Bodie & Brock Thoene Fourth Dawn

Fourth Dawn

Bodie & Brock Thoene

Tyndale, Sep 2005, $19.99

ISBN: 0842375155

As they grow old beyond the child-bearing age, the priest Zachariah the Levite, and his wife Elisheba are saddened that they have no offspring as she is barren. However, one day while he performs duties in the Temple, the angel Gabriel informs Zachariah that his wife will give birth to his son, to be named Yochanan; stunned by the visitation and the prophecy, Zachariah informs his friend Eliyahu, and Onias the tutor what happened. Onias claims the ancient Messiah prophesies have begun to occur.

As the Zachariah event unfolds, Herod, King of Judea, seems to be losing his grip on sanity, especially as increasingly rumors abound that the Messiah is coming. The news of Zachariah unhinges him further. He remains unaware of a heavenly visit in Nazareth, where Mary learns from an angel that she has been chosen to carry the Messiah. She wants to, but fears how her family, especially her beloved betroth Yosef, will react to her pregnancy.

This is a very interesting biblical fiction that brings to life Zachariah, Herod, and especially Mary and Yosef. Readers will understand the mixed feelings that run through Mary, as she is euphoric with the honor bestowed on her, but also fears how her family and her fianc will react. Bodie and Brock Thoene are experts at creating characters the reader understands. Using astronomy/astrology and a deep rooted look at the David family tree enhances the feel of the era, and makes Onias in some ways the most interesting character as he studies the tomes. The Thoenes have provided an interesting look at the first century in Jerusalem in their latest A.D. Chronicle.

Harriet Klausner