One of the coolest things about being unemployed (and there are SO many!) is finally having time to read all of those books you've been dreaming about. (Of course, this makes the assumption you have a library card, since you can no longer afford to buy them... but that's a whole different rant.)
Anyway, the other day I bought a book called Premonition by Randy Ingermanson. This was not the type of book I'd normally buy. My usual type is either a minimally graphic romance - often Nora Roberts - or preferably a romance with a Christian theme, since I can feel pretty confident those won't suddenly turn into bodice rippers, something old Nora can't always be counted on for. Anyway, this is neither.
I really bought it for two reasons: #1 - I was perusing the stacks at the Christian book store next door to the movie theater while I was waiting to take my kids to see "Journey to the Center of the Earth" (cool, but ends abruptly, and seems lacking in the sense of doom which should
certainly accompany a trip to the center of the earth)... and I found this book on the discount $3.97 table. Usually, these books are $3.97 for a reason - but once in a while, there's a gem, and I'm a sucker for a good bargain. #2 - the cover of the book had a sticker on it which issued an irresistible challenge - We guarantee you'll love this book or we'll refund your money. Isn't that brilliant? If I was cheap, I'd have read it, said I hated it, and sent for my four bucks anyway. Luckily, my conscience wouldn't allow me to do that... particularly since I LOVED the book.
Here's the deal - it's book two in a series, but you really don't have to read book 1 to follow it (I certainly didn't. It was probably on the $13.97 table.) The premise behind it is that this couple, Ari and Rivka, are a couple of modern day Jews (she's "Messianic" which apparently means she believes that Jesus is the Messiah but she's still a Jew, and he WAS agnostic, but ... well... )
Anyway, through some sort of a science project accident which happened in the first book (Ari is a physicist), the two of them manage to get zapped back into ancient Jerusalem, in the years shortly following the resurrection of Christ. While the idea is a little sci-fi-weird, it gives a really unusual insight into what the life of practicing Jews was like back in Jesus' time, using and explaining a lot of Hebrew terminology, while presenting a fascinating, if heart-wrenching, plot about the experiences these two American Jews have while trying to prevent the assassination of James, the brother of Jesus.
I won't give any more of the story away, but I will definitely recommend it. It was enthralling.
It raised some questions for me though.
So... we know that Jesus was a Jew - that He attended the temple and participated in the rituals of the religion during that period, right? I'm sure He followed all of the rules about kosher dining, and so forth. So....
If Jesus was a practicing Jew, and He's supposed to be our example for how to live, then why aren't Christians more like Jews?
Now, I know that the scriptures say that we no longer need to practice ritual sacrifice since Jesus provided the ultimate redemption Himself, but what about the rest of it? Why don't Christians, if they really want to be more like Christ, actually do the things He did?
I suspect that this is largely due to ignorance. As for me and my house - well, prior to reading this book I never really thought about how Jesus conducted Himself on a daily basis. I mean, sure I thought about being kind to others, and turning the other cheek, and the moral of all those parables that Jesus taught. But what about the rest of it? I wonder if He expects us to... or has He, over the last couple of thousand years, realized we've forgotten all of that stuff, and decided we're pretty okay people in spite of it?
This is a topic which will require much further investigation on my part. I'm sure I'll post on it again. In the mean time, feel free to share your comments. Thanks.
Anyway, the other day I bought a book called Premonition by Randy Ingermanson. This was not the type of book I'd normally buy. My usual type is either a minimally graphic romance - often Nora Roberts - or preferably a romance with a Christian theme, since I can feel pretty confident those won't suddenly turn into bodice rippers, something old Nora can't always be counted on for. Anyway, this is neither.
I really bought it for two reasons: #1 - I was perusing the stacks at the Christian book store next door to the movie theater while I was waiting to take my kids to see "Journey to the Center of the Earth" (cool, but ends abruptly, and seems lacking in the sense of doom which should
certainly accompany a trip to the center of the earth)... and I found this book on the discount $3.97 table. Usually, these books are $3.97 for a reason - but once in a while, there's a gem, and I'm a sucker for a good bargain. #2 - the cover of the book had a sticker on it which issued an irresistible challenge - We guarantee you'll love this book or we'll refund your money. Isn't that brilliant? If I was cheap, I'd have read it, said I hated it, and sent for my four bucks anyway. Luckily, my conscience wouldn't allow me to do that... particularly since I LOVED the book.Here's the deal - it's book two in a series, but you really don't have to read book 1 to follow it (I certainly didn't. It was probably on the $13.97 table.) The premise behind it is that this couple, Ari and Rivka, are a couple of modern day Jews (she's "Messianic" which apparently means she believes that Jesus is the Messiah but she's still a Jew, and he WAS agnostic, but ... well... )
Anyway, through some sort of a science project accident which happened in the first book (Ari is a physicist), the two of them manage to get zapped back into ancient Jerusalem, in the years shortly following the resurrection of Christ. While the idea is a little sci-fi-weird, it gives a really unusual insight into what the life of practicing Jews was like back in Jesus' time, using and explaining a lot of Hebrew terminology, while presenting a fascinating, if heart-wrenching, plot about the experiences these two American Jews have while trying to prevent the assassination of James, the brother of Jesus.
I won't give any more of the story away, but I will definitely recommend it. It was enthralling.
It raised some questions for me though.
So... we know that Jesus was a Jew - that He attended the temple and participated in the rituals of the religion during that period, right? I'm sure He followed all of the rules about kosher dining, and so forth. So....
If Jesus was a practicing Jew, and He's supposed to be our example for how to live, then why aren't Christians more like Jews?
Now, I know that the scriptures say that we no longer need to practice ritual sacrifice since Jesus provided the ultimate redemption Himself, but what about the rest of it? Why don't Christians, if they really want to be more like Christ, actually do the things He did?
I suspect that this is largely due to ignorance. As for me and my house - well, prior to reading this book I never really thought about how Jesus conducted Himself on a daily basis. I mean, sure I thought about being kind to others, and turning the other cheek, and the moral of all those parables that Jesus taught. But what about the rest of it? I wonder if He expects us to... or has He, over the last couple of thousand years, realized we've forgotten all of that stuff, and decided we're pretty okay people in spite of it?
This is a topic which will require much further investigation on my part. I'm sure I'll post on it again. In the mean time, feel free to share your comments. Thanks.
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