Threshold of Evidence

By Rick Smail

Threshold of Evidence will challenge you as you read about the changes that take place in three men and their families in the first century A.D. Witness the impact that one life had on them as well as the world around them. The choices that each are faced with will bring you to a decision as well.

You will relate to the characters and see the plan of God change their viewpoint, and challenge their tradition.

Filled with suspense and the miraculous, you will finish the book as a different person than began.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Oct 12, 2016
• ISBN: 9781512758276

Rick Smail

Rick Smail has been a pastor for 30 years and traveled to many nations of the world in Leadership Conferences and Crusades. He and his wife Terrie have seen lives changed by the gospel. A graduate of Christ for the Nations Institute in Dallas Texas, Rick currently pastors New Life Church in Rochester Indiana. The Smails have been married 39 years and have two children and 5 grandchildren.

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Copyright © 2016 Rick Smail.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

WestBow Press

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

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ISBN: 978-1-5127-5829-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-5828-3 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-5827-6 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2016915950

WestBow Press rev. date: 10/12/2016

Contents

Chapter 1 The Priest And The Shepherd

Chapter 2 Fulfillment And Change

Chapter 3 Tragedy Strikes

Chapter 4 Revenge And Forgiveness

Chapter 5 Life And Balance

Chapter 6 Child Of Wisdom

Chapter 7 Friends And Family

Chapter 8 The Jordan Incident

Chapter 9 The Winds Of Change

Chapter 10 Dying Words

Chapter 11 A Reckoning

Chapter 12 The Arrest

Chapter 13 The Trial

Chapter 14 Threshold Of Evidence

Epilogue

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

In the years I have known my wife, Terrie, she has been the inspiration, anchor, and love of my life. I cannot imagine life without her. She brings joy to everyone she meets. I thank God for giving me such a gift. Terrie Smail, thanks for the journey that keeps getting better.

To Lorraine Townsend, who is now with Jesus, thank you for leading me to the threshold!

I would also like to thank God for men like Dr. John Shiver, Tom Squashic, Bill Foy, John McLellan, and Thomas Price for their indelible stamp on my life. They are real men of God that stepped over the threshold. Thank you.

For my congregation at New Life Church in Rochester, Indiana—the best church with real Christians and the best I have ever known—thank you for the opportunity to serve you; I am forever grateful for your example and love.

And to the Holy Spirit—my Lord, my guide, and my life that has always been there since the field where I came to my own threshold; thank you for leading me to the door of life!

INTRODUCTION

After reading Threshold of Evidence, you will never be able to read the Gospels the same way again. Rick Smail has created a fictionalized account of what very well could have taken place during Jesus’s time on the earth that will leave the reader with a new revelation of who Jesus is. It is the story of three men from completely different backgrounds whose lives intersect through the sovereignty of God. The story’s unifying element is the life of Jesus, which spanned approximately thirty-three years, and how it touched and changed each of the three men.

Surely there are those who are in heaven today who must have shared similar real-life experiences as the characters portrayed in this book. As the book unfolds, you will identify with the emotions these people had as they grapple to understand and know Jesus as well as to accept Him for who He really is. You will also have a new appreciation for the length of time that elapsed while Jesus was on the earth—significantly longer than it takes to casually read through Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. When you are finished with this book, you will see Jesus and yourself in a new way!

One word of warning about this book: Once you begin reading, you will not be able to put it down until you finish! Millions, if not billons, of people stand on the threshold between life and death. I pray that God will use Threshold of Evidence as a tool to bring many into the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and into an intimate relationship with Him.

—John D. Shiver, MDiv, MAR, ThD

CHAPTER 1

THE PRIEST AND THE SHEPHERD

T he night sky above him was a full canopy of stars; their brilliance lit the field with a soft hue, making the landscape come alive. His eyes drank in the view with a thirst driven by excitement for life. His zeal was contagious to his family and friends. Oh, what a privilege it was to be alive. He breathed deeply, as if to ingest the night, which energized him.

Elazar was a shepherd. He had been doing this long enough to become really good at his trade and was now an owner of the sheep as well. With ownership came great responsibility. The light from the heavens caused the hills surrounding him to stand like sentries over the landscape. The darkness of their silhouettes in the sky always fascinated him. How long had these hills stood watch over the plains? What was it that caused the earth to reach for the sky in some places and run from the horizon in others? Creation had many mysteries, and he was thrilled to be part of it. He knew every cubit of this area. The trees, rugged-looking and gnarled, surrounded the area he had chosen to bed down for the night. He was accustomed to this kind of life, and it actually brought him great contentment. No one could build a mansion as beautiful as this valley. From the giant boulders to the trees that jutted up from the ground, the beauty of creation caused him to take pause and reflect. He never grew tired of looking at it and even though it was dark and sight was not easy, the recent sunset, along with the first stars to shine, brought great joy to his heart. He stretched and yawned. He was well aware that it had been a long, strenuous day since arising before the sun. Although the ground was hard, it was a welcome respite as he readied himself for much-needed rest.

Elazar’s hair fell around his shoulders as he stretched again, and his strong arms reached for his staff. Yes, today was long and arduous, not unlike the many that came before this. God had blessed him with health and strength, for which he was thankful. At eighteen years old, he was not a stranger to the labor of shepherding and had been trained by his father to work hard with his hands. Few men his age were as strong, and his muscular frame held little fat. The lifestyle of a shepherd contributed to his strength.

The sheep in his care were his main concern, and he gladly took the responsibility to care for, guard, and lead them. After getting the sheep to a suitable pasture, his job was lonely, with no one to talk to and little work to do, but because of this, his days and nights were filled with meditation and thoughts of God. Over the years, he had developed a deep relationship with God, talking to Him as one who talks with an intimate friend. At times, he thought he could hear the voice of God; other times, although heaven seemed silent, his thoughts were filled with the wonders of God, and Elazar sought Him with his whole heart. During the ferocious dust storms and torrential rains, he could sense the safe presence of God; on bright days and moonlit nights, he rejoiced at the goodness of God.

He lived in Bethlehem, a small community of a few hundred people just five miles southwest of Jerusalem. It offered intimacy with friends and family as well as easy access to the temple, a place Elazar loved to go. Life in Bethlehem was another great joy for him. There was something special about growing up where everyone knew your name and looked out for one another. Lifelong friendships were commonplace, and crime was rare.

The only conflicts came when the ruling Romans tried to encroach on their way of life. Yes, Rome conquered Israel many years ago, and little could be done about that now. Revolts were squelched quickly, and punishment was swift. Without a doubt, Rome was in charge; that could be seen daily, and it went without saying that those who attempted to challenge the government met a violent end. Not content with just governing their conquered foes, Rome exercised its authority more and more in the daily lives of Elazar and his countrymen. Slave like demands were put on them from the occupying forces of the Roman army, and this insistence of using the Jew as a slave angered Elazar. The world was Rome’s, but the price of that rule weighed heavily as, little by little, the Jews’ freedoms were taken away. No one wanted freedom more than Elazar, but he realized the futility of resistance. What Israel needed was a king—one who could gather the men of Israel and win over their enemies as in the days of old.

The temple of God in Jerusalem attracted people from all over the world, and it was so close by that he could travel there in just over an hour. The temple represented Israel like nothing else because it was its very identity. Although it had been two thousand years, the faith of the Jews was strong—a very religious people who feared their God and had paid a great price to follow Him. They were torn from their land, conquered by foes, and forced to live under tyranny more years than they were free. But when the temple was built in their beloved Jerusalem, a great faith and pride arose in the nation. Finally, God would send the deliverer!

Elazar’s family relied on the selling of sheep for the people’s sacrifices at the temple. They also sold the wool at the market. On these market days, it was a familiar sight to see the grandeur of the temple as Elazar approached Jerusalem. It always struck him with awe. He was living in the shadow of history, for he, along with many, believed the time was drawing near for his people’s freedom. From the time of his studies as a child, his excitement grew, knowing that he was blessed to be a Jew born in this time and for this day. He truly believed that even though he now led a simple life of a shepherd, when he was called upon, he would contribute whatever was necessary for his people and his God. Of all the times to be born, he felt as if this time would change the course of the world. After all, there were promises about the nation of Israel that had not yet come to pass; the holy scrolls depicted Israel experiencing God as the source of everything they needed to prosper and flourish. That day could come none too soon for Elazar; he got so excited about the things of God. He would often speak to his father far into the night, asking questions that would send him into long explanations, and Elazar drank it all in. He was a zealous young man and was anxious to be accepted as a responsible adult.

Unlike others, Elazar knew what he wanted to do at an early age. He took to shepherding almost as if he was born with the skill. At the age of eight, he often volunteered to stay with the sheep with one of his older brothers. He could remember being soaked to the skin, trying to move the sheep to higher ground because of the rain, and not complaining, even though the exposure had made him violently ill. By the time he was twelve, he was given the full responsibility of a shepherd, and he welcomed that challenge. He approached life with zeal and pleasure, counting himself blessed to be a part of a loyal, loving family. The tradition to follow in your father’s footsteps was older than the hills his eyes beheld—it was part of the eternal truths of Jehovah, and one that he never regretted. Loyalty to family and honoring tradition were ingrained in him. To do anything less would shame his family—something he would never do. His plans did not include doing anything else with his life except to be content with a wife and his own business—shepherding. Yes, he knew there was little esteem for his work, but he also knew that many people depended on what he did and that their livelihoods were all connected. His was a happy life, one filled with hard work, but the times of solitude without another human being anywhere in sight were the times that deeply satisfied Elazar. Being alone gave him much time to contemplate and reflect. Very aware that his life would pass quickly, Elazar was someone who drew every ounce out of every day. He was beyond thankful to be alive and saw it as a gift that he never took for granted. Yes, there was much to live for and much to experience, and his attitude was one of expectancy and excitement.

In the familiar comfort of the night that surrounded him, Elazar’s thoughts went back to when he was first left alone with the sheep. It was in the summer of his fifteenth year when he worked as an apprentice with his father. This was a great honor, for he could have been an apprentice under one of his brothers. To be picked by his father assured him a place of respect, one that would give him his own herd and allow him financial security—a rare feat in those days. Many days and nights were spent listening to the age-bought wisdom of his father as he offered answers to Elazar’s insatiable hunger for knowledge. He never tired of listening and was grateful for such a privilege. In a world fraught with danger, his father stood out as a man of integrity and honor. He watched as his father did business with many people, and not once had he ever witnessed anything other than honesty. Elazar’s father was fair in all business dealings but was not one to be trifled with either. He witnessed his father catching a man who tried to steal his sheep; it was a beating that Elazar would never forget, yet he watched as his father accompanied the thief to a physician to attend to his wounds.

Whenever he had questions about life or whenever he needed guidance, he went straight to his father. There was no question that his father always had his best interest at heart and would never give bad advice. It was this kind of relationship that caused Elazar to grow in maturity more quickly than his peers. Total trust and love between father and son was obvious, and when his father talked, Elazar always listened, for he knew the great gift he had in his father.

In the fall of his fifteenth year, Elazar got a chance to see what he could do; he was asked to take sheep to a pasture that was a full day’s journey away from the land of his family. He was to go alone and was excited about the opportunity to prove himself to his father and brothers. He left at midday with many encouraging words. He remembered making it to an enclosure for the night just as the sun was going down, causing lengthening shadows and a bright-red glow that lit up the valley. The first night alone could have been one of insecurity, but instead, it was the best he had ever felt; he was up for this. He began the task of counting the sheep as they entered the fold, as the enclosure was called, when he heard a distinct grunting. On the crest of the hill about one hundred yards away was the silhouette of a bear. He was huge and pawed the ground, growling loudly. Elazar looked at the form and could see it approaching slowly at first, then quickening its pace. The bear’s determination to attack the sheep was obvious, and there seemed to be no fear in