony shepherd reads the latest MO letter to everyone – the famous November 1971 Homegoing Letter, about everyone going back to their families. Partly to win them to Jesus, partly to prove the rumors that they were being held against their will are false. Lenny is stunned, so he prays for his trip and gets a prophecy with some advice.

We switch to Gypsy, who’s been home for over a year. Her mother asks about the Bible, and we learn that everyone’s gotten a little happier and Gypsy’s Dad drinks less. Gypsy’s mom asks Jesus into her heart, and prays with Gypsy, who is overjoyed. Lenny interrupts their moment by calling and asking if he can come by, which he does. Gypsy’s dad comes home in a bad mood, getting straight to drinking. After getting a prophecy, Lenny joins him. Gypsy’s dad tells Lenny about his long-term drinking problem, and how he went to church for help but was literally kicked out. Lenny sympathizes, saying the stuffy, horrible church did that to the hippies and to Jesus. After Lenny shows him verses on Salvation, Gypsy’s dad prays for Jesus to come into his heart. He feels better, and his family is happy, he allows Gypsy to leave for the Family with Lenny, and offers to give them money, even though they’re dirt poor.

The chapter ends with Lenny and Gypsy on their way to save Don. Gypsy is in awe of Lenny, and asks how he learned to listen, and Lenny says he learned it from a guy who says, “Half the job of a witness is to listen and let them pour out their hearts.”

Lenny and Gypsy arrive at Don’s apartment to find it dark, messy and stinking of whiskey. They ask where Sherry is, and Don says she left after he began to talk about Jesus. When Lenny comments that Sherry was “bound to leave”, Don gets upset, saying Lenny and Gypsy deserted him. He’s agitated, talking about how much he’s been hurting. He tells them about his dream, and the wires and how he needs to cut them, asking if they know what that means. Gypsy “prays and guesses” that his issues are lust of the flesh and the pride of life. Don is shocked, since that’s exactly what dream-sheep-Gypsy had told him. Gypsy tells Don all the signs of the end to prove how much they’ll need him. She speaks of freedom on mountains and starts to read from the Mo Letter ‘Mountain Men’ – Don is again shocked, wondering how Gypsy knew there was a mountain in his dream. Gypsy finishes reading, then prays the Salvation prayer with Don. He instantly feels a new love and happiness, peace, freedom and no fear. Through closed eyes he sees a pair of kind eyes, then hears a voice tell him to write what he hears down. Don rushes away and writes down a prophecy, a six-part poem that speaks of their callings.

Don is grateful, saying it’s like being high with no paranoia. He feels much better. They read the Word until three a.m., when they go sleep. Once they’re all in bed, Lenny tells Gypsy she’s the key to Don, and “You need to see him through, whatever it takes.” She can’t sleep, puzzled by what he says, and then she can’t sleep because she wants to have sex with him, but he said it’s against the rules of his group. Gypsy aches for sex and is confused why her spiritual awakening was also a sexual awakening, but Lenny’s wasn’t. She prays about love and sexuality, telling God of her worries and wants and leaving the problem in his hands.

A few hours later Gypsy is awoken by crying from Don’s room. She goes to his bathroom and finds him freaking out, having had a nightmare. Gypsy prays for his healing, while he keeps talking, telling her everything that he doesn’t understand, ending with, “How can I fall in love with my best friend’s girlfriend?” Gypsy is confused by how her heart reacts to this but feels “love” for Don. With Lenny’s words of, “Do whatever it takes,” in mind, Gypsy strips and strips Don, and then they have sex. It feels very right, their sex is full of the love of Jesus and God. It feels like their destiny and is full of healthy passion.

Lenny finds Gypsy in Don’s bed the next morning. He is heartbroken and rushes from the house, going for a naked swim, thinking and praying, and realizes that he already chose Jesus over Gypsy. He prays and promises to not be selfish. Don and Gypsy find him in the river and Lenny says he’ll be fine if the sex was good for them and brought Don to Jesus. Gypsy is happy and gives him a hug; Lenny breaks down and cries in her arms, then all three have a half-naked group hug.

They plan to see Will, asking Don to come with them, and he agrees. Lenny is happy that all three of them are in Jesus’ army, saying it’s “More than I could have ever asked or expected.” This reminds Gypsy of Lenny’s old dreams about him and his friends and they’re excited about it coming true, and they agree to never go back on their Heavenly callings.

The three main characters pray about what to do just as Roy calls. He says a fairy told him to call Don, and updates them on the band. It’s now called ‘Ritual’ and they’re playing in the Armadillo Club, run by Stoney who has pet armadillos. Collin left the band and was replaced by a fire-breathing bass player, who only ever breathes fire when you’re not looking. Will has two tattoos, an ankh and a witchcraft symbol, and is intense and no fun anymore.

The three agree to visit, but first have an intense prayer. Lenny receives verses through prophecy, and Don gets a vision of a chessboard again, but they three have no strings and are dressed like superheroes. They go through the board and reach the band, where Marduke has a bunch of demons around her, but above Lenny’s head are angels. Lenny praises out loud, then in tongues, and Gypsy and Don follow suit. The three of them go to Austin, reading the word on the way.

In Austin, they meet two “kids”, Judy and Stan, who help them find the Armadillo Club. Judy rolls up some joints but they all say they have better drugs. This piques Judy and Howie’s curiosity, they all pray and the two get saved. Judy is excited when she finds out they’re friends with the band, because Will “has the grooviest hair” and “a gorgeous bod!”

The group convinces the girl at the booth to let them in because they’re friends of the band. They get inside and are amazed by the music, because the band is playing really well. Judy jumps in with the crazy dancing, but Stan is “spiritually sensitive” and stays close because he can tell the music has a bad spirit. They’re super happy when the break comes, and they find their former friends. They go backstage, Gypsy and Judy talking to Will and Don to Sam, so Lenny witnesses to Roy as Stan listens. Lenny reminds Roy that he promised to come back when he found answers and tells Roy about the Endtime and about the spirit world. Lenny says they have a battle to win, which is how he convinces Roy it’s important.

Before Roy can pray with Lenny, Maduke barges in. She reminds the band that Lenny, Gypsy and Don deserted them. Behind Marduke, two witches and Stoney enter. The Christians know the battle in the spirit is about to go down. Lenny tells everyone to decide which side they want to be on. Roy and Stan go with the group, Judy stays with Will, Sam looks like he might go, but stays in the end. Will is shocked that Maduke has a weakness, and Marduke has to do some eye-probing to reconnect with him.

Their “win” spreads quickly enough that the group are followed on their way out of the building by sheep, and the group witnesses to them until two am, when two souls are won. They go to the university to look for The Family, and find a van with signs, “Free Food” and “Jesus loves you” and some kids witnessing to the hippies. Lenny tells Gypsy, “It’s us. It’s the Family. We’re home.”

The writing perspective changes and we come into a sort of epilogue. Don has a family emergency because his Dad put out a mental warrant for him, so he and Gypsy go to figure that out. Lenny goes to Atlanta with Roy and Stan, then to Florida. The three keep in touch through letters to figure out their relationship, but ultimately Gypsy and Don get married and Lenny gets engaged to Frizzy. The first battle is over, the sides have been chosen. The Family will get stronger and stronger to prepare for the Last Days. The part ends with: “Who would be ready, and who would be caught unprepared? The world would soon find out.”

Collin starts the chapter by commenting on being 50, so we assume that 30 years or so have passed, and it’s now 2000 – 2002. Collin paints houses and feels unfulfilled. He was married and had two kids, but got a divorce. He contemplates where his life has gone. He started going to church after quitting the band, but it never gave him whatever it gave Lenny. Will calls to congratulate Collin on his birthday, and asks if he’d like to meet up. Collin is psyched that someone remembered his birthday and hopes that Will has changed.

From Will’s perspective, we see he is tricking Collin to get information about the Family. Will has been divorced three times, sleeps around, and is a music producer. He thinks Evangelicals are evil and dangerous, recalling the battle at the club 30 years before, and how they’re going to get in the way of the Supreme Lord. He has gotten very rich because Marduke can see the future and has helped him with stocks – they also predict a huge economic crisis coming. We see Judy is still around and is Will’s secretary, but whenever he wants company he offers her drugs and sex and she always takes it.

Will sets Collin up at a 5-Star hotel and give him a lot of perks. They have dinner and talk about the band. We find out that Sam committed suicide, while Roy has joined the Family and is in South America. Lenny has kids and grandkids and lives in Asia. Don and Gypsy are living in South Africa and have 5 kids, although one of them left the Family. Will convinces Collin to give him their emails and addresses. Feeling sympathetic, he gives Collin stock tips so he can make some money.

The tips work out and Collin gets 10’000 dollars. Marduke has tapped Will’s phone and is furious when she hears, because Will showed compassion and he shouldn’t have. She has super strength and throws his furniture around the room, then twists her hand and magically gives him a heart attack. Will suddenly realizes that he’s trapped and being used by Marduke. He’s taken to a secret room with a strong evil connection to the Supreme Lord, where he sees Archibald “Marduke’s homosexual supervisor”. He feels saddened that there will be more oaths and rituals that night.

Marduke hates Judy and warns Will that she’s a Christian, but he doesn’t believe her, so Marduke tells him to sleep with Judy and pretend to love her to find out. They sleep together again, and Will is intrigued by how Judy is much older, but still a better lay than most girls. Judy notices Will questioning her and is confused, telling him that everyone knows she “worships the ground you walk on” and questions why he doesn’t believe her.

Hurt and scared of Marduke, she leaves, telling Will she won’t come back. The perspective switches to her apartment, where she showers and thinks she doesn’t believe in anything. Yet she thinks the good thoughts she sends Will’s way keep him human and that’s why Marduke hates her. She wonders if those thoughts are basically praying. She has a vision of hands holding her own, then sees Lenny and Stan’s faces, and realizes that she did pray the Salvation prayer all those years before. To prove his existence, she asks Jesus to touch her, and he literally does, so she decides to go back to work and not ditch Will, but to fight Marduke for his spirit.

Don and Gypsy are in South Africa and have just received a message from Will. They’re debating what to do (Gypsy trying to convince Don to agree with her by making out with him) when two of their kids, Simeon (17) and Marina (16) come in. We find out they have Bible studies and a CTP program in Sotewa. We also discover that their kid who left the family was their eldest son, and it’s been a trial for the whole family. That night they whole home gets prophecies about Will, concluding that they have to be “wise as serpents but harmless as doves”. Don also has a vision, where he sees Don tied by Mardukes’ cords, but also by Judy’s, and sees that they will strengthen the heavenly cords if they help. So they write him back a letter.

We switch to Marduke, who is happy because the world is doing badly. She tells Will the economic crash planned by their Supreme Lord is coming soon. Will thinks of how he’s hiding his interest in the Family from her. Marduke speaks of their plans to have gangs in Africa kill each other and every else, eliminating their enemies (TFI). It’ll be the last step to hurt the family after manipulating the media and the court. She so excited about their New World Order that she sleeps with Will.

Judy, like Will, found TFI through the website Don and Gypsy sent him. She feasts on the “milk and meat of the Word”. She and Will are sleeping together more, she takes him to her cottage sometimes, and one weekend they open up about believing in TFI stuff. They go for a walk the next day on a cliff and Will says he doesn’t think he can be saved. He gets possessed by a demon and tries to throw Judy off the cliff, but she rebukes Satan, and Jesus saves her. Afterwards, Judy prays with Will to be saved.

There’s a time jump to Thanksgiving. The economy is crazy, suicide and crime are up, and climate change is killing the world. Marduke is so happy she doesn’t realize Will and Judy are different. Will pretends to be in Vegas, but is with Judy for the weekend in her cottage. They have sex, then Judy breaks down because she’s scared. They cry, then feel it’s time to warn Don and Gypsy about Marduke’s plans. They’re scared since they know Marduke’s people have a way of faking suicides and killing those who break their contracts. Nevertheless, they pray and get prophecies about warning the Family. They make a plan to write a cryptic email, then Judy will send the email from an unknown account while Will is back with Marduke so he won’t be suspected. He thinks he’ll die, but tries to lie to Judy so she’ll go along with it, but she knows better. They comfort each other with a verse about not being able to hurt in heaven, and then have goodbye sex.

On Monday Marduke calls Will into her office to ] ask about the email. As suspected, the full blame lands on Judy and Marduke wants him to kill her. He’s not happy, but she threatens to frame him for another death if he doesn’t. He tries to call Judy, but she has run away. Marduke is frustrated but brings out some dolls and some needles to curse Judy with. Will prays and gets a prophecy that he should refuse, so he does. Marduke has no more power over him, but she locks him in and calls the guards, who shoot him.

Will managed to shout, “Fear not them that kill the body and after that have no more that they can do!” before the silenced pistol in Clive’s hand belched out death.

Judy feels that Will has died and is heartbroken and cries in her car while she runs away. She stops and cries until she sees Will’s smiling face in a cloud and remembers they’ll be together forever in heaven, so she keeps going, his spirit beside her, to get in contact with Collin.

The home in South Africa receives Will’s warning and get prophecies about it. God tells them not to flee, that they’re meant to stay, and that not one hair of their head will be harmed. The parents are worried about their young kids getting hurt, and God gives a special message to them about how the kids will be okay and will even be used to show a special example. With these messages in mind, the Family prepares all their survival and escape stuff, as well as making sure to keep up their good contacts in the neighborhood, also with the Muslim orphanage nearby.

With time the Crash comes. First there’s no TV, then the radio dies after a hopeless speech from the President. The entire electricity dies and they realize there has been a governmental and economic collapse all around the world. They spend 10 days basically locked in the house, Simeon filled with doubting about why he’s in this foreign country and not safe back in the US.

The silence ends when a bunch of people they’d previously witnessed to start coming to visit and get help and hear about the end. Over the next month many souls are won, and miracles are performed as their visitors grow. Even though there’s lots of death, loss and destruction around them, the Family and their friends are kept safe, and the food is miraculously supplied like in the Bible. One day they’re even visited by Scar, the leader of the local gang called the Vanguards, who supports them because Gypsy helped take care of one of the gang’s grandmas. So now they help keep the law in TFI’s area and threaten people to not steal, drink alcohol or take drugs.

A week later a group of young fighters, part of the Viceroys gang, come to get one of their members turned Christian, John Paul. They give him a day to pack, saying they’ll kill people until he comes back to help fight for his family, friends and area. Their leader, Randy, is quite scary and persuasive. JP doesn’t want to go, and the Family convinces him not to, saying they’ll stand by him, it’s worth it to die for a fellow Christian, even if it’s just one. Marina gets a page-long prophecy about how they should stand and fight. Simeon is pissed and scared and has a talk with Don, where Don gives him a speech about how the Lord will fight for them and how Simeon is only being doubtful because the enemy is attacking him because the enemy knows how important he is to the Endtime. The next day, through many prophecies, God promises to protect them and show his power.

The Viceroys come but are interrupted by Scar and the Vanguard. Scar challenges Randy to a one-on-one fight to leave JP alone, and Randy accepts. It’s shortly described, they both get hurt, and Scar wins. A little girl, Becky, runs out to pray for Randy since he’s hurt. Some Muslim mullahs show up and shame the fighting and send everyone home, berating them for attacking the Family who had been supporting the orphanage. Everyone is very happy with Becky and how great a sample she was. Simeon, stronger in faith, steps in to witness to the wounded Scar.

That afternoon, the Vanguard have all been saved and Don and Simeon talk about the crazy day. The chapter ends with a prophecy from Simeon answering Don’s questions about why it went down how it did, God adding on a warning and promises of protection for the coming war of the Endtime.

The introduction details how the Crash affected the whole world. All economies collapsed, gangs and anarchy were everywhere, and everyone was filled hunger and fear and just tried to survive. The Family were beacons of light, witnessing with posters and tracts in bigger cities, and people being magically led to Family homes in less safe cities. The “evil” media and those behind the scenes stayed quiet, waiting for the darkest moment to reveal their savior, the Supreme Lord, who would save everyone from the Crash. Then they know it’s the final week before the big reveal.

A dark, silent room – the Chairman sits at the head of a table with 30 of his people. He speaks, saying the time has come, they are the last hope, so the nations will obey them. He says they shall perform miracles, end wars, solve crises, and bring peace to the Middle East. Everyone has their specific orders that he demands they follow well and fast, so that in 7 days their new world order can arise. From the following description, we assume he’s the antichrist.

The Darkness stood, and his face for the first time came into the light… …His face at that moment, shadowed by the dim lighting, somehow gave him the appearance of Evil incarnate, like an evil bird.

We switch to Marduke, who is frustrated. She should be rejoicing, but Archibald is unhappy with her for the Will situation –she must find Judy or pay with her own life. She’s unable to find Judy while all the computers are down, but she remembers Don and Gypsy’s son who left the Family. She finds out that John Ward is 22 and working in construction in San Francisco. She gleefully plans to go there and turn him to her side, reinstating herself in the New World Order and getting revenge on Will’s old friends.

In Rio, Roy, his wife and their home listen to the radio. It speaks of a New World Pact to bring peace within the week. The Family knows this means the Antichrist. They begin to play music that’s magical and filled with the Holy Ghost, everyone getting prophecies and praying and praising in tongues, like a Latter Day Pentecost. Roy’s wife gets a prophecy about the end and then blows on her microphone and everyone feels this magic wind come and take their negative aspects away, then they all praise and share visions and testimonies and their lack of fear of dying for God.

Collin and Judy, are living in Collin’s parents’ cottage by a lake, hiding from Marduke Judy is teaching Collin all about the Jesus stuff and what she knows from having worked for Marduke. Collin thinks how it’s difficult for him, as he’s not sure what to think about her listening to God and then just going where God says. Judy comes outside scantily-clad and Collin is super happy that his prayers for a Christian girl to sleep with were answered. She says it’s time to leave for Mexico, that they need to get out before the new registration takes effect. They kiss and have sex, though they’re not in love, then they leave for the Mexican border.

John is in his apartment. He’s been out of TFI for 1 ½ years – money was difficult, and he was in debt, but since the crash he’s deeper in debt and has no work. The doorbell rings, and he sees a pretty lady in her 50s outside, who comes in and offers him a job. He’s interested, so she takes him to the bookstore he would manage, “Marduke’s Magic Moments”. He remembers the stories his parents told him and asks if she knew them. Marduke half-lies, saying she did, but she’s changed since then. He feels there’s a battle going on inside of him, and then mentions the meaninglessness he’s felt since leaving the Family and he wonders if this job will help. His guardian angel fights for him, but when Marduke talks about a salary, he’s distracted by the thought of being able to buy a new car. They agree to meet for lunch on Thursday.

Collin and Judy have made it past the border and are discussing plans over lunch. Judy says that they’ll be able to disappear in a big city, so they plan to go to Mexico City. They want to contact Roy, but know that email is too dangerous, so they decide to pray that they’ll somehow meet. As they leave, we see two people are following them. One tells his partner to call Marduke and give her an upate. This guy’s name is Harry, a private detective who was hired by Marduke.

In heaven, Will is by the River of Life in his Heavenly Quarter. He gets orientation classes from a former Wiccan priest who was also killed by Marduke. The priest is Wally and he’s excited because they have a field trip. Will went to earth to hook up Collin and Judy right after he died, but now he gets to go help out since they’re in trouble.

Roy and Michelle are sleeping when Roy is awakened by a bright light. It’s Will and Wally. Roy tries to rebuke them, thinking Will is bad. Will explains what happened and that Judy and Collin need help and Roy needs to go to Mexico City the next day.

Will and Wally go to South Africa to warn Don and Gypsy about John and Marduke, so the parents can pray for John, thereby letting the heavenly forces send spirits to help John. Will sees Gypsy and decides to practice solidification so he can visit Gypsy later in a dream.

The next morning Gypsy wakes up and tells her family everything about Will’s visit, including how she and Will “touched all over”. She says this in front of her kids, and when Don hears he laughs and calls her wild. Will told her about his death, Judy and Collin, Roy, and their son, so they get the whole area together to pray. One hundred people get prophecies and pray for John’s safety.

In the Spirit World a battalion of angels, spirit helpers, Wally and Will go to help John. They follow him to his lunch with Marduke and try to get through the barrage of demons, fighting them a couple times. John is starstruck by Marduke’s offer of 1’000 dollars a week. When she promises there are “no strings attached”, this shocks him, as Will manages to remind him of his dad’s dream. Worried, John tells Marduke he’ll have to think about it, and they agree to meet again the next day. The angels spend the rest of the day trying to get him to run, since Marduke plans for her guards to kill John if he refuses, but John isn’t getting it. They decide to give him a scare to teach him a lesson but will ultimately save him. They plan for Will and Wally to go to Mexico City the next day.

“He’ll be fine,” Mantor said (that’s an angel). “But he needs a little scare. He needs to feel the heat a little from the fire-breathing dragon. He needs a lesson he won’t forget. That should set him back on the right path.”

The chairman reminisces on his progress over the past couple of years, as he and his people prepare for the unveiling of himself and the New World Order on Sunday. Marduke is very happy, but this feeling fades when John turns her down. This angers her, and she threatens him, telling him ways she can kill him. Filled with Will’s spirit, he curses her, before Will speaks through him and prophecies her doom. Marduke leaves, shaken, and one guard tries to kill John. The angels had tied his shoelaces together and help John to fight him off. John gets away, but Wally pushes the guard down the stairs and he falls onto his own knife and dies. The other guard attacks John, but an angel comes to his rescue and fights the guard. Wally and Will go to Mexico City to help the others.

Roy and Michelle have made it to Mexico City with help of one of their government friends. Wally tells them through prophecy to go to McDonalds. Will is watching over Judy and Collin and is surprised that he’s not jealous. He gives some credit to his teammate, Lucretia, who is giving him affectionate encouragement. In the McDonalds, Judy sees a man with a much younger woman and Collin recognizes Roy as the man. The private investigator takes a photo of the four of them.

They all go to Judy and Collin’s hotel, where they pray and receive prophecies from spirit helpers and angels. Roy gets one about the world needing to beware, Michelle hears about them needing to beware of Mario and other men who want to hurt them, and Judy gets a vision of Will. They praise God for his promise of protection, then return to their rooms, deciding to meet at McDonalds again the next day and then at the airport on Sunday.

The Private Detectives give their information to Mario and his crew and are killed by the same. Everyone was warned that a broadcast would take place worldwide on Saturday to give information about the ongoing peace talks, so everyone is gathered around TVs to not miss the announcement.

Roy and Michelle go to McDonalds and meet Judy and Collin, who sold their truck and got tickets on the same flight as Roy and Michelle. Will and Wally are there, guarding and guiding the group. Suddenly the TVs flicker on. They stabilize, and a lady reporter says she’ll show them the one behind the peace talks. A handsome man in a vague military uniform speaks wonderfully, quoting scripture and claiming he wants to turn the earth into the paradise it’s meant to be, explaining that he’s been working behind the scenes for 20+ years because he’s a humble humanitarian and didn’t want to be corrupted by power. He says that in exactly 12 hours, at 5:30 am Sunday morning, the proper announcement and reveal will take place.

Huge festivities spontaneously start, the group goes to hide in Roy and Michelle’s hotel. They pick up Collin and Judy’s stuff, Mario and his crew are distracted by angels, while other angels lead the group to safety. Their government friend offers Judy and Collin a room in the 5-Star hotel, and the group spend the rest of the day praying and praising, Collin receiving his first prophecy. Mario and his crew lost the group, so they check flights out of Mexico with the group’s names, dead-set on not letting them leave the country.

Marduke is threatened by Archibald – they’ll ditch her if Judy is not killed before the peace talks have finished. Meanwhile the group are in the hotel when the TV goes on again. It shows Jerusalem, then goes to the reporter woman who speaks of the Chairman’s origin, name and background which confirmed what the Family knew through the Bible and prophecy. Then he comes forward again, seemingly the perfect world leader, certainly better than all the rest. He has a simple, brilliant proposal to solve all problems, from war to poverty, religion to refugees, disease to human rights. Dignitaries shake his hand and sign the covenant. Then the Chairman leaves as cheering and celebration breaks out. Everyone is pleased except the Family.

The group leaves, and the angels help speed their way to the airport, while slowing down Mario and his crew. In the taxi, the group prays and hears from the Lord to properly miss the other assassins, and manage to get Mario arrested at the airport. Finally, the angels use one of the security attendants to stop the last assassin as their metal detector finds his gun and he is also arrested. The plane takes off alright with all aboard, and they think of the coming seven years. In the spirit world the angels celebrate their victory, Will and Lecrutia celebrating with sex. Then we’re with Roy, who gets a prophecy about the Endtime and the coming years, as the chapter comes to a close.

 “Let it be known to all My children that you have seen the glory and power of God; forget it not. Remind yourselves continually of all that I have kept you through, and run the race with patience that is set before you. Fear none of those things which are to come, but be faithful unto death, and I will give you a crown of life.”

John and his angel are in New Jersey. Judy and Collin are in Rio with the Family. Marduke’s powers were taken. TFI helps rebuild after the chaos but witnesses on the down-low. There is peace. Anything bad is blamed on resistance groups; the media says all would be well if everyone was part of the New World Order. In 3 ½ years, the covenant will be broken, the Middle East will turn to war again, and that story has yet to be told. The book ends with a message for the Children of God:

For now, brave children of David, arm yourselves, for the day of your destiny has come. Your path is right; your cause is just; your reward is sure, and no sacrifice can ever be too much. Rise up and fight with courage and faith until that seventh trumpet sounds and the mystery of God is finished, the completion of His Kingdom in you and all of His faithful children throughout the ages! Count yourselves blessed above all generations, that you were chosen to live in these days, God’s warriors at the edge of time!