It wasn't long ago I was discussing the (false) idea of the "rapture" with someone, and now that we in the teenage class at church have entered into a study of Revelation the topic has come up at least once. I thought today I might repeat a hunk of a short SF story I read looooong ago related to it.

It was the year 2050 and armageddon was upon the world! The forces of darkness had begun gathering for that last, great battle and mankind was pulling out all the stops for this final conflict. The generals in the command bunker placed their forces strategically, where the robotic armies would do the most good and have every advantage.

Yes, robotic. Ever since about 2010 earth's armies had been wholly converted to robotic soldiers, and national struggles were decided without human bloodshed in a very "civilized" manner. People just couldn't fight as well, since mechanical troops never got hungry or bored, showed no fear, obeyed every order, and reacted faster than any human response.

The generals agreed the vast array of robots were ready and deployed when without warning the battle began! Just leave it up to the devil to cheat and try to strike before the appointed time. But the generals had anticipated this, and far away in their remote bunker they put forces into action to meet and attempt to overwhelm the demonic hordes.

Succubus clashed with laser armed tanks; demogorgon engaged warplanes in dogfights. Abaddon and robotic foot soldiers mixed it up, wrestling hand to hand. Most times the machine would fall away in pieces, but every so often the demon would be the one left crushed and lifeless while the battle raged on. Fortunately the resources of earth had been hard at work for a decade preparing for this battle and where a robotic plane came crashing down a new one would take its place. For each pile of slag a tank turned into there were others ready to roll over it and back into battle.

Once the battle started, the religious leaders of the world came to the generals and asked if perhaps some of the actual people, humans, should take part in the conflict. "Are you mad?" the military men responded. "Look how tough a time our robotic troops are having. Mere flesh and blood would never overcome the evil enemy." When the leaders persisted, the generals had them thrown out. "Leave military matters to those who understand them!" they said.

After many hours, at long last the battle ended and the devil was defeated. When the generals rushed to the battlefield, they saw an amazing sight. Angels of God were there, and with a touch they repaired the battered and bashed robotic warriors and lifted them up to be taken to heaven. As the last of them went into the sky, one lone angel looked over the battlefield and then made as if to join them. "Wait!" cried the generals, "what about the people?"

The lone angel hesitated, then turned to the men gathered. "For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. Since you did not fight but let others fight for you, they shall have the reward due." And with that the angel disappeared, leaving the men to their fiery fate.

It's a silly story, really. Those who twist the scripture to create a "rapture" are just as silly. But there is a true message here. We cannot delegate our faith, our service, to anyone else. God will come, at a time unexpected, and will be looking for those who are looking back at him - those who are watching, waiting for the Lord's return. And he truly will reward every man according to his works. His own works. No matter how much we may advance in the future, regardless of the medium, it will require humans to reach out to lost souls, person to person. True joy, true "rapture", is the gladness of one heart to another in the sharing of the gospel.

Randy