Starting the Discussion on The Harbinger...

T. J. McMahon of the Bible Prophecy Blog's A Matter of Critical Discernment sets up a good counter opinion for this book which should be a good beginning as we review The Harbinger. Remember this is not a review...merely my reading and providing info as I see it...and maybe even start a discussion... I believe McMahon has done an excellent presentation on this book and hopefully you'll read his opposing thoughts...

Here's the first para to help you decide whether you want to read:

The Harbinger is a novel that is becoming very popular among both Christians and non-Christians, even reaching the top of the New York Times best-seller list at this writing. What makes it worthy of review, like other books that we have addressed is that it offers an important opportunity for believers to exercise critical discernment. In this case, author Jonathan Cahn believes that he has discovered prophetic signs from God that are found in the Old Testament and directly apply to the United States, referring in particular to the events surrounding the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Because The Harbinger is a fictional novel with a large dose of nonfiction added (Scripture), this critique involves two aspects: 1) a personal, subjective opinion, and 2) a more objective consideration of the author’s application of Scripture in his novel.

I do not profess to have the gift of discernment. I do believe that I have a gift for reading and understanding fiction. There may be a difference between McMahon and someone like myself  just because  that. I will be reading it as fiction, but I will also be looking at it as an individual who has a passion for understanding God's actions...and those who write it as fiction.

By the way for whatever reason my Book Reader's Heaven Blog publishing activity has been changed. This Blog has not been! Followed by a lot of ????? LOL! I expect, however, that this discussion will indeed need to be under my "Just My Personal Opinion Blog, which is also my adult blog... I had hoped to work on The Harbinger from BRH...but...

Anyway...

Let's take a look at the cover first...

Subtitle: The Ancient Mystery that Holds the Secret of America's Future!

Wow, that's a knock-out statement in my opinion...and you all know that I have an interest in all this, right?

My first prophetic book was the Late Great Planet Earth.
 This was the first, real, time when I started getting interested in matching people's opinion about God, The Second Coming, etc... This book, BTW, was published as nonfiction...

But, you know, I was never fanatical about any actions or words created by writers... I do believe that if "this" ever happens, that nobody will know it is happening until

It does...

But just for info, if you want to find out what Hal Lindsay was saying, here's a vid of info...

It's been a long time since I believed anybody was going to write a book that would explain all of the questions I've always had!!! With that in mind, I read a book of fiction, like I would read any book of fiction. If it inspires me, I'll tell you why...If I considered it outrageous, I'll tell you why...

AN ANCIENT MYSTERY that holds the secret of America’s future.” 

“Yes."

"What would I think?” 

“Yes, what would you think?”

 “I’d think it was a plot for a movie. Is that it? Is that what you’re presenting…a movie manuscript?”

“No.”

“A plot for a novel?”

 “No.”“Then what?”

 He was silent. “Then what?” she repeated.

 He paused to carefully consider what he was about to say and how to say it. Her reputation among those in media was that of a woman who neither wasted her time nor indulged those who did. She was not known to suffer fools gladly. The discussion could meet an abrupt end at any given moment and there would be no second chance with her. The fact that there had even been a meeting in the first place, that she had even agreed to it, and that he was now sitting in her office, high above the streets of Manhattan, was nothing short of a miracle—and he knew it. He had only one concern—the message. It didn’t even occur to him to remove his black leather overcoat, nor had anyone offered to remove it for him. Leaning forward in his chair, he gave her his answer, slowly, cautiously, carefully deliberating every word. “An ancient mystery…that holds the secret of America’sfuture…and on which its future hangs. And it’s not fiction—it’s real.” She was quiet. At first, he took the silence as a positive sign, an indication that he was getting through. 

But then she spoke and quickly dispelled the notion. “An Indiana Jones movie,” she said. “An ancient mystery hidden for thousands of years under the sands of the Middle East…but now revealed…and upon it hangs the fate of the entire world!” Her flippancy provoked him to become all the more resolute. 

“But it’s not fiction,” he repeated.

 “It’s “What would I say?” she asked. 

“Yes, what would you say?” 

“I’d say you were crazy.” 

“Perhaps I am,” he said with a slight smile. “Nevertheless…it’s real.”

 “If you’re not crazy, then you’re joking…or you’re doing this all for dramatic effect…part of a presentation. But you can’t be serious.”

 “But I am serious.”

~~~

Although the author potentially has the credentials for a nonfiction book (haven't done a search yet), I was gratified that he chose to write it as fiction.  A couple of reasons comes to mind...he is making no claim that it is more than fictional even if some might believe it has some basis of truth. He writes about what he personally has studied and feels is happening in America... much like many writers are doing these days...If you see him, you can sense his personal feelings about what's he doing and that he believes what he's written. 

Many warn about False Prophets...In making this book fiction, I think he has made it clear that he does not call himself a prophet of God, even though he's writing prophetically... as he has come to believe it. But by calling it fiction, individuals of all religions can read the book and not feel that he is speaking on behalf of any major religion...  Yes, these are all assumptions at this point...we'll see if I still feel the same when finished! LOL

The above excerpt made me think of a couple of people playing the roles...My first and only pick for the female receiving the pitch is Oprah... Can't you see her listening to this pitch? LOL

And, of course, right now, I'm thinking that it is the author who is presenting...we'll see...

GABixlerReviews

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