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The Ezekiel Option - Joel C. Rosenberg

Recommended
What would you do, if you saw Bible Prophecy come true before your very eyes? And what would you do, if you had a chance to influence it? In The Ezekiel Option, Joel Rosenberg’s third book in the series, poses very interesting questions. Of all the books in the series, I felt this one had the most I could learn from.

The book starts off with another revolution in Russia. An anti-Israel leader takes hold, as two of the protagonists Bennett and McCoy are stuck in Russia. Here, the book divides into two distinct plots as Bennett is somehow sent back to America under the impression of her death, while McCoy is kept back in Russia thinking Bennett is dead.

Under the guise of a ushering an era of peace and prosperity for the Middle East, Gogolov, the new leader of Russia, introduces a UN resolution: “to compel the State of Israel to fully disclose and subsequently destroy any and all stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction within thirty days”, while secretly collaborating with Tehran to invade Israel.

All these different lines of plot converge together near the end. Israel, faces The Samsom Option, so named after Samsom, who killed his enemies, along with himself. America, having abstained from voting, feels powerless, the Kremlim rejecting last-minute demands for further diplomacy. Among, all this tension, Mordechai, the former head of Mossad and a Messianic Jew, publishes “The Ezekiel Option”, showing his belief that God will save Israel from Gog and Magog, according to Ezekiel 38-39.

For me, this book bears a slight resemblance to his non-fiction book “Epicentre”, as it very clearly explains Prophecy. The condensation of theology was skilfully woven into the text, with sources to back it up. This is only natural, because this is the book where the fulfilment of Ezekiel 38-39 is most clearly seen. In fact, in the later books all refer back to this book, because this is the book where God revealed his power and protection of Israel to the world. However, the most poignant moment is in the book where a character, cowed at the devastation, cries “Lord Jesus forgive me”. I love how he uses the words “forgive me” rather than protect me to illustrate the point that in the end, what we really need is Jesus’s forgiveness most, not his protection.

As this book takes us into the workings of the US government, it poses rather interesting questions. For example, knowing that the End-Times are coming, would you try to prevent it, in order that more might be saved? Would you let your beliefs translate into policy, or would you break with them in order to “do the right thing” politically? The book raises these questions, and answers them very clearly, that we are, first and foremost, Christians, and we ignore God’s word at our own risk.

In conclusion, I recommend this book if you’re looking for a good thriller or if you just want to understand more about Bible Prophecy but don’t think you can handle an academic tone. But as always, I caution against taking this hypothesis of how the End Days will play out as the final word on the subject; some parts, like how Europe is no longer Christian, and the ignoring of China’s presence of the world stage, seem unbelievable. Rather, enjoy this novel as a novel, and maybe as a textbook, nothing more, nothing less.
Eustacia Tan joined Into the Book in May of 2011. She has always loved reading, but particularly loves fiction, apologetics, and theology. She has a love for God, and hopes to someday go to the Japanese people as a missionary.

3 comments:

  1. I really enjoyed your superb review, even though I doubt if this is a book I'd read. It sounds interesting, but I'm rather wary of Rosenberg's End Times theology. :)

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  2. Thanks for the review. It made me decide to pull out my copy and read it again 6 years later. I'm enjoying it again, and yes, being challenged. It's not a thesis on eschatology, so you can't take it that way, but it does have value in reminding us that these prophecies will be fulfilled, and possibly in our lifetimes. - Bonnie Joyce

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  3. @Corey: Yup, I tend to take almost all theories on Eschatology with a pinch of salt, because ultimately, it's man interpreting the Bible, and man being fallible, may not have read God's Word right.

    @Bonnie: Thanks(: Have you read his latest book "The Twelth Imam"? I haven't read it yet, but I'd love to.

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