Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Sherlock Holmes and the Needle's Eye : The World's Greatest Detective Tackles the Bible's Ultimate Mysteries, Len Bailey


 
If you are a Sherlock Holmes fan I’ll need you to forgive me right off the bat.  Most of my Holmes and Watson knowledge is limited to pop culture references.  When reading this book my vision of Holmes and Watson bore a strong resemblance to Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law.  I hope not being a die-hard Sherlock Holmes fan will not negate this review because this book is great.  It is fast paced, informational, and witty.
The premise is that Holmes, who is not a believer in the things of God, and Watson, who has a true faith, are left clues to figure out the mystery that surrounds several passages in Scripture.  They are able to use a handy-dandy time machine to travel to the different periods and places to solve the mystery-sometimes unseen by the people of the time and sometimes very much a part of what is going on.
A couple of the mysteries are things that I have heard preachers speculate about before; why did Jesus delay in going to raise Lazarus, what did Jesus write on the ground when the adulterous women was brought before him?  But most of the mysteries, I confess, I never even gave a thought to while reading the Bible; why did David choose five stones, why did the Israelites have to march around Jericho a certain number of times?  The author takes the evidence at hand and comes up with very satisfying conclusions through Holmes and Watson.  Of course the witty banter between Holmes, Watson, and Mrs. Hudson is ever present. 
I look forward to reading this one again!
I received this book free of charge from Thomas Nelson Publishers through NetGalley in exchange of an honest review.