Reading for Me

Recently, a friend and colleague shared a book recommendation with me that was passed on to her by her mother. Initially, I thought the book sounded intriguing, but not something that I typically enjoy. While driving to Pigeon Forge last week for a few days of rest, I again heard the book referenced on talk radio. When I went into a local bookstore looking for my next read and stumbled upon the book, I decided to give in and read it.

The Harbinger is a Christian examination of Isaiah 9:10 and its prophetic fulfillment in 21st century America presented as a novel. Set in New York City primarily, the work follows a journalist who encounters a mysterious prophet throughout New England. The prophet points out the Old Testament prophecy from Isaiah and then, through a series of engraved stones, begins to reveal the fulfillment of the prophecy in America beginning with the tragic events of 9/11. It’s only in the closing chapters of the book that it is revealed that the work is actually a “prophetic word” presented in the form of a fictional work in order to reach a larger audience.

I suppose we have to look at this work from two points of view. Simply as a book, the writing is easy to follow and has a decent flow to it. It’s not a terribly long read…..I plowed through it in a day and a half. Additionally, it is suspenseful. I found myself coming back time and again to find out what was happening next.

I will be the first to admit that I approach the few prophetic writings I read with lots of skepticism. While I don’t know that I agree with everything presented here, I must admit that the logic and parallels drawn between the situation in ancient Israel and modern America are laid out clearly and appear to be plausible. I further appreciated Cahn’s extensive footnotes to aid the reader in separating fact from contrived fiction.

Whether or not I agree with everything presented in the novel, the message is clear: America needs to repent and return to the God of her earliest foundations or face the judgment of God upon our nation. Simply by looking at our current situation as a nation, any Christian can see that our country’s political and moral choices do not reflect those of a Christian nation. It’s time for a change. The Harbinger may be just the read to draw the focus of many back to the precepts that are so important to “one nation, under God.”