The Turned the World Upside Down by Charles Martin

 Finally, my review of Charles Martin's newest book, They Turned the World Upside Down!

I always need to start off talking about Charles Martin by stating that he is my favorite author, especially in the fiction world. His first nonfiction, What if It's True?, was incredible, and his second has not disappointed either. It felt very different than the first book, though still familiar, and it's clear why this book needed to be written and published as well. It's message is powerful, and one that needs pouring over instead of a quick read-through.

Since my focus on this blog is highlighting things about Israel or a culture connected with the Bible (first century or modern times), I'm going to focus on that for this review and specifically feature one insight that stood out to me. But I did want to say that these details are included to enhance the story and explain the context, not the focus—which is encouraging readers to live as Jesus charged His followers to. 

But here's what stood out to me as far as this blog's focus (and there were many moments like these with clear, cultural insights throughout the book):

In Chapter 9, "Willing to be Willing", Martin opens with the story of Peter and John going to the temple to pray in Acts 3. There, at the gate called "Beautiful", they meet a lame beggar who is asking for alms. He asks them for money, but Peter says, "Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have I give unto thee. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!" The Bible says that immediately, the beggars feet and ankles were made strong and he does: "leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God." 

This is where Martin says something I hadn't considered before: "Then he walks into the temple. Why? Because he's been lame since birth, and according to Leviticus, 'no one who has a blemish shall draw near, a man blind or lame.' Which means he was excluded from temple worship. For his entire life. No fellowship with God. He was born and has always been a complete and total outcast. But not any longer. Now he's included" (pages 138-139). 

WOW! Maybe I've heard this before in my life, but I can't remember if I had. The magnitude of that moment... not only the physical healing, but that it allowed the beggar to enter the temple for the first time... that can't be glossed over. His healing brought Him near to God. It brought him in fellowship with others, but most of all, the God of the universe. I'm going to be thinking on this for a while, and its wider implications of how our healing and freedom always brings us closer in fellowship with God. 

What do you think about this story? Did you know this before? And have you read this book? If not, I definitely recommend it! You can get it here on Amazon. Let me know what you think in the comments below!