Recent Reads - The Blind Scribe

The Blind Scribe by Connilyn Cossette - This prequel novella follows The Wedding Gift and continues the story focused on Shalem, the young boy who wants so much to be included in the adventures of his older cousins and friends. A stranger has been seen on the mountain and rumors about his strange appearance have built him up as having mysterious and dark powers. The boys decide to sneak up on the stranger's camp and see for themselves, but Shay is left behind and follows at a distance. When the older boys are frightened away by the stranger's servant, Shay siezes the opportunity to slip into the tent and see for himself.

Shalem's insatiable curiosity about other languages and words gets the better of his judgment, and the stranger returns to find Shay looking at a clay tablet . . . and in his surprise, Shay drops and breaks it. It could be Shalem's undoing, but he finds that he shares a deep interest in learning and languages with the strange scribe and the two begin a friendship. 

This novella fills in a little more background about Shalem and his gift for languages and about the other characters as well. Several years will pass between the end of this story and where the first novel in The King's Men series begins, and serves as a backdrop to those events.

From the publisher:

Shalem is always getting left behind by his older cousins, especially after he was hurt badly during their last adventure. But when rumors surface about a mysterious and fearsome stranger who has come to the mountain of Kiryat-Yearim, where the Ark of the Covenant is hidden, he is determined to follow Avidan and Gavriel, and their friend Zevi, on a quest to uncover the truth. However, when their plans go awry and Shalem's thirst for knowledge drives him to make a risky decision, he'll find himself face-to-face with the enigmatic stranger and the pieces of an intriguing mystery scattered at his feet.

"The Blind Scribe" serves as a prequel novella to the King's Men Series, published by Bethany House Publishers. It unfolds a few months after the last chapter of "Between the Wild Branches" (Book Two of the Covenant House series) but before the Epilogue. The novella offers a window into the evolution fo Shalem, Avidan, Gavriel, and Zevi's friendship when they were boys and long before the fateful day when they witness Saul's anointing as Israel's first king in "Voice of the Ancient" (Book One of The King's Men Series).

By the same author: The Wedding Gift, Voice of the Ancient, Between the Wild Branches, To Dwell Among the Cedars, Like Flames in the Night, Until the Mountains Fall, Shelter of the Most High, A Light on the Hill, Wings of the Wind, Shadow of the Storm, Counted With the Stars

This is a book with short chapters (#19) for The 52 Book Club's 2025 Reading Challenge.

#the52bookclub #the52bookclub2025

©2008-2025 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. This post was written by a human.  http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Recent Reads - The Wedding Gift

The Wedding Gift by Connilyn Cossette - In this novella, we meet Shalem and his older cousins when they are young boys so it functions as a prequel for the King's Men series. Shay is included in many of the older boys' adventures, but longs to be truly counted as one of them. The families of Kiryat-Yearim are preparing for a relative's wedding, and the groom's delegation brings a curious box with them that holds a traditional wedding gift. 

The boys are all very curious about the box and the warriors guarding it, so when it goes missing, blame initially falls on them. Shalem, Avidan, Gavriel, and Zevi decide they will find out who took it and bring it back in order to clear up the suspicions.

It's a sweet story of family ties and a sort of coming-of-age story about Shalem. When the first book of The King's Men series begins, the cousins are young men and Shalem is an older boy, still trying to keep up with them, so this story sets the stage and fills in some of the background.

From the publisher:

Shalem cherishes visits with his family on the sacred mountain of Kiryat-Yearim, where the Ark of the Covenant has been hidden for many years. Although he and his cousins, Avidan and Gavriel, are not excited about attending a relative's wedding, they cannot wait to explore the woods together. Since Zevi, an older boy rescued by Shay's uncle Natan, came to live there a few months ago, the four boys have spent countless hours dreaming of being warriors one day and of defending Israel from the vicious enemies that surround her.

When a caravan of foreign wedding guests arrives on the mountain, carrying a mysterious box that ignites the boys' curiosity, they are determined to discover what lies inside. However, when the priceless box goes missing and the boys are blamed for its disappearance, they embark on a mission to find it and vindicate themselves.

"The Wedding Gift" serves as a prequel novella to the King's Men series, published by Bethany House Publishers. It unfolds a few months after the conclusion of "Between the Wild Branches" (Book Two of the Covenant House series) and before the Epilogue. The novella offers a window into the evolution of Shalem, Avidan, Gavriel, and Zevi's friendship, leading up to the fateful day when they witness Saul's anointing as Israel's first king in "Voice of the Ancient" (Book One of The King's Men series).

By the same author: Voice of the Ancient, Between the Wild Branches, To Dwell Among the Cedars, Like Flames in the Night, Until the Mountains Fall, Shelter of the Most High, A Light on the Hill, Wings of the Wind, Shadow of the Storm, Counted With the Stars

This is a prequel (#11) for The 52 Book Club's 2025 Reading Challenge.

#the52bookclub #the52bookclub2025

Also counted as a "Seasonal Salad" for the May Mini-Challenge, due to its "leafy green cover"

This post will be linked at the current BookWorms Monthly link-up hosted by At Home A Lot, and at  the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge 2025 hosted by The Intrepid Reader and Baker.

#histficreadingchallenge

©2008-2025 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. This post was written by a human.  http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Recent Reads - Harvest of Gold

Harvest of Gold by Tessa Afshar - As this story opens, Sarah and Darius are still building upon the tentative affection that has begun in their arranged marriage, but Darius is still unwilling to open his heart at all. Darius is able to thwart an attack on their small travel party as they head to the capital city, but is disturbed to discover that the attackers were on their way to assassinate the king. This is reported to the king and Darius is determined to find out who originated the plot. To this end, the king orders Darius to travel to the Syrian provinces along with Nehemiah, the cupbearer who has just been granted permission to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Nehemiah is Sarah's cousin, and because Sarah is a scribe, it is arranged that she will go as well, and serve as scribe to him in his role as governor.

Sarah is thrilled at the prospect of seeing Jerusalem, and connecting with her Jewish heritage, but fears that Darius will leave her behind, especially if he knows what she has begun to suspect - that she is carrying his child. Her choice to delay telling him ends up shattering his trust and leaving them both grieving and angry. Sarah must request his forgiveness and exercise patience and faith in God as she waits for him to work in Darius's heart. Darius must confront his own childhood memories and how his experience has caused him to close his heart to Sarah. He learns a new respect for Nehemiah when his wife's cousin challenges and guides him even while leading and managing the massive building project.

In the first part of this duology, Harvest of Rubies, Sarah's character arc is dynamic as she learns to recognize and deal with her own pride, stubbornness, and fears. She grows in her faith and acceptance of God's leading in her life. In Harvest of Gold, it is Darius's turn to undergo character crisis and growth, as he sees his own shortcomings and fears, and reaches his own crisis of faith. Their fictional story is woven into a well-researched narrative highlighting the rebuilding of Jerusalem as described in the Biblical book of Nehemiah, giving insights into the social and political settings. 

From the publisher:

An arranged marriage. A man whose heart is closed to love. A king whose life hangs in the balance. A nations on the brink of annihilation. Harvest of Gold (Book 2)

The scribe Sarah married Darius, and at times she feels as if she has married the Persian aristocracy, too. There is another point she did not count on in her marriage — Sarah has grown to love her husband. Sarah has wealth, property, honor, and power, but her husband's love still seems unattainable.

Although his mother was an Israelite, Darius remains skeptical that his Jewish wife is the right choice for him, particularly when she conspires with her cousin Nehemiah to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Ordered to assist in the effort, the couple begins a journey to the homeland of his mother's people. Will the road filled with danger, conflict, and surprising memories, help Darius to see the hand of God at work in his life — and even in his marriage?

By the same author: Harvest of Rubies

This is a book that is 300-400 pages long (#51) for The 52 Book Club's 2025 Reading Challenge.

#the52bookclub #the52bookclub2025

This post will be linked at the current BookWorms Monthly link-up hosted by At Home A Lot, and at  the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge 2025 hosted by The Intrepid Reader and Baker.

#histficreadingchallenge

©2008-2025 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. This post was written by a human.  http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Recent Reads - Harvest of Rubies

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee.

Harvest of Rubies by Tessa Afshar - I don't know why I haven't read this book before, but I'm so glad I did. It's a poignant story and also provides insight into life in the Persian noble classes during the time of King Artaxerxes, which is shortly before Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall. And Nehemiah is a character that appears a couple of times in this story.

The story centers around Sarah, a young Jewish woman who has a gift for writing and languages. Her father is a scribe serving the Persian court, and at cousin Nehemiah's urging, allows Sarah to start learning the scribe's craft when she is a young girl. Sarah delights in learning, and sees it as a way to finally connect with her distracted and distant father. As a young woman she is given an opportunity to be the chief scribe to the queen and works tirelessly at proving herself worthy of this great honor. In the course of her service, she deftly handles a legal matter, diffusing a situation that would have caused great embarrassment to the queen and a schism in the royal household. To reward Sarah, the queen arranges a very advantageous marriage for her, to a young noble named Darius.

Unfortunately, Sarah has no desire to be married and turns away all the assistance offered to her until the very last moment and the wedding celebration proves a disaster, and causes Darius to view his new bride with distaste and mistrust. The result is that Sarah and her maid are left on their own at his country home which is woefully understaffed. Sarah makes a couple of friends that help her find purpose and joy in the lonely life, and it seems that one purpose is to deal with the hostile steward in charge of the estate when Sarah suspects he is mismanaging Darius' property and money . . . or worse.

Even if Sarah and her friends can find proof, will Darius ever trust her, or even listen to her concerns? Is there any possibility he will forgive her or respect her? Can Sarah learn to see her own worth and value is not merely in her ability as a scribe?

I love that the characters in this story all have a believable mix of positive and negative traits. Sarah, Darius, the king and queen, and Sarah's father all show admirable qualities and flaws, although of course it is the characters of Sarah and Darius that get the focus. 

From the publisher:

The prophet Nehemiah's cousin can speak numerous languages, keep complex accounts, write on rolls or parchement and tablets of clay, and solve great mysteries. There is only one problem: she's a woman in a man's court.

In her early childhood years, Sarah experienced the death of her mother and her father's subsequent emotional distance, and she came to two conclusions: God does not care about me, and my accomplishments are the measure of my worth.

Catapulted into the center of the Persian court, Sarah is working too many hours, rubbing elbows with royalty, and solving intrigues for the Queen. Ironically, it isn't failure―but success―that causes Sarah to lose her only source of external validation.

Sarah soon learns that she has something of worth to offer beyond her ability with languages and sums; her very being proves to be a blessing to others, particularly the aristocrat Darius, whom she is given to in marriage.

Sarah and Darius' story continues in Harvest of Gold. Darius may be able to learn to love his wife, but can he ever learn to trust Sarah and her Lord?

*********************

This is part of a duology (#15) for The 52 Book Club's 2024 Reading Challenge.

#the52bookclub #the52bookclub2024

©2008-2024 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Recent Reads - Voice of the Ancient

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Voice of the Ancient by Connilyn Cossette - This new series picks up threads from To Dwell Among the Cedars and Between the Wild Branches as the prophet Samuel anoints Israel's first king, Saul. Avidan is a young man of the Levite tribe, expected to serve as a musician, but he longs to join his cousins in more adventurous pursuits. When the new king summons all Israel's fighting men to defend one of the towns under attack, Avi sneaks off along with his cousins to join the troops. He quickly finds out he has no stomach for war after all, and he takes seriously his responsibility to protect his youngest cousin who had followed them, so after the battle he decides to collect Shalem from where he's hidden and take him home. To Avi's horror, the hiding place is empty, and so he begins his search for the boy, and instead finds Keziah.

Keziah's father betrothes her to a cruel but wealthy older man in order to buy protection for the village, but at the last minute, her servant risks everything to help Keziah escape. Keziah is disguised as a slave boy, but just at the right moment, Avi comes to her defense when she's attacked by some young ruffians. Since Kez has a horse, the two decide to travel together, searching for Shalem while headed towards the tribal village where Kez can seek refuge. As the days go on, Keziah realizes that Avi has known she was in disguise right from the start, yet has behaved honorably. By the time they reach her destination, the two of them have formed a strong bond, but Avi still has to return to his home.

Both Avidan and Keziah wrestle with finding their true purpose and identity, and how they properly fit into their families, and Avidan also struggles with the guilt and regret of how his choices have negatively impacted others and how he's failed in his responsibilities. The story is full of action and suspense, but also reveals how the hearts and minds of these two lead characters are shaped and matured by the dangers they face and how God reveals himself to them as the Voice of the Ancient. 

By the same author: Between the Wild Branches, To Dwell Among the Cedars, Like Flames in the Night, Until the Mountains Fall, Shelter of the Most High, A Light on the Hill, Wings of the Wind, Shadow of the Storm, Counted With the Stars

This is a book with lowercase letters on the spine (#4) for The 52 Book Club's 2024 Reading Challenge.

#the52bookclub #the52bookclub2024

©2008-2024 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Recent Reads - The Crumbs off Heaven's Table

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The Crumbs Off Heaven's Table by D.M. Griffin - One of my favorite types of stories is fiction set during Bible times, that gives insights into the possible backgrounds and personalities of the various characters who make only a brief appearance in the pages of the Bible but played an important role nonetheless. One of those characters is a woman that isn't even mentioned by name, but has a fascinating encounter with Jesus. Matthew and Mark both tell the story of a Canaanite woman who came to Jesus and begged him to heal her demon-possessed daughter. Jesus commends her persistent faith and her daughter is healed and restored. The story raises many questions - Who was the woman and how did she hear about Jesus? What did she know about him or about the God of the Jews that she so passionately believed Jesus could do this thing for her, a Gentile? This imaginative and well-researched novel paints a portrait of the woman, giving her a name and a history.

Serene was separated from her parents as a very young child, when her mother admonished her to hide from her violent father. She grows up as a servant in the household of a man named Carchemish, where she feels relatively safe in her anonymity. Until a new overseer comes to manage the household when Carchemish becomes ill. Rogan poses as a high-ranking servant, but he is the second son of Carchemish's Roman business partner, Santini. The interactions between the two of them are tense at times, because Serene senses that Rogan is not who he claims to be, and Rogan is uncomfortable with the lie, especially that he must hide the truth from Serene.

Unknown to either of them, the forces of darkness are closing in around them, in the form of Rogan's sister-in-law, Lilah, and her father Domini. Domini and Lilah are both servants of the demonic spirit Belial, and on a mission to steal life and gain power, and most importantly, to stop a promised One that would have the power to defeat them. Lilah targets Rogan for her seduction and viciously attacks Serene, especially when she realizes that Rogan and Serene love each other.

Can Rogan and Serene possibly build a life together when they come from different levels of society, and face opposition from Rogan's father and others in power? Can Serene's simple faith in what she has learned about the Jewish God help them in their troubles? Would the Jewish God even accept their worship or hear their prayers?

Serene and Rogan are sympathetic and very likable characters, as they both have an inner desire to do the right thing, to be kind, and to tell the truth; even though they don't always understand why this is important to them when it tends to go against the grain of their society. They are both quietly skeptical of the belief in many Roman gods. They are both unusually good people, and Serene is drawn to the words of the Jewish scriptures and puts her faith in her simple understanding of this God. Of course they both have flaws as well, and struggle and stumble in their character arcs, but both are on a journey to find love and security and discover that their identities are far more than just their social and economic status.

From the publisher: 

A life targeted by the forces of evil since the beginning but protected within the fold of a love she was afraid to embrace and couldn't fully understand. Not as a Gentile at least. Separated from her parents, Serene became a servant who learned not to expect much out of life. Constant fear kept her in hiding, satisfied with the little provisions that her master allowed.

Yet she couldn't hide from love forever. When a certain man from Rome came into her life, Serene's heart began to open in love. Divine intervention mingled with circumstance until Serene was introduced not only to the love between a man and woman, but the love between her and her Creator.

With this powerful love also came an enemy. Would Serene's fragile faith and low self-esteem be able to battle the forces that were beyond herself? Would desperation drive her to seek the One who could truly send the demon possessing her daughter back to the Abyss? How would one encounter with the Son of God test her faith and reveal her true identity as a daughter of the King?

You can also visit the author's website to find out more: Devoted Steps

Special thanks to D.M. Griffin for including me on the Launch Team for The Crumbs Off Heaven's Table, and providing me a copy of the book for the purpose of this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

#CrumbOffHeavensTable #EncounterSeries

This is a book about finding identity (#43) for The 52 Book Club's 2024 Reading Challenge.

#the52bookclub #the52bookclub2024

©2008-2024 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Review: Route 60 - The Biblical Highway #Route60MIN

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I had the privilege of seeing the advance release of this fascinating documentary and want to encourage you to see it in theaters if you can. It will be in theaters September 18th and 19th only, so grab your tickets today! If you're interested in Biblical or ancient history, I think you'll really enjoy it. It would be a great addition to history, geography, world religions, or Bible studies for homeschooling families; and for anyone looking for background to understanding the geography where the Bible stories took place and the foundations of the nation of Israel, and how it's all intertwined.

Route 60 is a documentary about Israel's famous highway, one that passes through sites of great historical significance, places where the patriarchs, kings and prophets, disciples, and Jesus himself walked.

Synopsis: 

Carving through the heart of the Promised Land is the biblical spine of Israel, sometimes referred to as the Path of the Patriarchs and officially designated as Route 60. A highway of deep historical significance while often the scene of unrest and violence, this 146-mile road of asphalt and concrete begins in Nazareth, Israel's largest Arab city, and ends in Beersheba, one of Israel's high-tech centers. Running north to south, Route 60 connects ancient Israel with modern Israel, Jews and Christians with Muslims, and Israelis with Palestinians.

This trek is far more than a two-lane highway; it is a historic, sacred link to the roots of Judaism and Christianity and the stories of the Old and New Testaments. Follow world-changing diplomats David Friedman and Mike Pompeo as they venture down this sacred road, treading the very ground Abraham, Jacob, King David, and Jesus once walked. Discover the history, witness the healing, and realize the hope along Route 60, the Biblical Highway.

What others are saying:

"Visually stunning and compelling storytelling." ~Mike Huckabee

"ROUTE 60 combines the truth of the Bible with undeniable archaeological proof, and like our tour guides, Pompeo and Friedman, that's a powerful combination!" ~Erick Stakelbeck

My thoughts: The scenery and the views of historical sites was enough to draw me immediately, and the added graphics to help visualize the passages of Scripture referenced and the historical Biblical events were so appealing as well. But what I most enjoyed was the simple but compelling way Friedman and Pompeo related how the sites they visited were significant throughout the story of the Bible. Some of these sites, like Shechem and Bethel, are places where more than one greatly important event took place. I've watched many documentaries and video studies of sites in the Holy Land, yet some of the sites in ROUTE 60 were new to me, or I learned new context and significance to these places. Friedman is an Orthodox Jew and Pompeo is a Christian, and both have long and significant experience as American diplomats, so it was also fascinating to hear them talk about more recent history involving the nation of Israel such as the Abraham Accords and the relocation of the American Embassy to Jerusalem in light of Biblical history. Both men also told stories of the impact the truth of the Bible has had on how they view the world and the roles they've played, and about their personal faith as well.

Visit the movie's website Route 60 Movie to find out more.

Buy tickets at: Route 60 Movie

Hashtags: #Route60MIN #MomentumInfluencerNetwork

Disclosure: Many thanks to TBN for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own.

 ©2008-2023 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Route 60 - The Biblical Highway #Route60MIN

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee. 

I'm always interested in movies and documentaries like this! Seeing the real sites where historical events took place, and where historical figures walked is fascinating to me. Even more so when it's Biblical history! I recently got the news about this movie and have been asked to pass along the news, and since I really want to see it, I'm happy to share it here too.

Route 60 is a documentary about Israel's famous highway, one that passes through sites of great historical significance, places where the patriarchs, kings and prophets, disciples, and Jesus himself walked.

Synopsis: 

Carving through the heart of the Promised Land is the biblical spine of Israel, sometimes referred to as the Path of the Patriarchs and officially designated as Route 60. A highway of deep historical significance while often the scene of unrest and violence, this 146-mile road of asphalt and concrete begins in Nazareth, Israel's largest Arab city, and ends in Beersheba, one of Israel's high-tech centers. Running north to south, Route 60 connects ancient Israel with modern Israel, Jews and Christians with Muslims, and Israelis with Palestinians.

This trek is far more than a two-lane highway; it is a historic, sacred link to the roots of Judaism and Christianity and the stories of the Old and New Testaments. Follow world-changing diplomats David Friedman and Mike Pompeo as they venture down this sacred road, treading the very ground Abraham, Jacob, King David, and Jesus once walked. Discover the history, witness the healing, and realize the hope along Route 60, the Biblical Highway.

Visit the movie's website Route 60 Movie to find out more.

Hashtags: #Route60MIN #MomentumInfluencerNetwork

©2008-2023 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

His Only Son - Movie Review and Giveaway #HisOnlySonMIN

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His Only Son, a new movie from  Angel Studios (makers of The Chosen) is coming to theaters starting March 31, 2023. This powerful movie explores the Biblical story of Abraham and his son Isaac. The story in Genesis tells about God speaking to Abraham and promising to make him the father of nations and bless him, and after many years of waiting, Abraham and his wife Sarah finally have a son of their own. But God then calls on Abraham to sacrifice this promised and beloved son. 

Make plans today to see HIS ONLY SON in theaters March 31st! Buy tickets at: HisOnlySonMovie.com.

"After being called on by the Lord, Abraham's faith is tested on his three day journey to sacrifice his son."

Synopsis:  His Only Son recounts one of the most controversial moments in the Old Testament―when Abraham was commanded by God to sacrifice his son Isaac on the mountain of Moriah. While traveling to the place of the sacrifice, alongside Isaac and two servants, Abraham is flooded with vivid memories from the years he and Sarah spent longing for the son they were promised―the son he must now lay upon the altar.

My thoughts:  Although the movie essentially begins at the point where God calls Abraham and tells him to give Isaac as a sacrifice, it also lays all the background in a series of memories and flashbacks, so viewers are introduced to Abraham and Sarah in their younger years when God first spoke to Abraham about moving to a new land that God would show him. More memories add to the story of their years of longing for a child and Sarah wondering how God would keep his promises to her husband when she still couldn't get pregnant. Sarah's struggle to understand Abraham's faith in a God that she didn't know and her growing bitterness when she is well past her childbearing years and the promised child still hasn't come is portrayed poignantly.

Isaac's birth to a couple so old brings new life to Sarah and Abraham, and Sarah finds great joy in her son. So how do you think she reacted when Abraham insisted that Isaac was to go along on this journey through the wilderness to sacrifice to God? Don't you think she'd be worried about her elderly husband on this trip as well? What did the servants who accompanied Abraham and Isaac think about the whole situation? What about Isaac himself? I thought the movie did an excellent job of portraying some of the likely actions and reactions, and invited viewers along on the emotional journey as well.

I loved how Isaac's personality was shown, as a kind and generous young man, willing to go out of his way to rescue lost sheep and ready to give up his freedom to save a captive. But what would he do when told that he was to be the sacrifice?

The imagery and language also drew all the appropriate parallels between Abraham's call to give up his only son, and God's plan to sacrifice his only son two thousand years later. The connection to the death and resurrection of Jesus is clear and compelling, so it's just perfect that this movie will be in theaters just before the Easter season. 

After my husband and I watched the movie, he remarked that he had expected it to be an Easter movie, a movie about Jesus Christ dying in our place. And in a sense, it is. It points the way to Jesus the Messiah, to his death and resurrection, and helps us understand the greatness of that sacrifice and that gift to us. I hope you'll go see the movie, and I pray you'll be blessed by it.

Find out more at the previously livestreamed announcement video on YouTube.

Follow His Only Son on Instagram and on Facebook.

See His Only Son in theaters starting March 31st!

Purchase tickets at: HisOnlySonMovie.com.  

As part of this promotion, Momentum is generously allowing me to host this giveaway of a $10 Amazon gift card. Please note: This giveaway is open to US only, opens on March 24th and closes on March 31st. The same giveaway form appears here and on A Fresh Cup of Coffee.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hashtags: #HisOnlySonMIN #MomentumInfluencerNetwork

Disclosure: Many thanks to Angel Studios for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own.

©2008-2023 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Recent Reads - The End of The Magi

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee. 

The End of the Magi by Patrick W. Carr - This novel follows the epic journey of a young magi acolyte as he flees the city where his father was murdered, joins a merchant caravan, and eventually makes his way to Bethlehem following a star that not everyone can see.

The prophet Daniel called on a select group of magi to keep a calendar counting down the days until the arrival of a king promised to Israel. For generations, these few magi counted the days faithfully, until a Parthian queen ordered the magi slaughtered. Myrad's adoptive father was one of this select group, and he had been bringing Myrad up as a magus as well. Despite being lame, Myrad is able to escape the city with his father's important documents, including the calendar. He had also received a dream that directed him to a special star appearing in the sky, and Myrad's journey is a combination of survival, desperation, and a determination to follow the star and keep the calendar.

Myrad's insight and gift for negotiation earns the respect of a wealthy merchant, and a place traveling with the merchant's caravan. They must navigate clever trade agreements, war and intrigue, enemies, and much more as their travels take them through the Parthian and Roman Empires and into Judea. As a few other magi join their numbers, Myrad learns more about the ancient prophecies about a Messiah king for Israel, and the magi all consider whether the calendar and star are pointing to that Messiah and how a baby born to a peasant couple could possibly be the promised one.

This historical fiction gives a fresh perspective and possible explanations of the background of the 'wise men from the east' that visited the baby Jesus. It would make a good read for young people, in my opinion. A lot happens to Myrad along the way, the storyline is straightforward and uncluttered.

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Walking the Bible (DVD)

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Walking the Bible: A Journey By Land Through the Five Books of Moses (DVD) - A couple of months ago, I read a review of the book by the same name, and thought it sounded interesting. I was able to find the DVD through my library and decided to watch instead of read about the author's journey.

Bruce Feiler, a best-selling New York Times author, set out on a quest to see the places where the first five books of the Bible took place. The trip is both a journalistic search for information and insight, and a personal faith journey for him. The journey is in three episodes spanning many locations in the Middle East and Egypt, and includes interactions with the local people and with various experts.

He begins in Mesopotamia, the cradle of civilization, and traces the creation story, the early accounts of humans in Genesis including the flood of Noah's day, up to the time of Abraham. His guide takes him to Turkey to climb Mount Ararat, traditionally viewed as the site where the ark came to rest. The scenery is varied and breathtaking, whether desert, lakes, or mountains.

In the second episode, Feiler focuses more on the Biblical accounts of Abraham, Jacob, and Joseph. He explores locations in Egypt and how the culture of ancient Egypt intersected with the stories of these Biblical patriarchs. And in the third episode, Feiler traces a route out of Egypt and to the land of Canaan, or present-day Israel. He speculates on the possible locations of the Red Sea crossing and the forty years of wilderness wanderings. The highlight in this episode, in my opinion, was his stay at Saint Catherine's Monastery at the traditional site of Mount Sinai. The beautiful monastery and church have been here for about seventeen centuries. 

Throughout the series, Feiler provides commentary of his own personal reflections and questions, and his emotional and faith connections to the places and experiences are significant and often thought-provoking. The insights of the local people he encounters are interesting as well, as they reveal the historical and cultural connections and traditions of these people to the land and to the stories of Abraham and Moses. 

Personally, I didn't care for Feiler's narration, finding his commentary repetitive and his voice rather uninteresting to listen to. The landmark places he visited - Mount Ararat and Mount Sinai - were the traditional sites, for which there is little evidence other than tradition, so if you're hoping for new archaeological discoveries or tangible evidence, you'll be disappointed. That isn't to say that visiting these locations isn't valuable or insightful, of course, but it's the context of seeing the land and the connections of the local people to the land and history that is striking. At least to me.

©2008-2021 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

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