And in the morning, when the Israelites came to the lookout of the wilderness, they saw the bodies of the dead. He had placed his hand over hers and she had tried not to weep. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. Please! Once a year, he had returned to Jerusalem with his family to gather with other believers in an upper room. A Voice in the Wind: Mark of the Lion #1 by Francine Rivers When writing this story, Francine had a key Bible verse in mind: “In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father” (Matthew 5:16). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.; 20th Anniversary ed. She let out her breath, relieved to see him. In what ways do you identify with Julia? Hadassah looked around at her fellows and saw their bitter hatred; having to witness this ceremony poured salt in their open wounds. Pain licked up Hadassah’s arm as the legionnaire’s fingers dug into her flesh. Good people enjoy the positive results of their words, but those who are treacherous crave violence. Book 1 in the 3-book historical Christian fiction series by the New York Times bestselling author of Redeeming Love and The Masterpiece. There were more captives than soldiers, but the Romans moved as one great beast of war, organized and disciplined. “Oh, Father, forgive me. He had wanted nothing more than to obliterate them from the face of the earth. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. While enslaved, her handsome but unhappy Roman master gleans from the way she serves with love and honor and grace and is drawn to her as well as the Light in her. . Anarchy destroyed Zion, and Rome stood ready to destroy anarchy . He spoke of the prophets. “Please, don’t go. Most had heard his story many times before, but there were always those who were new to the faith. So she had never seen animals sacrificed. Malcenas had been fallen upon by six fighters when they had breached the first wall. Benaiah is coming with me. How did you feel when you arose? I have the rest of the mark of the lion series, F Rivers is such an amazing story teller, I could not put this book down! I didn’t expect a book about faith in Jesus Christ. Did not the Lord himself tell us not to cast pearls before the swine?”, “Hadassah, if I am to die for him, I will die joyfully. If she believed everything he had taught her, she would rejoice that he was now with the Lord. A book about early Christianity. Kill them now with starvation before the Romans came with swords or they suffered the agony of a cross? Set in 70 A.D. Rome. Hadassah looked across the room at her younger sister, Leah, lying on a dirty pallet in the corner. The righteous wept for Jerusalem, the bride of kings, the mother of prophets, the home of the shepherd king David. The characters were so vivid and real that I felt I had an affinity with them all. Rome came on until the sound of destruction echoed across the Valley of Kidron against the walls of Jerusalem itself. Another door was smashed in. Hadassah fought against the despair inside her. These bloody Jews were a blight to Rome. Some of those around her wept, their faces transfixed with wonder and awe. As he continues to search for meaning and faith, he is led by a whispering voice from the past that could set him free from the darkness of his soul. “The Lord is watching over us,” she said and stroked her sister gently. Others became enraged at his story of resurrection, shouting that he was a liar and blasphemer. It was to these people that her father spoke. What’ll we do without you? Hadassah could not utter a sound. The first novel of the series was titled ‘A Voice in the Wind’ which was … Let it be swift. I am taking my family away from this city. - created at http://animoto.com Why had they ever come to this city? Josephus, the Jewish general of fallen Jotapata who had been taken captive by the Romans, wept and cried out from atop the first wall defeated by the legionnaires. Thankfully, she was asleep, the agony of slow starvation briefly forgotten. Especially now. What kind of friends did Marcus keep, and what influence did they have on him? Tertius gripped his sword harder and glared down at the emaciated young girl covering an even smaller girl. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences. You know that.” He had held her close. A door was smashed open not far away. He could kill both girls with one blow . Even before the Romans crossed the Valley of Thorns and camped on the Mount of Olives, warring factions within Jerusalem’s city walls had prepared the way for her destruction. The euphoria and security she felt with those who shared her faith dissolved when she watched her father stand before a crowd and suffer their abuse. Lazarus, his sisters, and Mary Magdalene had been driven out; the apostle John, a dear family friend, had left Jerusalem two years before, taking the Lord’s mother with him. Not since the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar had destroyed Solomon’s temple had such a thing happened. Though torn by her love for a handsome aristocrat, Hadassah becomes a shining beacon of light in the darkness and depravity around her. He told them stories of when he was a boy living just outside the great city, speaking far into the night of the laws of Moses, under which he had grown up. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 13, 2018. Hadassah sat down on the hillside. The truth does not go out and come back empty. Her plea came, inarticulate and desperate, helpless and full of fear. We have met quite a few of them at signings and national events. It was blackened, chunks had been gouged out by siege stones, the gold melted away. Any writer who lives in a modern secular society such as Britain often produces historical fiction that is riddled with anachronism, as all aspects of life in the past were woven through with religious belief. Just a groaning from within her soul. Full content visible, double tap to read brief content. Thanks for exploring this SuperSummary Plot Summary of “A Voice in the Wind” by Francine Rivers. It was a-bit draining to spend much of this first episode with Julia (and her selfish-loves), Marcus, their parents, and Attretus, all 'faithful' followers of other gods. A Voice in the Wind.. [Francine Rivers] -- This classic series has inspired nearly 2 million readers. The sons of Moab and Ammon and Mount Seir came against him with a mighty army. You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition. . Once inside, the Jews set their holy place on fire, burning many of the legionnaires to death within it. Tastefully told, yet so realistic and doesn't shy away from darkness, but shines the light of the Lord on it. This nation deserved annihilation. A Voice in the Wind(1993) is the first novel in Francine Rivers' Mark of the Lion Series. The slain oxen were distributed to the victorious army for a great feast. What good in being spit upon? Cupping her hands as her turn came, she waited to be shoved aside. His breathing eased, his heartbeat slowed. Her crowning glory, Papa called it. The days ran together. How she missed her father’s counsel in the silent loneliness of this house. He drew a ragged breath and exhaled sharply. “Close your eyes, Hadassah,” Mark told her, sounding strangely calm. A fight broke out. The look of horror on the girl’s face made Tertius wonder how long she had been cooped up in that house. Unlike those who had chosen to dump their dead in the wadi, these children had lain out their mother with dignity. To get the free app, enter your mobile phone number. He tried to remind himself of the friends he had lost. You must have faith, Hadassah. She bent down and put her arms around her. Francine is one of my favorite authors. anytime . Even as he spoke, he was ordinary. “Shhh, you’ll awaken Leah and Mama.” Hadassah gently laid her mother back against the blanket and went to him. How do you identify with Marcus? The people inside screamed. Josephus cried out again to his people that God was using the Romans to destroy them, fulfilling the prophecies of the prophets Daniel and Jesus. . “Father, why can we not believe and remain silent?”, “We are called upon to be the light of the world.”, “They hate us more with each passing year.”, “Hatred is the enemy, Hadassah. Hadassah looked across the room at her mother and felt the tears coming again. . “Oh, Father, it is so beautiful.”, “Yes,” he had said solemnly. Distant cries rang out. His face, weathered from the Judean sun, was hard, devoid of any emotion. Scars from previous trauma are STILL struggling to heal. Discuss Atretes’ anger and how it affected his decisions. In what ways do you identify with Hadassah? Surely the Lord would not take him as well. We are the sons and daughters of Abraham, for it is by our faith in the Lord that we are saved through his grace. In that place, she could feel the presence of God and his love. Francine is one of my favorite authors. “It was not far from here that our Lord was crucified.”, Mark pushed his hand back through his hair. I could not hear his words, but a man said he was calling out to Jehovah that it was not his doing.”, “If the city surrendered now, would he show mercy?”, “If he could contain his men. Mother stayed with friends and prepared for the Passover. When a Roman soldier came over, she scarcely noticed until he tried to take Leah away from her. He grasped her arm and yanked her to her feet. Famine soon followed. Only the Phasaelus, Hippicus, and Mariamne towers were to be left standing for defensive purposes, and a portion of the western wall. . Her mother had been beautiful once. Whole sections of wall were broken down. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 4, 2020. “Mama said the Lord will provide,” she said, but the words sounded empty. “Remember the Lord,” he said as the door crashed open. “Why must you go out again and speak to those people? How surprised I was, reading my first book by Francine Rivers. “Why me, Lord?” she asked, weeping softly. May God’s face shine upon you, Hananiah. Hadassah remembered watching her take her hair down until it lay, glistening in thick waves, against her back. . Synopsis. Wagons were already loaded with golden and silver sprinkling bowls, dishes, wick trimmers, pots, and lampstands. A Voice in the Wind: Mark of the Lion Series Book 1 (Christian Historical Fiction Novel Set in 1st Century Rome), A Voice in the Wind: Mark of the Lion Series Book 1 (Christian Historical Fiction Novel Set in 1st…. To hear God’s Word was to eat meat, and I dreamed of being a scribe. I love this book. “We are together in him.”. She clung to her faith, but still found it slipping away from her. A lovely story and a cliff hanger of an ending. Hadassah pressed her face into the curve of her sister’s neck and moaned. I know you tried.”. The Romans brought in corn for the captives. Someone shoved her hard from behind and cursed her in Aramaic. Instead, golden kernels spilled from the scoop into her palms. They listened at first. We never know what God will do. We are part of the body of Christ, and in Christ we have eternal life. In what ways have other people influenced you? This first historical fiction book in the ” Mark of the Lion” series by Francine Rivers is published by Tyndale House Publishers. Hadassah had slept and dreamt of the Lord feeding the five thousand on a hillside. share. Get this from a library! She had said many times before that when one did not serve the Lord, they unwittingly served the evil one instead. The moments occurring in this story are hard to read in the most beautiful way; they pain the heart with truth and reality, moving you deeply over and over again. Men, women, children—it made no difference, all fell to the sword. At home, in those hills, her faith was strong. As she moved away, she was unaware the young soldier still watched her. Other legionnaires appeared with plunder from the temple. Her stomach was swollen with malnutrition, the bones of her legs and arms clearly outlined beneath a gray overdress. Baskets of hooves, entrails, and animal remains from the temple were carried there and dumped. The sight of so much blood spilling down over stone altars sickened her. . I recommend this book to anyone who is learning how to serve the Lord. she would live. You were almost killed the last time.”, “Those people, Hadassah? Grasping the older girl by the arm, he pushed her out the door. “Everything will be all right, Leah. “My father was a good man, a Benjaminite who loved God and taught me the law of Moses,” he began quietly, looking into the eyes of those who sat about him. Hundreds died of starvation, more of despair and lost hope. “Keep moving!” a guard shouted, his whip hissing through the air near her and cracking on a man’s back. I foresee our den being compared to Lord Grantham’s Library eventually. The words were Greek, the tone scornful. Lifting her mother’s hand, Hadassah kissed it tenderly. “But so often, things of great beauty are full of great corruption.”. “Your great Holy City,” he said and spat into the dust. They may reveal her motivations and challenge your own discernment. Hadassah held her mother, tears blurring her eyes as she stroked the black hair back from her mother’s gaunt, pale face. She was separate from the others, alone within herself. Still alert to any movement the girl made, he glanced around the small room. Plus, enter to win a copy of the book! Had her father been cast into that place, desecrated and left to rot in the hot sun? My wife reads many historical fantasy novels and authors. Two years ago he had been so badly beaten that two friends had to help carry him back to the small rented house where they always stayed. Please try again. . The setting and atmosphere of that time were skilfully depicted as the author painted a picture of that era, giving the reader a tangible insight into things such as sights, smells and taste. And Mark sounded so accepting of death. She was not like Father and Mother. She could almost hear her mother’s voice. I really enjoyed this book and right now I’m going to start the next in the series! . The Lord fulfills each element. Leah fell silent. Gagging, she closed her eyes and turned away. A single voice or signal could make hundreds move as one. Brought to Rome, she is pressed into service as a personal slave to hedonistic Julia Valerian. Her faith was weak. The first book in the beloved Mark of the Lion series, A Voice in the Wind brings readers back to the first century and introduces them to a character they will never forget—Hadassah. Without me, she is alone, with no one to provide for her. “We must seize every opportunity we can to speak the truth and proclaim peace. Do not try to fight alone.”. But Julia’s brother, Marcus, is a different sort altogether. In the upper room, with the gathering of believers, Hadassah had felt safe. When Hadassah is captured by Roman soldiers, her entire family is killed. His eyes flickered. And then a new, more devastating horror spread through the city as word passed of a starving woman who had eaten her own child. Jerusalem, their beloved Jerusalem, would be no more. There was a problem loading your book clubs. Set in 70 A.D. Jerusalem, the ill-fated romance between a steadfast Christian slave girl, Hadassah, and Marcus, the handsome aristocrat destined to love her, comes alive in this bestselling epic. When you have nothing else, have faith. Her eyes were open and fixed on some distant place to which her mind had escaped. It warmed her and made her heart sing. Not the people.”, “It is people who beat you, Father. The door opened slowly and Hadassah’s heart leapt in fright, snapping her back to the grim present. Question rose stark and raw against her back to pages you are in Jerusalem ;! Reassure her, too large for her temple roof, a captured from... Look here to find an easy way to navigate to the lookout of way. 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