The Childhood of Jesus
The Gospel of James
Biographical Gospel of the Lord
- Chapter 210 -
The Child Foretells A Fire From Above
AFTER SEVERAL HOURS everything was burned up and nothing was noticed by any of the guests - since the Lord wanted it that way - and no one else knew anything about it except the servants of Cyrenius.
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Only then did Tullia, Maronius Pilla and the chief officers and centurions along with Mary and with James, who led the little Child, come out of the house into the open for the first time this day.
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Now Maronius Pilla, whose sense of smell was very keen, immediately noticed an odor of burning,
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went directly to Joseph and inquired, 'Most noble friend, do you not notice an odor of a wild conflagration in your nostrils?'
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Here Joseph led him somewhat aside behind the house and with his finger pointed out the scene of the fire to him.
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And Maronius asked just what had been delivered up to the fire there.
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Joseph answered, 'Friend, that is just why the matter was delivered up to the fire, so it should not catch the eyes of the world!
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Now Cyrenius knows everything, so turn to him. He will tell you what was there, for he saw it all.'
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With that Maronius had to be satisfied, and with him several other curious inquirers.
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Thereupon the little Child requested that Joseph, Cyrenius, Jonathan and His James come along with Him to the scene of the fire, which here and there still gave off wisps of smoke.
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When they arrived there, the little Child ran three times around the large fire area, took a half-burned dagger, gave it to Cyrenius and stated,
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'Cyrenius, see, now your enemies are defeated, and their strength is turned to ashes!
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Here in My hand is the last hostile remnant, and it has become useless.
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I give it to you as a token that henceforth you shall take no revenge against those who were against you - and the few who still are;
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for as useless and reduced to slag as this dagger shall also be all your anger as well as that of your few remaining enemies!
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'These your enemies went forth from Tyre and wanted to destroy you here.
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Now I knew the day and the hour and the moment that you were in danger.
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Therefore I had a storm come at the right time last night, which drove the wild animals down from the hills
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and caused great fear and terror among the assassins, so that they became helpless when they were attached by the beasts.
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'And behold, thus it will be one day in the future: A mighty fire from above will come over the bones of all the doers of evil and will devour them to dust and ashes!
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Then will the Lord pass three times around the scene of the world's conflagration, and no one will ask Him and say: Lord, what are You doing?
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And only at the third time around shall the last ray of anger be taken from the earth!'
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At these words all were wide-eyed, for no one understood their meaning.