Johann Quisumbing

An Adventure Story of Yeshua bar Yosef by JQuisumbing

In my last posting, Yeshua was encamped in a box canyon at the edge of the Judean Wilderness reminiscing on his childhood past. To end chapter 1, let us go back about a week to Nazareth, 16 miles west of the Sea of Galilee. Yeshua found out that his cousin Yohanen, also called the Baptizer, was making himself known in the Jericho district. He knew that his time was close.

Warbling sparrows flew high overhead straight toward the trees. Yeshua knew they were flying to their nests, signaling that dusk was near. He was close to a favorite site that he had often visited. Clearing through some coarse brush, he stepped out on a high bluff overlooking the far flung valley of Jezreel. On that jagged precipice, he casts his sights toward the southeast. As far as his eyes could see, he could just make out through the haze a distant mountainous horizon. On the other side of that range is the depressed valley of the Jordan River. According to the talk of the elders by the gates, Yohanan, a cousin that he had never met, can be found in the Jericho region. 

The quickest route would be to head south but then he would be traveling through Samaritan territory. He would love to traverse through that region which once belonged to the tribe of Manasseh. One particular city he had in mind was near the well dug by the patriarch, Jacob. But because there was a cultural strife between the Jews and the Samaritans, traveling through their territory may not be a good idea at this time. Not yet, anyway. 

Yeshua set his eyes to the east. At the far side of the valley below him, about 5 miles away, is Mount Tabor. He has a cousin on his mother’s side who lives in a village there. He probably will arrange with any one of tradesmen that transports their wares to the Decapolis city of Pella on the east bank of the Jordan. From there, he will follow the caravan tracks south. Visibility of the land waned as the sun disappeared into the west. Besides the stars, the only thing he could see out on the darkened valley were several scattered dots of campfires. Tomorrow, he leaves.

Yeshua had been traveling for about 3 days. Fortunately, he rode at the back of a cart on the last fifteen miles of his journey. He spent the night under a palm tree near where he forded the great river. 

The next day, he got up early to seek out where Yohanan, who they call the Baptist, was preaching and baptizing. This was not too difficult, for all he had to do was follow a great number of people who were all going the same direction. He followed them up the river for a couple miles where it branched off. Then he saw him, standing waist deep in water, immersing a man underwater. 

Yohanan was not very tall and by the look of his leather sash tightly wound around his gaunt figure, the stories of him starving himself with just a diet of locust and honey seem accurate. Yeshua could not help but smile. With his wild and hairy look, he did look like the legendary Prophet Elijah.

Yohanan let the immersed man up. Then, he approached the shore and said, “As I have stated before, you must produce fruit in keeping with repentance.”

Someone in the crowd asked, “How?”

While another called out, “What should we do?” 

Yohanan answered, “Remember those who are in dire need. Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.”

“Teacher, I am a tax collector,” said a man in rich clothing. Voices hissed and heckled at him from the back. Yohannan gestured for the voices to be silenced. “I am despised by the people. What should I do?”

“In every nation, taxes are needed. So, do not collect any more than you are required to.” 

Then some soldiers came forward to the water’s edge. One of them asked, “And what of us?”

“Do not extort money and do not accuse people falsely… and one other thing… Be content with your pay.”

“Who shall come forward and repent?”, he invited. Another man went to him and he led him out to waste deep water.

As they were out there, Yeshua dropped his bundle and removed his outer garment then went into the water and started to wade his way out to him. He wondered if Yohanan would know that they were cousins, though they had never met. The immersed man came up and made his way back to the shore. As Yohanan was about to invite the next person, he stopped short and sighted Yeshua just feet away. His hand then clutched where his heart was and his eyes widened. He began to kneel.

“Do not bend a knee, cousin,” Yeshua said quietly. “I have traveled a long way to be baptized by you.”

Confusion was written all over his face. Then he replied, “It is I that needs to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” 

He’s right, Yeshua thought. If he is the Messiah, as the angel that visited his mother indicated, then he does not need to confess or repent. But yet he knew he had to be here and Yohanan had to do what he was tasked to do. 

“Allow it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” ¹

Yohanan nodded. He cradled the back of Yeshua’ head with one hand and placed his other hand on his chest. Then, Yeshua felt himself tilted backward and lowered into the water. Then Yohanan lifted his head out of the water and as Yeshua wiped his face of water, he was suddenly surrounded by light. Yohanan backed away with his eyes wide open. Yeshua heard fluttering wings and out of the corner of his eye he could just make out a white dove hovering over him. One image came into mind and it was the dove that brought good news to Noah after 150 days floating in the ark. The only thing missing was an olive branch. Then he heard an echoing voice from above.

“Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.” ² 

He closed his eyes and felt the great warmth that came from those words. It was the voice of Father in Heaven.

Yeshua rose up and stepped outside his shelter. He casted his eyes upon the majestic sight of the milky way with the moon just peaking above the horizon. A shooting star streaked across the night sky and he tracked its flight until it fizzled out. He heard a sound nearby. By the little light of the rising moon, he made out 2 jackals sitting on their haunches with their tongues out. They showed no fear. Yeshua smiled, then nodded his head to them. The jackals then got up, with their black tails wagging, they moved off and disappeared in the darkness. Yeshua turned back into his shelter and into his blanket. As he laid down, he thought back to where he left off.

Coming out of the river, he realized that what happened was not noticed by the crowd. Donning his robe and picking up his bundle, a few in the crowd demanded of Yohanan if he was the one promised.

Yohanan looked at him for a long while then he faced them and answered, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” ³ 

Yeshua heard no more because he left the vicinity of the Jordan River and was compelled to head south deep into the Judean Wilderness where he knew he would be tested for 40 days.

---

Just before sleep took him, he wanted to ask why, throughout his childhood into manhood, did his Heavenly Father not speak to him until he came out of the water that morning. The answer rang clear in his mind like he had always known the answer.

‘As all human beings share in flesh and blood, thou likewise share in the same. As they have to know Me through Scriptures, then thou too shared the same… until the right time had come.’ ⁴ 

He was content and fell asleep. 

Footnote: [1] Dialogue based on Luke 3:7-18; [2] Luke 3:22; [3] Luke 3:16-18; [4] based on Philippians 2:6-8

In my next posting, we will start at chapter 2 where Yeshua will be tested in the wilderness.

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