IN THE LARGE room overlooking the Sea of Galilee, Yeshua and The Twelve were in a meeting in the early afternoon. Miryam was preparing lunch in the kitchen, together with Raisa and two other women. One of them was Salome, the mother of Yaakov and Yohanan.

The other was a young woman in her mid-twenties, a jewelry trader who had insisted on following Yeshua after hearing him preach and watching him cast out demons in her nearby city of Magdala, off the Sea of Galilee.

Her name was Mariam. As the four women cooked together on the backyard wood-fired cauldron, the Blessed Mother led the women in singing songs of worship unto Elohim. She looked around the kitchen happily, grateful for the growing friendship and sisterhood with fellow women who loved God and who believed in her son.

They cooked a dish of grain porridge mixed with chickpeas, onions, garlic, cucumbers, and lettuce, which they paired with charcoal-grilled spicy lamb on skewers. Red wine, water and tea were also delivered to the men. Mariam made what she called her specialty dessert: baklava with honey and almonds.

Yeshua and The Twelve ate heartily and thanked the women.

Then they all left the house and took a leisurely walk along the seashore.

As they came upon a deserted rocky point, they all sat down. Yeshua said to The Twelve, “You are all here, because I called each of you by name. Some of you are following me because you have seen me heal the sick and witnessed some miracles. I will now teach you about the mysteries of heaven, so that you can understand the power of the Holy Spirit that I will ask Adonai Elohim to give you for our mission together."

He laughed as he looked at each of his followers. “First, let me ask each of you a question. You’ve heard the men and women call me ‘Prophet’, ‘Rabbi’, ‘Mashiach’, or ‘Eliyahu’, on the streets. Who do you believe I am?” He enquired intently.

Yohanan, Andrai, Petros and Yaakov immediately responded, "Adonai Yeshua, we believe you are the promised Mashiach of Israel."

Bar'Talmai said earnestly, "Adonai Yeshua, I believe you were sent here by God himself. I think you are Prophet Eliyahu reborn, with the power of the Archangels."

Yeshua replied, "Behold an Israelite who fears no one but God".

"We agree with Bar'Talmai," chimed Pelipos, Matai, Tomai, Shimon the Zealot, Yehudah Thaddeus ben Alphaeus, Yaakov ben Alphaeus.

Everyone then turned to Yeudah, who had been silent all along. Yeudah smiled enthusiastically.

He got up, walked past the others and stood in front of Yeshua. Yeshua looked up at him and smiled affectionately. Yeudah fell down before Yeshua and affirmed, "Yeshua Immanuel, you were sent to us by Hashem, the King of Kings, the Alpha and Omega. You were born of a virgin, your Blessed Mother, Miryam. And I know you are the Son Incarnate of Elohim!".

Yeshua laughed heartily. "Behold a devoted child of Avraham!" he exclaimed. The others looked from Yeshua to Yeudah. Petros said, "You have both known each other for a long time, of course."

"Yes, "Yehuda replied, "for over 20 years now."

The others looked at each other and nodded in understanding.

Yeshua talked to The Twelve about the Kingdom of God, the love of God for his creations, the inherent power of the Holy Spirit, and why God sent him to be the lamb of atonement. Yeshua knelt down with his followers and lifted up his hands and prayed for them.

He said, "Father, fill these twelve disciples with Your Spirit, that they may withstand the wiles of Samael and his demons, give them the power to heal the sick, give them the authority to teach the people about Your love and mercy,

and about repentance and salvation. Give them angels to help them in their mission, and whatever they bind on earth, let it be forever bound in heaven. Amen."

Yeshua touched the right forearm of his followers and they each felt a surge of power as they became filled with the Holy Spirit.

Yeshua gave them a momentary, supernatural glimpse of the angels encamped around them by the sea. Some of the followers fell on their faces in shock and in wonder, and they all praised God.

Yeshua said, "I have called each of you by name, according to Elohim’s will, and each person here has a role to play in my earthly mission. Love and support one another at all times, now and especially in the future."

He put his arms across the shoulders of Yaakov ben Alpheus and Shimon the Zealot and continued.

. "You’ve heard the different interpretations of Prophet Yeshayahu's prophecy about the Mashiach. Some skip where he says 'unto us a son is born,' and they hold on to the part where he says 'the government will be on his shoulders.'

Truly I say to you, Amen, the one standing before you is the Son of God, the Mashiach.

Prophet Yeshayahu spoke of a heavenly Kingdom, and you, my disciples, will understand the meaning."

Matai wailed, "Adonai Yeshua, I am not worthy to serve at your feet, sinner that I am. You are holy. You are divine. You, Adonai, the incarnate Son of Jehovah, here before me! Adonai, I am completely…"

"Matai," Yeshua laughed, "truly, I say to you, the time for adulation and encomiums will come. For now, we must plan our work." He wiped away the hot tears that had formed in Matai's eyes. Turning to the others, Yeshua continued.

"We shall travel throughout the Kingdom of Judaea, to each and every city, including those in the regions of Iturea, Galilee, Samaria, Perea, Batanea, and Idumea, to teach people how to repent and live their lives in the light and love of God."

The disciples formed a wide circle and Yeshua stood in their midst. His face glowed with his heavenly translucence as he spoke to them. "You are now my disciples, all twelve of you.

You will all be assigned apostles who will learn from you and help you to spread out to reach more people.

The harvest is ripe. We must work diligently, for the time we have together is not unlimited." He saw the confusion expressed on their faces and smiled. Again, he lifted up his voice and said,

"We shall travel a lot together, but we will always return here, to Capernaum, for renewal and recovery, and for family.

In each city that we enter, we shall split into four groups. Three of you will take to the east, three to the west, three to the north and three to the south. And fear not! I shall be with each group ubiquitously."

The disciples all stared at Yeshua incredulously. "You will be with each group at the same time, in different locations throughout each city?"

They each asked him in turn, with a mixture of awe and trepidation.

Yeshua laughed. "Truly, I say to you, you shall witness the wonder and the miracles of the Kingdom of God here on earth." He paused, then his countenance became very serious.

"As we travel to preach about repentance, the love of God, the love of our neighbors, and salvation, Petros will lead all efforts in evangelism, locations, messages of the day, and all our scheduling, including our retreats.

He is our chief spokesman.

Yeudah will be in charge of our common coffers. He is a savvy traveler and he will attend to all our travel needs, such as our inns, food, transportation by sea or by land.

Yeudah will give each of you a stipend each month and he will also determine when and how we share our funds with the poor.

He has already provided a generous donation of forty pieces of gold to secure all our immediate needs."

Some of the disciples gasped. Some murmured, "He is surely from a wealthy family."

Yeshua went on, "My mother also donated 100 pieces of gold, which is a portion of an endowment I received at birth. We will always share with the poor a portion of what we have and any additional donations that we receive.

When any of you receives a benevolent donation, present it to Yeudah.

Likewise, if you are in need of funds for yourselves and for your family, go to Yeudah. We shall all work together cooperatively and harmoniously. Amen?"

"Amen," chorused the disciples.
There will be persecutions, hostility, accusations, rejection, captivity, loneliness, and more.

You have been called to a life of sacrifice, and you shall be given the courage and the strength to fulfill your earthly destinies.

I ask each of you to retain the following words deep within your heart, now and always: your reward awaits you in heaven, and you will forever be numbered among the disciples of the Mashiach."

After these sayings, all the disciples went away to their various homes to prepare for their itinerant mission with the Son of the Most High.



End of chapter.