Epicenter: Why Current Rumblings in the Middle East Will Change Your Future

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Editorial Reviews:

Product Description
With over one million novels in print, New York Times best-selling author Joel C. Rosenberg has been called "eerily prophetic" and a "modern Nostradamus" for his uncanny ability to write political thrillers that come true. In his first nonfiction book, this evangelical Christian from an Orthodox Jewish heritage takes readers on an unforgettable journey through prophecy and current events into the future of Iraq after Saddam, Russia after Communism, Israel after Arafat, and Christianity after radical Islam. You won't want to miss Joel's exclusive interviews with Israeli, Palestinian, and Russian leaders, and previously classified CIA and White House documents. Similar to the approach Joel takes in his novels, his desire is to draw readers into stories, anecdotes, and predictions in a way that builds confidence that allows Joel to share his faith in Jesus Christ and the reliability of Scripture as a guide to understanding the past and the future.

Drawing on his experience in Washington, his own exclusive interviews with world leaders, and his astute political acumen, Joel makes sense of the events surrounding the Middle East. He connects information in a way that will make you understand and really care about the world's most important events and how they impact your life--from gas prices to your bank account.

Epicenter is about:

Change--big changes, dramatic changes, changes that will transform the world as we know it
Answers--what the changes are underway in the world's most important countries
Insight--readers will understand the trajectory of world events by being taken inside the governments of Iran, Iraq, Russia, China, and more
Accessibility--aimed for a wide audience in both the general and Christian markets
Faith--Joel shares his faith in Jesus Christ and the reliability of Scripture

Epicenter will answer questions like:

Will Iraq go from bad to worse?
Will Israel and her Arab neighbors find peace, or is another major Middle East war just around the corner?
If the new, post-Soviet Russia is our friend, why is the Kremlin creating a new class of thermonuclear weapons and building an alliance with radical Islam?

Customer Reviews: Read 196 more reviews...

5 out of 5 stars

A Thought-provoking Book on Very Important Issues September 16, 2006
264 out of 292 found this review helpful

In his first non-fiction book, New York Time's best-selling novelist Joel Rosenberg, an evangelical Christian from an Orthodox Jewish background, takes the reader on a journey that includes interviews with Israeli, Palestinian, and Russian leaders, previously classified CIA and White House documents, complemented with a powerful narrative that will fix your attention on how events are connected, from biblical prophecy to recent headlines.

Absolutely an excellent book on a very delicate topic that is affecting and will affect our world. Rosenberg shows us the power of the Scripture in understanding the past and the present, and even more important: in predicting the future. A Thought-provoking reading that is well worth for Christian Readers and any reader as well.

With everything that is going on in the middle east and around the world, in such places like Iran, Iraq, Russia, and China: the invasion of Iraq and the violence of the post Sadam's Iraq, Iran's president vows to wipe Israel, and more it is nice to have the analysis and the point of view of a well respected Christian writer.

5 out of 5 stars

Joel Rosenberg; Uncanny Visionary! October 2, 2006
139 out of 157 found this review helpful

Joel Rosenberg a former Jewish convert to Christianity seems to have the most uncanny grasp on recent modern events. His Jewish background gives him a greater than usual empasis on old testament teachings and prophency. When the fiction books he was writng began to come true after he wrote them he and his associates were surprised to say the least. I saw him in a seminar relate the events of 911 that eclipsed the writing of his book The Last Jihad. Then he stated his next fiction book came true while he was writing it! Now he has released a "non fiction" book! We must keep an eye on the events unfolding, and if indeed we see things happening that this book forcasts not only will it prove its prophesy, but will certainly as he says change our future. i think the jury is still out, but these events indeed bear careful scrutiny and watching, and if proven by time demand a Christian response.

5 out of 5 stars

Timely, well researched, and Bible-based analysis you wont want to miss December 2, 2006
90 out of 93 found this review helpful

I have to admit when I first heard that Joel Rosenberg had written a series of novels, I wasn't very excited to take a look at his work. Im generally not into "end times" books because many of the ones I have seen are essentially a few facts scattered thought a matrix of wild speculation. And I never did catch on to the "Left Behind" genre. However, being involved in the leadership of a Messianic Congregation, and having a general interest and concern for the Jewish people, I was nevertheless curious.

Then I noticed then this book, which is a sort of "cliff notes" to Rosenberg's novels, providing key highlights and most importantly, the basis for his novels. After reading a few sections, I found myself being quite impressed at the content. Before long, I was hooked; this is a very well done book. The thoughts are clear, speculation is generally noted (rather than affirmed as fact), copious references are provided, and I believe that the book is generally faithful to its Biblical roots.

The central theme of the book is the literal fulfillment of the prophecies of Ezekiel in chapters 37/38. The author takes these prophecies, and tries to interpret them in light of current world events. When he wrote the novels, some of his "predictions" had apparently not yet been fact, so that in some ways his views offer some testable hypotheses. Rosenberg is not a "date setter (thank G-d)," though he believes that we are rapidly coming to the climax of these prophecies. Especially important is his use of primary sources; in most cases he talked to many "in the know" people across the word, and didn't just quote sound bytes from the internet/TV/radio. The book as a very investigative feel to it, and the high quality of the effort here is rather evident.

The author tries very hard to "stick with the text," and is very respectful of the Scripture. Given some of the titles of his novels, you might think this work is a diatribe against Islam, but it surely isn't. In fact, the first third of the book lays the groundwork as to why the author feels that Russia is the country to watch, although he uses the Scripture to outline why several major players in the Middle East have a role as well in the unfolding of Ezekiel's prophecies. The Russia section is truly eye opening, and you will start to develop an eerie feeling as you read it. This was perhaps the most intriguing and scary part of the book; you wont want to miss it.

In short, this is a well-researched and Biblically sound treatment of the Ezekiel prophecies. Of course you may not believe all of the links the author has made between the Scripture and current events, but at least there is integrity in the work. Epicenter is highly recommended for anyone who has an interest in Israel and the role that she will play in G-d's plan of redemption.

1 out of 5 stars

Another Prophetic Disappointment October 10, 2006
89 out of 130 found this review helpful

In "Epicenter" Joel Rosenberg provides the background information that drives his novels about the Middle East and the end times. This nonfiction book will grab readers' attention due to its analysis of current events through the lenses of politics and economics. However, Rosenberg insists that a third lens of biblical prophecy is necessary in order to truly understand what is happening in the Middle East today. But is Rosenberg's third lens properly focused? Has he understood Ezekiel's prophecies correctly?

It should first be recognized that Rosenberg's approach to biblical prophecy is nothing new; he follows the general outline of end time events that have been taught for years by dispensational premillennialists. All the Bible scholars that he relies upon fall within that school of prophetic interpretation. They include C.I. Scofield, John Walvoord, and Hal Lindsey. He refers to Tim LaHaye as "arguably the world's preeminent prophecy expert" (p. 288).

During the thirty-seven years since my conversion and the twenty-eight years in which I have pastored an evangelical Christian church, I have studied both the biblical prophecies and the modern-day prophecy teachers. At the beginning of my Christian life I was convinced that the prophecy teachers had the future figured out, but I have learned over time that they are less than reliable. For example, Lindsey suggested in "The Late Great Planet Earth" that Christ would return in 1988. In the first edition of "The Beginning of the End," LaHaye said that World War I was the first sign of the end times, but in the 1991 revision of the book he changed that first sign to the founding of the modern nation of Israel in 1948. So I approached Rosenberg's book with caution.

"Epicenter" gives the impression that Ezekiel 38 and 39 are easy to understand. Rosenberg does not mention that evangelical scholars disagree. Peter Craigie says, "The series of prophecies concerning Gog . . . are among the most difficult parts of the entire book of Ezekiel to interpret." Even dispensational premillennialists cannot agree on when Ezekiel 38 and 39 are going to be fulfilled. Will it be before, during, or after the tribulation? Or will it be after the millennium? Advocates for each position can be found.

Rosenberg also skips over what Ezekiel 37 meant to Ezekiel's contemporaries. Since they were living in exile in Babylon when Ezekiel delivered his prophecies, wouldn't they naturally have thought that the divine promise of return to the land referred to them? But Rosenberg doesn't even mention that possibility. Instead he takes a hermeneutical leap and immediately applies the prophecy to modern Israel's founding in 1948.

The biggest error comes from Rosenberg's reliance upon a nineteenth century scholar's teaching that in Ezekiel 38:3 "rosh" refers to Russia (pp. 85-86). Even dispensational premillennialists like Charles Dyer and Ralph Alexander reject that interpretation. What about "Meshech" and "Tubal"? In his novels Rosenberg readily identifies them as Moscow and Tobolosk, but in "Epicenter" he briefly mentions that questions have been raised about those identifications. Scholars today understand those terms to be names of tribes that lived in the area of modern-day Turkey. Why does Rosenberg prefer outdated scholarship?

It's worth noting how the author deals with the other nations mentioned in Ezekiel 38. By the amount of emphasis he places on events in Persia (or modern Iran), he implies that it will be the major ally of Russia in its attack on Israel. But is that suggestion derived from the text itself, or is that an interpretation Rosenberg imposes on the text in light of current events? Ezekiel himself does not highlight Persia any more than Cush or Put.

Rosenberg points out that Egypt is not mentioned in Ezekiel 38 as an ally of Russia (p. 132). That, he suggests, is evidence of Ezekiel's remarkable accuracy since Egypt currently has a peace treaty with Israel. But in 1970 Hal Lindsey identified Egypt as a key member of Russia's ally called "the King of the South" in Daniel 11. How can two prophecy experts come to such contradictory conclusions?

Paul Boyer observed in his excellent book, "When Time Shall Be No More." "While the core structure of the premillennial scenario remained remarkably stable for 150 years, new events were continually elevated to the status of `prophetic fulfillments' or `end-time signs' while individuals or events that failed to live up to their expected role were quietly dropped . . . The historian, reading hundreds of prophecy books published over a two-hundred-year period, can readily see this process of inserting current events into an archaic belief system. The average believer, encountering the genre for the first time, may be stunned by the uncanny contemporaneity of the prophecies."

Timothy Weber likewise writes in "Living in the Shadow of the Second Coming," "In retrospect, premillennialists had shown more enthusiasm than accuracy in their interpretations . . . Their leaders were confident that biblical prophecy was being fulfilled, but events kept forcing them to reevaluate their interpretations of how it was being fulfilled. One is struck by how forgiving and forgetful the premillennialist rank and file must have been during this period. They stuck by their leaders even when they misread the signs of the times. The leaders themselves seemed little deterred by their mistakes. Events were changing so quickly that they had little time for apologies."

While "Epicenter" may become a bestseller, I'm afraid that it will eventually prove to be just another prophetic disappointment.

3 out of 5 stars

Typical end-times fare, but at least it includes the gospel January 21, 2007
61 out of 72 found this review helpful

I was given a copy of Joel Rosenberg's "Epicenter" along with great accolades for its message. It took me a while to want to read it because I long ago grew weary of the Tim LaHayes and Hal Lindseys of the world who want to tie every current event to biblical prophecy. Books such as this, as well as Rosenberg's fictional novels and LaHaye's "Left Behind" series, are popular because people are trying to make sense out of world events and are hoping that there is a purpose to all of the negative things that occur in our world. In a sense, end-times interpreters are correct - everything that happens is part of the working out of God's plan for mankind; however, their doomsday predictions do nothing to change any of that. Most such writings seem to come from rather an elitist position on the part of the author (as though he is the only one who can correctly interpret prophecies through world events) and are woefully lacking in the gospel message that gives people hope to endure such times.

Rosenberg has become well-known for having a seemingly uncanny knack of writing fictional novels with events that later (or often sooner) occur in real life. This book is his first venture into non-fiction, and he tries to explain how he comes up with many of his ideas for his novels and presents his theory of an impending earthly calamity (though this is not the final battle of Armageddon). Unfortunately, the introduction and first few chapters of the book come off as being self-congratulatory advertisements for his novels. Also, Rosenberg writes as though he were letting the reader in on some big secrets that he has gleaned from statesmen and church leaders in various parts of the world, but he tells us nothing that we can't get from reading a newspaper or watching television newscasts. There is nothing new or surprising about the facts that certain Jewish organizations are making plans to rebuild the Temple, Iran wants to destroy Israel and (preferably) the U.S. as well, Russia wants its Soviet-era empire back and Middle Eastern oil to boot, and both of these latter countries are a threat to world security.

As far as Rosenberg's prophetic interpretation is concerned, I believe he focuses too narrowly on Ezekiel 38-39. He ignores, or at best gives short shrift, to prophecies in Jeremiah 51-52 and (more importantly) in Revelation 19 that have to be considered alongside the two chapters from Ezekiel. Rosenberg also presents his belief in the Rapture, which is an oft-debated doctrine in Christendom. I wish just one of the authors who presents the Rapture as a definite event would address the fact that this concept did not arise until 1830 and is based on an alleged `prophetic utterance' which was made in tongues, and then interpreted, in a charismatic church in London that was pastored by the Rev. Edward Irving (a man whose ideas got to be so far out in left field that he was almost out of the ballpark); prior to that time, no one in the church had engaged in any interpretive gymnastics with the select few scriptures that are currently used to support the idea of the Rapture. I also wonder how much credibility I can give to Rosenberg's ideas when he states that the first Temple was built by King David - in the Bible, God told David that he could not build the Temple because he had too much blood on his hands from the wars he had fought; thus, David's son, Solomon, had the first Temple built after his father's death. If Rosenberg is in error on such an obvious item, how much error might there be in his interpretations of prophecy?

What sets "Epicenter" apart from all of the other end times books is that Rosenberg includes chapters in which 1) he presents the gospel of Jesus Christ, and 2) he gives a personal testimony about how first his parents, and then he, came to be believers in Jesus. Jesus informed believers of what the signs of the end would be in passages such as Mark 13 and Matthew 24 (the Olivet Discourse) so that we would know when His return is imminent. However, Jesus also told us not to be concerned about trying to figure out the exact day and hour of His return. We are to be prepared for the end of days by having a relationship with Him and by sharing our faith with others so that they might also come to know Him. Rosenberg is to be commended for presenting the gospel of Christ and giving his testimony, and if his interpretations of prophecy also happen 'to scare some people straight' (i.e. bring them to Jesus), then his book will have served some positive purpose (although I do not consider such sensationalism to be the ideal evangelistic tool).

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