Cast Out - Part 12

Hank was ambivalent about owning the donut shop. His dad had built and ran it for years, until he retired and gave it to his son. Hank loved his dad, but the shop kept his dad busy or tired, so when his dad died a few years later, he thought about selling the store and moving on. But donuts was what he knew, and going back to school just didn’t interest him.


While people loved the donuts Hank made, they didn’t much care for his bad attitude, some even took it as part of the “experience”. This made sure that the shop never got too big or busy, or that they expanded into franchises. Actually, they sold more donuts when Hank went on vacations, a fact in which he was acutely aware. The shop was also successful because of its great location. Being between the hospital and Hanks house, he missed anything happening around the hospital.

Hank got to the shop around 3AM, his usual time, and turned on the lights in the kitchen area. Working by himself, he was able to start mixing batches before the rest of his crew came in at 4 and they opened the doors at 5. He preferred to work in silence, with only the noise of the mixers and the hum of the fluorescent lights overhead to keep him thinking about…being away from donuts.

Around 4AM he unlocked the front door for his crew and went back to work. He still had not given anyone else a spare key to let themselves in, something learned from his dad. He thought about this for a moment, and then went back to work.

About 10 minutes later he began to wonder when the crew was going to arrive - they were late.

Soon afterward, he heard the front door open and the shuffling of feet on the old linoleum floor. He glanced up at the circular mirror to see who was entering, and he saw what looked like people stumbling in the dark, in front of the counter. “Customers already?” he thought.

“We open at 5.” He said nicely, but forceful. He went back to work.

No answer. He saw them standing there still, not moving.

“Folks, no donuts yet. Come back at 5.” He said with more conviction.

He looked up at the mirror again, and still they were not leaving. There were maybe a half dozen of them.

“No donuts!..” Hank said as flipped on the light and went out front. He looked at the people waiting on the other side of the counter - something about them wasn’t right. A few of them seem to have hospital gowns on, and the rest of them had clothes that were torn and ripped.

He raised his eyes and looked at their faces. One in front had his head down, but the rest ….all he saw was the large black eyes that seemed to bore into his soul.

The one in front raised his head and looked at Hank as he spoke in a deep inhuman voice, “Join us!” as the rest came around the counter and grabbed Hank.

Before Hank knew what was happening, they had bitten into his arms and drove him to the ground. His last thought was of complete terror, and then all went dark.

After killing him, they moved away from his body.

Hank’s body soon awoke with black eyes and then got up from the floor.

Leaving the shop, the group saw the light of the 24 hour diner down the street, and shuffled off towards it.

Cast Out - Part 11

Continued from Part 3


Walt was back on the road a few hours after the accident. He had been interviewed by the police, and gave his statement to them, but leaving out the exchange he had with …what was he going to call it? A crazy person? Someone with a death wish? A demon?

The police told him that they had heard strange things going on that night, and they had been warned about dead people attacking the living. They were told that they could shoot on site anyone who they know had died and was now alive. They checked the condition of the occupants of the other car with the paramedics, pulled them aside for a minute, and then followed the ambulance when it left.

“That was strange – the dead attacking the living? The 911 operator told him, now the police were telling him the same thing.” Walt thought.

No it really happened, and he needed time to process it. He drove away from the scene and down the highway, missing the exit he had planned on stopping at, his mind too busy to put the pieces together. He decided to drive on through the night, get to his destination by morning, and hope he didn’t catch heck for getting there too early.

After getting his bearings, he pulled the semi truck over and called his wife. They talked about the accident. He didn’t mention to her the exchange though. “Why bother until he was able to tell her face to face?” Walt thought. They agreed to meet the next day just outside of Kansas City and stock up at the club store, after he dropped his load and his truck. He asked her to bring his hunting rifle and handgun, along with all the ammo she could put in their truck. They prayed, told each other “I love you”, and hung up,

Starting up his rig, he turned on his radio. He heard the announcer talking about the nights events elsewhere. “So this is what we do know: About 4 hours ago, every person who has died within the last few days has come back to life and attacked the living, trying to eat them. Yes, if it sounds like a zombie movie, then….that’s what we believe is happening right now! So far, authorities believe that they have the situation under control in most areas. People are asked to proceed with caution near any dead bodies, and if any bodies come back to life, they are to run away and call the police immediately!”

Another voice broke in, this time a woman, “Chris, Do we know how this started? Was it a virus or chemical agent or….. something else?”

Chris responded, “Laura, No one knows how it started, but it seems to have started everywhere at once, so any talk about viruses or localized outbreak…..seems premature at this point. I mean, all over the world? How could this happen all at once?”

Laura asked, “How long after a person dies do they become…let’s just call them…zombies? How does it happen?

Chris answered, “For how long it takes, we have reports …. that if someone dies, it only takes a few seconds for them to …..change.” He paused, and not for effect. “No one seems to know how it happens, how the dead become alive again….at least not yet.”

Laura paused, and then asked, “What about the dead ….. talking? I have heard that some have reported them talking to people…before they….”.

Chris replied, “I have heard that as well. I don’t know what causes that. I don’t know if anyone knows why they are talking, if it’s happening.”

That made Walt drop his jaw.

“It sounds crazy, but I think I know why they talk!” Walt thought to himself.

“What was that I was listening to last week?” He grabbed his MP3 player and scrolled until he found the recording he was looking for. He played and listened to the pastor read and then explain from the Book of Revelation, chapter 12:

“And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”


“Folks, let me ask you a question: Did you know that at the present time Satan is not in hell? In fact, did you know that he has never been to hell? And did you know that when he finally does get to hell, he's not going to be in charge? In fact, when the devil gets to hell, he will be the lowest being there. He will be assigned the most horrible punishment of any creature ever made. He is not the king of hell. He is not in hell. And he's never been there.


In fact, he spends most of his time, according to this text, where? In heaven. Did you know that Satan who was once the anointed cherub, exalted above all other angels living in heaven with God, even now still spends most of his efforts before the throne of God? He still has access to heaven and he's not yet sentenced to hell. In fact, as I said, he's never been to hell…


Now Michael and the holy angels win a very decisive battle. . the end result catapults Satan and all of his hosts out of heaven down to earth and that explains why the Tribulation is such a terrible, terrible time. Because now all the demons of the universe have hit the earth. No more access to heaven. Literally verse 8 says, "No longer was any place found for them in heaven." No longer can they come before the throne of God…


He was thrown down. Down means down to earth, it says at the end of verse 9, "And his angels were thrown down with him." And what makes the Tribulation in part so horrible is not just the judgment of God, but it is the arrival of Satan and all of his fallen minions landing on the earth. That spells really the end of his time as prince of the power of the air and his whole operation is confined to the earth. And, of course that means that all the demons are fully occupied here in this very place. That horrifying, indescribable and unbelievable epoch of time is waiting..”

Walt had to stop the truck. Tears were streaming down his face.

He sat there listening for a few minutes and then stopped the mp3 player.

He asked, “Is this what’s going on?”

He didn’t get an audible answer, but he did feel a sense of peace, one like he had never felt before.

Wiping the tears away, he started the truck and got going down the highway.

Cast Out - Part Dyes-Yat

Until last week, practically no one outside of Russia had heard of the Sayano-Shushenskaya Dam. But a few days ago, that all changed. This was the largest power plant in Russia, and the sixth-largest hydroelectric plant in the world. It is now no more.


A few days ago, sometime after midnight, the Dam failed and burst. The flood wave, estimated from 100 to 150 meters high and moving at 200km per hour, destroyed several towns, before moving on to more heavily populated areas of Abakan within an hour. The wave then reached the Krasnoyarskaya Dam and caused its failure as well. The resulting wave reached the city of Krasnoyarsk, and the residents there had little warning. The only news to the outside world consisted of bloggers and social networks providing video, and then the networks picked up on those feeds.

Russian military personal were performing flyovers within the hour, and rescue operations were being mobilized soon afterward. The shear level of devastation was mind boggling, and there were few areas that were not affected by the destruction. The Yemelyanovo airport in Krasnoyarsk was chosen as the site for rescue command and governmental HQ, but it first needed to be cleared of debris and the dead.

The numbers of dead were being reported to top officials in Moscow, and upon hearing the sheer numbers, various scenarios were being considered by those in the know.

The death toll was estimated to be at least 500,000 persons, and was suspected to climb even higher.

Russian news media was on scene within three days, when rescue operations switched over to recovery and clean up efforts. A news helicopter flew over Krasnoyarsk the next day, and where was once no one, spotted people milling about, shambling and limping in all directions. When the helicopter circled about the open city square, people looked up and raised their arms at them. The camera crew continued filming, as they zoomed the camera in, close enough to see faces. What they saw shocked them.

Everyone had deep black eyes.

And they all seemed to be speaking, almost in unison. But what were saying, no one knew at the time.

A convoy of rescue vehicles pulled down the street toward the square. The news crew continued filming, as the mob took notice of the convoy, and began to move towards it, limping and stuttering. The news crew watched in horror as the rescue personal were set upon by the mob and ….attacked and eaten.

The news crew reported this to the authorities on scene and sent their footage along as proof. They in turn informed Moscow. The news was not received well. It seemed as though whatever was affecting the disaster area was also affecting the rest of the country, and “it” appeared to have started at the same time. A decision needed to be made, and made quickly.

General Makarov called for options, and he was presented with several. The most favored one was agreed upon, and presented to the President. He agreed, on the condition that there would be additional ground verification before this option was carried out. He agreed that the option could proceed with preparations, should the verification turn out to be positive.

The Spetsnaz “Alpha” group located in the city of Yekerinburg was tasked with obtaining ground verification from Krasnoyarsk. The “Alfas”, a counter-terrorist unit, was trained in airborne operations, firearms (with silencers), and had the latest night vision gear. Their helicopters are also equipped with the latest equipment, modified for their own use.

Flying over Krasnoyarsk, the pilot informed the crew that he saw multiple bodies down in the primary landing spot. The co-pilot, running the display, informed the crew that he saw no human heat signatures below them. Whatever they were (and everyone suspected, but no one said it out loud), they were not alive. They went to their secondary LZ, verified visually that it was clear, and dropped their troops. The hilos flew towards their standby station, to await the request for extraction. It didn’t take long for the ground troops to make contact and request pickup, as positive confirmation was made. The information was sent up the chain of command, without the additional commentary from the soldiers about “zombies”.

The planes had been in the air for some time when the order came through. They proceeded to the Krasnoyarsk area, carrying their deadly cargo.

All ground personal in the area were ordered to leave their post at once and be outside of the area by dawn.

About 8 AM local time, the first of the Thermobaric Bombs were dropped in the area. The bombs each have the destructive power of a small tactical nuclear weapon, but without the radioactive fallout. Everything alive in the blast zone was incinerated. After Krasnoyarsk was leveled, some of the other planes moved towards Abakan, and ended near the remains of the Sayano-Shushenskaya Dam.

Confirmation of the delivery was given to the President. He thanked the general who gave him the update, and then turned to face the other issues of the day, mostly having to do with the dead throughout the city and the country. He asked his staff “When are we going to start calling them what they are?”

After a slight hesitation, someone said “Zombies”. It turned out to be the President.

Cast Out - Part 9

The coup had gone better than expected, but more people had to be executed than desired.


While many people had to be killed, it seemed as though peace would finally come to the small African nation, at least for awhile. Who would have guessed that less than a week before, the president was alive and the government - seemingly stable? All that had changed in the last few days.

The soldiers were ordered to round up as many of the government officials and their families as could be found, and to put them in prison. They also gathered up as many of the supporters of the old regime they could find: Military officers, politicians, lawyers, professors, and teachers. The new leader wanted to make sure that any opposition was “done away”. Any who would not swear allegiance immediately while in jail was marked out. Those were told that they would be attending a “re-education camp”. Their entire family was taken out, put into trucks, and driven outside the city. When they arrived, they saw that there was no camp, only armed men. They were pulled off the truck, some kicking and screaming, and promptly executed - Men, women, and children. Cries of mercy fell on deaf ears. This pattern was repeated over the course of several days.

Now workers were preparing the mass graves with a bulldozer, while others stood by with shovels. A number of soldiers were observing the work, and some smoked while watching the preparations. A few laughed and joked, making gestures, reenacting the last moments of some of the people they had executed. They had assault rifles, shotguns, and a few bolt action rifles, as they guarded the dead bodies, stacked upon one another like firewood. The line of bodies stretched on for about 100 meters.

The sun had risen a few hours before, and the smell of gunpowder was waning, but the smell of the dead was becoming unbearable. Many of the workers and soldiers had covered their mouths and noses with scarves in a feeble attempt to keep the stench at bay. Flies were everywhere. Some of the bodies had been there for a few days, and some for only a few hours.

The bulldoze driver had just about completed the pit, when it happened.

All of the dead bodies started to move at the same time.

Anyone who had read the story of Gulliver wrestling in his ropes would have said that it was a comparable visual.

The dead got up quickly, like they were awoken from sleep by a loud noise. They looked at each other, and then they looked at the workers and soldiers with their black eyes. The dead smiled at the living.

As those on top on the pile tumbled to the ground, those on the ground got to their feet, and started moving towards the living. Their mouths opened and they said ‘Join us!” in the native tongue.

Soldiers fired the weapons into the bodies of the dead. They had no effect.

Workers had their shovels in hand, but for every undead they dispatched, five more took their place.

The bulldoze driver was set upon by over 100 of the dead, who came tumbling down into the pit, then mounted the dozer, and tore him apart. The bulldozer was found covered in blood.

The rest of the workers and soldiers were feasted upon by the undead. Blood covered the scene, but very few identifying pieces of flesh or bone remained for burial, and there were no survivors.

They were later buried in the pit they had dug.

The mass of the undead then turned toward the capital city.

Of all the survivors, the people who survived best were locked in prison.

Cast Out - Part Ba

The Chinese nuclear attack submarine “Zheng He”, a Type 095, was making its way back to its home port of Hainan after an accident that killed 20 of its crew and civilian visitors, occurred yesterday. During an underwater test run the fire suppression system discharged gas, suffocating everyone in the bow of the sub. The on board medical team verified that all the bodies in the bow were deceased.


Rather than dispose the bodies in the sea, the decision was made to leave them sealed in the bow, and go back to port (albeit at a reduced speed and under radio silence). The officers and civilian leaders wanted to make sure they got their stories straight. There was too much at stake to have this mishap scuttle the program.

About 1100 hours there was a report of sounds emanating from the bow of the submarine. Captain Zemong called on the medical team for additional verification that all the bodies from the accident were deceased. They confirmed their initial findings, but asked permission to re-examine the bodies. Captain Zemong granted permission, but told the team to wait for him, as he wanted to personally watch the re-examinations.

Less than 3 minutes later, the medical team, the captain and officers, as well as select civilian leaders were cramming in the space before the bow hatch. The captain ordered silence from all present, even the civilians. All complied.

They could hear the sound of movement in the bow. The captain thought to himself, “The medical team must have made a mistake with one of the bodies.”

He said, with determination, “Someone is alive in there.” He ordered one if his officers to open the hatch.

The hatch was opened, and the smell of decay overwhelmed everyone. Darkness in the bow covered the source of the stench.

Then they heard deep voices say “Jiaru women!” (Join us).

Fear and dread overcame everyone, who tried to take a step back, but they couldn’t. The civilians panicked immediately, the crew took about 2 seconds longer.

Out of the darkness of the bow compartment came the undead. Reaching, grasping, and lunging.

The undead had infested every one of the dead bodies.

They pulled in the unlucky officer who opened the hatch first. Everyone there heard him screaming. They were able to pull in several more unlucky souls, who soon would not have one.

Then they came out of the bow, one by one. Blood was dripping from their mouths and onto their clothes, and the deck.

The undead, increased in their number, moved forward in their hunger.

The living, the lucky few who made it out to the rear of the submarine lived a little longer than the rest. They were able to gather a few firearms from the rear armory, and while trying to take back the sub from the ghouls, a round discharged into the nuclear reactor.

The explosion tore the ship apart, and registered on Richter scales halfway across the planet.

Cast Out - Part 7

Fire Station 95 was right in the flight path of jets coming in at Los Angeles International Airport. Between the airport and the 405 freeway, they were first responders if there was ever a problem near LAX. The firefighters there liked to be busy, but not crazy busy. This day was pretty quiet so far, with only one minor call to answer earlier in the day.


After having a late dinner at In-n-Out, the guys watched people sitting on the small grassy area across the street, near the runways, with jets flying over their heads. Tom never could figure out why people liked to eat there, with the smell of the jet fuel, much less the noise. A quick drive back to the station, Tom was hoping for a quiet night. He pulled the engine truck into the garage, turned off the engine and started going through the power down list, and then it happened.

A loud boom rattled the windows and shook the ground. ”Was that an earthquake?” Tom thought.

Then the station sirens went off, along with the announcement. Firefighters ran out into the garage, putting on their jackets as they jumped aboard. Tom had already started the engine.

It was a plane crash! “Damn!” A plane went down in a neighborhood in Inglewood! Worst case scenario.

“We’ve trained for this, guys!” the captain yelled out.

This didn’t make Tom feel any better. It was going to be a messy night.

Calls were coming in for all available stations to assist. This was a big one. The radio never stopped blaring.

The whole station rolled out and was in route, heading eastbound on Century Boulevard, heading towards Prairie. They could see the eerie orange glow on the other side of the freeway.

“Please God, let it have missed the hospital.” Tom said to himself. He knew too many good people there.

News was coming in that this was a collision between two planes, and that they both crashed in a crowded neighborhood. This was real bad.

Also on the radio was lots of chatter about the news bulletins, about people attacking other people. There was talk about cannibals or something worse, then the captain told them to shut up.

“What are they talking about?”, Tom asked the guys with him. One of them said that the news sounded bad out there. They were even talking about people carrying guns for safety. “What?” Tom asked, but his mind was on driving the truck.

Turning up Inglewood Avenue, after about a quarter mile they began to see the devastation around them. Fires seemed to be everywhere, as well as debris and plane wreckage. The planes appeared to have come down in big pieces, instead of breaking up. “That’s good”, Tom thought, “Better chance of survivors.” They turned right on Hardy Street and stopped the truck. Other fire trucks pulled in behind them, along with paramedics and police.

The noise was almost unbearable, as screams filled the air along with sirens. Flames seemed to be on every house. Plane wreckage filled the street. It was utter mayhem on a stick. There were people on the street, some standing, some sitting, some limping along.

Tom was the last one out of the truck, and put on his jacket on as he approached what looked like a man with one arm, with his back towards him.

“SIR!” Tom yelled, “Are you hurt?”

The man turned to face him.

He had black eyes.

He opened his mouth and said, “Join us!”

The man then grabbed Tom with his one arm and tried to lunge at him, but Tom stepped back, breaking the man’s grip on him.

The man took another step towards Tom, but Tom took two steps back matching, and looking into the face of what was once a man, but now he wasn’t sure what it was.

Tom heard screams from around him. He glanced out the corner of his eye saw other firemen getting into fights with what appeared to be survivors.

The man still faced him, smiling.

Tom never heard the footsteps, and didn’t know they were there, until a bunch of people grabbed him from behind and started eating him.

The last thing Tom saw was the one armed man opening his mouth to feed on his face.

Cast Out - Part 6

The Garcia family had just finished watching a movie, at least those members who wanted to watch a “zombie movie”. It was Raul’s night to choose the activity, and being the eldest son, he chose a movie, somewhat to the chagrin of his mother. His father and younger brother watched with him, somewhat ambivalently. Mom was never into horror movies, and had a little trouble watching one without having to deal with nightmares. Now that the movie was over, it was time to talk about it.


“So Dad, what do you think about it?” Raul asked.

“It was pretty good, actually. A bit much on the gore side for me, but I can see why you like zombie movies,” replied Tony, Raul’s father. “I thought it was good to show that even with the zombies around, sometimes the worst things to watch out for are other people.” He called to his wife, “Honey, you can come out now. The movie’s over!”

“I know the movie’s over,” said Eva, the mother. Coming into the room clutching the book she had been reading, she asked, ‘Did you boys like it?”

“It was cool mom!” blurted out Javier, Raul’s little brother. “Zombies getting their heads blown off! People getting eaten.”

“Are you going to have nightmares, hijo?” Eva asked her Javier. Hijo was their pet name for Javier.

“MOM!” Javier exasperated.

“I’m just saying. The last time you watched this kind of thing, you woke up that night.” Eva pointed out, leaving out the most embarrassing part, to which Raul was foolish enough to add.

“You woke up crying!” Raul spoke up, then realized he should have kept his mouth shut.

“Raul….” Tony warned. “You know that your mom and I don’t really like this sort of thing in this house, but we are trying to let you make your own decisions. And when you make your decisions, you have to also man up and own the outcome. In this case, if your brother wakes up tonight, we’ll be waking you up as well.”

An awkward silence filled the room. Raul hesitated, and then let out a low groan. “OK Dad.” He paused, “Thanks for letting me choose this movie,” he said, looking at first his dad then his mom.

“You’re welcome, Raul,” Tony said and smiled. His oldest boy was growing up. “Let’s turn on the news.” Tony liked his family to watch the local news before bed.

Turning it on, they watched the newscaster say “… we are cutting to a live feed from our affiliate in the capitol.”

They went to another shot, this time of a hastily called news conference, with a familiar looking guy that appeared to have been up for hours, or just woke up.

“…stay in your homes. I repeat. Do not go outside. Stay in your home. Turn off your lights and close your curtains. We have reports coming in from all over the country and it appears from other countries as well. It appears as though…the dead are rising again and…eating the living. I know this sounds too incredible to believe, but until we have a better understanding about what’s happening, it would be better for everyone to stay in their homes. If you have a gun, load it and be ready to use it. Do not go outside. If you see someone outside moving slowly, do not approach them, no matter what are the circumstances, no matter who they are. Are their questions?”

“Raul, did you turn your movie back on?” Eva asked her son, looking at him, expecting a positive response.

“No mom! This is the news!” Raul answered back.

The TV blared again.

… “We don’t know how this happened. We just know that a few hours ago we started getting calls from all over the country, all at the same time. The dead were getting back up again and attacking the living. Obviously, we have never seen anything like this before. And that I know of, there is no plan to deal with this threat…”

“C’mon Raul! Stop it! You’re starting to scare me!” Eva said.

Tony spoke up, “Give me the remote!”

“I’m not doing it! This is real!” Raul said, with quite a bit of exasperation, giving the remote control to his father.

Tony changed the channel, but it went to the same news conference, He turned the channel again, same picture. Again and again, the same news conference was on every channel, even ESPN. They watched as the Senator spoke and answered questions, but mostly he seemed to know very little of the origins of this event, but he was sure that it was happening.

Tony muted the TV and spoke, “Is this really happening?” No one answered him for what seemed like a few minutes.

Eva spoke first, “We need to pray.” The family held hands and prayed together. While they were used to praying, this time, the prayers were different and urgent.

When they finished and had agreed together, Tony looked at Raul and asked, “Son, what do we do first? You know this kind of stuff better than all of us, what do you think we should do?”

Raul paused, looked at each of his family, and then said, ‘We need to get out of the city. Away from people. We need food, guns, medicine.” He continued on with his plan.

Tony had to admit that it was a pretty good plan. Tony smiled at his son, “You’ve been giving this some thought, huh?”

Raul smiled back and then said, “Maybe this was why I’ve into zombie stuff for awhile?”

Tony looked at his wife and other son as well and smiled. “You guys OK with his plan?”

Eva kept quiet for a few moments. “Why don’t we just stay here, like they said on TV?”

Raul anticipated that question. “Mom, we have to get out of populated areas and get to the country. It’s not safe around here with so many people. Aunt Maggie’s place is perfect for us to hold up.”

Eva was silent for a few moments. She then asked, “What time does the Club store open tomorrow?”

Tony and Raul smiled. Mom and Javier would go to the store for provisions, and Tony and Raul to get guns and ammo. More ammo. Lots of ammo. Tony got on the phone with his sister Magdalena, who lived in the sticks, She had been awake already and was just about to call her brother, when he called her.

Cast Out - Part Cinco

Miguel was still angry about what they did. Those bastards! Fired from his job for no reason!


They will pay.

Working the night shift in the assembly plant was an easy job. The hardest part was working alongside some backwater mestizos – “Nacos”. They belonged back on the farm, not here in the city. He told some of them that fact, and while he was warned by his supervisor, “Tener Calma” (take it easy), all it took was a shoving match between him and another worker to get himself fired. OK, so the guy fell down and had to go the hospital.

“What’s the big deal?” Miguel asked his boss as he was being walked out. His boss just shook his head and Miguel heard him say, “Pipirisnais!” (Someone who thinks they are better, but are not).

Miguel had planned his revenge well. He had gathered guns and ammo. He had got his hands on a grenade from the local drug cartel, where he also bought some Coca. Cost him all his 100 peso banknotes that he had collected, but he figured it was worth it.

He loaded up his car, and then took a big hit. “Arre.” (“Let’s do it) He said to himself. He sped off to the plant, feeling pretty good at all he had planned to do that night.

Nodding to the guard, he unloaded his bags from the car and walked casually to the office, where his boss’s office was located. He planned to get them all there, and then proceed to the plant floor, to get rest.

He placed his hand inside a bag as he walked into the office, looked around the room, and no one was at their desk. He walked around the office, and then he heard the TV on in the breakroom. Looking around the corner, he could see that the room was full of people! This is better than he could have planned!

He pulled out his grenade, pulled the pin, and tossed it in. A moment later he heard screams and then the explosion. Then he turned the corner, pulled out his handgun, and started shooting.

When he was done, and no one was moving, he looked around the room. He didn’t see his boss’s body among the carnage.

Miguel grunted, turned around, and went down the hall to his boss’s office.

His boss met him in the hallway.

“Miguel? Lo que esta sucediendo?” (What is happening?)

Miguel just smiled at him and raised his pistol.

Something made his boss look past Miguel.

Miguel, thinking it was a trick, ignored where his boss was looking.

But then he heard deep voices behind him say, “Únete a nosotros”, (Join us)

He turned just in time to see the people that he had shot grab him, and start eating his flesh.

Cast Out - Part 4

Amy was looking forward to getting some sleep, after pulling a nearly a double-shift at the hospital where she was a nurse. While she enjoyed her job, she also hated the crazy hours. Maybe in a few years she would have some senority and be able to work and live like a regular person, whatever that was.


After graduating from high school, she enlisted in the Army and served as a medic in Iraq. One time insurgents ambushed her medical convoy, and she picked up a rifle and helped keep them at bay until reinforcement arrived, and then tended to the newly wounded. When the media got a hold of her story, she became something of a hometown hero. She was awarded a medal for her bravery, and had several offers for “reality TV”, which she turned down. Even now, a few years later, people would sometimes recognize her as “That girl who...”

The phone rang. It was work. She needed to come in right away. Everyone was being called in.

Pulling into the parking lot 20 minutes later, she was surprised to find a place to park right away, as she could people outside the doors of the emergency room doors. It was busy.

She walked into lobby and had to almost fight her way to checking in. “What in the world is going on?” she asked the desk receptionist.

“Busy night!” was all she said before getting another phone call.

Before she could say anything else, a voice asked her, ‘Can I get some help for my friend? He’s bleeding again!”

She turned around to see a man, a little younger than her, looking at her exasperated.

She asked, “Where’s your friend?”

He pointed over to a man with a large bandage on his arm that seemed to be bleeding through.

They went over to him. She asked him, “What happened?”

“This crazy women bit me.” He looked terrible.

“What’s your name?” She wanted to check and see where he was in the wait list.

“Bob Humprey.”

“I’m Dave”, said his friend, smiling awkwardly.

“Wait just a minute”, Amy said. “I’m going to check and see how long it is until you see a doctor.”

“We’ve been waiting for an hour! Don’t leave!” Dave said. He then sheepishly said, “Please!”

Amy looked at Dave and for a moment wanted to tell him off, but said, “Guys, really. I’ll be right back, with either new bandages or a doctor. Promise.” She held up two fingers like a scout. They tried to smile at her, but she turned around.

As she got back to the receptionist, Amy saw that she was talking to a cop, maybe ten years older than her, and he looked like he meant business.

“Where is cop that was brought in?” the cop asked. “The one with neck injuries?”

“Name?” the receptionist asked. The cop gave his partners name. “He….was taken to ICU. Downstairs”, “ Funny,”she said, “ we haven’t heard from anyone down there for awhile…”

The TV blared “… we are cutting to a live feed from our affiliate in the capitol.”

They went to another shot, this time of a hastily called news conference, with a familiar looking guy that appeared to have been up for hours, or just woke up.

“…stay in your homes. I repeat. Do not go outside. Stay in your home. We have reports coming in from all over the country and it appears from other countries as well. It appears as though…the dead are rising again and…eating the living. I know this sounds too incredible to believe, but until we have a better understanding about what’s happening, it’s better for everyone to stay in their homes. If you have a gun, load it and be ready to use it. Do not go outside…”

Everyone stopped and got real quiet. Then all someone could hear was the realization of what was going on, a combined mixture of groans and sighs.

Then a scream from down the hall startled everyone.

Looking down the hall, all that could be seen were the bloody clothes of the dead walking towards the waiting room. They had started to feed on some people down the hall. There must have been more than thirty of them. Everyone panicked except Amy and the cop.

The cop took out his gun, and started firing. A few direct hits to the bodies, but still they kept coming. They were speaking something in a kind of unison.

“Dammit!” the cop said. Amy stood behind the cop.

“What’s wrong?” She asked.

“They don’t die! They just keep coming! Unless…” he broke off. He took aim at one undead women, pulled the trigger, and hit her in the head. She dropped like a stone.

“Head shots! Gotta hit’em in the head!”

Then his weapon opened up. Out of ammo. He put another clip in and dropped a few more of the undead.

“Good shot!” Amy said.

“I’m out!” the cop said. They looked at each other, then down the hall. It was still full of the undead.

“We gotta go.” They both said at nearly the same time.

They ran outside in time to see many people running for their lives, cars going every which way, people getting run over, and people pulling out others from cars. Complete mayhem.

“Over here! Nurse Amy!”

They both looked over to see the sound of the voice, and the friend of Bob’s was waving his arm at them. “Nurse Amy! Cop! C’mon!”

They ran over to the 4 door sedan and got in the back. Before they knew it, they were out on the street and going about 80.

“Thanks guys” said the cop.

“What’s your name?” Asked the driver.

“Dan” said the cop. “Yours?”

“Dave.”

“Nice to meet you, Dave”, said Amy, a little out of breath.

Dave glanced into his rearview mirror with a slight smile, “Same here”.

Cast Out Part 3

Walt had only been driving a truck for a living since he lost his job. Took his “severance” and with his wife’s blessing, enrolled in truck driving school. God had blessed him there and got a good job offer as soon as he got his license. The new job kept him away from his family during the week, but at least he was able to get home for the weekends. He was still able to be a deacon in their church, and most folks there were oblivious to the change that had gone on in their lives. So it seemed to Walt.


Walt had gotten into the routine of taking his cellphone and mp3 player with him on trips, along with the other necessities. The cellphone kept him in contact with family and other folks, and the mp3 player was packed with good music and Bible studies. Shoot, he figured that he was learning more of the Bible now more than ever in his life. So maybe this wasn’t so bad after all. He also got more time to pray than he ever had before. Good thing too, because he was going to need to be “prayed up” real soon.

Going down the Interstate at night was not one of Walt’s favorite things with the new job. He wanted to make good time with his load, but he was more thinking about finding a nice place to pull over and stop. Hotels were a luxury he only indulged in once each week, and this night he was looking for one. The road sign told him that there was a town coming up in 5 miles. “That’s good,” he said, “I’m done for tonight!”

Driving further, Walt saw what looked like fog ahead. “Maybe its dust?” he thought. Slowing down the rig, and switching to high beams, what he saw made his heart drop: Two cars had hit, one was in the median, the other was on the road in front of him. They were now just mangled pieces of steel. He stopped the rig, put on the hazard lights, and grabbed his cell.

He got a connection.

“911. What is your emergency?”

“There’s been a car crash about 4 miles outside of Hays! On the Interstate - Two cars! Send help, please!”

“Sir, help will be coming.”

“Thank you! I am going to check them out!”

“Sir! Be careful!” She paused. “Stay away from the dead bodies!”

“What? What did you say?”

“Sir, please. If there are any deceased…no….dead bodies…stay away from them! Run away if there are any dead bodies!”

“What do you mean, ‘Run away from dead bodies?”

“Sir, for the last hour … every call with a dead body…they have come back to life! But they have been coming back and …. and attacking people! For your own safety, if there are any dead, stay away!”

“Uh…OK. Thanks”. As Walt ran up to the car in the median, he thought, “Thanks! Crazy 911 lady tells me to stay away from dead bodies, and I say ‘Thanks’”.

Walt got to the car, or what was left of it. He looked inside and saw a body trying to move around, but it was trapped in the wreckage. It looked like a woman, and she was in bad shape. The wreck had messed her up pretty bad, and was bleeding still.

“Hey! It’s gonna be OK! Help is coming!”

The woman moaned, and then, the head looked up at him. It had black eyes. The darkest eyes Walt had ever seen.

The woman opened her mouth. “Set me free”. The voice was beyond strange.

Walt hesitated.

The woman looked at him like she was sizing him up for a fight.

Under his breath, Walt said “Oh Jesus…”

The woman twitched. “Don’t…say… that… name. Set me free.” Again with that voice!

Walt smelled gasoline.

The woman looked at Walt again and smiled, like when someone has a secret that only they know. “You will join us, Walter. It’s a matter of time.”

Why did Walt feel so cold?

The woman looked at him again and said, “Do you think that He cares for you?”

At that moment, Walt realized what he was talking to.

A moment later the fire started, engulfing the car in flames. The woman’s body just looked at Walt and smiled as the body burned away.

Cast Out Pt2

Dan and Mike had been partners since Mike got out of the Police academy. Dan was only a few years older than Mike, but he had those years of street smarts before becoming a cop himself. Growing up in the same neighborhood as he was patrolling in now made him more knowledgeable about the “hood” than just about anyone. But what he went though on this particular night – no amount of training could have prepared him for this.

The east side of town was more “ethnically mixed” than other parts of the city. With this mix came a great hodgepodge of cultures, but it also made it more difficult to prepare for each call. Every group needed their own way of being approached, as Mike was finding out – sometimes the hard way. “There is nothing like having every bystander get in your face during routine call, all because you didn’t approach a certain way.”

“You told her what?”, asked Dan.

“’Mike don’t do that!’ - that’s what I told her!” Mike said with a big grin.

Dan laughed. “You are gonna have a hard time keeping a lady with that attitude, my friend.”

Mike thought for a minute and then replied, “Who says I wanna be in the “keeping business” anyhow? The way I figure, I can play around for the next..”

The radio interrupted. “Seven Mary Six, please respond.”

Dan picked up the radio, “Seven Mary Six responding”.

The dispatcher answered, “Seven Mary Six, a report of shots fired in the area of Walnut and Main. Proceed with caution.”

Mike made a hard left turn to the car that surprised Dan a bit. Dan turned on the lights and siren, as Mike then floored it. It would only take a minute to get there.

Dan asked, “Dispatch, proceeding to the area of Walnut and Main. What kind of backup can we expect?”

“Calls just started coming in from all over the area. Sending additional units to backup, but they are a few minutes out. Proceed with caution.” The dispatcher voice, while calm, displayed a hint of angst.

“Great. Shots fired and no backup!” Mike snarled.

“That’s why we make the big bucks.” Dan replied. It was his answer for just about everything he disliked about the job.

They got there in 45 seconds, and it took only 5 more to see what had happened. “Another drive-by? How many does that make this year?” Mike thought to himself.

There were two bodies in the street, and there looked like two more on the grass right in front of the house. Both officers were leary about getting out of the car too quickly. Sometimes first responders got shot at from the vics they came to help.

Mike stopped the car with the lights turned onto the bodies in the street, and Dan turned the spotlight onto the bodies on the grass. You could hear some moaning, but besides that, nothing else.

Dan got on the radio and called for a bus and paramedics. This was going to take awhile.

Mike got out, pulled his sidearm, and checked the bodies in the street. The first one was still breathing but heavy and labored, “HUF….HUF…HUF”. Dan glanced at the second one when it started to rise up.

“You OK?” Mike asked.

No answer. It was starting to stand up.

“Are you OK?” Mike asked again.

Dan shouted, “Whaddya got?” He was checking the bodies on the grass out.

“This one’s getting up!” Mike was scared. He never had a victim get up like this one before. “Back away!” He raised his gun.

It kept coming at him.

It spoke and said, “Join us”.

“BACK AWAY! DAN!”

This person was on top on him and had him down on the ground. It was reaching to bite his neck.

“DAN!!! HELP!!!”

Dan barely had time to think, before it took a bite out of Mike’s neck. It strained its neck to pull Mike’s flesh away, like some kind of predator that had just made its kill.

Dan raised his gun and discharged two rounds, hitting the mark in the head, as splatter exited out the other side.

Dan rushed to his partners side. Mike was seriously wounded and losing blood fast.

“Mike, hang in there! Hang in there buddy! Help is on the way!” Dan said as he tried to find something to apply pressure to stop the bleeding.

Then he noticed movement out of the corner of his eye. The other victim, who had been struggling with their breathing, was now getting up as well. And the other bodies were starting to move as well.

Dan yelled “STAY DOWN!” He pointed his gun at the other victim now.

“Join us.” It said, with a voice that sounded utterly inhuman.

“STAY DOWN AND SHUT THE #^%& UP!” Dan yelled again, this time with added expletives.

It stared at him for a moment, with soulless black eyes. Then it said, “What a sensation that was, to be shot. You will join us.” And then it got up and started to move toward him.

Dan shot it twice in the chest, but it had no effect. By the time he hit it in the head, it was nearly on top of him when it fell.

As the others got up to approach him, Dan knew either that either his instinct or training was going to save him. Either one was good enough for him.

He had more time to warn them, but they didn’t listen either. Not one bullet had any effect on them, except head shots. “Weirdest damn thing I’ve ever seen”, he thought.

By now the ambulance siren was getting closer. Dan had a partner down, four victims that he had had to shoot himself, and was sure that he was going to catch hell trying to explain what had happened.

But it didn’t matter unless he could stop the bleeding from Mike’s neck.

Cast Out, Part1

My first attempt at writing a Zombie type of story. Please give me any comments or suggestions.

David’s account -


No one knew HOW it started, but everyone knew WHEN it started. That was the funny thing. Looking back, it was just business as usual until that day, or as I experienced it, that night. I always thought these things started in one place and then spread out, but not this one. This came on everyone like a ton of bricks.

Once again I was up playing games on the computer, with my lights off at night. The TV was on while I sat there playing a game of one kind or another: FPS, RTS, whatever I felt like, with whoever was on the network. I had my list of “friends”, but they were total strangers, except in the game.

As it was getting later, I saw people dropping off – “wimps!” I whispered under my breath –“get back on and play me!” “Mommy is probably telling them to go to bed.” With no one else on the network, I kept on going for awhile against the computer – at least this one game had pretty good AI, and I didn’t feel like going to bed yet.

I didn’t notice the TV again until I heard the news break in for a bulletin. I had to pause my game for a sec.

On the TV the news person was the reporter that I had seen do those “human interest” stories, and she was onscreen - but in the newsroom. She didn’t have any makeup on and looked…stressed. She fluctuated between rapid fire excited speech and quiet pauses of shock.

“There are unconfirmed reports coming in that say…Is this right?....that the dead are walking. Dead people? ….Yes, its people…. Dead people are getting up and walking? We are watching monitors from several ..OH MY GOD!!!!”

Her eyes were bugged out, like they just saw something that she was still processing in her mind.

“Did you just see that? What the….? What just happened? It looked like someone grabbed his arm! Blood!”

“Wait! What are you doing in here?” The camera got tipped over and then there was a bunch of yelling.

I got up to change the channel, and that’s when I saw the figure out my window. I just stopped.

Who the heck is that? She was naked. “Why is she walking around naked?” I asked myself. She also looked like she was wet. I went to the window to look out, but not so I could be seen.

She looks like my neighbor from a few apartments down. I had spoken to her a few times, but I didn’t really know her that well, except that she was divorced and seemed kind of lonely most of the time. I just spoke to her a few days ago, and she seemed happy enough.

Now she was…shuffling…or something like that, not really walking. And her arms were...dark around her wrists.

She turned toward my apartment. She saw me. I felt like a peeping Tom. She turned and kept coming toward my window. My heart was already pounding. I had to think straight. What do I do?

I slithered over to the door, just enough to look through the peep hole and see if she was still coming. Oh CRAP! She almost here! What do I do? My mind was saying “She’s gonna turn you in as a perv!” or “Maybe she interested in you?”

I stood still. Not breathing. I took a breath out of my mouth. My heart was pounding. “Stay calm” I told myself.

I heard her at the front door.

She spoke. “Open the door. Come out.”

But that was NOT her voice!! It was low, guttural….evil.

There is NO WAY I am opening this door!

She spoke again. “Open the door. Join us.” That voice again!

She banged on my door. Even though I knew she was there, it still made me jump.

What do I do? Think man!

I remembered my gun in the bedroom. Somehow I got it and back to the door before she pounded on the door again. She was getting more forceful.

“JOIN US!!!” She raised her voice. But it was still NOT her voice!

She pounded on the door again.

I looked through the peephole at her. With the porchlight on I could see that her hair was wet, but it was her eyes that made me stop. Her eyes were black. Solid black.

I heard another voice outside. “Hey, what’s going on?”

She turned toward the voice. It was my next door neighbor Bob.

Bob asked “What are you doing there? What’s the matter with you?”

She moved towards Bob and was on him before I could open the door.

He put up his arms to block her, but she grabbed one and bit down. Bob screamed.

“Stop!” I yelled at her. She was eating his arm!

I took my gun and pistol whipped her.

She didn’t react. She kept eating!

Bob was screaming and saying “Shoot her! Do it!”

I hit her again and again. No reaction.

Bob kept crying out “Dave! Shoot her! Please!”

I moved around to her side and took aim at her.

“Stop or I’ll shoot!”

She kept eating.

I fired one round at her chest. It went in and …no reaction from her. I fired another round at her and it got the same response.

She then stopped eating his arm, long enough to pull away from it and look at me. Even though it was dark, I could make out that she dropped her jaw as if she was going to ..BAM! One round into her mouth and shattering her skull.

She dropped to the ground with a thud.

Bob was crying, holding his arm. Blood was all over the place.

Zombie Story

Working on a zombie story, and shared some thoughts on the PhoenixPreacher.net

Have been thinking about demons lately, and reading about them in the gospel of Luke. They seem to very busy there. They are also busy in my SS classes study of Revelation. Rev 12:7-17 is a passage that I want to use as a springboard. Cast Out.


With all of these inputs, I have begun a little fiction writing, and theorizing what would happen if I mixed demons into a zombie motif? Questioning “What would happen if God allowed demons to infest the dead?” Its a scary thought, that of giving demons a voice to taunt the living.

My thought is to give clues throughout the story (like the zombies talking is not typical zombie fare). Then at one point, one of them gets caught and the main character (a christian) is the only one who can interrogate it without being affected by the stuff it says.
Sort of a spin on the end times stuff with z’s.
I am leaning more for the mortuary moment, that is, the newly dead being infected. At least the embalmed would not be possessed. Disembodied spirits can’t talk – which would be one reason for them to get a body.

Think of it as cross between Dawn of the Dead and Screwtape Letters – kind of.

They would be speaking soothing things to get you to …well….you know. Think of the “backlog” of demons wanting to infect the dead….all over the world. At the same time.


They would speak the most hateful things to Christians and about God, so that stuff would have to stated as such. I am not writing out everything they say..
 
been writing some things out. Maybe I will post on my blog and ask for opinions and all that?


But I have been thinking through the “abilities” of the z’s and and the backstory of the demons. What you are all seeing here is my thoughts being played out.

"Do these guys eat brains? I kind of want them to, but I also think maybe there is something more spiritually symbolic they can do. What a great idea, Papias. This really has me thinking."

Fall Pics

Friday Photo

Yes, another Yosemite pic! Valley floor, winter, at sunset. Click on the photo to make it larger(Will open another window)

I had never been to Yosemite in winter prior to this trip here, so I was excited. I had to go by myself, but I was OK with that.
Night before I am going to leave, big storm blows into SoCal. Closes the Grapevine and Tehachpi passes. But I, I have reservations in Yosemite that night! I'm not gonna let some snowstorm get in my way!
Looked at the map and figured that I could work my way around if I got off the main highways. Let's just say that was a mistake and that I got stuck in snow on a lonely stretch of road. Some locals got me unstuck and I think I paid them 20 bucks, but it was worth it.
I decided that waiting until Tehachipi was the best bet.

Got to the Valley at 5PM, after leaving mt house at 5AM. A trip that usually takes half that time.
Next morning got up and shot all day long!
This shot was probably from the first day, from my fav spot at sunset. The way the light hits El Capitan at sunset is just magical.
And then it got cold. Real cold. Like seeing the heat come out from my finger-tips through my gloves cold.

Redemptive-Historical Method

The blog series “Redemptive-Historical Method” is an outgrowth of the “Preaching Christ in a Postmodern World”, by Tim Keller and Edmund Clowney, available on iTunes. These are the notes from the course.

HOW? A CHRISTO-CENTRIC FOCUS

INTRODUCTION

For theological, pastoral, and missiological reasons we should read the Bible as 'Redemption History' and not simply as a body of spiritual and moral information. This means that every part and text of the Bible is part of the 'Big Story' of salvation and attests to God's saving purposes which climax in Jesus Christ. Therefore, every text is 'really about Jesus'. But how do we 'get to Christ', practically speaking, when preaching a text that is not directly about Jesus? How can we actually read each text 'Christologically', with a Christo-centric focus?

The preacher feels this most acutely when preaching from the 3/4 of the Bible called the 'Old Testament'. When most people think of "Preaching Christ" from such a text, they think of doing so by typology. They look in the text for a 'type' of Christ within it. So, for example, we might preach Isaac as a type of the sacrificed son, or David as the type of the warrior-savior, and so on. This practice (as we have seen) is still somewhat controversial, but even if it were granted it would not suffice. Most texts of the Bible do not provide a classic 'type' of Jesus. The vast majority of psalms are not clear and consensus 'Messianic' psalms, for example. So in order to 'get to Christ' preachers may very lamely and artificially tack him on to the end of the sermon (e.g. 'You shouldn't lie, but if you do, through Jesus you can be forgiven.") Or they force him in through finding superficial similarities, which really boil down to allegorizing.

But it is important to see how many different ways there are to 'preach Christ' besides direct typology. Sidney Greidanus lays out a number of 'ways' to preach Christ besides typology in his book “Preaching Christ from the Old Testament”. Goldsworthy too writes:

'The essence of typology is the recognition that within Scripture itself certain events, people, and institutions in biblical history bear a particular relationship to later events, people, or institutions. The relationship is such that the earlier foreshadows the later, and the later fills out or completes the earlier ....[But] I want to suggest that behind –the technical uses [of the term 'typology'].. . there is a principle that is far-reaching in its application. We may refer to this as macro-typology because it indicates that we are not dealing mainly with scattered examples but with a broad pattern ... The typological correspondence is not simply between persons, events, and institution, but between whole epochs of revelation ...”

What does Goldsworthy mean? I believe he means something like the following. (Note: I acknowledge both Goldsworthy and Greidanus' works as the basis for my following summaries and categories:

PREACHING CHRIST - BY INTERPRETIVE: METHOD
One way to prepare to preach with a Christ-centered focus is to ways to identify gospel 'pieces' that only Christ can resolve (themes), receive (law), complete (stories), or fulfill (symbols). If I were you I would create my own collection of ways to preach Christ in these ways from:

E. Clowney The Unfolding Mystery (Presbyterian and Reformed)
S. DeGraaf Promise and Deliverance (Four Volumes-Presbyterian and Reformed)
Carson is editing a series of books on these intercanonical themes.
Alec Motyer's Look to the Rock chooses seven of these redemptive themes and shows how Christ is the fulfillment of each.
See the last section of each chapter in Longman and Dillard's An Introduction to the Old Testament (Zondervan. 1994)
See Christopher J.H.Wright. Knowing Jesus through the Old Testament (IVP, 1992)

Upcoming posts on this subject will include:
THEME -RESOLUTION. Only Jesus resolves redemptive themes.
LAW- RECEPTION. Only Jesus lets us truly receive the law's requirements.
STORY-COMPLETION. Only Jesus completes the great stories of the Bible.

SYMBOL – FULFILLMENT. If a feature has symbolic significance for the author (symbolizing God's saving activity in some way) then it may be seen as a type of Christ, even if the author does not evidently have Christ consciously in mind.

Assorted Pics (That I don't think I've uploaded yet, but don't hold me to it...)

Click on the picture to make it larger..(will open another window)

Gladiolas from the garden. (Take a picture, it'll last longer.)

Scene from last winter.

Garden flowers

Flamingo from the zoo

Fall Tree

Elephants

Redemptive-Historical Method

Broader Implications of the Approach

by Tim Keller

Two Basic 'Theological Frameworks'.

Richard Lints, in The Fabric of Theology (Eerdmans, 1993) points out that what we have been calling 'Redemption-Historical' exegesis is more than just a way to interpret texts. He believes that one very significant difference among evangelicals lies between those who organize doctrines into a 'redemptive historical” framework and those who organize doctrines along the lines of a 'systematic-topical” framework. (See pp.259-290).

The first framework (which he connects with the names of Vos, Kline, and Gaffin) sees the basic theological structure of Scripture as a series of historical epochs in which God progressively reveals more and more of his redemptive purposes in Christ through successive covenants (Creation. Abrahamic. Mosaic. Christ-inaugurated. Christ-consummated).

The second framework (which he connects with the names of Hodge, Berkhof, and Erickson) sees the basic framework of Scripture as a series of logical categories or subject headings around which the varied texts of Scriptures are organized to produce doctrines (God, Man, Christ, Justification, Sanctification. Glorification).

What is the difference? The traditional teaching of the Reformed seminaries over the last 40 years has been basically correct--the RHM and STM are 'symbiotically related'. On the one hand, the systematics-student should study every Biblical text in its redemptive-historical context before doing topical-synthesis. Many conventional systematic-topics can be taken up and given new life through Biblical-theological treatment. For example, Harvie Conn did a Biblical-theological study of 'church growth', tracing the theme of 'multiplication' from the creation mandate through the whole Bible. On the other hand, if the RHM resists Systematic Theology too much we may not really have a unified Bible. We have to be able to answer the question: what is the authoritative Biblical teaching on this subject?

Having said that, the two approaches, practically speaking, tend to produce two somewhat different 'mindsets' when it comes to reading the Scripture. Lints argues that the redemptive-historical model (RHM) is better than the systematic-topical model (STM) for thinking about the Bible. John Murray speaks of the 'tendency to abstraction" of the STM. The tendency to dehistoricize and to arrive at 'timeless", topically oriented universals. ("Systematic Theology" in The New Testament Student and Theology, J.H.Skilton, ed. P&R 1976). RHM, on the other hand focuses on God's special revelation not primarily as 'naked information” but primarily as God's activity in history. But if this is true, then these different approaches will effect preaching and ministry in general.

Theological Frameworks Compared

a. The RHM gives us a dynamic view of our place in redemptive history. The RHM tells that we are now in a particular period of redemptive history (between the first and second coming of Christ). This is the period of the 'already-but-not-yet" of the kingdom of God, which sets us apart from the epoch previous to and following this one. The STM model has little concept of the all-pervasiveness of the kingdom of God. It tends to see the kingdom mainly in terms of one of the traditional 'millennial' positions.

The massive importance of the 'already-but-not-yet-kingdom' for both faith and practice is largely missed by those steeped in the STM approach. It tends to think of Biblical truth in a-historical categories of doctrine which we now have to 'apply" to our lives today. It tends to rely mainly on 'correctness" or technique ('5 principles for overcoming worryw). The RHM avoids over optimism or pessimism or legalism by focusing always on the dynamic kingdom-epoch lifestyle we live out now. The City of God and the City of Man are present realities. Christ has died, risen, and ascended has put us in a particular, current, dynamic relationship to God, our sin, our past, the Spirit, the world, and to the assembly of heaven itself. It tells us about this new relationship and status we have now, and how to live out as the people of God in this entire epoch. This is a far more “organic” way to think out Christianity.

John Stott, in a very interesting and easy-to-understand chapter called "The Now and the Not Yet" in The Contemporary Christian (IVP. 1992) shows what a powerful effect this theological category has on our practice. This understanding of our place in redemptive history keeps us from fundamentalism (the 'not yet Christians"), Pentecostalism (the 'already" Christians), and Liberalism (in some ways too 'not yet" and in other ways too 'already"). I t keeps us from over - or under-discipline. from over- or under-emphasis on evangelism or social concern, from over-optimism or under-optimism about revival, and so on. A-historical (STM) understandings of the Bible lead constantly to these extremes. By the way, Jonathan Edwards noted these same three enemies of true revival--Dead orthodoxy, Enthusiasm, and Heterodoxy.

b. The RHM gives us a more Biblical and less 'western" framework. Harvie Conn in Eternal Word and Changing Worlds (Zondervan. 1984) points out that the highly rational, scientific approach of STM is difficult for people of non-Western cultures to enjoy or grasp. Many are now pointing out that many of the formulators of STM were unwittingly shaped and affected by the Enlightenment, its detached rationality and its mistrust of history. Harvie (and Rick) note that the RHM gives much more weight to the fact that the Bible is filled with narrative. The gospel itself is a true story, not a set of "principles" or "laws". The STM approach has 'de-storied' the gospel. Harvie also points out that RHM understands that all God's truth is covenantal truth, never abstract from history and life. (See pp.225-234). Thus preaching and teaching from the RHM tends to be much less pietistic and abstract from life. All of this means that RHM is a vastly better vehicle for spreading the gospel through and to all people groups.

c. The RHM gives us a more corporate and less individualistic approach to ministry. The RHM understands that the goal of salvation history is not simply a 'right relationship' with God and live in heaven forever. The goal of redemption is really “re-creation”. God's saving purposes culminate in a new creation, not a disembodied eternal state. The gospel is not that we get to escape earth into heaven, but that heaven is "comes down" to transform the earth. The church then, is not simply an aggregation of people who help one another find God. but it is called to be in this world a sign of the coming new creation. We are to embody the 'new humanity that Christ is creating.

All of this drastically undermines the pietistic, individualistic, privatistic Christianity that can be the result of the STM approach. While the STM approach points us more to how we as individuals get peace with God and 'live right', the RHM framework calls us to live our lives out as a 'counter-culture', a new nation, in which our business practices, race relations, artistic expressions, family life, etc., show the world what humanity could be like under the Lordship of Christ. And the RHM emphasis on 'new creation' calls us to be concerned for the social and material world, since God's ultimate salvation will not only redeem the soul but the body and the physical world as well.

d. The RHM gives a much more relevant approach to 'post-modern' times. This point is closely connected to the previous one. "Post-modem" times are characterized by a rejection of the Enlightenment worship of rationality and technique, and is much more devoted to narrative and story as ways to find meaning. Also, post-modernity rejects the Enlightenment's emphasis on the individual and stresses the importance of community. As we have just seen, the RHM shows us all those resources in Biblical theology that the STM approach has tended to overlook. It breaks the Bible into stages of a Story--the story of Jesus and his salvation—while the STM breaks the Bible into logical categories. More than that, the RHM actually puts us into the story, showing us our place and stage in the unfolding of the kingdom of God. The RHM approach also shows concern for the regeneration of human community and even the physical environment, not just the individual, interior happiness. In all these ways, RHM is much more relevant to post-modern sensibilities.

e. The RHM gives us a more Christ-centered understanding of the Bible. The RHM sees the purpose of each epoch of redemptive history as being the progressive revealing of Christ. God could have poured our judgment on mankind in the Garden, therefore the only reason there is any history is because God has purposed to send his Son into the world, to pour out judgment on him and thereby bring salvation. Jesus is the only reason there is human history, and therefore he is goal of human history. Thus everything God says and does in history explain and prepare for the salvation of his Son. The STM, on the other hand, will examine the Law, the prophets, and history of Abraham, Moses, David, etc. for information about the various doctrinal topics--what we learn about how to live, what to believe. But the RHM sees every story and law and piece of wisdom literature as pointing to Christ and his work. Preaching and teaching from an STM framework tends to be much more moralistic and legalistic.

f. The RHM gives us a more organic way of reading Biblical texts. The RHM works at understanding the differences between stages in redemptive history, while the STM largely ignores such study. But many disputes over the application of the Old Testament laws are really based on a lack of understanding of the role which the Mosaic regulations played in that time in redemptive history (i.e. how they helped us look to and prepare for God's coming salvation) and of how that role is fulfilled in Christ.

Maybe even more fundamentally, the RHM really leads us to see the very purpose of each Biblical passage differently. We have said that RHM understands God's revelation never comes in the form of textbook type information. but in the form of covenant. Why? Because the purpose of God's truth is never to merely inform. but to know God in a relationship of love and service. For example, if we read Genesis 1-2 with an STM mind-set, expecting "naked information" about how the world was created, we will see it differently than those who read with a RHM mind-set, expecting knowledge of who are Creator is and how we are to relate to him and to his creation.

Concluding Note: Do not read the above as pitting Systematic Theology per se against 'Biblical Theology'. There have been many proponents of the Redemptive-Historical approach that virtually deny the ability to do coherent Systematics at all. This is going too far by far. And such a denial ultimately undermines the concept of a single divine author of the whole Bible.

Happy Birthday JE!

Today marks the 307th anniversay of the birth of Jonathan Edwards!

http://edwards.yale.edu/research/about-edwards/biography

Russia Photos

Photos of one of my trips to Russia.

This boy came from an area that was exposed to radiation from Chernobyl.

Reading the gospel tract

Some take tracts that you don't expect!

Babushka in Riga.

Jonathan Edwards on Pride

Written in 1742, Thoughts on the Revival in New England was the second explanation of Jonathan Edwards concerning the marks of true revival, and this section explains his thoughts on spiritual pride:

"The first and worst cause of error that prevails in our day is spiritual pride. This is the main door by which the devil comes into the hearts of those who are zealous for the advancement of Christ. It is the chief inlet of smoke from the bottomless pit to darken the mind and mislead the judgment, and the main handle by which Satan takes hold of Christians to hinder a work of God. Until this disease is cured, medicines are applied in vain to heal all other diseases.

Pride is much more difficult to discern than any other corruption because, by nature, pride is a person having too high a thought of himself. Is it any surprise, then, that a person who has too high a thought of himself is unaware of it? He thinks the opinion he has of himself has just grounds and therefore is not too high. As a result, there is no other matter in which the heart is more deceitful and unsearchable. The very nature of it is to work self-confidence and drive away any suspicion of evil respecting itself.

Pride takes many forms and shapes and encompasses the heart like the layers of an onion- when you pull off one layer, there is another underneath. Therefore, we need to have the greatest watch imaginable over our hearts with respect to this matter and to cry most earnestly to the great searcher of hearts for His help. He who trusts his own heart is a fool.

Since spiritual pride in its own nature is secretive, it cannot be well discerned by immediate intuition of the thing itself. It is best identified by its fruits and effects, some of which I will mention together with the contrary fruits of Christian humility.

The spiritually proud person is full of light already and feels that he does not need instruction, so he is ready to despise the offer of it. On the other hand, the humble person is like a little child who easily receives instruction. He is cautious in his estimate of himself, sensitive as to how liable he is to go astray. If it is suggested to him that he does go astray, he is most ready to inquire into the matter.

Proud people tend to speak of other's sins, the miserable delusion of hypocrites, the deadness of some saints with bitterness, or the opposition to holiness of many believers. Pure Christian humility, however, is silent about the sins of others, or speaks of them with grief and pity. The spiritually proud person finds fault with other saints for their lack of progress in grace, while the humble Christian sees so much evil in his own heart, and is so concerned about it, that he is not apt to be very busy with other hearts. He complains most of himself and his own spiritual coldness and readily hopes that most everybody has more love and thankfulness to God than he.

Spiritually proud people often speak of almost everything they see in others in the harshest, most severe language. Commonly, their criticism is directed against not only wicked men but also toward true children of God and those who are their superiors. The humble, however, even when they have extraordinary discoveries of God's glory, are overwhelmed with their own vileness and sinfulness. Their exhortations to fellow Christians are given in a loving and humble manner, and they treat others with as much humility and gentleness as Christ, who is infinitely above them, treats them.

Spiritual pride often disposes people to act different in external appearance, to assume a different way of speaking, countenance, or behavior. However, the humble Christian, though he will be firm in his duty; going the way of heaven alone even if all the world forsake him; yet he does not delight in being different for difference's sake. He does not try to set himself up to be viewed and observed as one distinguished, but on the contrary, is disposed to become all things to all men, to yield to others, to conform to them, and to please them in all but sin.

Proud people take great notice of opposition and injuries, and are prone to speak often about them with an air of bitterness or contempt. Christian humility, on the other hand, disposes a person to be more like his blessed Lord, who when reviled did not open His mouth but committed Himself in silence to Him who judges righteously. For the humble Christian, the more clamorous and furious the world is against him, the more silent and still he will be.

Another pattern of spiritually proud people is to behave in ways that make them the focus of others. It is natural for a person under the influence of pride to take all the respect that is paid to him. If others show a disposition to submit to him and yield in deference to him, he is open to it and freely receives it. In fact, they come to expect such treatment and to form an ill opinion of those who do not give them what they feel they deserve."

Adapted from "Some Thoughts concerning the Present Revival of Religion in New England" from The Works of Jonathan Edwards (Banner of Truth).