Behold The Man

By Michael Beauchamp

Two thousand years ago one man stepped into history and turned everything we knew - or thought we knew about God on it's head. People flocked around Him for many reasons, some loved Him - the majority hated Him, but all felt His effect on their lives, and still do!

Wars have been fought in His name. People have been blessed in His name, while others have cursed His name! Who was this Man?

He was born in a tiny village in an obscure country and into a poor family, yet today He is known throughout the world.

Take a walk with Him through these pages and let Him take you through that countryside with its unique beliefs, rituals, and temperaments. Experiance His joys and his disappointments, His love and His anger, and come to see the deeper meanings behind His teachings and His parables

This first novel by Michael Beauchamp takes you on an epic journey with this Man - Jesus, beginning at the promise of the birth of John the Baptist, right up to the last breath of this Jesus - the Man that even changed the way that history is measured! 

 

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Michael Beauchamp
• Release date: Jan 11, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224746934

Book preview

BEHOLD THE MAN!

Michael Beauchamp

I

You should not be making this journey at your age! Elizabeth murmured emphatically into his chest as they embraced in the grey air of early morning.

Zechariah stepped back and held her at arm’s length , whispering soothingly, You worry too much  my dove, these few kilometres are not a burden. I will take my time and still reach the temple before midday; I will be fine. You just take care of yourself in the week that I am away. Then he gently pulled her to his chest giving her a reassuring squeeze.

The sun had not yet risen over the little town of Ein-Kerem nestled in the Judean foothills approximately seven kilometres from Jerusalem, and Zechariah could already feel the warmth in the air, and he knew it was going to be one of those perfect spring days but just warm enough to make his journey to Jerusalem an uncomfortable one.

But no matter, he would take his time and enjoy the unique beauty of the Judean countryside in all its diversity, from forests of pine to terraced hills upon which grew olive trees, wheat, barley, date palms, vines, and fig trees – God ‘s country! 

He gave Elizabeth one last embrace, whispering the age-old blessing in her ear:

"The Lord bless and keep you,

the Lord make His face to shine upon you.

and bring you peace."

and then added his own little, The Lord be your husband and keep you safe during the coming week, my precious one!

From where their little house was situated on the slope of the hill upon which their village was built, they could see the Jerusalem Temple silhouetting the skyline to the east, and the two paused for a moment taking in the beauty of it all as the sky behind the temple turned a faint tinge of orange.  Elizabeth gave her husband a final squeeze and unwrapped her arms from around his meagre frame. You’d better get going my man, once that sun comes up, you’re going to feel it!

Zechariah took her hand, turned her palm towards him and pressed it to his lips. After almost fifty years of marriage, she was still the most precious person in his life.

Bending down, he picked up his leather shoulder bag in which Elizabeth had packed some dried figs, olives, date cakes, and water for his journey to Jerusalem. He gave Elizabeth one last endearing look, and for a moment she returned it, before putting on her most severe expression and shooing him away. Come on old man, stop looking at me like a young gazelle and go and do your priestly duties!

Zechariah never said a word in reply but the boyish grin behind his beard said it all as he turned from her and dug his cane into the dirt of the narrow road and started the long, winding journey that would take him through the Judean foothills leading up towards the Great Temple.

Zechariah was a slim man with salt and pepper hair and beard, but now, as Elizabeth watched her husband heading down towards the Jerusalem road, she could see his once proud and erect posture beginning to stoop more and more under the weight of the years it carried. 

Dear Lord, she silently prayed, How do I convince this man of mine to retire from his priestly duties? At sixty-eight he should have stopped years ago!

As if sensing her watching, Zechariah turned and looked back before taking the turn in the road and blew her a last kiss before continuing out of sight.

He slowly made his way down the hill to the Jerusalem road – the only three hundred meters of downhill in the entire journey - before turning onto the road that virtually led straight up to the temple.

Long before the temple had been built, when the tabernacle was still in a tent, King David ensured that all the priests would have a turn to serve in the daily sacrifices. He did this by dividing the descendants of Eli into their 24 family clans giving each family clan the responsibility of carrying out the temple duties for one week twice a year on a rotational basis. This coming week was the eighth week of the year, which meant it would be the turn of the clan of Abijah (of which Zechariah was a descendant) to be on temple duty for the week, hence this solitary figure bent over his cane, his calf muscles burning from the energy-sapping incline, he trudged along toward his long-awaited destiny, humming his favourite psalms as he went. 

II

Three hours later Zechariah finally arrived at the outer courts of the temple complex known as the court of the gentiles. Finding the first available place to sit he rested his weary, dust-coated body for a while, taking in the flurry of people around him. 

Through the hustle and bustle, he could make out the money changers tables on his left where pilgrims from the neighbouring countries were forced to exchange their foreign currency for the temple shekel at the prescribed exchange rate.

Opposite them were rows of stalls, each one holding sacrificial animals for sale to those that could not bring their own animals from home. Some held oxen, some sheep and lambs, and others held goats. Next to them stood a bank of cages holding doves for the poorest of the poor who could not afford to buy a goat or lamb to sacrifice.

While Zachariah reflected upon the scene before him his thoughts were suddenly interrupted.

Ah, brother Zechariah, so your old legs finally managed to get you here.

He could not mistake the voice of his old friend Rabbi Elisha booming through the crowds of people and breaking his reverie with the goings-on around him. Zechariah turned in the direction of the voice to see his huge, barrel-chested friend standing there beaming down at him.

Elisha was a bear of a man, who had grown up in the Galilean countryside, the son of a sheep and goat farmer. He had been a robust, athletically built young man when the two first met and Elisha had taken this scrawny little man from Ein-Kerem under his wing, but now Zechariah could see that age - that relentless enemy of every man ‒ had left his calling card on Elisha’s once handsomely rugged features as well.

You should really consider investing in a donkey before our next turn of duty old man, otherwise you’ll have to leave home a week earlier just to be here on time, Elisha said, a playful twinkle in his eye.

He and Zechariah had been ordained at the same ceremony and began their training as priests just after their twenty-fifth birthdays so many years ago, and still to this day they remained the best of friends. 

It was this dear friend who, year after year, had been there for him, joining him in prayer, beseeching God to open Elizabeth’s womb and bless them with a child – but alas, it was never to be, and as the years passed and he and Elizabeth reached their sixties, still without a child, Zechariah eventually stopped praying for a child altogether and accepted his and Elizabeth’s lot, repeating the same words over and over to the ever-persistent inquirers. ‘The Lord is wiser than I, I cannot question Him, may His will be done!’

"Come, Zechariah, I have managed to get a sleeping chamber on the lowest terrace for the two of us – let the young bucks climb the extra stairs to the upper chambers! Come, let me show you, and then we can both take a rest before the afternoon hand-over service."

III

Once they had arrived at their sleeping chamber, Zachariah and Elisha shared a light meal of dried figs and dates before Zechariah stretched out on his sleeping pallet to rest his tired legs.

When the small talk was finally out of the way, Elisha asked, What troubles you my friend, I can see you have something of concern on your mind!

Ah Elisha, maybe I’m just a bit too sensitive, but for years now, every time I come to the temple the same worm nibbles at my thoughts when I see what is going on in the court of the gentiles. Today, as I was resting in there, that same worm started gnawing away again."

What are you talking about? a confused Elisha asked, What thoughts does this ‘worm’ attack?

Don’t you think that the market in the court of the gentiles displeases the Lord? asked a clearly frustrated Zechariah We all know that the whole ‘money changing’ affair has been blatantly set up for profit and tell me, why does the temple have to have its own unique coin? Only to force people to change their common shekel into the temple shekel  - at a highly inflated exchange rate I might add! And where does that profit go? No one knows!

You speak dangerous words, my friend, especially in this place, whispered Elisha anxiously, but Zechariah’s frustration could not be curbed.

And the sacrificial animals they sell, he continued unabatedly. Look at the prices they charge! 

"They take advantage of those that travel from outside Jerusalem who aren’t able to bring their own animals  -not only because of the inconvenience but knowing that they can’t bring their own animals on a long journey and expect it to be without blemish by the time they arrive here. And even those who do manage to bring their own sacrificial animals, the inspection of that animal by the priests is so exacting that maybe one in every fifty gets accepted, meaning that those other forty-nine worshippers are forced to buy one of the temple animals at the temple price!"

Elisha thought awhile before answering. I hear your heart my friend, and believe me, you and Elizabeth are the most upright and godly couples I know- and that’s not only my opinion - but maybe in this matter, it is as you say, that maybe you are being a bit oversensitive. Remember, the Sanhedrin instituted both, and that means we Pharisee’s and the Sadducees agreed upon it, and how seldom do we and the Sadducees agree on anything?

Well, there you have it! put in an even more frustrated Zechariah. "Haven’t you noticed how when it comes to things spiritual, the two cannot agree on anything - and I’m afraid to say, I tend to think it is purely because of spiritual pride rather than placing the things of God first ‒ but let it be about financial gain, then suddenly our two groups are the happiest of bedfellows!"

And so, the debate would have carried on was it not for the timely blowing of the Shofar calling all to the evening prayers where the priests of Abijah would take over the temple duties from the previous clan.

IV

The sky on the Shabbat morning had not yet begun to turn from its inky black of night to pre-dawn grey, but Zechariah was already sitting on the edge of his sleeping pallet mouthing his morning prayers.

A little while later he became aware of Elisha beginning to stir and whispered, May the Lord’s blessing be   upon you this Sabbath my friend.

And on you, my brother, came Elisha’s reply. 

Zechariah now  waited quietly while his friend said his personal morning prayer before they each picked up a woollen cloth with which to dry themselves and made their way to the chamber holding the Mikvah – a huge basin type vessel cut into the floor, holding approximately 340 litres of naturally gathered spring and rainwater.

Here the priests on duty for the day would immerse themselves as part of the required purification ritual. Only then were they allowed to enter the temple itself or touch any of the ceremonial objects.

Once they had both immersed themselves in the mikvah’s refreshing water they towelled themselves down, donned their priestly garments for service and carrying their sandals ‒ as footwear was not allowed into the inner courts of the temple ‒ they headed back to their sleeping chamber to await the arrival of the lottery supervisor.

So, Elisha, how are things going with your lovely Vered? inquired Zechariah. Does she still bake those delicious treats for the village?

"Ah yes my friend, my Rose (the meaning of his wife’s name was Elisha’s term of endearment) gets more beautiful with every year. God has truly blessed me with a woman no man deserves – and I mean that in a good way, He chuckled And as far as her baking is concerned, you know my Vered – if the house were on fire, she would quickly prepare some dough and bake bread so as not to waste the flames, and then say, ‘At least something good came from that!’  at which they both burst out laughing.

And so, the two friends passed the time with small talk and banter until eventually, a booming voice called out, Priests, arise and begin your duties! Levites, to your platform! Israelites, man your stations!

This was the signal that the lottery supervisor had arrived and would call the priests to the first draw of the lottery at any moment.

V

Sure enough, within minutes there was a pounding on the main door of the priests chamber accompanied by the invitation of the lottery overseer. Whoever has immersed himself, let him come to draw lots!

Zechariah and Elisha joined the other priests filing down to The Chamber of Hewn Stone" ‒ the very same chamber where the Great Sanhedrin always met ‒ it was in this chamber that the lottery would take place.

Once in the chamber, they formed two lines, and when he was happy that the two lines were equal and correctly formed, the lottery overseer then gave the command, All priests, begin the dawn patrol.  

With that the two groups filed out of the chamber, Zechariah’s group moving through the northern and eastern sections of the temple while the other group covered the southern and western sides of the temple making one hundred per cent sure that everything in the temple was clean, in place, and in order, ready for the morning worship.

The two groups then met up with each other at the ‘Chamber of the Meal Offering’ with the words, ‘Peace, all is Peaceful’, after which they all made their way back to the Chamber of Hewn Stone for the first lottery.

This time as the priests filed into the chamber, they formed a large circle around the lottery overseer who was standing in the centre of the chamber, his head bowed, and eyes closed. Once it was quiet, he glanced around to satisfy himself that all the priests were present and in place. He closed his eyes again, raising his arm with his index finger pointing out in front of his body. All watched intently as the overseer started to turn slowly on his heels, his index finger still pointing. After a few complete turns he stopped and opened his eyes to see which priest was in the line of his pointing finger. Announce yourself, he called out.

Zechariah could see it was a young priest, possibly his first duty at the temple, as the priest called out in a shaky voice, Adiel.

Brother Adiel remove your headdress, the numbering will begin with you! boomed the overseer in his most affectedly pious voice.

Now that it had been decided where the numbering would start for the lottery counts, the overseer picked up a narrow-necked jar which held 20 random numbers, the lowest of which would be approximately a third higher than the number of priests present at any given week. 

Looking around the circle of priests, Zechariah estimated that there must be close to 150 priests on duty, therefore, the numbers in the jar would probably range from somewhere between 200 and 500.

Sure enough, the overseer called out the first lottery number. Number 284, all present raise the index finger of your right hand.

Zechariah always smiled inwardly when it came to this part. "Oh Lord, please forgive me," he prayed silently, but how can these intelligent people actually believe they are circumventing the Torah’s command not to number the Israelite people, as long as they are just counting the finger, and not the whole person? As far as I know Lord, my finger is part of my person!"

Zechariah’s thoughts were interrupted by the overseer pointing to the young priest Adiel and ordering the count to begin...The young man called out, One! The priest to his left then called out, Two, and so it went on, each priest calling out the following number in turn until they reached 284. The overseer then called out, Announce yourself.

Menache, came the reply.

Brother Menache, you have hereby been ordained by The Holy Lord via the sacred lottery to commence with the ‘Removal of the Ashes’ service!

Immediately all the remaining priests started reciting the obligatory warning: Be Careful! Do not touch the vessel until after you have sanctified your hands and your feet in the water of the Laver. The ‘vessel’ referred to here being the silver shovel, which would be used to gather up and remove the ashes from the previous day’s sacrifices. 

Menache then led the priests from The Chamber of Hewn Stone to the foot of the ramp leading up to the outer altar. Leaving them there, Menache turned to the left of the altar ramp to where the laver of water stood and paused to rinse his hands and feet before fetching the silver shovel. He then did an about-turn and made his way up the ramp to the top of the altar, passing the fires burning at the three corners of the altar, he approached the centre of the altar where the sacrificial ashes had been scraped – it was these ashes that Menache had to collect. 

Menache stirred the ashes with the silver shovel before digging the shovel in, collecting some of the ash. He then made his way back down the ramp where he then turned and placed the ashes from the shovel into a bowl next to the altar ramp. 

Thus, having symbolically prepared the altar for a new day of sacrifices, the rest of the priests could now sanctify their hands and feet in the Laver of water and carry out the rest of the chores to be done such as the removal of the rest of the ashes, etc.

While this was going on, Menache saw to the final part of the removal of the ashes duty, which was to see that there was enough new wood brought to the altar to last a full day, and light both the larger fires for the sacrifices as well as the smaller one, which would be used in the ‘Burning of the Incense’ during the day’s services.

VI

Once these chores had been completed Menache joined the rest of the priests as they all returned to the Chamber of Hewn Stone for the second lottery. The second draw of the lottery started at once as the numbering would again begin with the priest without the headdress. 

The one difference being that this would now be the lot to decide the six priests who would be involved in the duties of the daily sacrifices. These included the slaughter of the sacrificial animal, the splashing of the blood against the sides of the altar, the removal of the excess ashes from the incense chalice in the inner sanctuary, the trimming of the wicks of the golden menorah and the cleaning and refilling of the menorahs oil cups, the bringing of the sacrificial meat and the meal offerings to the altar ramp, the bringing of the high priests meal offering to the altar on his behalf – as the high priest normally only officiated on Passover and The Feast of Tabernacles – and the preparation of the wine libation.

The overseer once again drew a number from the jar, and the priests again counted until that number was reached, but this time the five priests to the right of the priest upon which the number landed, were included, and assigned the various services that were to be carried out. Once this was done, the overseer announced, Priests, attend to your allotted duties!

Once the priests from the second lot had left the Chamber of Hewn Stone the overseer called out, Newcomers only! Whoever has never once offered incense, let him come near and draw lots!  

The offering of the incense was regarded as such a special honour, the law made it exceptionally clear that a priest may only officiate once in his lifetime. Zechariah, along with the other priests who had never offered the incense before then took two steps forward.

The tension was as heavy as a mid-winter sky amongst the 120 or so priests eligible to stand in this most important of lotteries, as the overseer once more drew a number from the jar.

Number 191, he announced, and pointing to the bareheaded priest, ordered, Begin the count! Many a hoarse voice or stutter was heard as the priests – understandably nervous –  called out the numbers in turn.

On the second pass around the circle, the numbers were getting into the late 180s, and closer and closer to Zechariah, who burst out sobbing as he heard the priest directly on his right call out 190. 

The congregation of priests never even waited for the overseers announcement before all were pouring out words of congratulations and blessings upon Zechariah.

He hardly heard the overseer eventually announce, Zechariah from Ein-Kerem will burn the incense for the morning worship, before he felt himself being scooped up by the burly figure of Elisha.

Gentlemen – please, we are all extremely happy that this honour has been bestowed upon our brother Zechariah, but remember, not only are we priests, but we are also in the House of The Living God. Please, may we behave accordingly! cried out the lottery overseer, trying to restore a sense of order and dignity amongst the priests.

Once he had everybody’s attention, the overseer said, "We shall now commence with the fourth and final draw which is open to all who have not yet been given a task. Having said this, he made the official announcement. Both newcomers and veterans alike! Let all come to draw lots!"

With that, the ‘newcomer’ circle took their two steps back to their original places, but Zechariah kept backing up to the wall of the chamber from where he watched the final proceedings taking place. 

He wanted so desperately to pray and thank God for this special honour, but all he could do was bow his head in his hands and mumble, My Lord, my God ... oh my Lord, my God, over and over and over.

Meanwhile, the overseer went through the same procedure of drawing a number and having the priests count out until the final priest had been allocated the duty of placing the animal pieces on the sacrificial fire and pouring out the prescribed libations.

VII

The main sacrifice now completed, Zechariah and Menache –  the priest who had previously been assigned the task of removing the spent incense ashes –  met at the foot of the outer altar where Zechariah waited while Menache made his way up the altar ramp with the silver shovel and collected some of the coals from the smaller ‘fire for the incense’.

While Menache was busy collecting the embers, the thought struck Zechariah as to how fitting it was to have the incense burning directly after the first sacrifice because, he reasoned, just as the sacrifice of the lamb was an atonement for the people’s sins, so the incense was the symbol of the prayers of God’s people rising up to heaven, and it struck Zechariah how useless and vain sacrifice would be, if not accompanied by earnest prayer!

In the interim, Menache had scooped up some of the coals from the incense fire and was once again descending the ramp where he then transferred the coals to a golden shovel before he and Zechariah –  with the vessel of incense in his hands –  ascended the twelve steps to the entrance of the Holy Place.

Once through the outer curtain, Zechariah stopped just inside the sanctuary, his pulse rate increasing rapidly at the immense task before him. 

While Menache busied himself with the task of spreading the new coals upon the altar of incense, Zechariah in an endeavour to calm himself, started preparing himself for the prayers that he would soon offer up on behalf of himself and the nation of Israel. He did this by meditating on the table of shewbread to his right and the golden lampstand to his left – the one a symbol of God’s bountiful supply, with the other being a symbol of God’s eternal light!

Once Menache was happy that the coals were evenly spread on the incense altar, he turned and took the incense vessel from Zechariah and poured some of the incense into Zechariah's now cupped hands. Menache then prostrated himself before the altar and said a brief, silent prayer, before rising and leaving the sanctuary.

VIII

When the congregation of priests and worshipers in the outer court saw Menache appear from the sanctuary, they all began their personal prayers, some bowing down with their eyes tightly shut, others with hands raised, looking up towards the ceiling of the temple as if they could see right through it all the way to God’s heavenly throne.

When Zechariah heard the drone of the prayers coming from the temple court, he too began praying for himself and the nation of Israel, while at the same time stretching his cupped hands over and above the altar of incense, and slowly letting an even stream of incense fall from his hands onto the embers below. 

As the incense encountered the glowing coals, it caused a white aromatic plume of smoke to rise straight up to the ceiling where it mushroomed outwards and down, slowly filling the entire sanctuary. 

The holy chamber was almost completely replete with the smoke of the incense when suddenly there was a blinding flash of light right next to the incense altar.

Zechariah’s first reaction was to leap back thinking there was something at fault in the incense mixture which had caused an explosive reaction of some sort.

He was just beginning to regain his composure when upon looking up, an even bigger shock awaited him! There suddenly stood a huge figure of a man in shimmering bright light alongside the altar. This was too much for Zechariah and he sank to his knees feeling that this time his heart  would fail him altogether. 

Be at peace Zechariah! There is nothing to be afraid of, said the man standing there. I am one of God’s messengers, and He Himself has sent me with good news regarding you and Elizabeth.

Without waiting for Zechariah’s response, the messenger continued. God wants you to know that He has heard every prayer you’ve prayed regarding a child, and the time has now come for your prayers to be answered.

As Zechariah knelt on the floor in front of him, jaw hanging open, totally speechless, the angel – for that is what he was –  went on. God is going to open Elizabeth’s womb, and she will fall pregnant and give you the son you have both been longing for all these years, and what's more, God wants you to name him John.

Not only will this be a joyous occasion for you, but everybody who knows you, your family, your friends, and even your whole town are going to rejoice with you when he is born.

Zechariah just stared back at the angel, jaw agape.

Are you hearing what I am saying Zechariah? the angel asked, seeing Zechariah’s blank expression. It’s imperative that you listen and do exactly what I say, because your son will have a special place in God’s heart, so much so that he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even while he is still in Elizabeth’s womb.

God has a special ministry for him; therefore, it is important that he stays away from wine or any other alcoholic drinks. He must be completely dedicated to God from the time of his birth.

What’s more, God is going to give him the same spirit and power that He bestowed upon Elijah in days of old, and in that power God is going to use him to touch the hearts and souls of many of the Israelites that are lukewarm and merely going through empty rituals, while their hearts are far from God!

Your son is going to be instrumental in preparing the people of Israel for the coming of the Messiah by awakening the hearts of fathers to once again have compassion on their children and will also cause the rebellious to listen and accept godly teachings!

This was all too much for Zechariah, his initial shock had now turned to indignation, and that indignation rose up inside of him and boiled over as he shot up from the floor. Who are you? he spat at this strange man before him. How dare you  mock me this way!

"Everybody knows that Elizabeth and I have spent our whole lives praying for a child, but thankfully we received sympathy and understanding from most, and those that chose to make a mockery of it, at least had the grace to do it behind our backs! But you, you come and mock me to my face! Do you think I am an imbecile? Do you think I do not know that my wife is beyond childbearing age? And I am even older than her!  –  You are despicable! You should not even be allowed in the Court of the Gentiles let alone into the sanctuary!"

Zechariah, your mouth that has always praised God, and taught and encouraged the downhearted, has been your downfall this day! Do you know who you are speaking to? the angel asked. "I am Gabriel! Are you aware that I stand in the presence of God –  right next to His throne? God is the One who gives me my duties, and it was He who sent me to you with this good news. Today you have questioned God’s integrity –  not mine –  so therefore because you do not believe what I say – let the punishment fit the crime.It was your words that condemned you –  it will be your words that will restore you! From this moment on, you will not utter another word until you speak your son’s name at his circumcision!"

As suddenly as he had appeared, the angel disappeared –  one moment he was there in front of Zechariah, and the next he was gone! Zechariah still wanted to call out, No, wait... and sure enough, no words were audible!

It was only then, in the silence that followed, that he became aware of Menache’s frantic whispers from just outside the sanctuary. Zechariah, what’s taking you so long, is all well Zechariah...?

Zechariah stumbled out of the sanctuary like a man in a daze, and at once Menache could see that there was something amiss. He gently took hold of Zechariah’s sleeve, guiding him to the top step of the sanctuary where the other ten serving priests would join them to recite the closing benediction upon the congregation.

Once the service was complete, the whole congregation of priests gathered around Zechariah, all wanting to know what had happened. 

Try as he might, Zechariah could not make himself understood by his gestures, so one of the priests handed him a writing tablet, but in answer to all their questions, he wrote only one word: "Angel ... Angel ...!" over and over.

IX

Upon arriving home after his week of temple service, Zechariah never disclosed to Elizabeth every detail of what had taken place in the sanctuary, he only let her know via his writing tablet – that he now carried with him everywhere –  that he had seen a vision of an angel and assured her that his speech impediment would only be temporary.

Sure enough, three weeks after Zechariah’s return, Elizabeth started feeling nauseous at the start of each day, and when the local midwife came to examine her, she confirmed it –  Elizabeth had conceived! 

Concerned because Elizabeth’s years, the midwife confined her to her bed for the first few months to see how her body would cope with the pregnancy at her age. 

Elizabeth for her part could not stop boasting to the many visitors and well-wishers about God’s miraculous benevolence that He had bestowed upon her. One could clearly see the change in her as the low self-esteem she had always felt at being childless fell off her shoulders like an old badly fitting cloak.

It was only then – using his writing tablet –  that Zechariah informed Elizabeth of all that the angel had said concerning the son they were about to bring into the world!

X

It was approximately six months later, on one of the few sunny but still bitterly cold winters days –  150 kilometres to the north of Ein-Kerem, that the small settlement of Nazareth was beginning to stir as the villagers started going about their daily chores.

Nazareth had been founded approximately a hundred years earlier by a clan from the lineage of King David.

Taking advantage of King Cyrus of Persia’s proclamation declaring that any Hebrew that wished to return to the land of Israel may do so, a small band of them set out for their beloved country. 

Upon approaching Jerusalem, they learned of the political intrigue in the city – especially for the throne!

Wanting nothing more than a life of peace after their years in captivity, they decided to give Jerusalem a wide berth and settle as far away from the city as possible.

Fearing that those competing to rule the country would feel more threatened by their presence upon learning that they were a clan directly descended from the House of King David, they kept on heading north, and decided to settle in the fertile hill country near the Jezreel Valley which – being farmers and shepherds –  was perfect for their lifestyle.

Because Nazareth was not on any of the major trade routes, very little was brought in from the outside thereby ensuring it remained very much a farming community with about 5% of the men being artisans making and maintaining the implements needed by the farmers as well as the odd building work, etc.

The Nazarenes, like most rural folk, were very solid, robust, strong-minded people, a bit on the conservative side, and a people who dearly clung to their Jewish traditions.

It was in this community, just at the start of winter, that a young lady by the name of Mary gathered the household washing in a wicker basket and exited the little two-bedroomed home. 

Although Mary was short –  not much more than five feet tall –  she was a tough, healthy, no-nonsense, young lady with olive skin and coal-black curly hair framing strong penetrating dark eyes that looked at the world head-on. In spite of this hard exterior though, she was known by all for her quietly considerate and godly nature.

She and her cousin Ezraela had settled into a routine for the various daily and weekly chores to keep each other company, and today being Wednesday, it was their washday.

Ezraela, called Mary, come, hurry, otherwise we will waste this precious little sunshine, and our washing will never be dry by evening!

Hah cousin, you’re only worried that when Joseph comes by later you will have only work clothes to greet him in instead of a nice clean dress, said Ezraela as she exited her home. But I do not know why you worry, my dear cousin, she continued without a pause, because after being up and down the scaffolds building that new house across town, his clothes will be even dirtier than yours.

Mary giggled –  always enjoying Ezraela’s playful banter – before countering with, You know that’s not true; my Joseph is one of the most upright and considerate men in this town, he would never dream of visiting me without bathing and changing out of his work clothes!

With that, they arrived at the natural spring alongside which the town of Nazareth had been built. A low wall had been built around the spring to pool the water, this was then divided into three compartments –  two larger, and one smaller one. The first of the larger pools was for public bathing, the centre one for the washing of clothing, and the smaller one was for the village’s drinking water.

It was at this centre one that Mary and Ezraela busied themselves with washing the household clothes and blankets, glad that it was still early winter, so the water had not yet gotten too cold.

They loved doing their washing together as it helped to take their minds off the heavy drudgery of the task by sharing all the latest news or gossip they might have heard around the village.

Once they had shared whatever titbits they had picked up in the village, Ezraela changed the subject. Have you and Joseph set a date for your wedding yet? You must be betrothed for longer than a year already, what is happening cousin? I mean, you two waited longer than most couples before you even got betrothed, never mind the marriage!

"I know a lot of young couples today get married while still in their teens Ezraela, but in the Torah, in the Book of Bemidbar (Numbers), God told Moses to number the men who were 20 years and older to qualify as soldiers in Israel’s army, and then later, God made it clear that those 20 years and older would be held accountable for their own sin, and would, therefore, be excluded from entering into the Promised Land.

From those examples, Joseph and I both felt that if God set the age of 20 as the age of maturity for taking such personal responsibility, then surely it must also apply to the major responsibility of marriage. So, there you have it cousin, that is the reason we decided we would wait until after my 20th birthday. Anyway, to answer your first question, yes, we have started planning the wedding, and have been since just before my 20th  birthday.

"Let me see, it is now late December, we originally would have loved the wedding to have taken place in the summer. Unfortunately, with my mother’s rapidly failing health, we’ve decided on the first week of spring –  I just can’t imagine getting married without my mother present, and only the good Lord knows how much longer she will be with us," Mary added soberly.

"I understand about your mother – may Yahweh shine His light upon Her, Ezraela said reverently before squealing and gushing on excitedly. But that only leaves us with about six weeks! Mary, how could you! There is so much to plan and prepare, and I as your best friend and cousin want to be part of it all ... this is going to be the best wedding Nazareth has ever seen!"

Mary quickly interjected. As for ‘the best wedding’, Ezraela, I appreciate your good intentions, but I will be honest with you, neither Joseph’s family nor mine are wealthy. Like most families in Nazareth, we scrape together enough for our taxes, our tithes, and our day-to-day needs, which nowadays includes medication for my mother. All thanks be to God, we manage from day to day, but we certainly can’t afford the luxury of fancy fanfares and banquets. Besides, is not the most important thing in a wedding ceremony, the very act of two people who dearly love each other committing to each other for life as one flesh?

I hear your words, my cousin, Ezraela replied, head downcast and a little embarrassed. And they are full of truth! It’s just that I am so excited for you, and please know that in my heart, I would dearly love to give you a wedding fit for a queen, for in my eyes there is none more worthy!

Just then three of the village women arrived with their washing, and Mary and Ezraela, having finished theirs, moved aside, placing their washing in two individual piles on the wall of the well. 

They then helped each other wring out their washing and placed it in their baskets before heading up the hill back to their respective homes.

XI

That night Mary lay on her sleeping pallet listening to the heavy breathing and soft snores of sleep coming from the rest of the family, but she was wide awake thinking of her and Ezraela’s conversation about the wedding. 

Oh, how blessed I am to be marrying such an upright and godly man, she thought to herself in the darkness, and one that I love with all my heart rather than one that has been arranged the way so many families often do for their daughters – Oh Lord thank you for giving me such wonderful parents.

Her thoughts then took her back to the first time she and Joseph had met six years previously. Her father had hired Joseph to make some new shutters for their house, and it was during the course of that first morning that her mother had given her a cup of cold water to take to ‘the carpenter boy’ ... and there stood this robust 16-year-old with curly black hair and the widest, most innocent dark eyes that seemed to smile along with the rest of his face.

At midday, when she took him something to eat, she found him reciting the Torah to himself while he worked. Being one with an enquiring mind, this fascinated her, and she spent the rest of his lunchtime asking all sorts of questions on the Torah and the different characters like Moses, and Jacob and of course their patriarch, Abraham, father of the Jewish race.

From then on it became a daily occurrence – Mary asking question after question about God and the Torah, and Joseph patiently explaining and teaching Mary of the deeper things of God. Mary even convinced Joseph to teach her to read by bringing a page from the family Torah out to him every day, and they would sit there, heads together going over and over the words until Mary had grasped them. 

Before the work on the house was even halfway, Mary knew in her heart that this was the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with, and from that time on, Mary and Joseph were inseparable.

And so, as the work on the window shutters came to an end –  so a deeper work of the heart had begun.

XII

Eventually, Mary felt her eyes beginning to grow heavy, so turning on her side, she fluffed up her pillow and settled down with a contented smile, looking forward to the beautiful dreams of her loved one. 

Suddenly there was light next to her pallet. 

Shielding her eyes from the glare with one hand, Mary raised herself on one elbow, looking to find the source of this light and at once all feelings of sleep left her – there before her, the light slowly took on the form of a man in a pure white tunic and all around him, there was the aura of a soft, shimmering glow.

Greetings, chosen one among all women, because the Lord has favoured you and is with you!

Seeing Mary’s shock and confusion, the man hurried on. "Don’t be afraid Mary, I am Gabriel and I come from the very presence of God to tell you that you have found favour in His sight. This very night you will conceive, and when your time is complete you will give birth to a son who you will name Jesus.

"He will be exceedingly great and be known as the Son of the Most High. Through him God is going to fulfil his covenant with David – that one of his ancestors would occupy his throne, forever reigning over Israel."

"Well, it will be Jesus –  your son –  who will be the fulfilment of this covenant! And His reign will never end!"

But sir, stuttered Mary, now totally bewildered, how is this going to happen? I’m engaged, but my betrothed and I have never lain together, nor have I been with any other man. What I mean is, I’m still a virgin, so how am I meant to conceive?

Gabriel explained. "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will cover you and so the baby will be a Holy child – the Son of God!

Go to Elizabeth, your mother's sister, and there you will find verification of my words because she too has been touched by God and has become pregnant even in her old age and is now already in her sixth month! Gabriel continued. "Mary, just believe and remember, nothing is impossible for