☆ＮＯ67 Apology of Jacob (First coming)
This is my story which was made with the Holy Spirit.
At the dawn of this day, Mary gave birth to Jesus in the barn where nobody was.
So, Joseph had to go father's house on foot alone for help.
Because the villagers who carried Mary had gone to Jerusalem which was their destination last night.
When Joseph arrived father's house, he told his parents what happened until now, and borrowed a wagon to pick up Mary and her Son.
Joseph's father Jacob said to his wife, "I have sinned against the Lord. Because I refused the gift of God.
I consider Mary a treasure. But I sent a letter to Mary's father Joachim to break off their engagement following Moses's law.
And now they are heading straight here."
And he lifted up his eyes, and cried with a loud voice, "God, what shall I do now for You?"
Then, The Word came into them, saying, "Jacob, son of David and your wife.
Since I took up tables of stone in which My Word was engraved,
I sent My Son on the earth instead. He who is the Word becomes flesh and dwells among all. He is the new Covenant for all of you.
So, look back on what David did do when he brought the ark from the house of Obed-edom into his city. "
He immediately took his clothes off, covered him with sackcloth, and put ashes on his head.
And he grasped a tambourine and ran to greet them with gladness.
So, Jacob's wife saw that and began to make preparations to welcome Mary and her child in a hurry.
And when Jacob came to the top of the hill, just their wagon had reached around the corner of the valley.
He saw that and down the hill a dash. And said, "Mary, my daughter, I owe you and your Son an apology.
Please forgive me for David my father's sake. I had made a very bad mistake by following Moses's law.
But He is greater than Moses.
So, this is the place where God chose me as His grandfather among the people of Israel.
Therefore I will make peace offerings before the Lord."
And he began to leap and dance, and sing hymns with the sound of a tambourine. He sang.
"I will praise You Oh Lord, with my whole heart, I will show forth all Your marvelous works.
I will be glad and rejoice in You. I will sing praise to Your name, Oh You must High."
First Mary felt embarrassed when she looked at it.
But soon she became a feeling which proud of his honesty.
Joseph was silent with an agreement to his apology.
Then they went through the valley and marched in the path among the field.
People of Bethlehem were reaping their wheat harvest in the field, and they lifted up their eyes and looked at Jacob leaping and dancing before Mary and baby Jesus, and they rejoiced.
Mary saw the wheat field and understood Joseph's greeting. She said within herself,
" Yes, his greeting meaning was his town is a house of bread, I am sure now."And she shouted for joy,
" How beautiful Ephrath (rich land) is! Jesus, look! We will be happy."
When Joseph saw that he knew his deeds until now were good in front of God.
Then people reap a sheaf of wheat and throw it into the wagon.
Because they considered Mary and her baby as strangers or pilgrims.
When they were approaching the town, residents heard Jacob's performance and song and wondered what was going on outside.
Therefore they also went out to greet them with a thing that can make sounds. Some had a pan and some had a pipe.
For the Holy Spirit was upon them, so, they could not stop helping celebrate this march.
Jacob danced before the Lord with all his might as David did.
However, the crowd who stood at a distance and watched them were murmuring.
Some said, "A man who leads a horse is Joseph.
And the dancing man is Jacob, isn't he? He is a good carpenter and also the offspring of David.
But today he is one of the vain fellows who shamelessly uncovered himself."
And some said, "Oh poor Jacob, he put on sackcloth and danced singing as a madman."
And they also said away among themselves, "Whom are woman and baby riding on the wagon?"
Although He was coming at harvest time, the world did not know Him as Christ.
However, when many people followed them, Jacob cried with a loud voice,
"The fool has said in his heart, there is no God. Behold, there were they in great fear, where no fear was.
For God is in the people of the righteous. Oh, that the salvation of Israel was come out of Zion!
When the Lord bringeth back the captivity of His people, Jacob shall rejoice and Israel shall be glad."
When the march was approaching his house, his wife was standing outside of the house and waiting for Jacob and his new family.
And as soon as they had come, she drew near to them and welcomed baby Jesus and kissed Mary.
Then Jacob returned to his house, and she said to him, "How glorious was the King of carpenters today!
You who are covered with sackcloth shining like gold with sunshine in my eyes."
Jacob said to her, "I am very fine. God bless us and multiply our family.
So, please deal out a cake of bread to the people who celebrate us."
But she said, "I am afraid all our pieces of bread are short for many."
Jacob pointed to their wagon full of wheat, and said, "Look and praise be! There are their gifts.
God bless the entire David family. So, let us do it."
Therefore they dealt out a cake of bread to every person.
Pieces of bread were sufficient to deal out everybody who was there.
They entered their house and found sufficient pieces of bread for them left on a dining table.
So, all of them eat pieces of bread with gratitude and become happy feeling with Jesus and Mary.
Lord showered them all but overflowing with love, and said, "I am the living bread which came at dawn from heaven." Amen.
October ２０２１ Oil 980mm×1240mm
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