The Righteous

The skeletal fingertips of death began reaching for him, constructing the narrative of his life, even before he first entered the world. Bartholomew was born in the valley of the shadow of death. Although his true father's identity was a mystery to him, he was named the son of Tolmai, but to those who truly knew him, he was Nathanael. Haunted by expectations of the past and pressured by an unknown future, Bartholomew is stretched between what once was and what could be.

While being raised beneath the rigors of the Law, Bartholomew begins to listen for the heartbeat of God which links the past with the future for his people. Whispers of Messiah gain his attention after tragedy forces his life path to take a different turn. Bartholomew begins to recognize the discrepancy between self-righteous religion and true righteousness that can only come from Yahweh. But how? How can such corrupt people ever be made right with God?

Will Bartholomew risk everything - his reputation, his future, his security - to find the answer to his questions? Can a man incapable of keeping the Law be forgiven by the only righteous judge?

When his friend Philip introduces him to a controversial Rabbi, Bartholomew's barren heart is flooded with hope. Could this Man be the fulfillment of the Law? Is He God's answer to the plight of self-righteous, rebellious men? What would it take to make things right after it had gone so terribly wrong? How was God going to weave the threads of good and bad in order to create a garment of righteousness thick enough to cover the people's sin?

Book Six of The Follower Series.