Monday, July 09, 2012

The Harbinger...

I finished this book on Saturday. It is really a research paper that was written in a narrative so that more people would read it. It worked. The writing is terrible, really terrible, but the research makes you read on. This book is a NYT best seller. So, maybe you should read it.
The book is all based on a prophecy in Isaiah 9:10 that tells about America's future as a nation. By the time I got to the part about John Edwards' speech, I was amazed. Except.. the premise that it is rebellion to say that you are going to come back stronger after a tragedy, I could never get that to feel so wrong. But, all the plans for that have been frustrated in a way that is truly astonishing.
The perspective of someone from another faith tradition is always interesting to me. I am usually impressed more by the similarities. I loved the message at the end about the love of God, which is something I truly believe.
If you have read the Book of Mormon, you know this basic story with even more details. Nations are great when they love God, when they stop obeying his commandments, they become wicked and they either destroy themselves or God allows them to be destroyed.
I wonder if he has read the story of Captain Moroni and Pahoran that I taught my class yesterday? I love those verses in Alma chapters 60-61 where the desires of those two good men to unite their nation with it's liberty are written in the most soul stirring language.
It was Jonathan Cahn's perspective on this that was my favorite part of the book. He understands that God does all things out of love. He would not have precious children born into a world with no chance at all for love or happiness. He knows that like people, nations can repent and make themselves right with God again. His hope is that America will heed the many warnings that have been given and return to God. That is my hope too.