The Harbinger: The Anc...

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Jonathan Cahn

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The Harbinger: The Ancient Mystery That Holds the Secret of America's Future

by Jonathan Cahn

3.93 of 5 stars 3.93 · rating details · 3,605 ratings · 944 reviews

Is it possible... That there exists an ancient mystery that holds the secret of America's future?That this mystery lies behind everything from 9/11 to the collapse of the global economy?That ancient harbingers of judgment are now manifesting in America?That God is sending America a prophetic message of what is yet to come?
Before its end as a nation, there appeared in ancie...more

ebook, 262 pages

Published September 3rd 2011 by Frontline

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Feb 10, 2012 Eyehavenofilter rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Get out yer Bibles folks and keep track, cause
the end is near according to Cahn. Personally,
I think we have turned into the most self absorbed,
self-centered, conpicuously consumptive nation on
earth and our acceptence of the profane and the
need for self pacification overwhelms the desire to
do anything for anyone else but us.
Yeah yeah I know but, hey read this book, I think
it COULD/ might/ may change something!
Hopefully how you think, perceive, and/or
want our country to proceed! ??????
Before yo...more

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Jul 01, 2012 Aaron rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

First off, know this about me: I am simultaneously a man of intense faith and rigorous scientific/analytical background. I believe in God. I am also an computer engineer/scientist. My life is a constant journey toward understanding the harmony between spirituality and science.

Before deciding to read this book, I prayed. I asked God to give me guidance. If this was a deceptive work whose purpose was to entangle my mind in crazy, supernatural delusions (and their accompanying flights of fantasy),...more First off, know this about me: I am simultaneously a man of intense faith and rigorous scientific/analytical background. I believe in God. I am also an computer engineer/scientist. My life is a constant journey toward understanding the harmony between spirituality and science.

Before deciding to read this book, I prayed. I asked God to give me guidance. If this was a deceptive work whose purpose was to entangle my mind in crazy, supernatural delusions (and their accompanying flights of fantasy), I asked that He turn me away. If, on the other hand, there was a message within worth hearing, I asked Him to give me the proverbial "eyes to see and ears to hear".

The result? It's currently been 5 hours since I purchased the book. Between then and now, I stopped only to eat dinner; in every other second, I devoured this text. And now, having completed it, here I am, carrying a heart that simultaneously feels immense hope and incredible heaviness.

Without spoiling the particulars, this book details (in narrative form) the author's encounter with a man who makes statements befitting a slightly modernized Old Testament prophet. As his base of discussion, this man uses scripture found in Isaiah 9:10 (which details Israel's defiant response to the siege laid against it by Assyria); what follows is an amazing, heart-wrenching account of how those same events -- and their consequences -- have come to unfold in the United States.

10 pages in, I was interested. 50 pages in, I was slightly skeptical. 125 pages in, I began to consider the validity of what was being said. 150 pages in...and my eyes began to open. This is a grand story that teeters on the edge of impossible, but which, when considered carefully, strikes a chord that often accompanies the deepest truth.

Once I'd completed this, I went to my Bible. With apologies for how "do-this-for-me" my request seemed, I asked God to once more show me if what I'd read had any measure of truth. I asked Him to show me through Scripture (which doesn't conform to -- and isn't bound by -- fantasy or supernatural leaps of nonsense) whether this meant anything.

Somehow, I opened directly to Isaiah 9:10. I'm not one to believe in chance or happenstance; you be the judge as to whether this was coincidence.

For the reader who is brave enough to read this book, put its contents under the microscope of whatever world view he subscribes to, and merely listen, there is much to examine here. At its core, it is simultaneously a message of hope and ominousness, disobedience and repentance, rebellion and the call to return. Try, for a moment, to suspend the box into which you fit the world; allow yourself the opportunity to consider something outside of your everyday experience.

You won't regret it.(less)

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Feb 05, 2012 Carly rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a challenging review to write because The Harbinger is not your average, ordinary book. Yes, it is considered Suspense Fiction, but there really isn’t much fiction here. There was a time when I considered people who felt that 9/11 was God’s judgment on this country to be crazy, frankly. I still find that to be a very risky statement to make, but in The Harbinger, Johnathan Cahn has been given the vision and wisdom from God to see, from a biblical perspective, this concept as he draws the...more

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Jun 08, 2012 Rhonda rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: to-read, history, mystery, theology, sociology

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This is a non-fiction book written as a novel. It is written mostly as a dialogue between several people and in that format it succeeds moderately well. I did object to the repetition of certain points as if the reader were too stupid to get it the first time, but then perhaps this message deserved to drive points home again and again. Those interested in eschatological themes will no doubt be drawn to its subject matter which is the parallel between the ancient judgment of Israel (predominantly...more This is a non-fiction book written as a novel. It is written mostly as a dialogue between several people and in that format it succeeds moderately well. I did object to the repetition of certain points as if the reader were too stupid to get it the first time, but then perhaps this message deserved to drive points home again and again. Those interested in eschatological themes will no doubt be drawn to its subject matter which is the parallel between the ancient judgment of Israel (predominantly the northern kingdom in 722 BCE) and modern America.
At the end of the book, there is considerable discussion on what it means to take an unpleasant message to someone. It is easy to think of Jeremiah's case. I often think about him when God asks people, including myself, to do things. After all, Jeremiah, sometimes known as the weeping prophet, was given a message so unpopular with the people of Judah to whom he preached that they reviled him and threw him into a pit. One cannot help but believe things got worse after that.
You see, it would be at this point that perhaps Jeremiah asked why God had sent him with such an unpopular message and why God is allowing others to abuse him. God must have explained the extreme urgency of the message (and indeed the fall of Jerusalem was imminent.) In addition God says that he will not allow anyone to kill Jeremiah. I have often wondered whether Jeremiah had any doubts after this.

There is no use arguing the truth of this book to those who cannot or will not see it. At the end of the book, the potential writer of this book, now having received all the information (which he will soon be composing into what we are apparently now reading) makes the statement, "It's not exactly the kind (of message) that wins popularity contests, is it?" A few lines later, he makes a similar statement: "They'll do everything they can to attack and discredit the one who bears the message."
The other agrees and says, "The messenger will be opposed, vilified and hated, mocked and slandered. It has to be that way, just as it was for Jeremiah and Baruch."

No one with such a message sets out to be glorified or achieve fame. One wonders why one would accept such a mission then...or why God chose them for such. Perhaps others scoff at delusional thinking...and I have seen reviews of this book to that effect. I am, personally, persuaded of the insight and truth contained in this book.

Further, I have wondered how America has managed so long after its expunging of God from the public domain and the setting up of its many idols and demi-gods in its place. Our sacrifices of our children to Moloch and Baal are no less now than they were then and we should be terribly humbled and sad and repentant...but, for the most part we are not.

Perhaps in reading this book, even if the percentages are low, maybe 1 person out of five might see its truth and make the necessary changes, that would be worthwhile. I would hope it would be everyone, but I am not naive enough to believe that we have not become arrogant and proud and scoffers of the one who granted us the great blessings in our own country. Still I realize and I now pray that God wishes that we might still return to Him in humility. I hope the message makes it through all the garbage we have placed between ourselves and God's will for us.(less)

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Mar 07, 2012 Poiema rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I am giving this book 5 stars solely because the author manages to be very convincing about the urgency of the message. I found the back-and-forth dialogue a little wearying but still it was used effectively in driving home the point that America has been warned by God (on 9/11) and judgment hangs over us like the sword of Damocles. Cahn uses Isaiah 9:10 as the heart of his message, pertaining to the demise of ancient Israel's northern kingdom. The pattern of warning, defiance, destruction, and...more

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Feb 25, 2012 Gary Potratz rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I don't feel it is right to quote a senator and what he says and then make the claim that America is defiant and take the temperature of the nation on one person's comment.

I also don't feel we should be compared to Israel....although there are similarities.
We are a nation that is self-centered and self-indulgent for the most part, but I don't compare myself with the country as a whole.
There are a ton of generous and compassionate Christians in the country who are praying diligently for this coun...more

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Jul 14, 2012 Joel rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is an incredible twisting and distorting of Scripture for sensational effect. The author's interpretation of Isaiah 9:8-11 (focusing on verse 10) in its original context is excellent, but his attempt to tie it to 9/11 and the current economic crisis contains some major fallacies. I will state only my two biggest objections in general terms:

#1 - The prophecy is clearly addressed to the nation of Israel. It is misguided to say that it also applies to the USA because the USA is also a nat...more

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Jun 04, 2012 Heidi Willis rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have a hard time rating this. The idea of this "story" is supposed to be shocking and eye-opening, and it's true that it is - mostly because it is purported to be based on facts. The author uses a verse in the Bible that warns Old Testament Israel about coming judgment if it doesn't repent against catastrophic happening in the U.S., specifically 9/11 and the collapse of the stock market.

There obviously is a tremendous amount of research that has gone into this book, and clearly the author's in...more

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Apr 23, 2012 Tessa Eger rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Normally I skim books on prophecy and the "end of the world." Well, the nonfiction ones, anyway. I am pretty well-versed on these issues, and most nonfiction books are basic introductory knowledge and repetitive. This one isn't. Written as fiction, it is quite effective in the literary tool chosen. It immediately reminded me of Tolkien's The Hobbit, in which Gandalf needs to take all the dwarves and Bilbo to Beorn's house for help, but he knows that Beorn won't want them. So Gandalf cleverly go...more Normally I skim books on prophecy and the "end of the world." Well, the nonfiction ones, anyway. I am pretty well-versed on these issues, and most nonfiction books are basic introductory knowledge and repetitive. This one isn't. Written as fiction, it is quite effective in the literary tool chosen. It immediately reminded me of Tolkien's The Hobbit, in which Gandalf needs to take all the dwarves and Bilbo to Beorn's house for help, but he knows that Beorn won't want them. So Gandalf cleverly goes ahead with just Bilbo, telling the others to wait for his whistle before coming, slowly, in pairs. Meanwhile, he has started telling their story to Beorn, and he gets Beorn avidly listening. At the appropriate moment, Gandalf admits there are more than just two of them, at which he whistles and continues with their adventures. Beorn gets more intrigued, paying little attention to the dwarves, until finally all 15 have arrived. A similar tool is used here, in which the main character, Nouriel, is trying to interest a media anchorwoman in his story. He begins and, by that night, she is just as enthralled. She clears her calendar, sends everyone home, and stays late to hear him out.
Nouriel's story is of a clay seal sent to him in the mail, no sender, no clues. Then he meets a man, seated on the bench Nouriel chose, who recognizes the seal and begins to tell him about it, eventually giving him a different seal in exchange for the first one. Nouriel realizes it is no coincidence he picked this bench, that someone placed them together. Through many amazing meetings, the prophet reveals what the seals mean, uncovering a series of warnings for the USA that have been drawn from Old Testament passages. Cahn makes an excellent case in this book, backing up the warnings with actual events that seem impossible, but are backed up by footnotes from extremely reliable sources. Even the White House. This extremely well-done book is highly recommended to anyone interested in Christian prophecy and America's place in the world. ~ Tessa Eger 5 out of 5 stars(less)

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Mar 18, 2012 Beth rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

If you have a reading list, you might want to put this on the top! Or forget the list and just get started on this one!

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Sep 01, 2012 Sarah Coughlon rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012

It is a fact universally acknowledged among conservative old people that a godless grandkid with a bookshelf full of Bertrand Russell must be in need of earnest right-wing propaganda. But, because I am a good granddaughter with a sense of irony, I read this book. It may be the worst book ever written, but I did read it.

Cahn prefaces by explaining that "What you are about to read is presented in the form of a story, but everything in it is real." I'm glad he says this, because it explains why the...more It is a fact universally acknowledged among conservative old people that a godless grandkid with a bookshelf full of Bertrand Russell must be in need of earnest right-wing propaganda. But, because I am a good granddaughter with a sense of irony, I read this book. It may be the worst book ever written, but I did read it.

Cahn prefaces by explaining that "What you are about to read is presented in the form of a story, but everything in it is real." I'm glad he says this, because it explains why the exposition:plot ratio is approximately 9:1, and why it's okay to leave a gaping hole in the narrative at the end of the book. He doesn't want this to be the next great American novel: it's a warning. The warning is super-important, so important that I feel justified in spoiling it for you here: like the Ninevites of the Old Testament, you need to hear this message.

America is on the road to perdition. Our sexual immorality, our banning of school prayer, and abortion have incited the wrath of Almighty God. ("A wave of pornography has penetrated their media." Penetrated? I can almost hear Lady Liberty's ecstatic moans now.) Like the northern kingdom of Israel in the eighth century BC, we have been corrupted by religious pluralism, healthy attitudes toward our own sexuality, and feminism. As a warning, God sent us 9/11, and he was even thoughtful enough to ensure that the perpetrators are the genetic descendants of the ancient Assyrians (brown people: on God's shit list since the mark of Cain). We know all of this to be true because our political leaders and the political leaders of ancient Israel shared the unique properties of responding to crisis with a defiant posturing and references to sycamore trees. The good news? Even now, we can be saved if we just return to God and accept the saving grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

So if you're a fan of religio-nationalism, 9/11 conspiracies, Bronze Age morality, trees, and numerology, read this book: Pat Robertson called it "extraordinary," and I'm inclined to agree. For the grownups in the room, I can only recommend that you hold back your excitement until a night when you don't have work in the morning, because this is not a book to be read sober.(less)

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Oct 03, 2012 Keiki Hendrix rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Knowing the enormous impact this book has had on this nation and it's position on the New York Times Bestseller list since the day it went into print, if you ask me if all the facts included in this novel are accurate or if the references are correct, I'd have to repeat a phrase repeatedly mentioned in the book, "I have no idea."

All the Scripture references are indeed correct and the historical facts, well, there were far too many of them for me to research. This is novel, a work of fiction. Th...more Knowing the enormous impact this book has had on this nation and it's position on the New York Times Bestseller list since the day it went into print, if you ask me if all the facts included in this novel are accurate or if the references are correct, I'd have to repeat a phrase repeatedly mentioned in the book, "I have no idea."

All the Scripture references are indeed correct and the historical facts, well, there were far too many of them for me to research. This is novel, a work of fiction. Though the author clearly maintains the message, the harbingers or warnings signs, are real. The story compares the judgement of Israel to modern day events beginning with 911 and the economical implosion of 2008. It's an evangelical call to repentance, a megaphone to wake the sleeping wrapped up in a parable. Is it prophetical?

To me, it stirred quite a few emotions. But then, I am already of the mind that America indeed needs to return to the principles it was founded on. I have a unshakable opinion that we have (or are working towards) escorting God out the door of our culture like a pauper who crashes a posh upscale party. II Chronicles 7:14 is etched in my mind when I begin to pray. So, does that make me predisposed to like this book?

I'm not a theologian, a pastor or a preacher. I'm just a Christian that yearns for America to repent. I do know that the message of this book, to return to God, is prominent. The events that it includes are relative. The description of a merciful, loving Savior clearly proclaims the message of Christianity. Can it be that 911 and subsequent events are the judgement of God on America?

I've read several reviews of the book from prominent theologians which are critical of the book, however, my thoughts are that it's the message that's important here. No Christian critic of the book can rail against the overall theme, which is to repent. But, many will be critical of the comparisons of America and Israel or pick apart particular parts of the book and claim they are heretical. Are they correct? I have no idea.

What I do know is that as a novel, this book was compelling. It's pace was energetic, the plot was mysterious and engaging, and the dialogue was strong. It captured my attention from the first chapter and I read it in two days. As a reviewer, that makes for a compelling, enjoyable read.

Reviewed by: Keiki Hendrix
Reviewed for: The Vessel Project (less)

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Jul 20, 2012 Ann rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I read this book at the urging of my father-in-law, a 72-year-old Christian from the Silent Generation with a strong interest in Biblical prophecy. Since his normal reading fare is non-fiction, I was intrigued when he told me, “It’s written as a story, but it’s all true.” As a moderately conservative (or conservatively moderate) Christian from the Gen-X generation, I was immediately skeptical with the description on the book’s outside cover, “Though it sounds like the plot of a Hollywood thrille...more I read this book at the urging of my father-in-law, a 72-year-old Christian from the Silent Generation with a strong interest in Biblical prophecy. Since his normal reading fare is non-fiction, I was intrigued when he told me, “It’s written as a story, but it’s all true.” As a moderately conservative (or conservatively moderate) Christian from the Gen-X generation, I was immediately skeptical with the description on the book’s outside cover, “Though it sounds like the plot of a Hollywood thriller – it’s real,” and from the inside dedication page, “What you are about to read is presented in the form of a story, but what is contained within the story is real.”

While the story is well written and engaging, I struggled immensely with the author’s claims, particularly throughout the first half of the book. Bear in mind, I agree with the author’s overall premise. Over the past 50 to 100 years, America has turned away from God. We are in jeopardy of judgment, and yes, many of the events happening in America today are more likely than not the consequences of our sin and disobedience. Yes, individually and collectively, we must turn from our sins to faith in God or risk the consequences of a life and a culture outside of His perfect will.

However, I struggled with many of the author’s claims, particularly since I was confused as to which he meant as “truth” and which he used to develop the story. As the pages unfolded, my skepticism grew. Although I’m not a theologian, I am concerned when a single verse of Scripture is taken out of context, and I firmly believe that individual passages cannot be accurately interpreted apart from the entirety of Scripture and the Gospel message. In itself, the author’s use of Isaiah 9:10 was troubling, but even more troubling was the manner in which he specifically and mystically linked pieces of the verse to specific events in recent American history. I don’t believe the actions of America’s leaders immediately following 9/11 were an act of defiance against God – an act of defiance against America’s enemies, yes; but an act of defiance against God? No. I also don’t agree that because Isaiah 9:10 was spoken aloud by government leaders they somehow mystically and unwittingly opened the door for God’s judgment simply by speaking them.

To be fair, as the book progressed, I began to enjoy it more, and I was particularly intrigued with the link between 9/11 and America’s financial collapse. While I still struggle to believe that this was somehow mystically engineered, I agree that God allows a person, a family, a community and a culture to experience the consequences of their own decisions. When we follow God, His Spirit helps us to make decisions that transform us into the people, communities and cultures He wants us to be. When we don’t, the challenges are much more difficult, if not impossible.

In spite of the struggles I’ve outlined, however, the book is worth your time, particularly if you are a fan of Joel Rosenberg, Tim LaHaye or Hal Lindsey. My only caution is to read it as fiction. Glean the truths you can from it, but remember it is a fiction story. And “do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like one day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (1 Peter 3:8-9).
(less)

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Jun 27, 2012 Bob rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

"The Harbinger" was okay however I have a few problems, the author states that the Founding Fathers saw America as the new Israel, which they did, but America was not the new Israel. It may be true that the Founding Fathers believed we were in a covenant with God (like Israel) but we were not. When he states that our falling and/or rising would depend on our relationship with the Lord; that is actually true of any community and/or nation. America may have wanted to be a vessel of redemption, and...more

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Feb 10, 2012 Melissa rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I could not put this book down, once I got into it. That took a bit of time and encouragement from someone who had already finished reading it. The outer framing from which much of the story hung bothered me a bit; but once I got past that and into the narrative, made up primarily of back-and-forth dialogue, I read it in just a few sittings. The ideas behind this book are incredible. Seeing some of the parallels between the USA and ancient Israel is jaw dropping. I have never believed in coincid...more I could not put this book down, once I got into it. That took a bit of time and encouragement from someone who had already finished reading it. The outer framing from which much of the story hung bothered me a bit; but once I got past that and into the narrative, made up primarily of back-and-forth dialogue, I read it in just a few sittings. The ideas behind this book are incredible. Seeing some of the parallels between the USA and ancient Israel is jaw dropping. I have never believed in coincidences – I know that God is in control of absolutely everything – but the historical and current events marked out in Harbinger were things I had never before considered or pieced together.

Basing much of the book on the scripture of Isaiah 9:10 (for context, read Isaiah 9:8-21), Cahn breaks the verse down and compares it with events of the past decade, beginning with 9/11. He points out how many things had to line up perfectly for things to play out the way they did. The almost unbelievable detail of everything lining up with the words of Isaiah 9 is well documented; Cahn includes detailed footnotes, allowing readers to do research on their own. We are called to study and understand for ourselves the things we hear. This book makes it very possible to do that.

The biggest problems I had with this book were stylistic choices. As I mentioned, the opening framework was slightly awkward, but it picked up quickly. The ellipses felt overused to me, but I have been noticing that more often lately in fiction designed to excite the reader. There were also a couple of ideas that Cahn expressed with which I don’t fully agree, but that’s to be expected with any book. I wouldn’t argue with most of his major points.

In conclusion, I highly recommend this book to any reader. Be prepared to have a couple of sleepless nights. This book will challenge you. It’s time to wake up and look at where we, as a nation, are compared with where we could be, if only we would remember Who gave us the blessings we enjoy every day.(less)

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Jan 19, 2012 Ted rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The book started out kind of rough, like the author was trying to present a concept by writing a fiction story around it and it didn't quite fit. It seemed like he was stretching things to make a point. I almost quit reading, but I am glad I stuck with it. The parallels between ancient Israel at the time of the Assyrian invasions and the US at the time of 9/11 are eerie. There couldn't possibly be that many random coincidences! I had a hard time believing some of the facts presented, but upon ch...more

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Feb 03, 2012 Dennis rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The American Dream is looking more and more like a national nightmare. Ten years since 9/11 and our nation spirals ever more downward each day with millions looking for an answer to our future. If you have been questioning currents events, The Harbinger provides the answers and a remedy.

The reader is taken on a journey that begins over two thousand years ago linking it with our nation today as Jonathan Cahn unlocks an ancient mystery linked to America and her future.

If you were sitting in a jury...more

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Aug 07, 2012 Scott rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

"Great are the words of Isaiah."

Cahn's quality of composition and use of language are relatively simple and of themselves are not particularly striking. This book isn't about the quality of the prose. The fictional setting really plays almost no part in the book at all. It's all about the message. For me, it opens up a whole new level to the phrase, "Great are the words of Isaiah." (http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/3-...)

Genre? Well, how about biblical hermeneutical fiction? Through a fictiona...more

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Jul 25, 2012 Karen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a must read book ! The writing itself was at times redundant and a wee bit amateur but the parallels the book draws between biblical scripture and modern day events are a little too strong to dismiss as coincidental. However, even if one were to argue over the finer points of the authors interpretation of scripture and the events that have occurred in America and how he asserts they are judgments or warnings being exacted by God one cannot argue with the most valuable point of the book a...more

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Feb 10, 2012 Chrissy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: everyone-must-read

I'm really torn on giving 5 stars for this book. I will say the stars are solely based on the information in it--it is completely astounding. But the writing and storyline to convey this information is overly juvenile, extremely contrived, and just bad writing so much so that I found myself skimming most of the interaction dialogue between characters to get to the meat of the information. In other words, its a horrible book saved by the factual information and research in it that is so compellin...more

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Jul 01, 2012 Scott rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

If you are an American Christian you will want to read this book (& wont be able to put it down) that parallels the demise of Ancient Israel when it turned its back on God with the events starting with 9/11 & the economic troubles here in America. It compares them down to the last detail & chronology with 9 biblical Harbingers found in the book of Isaiah . I was shocked that this information has not been publicly revealed earlier. It was the first time I had heard anything about this...more

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Nov 28, 2012 Annette rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A POWERFUL AND RIVETING JOURNEY INTO THE HEART OF GOD

The Harbinger was written for such a time as this—mesmerizing and fascinating from beginning to end. It’s obvious that the author is the prophet in the book who has heard the warnings from the One and Only source—God Himself. It took me to a new level of faith in the God of the Bible and the fact that He still speaks prophetically today because He is not only a God who judges, but a God who loves—a love so deep that He would go to such lengths...more

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Jun 16, 2012 Marsha rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The harbinger is fiction that challenged my faith to see God at work in my life and in the life of our country. It is a wake-up call for all Americans to see how important it is to keep God in our leadership and our laws.

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Feb 08, 2012 Anne rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A MUST READ!!!!!!
THE MOST IMPORTANT BOOK FOR OUR TIME!!!!!!!!!!!

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Oct 01, 2012 Laura rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: No one

The Harbinger, by author Jonathan Cahn, is in my opinion, a cross between The DaVinci Code and the script for National Treasure.

While the message is a good one (America needs to return to God because judgment is coming and it ain't going to be pretty), the way the book was written should not, in my opinion, been labelled as a novel, for it lacks all the elements that make a novel great.

For example, there is no character development. It simply starts with a conversation. There is very little desc...more

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Oct 27, 2012 Beth rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: christian

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Our nation attacked, unawares. Many lives lost. A day that will live in infamy.

This book was not what I expected in a lot of ways. I was expecting a suspenseful Christian end-times thriller since the book was listed as fiction. I started reading and waited and waited for the plot to pick up... and it didn't. I was disappointed.

So then I tried to read the book as nonfiction told in story form. And I found that I could not buy the idea that God was judging us as a nation by allowing the 9/11 atta...more Our nation attacked, unawares. Many lives lost. A day that will live in infamy.

This book was not what I expected in a lot of ways. I was expecting a suspenseful Christian end-times thriller since the book was listed as fiction. I started reading and waited and waited for the plot to pick up... and it didn't. I was disappointed.

So then I tried to read the book as nonfiction told in story form. And I found that I could not buy the idea that God was judging us as a nation by allowing the 9/11 attacks to happen. I had heard that arguement at the time they happened - the Chancellor of my university was a big proponent of it. And I'm not saying it's not possible - but I would debate the logic, when you consider that our country has been attacked before in a similar way. I speak, of course, of Pearl Harbor, the original "infamous day". Our country was attacked even though we were trying to stay neutral in a world war. Was that God telling us not to close our eyes to Hitler's atrocious and systematic murders of European Jews? Perhaps the good rabbi could write a sequel explaining why the "hedge of protection" has failed us before. There must be some other obscure verse from the Bible who could explan it.

I'm not being snarky, I promise. We all want to try and make sense of what was, to put it mildly, a terrible loss of life. We wonder why God allowed it to happen and we wonder if there was something we as a nation could have done. What we, as Christians could have done before then to turn our nation back to God. Which, by the way, is something I agree needs to happen - the ultimate message of the book is why I'm not writing the work off as a whole. I just don't necessarily believe it was a judgement - although it should have been a wake-up call most assuredly. A nation is made up, however, of individuals - individuals with free will. And Christians who are doing their jobs should be living their lives not only to honor God, but to testify to the truth that the rest of the nation needs to see. We don't have to stand on a corner waving a Bible and shouting at people to repent - I've found that that method rarely earns more than derisive eyerolls. Just live a godly life - I believe that's all God asks of us. I think it was St. Francis of Assisi who said "preach the Gospel - and use words if necessary". That's how I choose to live out my faith,anyway.

That's just my opinion. I don't expect anyone else to agree with me, so you can take it or leave it. (less)

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Aug 12, 2012 Brent Soderstrum rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Wow! This book should be read by everyone, Christians and non-Christians alike. It covers the connections between ancient Israel and the US. In Isaiah 9:10 Israel made a defiant statement after they had been attacked by tha Assyrians. They would rebuild with their own powers. They had strayed away from God and were no longer God's people. Fast foward nearly 3,000 years to America who is attacked on September 11, 2001. US leaders tell the world "We will rebuild". The US has moved away from God al...more

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Aug 07, 2012 Gwen rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It wasn't a non-fiction book as I had expected. Rabbi Cahn wrote it in the form of a story to make it an easier read for those who have a hard time making it through non-fiction. Don't pick this up expecting a great novel--there is no characterization, little scene movement, and the writing isn't brilliant. Most of the book is dialogue (much untagged), but then Rabbi Cahn isn't a novelist. He's a messenger with a very important message. Personally, I didn't have any problem getting through the b...more

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Jun 12, 2012 Michael L Gowens rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A compelling read with questionable hermeneutics (the science of biblical interpretation). The author's basic premise, i.e. that America, like the northern kingdom of Israel in the 8th Century BC, is in a cultural and moral free-fall and consequently, headed for a similar judgment as other nations and cities before it, is legitimate. The author's insistence on interpreting the historical prophecy in Isaiah 9:10 as a hidden message to America, however, is unconventional and inconsistent with the...more A compelling read with questionable hermeneutics (the science of biblical interpretation). The author's basic premise, i.e. that America, like the northern kingdom of Israel in the 8th Century BC, is in a cultural and moral free-fall and consequently, headed for a similar judgment as other nations and cities before it, is legitimate. The author's insistence on interpreting the historical prophecy in Isaiah 9:10 as a hidden message to America, however, is unconventional and inconsistent with the principles of classical biblical interpretation. I do admit, however, that the parallels he draws between the language of Isaiah 9:10 and the repetition of that language by public officials in the aftermath of 9/11 is intriguing, as well as a number of the other connections he makes between the original prophecy and the physical circumstances surrounding the collapse of two World Trade Centers. But the entire premise of interpreting Scripture by looking for puzzles, hidden meanings, esoteric messages, and 'reading between the lines' is fundamentally contrary to classical Christian hermeneutics, for it jettisons the principle of the perspicuity, or clarity and transparency, of Scripture. As a story based on the principle that the Bible contains esoteric codes and messages, The Harbinger fits in the same genre as The Shack. Furthermore, the author assumes a connection between ancient Israel and modern America with no attempt to establish such a connection biblically. Though it is possible that 9/11 was a Divine judgment on our increasingly apostate society--another assumption the author makes-it is not possible to know for certain. It is just as possible that it was simply another terrible example of human depravity and moral antagonism toward the West. I do concur with Mr Cahn that unless we repent, we shall likewise perish. To take this book as anything more than an interesting and compelling read, however, requires the reader to conclude that Divine revelation and the prophetic office are ongoing dynamics in the post-apostolic age. Apart from certain groups with tendencies toward mysticism, I am not familiar with many mainline Christians who would countenance such an idea. (less)

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Jun 10, 2012 Franklin Atherton rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-thriller

The Harbinger is a solid piece of work about a guy to whom a secret is revealed which is so shocking it changes the purpose of his life. The revelatory device in this story is a prophet who appears mysteriously for a series of meetings with our guy. He commences to teach him (and us), an ancient mystery involving the Jewish civilization turning its back on God and it's resulting destruction, and how history is on the cusp of repeating itself for the precise same reasons here in the U.S.

Jonathan...more

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“America was founded on prayer. Therefore, the removal of prayer from its public life was a central part of its fall from God. A nation that turns away from prayer will ultimately find itself in desperate need of it.” — 12 people liked it

“Some would call it tolerance, I said. Yes he replied, the same tolerance that overtook ancient Israel..a tolerance for everything opposed to God, a growing tolerance for immorality and a growing intolerance for the pure-a tolerance that mocked, marginalized and condemned those who ramined faithful to the values now being discarded. Innocence was ridiculed and virtue was vilified. Children were taught of sexual immorality in public schools while the Word of God was banned. It was a tolerance that put the profane on public display and removed nativity scenes from public sight..contraband, as if somehow they had become a threat-a strangely intolerant tolerance. "But still, I countered, how does all that compare to what happened in ancient Israel? America does'nt offer its children on altars of sacrifice? "Does it not? he said. Ten years after removing prayer and Scripture from its public schools, the nation legalized the illing of its unborn.” — 8 people liked it

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