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| ★★★★★ |
In
the blank pages between Malachi and Matthew, the course of an entire nation was
changed…
His brother, the high priest Honiah, enjoyed
the authority of the high priesthood, and all important decisions needed his
approval. But it was Jason who was shaping the future of Jerusalem and, with
it, all Judea. He breathed in again, imagining that he could feel the wave of
destiny impelling him forward toward his vision as he exhaled…
The Greeks have taken over the world, but
Jerusalem is still the same backwater city Jason has always known. He wants to
help his hometown rise to a new age of prosperity and influence. If that means
stretching the terms of the city's divine covenant, so be it. But how far is he
willing to go to achieve Greek greatness for this Jewish city?
It will take the willingness of a handful of
Jews to die rather than violate the covenant in order to turn the tide back to
God. Written by an internationally recognized expert in the period between the
Testaments, Day of Atonement invites readers into Judea during the
tumultuous years leading up to the Maccabean Revolt. It was this pivotal decade
that reminded Jews of the centrality of the covenant to their national security
and taught them that the covenant was worth dying for. The story is so
foundational, it is still told every year at Hanukkah. The lessons learned
during this turbulent time also shed light on just what was at stake in the
ministry of Jesus, whose radical message seemed to threaten the covenant once
again.
David A. DeSilva’s Day of Atonement kept me fascinated with a time in history
previously unfamiliar to me. Rich in historical detail, this well-paced novel
delves into the complicated circumstances surrounding Maccabean Revolt. With
well-developed characters and authentic feeling, DeSilva brings this period to
life so well that I really enjoyed this all-around interesting novel. I
recommend it to readers interested in biblical fiction, for it is quite a
worthwhile and valuable read.
Thanks to Kregel Publications, I received a copy of Day
of Atonement and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not
required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are
my own.
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