Empire's End by Jerry B. Jenkins

In November, I covered a book called I, Saul by Jerry B. Jenkins, and said that I felt like it was possibly a part 1 of a 2-part series, only I couldn't find the second book, I, Paul (published in 2014). That's because it appears the series got a re-vamp and book 2 (I say this loosely, as it could be a stand alone) is actually Empire's End. 

Written in 1st person, as if from the perspective of Paul, this fictional memoir follows Saul of Tarsus from childhood, through his education under Gamaliel in Jerusalem, his persecution of the early church, his conversion, his 3 years in Arabia, and the beginning of his early ministry. It's an interesting read, as long as the reader keeps in mind that it is fiction (as is good practice with all Biblical fiction). And it could easily lead into a part 3, although I can't find evidence of one's existence yet.

I enjoyed this book, as it explored something I'd never seen depicted before, so I definitely wanted to share it with you. If you like Biblical fiction, I recommend this book. Click here to find it on Amazon!

The J.B. Collins Collection by Joel C. Rosenberg

This J.B. Collins collection left me speechless. 

This was only my 2nd time reading a series by American-Israeli author Joel C. Rosenberg, and so far, it's my favorite. So real, so thrilling, so full of rich detail and insight into the Middle East. It felt like I was reading events that could have been ripped from the headlines of a slightly alternate reality, especially considering all that has happened in the real world since the first book's publication in 2015.

I don't want to go too in depth into the series in this review because I want to leave it for you to discover yourself. But, here is a quote that stood out to me from the first 1st book, The Third Target. In it, the main character, J.B. Collins, a reporter for the New York Times, is speaking with the King of Jordan. The main reason why I want to highlight it isn't really because of the story, but because of something new I learned about Jordan: 

"It is not widely known in the West, but we have in Jordan a small but thriving Christian community that is perhaps the oldest in the world. The place where Jesus was baptized is Jordan's most important Christian site. It is here on the east bank of the Jordan River. This is where Jesus' mission started. This is where Christianity began. Jordan is also where Moses lived and died. This is where Elijah the prophet was taken up to heaven in a chariot of fire. There is so much rich history here...." page 334.

Basically, now I want to go to Jordan to see these places myself!

But, back to the point of this post: this 3-book series. If you love military-action thriller series', it will not disappoint! Click here to find it on Amazon!

Have you seen Ep 1 of Season 2 of The Chosen yet?

Have you seen Ep 1 of Season 2 of The Chosen yet?

WOW!

I thought it was incredible... what did you think?

I'm not going to give any spoilers away because it just came out (we can save that discussion for the comments)! But I did want to comment on something that stood out to me that isn't a direct spoiler, and that is how the show deals with honor and shame.

As discussed in previous posts, honor and shame was big in 1st century Jewish culture (and still is today). Whereas Westerners from individualist cultures see the world through innocence and guilt, in this collectivist culture, the concept of bringing shame on one's family (or honor) is the most motivating factor. 

There were so many examples of this in Ep 1 of Season 2 (as well as in season 1), from the key dinner scene where Jesus extends grace and saves the man's honor, to the first time we see him angry. And then, a precious, beautiful scene with one of those he rebuked, where honor is restored. (I'm lower-casing 'he' here, because those are all fictional events thought up by the show's creator, but they 100% appear consistent with Scripture. It's just that we don't know if these actual events happened). 

Could you see the examples of honor and shame culture here? What did you think of the episode overall? I'm sure we'll continue this discussion in future episodes. Y'all know I'm gonna keep talking about the show because this is basically me:

I love this show and want to share it with everyone, because I think it has the incredible potential to bring people to Jesus. 

You can catch the show here on their website or, best of all, download their app, "The Chosen", from either the apple store or google play, and cast it to your tv that way. Let me know what you think!

He is Risen!

 “He is not here; He is risen, just as He said. Come see the place where He lay.” Matthew 28:6

Praise the Lord, the tomb is empty!

I'm going to take this week and next off of blogging, so I'll see you in 2 weeks!

Have a wonderful Easter! 

📷from the Garden Tomb, 2017 #bestdayever