Johann Quisumbing

An Adventure Story of Yeshua bar Yosef by JQuisumbing

We pick up the story by going back a week. The setting is around 30 AD, in the village of Nazareth, the district of Galilee.

Yeshua knew he was different. Unlike the other two carpenters in his district, he never turned over any furniture he built unless it was 100 percent complete. His brothers, both slightly younger than him, would argue with him that he should not waste time especially on the parts of the build that the client never sees anyway. But he would not have any of it. 

“Every piece of furniture requires his utmost best,” he said to them as he finished filling in the last of the bore holes with putty made from sawdust and the sap of a cypress tree in the underside of the neighbor’s kitchen table. The table was worn out and originally was brought into his workshop with a broken leg. Now, his neighbor is getting back a practically new table.

“Yeshua, Yeshua,” ran in a boy of eight excitedly saying, “Elijah the Prophet has returned!”

“Take a breath, Elliar,” Yeshua said smiling. “What are you talking about?”

“I was playing near the south gate when I overheard some of the elders talking about a man in the Jericho district. I heard them say that he was a Naza… Nazir…???”

“You mean, a Nazarite,” completed Yeshua.

“Yes! Yeshua, I’ve heard that word na… zzz… a… rite… before from the rabbi. What does it mean?”

“Well, in the third book of Moses, he gave instructions to the people about any man or woman of Israel who would take a vow of dedication to the Lord. The dedication will involve them to not drink wine or any other fermented drink. During the entire period of their vow, no razor may be used on their head. They must be holy until the period of their dedication to the Lord is over. So, their hair usually grow very long.” ¹ 

“Yes, yes! The elders were… ah… were…”, Elliar’s eyes were squinting, trying to find the right word while both his hands were poking his midriff.

“Gesturing…”

“Oh yes! They were gesturing that the man had very long hair and beard down to here…”, he was pointing down to his navel, “… and he wore a hairy coat from the hide of a camel. This is why I think it is Elijah. In the Scriptures, he was described to be the same. What do you think, Yeshua? Ah… Yeshua?”

But Yeshua did not hear. He was lost in the words of the Prophet Malachi who lived some 400 years ago. Malachi was also the last prophet that the Lord Adonai spoke to.

‘I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple, Even the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight. Behold, He is coming,’ says the LORD of hosts.² 

‘Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.’³

“Umm… Yeshua?”

“I heard you, Elliar,” he said. “I just remembered the words of a prophet concerning the coming of Elijah.”

“I wish I can remember the Holy Writings like the way you do.”

Yeshua laughed goodnaturedly and said, “You will, Elliar. If you believe in the Lord and practice speaking your Talmud everyday. Now, come and help me carry this table next door. I must go to the gate and have a word with the elders.”

That afternoon, he went to see his mother.

“Imma,⁴ the time has come that I must be about My Father’s business.” 

Concern was written all over her face and she looked like she was about to ask him how he knew. So, Yeshua explained about what he heard from the elders about the man preaching and baptizing in the Jordan River.

“I believe it is Yohanan bar Zechariah.”

“My son, how can you be so sure?”

“Because when the one who was baptizing was asked who he was, his answer was ‘a voice of one crying in the wilderness’. It is Yohanan.” 

“Yes, it is him. I still recall the words of Zechariah when he said, ‘And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him.’ ⁵  When will you go, my son?”

“I leave in the morning.”

Footnotes: [1] Numbers 6; [2] Malachi 3:1; [3] Malachi 4:5; [4] Mother or Mom; [5] Luke 1:76  

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