flesh. I am your son, blood of your blood. It is right that I follow my grandparents in welcoming you. My mother will come to you after we have made our journey.”
I nodded, comprehending the order of things. I felt no anxiety about when I would see Eliza. I was certain she would come when it was right. I was aware of the absence of time. The wonder of the meaning of eternal.
I told him about Bethany and all that I had done since I was a youth. I remembered the color of sunsets and described details of days and nights perfectly. He hugged his knees and drank in all the stories of my life as if it had been his life.
Samuel’s face was radiant as he recalled his three days on earth. “My father, I only lived in the world such a short time. But I remember well how you held me close in your arms and whispered and called me your ‘little man.’ I recognized your face perfectly when you entered Everlasting. When we saw you, I said to Mother, ‘Well, here he is!’ Oh, my father! I remember your breath on my cheek and your fingertips brushing my forehead as you rocked me and prayed for me to stay on earth with you … prayed for me to live and take up your mantle when you were old. And so … look here! Here I am beside you! Alive as you asked. But it wasn’t meant to be that I stay behind. Mother flew away home to heaven, and I was so small. I could not stay without her.”
My true self was filled with joy at the beauty and wisdom of my son. Love for him engulfed me. I could no longer summon a memory of my grief at his loss.
I spoke to him of the majesty of Jesus now on earth among men. Samuel knew the Lord Jesus well and said all the angels and saints would be glad when he returned to his rightful place.
How much time on earth had passed since I met my grown son and recounted all the days of my life? Time was nothing, after all. I had no way to judge Forever. I guessed that many, many years had flown by on earth. Surely others of my loved ones would be joining us.
The rustling of feathers caused my son and me to raise our faces in unison. My angel stood before us.
“Lazarus “—my name floated to me like a song—”now you know your son. How do you feel?”
“Overwhelmed by love.” I put my arm around Samuel. “I know what it means to be a father.”
My angel nodded once, pleased by my answer. “As your father loves you, you love your son.” The being closed his eyes.
The melody of many colors swirled around our knoll. Samuel gripped my forearm. “Look, Father! Look there! Joseph the Dreamer, Revealer of Secrets, comes!”
Suddenly a man dressed in a multicolored coat stepped out of a rainbow of refracted light. He was tall with dark hair and a braided beard. His teeth were white and straight, his lips curved in welcome. I recognized him at once.
He was Joseph, one of the twelve sons of Jacob the patriarch. His story had been my favorite in Torah school. Joseph had been the firstborn son of Jacob’s beloved wife Rachel. He was the most beloved by his father. Because of this, Joseph was hated by his jealous half brothers. When Joseph was seventeen, they sold him into slavery, covered his multicolored coat with the blood of a slain goat, then told old Jacob that Joseph had been torn to pieces by wild beasts. But the Lord had raised Joseph from slavery to become the Prince of Egypt. He had saved the brothers who had betrayed him.
Joseph reached out to us in greeting with his hands palm up. “Ah. Blessed be the Lord, Adonai, who makes all things right! Look at you! It’s Lazarus and Samuel. Parted on earth but now together. Was there ever such a beautiful sight? Father and son! Reunited after such a long time.”
I knew Joseph spoke from experience. How many years had he lived the life of a slave before he became prince of Egypt and was reunited with his father?
The angel bowed to Joseph and stepped back.
Samuel and I also bowed low, but Joseph lifted us up. “Lazarus, master vinedresser … honored friend of Messiah Jesus … companion on his journey … beloved of