BOOK EXCERPT: SEVENTH DIMENSION - THE CASTLE: A Young Adult Fantasy: “The Resurrection”

THE RESURRECTION

I sensed I was no longer in the garden. In front of me was a cave.

When I stood, I ached all over.

Somebody approached. I ran and hid.

A Roman official accompanied by two men in chains became visible. Another guard brought up the rear. The four men stopped at the entrance to the cave.

One of the prisoners said, “We rolled this huge boulder up to the entrance. It must weigh four thousand pounds. And we sealed it to make sure no one moved it—even if they were strong enough.”

The official picked up a rock and slammed it on the ground. “Yet it was moved. How did the rabble-rouser escape? A dead man doesn’t climb out of a grave.”

“A thief stole the body,” one of the men said.

“Did you fall asleep?” the official asked.

“No, we did not fall asleep. We took turns sleeping. Someone was always awake.”

The official glared at them. “How could someone have stolen the body if you didn’t fall asleep?”

They exchanged glances. “We don’t know.”

“We must make up a story,” the official said. “We’ll tell Pilate Yeshua’s disciples stole his body. We’ll give you money to keep quiet, and you can pray you aren’t executed for leaving your post.”

One of the soldiers insisted, “He was gone when we left. We didn’t leave our post.”

“You ran away,” the official insisted, “like cowards.”

Silence followed.

One of the men remarked, “See how the boulder is rolled away. Up a slope, not back from the entrance but away from the entire sepulcher. It would have taken several men to move it that distance. How could no one have heard anything? Other guards were nearby.”

The official smirked. “So the rock moved on its own. Yeshua’s disciples slipped in and stole his body, even though you were awake and saw no one?”

“We didn’t fall asleep. There must be another explanation.”

The official fumed. “You can give that other explanation to Pilate before your execution.”

The officials stomped off with their imprisoned former guards. After a couple of minutes, their voices faded in the distance.

The urgency to get Shale’s diary made me impatient to leave, but my body didn’t want to cooperate. I ached all over, including my head, but I was also anxious to examine the empty tomb. How fortunate I was to have stumbled upon it.

Before I moved, another person approached. I stayed hidden.

Soon I saw Mark riding on Truth.

I waved at him from behind the trees. “What are you doing here?”

He trotted over to me. “I found you at last.”

“What are you doing here?” I asked again.

“Well,” Mark stammered. “I wanted to follow you. I lost you when you galloped away, but I had a feeling you were going to the garden. I didn’t find you there, but I found your horse.”

Mark was too smart for his own good.

“After hearing what Mary of Magdala said, I wanted to visit the tomb. Alas, I find you here.”

“You seem to have a habit of secretly following people,” I remarked.

The boy dismounted. “Only people I care about. Besides, someone was about to steal your horse. I ran him off.”

I sighed. “Thank you. I didn’t think about that.”

I had an idea. “Mark, would you like to keep Truth for a while?”

“Truth?”

“The horse.”

“Sure,” Mark replied.

“I need to go to Galilee and return Baruch to his owner.”

“Who is Baruch?” Mark asked.

“The donkey. He’s near the garden entrance. And you can’t follow me to Galilee.”

Mark laughed. “I have no desire to follow you to Galilee. That’s a long way.”

I nodded.

Mark glanced at the tomb. “Did you check inside the sepulcher?”

I shook my head. “No. The Romans just left a minute ago. I haven’t had a chance.”

“Let’s go see.” Mark ran over and I followed.

All that remained was Yeshua’s grave clothes. The wrappings were in the position of a body, slightly caved in, and empty.

“It’s like he left his clothes behind,” Mark commented.

“You would know about that, wouldn’t you?” I responded.

Mark turned red in the face. “That’s not funny, you know.”

I ran my hand through my hair. “You’re right, Mark. I’m sorry.”

Mark shrugged.

I shook my head. That was poor comic relief. “I feel nervous being here. It’s too weird.”

“I know,” Mark said. “It’s creepy.”

I put my hand on his shoulder. “We need to leave before they discover something else.”

“Like what?”

“Don’t ask.” We lingered for a moment longer. Mark wasn’t ready.

“Mary must be right,” exclaimed Mark. “I had to see for myself.”

“Which way is it to the garden? I’m worried about Baruch.”

“How can you not remember?” Mark asked.

“I hit my head yesterday when I fell. It affected my memory.” That was partially true.

“Follow me,” the boy replied.

Garden of Gethsemane

We returned to the garden and found Baruch waiting in the back where Shale and I had left him.

“Do you want some apples?” Mark offered. “I found these.”

“Sure.”

He pulled out several and handed me one. He also gave some to Truth and Baruch. “Donkeys love apples, too.”

As I put the apple in my bag, distant voices filled the garden. How long would it be before they found Judas’s body and the dead guard?

“Mark, we need to leave. Promise me you will take Truth and go back to Bethany now?”

The boy nodded.

I helped him on the horse. “Thank you for taking care of Truth.”

“I’m glad to,” Mark replied.

I slapped the horse’s rear and watched as they cantered away. Once they disappeared, I mounted Baruch.

“Let’s go, hurry.”

The donkey barely moved. I’d forgotten how slow donkeys were. But at last, he did move—at a donkey’s pace. When we reached the main road to Galilee, his slow speed didn’t matter. Hundreds of weary travelers were also traveling home.

While I was grateful for the crowds to help hide me from the Romans, getting there quickly was another matter. We would need to stay overnight in Dothan as the trip to Galilee would take longer than I anticipated.

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MOSES SPOKE OF THE RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD - ALLUDING TO YESHUA: Devotional by Loirlyn Roberts

See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand. For I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I live forever...Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people: for he will avenge the blood of his servants, and will render vengeance to his adversaries, and will be merciful unto his land, and to his people (Deut 32:39-40; Deut. 32:43).

Have you ever wondered if there was a reference in the Old Testament to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ?  I came across this passage in Deuteronomy 32:39-40 and 32:43 while researching time reversals in the Bible for Seventh Dimension - The Howling.

www.arkcode.com (no longer available on the web) talks about in Resurrection and Possible Reversal of Time how God reversed the position of the sun by ten degrees in the Bible, which refers to the sundial (steps) of Ahaz. 

Most of the information in this article is way out of my comfort zone as I'm not a mathematician, but the reference to Deuteronomy was enlightening. Even in the Old Testament, God gave hints to a coming resurrection. In verse 43, he alludes to his return as the Messiah, to avenge the blood of his servants, render vengeance on his adversaries, and that he would be merciful unto his land and to his people.

Jesus will not return until the Jews, his chosen, recognize him as their Messiah. As we near the days of the Tribulation, I'm always looking for passages in the Old Testament that are relevant to his return, particularly in the Torah. 

Interestingly, this passage also infers that no one can take away those whom God has called, that Yeshua lifted up his hands on the cross (death) and that his human life was swallowed up in victory (eternal life).

I look forward to the day when one-third of the Jews will come to know Yeshua as their personal Savior (Zech 13:9). Today is the day of Salvation. Don't delay if you haven't accepted Jesus into your heart.

BOOK EXCERPT: SEVENTH DIMENSION - THE CASTLE: A Young Adult Fantasy: “Time Travel to the First Century”

         

EXCERPT:

      I turned my attention to a group of men further away, where angry voices disturbed the temple ambiance. Their attire meant they were priests and members of the council. I drew closer to listen.

“We must find a way to trap him.”

“Trap him with his own words? Annas, forget it. We’ve tried that.”

“We need to arrest him and bring him in for questioning, but it has to be when his followers aren’t around.”

“He needs to be put to death,” Annas insisted. “He’s a threat to our power. The masses hang on every word he says.”

“Where does he go at night?” another asked.

The priests gazed at one another. No one had an answer.

“If we could find out, put a spy on Yeshua and bring him in when the people are still asleep—”

“We need a volunteer.”

The eyes of the holy men searched the cloister.

“We don’t have much time,” another said. “This has to be done before the start of Pesach.”

“That’s impossible.”

A priest threw up his hands. “What do you suggest?”

Two men had separated themselves from the rest towards the back of the cloister. I slipped closer to listen.

The men were elderly members of the council, but they weren’t dressed in priestly robes. They were probably Pharisees.

One of them ran his hand through his beard. “Once I asked the sage how I could be born again.”

“What did he say to you, Nicodemus?

“Joseph, I’ve never shared this with another member of the council.

“You have my confidence.”

Nicodemus touched his beard again. “He said that until a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Joseph palmed up his hands. “We need the kingdom of God now. How can we see it?”

Nicodemus glanced at the temple. “Ask God to reveal to us the truth.”

Joseph raised his eyebrow. “I know the truth.”

“How can you be sure what truth is?” Nicodemus asked.

“I’ve known Yeshua since he was young. He’s the fulfillment of the Messianic prophecies.”

Nicodemus snatched Joseph’s hands. “Why don’t you tell the high priest?”

Joseph shook his head. “I keep praying God will open his eyes, as he has opened yours and mine.”

Nicodemus warned, “If they capture him, they’ll kill him. We can’t let that happen.”

I dropped my head and turned away. If two members of the council couldn’t change events, who could? Messiah or not, did he have to die? If time was an illusion, how many different pasts could exist? The futility of being stuck in the first century grieved me if I couldn’t change it. What was God’s purpose to bring me here? Surely, this wasn’t God’s appointed time—that couldn’t be changed—unless Yeshua was who he claimed to be.

📕📕📕📕📕

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BOOK EXCERPT: SEVENTH DIMENSION - THE CASTLE: A Young Adult Fantasy: “First Fruits - The Passion of ‘Seventh Dimension – The Castle:’” Devotional by Lorilyn Roberts

I have to confess, I have a hard time now referring to Easter as the day Jesus Christ was resurrected. I prefer to refer to this Sunday as The Feast of First Fruits. The name “Easter” has pagan origins and has nothing to do with the death and resurrection of Yeshua, the Messiah (Jesus, the Christ). 

While writing my third book in the Seventh Dimension Series, The Castle, I did a lot of research that has impacted my understanding of the Passion of Christ. To be completely transparent, I have always tended to skip over that part of the four Gospels. 

What happened to Yeshua is so disturbing, it’s not something I want to think about. I know He suffered and died for me because of my rebellion and sin. I deserve the death He bore for me on the cross. 

Thinking about the cross is uncomfortable. I’ve read those passages many times in my almost fifty years of being a Christian. Yeshua led a perfect life. What He endured was horrible. It’s difficult to read. It’s disturbing. 

The cross is what sets apart the believers from the non-believers. It’s heavy. It forces you to confront your own wicked heart. Once you have accepted Yeshua as your personal Savior, it’s difficult to read those passages because you know the suffering He endured He chose willingly. To put it personally, He did it for you and for me. 

I spent close to two months reading several books and scouring the web to understand as much as I could about the Passion of Christ. To write about something like this, you need to know it well. And I wanted everything I wrote to be historically accurate. 

The Passion of Christ in The Castle has been the hardest material I have ever written. I suffered immensely. Much of it, I believe, was due to spiritual warfare. One morning I woke up from a disturbing night’s sleep, and before I could pray, God spoke to me. He said three words: “Finish the book.” So that's what I did. The first draft is finished and I am working on my own edits before submitting it to beta readers and professional editors.

I remember many years ago when I went through a painful divorce, someone said to me, “I wouldn’t want to go through what you've been through, but I envy what God has taught you.”

When we suffer, when we dig deep, when we read, when we pray, the amount that we invest in that process God honors abundantly. He comes alongside us and gives us Himself. He pours His Spirit into our souls. He opens our eyes. He talks to our hearts in a spiritual language that is far deeper than our human understanding of Scripture

Yeshua underwent six grueling appearances before the political and religious leaders in the twenty-four hours before his brutal death. Below is an excerpt from The Castle of one of those appearances.  

I don’t want to tell you to enjoy this excerpt. I do hope it will make you uncomfortable. Mostly, I hope on Sunday, you will set aside some time to truly reflect on what the death and resurrection of Yeshua, the Messiah, means to you. He was the First Fruit, meaning He was the first to be resurrected of the millions who will be resurrected at the last trumpet.

To give you a tiny bit of background, Daniel, Sperling, the protagonist in The Castle, is a witness to the events that took place. At this point in the story, he is twenty years old, Israeli, and does not believe Jesus is the Messiah. He is from our time and was transported back to the first century—to what I call a spiritual reality, the Seventh Dimension. The excerpt concerns Yeshua’s appearance before Herod Antipas, the fifth appearance in His six-part trial before being executed by crucifixion.

Chapter 23, Clowns and Circus

We entered the Hasmonean Palace where Herod Antipas stayed on his infrequent visits to Jerusalem. The attendants greeted us with guarded cordiality, but their uncomfortable glances at Yeshua spoke of silent apprehension. I doubted many prisoners appeared before Herod Antipas—especially ones sent from Pontius Pilate.

A runner must have warned Herod Antipas of our impending arrival. We seemed to be expected. Once the porter closed the door, the soldiers shoved Yeshua forward. His chains dragged along the marble floors and the heavy grating echoed off the walls. We crowded around and waited. Hopeful anticipation covered the faces of Caiaphas and Annas. A few minutes later, the Tetrarch made a flamboyant entrance. Exaggerated gesticulations of his hands revealed his extreme delight in meeting Yeshua.

The Tetrarch plopped down in a large chair and his attendants spread out the oversized robe beneath his feet. Once the servants took their positions beside the ruler, Herod turned his full attention to Yeshua. Twirling his hand, the Tetrarch smirked, “So at last we meet.” The Tetrarch rolled his eyes. “And under such extraordinary circumstances.”

Yeshua, bruised and exhausted, said nothing, not even to lift his head.

Herod took a different approach. "Come now, Rabbi, I have heard much about you. In fact, I have wanted to meet you for a long time, but perhaps the reports of your miracles are greatly exaggerated.”

Yeshua still said nothing. His silence put a damper on the Tetrarch’s enthusiasm, but Herod wasn’t so easily deterred. I knew his reputation. He couldn’t let this supposed miracle worker make him look bad.

With an air of flattery, Herod continued. “I’ve heard that you cast out demons.”

Yeshua’s countenance never changed. He stood, blood-shot eyes focused on the floor, arms behind his back, chained and bound between two guards.

When Yeshua remained silent, Herod Antipas filled the awkwardness with rambling blather, boasting about his authority, how much he liked John the Baptist—another of the rabbi’s kind—and how unfortunate it was that he had to behead him.

Yeshua remained silent.

“Oh, let me see, what have I forgotten?” the Tetrarch mused. He flashed his eyes at the ceiling. “Yes, you even raised a man from the dead." An awkward silence followed again when Yeshua refused to answer.

Caiaphas and Annas waited patiently as the Tetrarch rattled on at the rabbi’s expense. The scene reminded me of a trapped, helpless animal taunted by bullies, only later to be slowly tortured. I glanced away, as had a paltry few others—resigned to the inevitable.

After a while, Herod must have realized Yeshua wasn’t going to answer him. The pompous ruler clapped his hands. "I insist you show me a miracle."

Yeshua remained silent.

I remembered being at a circus when I was young. My memory superimposed itself on the room. Another dimension had found its way here. That moment wrapped itself around this one. Time once again became an illusion.

Blue and yellow floodlights tracked through the room. Herod’s servants, dressed as clowns, danced beside him. Caiaphas and Annas were string puppets. Hysterical laughter filled the room. Colorful stripes covered Herod's kingly robe and banners waved from the ceiling. A faint smell of sulfur turned my stomach. I began to heave and wanted to run out of the room.

She was here.

As quickly as the strange vision began, it ended. Yeshua remained quiet, distant, and unfazed.

The Tetrarch demanded once more, “Show me a miracle,” but it was to no avail. Then Herod snapped his finger and ordered that the uncooperative guest be dressed in a royal robe.

An attendant placed an extravagant robe in the bloodied hands of Herod and the soldiers wasted no time wrapping the robe around Yeshua. The soldiers mocked the rabbi, played with him as if he were a toy. I watched from the back, feeling Yeshua’s humiliation, embarrassed by the soldiers’ carnal behavior.

Caiaphas and Annas and many members of the Sanhedrin watched with smug satisfaction. The baseness of their depravity astonished me. The High Priest and his father-in-law seemed like demonic puppets.

After the soldiers had had their fun and Herod had been sufficiently entertained, the Tetrarch ordered Yeshua to be sent back to Pilate, better dressed than when he arrived.

Time was quickly passing and the urgency to accomplish the task wore on the faces of Annas and Caiaphas. Exhausted, I lagged behind as the assembly hurried back to Pontius Pilate at the Antonia Fortress. 

*~*~*~*

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