Chapter 12 continued

    “I believe as the community does. A person is either of the light or of the darkness from the beginning. I believe the chosen are the few who live in this monastery.”
    “Ah-ha! Now I know you cannot stay!” the Guardian shouted.
    “Guardian, my witness is that you have been unfair. This man is sincere. There is no reason why you cannot take him in and give him a chance.”
    The Guardian swatted the air. “Paul, you are as pesky as these flies, and I am losing patience with you. However, there is one final test I can apply. Candidates must have a religious experience known to us as the calling. No one who has had the experience, and revealed what happened, has been turned away. That should satisfy even you, Paul.”
    Jesus said, “I had such an experience. One night, about three years ago, I had difficulty sleeping. Finally, I dozed off, but sometime after midnight, I awoke. I thought I heard someone call me to come out and join him. It was strange because I imagined the person calling me was a rug merchant who passed through Nazareth that day. I sat up and heard the call again. This time I knew it was Jehovah who called me.”
    “The Lord?” I said.
    “Yes. The Lord God of Hosts. I put on my tunic, and went out into the night, and set the latch behind me because I did not intend to return.”
    “Why not?” I asked.
    “I was giving up my life to be with the Lord.”
    “And was the Lord there to greet you, Jesus?” the Guardian asked with a smirk.
    “I searched, but no one was there. I heard a dog barking somewhere in the distance. Then I returned to the house and woke my mother so I could get in.”
    “You’re lying!” the Guardian snapped.
    “No! I am not lying!”
    “Okay. I believe you are telling the truth. And it is exactly for that reason you cannot stay.”
    “You dishonor yourself, Guardian,” I said.
    “I regret that I asked you to witness.”
    “I’m only asking you to be fair.”
    The Guardian sighed. “What I am going to show you now will break a solemn vow of secrecy. No one but the inner circle of elders has seen what you are about to see. In exchange, Paul, I want it noted that I went the extra mile to be fair. Agreed?”
    “Agreed.”
    The Guardian took a piece of limestone from the pocket of his robe and stooped to draw a hexagram on the wooden floor of the watchtower. First, he drew a triangle with three equal sides. On top of it, he drew a second triangle pointing in the opposite direction.
    “This is the true symbol of existence as taught to us by our great Teacher of Righteousness. But its meaning is not apparent as you see it here. To get the meaning, you must separate the triangles, one from the other, and place them side by side.”
    The Guardian drew the two opposing triangles side by side. “Two opposite worlds always in balance with each other and within themselves. No one crosses from one to the other. God decided at the beginning of time who is in each world.”
    Jesus said, “Then God is unjust.”
    “Not at all. Look again. One world begins scattered and ends gathered. The other is opposite. Balance is divine justice.”
    The light dawned and Jesus said, “The last shall be first, and the first last.”
    “See, Paul? I told you he was bright.”
    “But none of this explains why Jesus can’t stay.”
    “I have said too much already.”
    I rebuked the Guardian. “You must tell him why he cannot stay.”
    “He is different from us, Paul. I thought you were a pretty smart guy, but you still don’t get it, do you?”
    “You owe him an explanation.”
    I owe him nothing.”
    “You said no one who had the experience and told of it is turned down.”
    “Let it go, Paul,” the Guardian warned.
    I couldn’t let it go. “Jesus’ going out to meet Jehovah is proof he is one of the gathering—one of the remnant. How can you turn him away and consider yourself fair?”
    The Guardian paused in the doorway and spoke to Jesus with the full authority of his position. “I want you gone within the hour. Draw provisions for a day’s journey. That will be get you to Jerusalem.”
    Jesus slumped when he and I were alone again. “Where will I go? The monastery was my last hope. Is there no place for me in this world?”

Jennifer and her friends had reservations in En Gedi at a spa near the public beach. Behind the spa was Shukamit Falls where David hid from Saul. After dinner, Jennifer and I walked to the waterfall, and I told her what happened after she left Qumran.
    “Paul, at the discussion in New York you admitted it is irrational to have a real encounter with someone from another time.”
    “Not if all events are always happening. This afternoon, I experienced balance. I stood at the center of existence as I did in Saint Matthew’s.”
    “Did Jesus call you again?”
    “No. I thought I would learn the Final Story from him, but he didn’t know anymore than I do.”
    “Paul, it just proves it wasn’t the same. Maybe you were in the sun too long.” Jennifer felt my brow.
    “Why did the Guardian reject Jesus? There’s something missing, something about this I still don’t understand. It must be right under my nose, but I can’t see it. Maybe Preacher John was right and the Final Story is beyond me. Even the Guardian said I wasn’t as smart as he thought I was.”
    Jennifer said, “Promise me you’ll come with us to Masada tomorrow.”
    “…The Guardian’s mood changed after Jesus said he answered the call…but all the monks at Qumran would have given the same answer…unless…unless…”
    “What is it, Paul? You look ill.”
    I sat on a rock. “Oh, no. Oh, no. No.”
    “What?”
    “I know how a dead man can call people to follow him.”
    “I’m afraid to ask.”
    “Don’t worry, I’m not going to tell you. It’s too terrible. But I must tell Jesus, otherwise he may never know.”
    “You can’t change events if, as you say, all events are set by balance.”
    “If he learns it from me, I won’t be changing anything. My telling him is a part of balance.”
    “Paul, do you have any idea how crazy this sounds?”
    “I have to find Jesus.”
    “You’re scaring me. I don’t know what's going on, but if you have entered another world twice already, you may not be able to come back the next time.”
    “Not another world, Jennifer, but the Kingdom of God.”
    “I want you to promise you will come with us to Masada tomorrow.”
    “Jesus said he was going to Jericho. I must go there tomorrow.”
    “I’m going with you.”
    “No, I have to do this alone.”
    “Paul. I care for you. I’m not going to let you go alone.”
    “Please, Jennifer. Go with Margaret and Elizabeth to Masada.”
    “You can’t stop me from coming with you.”

Chapter 13