The Childhood of Jesus
The Gospel of James
Biographical Gospel of the Lord
- Chapter 270 -
The Town Of Nazareth Receives A Warning
WHEN JOSEPH started on his way with the members of his family and the little Child walked along between Joseph and Mary, the whole group felt a noticeable quaking of the earth at every step of the little Child.
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Joseph found this phenomenon to be quite marked at times and asked Mary,
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'Wife, do you not feel how the surface of the earth shakes and quakes?'
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Mary replied, 'Oh, I feel that very strongly!
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If only a mighty storm, which likes to appear after an earthquake, does not strike us while on the way or in the town!
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And notice, the earthquake continues on, which I have not experienced before.
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Oh, a terrible storm will surely follow!'
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Here Joseph said, 'I still do not see the least cloud anywhere in the sky;
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but for all that you could be quite right.
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If this earthquake does not come to an end very soon, it will not even be safe to go into the town.'
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As the family neared the town, a number of refugees already came toward them from there and warned them about going there.
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And they declared, 'Friends, from wherever you may be, be sure not to go into the town!
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For a mighty earthquake was there less than half an hour ago, and one is not safe for a minute from the collapse of the houses!'
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Even Joseph was somewhat in doubt here whether or not he should turn back.
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Here James went over to Joseph and said to him in an aside,
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'Father, you must not be afraid - this earthquake will not do the least harm to anyone, neither in the town nor in the surrounding country.'
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At this Joseph quickly understood whence the earthquake came.
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He therefore promptly encouraged all the members of his family to go into the town.
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But when the refugees saw that the old man went into the town,
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they said among themselves, 'Just who must this man be, that he has no fear of the earthquake?'
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And they guessed back and forth; but no one recognized him.
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Then they wanted to go back into the town also;
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but when the earth began to quake again as the little Child walked onward, they fled. - And Joseph quite fearlessly went into the town with his family.