NOTE: THESE CHAPTERS ARE NOW AVAILABLE IN A MUCH IMPROVED, EXPANDED BOOK, "A SWORD SHALL PIERCE YOUR SOUL" from FriesenPress
Finally, word came from Judea that Zechariah and Elizabeth would be delighted to have their niece visit. The messenger that had been sent also told them that, yes, Elizabeth had told them she was pregnant. Furthermore, she had told him to tell Joachim and Anna that this had come about because an angel had visited Zechariah when he was serving in the temple and told him this was going to happen. Understandably, Zechariah had doubted this, with their being so advanced in years. As a result, God had struck him speechless until such a time as their son – it was going to be a boy, whom they were to name John – would be born. The angel had also told Zechariah that this boy wouldbe great in the sight of the Lord. He was never to drink wine or strong drink, and he was going to be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. The angel had said he would “turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. He would go as a forerunner before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared for him.”
Of course, Anna wanted badly to know how her sister was doing. The messenger said she seemed to be well and had told him to reassure Anna of that. Furthermore, she was already into her fifth month.
This story would have seemed unbelievable to Joachim and Anna if it were not for the events that had also been happening in their home and in the home of Jacob and Naomi. Just the same, it just added more to their wonder and amazement at the things they were getting caught up in. And why their families? The ways of The Highest One were indeed mysterious and beyond comprehending. All they could do was give thanks and praise to Jehovah and trust that he was working out his plans still.
So, plans were quickly put in place for Mary and Joseph to go to Judea. Joachim arranged with their trusty servant Elias to accompany the young people. He had helped them on trips to and Judea and Jerusalem before.
The morning of the trip dawned bright and sunny. Joseph cold barely contain his excitement as he raced over the hill and across the valley to Sepphoris. Mary had gone back there to spend the night with her parents before being away for some time.
When Joseph called out a greeting from the doorway Joachim bounded to the door and clapped his big hand around his shoulder, “Come in my son, come in. Have something to eat before you leave.”
Joseph protested that he had already eaten but even Anna prevailed upon him and he ate more. He had already seen
Eliab loading up a donkey in the street with food and bedding for the journey. He had brought some bread, dried figs and raisins of his own.
When they had all finished breakfast and farewells were said, Joachim invoked a blessing from Jehovah for safety and good health for the 3 of them as they travelled. Besides their own food and bedding, they also carried some gifts for Zechariah and Elizabeth. Then they were off. Eliab walked in front of the donkey, holding the reins. Mary sat astride and Joseph walked alongside. Mary shyly reached out her hand and Joseph took it in his as they plodded along in silence for a while. It was still early and in some ways they barely felt awake. They were both filled with excitement though too. Barely married, and here they were making their first trip together. Joseph’s heart was almost bursting with pride as he walked erectly along beside his bride, sensing the increasing responsibilities that were being placed on him as a man now, no longer a boy.
It was a beautiful day and they enjoyed seeing the green hills, the flowers and the singing birds as they began their trek to the southeast. Following the customs of their people, they did not take the most direct route from Nazareth to Judea. The Jews of the time considered the peoples living south of Galilee, the Samaritans, unclean, as they were not pure Jews and did not believe, worship or live according to The Law in the same way the Jews did. So, they added a couple of days to their journey to Jerusalem rather than risk difficulties going through Samaria, as the citizens of that area were not always friendly to them either, knowing how they were viewed. Thus, it was getting late in the day as they arrived at their first night stop, Beth Shan, the ancient city – town really – the Greeks and Romans called Scythopolis. This was a major crossroads between the east-west route from the eastern cities of the Decapolis to Palestine and the Mediterranean. There were many travellers stopping for the night but their sight was not that unfamiliar to these three. Nazareth was itself not that far from this route so many of these traders and pilgrims would pass that way too.
They had stopped for lunch on the way and now, after stopping to rest and have a little evening meal, they found a sheltered place to sleep for the night. They wrapped themselves in their blankets against the cool night air. Joseph felt a thrill as Mary turned to him and yielded the curves of her warm body to his protective arms. He could hardly believe his good fortune to be together like this with his beloved Mary. Elias slept next to them and near their donkey, the better able to keep something of a guard for them.
In the morning, after eating a bit more of their carried food, they turned south to the Jordan Valley. They walked past fields of corn and grain, groves of olive trees and figs. To the left lay the blue hills of the Transjordan. On their right were the dry and grassy hills of their own land.
Three days later, getting dusty and tired by this time, they reached Jericho. Here Eliab found them a citizen willing to let them share the family’s upper room for the night. He took care of the transactions required to make it possible. They rested easier that night, the young lovers once again thrilled to sleep in each other’s arms.
Next morning, having eaten the last of their provisions and having refilled their canteens with water, they set out on the last leg of their journey together. It had been planned that Joseph and Eliab would accompany Mary to Jerusalem where they would stay with members of Anna’s family. From there someone from her aunt’s family would meet Mary and accompany her to the home of Zechariah and Elizabeth in the village in the Judean hills in which they lived. Joseph and Eliab would return to Nazareth. Mary and Joseph did not relish the thought of parting for however long Mary would stay with her aunt, but that was what their parents had arranged so they complied.
The 20 miles or so from Jericho to Jerusalem were noted for the rough terrain in between. To begin with it was bleak, hilly and dry. It was also a steep climb from the Jordan Valley to the mountains on which Jerusalem was built. The winding road past rocky ledges and caves was also notorious as a hiding place for thieves who sometimes attacked travellers violently. For that reason, Eliab had made arrangement for the three of them to travel with others going up to Jerusalem. If this had been a feast time the road would have been filled with pilgrims making their joyous way westward together but that was not the case now. Still, there was always the belief that there was some increased measure of safety in numbers. The trio also said an extra prayer for safety before they set out.
Before the day had ended the 3 travellers y did arrive safely at Mary’s relative’s home in Jerusalem. They were welcomed enthusiastically and refreshed after their long and wearying journey. Under the circumstances as guests the couple were not able to sleep together that night. Mary slept with her relatives and Joseph and Eliab were given a place of their own to rest.
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