Volume 11 · Chapter 13

. THE LORD BLESSES THE VILLAGE NOW we stood up from our table and walked out of the house upon the road. I already said that the village was small and so it did not consist of too many houses, but it nevertheless was well located to spend the night because it was only one day’s trip from Jerusalem and it was the last on the way to Petra to offer a pleasant accommodation, and this with our innkeeper Mucius. It was also not too far from the Jordan, so that there was also no lack of water. But there was a lack of big, high trees that were indispensable because they make the malicious vapors harmless and suck up electricity, protecting in this way the houses from the evaporations of the Dead Sea that are very perceptible when the wind comes from the south. All houses were only surrounded by rather high bushes and somewhat withered low trees as they could not grow high because of the salty vapors. To fix this was the good deed that I wanted to do for the village.

[GGJ.11_013,02] So I talked with Mucius about this matter and also with a few of his neighbors who came quickly to us when they saw Me coming out of the house with the disciples, for they heard from the helper Marcius and others about the miraculous multiplication of the bread and the other things. They all asked Me to temper the glowing rays of the sun which were more strongly felt in the Jordan Valley and if I could provide a protection against the vapors. I gave them what they asked, blessed the land, and at that same moment a dense forest of fir trees arose in the south toward the sea and at quite a distance beside the road, so that the change could only be noticed by people who knew the region very well. These trees are best suited to consume sharp salty vapors and will nevertheless grow well. That forest formed a protecting wall toward the sea, but at this day it disappeared also a long time ago.

[GGJ.11_013,03] I told the inhabitants that it would be as easy for Me to also suddenly, just like the forest that came into existence, put down a big number of trees and high bushes around their houses but that it would be better for them if this would be done in a more natural way to reach that goal, for their village was actually not so far away and to many Romans and not-Jews who travel along the road, superstition would be too much supported because they would attribute such miracle to their gods and would cause much trouble to the inhabitants. But beginning with the coming spring, all plants, trees and bushes would show a remarkable growth, so that in 2 years time they would show a luxurious abundance and would thus give the village coolness and good, pure air. But if the inhabitants would cut the protecting coniferous forest out of greed, then also the formerly often unbearable condition would come back, especially in the middle of the summer, and would finally make it impossible to live in this region.

[GGJ.11_013,04] Now the inhabitants thanked Me with all their heart and asked Me to tell them who I actually was, from where came My power and so on. I referred them to Mucius and said that he knew the answer to all their questions and that they just had to turn to him, then they would receive the right explanation.