Saturday, September 17, 2022

About the Book

Book: Ezekiel’s Song

Author: Naomi Craig

Genre: Biblical Fiction

Release date: August 16, 2022

A prophet’s heart broken, a woman’s joy gone. What does Yahweh have planned for His people?

On the brink of Jerusalem’s demise, devoted priest, Ezekiel, sees the insincerity of Judah’s worship. Despite his efforts to call the people back to true worship of Yahweh, priests, artisans, valiant warriors, and royals are exiled to Babylon. When God gives him messages of continued judgment for the people in his homeland, his heart breaks. How can he minister to the people from so far away?

The presence of the Lord is tangible when Shiriel sings in the temple, and her voice prepares the hearts of many to worship. When she is exiled to Babylon, her faith is shaken. Does the Lord’s presence extend beyond Jerusalem and His holy temple?

Ezekiel is struck mute and paralyzed as he begins his prophetic ministry, and Shiriel devises a plan to get the Lord’s message back to the unfaithful people of Judah. Shiriel struggles with discontentment as serving the Lord looks nothing like she’d imagined. Can she provide for her family and carry out her husband’s ministry when her joy is gone, and her own dreams are placed on hold?

How will Yahweh save His people from themselves? Find out in Ezekiel’s Song!

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Author of Biblical fiction, avid reader, pastor’s wife, Naomiloves reading the Bible and imagining how things were at the time. When she’s not serving in various areas at church, trying to stay on top of mountains of dishes or convincing her rescue dog, Freeway, to be cute on command for Instagram reels, you’ll most likely find her enjoying a good book and a cup of coffee. Naomi co-hosts #BehindTheStory with Naomi and Lisa, an author interview show on YouTube and your podcast platform of choice.

More from Naomi

What do you recall about Ezekiel?

The wheel within the wheel?

The dry bones living.

Ezekiel 4:9 bread?

Did you know the Lord asked him to prepare his food over human dung? Or that he was paralyzed for about 14 months? What about mute for seven years?

There are so many bizarre prophecies and symbolisms in the book of Ezekiel. So many prophecies that are yet to be fulfilled. Raise your hand if you tend to skim through these parts of God’s word.

I do.

But when I read Ezekiel a couple years back, the story really jumped of the page.

What about the people who lived with the prophecies and symbolisms?

Ezekiel saw the Lord, and the message He gave was one of Jerusalem finally meeting their just reward.

Only problem is Ezekiel is already in Babylon.

Oh and there’s the whole paralyzed and mute thing.

How is a man who is physically and geographically bound able to get this message a world away?

What was it like to live on rations of war (contrary to how today’s scientists have discovered the right combination to make nutrient dense, protein packed super bread?) in a land that wasn’t suffering from famine or scarcity.

How did the prophet respond when the people who heard the message in Babylonia and Jerusalem brushed it aside as inconsequential?

Ezekiel’s Song explores the lives of those affected by the prophecies. You’ll meet Ezekiel–in the priestly service, turned prophet, Shiri—the Bible states Ezekiel had a wife, her name and her backstory is my imagination, and Gilead—a fictional valiant warrior from Jerusalem.

Discover the book of Ezekiel like you’ve never seen it before!

MY REVIEW

I love how the author brought this Biblical story to life with a prophet who desires to share what God has told him. Will the people listen to his warning or suffer consequences that will have a lasting impact on many? I love how the author gives power to Ezekiel’s voice with clarity and urgency. He wants the people to heed the warning of God before it is too late. Have you experienced a time when you felt this urgency to obey God did not have faith and trust to do so? Some of the people listening to Ezekiel’s words are not sure if what they are hearing is true.

I love reading Biblical fiction because it encourages me to read what the Bible says. I appreciate how the author didn’t falter from the story but only added a few characters that for me was a nice addition . The Bible talks about Ezekiel having a wife and the author has used that information to name the wife Shiriel. She becomes integral in the story as she protects her husband. Getting to know Shiriel better we see there was tension between her and Ezekiel at first.

The author explores the hardships Ezekiel encountered while warning people to repent . You can feel his desperation for the people to listen to him. The author gives a voice to Ezekiel with her descriptive words. I enjoyed how the story was written and found myself going to the Bible after I finished the book. I needed to read more about Ezekiel and soak up how this man obeyed his calling even though it brought hard times upon him. Would we be bold enough to go and share what Ezekiel was chosen to do?

I received a copy of this book from Cerebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.