THE
SECOND
MESSIAH
Howard Books
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This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real locales are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2011 by Glenn Meade
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First Howard Books hardcover edition August 2011
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Manufactured in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Meade, Glenn, 1957–
The second messiah / Glenn Meade.
p. cm.
1. Religious fiction. I. Title.
PS3563.E16845S43 2011
813’’54—dc22
2010043625
ISBN 978-1-4516-1184-7
ISBN 978-1-4516-1188-5 (ebook)
FOR MY SON, NEAL,
WHO ALREADY KNOWS THAT
LOVE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT
PART OF LIFE’S STORY
Contents
Acknowledgments
Part One
Chapter 1
Part Two
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Part Three
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Part Four
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Part Five
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Part Six
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
Chapter 64
Chapter 65
Chapter 66
Chapter 67
Chapter 68
Chapter 69
Chapter 70
Chapter 71
Chapter 72
Chapter 73
Chapter 74
Chapter 75
Chapter 76
Chapter 77
Chapter 78
Chapter 79
Chapter 80
Chapter 81
Chapter 82
Chapter 83
Chapter 84
Chapter 85
Part Seven
Chapter 86
Chapter 87
Chapter 88
Chapter 89
Chapter 90
Chapter 91
Chapter 92
Chapter 93
Chapter 94
Chapter 95
Chapter 96
Chapter 97
Chapter 98
Chapter 99
Chapter 100
Chapter 101
Chapter 102
Chapter 103
Chapter 104
Chapter 105
Chapter 106
Chapter 107
Chapter 108
Chapter 109
Chapter 110
Chapter 111
Chapter 112
Chapter 113
Chapter 114
Chapter 115
Chapter 116
Chapter 117
Chapter 118
Chapter 119
Chapter 120
Chapter 121
Chapter 122
Chapter 123
Chapter 124
Chapter 125
Chapter 126
Chapter 127
Chapter 128
Chapter 129
Chapter 130
Chapter 131
Chapter 132
Chapter 133
Chapter 134
Chapter 135
Chapter 136
Chapter 137
Chapter 138
Chapter 139
Chapter 140
Chapter 141
Chapter 142
Author’s Note
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
As always, there are people to thank. In Israel, archaeologist, author, and scholar Hanan Eshel.
In the United States, John Wood, in Knoxville, who patiently answered my many questions and always pointed me in the right directions. Aramaist and author Douglas Stuart. Jeff Fisher for kindly sharing his memories of his time at Qumran. Author Bart Ehrman. Claudia Cross, my agent at Sterling Lord Literistic in New York. And not to forget Elizabeth Lacy and Marion McDonald—a promise kept.
In Italy, the Vatican Press Office. And a list too long to set down here of experts who gave of their time and help. My sincere thanks.
I’d love to be able to continue that great authorial tradition of buck-passing by saying that all errors that may appear are theirs, not mine, but that’s not so. However, I’ll try to cover myself by saying that some may be theirs, and some mine.
Ancient Rome’s remains and underground passageways mentioned in this book exist, as do the biblical settlement at Qumran and the town of Maloula. The Atbash code is a real cipher. It was discovered in a number of the Dead Sea scrolls by one of their most eminent translators, who believed from the coded evidence he had unearthed that the material would one day bring to light a prophecy or revelation of immense significance to humankind.
Sometimes the past is best left buried. For with the bones of the dead can lay some dark and very dangerous secrets.
—JEAN PAUL CADE
What we have found in these Aladdin’s caves is a true treasure trove. It appears that a large number of the scrolls may date from the time of Jesus. We will carefully translate all that we can but the work will be painstaking. For who knows what important messages are hidden within these ancient parchments? Who knows if their contents may some day astonish the world?
