The series was inspired by real events from the end of the 19th century, a time when many people left Europe to find a better life abroad. The story revolves around a number of struggling families from northern Sweden who share a strong Christian belief in the impending end of the world. After a long journey, these families choose to settle on the outskirts of Jerusalem, where they take up farming and build a new future, waiting for Judgement Day. A series of claimed visions only add to the difficulty of life in their adopted country, and with growing hardship and the loss of family members, some in the group decide to return to Sweden, while others stay.