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Rating: 
Summary: A good start on a complex issue
Review: March clearly has some some great research on the volatile topic of Israeli/Palestinian issue. As usual, this does not appear to be a popular book, but how can it be in the age of the Left Behind series when the state of Israel is viewed as a part of God's grand plan to bring about the coming of the final end of time itself? March sets up a good understanding of the theology of land, that all land is God's land, and that any land, whether Israel or otherwise, is entrusted to us for our loving stewardship. In this way he reflects a solid Reformed view of earth-caring. What March does not do is give a better understanding of the mistakes made my premillenialists and their fervor to see this as a fulfillment of prophecy. While he denies that Israel IS a fulfillment of prophecy, and rightly so, this is not done with solid rigorous argument that shows how to properly read the Bible. Instead, he gives vague concepts of reading prophecy in a more "spiritual" way without tackling the mistake premillenialists make. For such a work, I refer the reader to "Hal Lindsey and Biblical Prophecy" by C. Vanderwaal. For THIS is the source of problems; any Christians support Israel qua Israel in its current political form as a fulfillment of the covenant with Abraham. He does not explain where this is mistaken. This book also quickly outdates himself, given the current climate. His misplaced hope in the Oslo accords have failed now in the Year 2001 with Palestinians seeming to be ready for another major conflict. I admire his start in this topic, but it needs more in depth treatment. Again, I refer to another book, namely "Anxious for Amegeddon" by Don Wagner as being the best-informed book I have read on this topic.
Rating:
Summary: A good start on a complex issue
Review: March clearly has some some great research on the volatile topic of Israeli/Palestinian issue. As usual, this does not appear to be a popular book, but how can it be in the age of the Left Behind series when the state of Israel is viewed as a part of God's grand plan to bring about the coming of the final end of time itself? March sets up a good understanding of the theology of land, that all land is God's land, and that any land, whether Israel or otherwise, is entrusted to us for our loving stewardship. In this way he reflects a solid Reformed view of earth-caring. What March does not do is give a better understanding of the mistakes made my premillenialists and their fervor to see this as a fulfillment of prophecy. While he denies that Israel IS a fulfillment of prophecy, and rightly so, this is not done with solid rigorous argument that shows how to properly read the Bible. Instead, he gives vague concepts of reading prophecy in a more "spiritual" way without tackling the mistake premillenialists make. For such a work, I refer the reader to "Hal Lindsey and Biblical Prophecy" by C. Vanderwaal. For THIS is the source of problems; any Christians support Israel qua Israel in its current political form as a fulfillment of the covenant with Abraham. He does not explain where this is mistaken. This book also quickly outdates himself, given the current climate. His misplaced hope in the Oslo accords have failed now in the Year 2001 with Palestinians seeming to be ready for another major conflict. I admire his start in this topic, but it needs more in depth treatment. Again, I refer to another book, namely "Anxious for Amegeddon" by Don Wagner as being the best-informed book I have read on this topic.
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