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Andrew pays a visit to Catherine, an 88-year-old woman who lost her
husband in WWII. She has since lost her youth as well as her faith in
her children and grandchildren. All except for one that is: her
grandson, Paul. She shows Andrew a copy of the Memoirs of Nehemiah,
an ancient document pointing out the hiding place of the Ark of the
Covenant. After this revelation, she secures his promise to take it
to the post office and ship it to Paul, who is away at school.
Meanwhile, Tess, Monica, and Gloria are floating around Paul’s campus
eager to get started on their next assignment. Andrew arrives and
tells them what he saw. Gloria masquerades as a student to infiltrate
Paul’s history class. Here, she meets Thomas, a history professor
with a zeal for Ark-lore. Later on Paul stops by Thomas’ office with
the Memoirs of Nehemiah. He thinks it might “be something important”,
because his grandfather traveled extensively in the Middle East during
the war. Thomas assures him that it’s nothing, but becomes a bundle
of excitement the moment Paul leaves. At a faculty party that
evening, Monica poses as one of the people who gave Thomas his book
grant. Thomas is furious. He can’t show her anything of his book,
because he spent all of the money and time devoted to it, on yet
another trip to find the Ark. Gloria crashes the party, and eagerly
gives Thomas a hint about the Ark that she found in the Bible. Now
Thomas has all of the pieces. He immediately plans another trip to
the Temple Mount, which Monica talks her way into being a part of.
Gloria and Andrew will tag along. Later, at the base of Mount Nebo,
Thomas uses all of his clues to pinpoint the location the correct
cave. Andrew remains at base camp while the others continue on. At
the entrance to the cave, they encounter Micah, who bids them “Stop in
the name of Almighty God!” Thomas draws a concealed pistol, and
threatens to shoot Micah. Micah backs off. They continue on, but
Gloria breaks her glasses and is forced to stay behind with Micah.
Monica and Thomas continue on, leaping obstacles and squeezing through
cracks, until they are forced into some running water deep
underground. Thomas loses his compass, but insists that they go on.
Meanwhile, Gloria tells Micah of what is going on in the world, and he
teaches her to sing. Back in the caves, Thomas reveals the real
reason for his obsession. He
was looking for the Ark years before, his wife came to visit, and she
died in a cab crash on the way to the airport. He must find the Ark
so that her death will have meant something. They come to what
appears to be a dead end, but Thomas finds an inscription, which
Monica translates as “You are standing on Holy Ground”. Thomas gets
very excited, throws down his equipment, and begins to hack away at
the wall with his pickaxe. Thomas breaks through to discover a veil
obscuring an altar on which the Ark sits. Micah is there with a
sword, he reveals himself as an Angel set to guard the Ark. He turns
to Monica, who is gone. When he turns back to Micah; Gloria, Monica,
Tess, and Andrew are at his side. They all glow, and begin a
revelation. They tell him what the Ark means, and why it is hidden,
and that the time isn’t right for it to be taken from this place. If
he wants the vessel of the Lord, he already has it, because He travels
in our hearts. Thomas rails against them. The Ark begins to glow,
and the Light is the love of God. Thomas is a changed man. He
returns home, content, and tells Paul that his Grandmother sent him a
treasure.
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