CHAPTER ONE

The thirtieth brthday began in October, the same month in which He was born. It was not anything especially special to those who lived in that time. Tiberius still ruled the Roman Empire, the Roman Pontus Pilate was still the Governor of Judaea, and Herod Antipas was still the tetrarch of Galilee. But in Heaven, this day was an auspicious day.

On this day, the Savior would turn 30-earth-years old and be ready for His earthly campaign to begin. By this time he had already reached sturdy manhood; His hair was long and soft and golden brown and hung around His shoulders; He had His mother's glorious dark eyes; His muscles were strong from hard work. His face was paler than the skin of most men....

For thirty years since the Savior's birth, guardian angels had been safe-guarding their LORD from any real danger. Now He had to be exposed to real danger so that the Salvation Plan could be accomplished.

That morning Jesus awoke and began His daily chores. Having lived thirty years in human poverty, He always had to do His part around the house and was always a blessing wherever He put His hands to work. But this day would be His last in this house. His work would begin today, and He could not spend one minute of delay. He knew that the Father's Will has to be known by every hour of the day, and no delay must be in the heart of those who are called to do His Will. But there was something that kept Him back from taking up His cloak and staff and walking out the door: His mother.

Though He knew that the only real family He had was the Father, the mortals He lived with had become close to His heart. When Joseph died, He felt the human sense of loss. But He knew eventually, when His mission on Earth was done, that He would return to Heaven and judge those who had died before He began His mission of Salvation. But as for Mary, her death was not to come for another few more years. He knew that she would miss Him and He cared deeply for Her. After He had finished His chores, He found her walking about the small house looking for Him.

"There you are," she said. "Have You finished the morning work?"

"Yes," He replied. "But there is something that weighs on My heart."

"What is it, my son?" she asked, her voice portraying love and concern.

"I have to go." He said. "I must leave you."

Mary who had kept the events of His childhood deep within her heart and thought about what they could mean, finally came to a conclusion. "Is it Your Father's will?"

"No, it is My choice, but it must be done." He said, trying not to make her sad. Even so, He saw a hint of sadness in her eye. "I'm sorry it has caused you sorrow."

"No, no, my son." she said, trying to hold back tears. "You've made your choice."

"But I cannot let you stay all by yourself." Jesus stated, showing His concern for her.

"I'll be fine, son." she replied. "I will stay with James. Besides, God will keep me safe."

He embraced her, and after saying their good-byes, He put on His cloak, took up His staff and walked out the door.

While this was going on inside the house, outside - on the side of the cliff on which the town was built - the Guardians awaited their LORD to come forth from the house. For thirty years - which to them was nothing - they had watched over Him in His mortal form, keeping Him from any major harm. These four - Michael, Gabriel, Raphael and Uriel - chosen by the LORD Himself for His guardians when He executed His grand plan, waited patiently for Him to arrive.

Something did come.

But it was not Jesus

The Forces of Darkness, those third of infinite number of angels whom Satan the Infamous Adversary, had pulled down with him into the pit of darkness. These enemies wanted to foil the great plan.

"I see you have come early." Micheal said to the enemy, as they appeared before him.

"No early than you, foolish one!" growled Azazel.

"Your time is not come," Gabriel stated.

"You forget," growled Mammon. "We are the rulers of this world."

"Yes," hissed Ashtoreth. "This is not the safety of the Kingdom, knaves."

"You forget," Raphael said. "We have the hand of God on our side."

"Oh, really?" a wicked voice asked.

Behind its imps was Satan itself. With the outward form of a fair woman, with twelve black wings, it was indeed a deceptive visage. Those who let their sins rule themselves, would find this thing most delightful to behold. But to those who see sin as it truly is, the beauty of this monster is nothing but bait on a hook that will bring only eternal damnation.

"You must needs remember, naive ones," Satan began. "This is my world. I am the god and lord of this world, elected by mankind's free will. For the past four thousand years, I have laid kingdoms to waste, brought strong men to their knees in weakness, confounded the truth, and covered the entire world in darkness. Although, Michael, is here, you cannot intervene.

"Yes, I know that." Satan added, seeing their shocked looks. "You forget, that I have greater merit of mind and might than any creature in the universe!"

"Yet, there are infinite galaxies beyond the reach of this one that have seen you for what you are, and have joined us," Uriel said. "They prove that there are yet beings who have the strength to overcome you."

"Yes," Raphael added. "Every one of them proves that there is power to defeat you."

"But only by the grace of the Omnipotent One, the Father!" Satan stated. "On this earth - my world - the mortals have weakened His hand by refusing Him! In doing so, the Hand of the Almighty has been shortened, and He is within my control."

"You forget again, old friend," Michael began. "That, in your world, His power has always been. We, through the Almighty's power, kept you at bay while Joseph and Mary traveled to Bethlehem. It was the Hand of the Almighty that protected His Son from every sadistic suggestion you gave to the mind of the mortal puppet Herod. He Himself sent us to protect the Son as He wandered about the LORD's Temple in Jerusalem, teaching the foolish scribes the truth they had so long forgotten!"

"And now, when your commander has become thirty," Satan stated. "The protection must needs be diminished. He will be under my power, and I will send all the Forces of Darkness upon Him, so that He will fear my very presence!"

The words had scarce come from the Devil's mouth, when out came Jesus, dressed for His grand mission of salvation. As if struck by some sudden sting, Satan and its imps retreated into the darkness from whence they had come, vanishing from all sight. It seems, despite all of its talk about how powerful it was on the Earth, Satan was still afraid of the Son.

"My LORD!" all four angels said at once, as they bowed in homage before their commander.

"Stand up, my friends," Jesus said to them.

They arose at His command, not one of them even daring to interject that He deserved the homage.

"I have left the security of their house," Jesus said, motioning back to the house with one hand. "By the way, make sure that you send a cohort of seraphim to watch out for Mary."

"We will!" they all said again.

"Now that I have left their house, I AM not to be guarded as before," Jesus said. "However, if My mission comes into any real danger from the Forces of Darkness, be just within ear-shot."

"Us, and twelve legions of angels shall await Your word!" they all said in unison.

Without any further ado, Jesus turned south, beginning the mission that He had chosen for Himself, and for the salvation of all generations of mortals.

His journey would not be an easy one. All alone He would make His journey; going southward from Nazareth down to the Jordan crossing. Across miles of desert this journey would take: bare mountainsides and limestone ravines where nothing grew; ancient rock tombs everywhere; pebbles and broken stones, emptiness and death.

But this journey happened with no significant interference from the Forces of Evil, and soon Jesus found Himself near the banks of the Jordan River, a welcome sight.

Chapter Two

The Jordan crossing was the site where Joshua, the Son of Nun, had led the Children of Israel over the flooded Jordan River. In that day the Israelites were worshipers of the One True God, and still had in their possession the Ark of the Covenant.

On that auspicious day, when the feet of the Ark-bearers were moistened by the flowing waters, the River parted and the Children of Israel were allowed to pass over on dry ground. That small area of the Jordan was where the 12 Stone Monument stood. Here also John preached as was his calling. As Jesus neared the banks, He could hear one of John's sermons being preached by the Baptist himself.

"Repent! The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!" he said with a loud voice. "I am the voice of one crying in the Wilderness. Prepare ye the way of the LORD. Make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill made low. The crooked straight, and the rough places plain. And all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it."

John-bar-Zachariah. He wore animal skins on his back and had shaggy hair growing from his head and chin. He was the fulfillment of what Malachi said when Elijah would return. Though the true Elijah had been borne away to Heaven without ever seeing death, John was promised to come in the spirit and power of Elijah. He was the return of Elijah for which the Jews had been waiting.

And here he was, clad as a barbarian, preaching the coming of the One True God before the people. Looking out, he saw the people gathered before him. Some, he saw, were the leaders of the people: the priests and Pharisees of the Tribe of Levi. For a long time had they corrupted their office, such he had learned even before his exile into the wilderness from his father, disenchanted with the corruption of the Rabbinical hierarchy.

"Generation of vipers! Who told you to flee from the wrath to come?"

"Do you call us evil?" a Pharisee, who was among those gathered at the banks of the Jordan, asked. "We, who are the sons of Abraham!"

"Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and do not be content with saying: 'We are saved because we have Abraham as our father.'" John replied. "I say to you now that God is able to make children of Abraham from these stones! But as for such as you, the ax is at the root of the tree. Those trees that bring forth good fruit shall be replanted in the Garden of the LORD; but those that bring forth no good fruit shall be cut down and cast into the fire unquenchable!"

From the crowd came cries of "What shall we do?" from the lips of the sincere.

"If you have two coats, give one to he that has none." John continued, walking among the people about him. "If you have food enough for two, give some to him that has none." He pointed to a crow of richly-clad middle-class financial workers. "To you publicans and tax-collectors, take no more than what you are assigned to take!" A group of Temple guards, along with some of Herod's soldiers and a few Romans as well - the latter of which were being eyed suspiciously by all but the Pharisees.

"To you soldiers, do not put men in fear of sudden death at your hands, do not falsely accuse others, and be content with your wages!"

"Who are you, Baptist," the Pharisee who first spoke up asked. "that you tell us what we must do? Are you the Messiah?"

"No, I am not the Messiah." John humbly replied. "He is yet to come."

"The prophet Elijah has been promised to return." the same Pharisee stated. "Are you the fulfillment of that prophecy? Are you Elijah come to us again?"

"No, I am not Elijah." Though John was the fulfillment of said prophecy, he himself was not Elijah. This the Pharisee and his cohorts took to heart: they believed, as they taught the people to believe, that Elijah's return would be physical rather than spiritual.

"Then who are you, who has the authority to baptize? A prophet?"

"I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness. As for my authority, I baptize with water; but there is one coming after me. He is so much greater than I, that I am unworthy even to untie His sandals! He is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire! He has His broom in hand, with which He will purge his floor! The wheat He shall take into His storehouses, but the chaff He will burn with fire unquenchable!"

Upon hearing these words, many came to be baptized. Now in the autumn months, of which October is in Israel, the waters of the Jordan River were over-flowing its banks. Therefore John came and baptized them, dunking them completely in the water before taking them out thereof. As he was doing so, Jesus came forth.

"Greetings, John!" Jesus called out to him. Upon hearing this, John looked up and saw Him. Within the heart of this goodly prophet a great burning desire was risen, the likes of which he had only known as a distant memory, existing before his earliest memories.

Surely, he thought, this is the one whose coming I have foretold, and was foretold by the prophets before me.

"Jesus, my cousin." John heartily welcomed. The two of them hugged each other warmly as old friends, there in the midst of the Jordan river. After a moment or two of happiness at their reunion, a solemn silence followed between them.

"Baptize me, John!" Jesus said.

"Why do You ask this of me?" John asked humbly. He knew that, even though he had spent his life in the wilderness, he was still a sinful man. "Shouldn't You be baptizing me? Why do You come to me for this?"

"Let it be so, John." Jesus replied. "We must fulfill all righteousness."

Therefore John consented. After a prayer to God for a blessing on this baptism, John dunked Jesus completely into the waters of the river. As soon as He had come up, light shone from Heaven. In the physical manifestation of a dove, the Holy Spirit came upon Joshua. Many in the watching crowd asserted that they heard a voice from heaven say;

"THIS IS MY BELOVED SON, IN WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED!"

As soon as this was completed, Joshua bade His mortal cousin farewell and left into the wilderness. But even as Jesus was leaving, John called out to those gathered around in a loud and joyous voice:

"Behold the Lamb of God! It is He who will take away the sins of the world! He is the one whom I spoke of, who will come after me, and yet was before me. At first I knew it not, but He that commanded me to preach said that I would see the Spirit of God descend upon Him whom He had chosen! Therefore I now know that He is the Son of God!"

It would be the last time they would ever see each other on Earth.