The Prisoner in the Third Cell
Read The Prisoner in the Third Cell Online
Authors: Gene Edwards
Tags: #RELIGION / Christian Life / General, #FICTION / Religious
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The Prisoner in the Third Cell
Copyright © 1991 by Gene Edwards. All rights reserved.
Cover photograph © by Elianadulins/iStockphoto. All rights reserved.
This book was formerly published by The SeedSowers (Christian Books Publishing House), Auburn, Maine 04210.
Scripture quotations are taken from the
Holy Bible
, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
ISBN 978-0-8423-5023-5
To My Youngest
And Much Loved Daughter,
Cindy
Table of Contents
It has been said that it is impossible to forgive a man who deliberately hurts you for the sole purpose of destroying you or lowering you. If this be true, you have but one hope: to see this unfair hurt as coming by permission from God for the purpose of lifting your stature above that place where formerly you stood.
Prologue
“The new prisoner has arrived, Captain.”
“Is the rumor true?” the captain responded.
Without answering, the guard held up a piece of papyrus for Protheus to see.
“Herod has lost his mind. He will yet be found as mad as his father.
“Making
this
man a prisoner,” he continued, “may very well set off a revolution. The common people are enraged.”
“Sir, forgive me, but I must speak. I do not like this,” said one of the guards in a voice shaking with emotion. “I do not want him here. I do not want his blood on my hands. I fear that man. I listened to him once, in the desert. I fear what God might do to us for imprisoning such a man.”
“Do your duty, soldier. Prepare a cell.”
“Only one is empty, sir.”
“Prepare it then.”
“There is nothing to prepare, sir. It is the
third
cell.”
“The pit? We shall see a holy man of God vanquished to
tha
t
?”
“Sir, there is something about all this I dislike more than anything else.”
“What is that, soldier?”
“I dread what we are going to have to listen to from the other two prisoners when they find out who is in cell three.”
“I cannot say I disagree with you,” sighed Protheus.
At that moment the door at the head of the stairs swung open. In the doorway could be seen the silhouette of two soldiers and a prisoner.
“I wonder how long Herod will let him live,” thought the captain to himself.
He who takes up the sword perishes by the sword. He who refuses to take up the sword perishes on the cross.
Chapter 1
Elizabeth opened the door to her home, there to be greeted by a young kinsman from Bethlehem.
“I have an urgent message for you from Joseph and Mary.”
“Come in,” responded Elizabeth. At that moment Zachariah entered the room carrying a young three-year-old boy in his arms.
“I have a message and a small package, both from Joseph and Mary.”
“Please,” said Elizabeth. “My eyes have long since lost their ability to read such small letters.”
The young man broke the wax seal of the small scroll, cleared his throat, and began.
“Strange things have taken place in our lives of late, events as unusual as those that brought forth the birth of your son and ours. We had a visit from three Babylonian astrologers just yesterday. Then, last night, Joseph had a dream, a very disturbing dream. In it, our son was seen in grave danger from the wrath of that monster, Herod the Great. We are departing Bethlehem at this very hour. Joseph and I are going to Egypt, there to remain until this dreadful danger, whatever it is, passes.
“But our son is not the only one in danger. We fear that John is, also. Perhaps all the young firstborn children in Judea are in danger. Elizabeth, we urge you and Zachariah to leave Judea immediately. Go where you wish, but your nearest, safest hiding place is the desert. With this letter we are sending a small package. If I do not explain, you will wonder forever what a poor carpenter and his wife are doing owning gold. The Babylonian astrologers gave several gifts to us. One of them was a casket of gold coins. We are sharing them with the three of you. Please, in the name of our God, flee Judea today. Tomorrow may be too late. We will try to find you on some better day when, hopefully, we return from Egypt.”
The letter was signed by Joseph and Mary.
With that, the young man handed a small leather pouch to Zachariah, which he quickly opened. Inside the pouch were several gold coins. For a moment no one spoke.
Elizabeth, ignoring the gift, broke the silence. “I am not surprised about Herod. The enemy of God would do just such a thing. We must leave immediately.”
Zachariah now addressed the young courier.
“Go. And tell no one of this.” With those simple words, the youth bowed his head in respect and departed.
“You are right, Elizabeth. We must leave for the desert immediately.”
“How can we survive out there? In order to be completely safe, we must go far into the desert. Can anyone
survive
out there?”
“Elizabeth, it will be a difficult thing for all of us, to say the least. But the Essenes survive out there. They have families; they have children; they have homes out there. Our son
will
survive.” Zachariah then chuckled, “Perhaps you and I may even survive there, at least for a little while.”
Chapter 2
The winds were deadly. The heat was more than Zachariah or Elizabeth ever imagined. Canyon walls were like a furnace. Even the blowing sand scalded the face, trying, it seemed, to destroy anything that dared walk into that living furnace. Water was scarce, food nonexistent. In the midst of murderous heat, Zachariah had fainted on several occasions.
Finally, after a week's journey into that boiling hell, the three wayfarers arrived at one of the Essene villages. After several days of rest, they penetrated even deeper into this oven of sand and rock. At last they came to the largest of the Essene settlements.
The three were received with gracious reserve by the sober-faced Essenes. Within a few weeks the elderly couple and their young son had become a part of this strange community of religious stoics.
Zachariah became ill almost immediately. Nowhere in this inferno could he find a hiding place from the all-pervasive temperatures. The old man knew his death was but a matter of days. His last hours were spent being cared for by women of the village who mercifully wrapped his body in wet rags. Finally, late into the night when heat was at its lowest, Zachariah gave his life up to God, leaving a widow and a small child.
During the ensuing years, young John took his place among the Essenes, eventually becoming one of them. From the beginning, the lad seemed to have a natural disposition for the communal life of this desert hermitage.
The wilderness heat eventually took its toll on Elizabeth, for the elderly did not live long in this scorched world. Even as Elizabeth's strength was waning and her steps grew fewer, word came that Herod was dead. Immediately she made plans to return to her home in the cool hills of Judea. With her last good strength, and the aid of several Essenes, she and her son returned safely to her Judean home. But not long after John's twelfth birthday, Elizabeth joined Zachariah in death. John was now an orphan. Elizabeth's closet kinsmen buried her not far from that very place where an angel once visited her and told her that she would bear one of the most incredible children ever to make entrance into this world.
Where would John live now that his parents were both dead? Who would raise this boy to manhood? These were the questions that filled everyone's mind as John and his kinsmen returned to his house.
Chapter 3
“John, we grieve for the passing of your mother.” The voice was that of Hannel, one of Israel's most devout laymen. “Nonetheless, a decision is in order. Tomorrow each of us must return to our separate homes. It is for you to decide which one of us you will live with. Though I am not one of your close kin, I have come here because I know of your devotion to the Hebrew religion, and I have spoken often with your mother about adopting you if the providence of God ever brought forth such a need.
“John, I am very aware of how you feel about your future, that you must one day serve God. In my judgment, the best possible course for you is to come live with me. God has been very good to me, John. Ours is a very devout home. There is prayer; there is fasting. My entire family is devoted to God. I even own several scrolls of holy writ. Few homes are so honored.
“I pledge to you now, in the sight of your relatives, that you will be trained by the best of the rabbis. I commit to you the promise of the best religious education possible. We have a large home. It is quite comfortable. You may spend as much time in prayer as you wish. You may come and go in pursuit of your religious training as you please. When you reach the age of twenty-one, if you desire, you may go to the temple in Jerusalem and study under the Pharisees or be trained to become a temple priest. Though you are of the tribe of Judah and not a Levi, you would be allowed into any of the religious orders, including the Levitical priesthood, because you have taken the vow of the Nazarite.”
Hannel paused. John said nothing, nor did he betray any of his feelings.
It was Parnach, a cousin of Zachariah and a man of influence, power, and wealth, who spoke next.
“John, it is true that you may wish to continue to pursue your Nazarite vow. On the other hand, the day may come when you might decide to take some other direction in your life. If you would come to live with me, I will promise you the best education in Israel. I need not tell you of my place in government. I am in the highest echelon of power. You will grow up among the most influential men in our country, for my friends include even its greatest rulers. I have position, prestige, and access to power. Whatever your goal in life, as a member of my house you will be friends of those men who have the greatest influence to help you bring about your goals. I would strongly urge you to come and be part of my household.”
Once more John said nothing.
Now it was Joseph and Mary's turn. Mary spoke.
“John, we have very little to offer you. Mostly, the companionship of your cousins. We have a large family. You and my oldest son have always enjoyed one another's company. But if you would come with us, you would work in a carpenter's shop. I suppose in the light of what these men have offered you, it would be wise for you to go with one of them. I am almost embarrassed to invite you to our home. As I said, we are poor, but you will be loved.”
“I know,” responded John finally. “If I must choose between Hannel, Parnach, and your family, then I would choose the latter.”
“Then you will come and live with us?”
“No,” replied John, looking calmly into the face of Mary.
Mary inadvertently slipped her hand to her mouth. “It's the Essenes, is it not?” Mary paused, and her face signaled that she desired a clear response.
“Yes, it is. I belong there.”
A moment of silence ensued.
“John,” continued Mary, “perhaps you do not know this, but several Essene families have moved to Nazareth. Do you remember the two little boys you used to play with there . . . and oh, yes . . . and that little green-eyed . . .”