I have completed the 30 chapter outline for the book.
It will start in heaven with Gabriel being sent by God to speak to Zecharias then dive into the lives of Elizabeth and Zecharias as they prepare for the journey to Jerusalem.
It will follow them as they stop along the way to visit with relatives and finally arriving in Jerusalem. Then the story will settle in on the life of a priest while serving in the temple leading up to Zecharias’ encounter with Gabriel. It will also include Gabriel’s battle with Satan as he travels to speak to Zecharias.
Then the story will follow Elizabeth and Zecharias back to their home town, Antipatris and their visits with relatives again. Upon arriving home their relative and friends will gather to hear the strange story of a man and an angel.
The story then follows their daily lives as they process the news and ponder who their son will become.
Gabriel is sent again to the earth, this time to speak to Mary, Elizabeth’s young cousin. After her encounter she rushes to visit her cousin Elizabeth and stay with her for 3 months before returning home just before John is born.
Finally, we arrive at the days leading up to the birth of John and the celebration of the town of Antipatris when he is named and circumcised.
I look forward to the journey.
Bless God
John
John, thanks for inviting me on this journey. I look forward to following your progress. BTW, Bruce Fisk’s A Hitchhiker’s Guide to Jesus has some good info about John the Baptist. It is of a historical-critical nature, but nevertheless thought-provoking. Also, the archaeologist Shimon Gibson has written a book about The Cave of John the Baptist. You can also find a lot of stuff on the web about this. I’m not sure about the authenticity of this find, but even if it isn’t, there’s no harm in including some modern apocryphal details in your novel, if anything just to add some texture and color to the narrative.
Thanks Kevin. I have not heard of either book. I have a couple of resources on Jewish culture and daily life that I will be using as I try to capture their normal lives. I look forward to your comments on things as we progress through the month.
Bless God