Chapter 5: Tiberias’ Hot Mineral Springs

The group arrived in the village of Emmaus which was famous for its seventeen natural mineral hot springs useful for curing of skin and other ailments. It was the month of Elul (September) and the hillsides surrounding the shores of the Sea of Chinnereth (Galilee) were covered with green grass and yellow daisies.

Thomas and Matthew found rooms for the group and I went to the village center to speak with the residents. I carried Ariel and her crutch to the town well and sat her down. After the others arrived, I entertained questions from my disciples so to draw the locals into the discussions.

At last an old Rabbi arrived with his wife and listened to the discussion. At a break, the old man asked, “Rav, how did Adam sin when Eve gave him an apple to bite from the forbidden tree?”

I answered, “Rabbi, the sin was not to have taken a bite of the apple. Adam could have eaten three, five, or seven apples and still have not sinned before God. His sin was that his pride caused him to arrogate the knowledge which came with the apple rather than seeing that it was of the Father. Every fall from grace, Rabbi, is the resultant of self-conceit, greed, and power. Do you agree, Rabbi?”

The old Rabbi replied, “Yes, my son. I agree though I have never heard such a cogent explanation. What is your name and where are you from?”

I answered, “I was originally born in this land, but lived many years in the lands of the Indus River Valley. I have returned so to show our people how to return to our Father and our Mother. My name is Yeshua. The pretty female is my beloved wife, Ariel, and the men new to your eyes are my brothers in God.”

The old Rabbi was a truly righteous man and saw Ariel in both her heavenly and earthly forms. Even without knowing, the Rabbi saw that I was not a normal man. He turned to me saying, “Truly, you understand that there is but one commandment?”

I replied, “Yes, Rabbi. The commandment says that we shall love our God with all of our heart, all of our mind, and all of our intention, but more importantly, we shall love our neighbor no less than ourselves, and even more if possible.”

The Rabbi took his sleeve to wipe his eyes for they were full of tears. When he was finished wiping, he said, “I see that the old prophecy is true that one day an old Rabbi will meet the Son of God, a simple Rav, who will answer questions, unlike the others.

“I would very much like for you and your friends to come to dinner at my house after sunset. We never had any children or grandchildren and having young people will do us both good. I will hurry home. Come, my sweetie. If you would return to the town center, I will come and fetch you.”

I agreed and the old Rabbi hurried off. I suggested they have a day of rest and sample the baths. I was sure that they would relieve Ariel’s near-constant pain.

We went to one of the less popular springs, removed our clothes, and entered into the hot water. As Ariel was very shy about her body, everyone closed their eyes as she undressed and entered the mineral waters. She closed her eyes when they entered the water too.

Simeon the youngest of the group asked, “Rav, are you the Son of God?”

Smiling, I answered, “Simeon, do not the Scriptures proclaim that all of us are the Sons or Daughters of God?”

Simeon replied, “Yes, such is true, but I think you are being indirect with me? I would like a simple yes or no.”

I answered, “Yes, I am the Son of God and Ariel is a Daughter of God. And one day, she will bear ‘little godlets’ for her and me.”

Simeon did not know what to think, other than his Rav was too clever for him.

We enjoyed the bath and were able to drink some local fruit juices while bathing.

Simeon went to Thomas and asked, “Thomas, why won’t Rav answer my question?”

Thomas replied, “Simeon, he did answer your question, but you feel that you still do not know for sure. It is better not to know for sure for all of us. If we knew that Rav was the Son of God, all of us would be afraid to be his friend and in fear of making him irate. So it is best to call him ‘Son of Man.’

Simeon replied, “Still, I know he is the Son of God. One day, he will tell us, Thomas. My only wish is that it is on a good day and not an evil one. Thanks for putting up with my questions, Thomas. You are a great older brother.”

After a while, I turned to Ariel and asked, “Darling, do you want to feel me inside of you again?”

Ariel answered, “Yes, Yeshua. I look forward to many such a grand days, then we shall truly be two bodies in one flesh.”

I replied, “Are you ready to carry and care for a child, Honey?”

Ariel responded, “Oh, I wish for our child so very much. For all my years of being tortured and degraded may be, but a just prepayment to deliver a beautiful and godly child from my womb. Moreover, it will show that Mother’s life was important for God’s Plan.”

“Ariel, you really love your mother, don’t you,” I stated?

“Oh, yes, honey. If you would have lived with us, you would love her also. I think she would have liked for you to be my brother. We could have all traveled together, studied together, and played games together. If you would have been my brother, all three of us would have made love and her fear of men would have gone away.

“And if you were my brother, we would keep your penis very clean and healthy. We would suck it and we wouldn’t have needed Mother’s dildos. Oh, Husband, I love this thought for then Mother would still be alive and living with us. You could have made the sweetest love to her as I watched and given her seed so she and I could have babies together. She was only thirty when she died. I loved to see Mother happy, Honey,” she nonchalantly said.

I admit that I was taken by surprise by such talk, and thought, “Never assume any act of true love is inappropriate nor immoral.”

I took Ariel’s hand and we walked to a more secluded part of the mineral spring. The water was just under two and one-half Hebrew long cubits in depth. After we arrived at a proper place, I took Ariel into my arms telling her, “I am going to place you underwater so close your eyes and hold your breath. I will bring you up for a breath when it is necessary, I will dunk you three times.”

Ariel replied with complete faith and trust in me, “I trust you, my sweet Husband. Your will is my will. So dunk me as you desire. I am yours to do as you please,”

I said, “You will feel much discomfort during this procedure. Do you still trust me?”

Ariel replied, “Honey, I gave myself in my entirety to you for it is the price of my love for you. I can tolerate pain, darling. Dunk me now.”

Ariel took a big breath and I forced her underwater. Her body moved in my arms and when I returned her to breathe, she said, “I love you, Husband. I love you.”

She took another breath and I forced her underwater. Her body shook more violently in my arms and when I lifted her out of the water to breathe, she said, “My life belongs to you, my husband. It would be better to drown in your arms than live without you on Earth or in Heaven.”

Ariel took one last breath and I forced her underwater. This time I held her under until the violent movements ceased. Ariel felt she was going to drown and let go of everything except her love for the man who was willing to marry and love a cripple just because she wished. She passed out and I returned her to the surface so to breath.

I carried her back to the others. I asked Daniel to get some strong wine. Daniel left the spring and quickly returned. I keep Ariel’s body underwater but made sure she could breathe. I sat Ariel in the spring and woke her and told her to drink the strong wine.

She quickly recovered and I requested, “My dear Wife, I wish that you step out of the spring and stand on the sand. Do not cover yourself.”

Ariel did as I commanded and stepped out of the spring without any difficulty. She looked down at herself and saw she was no longer crippled, no longer lame. She could stand up straight.

She did not know what to say exactly. So she blurted out, “Look, everyone, now I can have babies with my husband. He totally reshaped my body so it matches the heavenly one you all saw.”

Ariel jumped back into the spring and hugged and kissed me in pure joy. Her brothers were amazed and almost as happy as she was.

Thomas commented to Simeon, “Are you happy now? Does it matter to any of us whether Rav is man or God? All we need see is that the quality of his love and his faith above reason is sufficient to work miracles. I say we love him and learn to be as he is.”

Many persons were attending the springs this holiday and so saw the miracle. Soon the whole village knew of the miracle. Moreover, the truth would be evident when the old Rabbi returned and Ariel was seen by him and the other villagers who had listened to the discussion.

As the sun neared the horizon, our party returned to the village center which was filled with most of the villagers and some Rabbis from Tiberias.

As we entered the village square, a lady called out, “See, the Rabbi cured the crippled woman and made her so beautiful. I should know, for I was at the mineral springs all day.”

Other villagers cried out to the truth of the miracle.