All chapters in the Galilee Stories As I walked out from town a few days later I smiled. It amazed me that such a simple person could become the most important leader in human history. We had only spoken for a few hours but I felt that I had seen into his heart. He had radiated simplicity and caring. Our discussions of resurrection and salvation had rekindled a faith which I thought would never return.

My path now lay towards Jerusalem. We had identified this as the riskiest part of the assignment. Powerful forces focused on the Temple Mount and that was my final destination. I needed to leave behind a few bugs to capture some of the most important events in history.

As I meandered down the road my daydreaming distracted me to the point where a passing gang of bandits caught me by surprise. I fought them off but not before one of them had given me a deep knife wound. Even before the blood started gushing I knew I was in trouble. Before blacking out I was able to swallow a nanoprobe, a coagulant, and send a distress signal.

I woke up back in Yeshua’s house. One of his friends had found me on the road and dragged me back to town. I looked into his eyes and saw the fear. He knew I might die. He spoke in whispered tones “You must try to survive the night. The Healer is coming tomorrow, if you still live he will heal you.”

The drugs and pain were clouding my mind or else I might have realized why this was confusing. I survived the night and saw a note on my wire that help would arrive in a few more hours. I sat quietly, conserving my strength. Something was bothering me and after a while I realized that Yeshua was supposed to be a healer, why did he need someone else’s help? Who was “the healer”?

I heard the commotion outside the window. Shouting and cheering, a few women sobbed with joy as the noisy crowd drew closer. I wanted to stand, peek out the window to watch, but soon I did not need to. The Healer entered my room.

Instantly I felt a wave of joy and calm. I looked into his eyes and nearly cried. A feeling of electricity passed between us. He opened the dressing on my wounds, closed his eyes, then sent everyone away to search for some medicinal native plants. There was now no doubt in my mind, Yeshua was just a rabbi, a wonderful and prayerful man. It was the Healer who had been eluding me these past few weeks. Somehow I had not asked the right questions, I had forgotten about the miracles, focusing on the theology. But my revelation paled to what happened next.

As soon as everyone had left the house The Healer turned to me and in perfect English said “You should not be here.”

Thinking I was hallucinating I said in Aramaic “I don’t understand.”

Again he spoke in English “Of course you understand. You must leave, you must return home. There are forces here beyond your comprehension. This world stands on a precipice, your interference could destroy it.”

“What are you saying, how can you speak English?”

“I am the Incarnate Word, I can speak all languages.”

“What, what are you? This is impossible.”

At the sound of footsteps outside he switched to Aramaic. “Your wound is deep but you will not die. It will be a few more days before you can walk from here. Then you must go home.” His eyes made it clear this was an order.

As he stood to leave I begged “Please, may I speak with him alone?” The women immediately understood and left. The men had to be asked again, but finally they did leave.

Returning to English I asked “What forces are you talking about? What is going on?”

He replied “You have the scriptures, you need nothing more. The forces of darkness led by the Fallen Angel wage war against this planet. Only through me can humanity survive and live forever.”

“But those are just myths, they aren’t real.”

“Of course they are real.”

“So where are the forces of darkness in my time, nobody on Earth is possessed, or attacked by demons in the 22nd century.”

“Nobody on Earth”, he said.

“You mean Satan wages war in outer space? Against whom?”

“Your world need not be concerned with this. You are safe for awhile longer, until they return. My death will drive them from this planet.”

“This is a fantasy, where is the proof?”

“I’m speaking English, a language which will not exist for another 1000 years. I know you were born in Albequerque, New Mexico. What other proof do you want?”

I hung my head in fear. None of my training, none of our contingency plans had allowed that core Christian teachings about Jesus might actually be true. I had never wanted to argue with him, never have substantive conversations. I just wanted to say hello, set loose the bugs, and go home to watch the video we would dig up 2100 years later.

I felt his hand on my shoulder. “James, great things are in store for you back home. Go there, stay there. A year from now you will have a son. Teach him about me. Prepare him for hardship, for everyone in his generation will suffer greatly.”

I showed him the locusts. “Will you allow me to complete my mission?”

He smiled and said “Yes, but I’ll have to make sure my cousin John doesn’t see them. He says they taste great with honey.”

I couldn’t help the laughter, it poured out of me. My wound was throbbing, my entire worldview was collapsing, but here I was laughing hysterically at a joke told by Christ himself.

That afternoon my relief arrived. Frank was surprise to see me healthy. “After that emergency call we didn’t expect to find you alive.” I briefly explained that Jesus himself had healed me. But I kept most of the encounter private. I wasn’t sure if he or anyone else would believe me.

The next day Jesus left the village. He was trailed by a small army of followers. I was strong enough to stand and wave. I have no doubts he saw me.