Jacob's Trouble

Chapter Eight The Star Of Wormword

The sealed evangelist, including Eliyahu, shared the Gospel with hundreds of Jews from Galilee to Bethlehem. They were spreading the word of prophecy that the Messiah, Yoshua was coming quickly. They had mixed responses from the crowds. Some believed, and many others didn't. As the prophecy was being fulfilled, many people came to faith in Jesus.

However, some Jews started calling themselves believers but weren't following the truth. Others were becoming weak in their convictions. Some lost faith completely. These Jewish false converts led people astray and caused problems within the community. Joseph and Eliyahu were trying to warn the community of the consequences of denying the Holy Scriptures. However, their warnings fell on deaf ears.

The most difficult task for the evangelists was reaching the uneducated people living in Judea. Most of these poor folks had never had the opportunity to read the Bible. When Eliyahu and Joseph preached the word of God to them, many came to faith. Those who learned how to read were thrilled with the news and were excited to see the fulfillment of scripture.

The more learned among the Jews became angry with the evangelists and thought they were attempting to take power over the people. Many hated them and wanted them banished from the country. The Christians in the cities who could read and study the scriptures saw the error of their ways and took on leadership roles in supporting the spread of the Gospel to everyone no matter their education.

Eliyahu studied the scriptures every day so he could communicate more clearly the things that were to come in the next three and a half years. As he walked through the Garden of Gethsemane and he prayed, the Lord sent him a message from heaven, "My son, listen to my words. All my words. Do not be distracted by the many voices that attempt to drive you away from your calling. Keep your eyes wide open to hear what I have to say to you. Remember Wormwood, the great star is approaching Earth as we speak. Prepare for yourself and your people thousands of gallons of water as soon as possible! Joseph and Eli will help you, but you must prepare them for their father's passing. He is very ill in Bethlehem."

Eliyahu hurried home and the Holy Spirit prompted him to begin preparing a water storage system that included thousands of gallons of potable water stored in a cave beneath a hillside at Petra. There was a spring of fresh clean water at the bottom of the hill that flowed constantly into a huge water storage system. He would shut off the system when the water became bitter.

Joseph and Eli joined him there and the two spent the next week setting up the water filtration system. At night when they could sleep the Lord appeared to them. He looked down at them and smiled saying, "So, I see you have finished your project. Good job."

"Thank you, Lord," Eliyahu answered. "I felt that you gave me instructions last night to finish this today. I felt you were prompting me to start early this morning. I began my work at four o'clock this morning and was able to finish it just now. You really helped me."

Just as the Word prophesied, the water turned bitter. Thousands of people who had no means to purify their drinking water died because they couldn't obtain pure water. During this time of extreme drought, thousands of people became sick, and many died. As more and more people died, rumors began to circulate that a plague was spreading across the land. Others stated that all the fish in the Sea of Galilee died and died quickly. Everyone was talking about Wormwood. The chosen ones in Israel were prepared with pure water they had gathered weeks before in the desert.

Thousands were saved not only spiritually but also physically because they had stored good water for such a time as this. Eliyahu, in light of this tragedy, realized that Jesus had truly come to save mankind from their sins. After helping the victims of this horrible disaster, the evangelists returned to Jerusalem where they continued sharing the Word with the people and teaching them how to live and worship God in peace.