“Seeds of Tumoil: The Biblical Roots of the Inevitable Crisis in the Middle East”

“Seeds of Turmoil” is a book that seeks to trace the current conflict in the Middle East to it’s source… The conflict between Abraham’s sons: Ishmael and Isaac. Bryant Wright tries to give an objective look at the three major religions that claim Abraham as their Father (Judaism, Islam, and Christianity) based on the Bible

The book is divided into TWO MAJOR SECTIONS.

THE FIRST SECTION entitled “The Founders of the Conflict,” described the events surrounding the conflict between Ishmael and Isaac. The section served as a refresher for anyone who has read through the Old Testament while at the same time providing new insights through other historical sources.

For example:

I never knew that when Rome destroyed Jerusalem and carried it’s people into captivity in 70 AD that they renamed the area PALESTINE (a derivative of the word Philistine) in order to OFFEND the Jews. I also didn’t realize that the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) claims to be direct descendents of the Philistines who occupied the land before Israel.

I never knew that Mohammad (the founder of Islam) originally did not want to start a new religion, but saw his role as bringing a “completion of the Old Testament and the New Testament, of Judaism and Christianity. But when the Jews and Christians rejected his false teaching… he grew increasingly more and more hostile to the point of commanding the Muslim’s to “slay the infidel.” (Sura 9:5)

In addition, I loved the way Bryant Write painted a beautiful picture of how God restored the People of Israel to their native land through a series of miraculous events. Beginning with the Zionist Movement in the 1800’s to their rebirth of their nation following The Holocaust on May 14, 1948. It was exciting to read about how 650,000 Jews were able to miraculously hold off hundreds of millions of Muslims and do it again and again in the ‘50s and ‘60s and ‘70s!

THE SECOND SECTION entitled “Conflicting Perspectives,” was divided into chapters that described the Jewish Perspective, the Muslim Perspective, and the Christian Perspective as well as some Final Thoughts.

He offered some very practical advise in “The Christian Response,” to (1) Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem (2) Love Christ and Follow His Teaching and (3) Pray for Christ’s Return

OVERALL, the book was a good and easy read. I finished it in two evenings. It helped me gain a deeper appreciation for the Jewish People. I have always heard that the Jewish People were God’s Chosen People, but I never realized the extent that God has blessed them despite all their hardships. The number of Nobel prize winners over the last hundred years as well as their contribution to humanity as well as science, the arts, and business is EXTRAORDINARY. To think that the Jewish people (who make up just .02 percent of the world’s population) have received a fourth of the Nobel prizes awarded in the sciences borders on the miraculous. It is PHENOMENAL what the Jews have contributed to this world despite being the most persecuted people group in the history of the world.

I would rate this book as a 4 Star Book and worth reading if you are confused about the conflict in the Middle East.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com (http://BookSneeze.com) book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 (http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html): “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”