Brit Hadashah - Adonai Shalom

I am a member of the Bible Gateway Blogger Grid (BG²). As a #BibleGatewayPartner, I have received a copy of “NET Eternity Now: The New Testament Series” published by Thomas Nelson Publishers at no cost to me in exchange for an honest review here on the Adonai Shalom USA blog. #BG²

“Eternity Now: The New Testament Series” (New English Translation

The “Eternity Now: New Testament Series” comes as a boxed set of five books. Each cover is appealing and each title captures the essence of the New Testament books contained within them. The titles are creative but remain theologically appropriate. I was particularly struck by the “Now but not Yet” title for John’s writings because it reminded me of one of my seminary professors who always reminded us of this aspect of John’s record. To me, this suggests accuracy and faithfulness to the original texts while tastefully displaying the creativity of those who compiled this series.

“Eternity Now: The New Testament Series” set of 5 books

The New English Translation (NET)

Of note, the Bible version used here is the NET, the New English Translation. This is a fairly recent translation, completed in 2019. The translators’ aim according to the series’ note to the reader was to “creat[e] an English Bible translation that could overcome old challenges and boldly open the door for new possibilities.”

I’m assuming the “challenges” may refer to moving beyond the archaic language of the King James Version, but I am unsure as to of what exactly consistent the “new possibilities” hoped for by the translators. It seems to me that the New English Translation seeks a more vernacular tone making it easier for modern readers to understand without losing accuracy.

In each book, a letter to the reader explains more about the NET translation. One thing that I found particularly interesting was this claim: “Throughout the NET’s translation process, every working draft was made publicly available on the Internet. Bible scholars, ministers, and laypersons from around the world logged millions of review sessions. No other translation is so openly accountable to the worldwide church or has been so thoroughly vetted” (Eternity Now, viii). Additionally, the NET allows ministries to use the translation freely due to “ministry-first copyright innovations” (Eternity Now, x).

That really is very unique and an awesome use of modern technology for the sake of the Gospel!

Book Review and Description

The “Eternity Now“ series is a compilation of all of the books of the New Testament/B’rit Chadashah arranged in a manner making it read more like a novel. This book set would be a wonderful gift idea for a young person in your life who might not otherwise read the Bible.

*“Eternity Now: The New Testament Series” New English Translation*

Each book contains the writings of the New Testament, still divided into chapters, but verse number superscripts are left out. Again, this makes the text read more like a novel than a traditional Bible, but the Biblical text remains the same and has not been altered. This series would perhaps not be appropriate for traditional “study” due to the lack of verse number indicators, but would work well for any type of personal devotional.

The paperback format makes these books easy to carry. Someone sitting beside another on the metro will not immediately recognize that the person with one of these books is reading Scripture. It is reader-friendly, eye-catching, and somewhat unconventional.

*“Grand Tour”* (Luke) and *“Death to Life”* (Paul) *Eternity Now* NET

My recommendation:

★★★★★

Rating: 5 out of 5.

I value anything that gets Scripture out to people, especially to people who might not otherwise read the Bible for themselves. This is a useful evangelical tool that I could see placed on coffee tables at clinics and coffeeshops with the hope that someone might pick it up to read and be surprised by the wonderful Good News it contains.

I recommend the “Eternity Now: New Testament Series” and hope that you find it to be a blessing either for yourself personally or for someone who you are praying will come to the saving knowledge of and relationship with our LORD.

Pastora Jennifer Mieliulis Fuentes, M.Div., Duke University

“Eternity Now: The New Testament Series (NET)” New English Translation

Book details

Title: “NET Eternity Now: The New Testament Series”
Author: Compilation
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Release Date: July 2022
Genre: Bibles/Other English Translations/Reading

ISBN-13: 978-0-7852-9127-5

PURCHASE LINKS: Amazon | FaithGateway Store

If you are looking for another wonderful Scripture resource, check out my review of “Spurgeon and the Psalms: The Book of Psalms with Devotions from Charles Spurgeon” also published by Thomas Nelson.

#BibleGatewayPartner

Interested in more book reviews? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter for updates!

I am blessed to be participating in an “I Read with Audra” blog tour for Rabbi Jason Sobel’s new book: Mysteries of the Messiah: Unveiling Divine Connections from Genesis to Today. You may be interested to know that the foreword was written by Kathie Lee Gifford, who actually co-authored a previous book with Sobel titled, The Rock, the Road, and the Rabbi. Most of the Scripture references in Mysteries of the Messiah come from the Tree of Life Version of the Bible (TLV), which I find to be an excellent Bible translation and use frequently here on the Adonai Shalom blog.

Book Review

Mysteries of the Messiah by Rabbi Jason Sobel is absolutely on-topic, as more and more Christians are becoming aware of the importance of enriching their understanding of the Hebrew roots of their Christian faith. Accordingly, Rabbi Sobel’s book is addressed to Christian believers of all denominations. He commends the study of the New Testament, but encourages believers to take a deeper interest in the Old Testament (Hebrew) Scriptures as well, in order to build a more robust theology.

A Primer for Messianic Theology

As a Messianic Rabbi, Sobel does not diminish the Gospel. He uses illustrations from Hebrew to help traditionally-taught Christians encounter deeper meanings behind the words in Scripture that often go overlooked or misunderstood.

Mysteries of the Messiah is a necessary work for “such a time as this” as Sobel rightly assesses the current spiritual climate: believers are awakening to the true fullness of the Gospel, embracing the continuity of the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) and the New Testament (Brit Hadashah). Importantly, Sobel understands that for many American Christians, delving into the riches of the Tanakh is a novel enterprise. Mysteries of the Messiah offers a primer for believers to explore Messianic prophecies and Biblical holy days, written in a gentle, conversational tone.

mysteries of Messiah — Rabbi Jason Sobel’s new book: Mysteries of the Messiah

Biblical numerology

First, the book itself begins with an accessible introduction into Biblical numerology. Sobel’s time spent under the tutelage of Rabbi Jonathan Cahn’s ministry in New Jersey becomes evident right from the start as he seeks to uncover hidden meanings and messages using numbers and calculations based on the Hebrew values of the aleph-bet letters. Many of Sobel’s insights are compelling and will enrich the thoughtful reader, but the reader may occasionally differ with his interpretive conclusions.

Messiah’s Identity

One thing that will not be disputed by any Messianic Jewish or Christian believer who reads Mysteries of the Messiah is Rabbi Sobel’s passionate insistence that Jesus of Nazareth, Yeshua ha-Notzri, was and is the promised Messiah of Israel. In the first chapter, Sobel identifies five specific areas that he believes reveal important clues about Messiah’s identity and shares his own testimony of receiving Messiah Yeshua as his own Savior. Readers interested in Messianic Jewish apologetics may particularly appreciate this early section of the book.

Great for readers who enjoy Bible Studies

The middle chapters will appeal to any readers who enjoy Bible Studies. Sobel invites readers to explore the extensive ways Messiah is revealed in the Scriptures from creation to beyond Pentecost (Shavu’ot) using the numerology he introduced in the earlier chapters. No knowledge of Hebrew or Greek is required for the reader to be able to gain an appreciation of linguistic nuances in the Bible thanks to Sobel’s easy-to-read writing style. Sobel presents Jewish concepts such as tikkun olam (repairing the world) in a very understandable and relatable way. Moreover, he writes with a pastor’s heart, encouraging believers in their faith. He shares his hope and prayer for Jews and Gentiles alike to unite in Messiah Jesus:

“When Jew and Gentile unite in Jesus, we become an unstoppable force for salvation, transformation, and revival.”

Sobel, Jason. Mysteries of Messiah: Unveiling Divine Connections from Genesis to Today. Nashville, TN: W Publishing Group, 2021.

Conclusion

Finally, Mysteries of Messiah concludes with an impressive revelation contained within the beloved Isaiah 9:6 passage related to Messiah’s lineage as the Son of David. I found it to be an enjoyable and refreshing read, one that may spark the reader to desire to delve deeply into the richness of Scripture’s mysteries and the Jewishness of Jesus even after finishing the book.

Excerpt

Excerpt-Mysteries-of-the-Messiah-2-22-21.docx Download

RAFFLECOPTER BOOK GIVEAWAY

A book giveaway is going on now! Enter here to win! Update 2/22. This giveaway ended July 30, 2021.

About the Author: Mysteries of the Messiah by Jason Sobel

Raised in a Jewish home in New Jersey, Rabbi Jason Sobel dedicated much of his life in pursuit of a spiritual connection with God. After years of seeking and studying, he encountered God and found his true destiny as a Jewish follower of Yeshua (Jesus). Suddenly, all the traditions Rabbi Jason grew up with took on new depth and meaning as God connected the ancient wisdom of the Torah with the teachings of the Messiah.

Rabbi Jason received his rabbinic ordination from the UMJC (Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations) in 2005. He has a B.A. in Jewish Studies (Moody) and an M.A. in Intercultural Studies (Southeastern Seminary). He is a sought-after speaker and has made multiple appearances on national television, including the Trinity Broadcasting Network, the Daystar Network, and the Dr. Oz Show. Rabbi Jason is the author of Breakthrough: Living a Life That Overflows, Aligning with God’s Appointed Times, and Mysteries of the Messiah and he is also the coauthor of New York Times bestseller The Rock, the Road, and the Rabbi with Kathie Lee Gifford.

You can learn more at www.rabbisobel.com.

Title: Mysteries of the Messiah: Unveiling Divine Connections from Genesis to Today
Author: Rabbi Jason Sobel
Publisher: W Publishing Group, an imprint of Thomas Nelson
Release Date: March 23, 2021
Genre: Religion/Christian Living/Spiritual Growth, Messianic Interest

ISBN: 978-0-7852-4005-1

Did you enjoy this book review? Have YOU read the book? Leave a comment about what YOU thought about it!

Thank you to the publisher, W Publishing Group of Thomas Nelson, for the review copy. I have provided an honest review.

*Giveaway link provided as a service to readers. Giveaway is not sponsored by Adonai Shalom blog. Readers may enter giveaway at their own personal discretion. Rules for giveaways and contests differ in each state/region, please adhere to local laws related to giveaways.

PURCHASE LINKS: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Christianbook | Books-A-Million

Pastora Jennifer Mieliulis Fuentes, M.Div., Duke University