Free Arrived by Jerry B. Jenkins

the Messiah?”
    â€œIn one of the Gospels, John the Baptist sent someone to ask that very question. It was something like, ‘John wants to know if you’re the one who was to come, or if we should expect somebody else.’ ”
    â€œWhat did Jesus say?”
    â€œI’m going from memory here, but it was something like, ‘Go back and tell John that the blind can see, the lame can walk, the deaf hear, and the good news—’ ”
    â€œ ‘—is preached to the poor,’ ” Zvi finished. “I know that passage. Isaiah 61.” He closed his eyes. “ ‘The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, because the Lord has appointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to announce that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. …’ ”
    â€œIt’s exactly what he’s done for you today, Zvi. God has freed you from your prison so you can respond to him. So you can know him. So you can be forgiven.”
    Zvi stared into the darkness. “Give me a moment.”
    Judd nodded. “I’ll be right back.”
    Judd stepped out of the car and said a prayer for Zvi, then dialed Chang Wong’s secure phone and reached him at his apartment.
    â€œJudd, your worries are over,” Chang said. “I’ve finally decided it’s time for me to get out of here. Captain Steele and a couple others are coming for me as soon as possible. They’re taking me to Petra!”
    â€œThat’s great news.”
    Chang told Judd what had happened at the palace during the last few hours, and Judd relayed his story about the guards and the building they raided.
    â€œYou’re right in the thick of things,” Chang said. “There’s supposed to be some kind of emergency meeting there tomorrow morning. Nicolae was supposed to come, but with the plague of darkness, I’m not sure.”
    â€œWe’re following a lead on a concentration camp,” Judd said.
    â€œI’ve felt so bad that I haven’t been able to do much about that. I’ve tried to slow things down with shipments and computer glitches, but they’ve even constructed a camp here on an island.”
    â€œIs there any way to tell if the darkness has affected it?”
    â€œI’m sure it has, but let me check. Look, you and your friend must come with us to Petra.”
    â€œRight,” Judd said. “Get back with the time of the flight as soon as you know.”
    Judd started to dial Vicki to give her the good news, but Zvi tapped on the window. “I think I’m ready.”
    â€œYou are?”
    â€œI’ve actually read Dr. Ben-Judah’s Web site more than once. When he came on television and said that all the prophecies pointed to Jesus of Nazareth as Messiah, I laughed. My whole family scoffed at his statement. But God brought back much of what he said while you were talking. I can’t believe I’ve been so blind.”
    â€œYou can give your life to God right now and live for him the rest of your life.”
    â€œThat’s what I want to do.”
    â€œI’ll pray with you.”
    â€œYes, please.”
    â€œGod, I thank you for my new friend, and right now we come to you with grateful hearts that you’ve helped us live through these terrible days. And I thank you that you’ve called Zvi to be your child.”
    Zvi picked up the prayer. “Lord God, I’m sorry for rejecting you and your Son for so long. I know that I’ve sinned and I’ve gone my own way. But now I want to choose your path. I believe Jesus died for me, that he was the Lamb of God—I just remembered that from Dr. Ben-Judah. You are the Lamb who took my sins and paid my debt. And I believe you did rise from the dead, not like Carpathia, but you came back to give life. Lord God, change me. Help me to live for you. Help me to tell others about you and follow you