When Jesus Wept by Bodie and Brock Thoene is my new
favorite book. Bodie and Brock Thoene
have been preferred authors of mine for many years, so when I saw a book
written by them offered on Book Sneeze, I knew I had to review it. I got the e-book, so it is not taking up room
on my very crowded bookshelves, but I will be rereading it in the future. In fact, I plan to read it aloud to my family
on our next road trip.
When Jesus Wept is the story of Lazarus or David ben Lazarus,
as he is known in this book. I have
always loved Bible stories told with the fleshing out of fictional details, as
long as the story remains true to the Bible, and this one does. The stories of Jesus in the Gospels are
interwoven in a few years of the life of Lazarus in an amazing way. We don’t know if his sister, Mary, was the
woman caught in adultery, but she might have been. In this story, she was, and the encounter
changed her forever, and she became a devoted Christ-follower who poured out
her life in service.
Did you ever wonder why Lazarus died the first time? In this story, his death was the result of his service to Jerusalem Sparrows, homeless street orphans.
Did you ever wonder why Lazarus died the first time? In this story, his death was the result of his service to Jerusalem Sparrows, homeless street orphans.
I had never thought about how Lazarus felt, being called
back from where he was in Paradise. He
very likely was having a wonderful time of reunion with his loved ones in that
happy place. I had always just
considered his sisters needing him on earth.
Jesus had His reasons, no doubt one of them to prove His power over
death and the grave just prior to His own death and resurrection. I got new insight into the parables and
stories that Jesus told, because just perhaps, Jesus told them because of
happenings in his friend, Lazarus’s life.
Mary, Martha, and Lazarus became real people to me in this
book, as I read of their lives, families, vocation, service, and friendship
with Jesus. The Thoenes are excellent at
the background information about the times, culture, politics, even the
landscapes, of the Holy Land where the story takes place.
I can’t say enough good things about this book! I highly recommend that you get a copy and
read it a few times! I’m anxious for
that road trip to read it aloud and see what else I can learn along the way.
I received my complimentary e-copy from Book Sneeze in
exchange for my honest review of this book.
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