Shades of pink and red blushed in the pale blue aquamarine skies..... The delicate magenta, indigo, vermilion, turquoise orbs along with the numerous glittering stars appeared marvellous in the eternal horizons of Heaven.
Zerekial, the chief elder, stood on the pearly sands of the Heavenly Eden, viewing the sparkling, foamy waterfall of living waters...
His long white beard reached to his belly, and his silver hairs were gently brushed by the cool breeze. Archangel Gabriel stood beside him, "My soul is vexed.. I grieve for the Human Race."
Zerekial, stared ahead in silence, his expressions overcast with gloom. "Who can search the heart and mind of Yehovah? He is the Omniscient, the Omnipotent... His Wisdom is beyond comprehension. He surely discerns the consequence of the Judgment." -Zerekial mumbled and sighed deeply.
The thick, white mists that enveloped the Heavenly Eden Garden, slowly started to fade and disappear...
And a brilliant white light appeared... Drawing nearer.. and nearer towards them... And began gleaming gloriously, bright like thousand suns.
Zerekial the Chief elder and Gabriel fell on their knees and hid their faces from the eye blinding, brilliant luminosity...
And then, suddenly in the radiant white brilliance, their eyes witnessed a vision...
----
The radiant white background changed to gloomy, dull crimson and pale orange skies...
Golgotha, a place also known as Place of skulls...
It was still the noon hour, and suddenly the gloomy skies darkened.... and darkness fell upon the land.
The face of a Man, hanging on the cross appeared before their eyes. His hairs matted with sweat and blood, falling over his bruised face, deep lacerations ran across his body, his flesh torn by cruel slashes, blood dripping from the crown of thorns placed on head, blood pouring down from his deep wounds, he moaned in deep anguish, gazing towards Heaven...
"Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" (My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?)
The vision soon faded, and both Zerekial and Gabriel stood horrified, staring each other perplexed.
And another vision of a young lamb being slaughtered appeared....
They understood the mystery, and grieved with tears... even the whole Heaven stood silent and aghast...
----
"AND THE WORD (CHRIST) BECAME FLESH AND DWELLED AMONG US;
And we saw His glory as an only begotten son receives from his father..." <Jn1:14>
~HE CAME INTO THE WORLD, AND THOUGH THE WORLD WAS MADE THROUGH HIM, THE WORLD DID NOT RECOGNIZE HIM ~
"Who are you?" - Some Priests and Temple Assistants sent by the Jewish leaders from Jerusalem, came to the area east of Jordan River, and questioned John.
John stood looking intently, at the men who came to him. His garments were made of camel's hair and a leather girdle was tied around his waist, his hairs were unkempt, he appeared a haggard figure, wandering under the scorching desert sun, his hazel eyes sparkled with a certain passion and fire...
"I am not the Messiah." - John replied, after brief silence.
"What then? Are you Elijah? " - They asked with curiosity.
"I am not!" - John responded and walked towards the gathered crowd, near the Jordan River.
"Are you the Prophet, we were expecting?" - They persisted, unsatisfied by his answers.
"NO!" - John retorted.
"Well! Then... Who are you? We need an answer for those who sent us. What do you have to say about yourself?" - They enquired firmly.
"I am the voice of one crying aloud in the Wilderness.... Prepare ye the way of the Lord." - John the Baptist stood amidst the crowd and cried loudly.
The men again interjected and questioned him, "Why then are you baptising if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah nor the Prophet?"
John walked towards them, he smiled then answered, "I only baptize with water, those who repent of sins and turn to God. But someone soon arrives, who is greater that I am not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals." His hazel eyes gleamed as he spoke of the coming Messiah... "He shall baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire."
It was the other day.
The sun gleamed brightly in the pale blue horizon....
John stood in the clear waters of the River Jordan, baptising people who came from Jerusalem and Judea and all over the Jordan valley.
And the Spirit of God, prompted John the Baptist... His heart leapt with joy, in the presence of the coming one.
John walked towards the crowd and amidst them, there slowly approached a figure... He was plainly dressed, simple, yet his noble features looked appealing, his dark hairs reached his shoulders, his eyes sparkled with a certain zest and fire.... And his demeanor was as majestic of a King...
He looked straight at John, and John stood transfixed, staring him silently...
"Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world..." - the only words John found suitable to utter, to welcome him, honourably.
"Why you come to me, it is I who needs to be baptised by you?" - John protested as He approached him...
Yeshua gently placed his hand on John's shoulder and convinced him.
The transparent waters of River Jordan were reflecting the gleaming sunlight...
John the Baptist, mumbled few words gazing towards the heavens, and then dipped Yeshua in the clear waters...
The multitude of Angels in Heaven stood in silence.. . as the thick, luminous clouds of glory covering the Holy Mountain, became radiant with much brilliance... . and loud roaring and thunderings echoed...
from the Throne...
The Portals of Heaven stood wide open...
The white clouds blanketing the horizon, tore apart as Yeshua arose out of the waters... A beam of light as brilliant as the sun shone brightly above him...
And He who sat on the Throne... The Omnipotent, Omniscient, the Immortal One...
The Ancient of Days... His breath, the Life giving breath, His Sacred Spirit blew, blew as winds...
And the Spirit of Yehovah, was seen descending like a dove upon Yeshua...
Gabriel turned to Zerekial, his eyes gleaming in awe and delight, "He walks among His own..."
Zerekial watched elated with joy, he added.. "To Reveal to them the Father... Father of all Compassion and Mercy... "
FOR GOD SO GREATLY LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE UP HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON...
~At the heart of the story stands the Cross of Christ, where evil did its worst and met its match~
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FOOTNOTES:
1. The Baptism of Jesus is inspired from John chapter 1 and Matthew chapter 3.
2. The Greatest Gift is a creative work based and woven around the Salvation message.
3. In case if you missed the previous Parts of the story click on the link below:
Part 2-> http://crimsonredink.blogspot.com/2015/09/the-greatest-gift-part-2.html
Part 1->
http://crimsonredink.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-greatest-gift-part-1.html
