A Life Renewed

CHAPTER 12

Yeshua leaves the community of Gimron with his uncle, Abraham. Staying at an inn for the night on their return, they happen to cross paths with the same man, Dryhus, whom they had encountered on the way to Gimron, but he is now a very different man. Dryhus introduces Yeshua to his son, Teoma, who expresses his gratitude for the change Yeshua wrought in his father’s life, which has brought fulfillment and happiness back into his life and the lives of his family.

 1 And it came to pass that Abraham came to Gimron to return Yeshua to his parents in Nazareth, and he again imparted a small portion of the treasure of the Magi to the community that they might maintain Yochanan until such time as he was ready to leave, this despite the fact that Yochanan worked diligently in the fields to produce food and assisted in creating the perfume of Gimron, which the community used in trade.

 2 Now Abraham remained with Yeshua and Yochanan for some days at Gimron that he could have a full account from the Elders of Yeshua’s sojourn among them so that he could relate it to Yosef and Miryam and their kinsfolk in Nazareth.

 3 The three high priests of Gimron had mixed feelings about Yeshua, and they were quick to add Yochanan as well.

 4 And Tobiah, the high priest whom Yeshua had saved, said unto Abraham, “They are most peculiar boys. They both have good heads, and it would seem that Yeshua forgets nothing. But in truth, they have been very trying on us, for they question everything, even the very correct answers to the questions they have asked.

 5 They speak when they should be silent, and when given permission to talk, they say a great many more words than are necessary.

 6 They are hard workers when we can get them to stay in the village and work, and they have always met the quotas of work and study we have assigned unto them, but not always in a timely manner, for they often disappear to explore the emptiness in the wilderness; we suppose to commune with the lizards, but in truth we know not what draws them to the barrenness.”

 7 The priest said a great deal more, both favorable and critical of Yeshua and Yochanan, and once they had concluded, Abraham gave them additional coins of silver that they might continue to keep Yochanan and train him in strictness, despite the disruptiveness of his spirit.

 8 When the time finally came for Yeshua and Yochanan to part, it was almost more than either could bear, so great was their brotherly love one for another. And among all the people, only Yochanan knew that Yeshua was chosen of God in a way beyond that which any man had ever been chosen. And as he embraced him one last time, he whispered into his ear, “When next we meet, I shall acknowledge you, my Lord.”

 9 And Yeshua answered, “And I shall acknowledge you, my brother; the prophet of Elohim.”

 10 After saying good-bye to Yochanan, Yeshua and Abraham began to make their journey back to Nazareth. As they traveled, Abraham told Yeshua all that had occurred in Nazareth while he had been away. And Yeshua related to him many of the wonders he had discovered and learned in Gimron. But of all that had been revealed by God to him and Yochanan, he said nothing.

 11 And it came to pass as they journeyed back to Nazareth that they passed through the forest of date palms along the river Jordan and stopped for a night in the town of Shiloh, for Abraham desired to see a merchant there, and for a roof, they retired to a humble inn.

 12 As they were taking their evening meal at a crude table, a merchant and his son, who was older than Yeshua, came in and asked to sit beside them, as it was the only available place.

 13 Abraham readily agreed, but soon regretted his kindness when he realized the merchant was the very man with whom Yeshua had painfully divisive words about the donkey when they had first traveled to Gimron.

 14 Seeing this, Abraham grabbed Yeshua by the front of his tunic that he might pull him up and make quick haste to depart. But before Yeshua could stand, the man named Dryhus leaped to his feet and, pointing at Yeshua, exclaimed in a high voice, “It is you!”

 15 Yeshua looked upon him with great calm and Abraham with great apprehension, fearing the worst. But lifting Yeshua to his feet, Dryhus gave him a warm embrace and, pointing to his son, said unto him, “Behold my son, Teoma, who was lost to me for many years because of my wickedness, but now is found because of my light, which blessing you caused me to know.”

 16 Then turning to his son, he said, “This is the youth I have spoken about in whom the spirit of God flows like the faithful river Jordan.”

 17 Teoma came over to Yeshua and embraced him and said unto him, “Words can never tell of the gratitude my family has to you. My father never ceases to speak of the day upon the river when his life was worthless and you came and gave it value again. I do not understand how all this can be, but I know that before that day, because of the iniquities of my father, my mother and brothers and sisters were no better off than the rats of the refuse.

 18 Our father had abandoned us and left us with nothing and so angered our relatives that we had but crumbs from their tables.

 19 When our days seemed numbered upon the land, we prayed as a family, my mother and brothers and sisters and I, to the Almighty God, such as we had never prayed before. We asked with the most contrite hearts for God to deliver us.

 20 Three days later, our father returned home. But it was not the man that had left or the man anyone had ever known, but a new man filled with the spirit of God and desiring only to do good with his life.

 21 From that day forth, our fortunes changed, and today my father is a respected merchant, and my mother and brothers and sisters have again a good roof over their heads and bellies that are full.

 22 I just thought you might like to know the good that came from that day.”

 23 Yeshua was greatly moved by the words of Teoma and again embraced both him and his father and said unto them, “The path of light is sweet, even as the path of darkness is bitter. Having known the dregs of bitterness and now tasted the cream of sweetness, let us give thanks for the mercies of God, who ever loves the repentant sinner and blesses those who live with virtue.”

 24 And there in the little inn, in the town of Shiloh, they prayed together until their hearts were touched, one by another, and they were lifted up in their spirits and saw the Celestine Light of God about them and felt the Holy Spirit of Elohim swelling in their hearts.