Caravan to Egypt

CHAPTER 25

Lazarus seeks to find a caravan for himself, Yochanan, Yeshua, Miriam, and their children to accompany to Egypt, but no caravan master is willing to travel with a woman and children. Elohim sends a powerful dream to a Palestinian caravan master named Ibrahiim, opening his heart to allow the group of Hebrews to travel with one of his caravans led by his son, which is departing for Egypt the very next day.

 1 Some days after departing from Bethany, the travelers came to Gaza to seek out a caravan to accompany to Egypt. Yeshua and Miriam and Yochanan remained encamped outside of the town while Lazarus departed into the market to secure a position for them.

 2 As dusk fell upon the desert, Lazarus returned and said, “I spoke with two caravan masters of Judah, and neither will agree to journey across the Red Desert with a woman and children. The trip is always difficult, and since the Romans have conquered Egypt, there are fierce robbers in the desert and only caravans with speed and numbers have safety between the Roman outposts.”

 3 Then Yeshua invited everyone to pray with him, and they knelt upon the ground, Miriam beside Yeshua and the children on each side of them and Yochanan and Lazarus across from them, and they held hands in a circle of faith.

 4 And thus did Yeshua pray, “Almighty Father and Mother in Heaven, we thank you for bringing us together this day, to this place, that we might grow closer to one another and through our shared experiences come into your greater light. We seek safe passage to Egypt that we might bring to pass greater things in your name. If it be your will, we ask you to open the hearts of the masters of the caravans that there will be a place for us, that we might fulfill all that you would have us do.”

 5 And from time to time, Yeshua and each of his party, including the children, offered more prayers that day that they might have fulfillment of their righteous needs.

 6 As evening began to fall and they sat together for the evening meal, Lazarus asked Yeshua if God had given him yet any insights into their problem.

 7 And Yeshua said unto him, “Upon the rising Sun of the new day, journey again into Gaza and take Yochanan with you. On the water side of town, you will find a large white home with a tile roof, framed by two large date palms. There you will find a man by the name of Ibrahiim. When he sees you, he will know who you are and will help us to obtain passage with a caravan.”

 8 Lazarus was curious about the words which Yeshua spoke and he asked, “How will this be, for only I among us has been to Gaza. The name Ibrahiim says he is not of the faith of our fathers and I know no such Palestinian, and were I to know one, why would he give account to that which I desired?”

 9 Yeshua answered him, saying, “Tonight God shall send Ibrahiim a most powerful dream and in the morning when he arises, you will appear before him, and Yochanan shall be the life of his dream.”

 10 So it was that at the first break of the Sun in the darkness, Lazarus and Yochanan journeyed to the house of Ibrahiim as Yeshua had described. When they arrived, they were surprised by the large size of the home and by the two armed servants who barred entry at the gate.

 11 And Lazarus said, “Yeshua was wanting in his description, for he did not warn us that we would be coming to the house of a great merchant or need to contend with guards at the gate.”

 12 Nevertheless, Lazarus and Yochanan went forward to make entry, but they were barred by the servants at the gate and no amount of persuasion would alter their determination. And seeing the wild appearance of Yochanan, they were even more resolved to keep him from their master.

 13 Lazarus and Yochanan were about to leave when an elderly man leaned out and spoke from the window above and commanded his servants to allow them entrance into his home. With some astonishment, they did as he bade.

 14 Ibrahiim came down and met them in the entryway, and he was astounded to see Yochanan and said, “You are the very man of whom I have had a fitful night of dreams. Have you come to haunt me now while I am yet awake?”

 15 Yochanan politely replied, “No, kind sir, but tell me what is it that you dreamt?”

 16 And Ibrahiim said, “I saw you appear before me and a voice echoed all around me, commanding me to do as you bid. All through the night, I saw the crumbling of my wealth and of my home and of my trade, if I did not as you bid; and more dreadful, I saw the death of my only son who was attacked by thieves while on a caravan to Egypt.

 17 Then again, I saw the life of my son and the continued flourishing of my family if I did as you bid. But in my dream, I could never see what it was that you would have me do. I beseech you therefore to tell me, for never have I had such a dream; more powerful than life, it was.”

 18 Then Yochanan told unto Ibrahiim the purpose of their visit, and after hearing it, Ibrahiim quickly put the seal from his ring to a piece of papyrus and, handing it to Yochanan, said, “Surely God has a hand in this, for in truth, without such a portent as my dream, I would never allow Hebrews or a woman and children to journey with my caravan. But I know it must be God’s will; therefore, go to the departure point and seek out my son whose name is also Ibrahiim and give to him my seal, and he shall allow you to go with the caravan that departs soon to Egypt.”

 19 And it came to pass that Lazarus and Yochanan quickly made to return to the camp of Yeshua, but were met along the road by Miriam walking beside the donkeys with the children and Yeshua leading the camels, for Yeshua already knew of the success of their meeting at the house of Ibrahiim.

 20 Around midday, they met Ibrahiim, the son of Ibrahiim, and without regard to the seal, he disbelieved that his father would allow Hebrews or a woman and children to accompany the caravan; therefore, he sent a messenger back to the house of his father to determine the truth of this unusual circumstance.

 21 Shortly thereafter, the messenger returned with a command from his father to take the Hebrews with him and see to it that they were well cared for. Only then did he reluctantly agree.

 22 Thus, it was that Yeshua and his family and friends found passage with a small caravan to Egypt in which was counted forty-two camels and drivers, fifteen guards, plus Yeshua and his kin.

 23 And from the moment the caravan departed Gaza on the rise of the next sun, Ibrahiim did fret because of the Hebrews who accompanied them and the slowness he imagined they caused to the caravan.