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Private Notes
The three protagonists journey back to a time in the pre-Noahic flood world, and a storyteller recounts the events in the Garden of Eden to them. At the same time, they learn their own lessons in honesty and virtue after getting in trouble with a local gardener in the land of Nod due to them having tricked him into letting them eat four apples free of charge.
The trio find themselves assisting Noah and his family in the building of the Ark. They manage to join the crew for the long stay aboard the Ark, helping tend to the animals and keep things in order. They hop aboard the Ark right before the rains come to drown the evil army that is threatening to burn down the vessel.
The trio befriend Joseph and learn about his coat of many colors. While unable to alter the events in any way, they do learn about the conspiracy of his brothers. As they are pursuing Joseph to find out what he will be doing in his tenure as a slave in Egypt, they find another Doorway of Time portal and jump ahead 13 years. They continue to stumble upon these so that they can, in a glance, be near Joseph for all the events of his significant to his life.
Whilst trying to stay out of trouble, the trio end up back in Egypt to witness Moses and Aaron confront Pharaoh. They remain with the Hebrews throughout the duration of the Ten Plagues and participate in the first Passover. They join the Exodus and even get to see the parting of the Red Sea and the drowning of Pharaoh's army.
Jumping through time again, the travelers witness Joshua and the Israelites as they seek to defeat the evil city of Jericho and secure a passage into the land of Canaan. At the beginning Moki is captured by the army of Jericho as a suspected Israelite spy. Derek and Margo find refuge in the Israelite camp. The two rescue Moki just before the Israelites take Jericho.
Derek, Margo, and Moki find themselves witnessing the time of the Judges, the tenure of Samson in particular. They learn about Samson as the strong man and how he eventually fell to his enemies because of a woman named Delilah.
The three jump through time yet again and find themselves lost. As they search for information, they are threatened by wild animals. A young shepherd arrives on the scene and rescues them. They learn that this shepherd just happens to be the future King David. They follow David to Jerusalem, where they watch as he tries to help mend Saul's ill temper. Finally, they witness the defeat of Goliath.
The trio of time travelers find their way into Babylon. Immediately finding themselves standing out in the crowd, they are suddenly befriended by the prophet Daniel. He takes them into his house and gives them clothing to help them better fit in. A servant of the king offers them jobs, however reluctantly. In spite some hesitance, King Belshazzar and the party-arranging servant agree to use cups stolen from the Temple of Solomon for the celebration.
An angry hand of God intervenes after the king uses the cups to engage in blasphemy, and writes on the wall the words "Mene Mene Tekel Parsin," vowing an end to Babylon. Daniel warns about the meaning of the writing, and the implication that Persia and Media are about to co-conquer the region. The warning is ignored. Belshazaar is assassinated and the Mede King Darius replaces him.
Daniel quickly gains favor with the new king; but jealous, evil conspirators want revenge. The time travelers try to intercept the plot, but end up being chased away. Darius, foolishly acting out of pride, accepts the challenge of the conspirators. Daniel is arrested and thrown into the lions' den, for refusing to give up his prayer life.
The hand of God once again intervenes, forcing shut the jaws of the lions. When Darius finds Daniel still alive, he learns of how he was deceived. He immediately has Daniel rescued from the pit and instead feeds the conspirators to the lions. After Moki is saved from nearly falling into the pit himself by accident, the three time travellers decide to leave.
Some time later, the travelers find themselves in Persia in the city of Susa (Shushan in the video). The king Ahasuerus (also known as Xerxes I of Persia) has returned from a humiliating defeat against the Greeks, the battle of Platea and decides to throw a party. Esther and her elderly cousin Mordecai befriend the time travelers and try to help them fit in with the party, providing them clothes. The travelers routinely confuse their ancient hosts with 20th-century slang and technological terminology.
When the queen, Vashti, blows off a request by the king complete with an insult, he grows angry with her and calls for a divorce, sending her into exile. Without making it an official law, the king decrees soon afterwards that out of respect, those beneath the king should bow before Haman out of respect, as he also gains favor from the king. He immediately starts a contest all throughout the Persian Empire in search of a new queen. Esther and Margo are chosen to be among the contestants, in spite Margo's initial defiance towards Tarsik, whom she labels "Buster."
Esther ends up winning the king's favor and Margo becomes one of her honored palace guests. When Mordecai realizes the abusive implications behind Haman's desire for others to bow before him, Mordecai refuses to bow routinely, irritating Haman. Mordecai's justification is that men should really only bow before God.
Haman, feeling insulted by Mordecai's defiance, formulates a plot in an attempt to get revenge. To win legitimacy for his plot, he tricks the king into signing into law a decree giving him power to eradicate all the Jews living in the kingdom.
The three travelers do their part to help Esther and Mordecai formulate a plot of their own, to expose Haman's deception to the king. Their plan succeeds, and when the king learns that Queen Esther herself would be a target of Haman's plot, the king has Haman executed for treason. The travelers leave soon afterward.
Jonah recounts to the three his attempts to escape his calling and how he eventually wound up witnessing for God in the city of Ninevah anyway.
Whilst getting themselves into some manner of trouble in the marketplace of Jerusalem, the three protagonists learn about the arrival of the angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary. They know that the time of Jesus' birth will be soon. As they are doing their thing, King Herod is going hysterical over the notion of a new king arriving. He passes his time meanwhile by taunting others with his monkey.
Along with the story of Esther and Noah's Ark, The Nativity is one of three episodes in which the travelers' use of 20th century terms leaves the locals confused (Margo makes a reference to "soft drink cans", which the camel-owner questions).
When the Magi arrive at Herod's palace, he tries to trick them into giving away the location of the baby Jesus. The plan fails when the Magi decide not to return to Herod. The time travelers follow Mary and Joseph from a distance on their way to Bethlehem. They do not get directly involved in the manger scene until all the potential threats to Jesus have left.
The time travelers jump a few years ahead, and encounter an elderly version of the young man raised from the dead in the city of Nain. He recounts to them the events surrounding the various miracles of Jesus' life.
The time travelers' final stop before being sent back to the 20th century, they encounter Mark as he is gathering material to write the Gospel of Mark. He informs them of the events surrounding the Garden of Gethsemene, Jesus' numerous trials before Annas, Caiaphas, Herod, and Pilate, as well as the Crucifixion and Resurrection. He finishes by telling them of the Ascension. The travelers finally walk away, thanking Mark for the information.
