4 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
Was the Earth created in merely six days as the Bible teaches in the Genesis story or are scientists correct, and the Earth is 13.8 billion years old? The Biblical Clock: The Untold Secrets Linking the Universe and Humanity with God’s Plan by Daniel Friedmann with Dania Sheldon seeks to prove there is a way to put both on the same timeline. The author further ventures into the timeline of the End of Days as predicted in Biblical text. Friedmann approaches the topic through the eyes of Judaism. I am Christian so my understanding of the Torah is limited, but Friedmann includes a glossary that is helpful.
The Biblical Clock is organized in three parts. The first focuses on the Earth's creation and how the Hebrew text fit into science's Big Bang theory. I recognized many of the text as Old Testament scriptures which made Friedmann's logic more relatable. The second part focuses on the End of Days and where we are currently on the timeline. The third part ties the book together to demonstrate how the Creation and End of Days are interconnected. Through these connections, Friedmann shows the timeline correlation between the Bible and science.
Each chapter recounts a different story, placing us at that particular place as if we are listening in on the conversation of a Jewish scholar and his pupil. The flow of each chapter is easy to interpret because of the conversational format. This allows the evidence to be presented in a format that's easily understood. There are charts, maps, and pictures that make the evidence more understandable. The author is convincing in his arguments, and I have no problem believing his premise.
My background is in science, but I'm of the Christian faith, therefore I did have some difficulty with some Jewish references. I used the glossary often. I admit my personal beliefs on the Creation and science are much like the author's. I find it interesting the book's layout reminds me of the scientific method. Friedmann states his hypothesis then presents the evidence to demonstrate his theory.
In chapter ten the author narrates a fictional story of what the End of Days may look like. The narrative is interesting but felt overly discriminatory to everyone who is not Jewish. I dislike these parts of the book most because other faiths are not included in a positive light.
The book appears to be professionally edited because I found no errors. The book is expertly organized. I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars because the quality of the writing is wonderful. The book is well outlined with a beneficial glossary. The recommended audience is anyone with an interest the topic. The material is complicated so teenagers and younger children may have difficulty understanding the concepts. A background in Judaism will benefit the reader.
******
The Biblical Clock
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
