Courtyard of Heaven
After the recess, the Father of all things felt energized, and ready to continue on with his lecture of the Holy Grail. Rejuvenated from the Source of all things, with the addition of the Mother of all things to sustain him. It was time to move on to the end game in the life of Jesus. Time to heal up some old wounds, and unravel a few mysteries for the awaiting angelic host.
The entire host was assembled. Mesmerized by what they had heard up to this point in the sermon. And willing to continue on with these revelations. They awaited their respective Creators with heightened anticipation.
The Father resumed his message, “Once Jesus had done enough healing and teaching for one day, he retired to Bethany for the evening. His followers went with him. This would continue on throughout the final week. Jesus going to the temple in the morning to teach and to heal, and to return to Bethany each evening.”
“He retired to the home of his in-laws. The expansive house which belonged to the family of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. It would be here that Jesus would replenish himself after each day. Enjoying himself in the good company of his friends and family. Knowing that he wouldn’t be with them for long, therefore relishing every precious second given to him.
“It was a very happy few days for the man whom shall forever be known as Jesus. The evenings of that final week were the best days in the life of Jesus of Nazareth. An incredible fellowship shared by him and his closest followers. He would never forget those final hours spent with those closest to him.”
The Father paused, and decided to move ahead with the story. To that glorious night when the entire world changed. He thus proceeded, “Let’s advance to the night of the last supper. A night filled with many falsehoods and misconceptions, as you shall soon see.”
The viewer appeared, showing a lengthy table made of cedar. On the table was a grey tablecloth, made of wool. Upon the tablecloth were various dishes, bowls, and cups. Around the table sat the followers of Jesus.
The Father looked from the viewer to the audience, “Notice how many people are seated with my son Jesus. Let’s count them all, shall we?”
“To Jesus right sits his wife Mary Magdalene. To his left sits his brother in law Lazarus. Surrounding these and moving counter clockwise in order from the Magdalene sit, Mary’s sister Martha, Jesus’ mother Mary, Peter, Andrew, James and John. Sitting next to her sons James and John, sits Salome. Next in line sits Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, and Thomas. Then sits James the Just, Simon the Zealot, Jude, and Judas Iscariot. Finally sits Jesus’ sister’s Mary and Sarah, along with Jesus’ brother Joseph. The man whom scriptures calls Joseph of Arimathea.”
“Not thirteen people gathered at the last supper, as the scriptures state. But no less than twenty of Jesus’ closest followers were gathered with him for this momentous occasion. In other words, Jesus’ entire inner circle was present that night. As they should be. Those whom were the closest to the son of man, while he was in the flesh.”
The Father looked from the audience to the viewer and then back to his audience and said, “It was not unlike what is celebrated in the United States today. The feast known as Thanksgiving. It’s always attended in America by your closest family members. It’s the same as Passover in ancient Israel. Therefore Jesus’ entire family was with him on that fateful evening.”
“Now that we’ve covered those whom were assembled that evening, let’s talk about what happened once they were gathered together.”
The Father continued, “The first step that must be done was to rid ourselves of the enemy before Jesus can carry onward further into his mission. Therefore, he instructed Judas Iscariot to leave. He told Judas, “What you must do, do so quickly.”
“Jesus did this because he wasn’t about to celebrate the most important meal in his life with a demon.”
The Father looked up at the viewer which once again was portraying a picture of Judas Iscariot. He paused, and continued his story, “Jesus knew what Judas Iscariot had been up to that week. He knew that Judas had been meeting with the high priests, in order that they may ensnare the son of man in a trap.”
“Jesus knew that Judas was about to betray him. Therefore, he sent Judas away to go fulfill his mission. The demon had been cast out of the upper room.
“Once Judas departed, the remaining members proceeded to eat the last supper. They ate lamb, bread, and drank wine. It was a festive occasion for those whom were closest to Jesus. Filled with joy and songs, for none of them knew what lie ahead. So for about two hours, those present had the time of their lives.”
“But Jesus knew, and he was troubled by it. He knew that he was chosen to the sacrificial lamb for all of humanity. Not just for earth, but for the entire cosmos. He knew that his time had come. And he was going to miss his dear friends.”
“Jesus looked around the room at the people who were closest to him. To Peter, the man whom history would call the rock. To Philip, the man whom would stay true to Jesus, through thick and thin. The man whom would also save his beloved wife and children. To Thomas, the man whom would travel all the way to India to preach the message of Jesus. To John, the man whom would see the final revelation. To James the Just, the man who would lead the church of Jerusalem for thirty years. To Lazarus, the man whom Jesus would entrust with the care of his mother, and his sisters. And finally to his brother Joseph, the man whom would bring his message all the way to Britannia.”
“A tear welled up in the eye of Jesus as he thought about his departure. He was going to greatly miss these souls, chosen by his Father to be with him during his lifetime.”
“Yet Jesus was also frustrated that many of his followers hadn’t fully comprehended his mission. How many who were closest to him had still not learned what higher consciousness truly was. That he could count on his hand, those whom had completely understood the truth of himself. The rest would have to learn along the way of their many travels which awaited them.”
Tears were also welling up in the eyes of the Father as he was telling this story of love and sacrifice. The angelic host also responded to his feelings and emotions by letting out their own. It was natural for them to do so. Responding to their Creator in the most loving of ways. A feeling of eternal love was collectively sent from the host to their Creator.
The Father smiled at his host, and pressed onward, “Once the meal was finished, Jesus proceeded to wash the feet of each and every one of his closest followers. He did this to show them that we each are all servants to our fellow brethren. That none of us is above washing the feet of another. We are only here to serve, as the angelic host knows all too well.”
“Once this ritual was finished, the group retired for the evening. To a place which is owned by the family of Jesus, the famous Garden of Gethsemane.”
The viewer then portrayed a praying Jesus in the garden. A man whom was greatly troubled. It showed Jesus fervently praying to the Father of all things. Sweating profusely, Jesus was practically in a state of exhaustion.
The Father of all things looked at the image shown from the viewer. He studied it for a while, forever remembering this moment. The Father was in tears when he spoke his next words to the angelic host, “It was at this moment in space time that my son Jesus was asking me to spare his life. Asking me to pass the cup away from his destiny. Begging me to let him live. He knew what lie ahead, and it was tormenting my son. To the point of sweating blood.”
Through more teary eyes the father said, “At that moment I knew what Abraham had went through. A child begging a father for his very life. The same way Isaac had begged Abraham for his.”
The Mother of all things moved next to her mate. Steadying him with her gentle and graceful hands. Giving him strength. He looked at her, smiling, and continued, “Three times my son asked me to spare his life. It was at the third time that I finally consented.”
“Jesus didn’t know it at the time, but when he asked me to spare his life for the third and final time, I agreed. I then put the wheels in motion for a plan that would be covered up for nearly two thousand years on planet earth. And is still being covered up to this day. But that is about to change. And quite soon.
“The greatest cover up in the history of humanity began that night in the garden of Gethsemane.”
The Father took a second to gather his thoughts, and continued, “The first time my son asked me to spare his life, I said nothing. The second time he asked, I also kept my silence. It was the third time that did the trick. As the expression goes, ‘third time’s a charm.”
“Yet I left my son unaware of what was about to take place. As far as he was concerned, I had denied him his request. So he proceeded on with his mission. He stayed with his followers in Gethsemane for the evening. Knowing that Judas and the high priests would soon be hot on his trail. He could have left town, but he stayed. The reason was because he knew he’d be arrested that night by the temple guards, and it was his mission to be a sacrifice for humanity. A ransom for many. So he didn’t flee, even though he could have.”
The viewer then showed the apostles, Philip, and his best friend Bartholomew. The Father looked up at the two sidekicks. Smiled to himself, and said, “Well once I decided to spare my son’s life, I had a rather large problem.”
The Father of all things pointed his finger toward the big screen and said, “And here they are. My problem.”
“Not so much Bartholomew, but more so Philip. Because of his ethics, Philip wouldn’t stand for what I was about to do. And if Philip didn’t agree with it, then Bartholomew wouldn’t either. That’s just the way those two were. Best friends since their ages of five.
“So I had to send these two away from Gethsemane. You’ll understand why I had to do this very shortly.”
The viewer was following along with the Father’s story, “I waited until Jesus was finished praying, and had returned to the rest of the apostles, before I made my move. Once the son of man was in the company of his good friends, I then spoke to Philip, telling him to ‘Go to Gaza.’ Now when I did this, he was completely startled. Caught off guard by my voice. I practically gave him a heart attack.”
“I wanted to make sure I got his attention.”
“As soon as Philip heard my booming voice, he looked at Jesus, who was staring straight at him. For I made sure that Jesus had heard a message as well. Except in the message I gave to Jesus I said, “Philip needs to go to Gaza.”
“So as soon as Jesus and Philip locked eyes on each other, Jesus said to Philip, ‘What the Father asks you to do, should you not do?’ Therefore Philip took along with him Bartholomew, hugged Jesus, bade his goodbyes, and headed off to the coastal region of Gaza. Not sure knowing why they were doing so. It was just another act of faith by my chosen. By the soul known as Amos.”
The Father looked up at the viewer showing Philip and Bartholomew leaving Gethsemane, and heading westward. “A major obstacle to my plans had been removed. For leaving Philip in Jerusalem would have been a problem. For several reasons.”
“Now it was time to act on the next part of my plan.”
“But before I could do that, Judas and the temple guards arrived at Gethsemane to arrest Jesus for treason. Which they did. They bound his hands, and led him off to the high priests of Israel for questioning. There was a scuffle between the guards and the apostles, but Jesus intervened. Otherwise, the guards would have arrested all of Jesus’ followers that night.”
“Instead, the guards only arrested Jesus. And let the other followers go. Who all scattered in different directions, afraid for their lives.
“Now while the guards were hauling Jesus off to the high priests of Israel, I sent another message. Except this message was intended for Jesus’ younger brother, Joseph. The man whom people call Joseph of Arimathea.”
“In this particular message, I told Joseph to go and see the Roman procurator, Pontius Pilate. And when he was with Pontius Pilate, I would then further instruct Joseph on what to do next.”
“Joseph did as he was instructed, and told no one of the message that he received from me. He, like Philip, was startled when he heard it. But he was able to keep his calmness about himself. He then proceeded off to the residence of Pontius Pilate.”
The viewer then portrayed an image of the man known as Pontius Pilate. A man with typical roman features. Dark curly hair with olive colored skin. Brown steely eyes, with a stern look about him. Pilate projected a man of importance.
The Father continued, “Pilate was a harsh, and brutal ruler. A man whom had ordered the executions of many zealots throughout the Judean region. For his primary purpose was to keep the Jews in check, with a Roman boot placed upon their necks.”
“Yet Pilate was not above corruption. Not above taking bribes to increase his financial gain while in political office. Not above having a meeting with Joseph of Arimathea. A man with considerable wealth. And Pilate knew this.”
“So while the high priests were busy interrogating Jesus, Pilate was meeting up with Joseph.”
The viewer showed the following conversation between Pontius Pilate and Joseph, brother of Jesus. The meeting between the two was held at Pilate’s luxurious estate. In the office of the procurator, which was a wing of his lavish manor.
Joseph spoke first, “Thank you for receiving me sir. I have a proposition for you.”
“Make it quick. I’m a very busy man,” said Pilate.
Joseph listened to the voice within, and repeated, “I’ve got a proposition for you.”
“What is it?” asked Pilate.
“There is a man who is being charged by the high priests for treason and insurrection. He is my brother, and I wish to spare his life,” said Joseph.
“This sounds like a Jewish internal matter. What have I to do with it?” asked Pilate.
“Soon the high priests will be taking him to you,” said Joseph.
“Why would they do that?” asked Pilate.
“Because they don’t have the power to kill him. Only you have that kind of authority,” said Joseph.
Pontius Pilate raised his hand to his mouth. Thinking hard about this matter. He knew how important this Joseph was, and if he was coming to him for this particular request, then it must be very important. He needed more information on the matter.
“What is his name?” asked Pilate.
“Jesus of Nazareth,” said Joseph.
“Oh! I know this man!” exclaimed Pilate. He looked at Joseph for a moment, studying this important man of great wealth, and asked, “You say he is your brother?”
“Yes. He is a year older than I am,” said Joseph.
“Then how did he end up in this mess? After all, your family is one of privilege, and he seems to be a leader of zealots,” said Pilate.
“He received his calling at an early age. He followed the Lord, while I followed my father in the family business,” said Joseph.
“I see,” said Pilate. He thought for a moment and asked, “So he turned away a lucrative career in contracting so he could follow this God of yours?”
“That is correct,” said Joseph.
Pilate studied Joseph for a few more moments. He noticed that this Joseph is an impressive man. He speaks and dresses well. His mannerisms were very favorable. He would have made an outstanding Roman had he been born into it. Perhaps even risen to the level of Procurator, as Pilate had done. The Roman governor asked Joseph, “Why didn’t you just approach the Jewish high priests instead of me? Why didn’t you try to buy them off, the way you are attempting to do so here?”
“They would have refused. They want Jesus dead,” answered Joseph.
“Why is he such a threat to them?” asked Pilate.
“He is a threat to their order of establishment,” answered Joseph.
“Explain it to me,” stated Pilate.
“My brother Jesus and his followers arrived in Jerusalem last Sunday. He did so with much fanfare and acclaim. Thousands were proclaiming him the ‘son of God.’ The Messiah who will rule from David’s seat,” said Joseph.
Before Joseph could continue, Pilate interrupted him by saying,” I know of the prophecy which states that a future ruler will come from the line of David who will rule the nations. Do you believe this? And do you believe that your brother is this man whom the prophets foretold?” asked Pilate.
“I believe in the prophecy, but I don’t believe my brother is the chosen Messiah,” answered Joseph.
“Continue,” ordered Pilate.
Joseph complied with Pilate’s request, “Jesus taught of ‘a way.’ The way to connect with a higher power without having to go through the high priests. Therefore negating the laws of Moses. The very same laws which put the priests between man and God. With the way spoken of by Jesus, there was no need for any high priests. Because a person could connect with the divine within themselves. And have no need of an intermediary.”
Joseph continued, “This teaching was a threat to the priests’ livelihoods. It rendered them obsolete.”
“I see,” said Pilate. He thought for a moment and continued his sentence. “I see why he would be such a threat to those in power.”
“My brother is very popular with the common people,” stated Joseph.
“Is he a zealot, with the intention of trying to overthrow the Roman presence in Jerusalem?” asked Pilate.
“Not at all. He’s a prophet, who’s trying to teach the people a better way to live their lives in the service of God,” answered Joseph.
The viewer froze on this conversation between Pontius Pilate and Joseph of Arimathea.
The Father of all things turned away from the viewer, and towards his heavenly audience. He resumed his lecture, “After a series of questions and answers, the two came up to an agreement. As I knew they would.”
“It cost Joseph a large sum of money, but he was able to convince Pontius Pilate to spare the life of his brother. Therefore, the two concocted a plan. In this plan, Jesus closest family members would have to be made aware of their scheming, but no one else. So Joseph then set about to tell Mary Magdalene, Martha, his mother Mary, and Jesus’ brother in law, Lazarus. The rest of Jesus’ followers would be kept in the dark. This would turn out to be a very crucial decision made by Pontius Pilate and Joseph of Arimathea. But their thinking was that the less people who knew of their plot, the better.”