Nearly two decades earlier, the tiny town of Auburn was transformed by the presence of a quiet, humble carpenter named Joshua. With gentle actions of love and words of peace, this mysterious man had a profound influence upon everyone he met. Since then, however, many of Joshua's friends have passed away, and a generation has grown up not knowing him. And as the new millennium approaches, some have begun to get anxious, even panicked, about what God intends for them. Amid this atmosphere of uncertainty, Joshua returns to reassure the people of Auburn by reminding them of the lessons he left them years before. He explains that God is love, not a monster intent on punishing them. But when an immense earthquake and other "signs of the apocalypse" seem to abound, Joshua realizes that his wisdom must reach beyond this small town to help the rest of the world.