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Kindle Notes & Highlights
“Doubt, even doubt in the face of overwhelming evidence, is the human condition,”
“Do you think Daniel is the only prophet to speak of the Messiah? The scrolls are filled with the signs of His coming. The prophets tell us He’s to be born in Bethlehem and yet He comes from Egypt, and He will be called a Nazarene. They trumpet the fact He will be King forever, but He will also be exiled or executed. One says He will judge the nations from Jerusalem, while another says we will be healed through the beating He takes.”
Our God has given us so many seemingly contradictory prophecies, we have no idea how they can all be fulfilled. Most men are like Hakam, who read the prophecies of triumph and place their hopes on a conquering Messiah.”
Now he turned to face Myrad like a man accepting the burden of his beliefs.
“Every time we read of a prophet interpreting prophecy, the words are read literally with events taking place exactly as it was spoken.”
Myrad tried to close his ears to the hopes and animosities of the people around him. It all weighed too heavily upon him.
he doesn’t speak like any prophet I’ve heard. I don’t know what to make of him and I don’t think anyone else does either.
“If He is the true Messiah, we will not miss Him. God will not allow it.”
“It happened. On the very day Daniel predicted, He appeared.”
“Of course it surprises me! It should surprise anyone.”
They’re tired, Myrad. They want peace. Many of them would support a man who can inspire whole populations the way Yeshua did today.”
His ire seems to be directed more at the Pharisees than Rome.”
“The demarcation between the prophetic books and the rest is blurry, difficult to define. Even the songs of King David may be prophetic.”
“There are souls you meet who are too sweet for this world. If they’re older, it makes you wonder how they lasted so long.”
“The Romans are no different from the Parthians, Armenians, or anyone else who holds power. They don’t care about innocence so much as they do order. If your messiah has to die to keep this city under control, then he’s going to die.”
“How much of what happened today was written in the prophecies of the Haftarah?” “Much,” Yehudah said at last. “Especially from the prophet Isaiah.” Without meeting Myrad’s gaze, he began to quote, “‘He had no form or majesty that we should look at him, no beauty that we should desire him. . . .’” Myrad listened to the recitation. At first, he marked the point in his mind where it followed the events of the day, but after the first couple of minutes, he stopped, the exercise pointless. The account matched exactly, an account written hundreds of years before its occurrence. How?
“Not just the Haftarah, but the psalms of David as well,” Ronen said. “‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’” he began, though at first Myrad didn’t realize he was quoting. They continued late into the evening, each of them sharing some passage or snippet from memory
“My point exactly,” Ronen said. “And mine,” Yehudah added. Myrad shook his head. “You can’t both have the same point.” The two men looked at each other, then back at him. “Why not?” they said in unison. He held out his hands. “Because you disagree.” “We differ in the interpretation, not the point,”
I want a new task to give meaning to the one before.”
“But you’ve had your miracles, Myrad. God kept you alive time after time. In the desert. When pursued by Musa. In the storm and flood. He gave you and the other magi the miracle of the star. I was there.” “That was a long time ago.” She spread her arms. “Has He gone anywhere? He has other people to see to, people who need their miracle. Would you have God perform for you the rest of your days just so you can believe? That’s not belief; it’s the opposite.”
See your life for the miracle it is. You’ve been highly favored by God. Accept it.”
“Whatever happens today is enough for me.”
He smiled to himself, looking at the bread, the wine, and everyone in amazement. Would anything be ordinary again?
“What will you do now?” Yehudah asked him. “Do? What does anyone do with this?”
It seemed everything brought him joy now.
knowledge is only useful if it’s shared.”
“A merchant goes everywhere. What I have seen and witnessed will go with me.
“I used to pride myself on that title, on being one of the magi. Call me disciple now.”
