4 out of 4 stars
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For thousands of years, people have dreamed of a more perfect world. Over the millennia, we have made great strides towards respect for our fellow humans regardless of ethnic background, eradication of disease, and concern for Planet Earth and all its inhabitants. However, a perfect world does not yet exist: world peace is far from reality; religious and ethnic tolerance is not a universal ideal; and individuals, corporations, and nations are not caring stewards of our planet, its resources, and its residents.
Daniel Friedman, in his book Roadmap to the End of Days (Book 3 in the Inspired Studies series), discusses human history and how we can achieve this long-awaited goal. In the opening chapter, the author equates history to a glass maze. Those traversing it believe they can see the exit—yet find themselves at a distance from their destination. Nearly every world faith views history the same way, beginning with the beginning of the world and arrival of humans. Religions stemming from Abraham see the End of Days as a time of positive transformation. To quote Isaiah: “And He shall judge among the nations…nation shall not lift sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.”
Jewish teaching emphasizes that all the good prophecies will come to pass. Our actions determine when and how. Negative prophecies, such as a devastating war, are a warning: they may occur if they are needed to assist us in observing the Almighty’s laws. With all the varied beliefs concerning how the End of Days will come to pass, there is no contradiction: the maze has many routes to the exit.
The Torah provides relevant information. This blueprint for Creation, considered by many to be G-d’s word, includes: 1) the Torah and other writings, given to Moses exactly as we have it today; 2) the Oral Law, whose purpose is to explain and apply the Written Law; and 3) the Zohar, the basic work of Jewish mysticism.
To better understand the historical events that unfolded (and are unfolding), it is important to know the Divine Purpose for Creation: “the Holy One, blessed be He, desired to have an abode in the lower worlds.” All people can help realize the Divine Plan by observing the 7 Noahide laws—including recognizing the Creator as the only Supreme Being, the prohibition of murder and other acts against others, and a ban on eating flesh from a living animal (thus respecting all of the Almighty’s creatures). Jews have a total of 613 commandments to fulfill to bring about G-d’s plan for the universe.
The widespread observance of both sets of mitzvot (commandments) is now becoming a reality. In 1983, the Lubavitcher Rebbe said it was time the Noahide Laws were kept. Four years later, President Reagan signed a proclamation regarding “ethical values and principles…known as the Seven Noahide Laws.” In 1991, Congress followed suit. As for the 613 commandments, Sabbath observance, keeping kosher, and observing the other rules are easier than ever before.
Following guidelines to follow to hasten the Messianic Era, the author turns to predictions of factors that will be present before the Messiah’s arrival. Social conditions have a familiar ring: an increase in insolence; lack of respect for elders and parents; authorities demonstrating irresponsibility; international conflicts; poverty; and more. However, there are also positive signs, including advances in science and technology, increased dissemination of the Torah’s mystical principles, prosperity, and increases in land cultivation.
The reader then learns about prophecies centering on the Messiah’s arrival. All nations will recognize the Creator, the reinstatement of King David’s royal house will occur, the exiles will return to the Holy Land, and universal peace will become reality.
Daniel Friedmann’s eye-opening book is the third in a series. It follows The Genesis Code, a detailed description of the beginning of the universe. This book shows there is agreement between dates of the events of Creation and arrival of life on Earth (related in the first two chapters of Genesis) and those determined by scientific theory and observation. The Broken Gift, the second volume, continues the discussion to the appearance of humans and our early history. Together, these two volumes demonstrate that there is no conflict between “Biblical” and “scientific” accounts of Creation and the appearance of plant, animal, and human life. His combination of an easy-to-read style and discussion of deep concepts ensures that the author keeps the attention of readers riveted.
Having established this agreement, the author turns his attention to the “next step.” With a generous use of charts and graphs, he illustrates what will happen as the drama of human history marches toward its long-awaited culmination. Readers see and understand how events happening thousands of years ago, and those developments occurring today, all point to the End of Days. The visual aids placed at appropriate points in the text—and discussed in detail in appendices at the end of the book—clearly demonstrate the relationship between past, present, and future events.
Daniel Friedman has definitely done his homework. Quotations from individuals and sources as diverse as the Torah, the Rambam (Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon), the Talmud, contemporary scholars like Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, Scientific American, and the Lubavitcher Rebbe, appear throughout and in the book's endnotes. A detailed glossary and explanatory notes define terms, introduce Biblical and historical figures, and provide background into key events and concepts. The author writes with the authority of the scholar and historian as well as with the passion of someone who firmly believes in his subject. I give this must-read book 4 out of 4 stars.
Daniel Friedmann’s credentials make him a qualified chronicler of the events and concepts he describes.
His training and experience as an engineer who led a global technology company for twenty years give him the impartiality to discuss all sides of the question. In addition, the author’s expertise in religious matters stemming from years of affiliation with Jewish educational institutions lends credibility to his statements about the End of Days and the Messianic Era. This combination has the happy result of making Daniel Friedmann a convincing writer and speaker in venues in Canada, where he lives, the United States, and even in his native South America.
In short, Roadmap to the End of Days and the preceding volumes in the series are a readable, fascinating look into history of day one of Creation to the present and the future. Readers who complete all three books will come away with a better understanding of where we came from, where we are today, and where we are going. The result may very well be what we are all waiting for: the imminent arrival of the era of world peace, an end to hunger and disease, respect for the Earth and all of Creation, and recognizing the Creator Who bestows all good things on His world.
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Roadmap to the End of Days
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