Happy New Year! And the latest news from Israel!

Happy New Year!

We celebrated it by getting the all-clear from the vet for 7-month-old Annie to run and jump again, as she was spayed the week before Christmas. I'm not sure who is more relieved—her to be able to play freely, or us, who don't have to deal with her pent-up energy!

(this photo is from the day before her surgery, but it definitely captures her essence as #poodletough)

A lot happened in Israel in the last 2 weeks! First of all, they entered into their 3rd national lockdown of the year. This one is supposed to only last for 2 weeks, but could be extended to a month if the covid-19 rate doesn't lower enough.

But before that, they began vaccinations, and as of the writing of this, have vaccinated more people per capita than any other nation. They plan to start vaccinating the general population by this week, and Prime Minister Netanyahu says Israel could be the first country to come out of the Covid-19 crisis. There is hope of herd immunity by Seder night (Passover) 2021.

One other HUGE thing has happened, pictured in the first news image above. The emergency coalition government formed in 2020 was unable to pass a budget at the end of the year, triggering their 4th election in 2 years, which will happen on March 23.

Wow! That's a lot. What do you think of this latest news? Let me know in the comments below!

Merry Christmas!

This week's post will be short and sweet. I just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and to let you know that there won't be any new posts until next year.

I hope that wherever you are, your celebration is beautiful, full of laughter and joy. Have a wonderful Christmas - and new year!

Historic Peace Treaty between Israel & Morocco (& normalization with Bhutan)!

 Did you see the latest news about Israel?

Morocco has become the 4th Arab nation to establish normalization ties with Israel since August! WOW! This includes the establishment of embassies and flights opened to/from these nations. 

Saudi Arabia, while not having a peace deal yet, is allowing Israeli flights over its airspace. Could they become the next one?

And then today, the East Asian nation of Bhutan has also agreed to normalization of relations between itself and Israel. According to the Times of Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the development, calling it an "additional fruit of the peace agreements" and that there are other countries also want to normalize ties with Israel.

WOW!

So, just to sum up... since the establishment of Israel as a nation in 1948, before 2020, only 2 Arab countries had established ties with Israel: Egypt (1967) and Jordan (1994). Since August 2020, 4 other Arab countries have established normalization ties with Israel: UAE, Bahrain, Sudan, and now Morocco. 

AMAZING!!! I never thought I'd see something like this. We truly live in historic times!

I, Saul by Jerry B. Jenkins

 The premise behind I, Saul, by Jerry B. Jenkins, is fascinating. 

Through a series of inter-related storylines, the reader travels through the Apostle Paul's early memories, his experience as a prisoner in ancient Rome's Mamertine prison to be executed, and a modern-day storyline of a university professor who stumbles upon a previously-hidden (and completely unexpected discovery) of Paul's memoir. 

What a fascinating concept! 

That is what kept me reading, as I felt like the novel had a slow start, and I found it difficult to connect to the modern-day characters. When I finally realized what 'incredible discovery' had been found, that's when I found myself invested in the story. I wanted to know more! And the way it ends makes it seem like it's part of a 2-part series. Unfortunately, when I looked on Amazon and saw a title for one called I, Paul, it didn't look like a readily available book even though it was supposed to be published in 2014. I'm unsure if it was ever released—but I'm going to keep looking for it. I want to know what else is in that fictional memoir!

The premise of this novel reminded me a lot of Paul L. Maier's The Constantine Codex and because I just read that novel a few weeks ago, I couldn't help comparing the two. For me, I, Saul fell short, simply because it felt... smaller... than Codex, which felt more global and high-stakes in scope. That being said, it's definitely worth the read!

Click here to find it on Amazon!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hey, Everyone!

As this week is Thanksgiving in the US, I'm going to take this week as a break. Also, Annie wanted to wish everyone a happy thanksgiving. Look at how much she's grown!

Have a great week, wherever in the world that you are! See you next Monday!

The Flames of Rome by Paul L. Maier

The Flames of Rome is the final novel by Paul L. Maier that I'm going to review (because he doesn't have any more right now, haha). First published in 1981, this story takes us through the Roman world during the time of the early church (and some well known emperors). For anyone who loves ancient Rome (me!), this book definitely interested me.

From Claudius to Nero and Vespasian, Maier takes us through the turbulent times of AD 41-69 in the center of the Roman Empire. Full of intrigue and adventure, the reader sees the rise and fall of each emperor, runs from the flames of the great fire, and finally, sees the first Christians martyred for sport in front of a Roman crowd. The depth of Maier's research is evident, as well as his skill with a pen.

This novel also reminded me of Robert Whitlow's The Advocate, which also was set during that time period (but published much more recently). Their similarities, though written so many decades apart, is proof to me of the verifiable sources available on this time period. It was fun to see how the different authors crafted their own story while staying true to what happened. After all, this is, as Maier says in his preface, a "documentary novel, resorting to fiction for such connective material as well as dramatization, dialogue, and subplot to flesh out the story and bring its characters to life" (p. 9). In addition, he also includes a section of notes at the back of the book, listed chapter by chapter. 

Despite its 'older' style, The Flames of Rome is a great read for anyone looking to understand this fascinating time and culture. You can find it here on Amazon!

The Constantine Codex by Paul L. Maier

The Constantine Codex, the 3rd book in Paul L. Maier's 3-part series, is my favorite of all.

Published in 2011, I feel like this book solves some of the 'problems' that I had with the other two (granted, it was likely only me, as they were both bestsellers!). The prose and the dialogue match the era much better, which is more accessible to the modern reader, and I didn't find the romance as distracting (there were fewer allusions to the first book, whereas I felt like the second book revisited almost every scene of their 'fairytale romance'). 

As with the other two, this book is fiction and its story needs to be taken with a grain of salt as far as the 'incredible archeological discovery and the global ramifications' depicted, but I didn't have a problem with that. 

In fact, I loved the story itself, probably because I love books so much, especially the Bible, and love anything having to do with Israeli and early church history. This book was fascinating! I'll likely read it alone more in the future, even if I don't read the others as often. That's another thing- while each of the novels in this series could stand alone, this one definitely stands out the best (even with it's references to the earlier ones).

Something fun that stood out to me as well was that I read this book a few days after finishing Nabeel Qureshi's Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus. Part of the storyline of Maier's novel involve a debate between a Muslim leader and the main character, Jonathan Weber. Many of the same 'arguments' that Weber's character used line up exactly with Qureshi's story. I found this a happy connection (being that Maier's book is fiction, but Qureshi's is nonfiction), and showed the incredible depth of Maier's research and the extent of his masterful weaving of story while portraying truth.

I 100% recommend The Constantine Codex. You can find it here on Amazon if this book interests you! And please let me know what you think!

More than a Skeleton by Paul L. Maier

Like its prequel, the stakes in Paul L. Maier's More than a Skeleton are high.  

Published in 2003, this story takes place post-September 11, 2001, and is once again in Israel (and Rome). This time, instead of an archeological discovery, there's something else just as potentially world-changing: a mysterious man named Joshua, born in Bethlehem to a Miriam and Joseph, raised in Nazareth. He performs miracles (or does He?), heals the sick (hmm...), even raises a disciple from the dead (huh), claiming to be an intermediate coming of Jesus, sent by God to bolster the church in these turbulent times.

Hmm... I struggled with this premise and how Maier was going to get out of it. But around halfway through, I really began to appreciate the extent of his research and storytelling ability overall... it's a complicated book! And the modern setting with Joshua's  interlaced into the parallels of some of Jesus' Biblical ministry, were fun to explore.

While the style of the novel is more modern, which I enjoy, this being the 3rd book of Maier's I've read recently, I feel like his strength lies in his prose and his storytelling abilities overall. I honestly struggle with his dialogue, as characters speak like academics in the 1940s (truthfully, they are academics. It's just that the style of the dialogue is incongruent with the era of the novel). I felt it fit better in the first book, where the style matched the dialogue better, if that makes sense, because it all was older. And, because of my struggle with the romance in the first book, I am a little biased against the couple in this book as well—but that's my problem, not anyone else's. It's not that I don't root for them, but the constant allusions to their 'fairytale romance' are too many, and I still don't find it believable that they got together in the first place. 

That being said, if you love fiction that makes you think, More than a Skeleton definitely fits this category. Click here to get it on Amazon! And come back next week for the next book in this trilogy (I haven't read it yet, but I am looking forward to it!).

Historic Peace Treaty between Israel and Sudan

 Did you see this?

On October 24, the US, Israel, and Sudan announced a 3rd history peace treaty- agreement to normalization- between Israel and an Arab country. Since this is only the 5th ever, but the 3rd agreement reached in about 2 months' time, this is a BIG DEAL. '

And it's estimated that there are about 5 more countries in line for their own agreement. This likely will not happen until after the US election on November 3, as these deals were brokered by the US. However, of these 5 countries, we know that Oman is one, and 2 others are rumored to be: Saudi Arabia and Iraq! WOW!!! (Click on the links to see articles referencing this).

We are definitely living in historic times!

In other news, Israel just finished their 2nd major lockdown of 2020, which lasted a month this time and ended on Oct 18. Thankfully, their rate of COVID-19 has lowered significantly, and they are slowly starting to re-open. In fact, they will start human trials for a vaccine on Nov 1, and together in coordinated efforts with India, have created a rapid (and accurate) test for COVID-19 that hopefully will be ready soon. There are such high hopes for it that it is called "open skies", because, as the Israeli Ambassdor to India, Ron Malka, said: "[This vaccine] will be good news for the entire world. Until we manage to immunize the entire population, this joint operation, which we had named ‘open skies’, would literally open the skies in terms of international travel and other economic activities as this can be used at airports and other places by requiring a person just to blow into a tube and the result would be available in 30-40-50 seconds" (quote from this Behold Israel article).

Here's open borders everywhere will be able to safely open soon! 

The scariest book I've ever read

In 1998, I was 14 years old and visiting my best friend for 3 weeks where she lived in Germany, and randomly picked a book over her family's shelves. It looked interesting because it had to do with history, archeology, and Israel. 

It was the scariest book I've ever read.

The book was A Skeleton in God's Closet by Paul L. Maier, and while I knew it was fiction, its ramifications were terrifying. It wasn't paranormal or horror (although I felt sick with horror, and it did involve a skeleton); it was regular Christian fiction. I remember staying up until 2am to finish it because I had to know. The sinking pit in my stomach, my racing heart (and mind), wouldn't let me go to sleep until I reach the end and verified that even in this fiction.

Without giving away what the book is about, the reader follows a Biblical scholar/professor and archeologist after they make an "impossible" find in a tomb in Israel. Over the course of this year-long journey, its implications rattle the faith of millions around the world and have far-reaching impact—shaking economies and religious followers the world over. 

I recently re-read this book, which is why I'm reviewing it here. While written in an older style, I loved "revisiting" Israel in this book, as the hero travels from Galilee to Masada, to Jerusalem, Jordan, Egypt, the Vatican, the UK, the US, and back again. While I did enjoy that, the romance that builds throughout those visits is distracting, as well as unrealistic (even though stereotypical). To me, it detracts from the story. As for the story itself, I also (because I knew how it ended, haha) was better able to deal with the story from an objective perspective, letting me fully grasp the breadth of this narrative. It really is incredible - and best of all, while fiction, still supports what I know to be true with every fiber of my being. 

You can purchase this book here on Amazon! And come back next week, where we'll talk about it's sequel!

Pontius Pilate by Paul L. Maier

Here's another one for fans of Biblical fiction or anything having to do with ancient Rome! 

Pontius Pilate by Paul L. Maier is an older novel, published in 1968, and is a thorough exploration of the governance and career of Pontius Pilate, starting from his first appointment to Judea, his 10 years there, and his return to Rome. 

Being that he lived during one of the most fascinating times in Rome's turbulent history, it's an interesting story anyway. But throw in his key role during Jesus' trial, and it makes for an interesting read for any lover of history, especially Roman or Biblical. Obviously, this book is fiction, but it's so well researched that it gives great insight into a piece of what was going on during that time. I also love that it was written from Pilate's perspective, as it is a unique one we haven't explored before.

Because this book is from 1968, it is written in an older style and is a bit of a slower read—but that doesn't take away from its subject. You can find it here on Amazon!

Tea with Hezbollah by Ted Dekker and Carl Medearis

When I first heard about Tea with Hezbollah by Ted Dekker and Carl Medearis, I was fascinated by the idea. From the very first line, I was hooked.

The premise of the book is that in 2009, author Ted Dekker and his friend and international expert in Arab-American and Muslim-Christian relations, author Carl Medearis, flew to the Middle East with one purpose: to meet with Islamic leaders, drink tea, and ask them what they think about Jesus' parable of the Great Samaritan, a famous teaching on loving your neighbors.

Can you tell why I was hooked immediately?

The first thing I noticed, and honestly, it is definitely a small point I want to make, is that I didn't realize how funny Ted Dekker is. I've read many of his books, which fall in the genre of "Christian thriller". I've enjoyed them, but many were also 'above me' because of his sheer brilliance. I've enjoyed his books; but I've never known that he is just plain funny. It made this book so enjoyable to journey with him and Carl throughout the Middle East.

That aside, this book is incredible. The depth of detail and insight the authors used in their journeys kept me entranced, as I learned about people and places I've never seen, been, or met before. There was so much for me to take away as a student of people and culture, including basic practices and values of Islam that I didn't previously know.

I also appreciated how the authors published their interviews as they were spoken, not re-written from the ears and perspectives of the author, but literally transcribed to see the meanings and intention of the subjects, who were:

• Abdul Fadeel Al Kusi of the Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt
• the Bin Laden brothers in Saudi Arabia
• Ayatollah Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah  in Lebanon
• Bedouin Prince in Lebanon
• Hezbollah Sheik Nabil Qaouk in Lebanon
• Mufti Abdul Fattah Al Bizem of Damascus, Syria
• Mufti Sheik Ekrima Sa'id Sabril of Jerusalem, Israel
• A leader in non-violence in Bethlehem, Israel
• A top leader of Hamas in the West Bank
• A leader of one of the 700 remaining Samaritans in Israel
• and many more, including taxi drivers and random people.

This is why I was so fascinated, because Jesus is known in Islam as being a great prophet - not the greatest prophet (who is Mohammed), but a good teacher. Many of His teachings are in the Quoran. This is why the story of the Good Samaritan is known throughout all of these groups. To read the views, thoughts, and perspectives of these Muslim leaders on a well-known teaching of Christ was fascinating. I'm not going to try to summarize it, because I can't.

Tea with Hezbollah gave me so much to think about, and I am thankful to have read it! Click on the link or the picture above to purchase it on Amazon - I highly recommend it!

Seeking Allah, Find Jesus by Nabeel Qureshi

At first glance, it could seem like this week's book feature has nothing to do with Israel. But since 60% of the population of Israel is Arab, and Islam also claims Jerusalem to be a Holy City, there's a strong connection. 

In Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus, Nabeel Qureshi describes his journey as a devout Muslim from a Pakistani American family who eventually came to follow Jesus as Lord. 

This book is incredible. Qureshi's writing drew me in, and his story is so powerful. But what I loved, almost as much as his journey to becoming a Christ follower, was how much I learned about Islam through this book—and Eastern culture as well. Through his story, I learned about what he believed and why, giving me a greater understanding of basic teachings and beliefs of Islam.

He also gave so many insights of being an Easterner in the West who is wrestling with converting to a 'Western' religion (hopefully this series on the global early church refutes that last claim) and I wanted to share a few of them here. The most heartbreaking were how he agonized over the affect his conversion would have on his family (and did have). While this is difficult to understand in an individualist culture, he does a great job of explaining this on a basic level with a simple example in Chapter 18: "Honor and Authority". 

"Islamic cultures," Qureshi explains, "tend to establish people of high status as authorities, whereas the authority in Western culture is reason itself. These alternative seats of authority permeate the mind, determining the moral outlook of whole societies.... Much of the West's inability to understand the East stems from the paradigmatic schism between honor-shame cultures and innocence-guilt cultures [the West]. This reliance on positional authority explains some characteristics in parts of the Muslim world that confound many Westerners, such as the continued practices of honor killings, child brides of 6 or younger, and blood feuds. For one reason or another, the prevailing sources of social authority in these regions deem these customs acceptable, perhaps even preferable. No amount of sheer reason is going to change these practices, nor will externally imposed prohibitions.... If there is no dishonor, it is not wrong" (pp. 108-109).

The example he gives is a simple one, where as kids, he and his friends would order water at fast-food restaurants, then go get soft drinks instead. But one day, a friend of his was caught getting Mountain Dew Code Red instead of water. An employee said, "You ordered water; you can't get soda!"

"At this," Qureshi says, "many people turned to see the commotion and my friend immediately blushed..... For my friend, this was the moment that made his actions a poor choice [not the actual stealing of the soft drink]. He had suffered dishonor in front of many. Stealing the soda was not the issue for him before being caught. In fact, it was still not the issue after being caught. As strange as it might sound to Westerners, it was more dishonorable for him to be called out by a minimum-wage employee than to be caught stealing soda. So he denied it, asserting firmly, 'I am getting water!' He filled the rest of the cup with water and walked away from the counter, as if were perfectly normal for water to be a deep, bubbly pink" (page 109).

This is fascinating to me, because it is such a different way of thinking than an innocence-guilt culture. It made me think of Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes' commentary on the story of David and Bathsheba (and confirmed this analysis of the story from an Eastern perspective). 

Anyway, exploration of Eastern culture is not the point of this book, but I picked up on it because it's something that I am learning more about—and it was impossible for Nabeel Qureshi to tell his story without incorporating it in. I loved every second of reading this book, and praise God for his testimony! 

I highly recommend this book! If you are interested, you can get it here on Amazon! And if you have read this book, I'd love to know your thoughts below!

*Nabeel Qureshi went on to teach with Ravi Zacharias International Ministries and was diagnosed with stage 4 stomach cancer in 2016 and went to be with the Lord in 2017. 

**For more on honor and shame in Eastern cultures, please check out these posts!