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May 31, 2012

Harbinger: Armageddon Book hits NY Times Best Seller List

The fact that a book on Biblical prophecy, Christian fiction no less, is hitting the best selling lists attests to the ready interest of many, skeptics included, on how the present economic and social unrest fits in with what the Bible predicted so long ago.

Prophecy writer of 40 years wowed by 'Harbinger'

'It is obvious: The Lord of Heaven wanted this book written and disseminated widely'

(Rapture Ready) A phenomenon has taken place in the book publishing world. The secular book market–headed by the New York Times’ Best-Sellers list—has let slip through its normally anti-Christian critics’ hands a book of profound significance. It is on the surface a work of fiction that is at the same time deeply ingrained truth from the only source of truth there is–the very Word of God.

From Rapture Ready:


The Harbinger by Jonathan Cahn
 
A Book Review by Terry James



A phenomenon has taken place in the book publishing world. The secular book market–headed by the New York Times’ Best-Sellers list—has let slip through its normally anti-Christian critics’ hands a book of profound significance. It is on the surface a work of fiction that is at the same time deeply ingrained truth from the only source of truth there is–the very Word of God. 



Not since Hal Lindsey’s Late, Great Planet Earth and Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins’ Left Behind series has such a volume been allowed to reach such a mass audience by those who control that level of mega sales in the book publishing industry. First time author Jonathan Cahn outlines the stunning fact about The Harbinger with the simple understatement from the opening page: “What you are about to read is presented in the form of a story, but what is contained within the story is real.”

I’ve been studying Bible prophecy for more than fifty years and have been writing about eschatological matters in terms of prophecy’s progression through our daily lives for most of forty. In all that time, I haven’t seen a case for current issues and events as having prophetic relevance presented in a more evidence-based way than in this book.

To my way of thinking, this book defies the art of fiction writing because the template would have it that there be action that builds to a crescendo, always keeping readers on the edge of their seats, wanting to get past the present life-and-death cliffhanger and onto the building suspense of the next. The Harbinger is all narrative through dialogue between three people, basically. It is, as the author says, a story, but one that is real. Unheard of! A Christ-centered story, with no real action–so massive in its appeal that it makes the big show–the NY Times Best-Seller list?

Certainly it is not formulaic. The Harbinger is inspired. There can be little doubt about it, after reading it. Most everyone who reads the story will agree, I’m convinced. That is the secret of its appeal. That is the power behind its defying the odds to crash right through the critique barrier that the secular guardians of contemporary literature constantly put up against scribes who would mention the name of Jesus Christ in ways other than as invective.

It is obvious: The Lord of Heaven wanted this book written and disseminated widely. There’s no agent or publisher who can see that that is done in a more proficient or powerful way. There is no critic or system of critiquing that can change such a course as He determines. The question becomes, then: Why is this book so important that the Lord has forced it past those anointed defenders of literature who rarely let such works get past them?

The Harbinger itself gives the answer. 

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