Plot introduction
This installment in the saga continues to chart the story of the character who will become the Antichrist. It also follows the others who will become part of the Tribulation Force or the Global Community as well as showing how members of their families affect the choices each make. The narrative covers issues surrounding why characters such as Rayford Steele, Chloe Steele, and Cameron "Buck" Williams fail to believe. World events, particularly in Israel, continue apace, and Rayford and Buck are right at the heart of things.
Dynamic Romanian multimillionaire Nicolae Carpathia’s sphere of influence steadily grows as he parlays his looks, charm, charisma, and intellectual brilliance into success in business and politics. But it is uncertain if it is mere coincidence that those who oppose, offend, or even slight him suffer to the point of death.
Leon Fortunato, a self-proclaimed kingmaker, takes on his life’s challenge, coming alongside Carpathia during his most formative years.
Pan-Con Airlines captain Rayford Steele has settled into an uneasy truce with his wife while worrying that he has already ascended as far as he can in his career. But when he is tapped for consultation by the CIA and the Defense Department, his star begins to rise as well.
Irene Steele struggles to grow in her embryonic faith, careful not to offend her husband, who is uncomfortable with her level of devotion.
Cameron Williams becomes a celebrated journalist, his career skyrocketing from an Ivy League education to newspaper reporter, then columnist, then magazine feature writer.
Abdullah Ababneh, a young member of the Royal Jordanian Air Force, revels in his role as security adviser to the United States through Rayford Steele while facing the loss of his wife to a strange new religion.
Plot summary
After his horrifying trials in the wasteland, Nicolae Carpathia's influence grows in business and politics. However anyone who gets in his way tends to disappear, permanently. He hires kingmaker and soon-to-be False Prophet Leon Fortunato as a deputy and consultant. Over the course of a few years, Carpathia rises to power within the Romanian government, manipulating people and events for his own personal gain and often resorting to murder and blackmailing to achieve his goals. He often calls upon the influence of his "spirit guide" (later revealed to be Satan himself) for advice. Jonathan Stonagal begins to grow regretful with his involvement with Carpathia, fearing the young Antichrist is already out of his control.
Airline pilot Rayford Steele's home life is suffering, but gains a truce-like quality, while his wife is concerned that he has already risen as far his career will take him. Now a born-again Christian, Irene slowly begins to grow in her newfound faith, even leading her son Raymie Steele to salvation. However, Rayford and her daughter, Chloe, reject Irene's religious beliefs, and Irene is desperate to help them find Christ before it is too late.
Abdullah Ababneh, a Jordanian pilot, is shocked when his wife, Yasmine, and his two teenage children become followers of Christianity. After many heated arguments, she leaves him, taking the children with her. This later leads Abdullah to become an alcoholic and have affairs with several women, though it is clear that he is desperate for his family back in place of this destructive new lifestyle. He fears it is the work of Allah as punishment for growing lax in his Muslim faith.
Rayford, meanwhile, is considering pursuing a relationship with Hattie Durham, a young flight attendant and his co-worker. At first it seems impossible for Rayford, though he slowly begins to warm to the idea, often having dinner with her and giving her rides home. He slowly begins to contemplate taking their relationship to a whole new level.
Celebrated journalist Buck Williams becomes a feature writer for the Boston Globe , coming from an Ivy League education at Princeton University. After writing several revered pieces, Buck is hired for Global Weekly, a job that has been his dream for all his life. In Israel, he meets and interviews renowned scientist Chaim Rosenzweig, who has recently developed a formula that makes plant life grow in desert soil. Suddenly, an immense military strike against Israel commences and the entire nation stands on the brink of complete annihilation.
Left Behind: World at War is a 2005 American Christian thriller film and the third in the series of films based on the Left Behind book series. It was directed by Craig R. Baxley and produced by Cloud Ten Pictures. The film premiered in churches on October 21, 2005, before its release on DVD and VHS on October 25, 2005. It was based primarily on the last fifty pages of the 1996 novel Tribulation Force and is currently the concluding film in the Left Behind film series, as a new adaption of the first book was made and released on October 3, 2014.
Nicolae: The Rise of Antichrist is the third book in the Left Behind series. It was written by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins in 1997 and was published on Wednesday, October 1, of that year. It takes place 18–21 months into the Great Tribulation.
Soul Harvest: The World Takes Sides is the fourth book in the Left Behind series. It was written by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins in 1999. It takes place 21–27 months into the Tribulation.
Assassins: Assignment:Jerusalem, Target:Antichrist is the sixth book in the Left Behind series. It was written by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins in 1999. It was released in August 1999 and was on The New York Times Best Seller list for 39 weeks. It takes place 38–42 months into the Tribulation.
The Indwelling: The Beast Takes Possession is the seventh book in the Left Behind series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins, published in May 2000. It was on The New York Times Best Seller List for 35 weeks. It takes place 42 months into the Tribulation and at the end of the novel 3 days into the Great Tribulation.
The Mark: The Beast Rules the World is the eighth book in the Left Behind series. It was published in November 2000 by Tyndale House. It was on The New York Times Best Seller List for 32 weeks. It takes place 42 months into the Tribulation and 3–25 days into the Great Tribulation.
The Remnant: On the Brink of Armageddon is the tenth book in the Left Behind series written by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins and published in July 2002. It was on The New York Times Best Seller List for 19 weeks. It takes place from 43 months to 6 years into the Tribulation and a month to 2+1⁄2 years into the Great Tribulation.
Armageddon: The Cosmic Battle of the Ages is the 11th novel in the Left Behind series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins. It was first published in April 2003. It was on The New York Times Best Seller list for 20 weeks. It takes place 6–7 years into the Tribulation, 2+1⁄2 to 3+1⁄2 years into the Great Tribulation, and at the end of the novel the day of the Glorious Appearing.
Glorious Appearing: The End of Days is the 12th book in the Left Behind series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins. Released on Tuesday, March 30, 2004, this book sees the surviving believers awaiting the return of Jesus Christ as the war of Armageddon and the seven-year Tribulation period draws to its climax. It was on The New York Times Best Seller list for 22 weeks.
The Rising: Antichrist is Born/Before They Were Left Behind is the thirteenth novel in the Left Behind series and the first prequel. It was written by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins and published on Thursday, March 31, 2005. The hardback edition has the title and subtitle as The Rising: Before They Were Left Behind. It takes place 32–9 years before the Rapture.
The Rapture: In the Twinkling of an Eye/Countdown to the Earth's Last Days is the 3rd prequel novel in the Left Behind series, written by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins in 2006 and published by Tyndale House. This book is the final of the three prequels and covers events leading up to the first book Left Behind. The narrative of the novel The Rapture includes events that take place during the first chapters of Left Behind and provides a backdrop story for the book Left Behind. The book was released on Tuesday, June 6, 2006 (6/6/6), which is the Number of the Beast, a concept that plays a large part later in the series. It takes place from 14 months before to the day of the Rapture. For the week of June 19, 2006, Publishers Weekly ranked it the 10th best selling book in the U.S.
Left Behind: The Movie is a 2000 Christian apocalyptic thriller film, based on the novel of the same name by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins. It is directed by Vic Sarin and stars Kirk Cameron, Brad Johnson, Chelsea Noble, Janaya Stephens, Gordon Currie, and Clarence Gilyard.
Tribulation Force: The Continuing Drama of Those Left Behind (1996) is the second novel in the Left Behind series, by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins. It takes place from two weeks after the Rapture to 18 months into the Tribulation.
Left Behind: A Novel of the Earth's Last Days is a best-selling novel by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins that starts the Left Behind series. This book and others in the series give narrative form to a specific eschatological reading of the Christian Bible, particularly the Book of Revelation inspired by dispensationalism and premillennialism. It was released on Sunday, December 31, 1995. The events take place the day of the Rapture and the two weeks following.
Apollyon: The Destroyer Is Unleashed is the fifth book in the Left Behind series. It was written by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins in 1998. It was published on Monday, February 1, 1999, and was on The New York Times Best Seller List for 20 weeks. It takes place 27–38 months into the Tribulation.
Desecration: Antichrist Takes the Throne is the ninth book in the Left Behind series. It was published on Tuesday, October 30, 2001, by Tyndale House. It was on The New York Times Best Seller list for 19 weeks, and was the best selling novel in the world in 2001. It takes place 42–43 months into the Tribulation and 25 days to a month into the Great Tribulation.
Kingdom Come: The Final Victory is the sixteenth and final book of the Left Behind series, released on Tuesday, April 3, 2007. It takes place from the day after the Glorious Appearing to the last day of the Millennium.
Rayford Steele is a fictional character and the de facto protagonist in the Left Behind series of novels by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins. He is the leader of the group known as the Tribulation Force, and is the most fully developed character in the series.
Chloe Steele is a fictional character from the Left Behind series of novels by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins. Chloe was a junior at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California, during the vanishing of millions of people during the Rapture.
