Johann Quisumbing

An Adventure Story of Yeshua bar Yosef by JQuisumbing

“Master, I am confused,” Nethanel said, as he put another piece of wood into the fire. “I am not sure I understood your lesson to Chuza. Scripture has stated that the Lord will certainly require lifeblood from every person, from every man as his brother I will require the life of a person. Whoever sheds human blood, by man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of God he was made.¹ But then, by the same reason that Cain was made in His image, Adonai spared him his deserved fate. Is it not a contradiction?”

“From a human perspective, it may seem so. Do any of you want to help Nethanel with this?” His disciples looked at each other, but no one wanted to commit. He smiled at them. “Very well,” he said, chuckling. “Mariam, can you see where Nethanel’s father is right at this moment?”

“I can go fetch him for you, rabbi,” she said, standing up.

“No, no,” he gestured to her to keep seated. “I asked if you can see him from here.” Mariam shook her head. “Nethanel, what is your father doing at this very moment?”

“He is probably getting ready for…” 

“No, I am not asking you to guess. Use your eyes or ears.” Nethanel shrugged, indicating that he didn’t know. Then, he asked everyone, “What is preventing Mariam and Nethanel from giving me an accurate answer?”

Philippos stood and said, “The walls of the house!”

“Yes! What can we conclude?”

“We cannot see everything,” said Shimon. “So, we cannot know for sure.”

Yeshua nodded and placed his finger on his nose. “Who can?”

“The Lord Adonai!” said practically everyone around the fire.

“So, let us go back to Nethanel’s original question. What if there was a contradiction? I mean, the Almighty purposely going against His own declaration! What would this say about Him?” Before anybody could say a word, Yeshua had his hand up and said, “It would be UNTHINKABLE! Imagine a world where Adonai doesn’t care about keeping His word. Think of Him callously abandoning His promise on a whim.”

Yeshua was trying very hard not to laugh out loud as he observed the worried looks on his followers’ faces. “Oh, ho ho ho… if you can see your own faces, right this moment. Be at ease. It is all too IMPOSSIBLE for my Father in Heaven to be other than good and righteous. Remember His words to Moses even after the Israelites abased themselves to a golden calf. ‘I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the LORD before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion to whom I will show compassion.’²  But do not think that the Lord Adonai will not hold to account those who do evil. Scriptures show this time and time again.” 

“As to what I said to Chuza that ‘Adonai causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous,’³ my point to him was that He shows no favoritism. No man is better than the other. Chuza and men like him, may seem to be blessed, but if you look closely enough, you would more than likely find the opposite.” 

It was quiet around the fire for a long while. Nethanel mouthed something in silence, then he nodded to himself. He was confused no more. 

“One thing. All of you are going to hear me use these words often. ‘Those who have ears, LISTEN!’⁴ Take this to heart.” He stood up. “Yuda, let us take the women back to the house. The rest of you, get some rest, for if I know my mother, we all will be quite busy. Shalom.”

Half way through the village, Yuda held him back as the three women went ahead to the house of his mother’s cousin. 

“Brother?” 

“Yes, Yuda.”

“Tonight is the first time that I have ever heard you teach like that before. I grew up over hearing what Abba and Imma whispered about you and ah… Well… maybe… I should start calling you, Rabbi.”

Yeshua saw that his youngest brother was serious. Then, without giving any warning, he quickly threw his arm around him for a head lock against his middle. He started to vigorously rub his brother’s curly-haired head. They were both laughing and tussling with each other until they both ended on the ground. When they finished, Yuda nodded and went into the house. Yeshua looked up at the night sky, then walked until he reached the hill that overlooked the village.

Peering up unto the starry night, he said quietly, “Thank You, Abba.”

TO BE CONTINUED

Footnotes: [1] Genesis 9:5-6; [2] Exodus 33:19; [3] Matthew 5:45; [4] Matthew 13:9   

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