Description
On This Foundation
Lynn Austin
Restoration Chronicles #3
Synopsis from Goodreads:
The Powerful Concluding Novel
to The Restoration Chronicles
When news that the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire, Nehemiah, Jewish cupbearer to King Artaxerxes in Persia, seeks God's guidance. After fasting and prayer, he's given leave to travel to Jerusalem and rebuild the city wall, not anticipating all the dangers that await him on his arrival.
The leaders of the surrounding nations become his fierce enemies, plotting to assassinate him and halt the work. A drought, meanwhile, has left the country impoverished, many families resorting to selling their children as bondservants just to keep from starving.
Capturing the rebuilding of the wall through the eyes of a number of characters, On This Foundation is a powerful exploration of faith in the midst of oppression, and hope that, in spite of appearances, the gracious hand of God is upon those who believe.
to The Restoration Chronicles
When news that the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire, Nehemiah, Jewish cupbearer to King Artaxerxes in Persia, seeks God's guidance. After fasting and prayer, he's given leave to travel to Jerusalem and rebuild the city wall, not anticipating all the dangers that await him on his arrival.
The leaders of the surrounding nations become his fierce enemies, plotting to assassinate him and halt the work. A drought, meanwhile, has left the country impoverished, many families resorting to selling their children as bondservants just to keep from starving.
Capturing the rebuilding of the wall through the eyes of a number of characters, On This Foundation is a powerful exploration of faith in the midst of oppression, and hope that, in spite of appearances, the gracious hand of God is upon those who believe.
Review
Ever since his parents’ murder, Nehemiah has been
obsessed with safety—safety for his brothers, safety for his people, and safety
for the king he guards. Now, he has
discovered that his brothers and their friends and families are not safe because
there are no walls around the city in which they live. One man was robbed and murdered in the middle
of the night because there were no gates to keep the criminals out. Disturbed, Nehemiah follows God’s leading and
providence to rebuild those walls, despite the enemies that threaten him at
every turn.
Reading the book of Nehemiah in the Bible, I never
really realized how much intrigue was involved!
I mean, I know there were enemies, Sanballat, for instance, who stirred
up the people of Jerusalem and plotted to murder Nehemiah, but this retelling
puts the story on a much more personal level.
In it, the reader witnesses Nehemiah’s struggle to trust God, build the wall,
and outsmart his enemies through the eyes of Nehemiah himself, one of Nehemiah’s
enemies, and two women living in the area named Chana and Nava.
Nehemiah, Chana, and Nava all have the same
problem—they refuse to fully trust God because of the death and misfortune that
has happened in their lives. Each
struggle against bitterness, anger, and grief in order to fully accept God’s
will in their lives, to understand that those trials have a purpose beyond what
they can see. It was inspiring to watch
the three of them grow and change throughout the novel.
I did not think at the beginning of this novel
that it would be romantic, but for a moment, because of the existence of female
main characters and their interaction with Nehemiah and others, I thought it
might. But, I was correct the first
time: it was not a romance novel.
However, both Chana and Nava face impending marriages. With Chana, it was not exactly a love match,
and I was left thinking that, yes, although they did not love each other
romantically, they would do well as a couple and grow to love one another
quickly. Perhaps arranged marriages are
not all bad, as is commonly perceived?
Again, I thought Nehemiah was intelligent. With God’s help, he pacified the people when
they rebelled and outsmarted his enemies’ evil plots. He certainly made for a cunning adversary,
although his main purpose was to build the wall to keep the people safe and to
honor God. I wonder what kind of man he
would have been in reality. Although we
cannot entirely know his history or personality from the Biblical account, what
we can know is that Nehemiah was God-fearing, honorable, and courageous. Next time I read the book of Nehemiah, I will
be reminded of this novel, seeing the account in a more personal, realistic
light.
I enjoyed this novel! It could have drawn me in a little more, but
all things considered, it was a thoughtful, provoking, excellent novel I would
have no trouble recommending to a friend who enjoys Biblical fiction.
I received a free copy of this book from the
publisher in exchange for and honest review.
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