Louis McCall challenges Christian readers to forsake all and follow Jesus, through this brief retelling of the biblical account of the Ark of the Covenant and the clan who swore to protect it.
When it comes to great characters of the Bible, Obed-Edom probably isn’t the first name that comes to mind. Yet, McCall uses this obscure character from the Book of 2 Samuel as an inspiring example of someone who left his comfortable life to follow God’s glory, was blessed for this, and left a legacy to future generations.
McCall takes great artistic license in his retelling of Bible events. The story is narrated by “Hadar,” a fictional Levite descendent of Obed-Edom during the time of Jeremiah the prophet and the approaching Babylonian captivity. The entire work is a paraphrase of many Bible chapters that McCall pieces together to give an overview of the Ark, its history and its future replacement by Jesus Christ.
Unfortunately, McCall writes in a passive voice devoid of any sensory appeal, creating an extremely dry read. Additionally, the work focuses on Hadar, with Obed-Edom mostly absent until page 49. With no commentary from McCall, it’s difficult to decipher the book’s purpose until nearly the end.
Footnotes or scripture references would have helped readers follow the timeline, which skips around through different periods of Israel’s history. Readers without a strong familiarity with the Bible, especially the Old Testament, may feel completely lost. Perhaps it would have been better presented as nonfiction rather than as a fictional story. The final 25 pages that focus on Obed-Edom and his legacy are inspiring.
Ultimately, McCall’s message is a diamond in the rough. McCall challenges Christians to “be willing to forsake other things in order to gain the Glory and walk out the prophecy spoken and written to cover the destiny of your own life.” His heart is in the right place, but the fictional structure used to deliver his message falls short.
Also available as an ebook.
