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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END TIMES SHOFAR, PASSOVER BLOOD MOON, RARE SOLAR ECLIPSE, AND CALL TO PRAYER: Christian Blogger Lorilyn Roberts

The press release below arrived in my in-box this week and highlights some things God has shown me as I write the third book in my Seventh Dimension YA Series, The Castle. 

My research, geared toward the Jewishness of the Bible, has revealed many interesting events and facts I find hard to ignore. Because the fourth book in the series will be focused on the future, I've needed to consider important elements that will affect the plot.

Based on historical precedence, I would be surprised if the following events don't happen by the end of the year: War in the Middle East, a worldwide financial collapse similar to 2001 and 2007, and increasing persecution of Christians and Jews in the Middle East. 

Many Christians are not aware of the significance of the Jewish festivals, Jewish calendar, and signs in the heavens related to Jesus' first and second appearance. I hope blog posts like this will shed light on God's timetable. While we don't know the exact date of Jesus' return, we do know the times. God has given us many prophecies and warnings so we could know. I am one of those who longs for Jesus' return. Please keep reading to learn more.

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PRESS RELEASE

Passover Blood Moon Preceded by Exceedingly Rare Solar Eclipse Prompts Global Call to Prayer    Contact: Tuly Weisz, 786-275-5904 JERUSALEM, Israel, March 12, 2015 /Christian Newswire/ -- An exceedingly rare solar eclipse will take place next week over a most symbolic location on a day infused with both great natural significance and profound religious meaning, according to Root Source. “There will be a total eclipse of the sun for two minutes over the North Pole on Friday, March 20, the day of the Spring Equinox which coincides with the beginning of the Hebrew month of Nissan, the first month in the Biblical calendar year, a solar occurrence that has likely never happened before in human history. “The concurrence and rarity of this natural event, together with the times in which we live, indicates the finger of God,” said Gidon Ariel, an Israeli Jew and co-founder of Root Source, an online platform where Christians can learn Jewish concepts, ideas and thought, and more deeply understand the roots of their faith. “A total solar eclipse at the North Pole on the first day of spring occurs once every 100,000 years. For it to occur on the first day of the first month of the Biblical calendar year is, however, entirely unprecedented since this is only the year 5775 according to Jewish tradition, meaning that there has never been such a solar occurrence in human history. “Root Source founders Bob O’Dell, a devout Christian, and Gidon Ariel, an Orthodox Jew, are both calling all Christians and Jews to join them for two minutes of prayer as a response to the solar eclipse. O’Dell and Ariel chose a specific Bible verse for the global prayer.  “‘I will be praying Isaiah 11:9 for two minutes at the Western Wall in Jerusalem at 12:18 PM local time,’ Ariel said. “‘I invite Jews and Christians worldwide to join me at that exact moment, and to speak that verse out loud as a prayer in your native language. May God hear and quickly answer the combined prayers of all of us around the world,’ said Ariel. “‘God directed Gidon and me to pray Isaiah 11:9, as it describes a future where all land is a place of safety because the knowledge of the LORD is as omnipresent as all the earth’s oceans, signified by the path of an amazing eclipse that eventually reaches the top of all the world's oceans,’ said Bob O’Dell.” For more information, visit www.root-source.com. II Cor 15:52 states, “It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed” (New Living Translation).

CREATIVE WRITING INSIGHTS: “My Favorite Top Five Young Adult Books of all Time are…Drum Roll,” by Lorilyn Roberts

Well, I had to list six. I couldn’t limit it to five. Some of the books I have listed here are not Christian books, but I didn’t know about all the great Christian authors when I was a young adult since I didn’t grow up in a Christian home. Thus, I didn’t say “Christian books,” I just said books.

For instance, I did not know about C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, George McDonald, and many other Christian authors. I did discover in the library A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine I’Engle when I was about 12, which is the only “Christian” worldview book I read as a teenager, and loved. I lament that I didn’t discover other Christian authors until I was in my 30’s, when my birthfather (whom I didn’t meet until I was 30) introduced me to C.S. Lewis.

I was introduced to other wonderful authors/books when I homeschooled my daughters, and so I have a new set of books I love in this genre now.

My first all-time favorite would be The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. I have read this book at least three times and it embodies much that I want to write in my own books: Characters that are memorable, a Christian theme without being preachy, original creativity, a well-constructed plot, meaningful symbolism, and redemption. When I think of a story that is among the best, this book always comes to mind.

The second would be The Giver, by Lois Lowry. I have read this book twice, once with each of my daughters. It is hard to believe that this story isn’t real. Ms. Lowry writes such a believable story that I wonder if I could ever come anywhere close to emulating her. Because my YA Seventh Dimension Series is a fantasy of sorts (part of it), I have reflected on how she made the story seem so real.

The third book would be Pilgrim’s Progress, by John Bunyan. Again, I loved the Christian message, the symbolism, the struggle, and the redemption. I can relate to the protagonist and all that he went through.

My fourth and fifth all-time favorite books are Gone With the Wind and The Exodus. I remember how I felt reading them as a YA and the sorrow when I finished them. I didn't want the books to end. I still remember the young girl in The Exodus who died; my heart was broken. It’s interesting that I don’t remember the exact plot. I remember the characters. I fell in love with the protagonist in The Exodus. I didn’t know it was possible to fall in love with a fictional character in a book. The same holds true for Gone With the Wind (Yes, I thought Rhett Butler was handsome and charming).

I recently read The Diary of a Young Girl, by Anne Frank, and I couldn’t avoid listing it here. I don’t have the benefit of time to see where it will eventually fit into the collection of books that I have read as my all-time favorites, but because of the way she wrote it, the book touched my heart. I was drawn into her world of suffering, and the way she described the people in the attic and all the things that happened, it was hard for me to believe she lived and died before I was born.

Even when I was young, I enjoyed books that had significant undertones/struggles, and these also are the books that have made significant contributions to the literary world. I believe teens can handle difficult, heavy topics. My dream is to write books that can touch the heart of YA readers and influence their worldview with Christ’s love—enabling them to grow and become the person God created them to be.

I’d love to hear from you: What are your favorite YA books?

Note: I didn’t include The Lord of the Rings Trilogy as I consider it to be more for adults. The pace is rather slow to engage YA readers, though maybe I should have listed The Hobbit. Sigh. It’s so difficult to narrow it down, isn’t it?

PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU’S VISIT TO WASHINGTON ON THE DAY BEFORE THE FAST OF ESTHER AND PURIM: Christian Blogger Lorilyn Roberts

I am reposting this email I received from a friend of mine. We met in Jerusalem January 1991 shortly before the Gulf War started. He and his wife, Roger and Naomi, and I were students at the Institute of Holy Land Studies during the time leading up to the war and shared the memorable experience of preparing for an attack, including how to use gas masks. 

I left in an all-night taxi ride from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv (along with other people fleeing) a couple of days before the first missiles landed in Israel. Roger and Naomi stayed, braver souls than me. 

Roger and his wife have spent their entire lives as missionaries in Asia, and he is very knowledgeable on the teachings of the Bible, particularly as they concern Israel. In light of what is happening in Washington at this moment with Prime Minister Netanyahu's upcoming visit, I feel it's important for evangelical Christians to pray for the safety of our country and Israel. I fear judgement on our nation if we do not align ourselves with Israel. Much is at stake. Please continue reading to learn more.

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Wilderness of Judea

Shalom,

We are asking you for serious prayer to our Father in Heaven in the Name of our Savior and Lord, Yeshua the Messiah FOR ISRAEL AND PM BENYAMIN NETANYAHU!!!!  Pray for Bibi's health and protection - may he show Faith in the Almighty, as Queen Esther did!!

You have heard the controversy - truth is, when Netanyahu got the Invitation from Boehner, he notified the White House of it and his intention to accept it (Jerusalem Post).  There was no response from the WH so Netanyahu accepted the Invitation - silence indicates approval. However, the WH silence was deliberate in order to falsely create a supposed violation of Protocol, a lie!  The Speaker of the House does NOT need the approval of the WH to invite anyone. Bibi did his part.

Obama hates Bibi and Israel (WHY??) and is trying to destroy him with Israel, regardless of more lies to the contrary.  Come to think of it, when has the WH ever told the truth??  The way Obama is weakening any deal with Iran shows that he wants Iran to have the bomb in order to destroy Israel, and in the meantime, betraying all relations with Israel, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and others, who also fear Iran's intentions and have defense or cordial agreements with the USA.

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This interesting article comes from Rabbi Benjamin Blech:

Controversy surrounds the Prime Minister of Israel’s forthcoming appearance on Capitol Hill.

Invited by Republican House Speaker John Boehner to address Congress about the threat of Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed this opportunity to share his country’s existential concern as the Iranian regime comes ever closer to achieving the capability of fulfilling its avowed goal of the total annihilation of Israel. 

But the White House has made known its displeasure. A growing number of Democratic lawmakers said they would boycott his talk. Vice President Joe Biden, who as president of the Senate would normally oversee Netanyahu’s address, said he would be out of town. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said she hoped the speech “doesn’t take place.”

The Wailing Wall

Why all this animosity toward the leader of a long-standing ally, the only democracy in the Middle East, to whom President Obama has long pledged his unswerving loyalty? Because the administration has made clear its fury at a supposed breach of protocol. The White House insists it was not consulted before the invitation was given. That breach of etiquette, it stoutly maintains, trumps any benefit Congress might gain from the insights of the Prime Minister of the country to be most immediately and severely affected by the present negotiations being concluded with Iran.

This isn’t the first time the issue of protocol lies at the heart of an Iranian threat to destroy the Jewish people.

There is Biblical precedent. Eerily echoing today’s story, the Book of Esther recounts the first recorded instance of attempted genocide against Jews in the ancient empire of Persia, today known as Iran. When, more than two millennia ago, Mordecai learns of Haman’s plot “to destroy, to slay and to exterminate all Jews, young and old, children and women, in a single day” (Esther 3:13), he prevails upon his adopted daughter Esther, now queen, to intercede.

But Esther is afraid. If she were to approach her husband to appeal Haman’s decree, she would be breaking royal protocol. “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces are well aware,” Esther responds to Mordecai, “that if anyone, man or woman, approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned, there is but one law for him: That he be put to death, except for the person to whom the king shall extend the gold scepter so that he may live. Now I have not been summoned to come to the king for the past thirty days” (Esther 4:11).

The Eastern Gate

Nonetheless, the Book of Esther tells us that after begging the Jews to pray and fast on her behalf, Esther chose to disregard protocol in the face of possible extermination of her people. Esther succeeded in averting the evil decree. As a result, Jews to this day around the world celebrate the Festival of Purim.

In Jewish tradition, the Purim story marks the commemoration of a different kind of miracle. In its unfolding, it is a miracle of coincidences so statistically improbable that they together speak to us of the hidden hand of the divine in human events. For that reason the book of Esther is the only one in the entire Bible in which God’s name is not to be found even once. 

Here God hides his face - but is as much involved as when he split the sea before the Jews fleeing the Egyptians. For Jewish commentators it is the message of the famous – and ironically anonymous – adage that “coincidence is merely God’s way of choosing to remain anonymous.”

And so perhaps the most remarkable serendipitous aspect of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech is that it is scheduled for the very day before Jews will be observing the Fast of Esther and Purim this year, to recall a time when a heroic queen decided that the survival of her people took precedence over protocol.

Settlements

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March 4 - Fast of Esther.  March 5 - Purim.  March 6 - Shushan Purim.  Enjoy reading Esther!!!

And please Pray daily for Bibi and Israel, God's forever Chosen People, who will never be destroyed and will be the Dominant nation over all when Yeshua Returns.  We choose to be with Yeshua and with Israel!!  

Rom 11:33  O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 

"By Faith we understand..."

LORILYN ROBERTS BOOK REVIEW: “The Chosen,” by Chaim Potok

Book Review by Lorilyn Roberts

The Chosen was written in first person and the many themes were handled realistically and authentically. I felt like I was reading a memoir from the protagonist, Reuven. Chaim Potok writes in a matter-of-fact style with a smoothness that is comforting and reassuring. I could relate to and understand the protagonist’s problems as well as that of his friend, Danny Saunders.

The story was set during World War II in New York. Potok wove the war into the story to magnify the issues of faith, life, and death. Some of his references were very specific which intensified the meaning and drama of The Chosen, as if the name of the book had a double meaning; i.e., D-Day, President Roosevelt’s death, the subsequent discovery of the concentration camps, the horror of learning that six million Jews had been slaughtered, and the determination of Reuven’s father to give the Jews a homeland in Palestine. 

The conflict of Danny with his father was the most intriguing theme for me: Would it be possible to never speak to my father except when debating the Talmud? It seems improbable, but Potok did succeed in making me believe it was true. The lengthy passages about how the Hasidim sect began, the meaning of Apikorism, the finite differences in Judaism between Danny and Reuven, the intensity of the meaning of their Jewishness, and the biographical sketch of Reb Saunders’ history and family members (his genius brother and what happened to him) helped to create the realism that he and Danny never spoke to each other except when debating the interpretation of the Talmud.

Pokok took a complex theme (family relationships and faith) and wove the story into one that is universal, particularly for the Jewish people, who have suffered for thousands of years as God’s “chosen” people. I believe this type of book is important for the younger generation where so much that is written is fluff and superficial. I believe most adults tend to underrate what young people are capable of understanding and embracing. The Chosen has raised the stakes in challenging all of us to respect the difficult choices that some young people must make when dealing with family, faith, values, and destiny.

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