The A.D. Chronicles

I have been reading such an incredible series of historical fiction books called The A.D. Chronicles. They are written by historical fiction writing veterans, Bodie and Brock Thoene (pronounced Tay-nee) and are set during the time of Christ. It took me a while to connect with the first book, called First Light, but they have gotten progressively better. Just when I think the Truth of Christ cannot be revealed in a more wondrous way, it is. The Thoene's are masters at crafting stories that capture the imagination, and the way they have woven fictionalized elements into familiar stories from the New Testament has made these stories really come alive for me!

Each book introduces new made up characters as well as including ones more familiar from stories of Jesus' miracles, or from previous books. It is easy for those of us raised on these stories to read them almost by rote. Without passion. But when we stop and think what it must have been like to have been born blind and suddenly see for the first time, or to be Lazarus, who was already enjoying the wonders of heaven, and was called back to live among finite men on earth...WOW. Or to be a leper, living in the valley reserved for lepers, outcast from society and the warmth of family, flesh slowly dying bit by bit. And then to be touched, embraced, by Yeshua. To look in His eyes and be fully known and completely loved. How all those who were healed in some way by Jesus must have thanked God to be living at that time!

I have become fascinated with the Jewish culture and Jewish customs and traditions. I am so excited to be studying Year 1 of Tapestry this coming school year! We will learn much about the ancient Israelites, their covenant(s) with God, their triumphs and failures, and God's longsuffering. I simply cannot wait! (except I do need to finish getting ready!) :-) I know we are going to learn so much that will deepen and make richer my personal relationship with Jesus.

Torn now between wanting to read faster to see what's going to happen next, and wanting to read slower to make it last longer, I am currently reading book 9. There are, so far, two more books in the series, but our church library doesn't have them yet. So I may have to exercise patience! I am so thankful for the ways these books are confirming and building on my understanding of God from Scripture. Something that has really become evident in the last couple of books is the difference between fact and truth. Just because something is a fact (sickness for example) doesn't mean it is ultimately truth (the truth is, Jesus is the resurrection and the life).

Two of the books are prequels and go back to the time that Christ was born. I had a particularly difficult time reading about the slaughter of little Jewish boy babies two years and younger in Bethlehem, after Herod found out that Jesus had been born there and the magi had returned to their countries by a different route. Through the course of the book I had come to know and love the women of Bethlehem and their children. Rachel, the midwife, who had helped to birth Jesus Himself, and was the wife of Zadok, head shepherd of the temple flock, who had witnessed the angel chorus in the sky over Bethlehem the night Jesus was born! How amazing, how miraculous for everyone were the months that Mary and Joseph and baby Jesus lived among them in Bethlehem. And then to read how furious Herod was, how mad and insane he had become, and with what viciousness his guards hunted down and killed all the sweet and innocent boy babies, while Jesus alone survived. What wailing among the women of Bethlehem then! This verse took on new meaning for me after reading about it in Thoene's novel:

Matthew 2:17-18 "Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning. Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more."

I confess, I wept too.

How could God's plan include such suffering for those He loved? These books address that question through stories, and through truth spoken by its characters. The stories have at times encouraged me, challenged me, and comforted me. They have also made me laugh!

If you are a lover of historical fiction, or even if you're not, I highly recommend them!