Covenant of Light

CHAPTER 6

Yochanan begins the fullness of his purpose on Earth when he returns to the community of Gimron, where he was raised as a youth, to teach the community members about repentance and baptism. He baptizes twenty-three people, and seven leave to follow him up the Jordan.

 1 As Yeshua began to embark upon the fullness of his purpose, his cousin Yochanan had not been idle.

 2 After their departure in Bethany, Yochanan returned to the community at Gimron to seek out those who would listen to his words with an open heart and a mind willing to think beyond the room in which it had always dwelt.

 3 Being married now and returning to the community in which he was raised for some years, he was given the right to speak during a gathering of the men for the teaching of righteousness.

 4 When his turn came, Yochanan rose up from among them, and standing before the men gathered, he said unto them, “Brethren, most of you have known me since I was a youth, and you know that I am not given to an excess of words or flattery.

 5 As you know, I have traveled far in the last years, even to Egypt and the borders therein of that country.

 6 I have been amongst not just Hebrews, but also Egyptians, Nubians, Syrians, Greeks, Romans, Persians, and many more people who are different than me, different than you.

 7 I have met priests of different religions and men of different beliefs.

 8 But the greatest thing I experienced, the greatest that will ever be in all of my life, is to have traveled with Yeshua of Nazareth, who lived among us for a short time in his youth.

 9 I have learned of his humility, but have also seen his majesty. I have learned of his commonness, in many ways like any other man, but have also seen in him the light of Elohim such as dwells in no other man, even the light we call Celestine.

 10 Through him, I have found myself.

 11 I shall not tarry long now among you. I leave within days to begin my life’s calling and will journey along the Jordan, teaching repentance and baptism unto all who will hear my words.

 12 If I could, I would teach that each one of you and every man in the land should seek out Yeshua of Nazareth and follow him.

 13 That day will surely come for some, but it is not yet, and it is not given to me at this time, but to him, to call whom he will to walk with him.

 14 I go now to prepare the hearts of the people, to call them to repentance, to teach them the simple truths that are the spark of the greater Celestine Light, which Yeshua shall bring.

 15 I go now to baptize the repentant in the river Jordan as a covenant between them and God that from that day forth; they will leave the darkness behind and walk only in the Celestine Light.

 16 And now, O men of Gimron, I begin with you. At this place, on this day, I begin to fulfill my purpose upon the Earth.

 17 You have isolated yourselves in this spot that you might study the ancient ways and come closer to God. And in many things you found that which you sought.

 18 But I say unto you that finding God is far simpler than the complexities of the law and far more difficult than endless days of study.

 19 It is closer than the words of the prophets and more distant than the discovery of ancient mysteries.

 20 Verily, some may come into a oneness with God in the space of a day, while others will seek for a lifetime and never find that which they seek.

 21 I declare unto you that it is not piety and obedience to the law that brings a man or a woman to glory and joy in the life to come and fulfillment in the life you live, but humility with a contrite spirit, honoring the temple of your body, and a willingness to give respect and do good unto all people.

 22 It is not seeking to be perfect in the law that brings you to God, but striving to be an emissary of Elohim, with humility, by looking outside of yourself, and doing good unto your fellow men all of your days.

 23 What I have learned in my travels among people of many different races and religions is that though they may disagree with my beliefs, though they may not know the truths that I know, though they may not have the Celestine Light that I have, they will respect me and trust me and give honor to God, a place in their hearts when they see the light of God in the life I live.

 24 But if I disdained them and gave them no respect, if I looked only unto myself and gave no thought for their life and their problems, then they would not see the Celestine Light of Elohim in me.

 25 They would instead see only a crab in its shell, having no interest in them, except to avoid them. And they would in kind have no interest in me except to keep me away. And because of my actions, they may never discover the true Celestine Light of Elohim.

 26 If I carry the lamp of God, but they avoid me because of my stoic spirit, how then shall they find it? Wherein shall their curiosity be stirred such that they will seek the source of the light?

 27 It is well and good to live here in the peace and solitude to better be able to seek Elohim without the distractions of life in a village or town. But there must be something more beyond just yourselves.

 28 Once you have found Elohim in your heart, once you have been strengthened by the wilderness, I say unto you to go forth into the land and share your light with those do not have it, for they are many. You may always return to the wilderness to renew yourself.

 29 Do good in the world, that others may see your good light and desire to seek its source.

 30 I know there are many good and honorable men and women who dwell at this place of solitude, and I do not upbraid you for the good that you have, but only ask you to realize that only by sharing the light that you have will you gain more yourself.

 31 You cannot be proud, my brethren, you cannot have pride in your heart, but must take joy in humility, for whatever light we have is only that which we have been blessed by Elohim to hold.

 32 Every person has sinned and fallen short of the expectations of God. As the years go by, a person’s sins are not forgotten by Elohim though the sinner will try to forget.

 33 Unrepentant sins, even those you think you have forgotten, stay with you still, slowly pulling you down until one day you may find yourself in a deep pit from which there is no escape and know not how you got there.

 34 I do not speak of sins against the law, but only sins against the commandments of Sinai, for these are the sins of the Holy Scrolls of which God calls man to an accounting and repentance.

 35 And the foundation of the commandments of Sinai is to honor Elohim and to treat your fellow men even as you wish to be treated.

 36 Look now unto your own life. Do you honor Elohim for all of your many blessings, for your life, your health, your home, your family, your peaceful community?

 37 Do you honor Elohim by cherishing the temple of your body, which God has given you?

 38 Do you honor Elohim by daily prayer and fasting, at least once each moon?

 39 Do you honor Elohim by obeying the commandments of Sinai?

 40 I know of one area that every man here is in need of repentance, and understand I speak to you with love, my brothers. You have much light, but you confine yourself to this sanctuary in the wilderness and do not share your light with others in the greater world, who need it so desperately.

 41 Put you in their place. If you were lost in the world, ignorant of the light of God, and each day must face only the misery of existence and the yoke of the Romans, how dear would it be to you to have someone come into your life and show you a sure path to a greater happiness?

 42 Therefore, I call you to repentance that you might be pure in your heart and worthy to make a covenant with Elohim.

 43 I challenge you this day to uncover your lamp and henceforth live your life in a greater light.

 44 I will remain here but three days more, and then I will journey up the Jordan. I have been gentle with you, for I know you have good hearts, but with the Children of Israel, I shall not be so gentle.

 45 I shall call them to repentance and hold nothing back. I shall teach them the simple truths of Elohim, and I will not waver. And those with great sins will be unable to hide, for they will not be able to persuade me or pay me to go away.

 46 I will speak with each of you for two more days, for I know some disagree with what I have said and others will want more understanding of that which I have spoken.

 47 I ask any who have caught a glimmer of the Celestine Light of Elohim from my words to fast for the next two days, praying often to Elohim. Remember your sins both big and small and confess them to Elohim, asking forgiveness.

 48 If you have wronged another person, go to that person and confess that which you have done and make restitution such as you can.

 49 If you are humble and honest and hold nothing back, but confess all to God, and tell the truth to all men, then Elohim will forgive you of your sins if you make a covenant to be born anew and from that day forth to live a better life with a greater light.

 50 And the spirit of God shall touch your heart, and you will feel the loving forgiveness that is greater than all the feelings of men.

 51 If you would do these things, then come to me on the third day, and I will baptize you in the waters of the Jordan, that you may make a covenant with God to be a Child of Light from that day on.

 52 As you rise from the water, feel the spirit of Elohim all around you, for at that moment, you will truly be born again.

 53 On the fourth day, I shall begin to move north along the Jordan, and I will need those of good heart to follow me and help me teach the people and baptize them of water.

 54 For those who follow me, I will teach you of the Celestine Light of Yeshua and the many things I have learned from him so that when you meet him, it will be as if you already know him.”

 55 And it came to pass that, even as Yochanan had said, on the third day, he baptized twenty-three souls. And on the fourth day, seven of them followed him north along the Jordan.