The Great Gospel of John
Volume 7
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
From the Lord's years of youth
- Chapter 226 -
The fire in the house of the neighbors.
While we were busy extinguishing the fire, Joseph said secretly to Me: 'Do You not have the same power against this all devastating element, just like you have against the winds and the water?'
2
I said: 'I do know what you want now, but this is not the right time for it now. Let the wicked helper really work hard until he will not know anymore where he stands. Soon he will be seriously injured by a fall and will be carried away while being in great pain. Only then I will put a definite end to the fire by My will. However, I am taking care now that the flames cannot cause any serious damage to the house. Be attentive now to see what will happen.'
3
Now, a lot of people were coming from the city, more out of curiosity and because of the sensation than for wanting to help to extinguish the fire. The zealous helper demanded from the onlookers that they should help to extinguish the fire and those who did not comply with his words he rudely called them names. These got very angry with that, grabbed the helper and pushed him with great force off the roof on a heap of burning beams.
4
By that, the helper broke his arm and received some burns in his face, so that he had to be carried away from there. I said to Joseph: 'Look, he has received his reward that will make of him a better person. But now I want that the fire will stop.'
5
When I had pronounced these words - which only Joseph heard - the fire extinguished so rapidly that no more glowing spark could be found. Also, there was no other damage to the house except to the roof, which was of course burned for more than half. But because there was nothing under the roof that could be destroyed by the flames, the damage could not be called big. And we were offered a job again, which however we performed completely free of charge for the neighbor who could not be called responsible for the accident, and to whom we also gave the necessary materials.
6
However, among the people there was great amazement about the fact that the fire had been completely and suddenly extinguished. No more sparks could be discovered and no more smoke rose up. And moreover, the carbonized beams felt cold. Many said that the reason was that they had extinguished it with dirty water. Others said that God had heard the prayer of a righteous one, and that could be no one else except the helper who had been pushed into the flames by a few offended idlers.
7
However, the neighbor for whom we build the container said to Joseph: 'The fact that the heavy fire extinguished so suddenly is thanks to you, and more precisely thanks to your youngest son. Because since His youth I have often seen wonderful things about Him, especially when He was completely alone. Then He played with the elements and the powers of nature. But for the eyes of the people He - already since more than 8 years - did not show anything of His inner power, and behaved and worked like any other person.
8
Once I saw when He was all alone and cut down an oak tree. People like us would need a few days to cut down such a tree that was a good 500 to 600 years old, but from the moment that He set the axe to the root, the tree fell already. After that, with the same speed it was stripped of its thick branches. The branches pulled themselves to the side and at once they laid together chopped in the greatest possible order. Then the trunk was chopped in a rectangular way. And also this chopping happened equally as fast as the other work before, and finally also the little chopping and the gathering of the pieces of wood of the tree. In short, the whole work lasted only half an hour. When He was finished with the work, He took the axe, went home and let you know that the oak tree was totally ready to be used for the construction. You only were asked to see it, and during that time you were not allowed to mention it to the other brothers.
9
Look, this and still more I have noticed with Him now and then, and therefore I am fully convinced now that He is the One who extinguished the fire so quickly. Well, brother, what do you say about this?'
10
Joseph said: 'Yes, yes, you are completely right and it probably will be so, but what you now believe and know you must keep for yourself, otherwise we soon will have all kind of trouble with the men of the synagogue, which would be very annoying to me. I remember the story with the oak tree very well, and also other things, especially during the last days. However, we must keep silent about it, because otherwise we will cause damage to His future plans and purposes. Do understand this well, dear friend, and act accordingly. You will do well by this.'
11
We left the place of the fire, went home again and went immediately to sleep, for we had worked a lot during these days.
12
The next day, a Monday, we quickly finished the container before sunrise, and after the morning meal we went immediately to the neighbor whose house had been damaged by the fire. He asked us to repair the damaged house.
13
Then I said to him: 'If you can keep silent and keep your servants, also your wife and children, away from your house for a whole hour, you will see God's glory. Then your house will be quickly finished.'
14
The neighbor said: 'I will keep silent as a grave, and also I will send my men to the field where they all have to work. Then you can do whatever seems best to You.'
15
I said: 'Good, do it, then I will do My work.'
17
When we stood there, the neighbor asked Me what I would do now. I said: 'Your house will now be repaired in a way that will look wonderful to you. From earlier years it is still known to you that it has been given to Me to perform many wonderful works by My will, but during the time after My twelfth year of life I did not perform anymore because of the great wickedness of the people and their total unbelief. But you belong to the small number of righteous people, and you believe what I say to you, and therefore, now you will again experience of what God's power and glory in man is capable of. Look at your totally damaged house. I, Joseph and My brothers will not take an axe, and still your house will be well and properly repaired.'
18
The neighbor said: 'Very well, my young Friend, I firmly believe that You can do all that. But as you see, I still do not have any construction material. From where will we obtain it and from where the money and eventually other means to buy that material and to make it fit?'
19
I said: 'I already talked about it yesterday that we will help you for free, also with the material, and therefore you do not have to worry about anything anymore. Just look once more to your house, how things are with your half-burned roof. What a pitiful sight. But I will it to be completely repaired now. And look, where can you discover the smallest damage to your house now?'
20
The neighbor was extremely astonished and said: 'Yes, my young Friend, this is truly God's power and glory. That is why: honor to God in Heaven, for He has given such power and glory to man."