Title: On This Foundation
Author: Lynn Austin
Series: The Restoration Chronicles, book 3
Major Themes: Jerusalem, Israel, Biblical Fiction
Synopsis: When he heard about the state of the walls of Jerusalem, Nehemiah was so overcome with sadness that the king gave him permission to rebuild—but could he get the job finished before the enemies of God’s people got the work stopped?
About a year and a half ago, I started reading through Lynn Austin’s Chronicles of the Kings series. After I had read those five books, I began reading The Restoration Chronicles, which immediately follow the first series. As the name implies, this trilogy tells the story of Israel’s restoration to their homeland after the captivity. I started reading the third and last book in the series, On This Foundation, a couple of months ago, but ended up reading several other books instead. I think I was stalling because I didn’t really want to come to the end of such a wonderful story! Now, I’m sad to have finished, but happy with the ending.
Publisher’s description:
When news reaches him that the wall of Jerusalem is shattered, and its gates have been burned with fire, a distraught Nehemiah, Jewish cupbearer to King Artaxerxes in Persia, seeks God’s guidance in fasting and prayer. Granted an unexpected leave from his duty, he sets out for Jerusalem to rebuild the city wall—never anticipating all the dangers that await him on his arrival.
The leaders of the surrounding nations become his fierce enemies, plotting to assassinate him and stop the wall’s reconstruction forever. A drought, meanwhile, has left the country impoverished, with many families resorting to selling their children as bondservants just to keep from starving.
Capturing the rebuilding of the wall through the eyes of several characters, On This Foundation is a powerful exploration of faith in the midst of oppression, and offers hope that, in spite of appearances, the gracious hand of God is upon those who believe.
My thoughts:
Of the eight books in these two related series, On This Foundation was the cleanest and least violent. I loved watching the process of rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem, as Nehemiah had to stand firm against attacks from the surrounding nations, as well as from misunderstandings from his own people. I was rather annoyed at the romantic thread that runs through the story at first, but after a while, I got to where I appreciated it. Once again, as with the other books in the two series, I was struck with the thought that as Nehemiah was going through the ordeal of doing God’s work in the face of much opposition, he could not see the end. We know the story because we’ve read the Bible several times, so we know that the wall was built and no one could stand against it because God was with him. Nehemiah didn’t know that. He had to stand firm in what he believed God told him to do and go ahead with it, even though it felt hopeless.
WARNING: Chapter 46: Attempted rape; fear of this was alluded to a number of times earlier.
Age levels:
Reading Independently—Ages 15 and Above, Adults
Links to buy this book:
Amazon: Paperback | Kindle | Hardcover | Audible Audiobook (unabridged) | Audio CD
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com
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