"SEEDS OF TURMOIL", by Bryant Wright:

What if you had advance knowledge of the results and/or consequences of a seemingly harmless decision you were about to make? Would you still make it, or would you change your mind? If you could have a do-over for a past bad decision, would you change it? If you knew your decision would have worldwide impact, would it influence your choice? Now put yourself in Abraham’s shoes, the man who made one bad decision that would significantly influence the course of history.


If the ongoing conflict between Muslims and the rest of the world interests you, then I recommend “Seeds of Turmoil”, by Bryant Wright. Why do Muslims so vehemently hate the Jews? How and when did the hatred begin? Who has rightful ownership of the land of Israel? When will the conflict ever end? Will it ever end? What are Jews and Christians to make of it? These are types of questions Wright addresses and answers in “Seeds of Turmoil.”

The bulk of this book reads like a commentary of the Genesis account of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael. Wright doesn’t simply cite one Bible chapter and expound on it, opining what he believes to be true about the dilemma. Instead, in each chapter he utilizes the Biblical narrative and historical and current events to provide thoughtful commentary.

Wright does a good job intermingling current and historical events – from the history of Palestine, to the Balfour Declaration in 1917; from the recognition of Israel as a nation in 1948, to the 6 Day War in 1967 – with the scriptural narrative throughout Genesis and other parts of the Old Testament. He provides detail in a compressed space, yet keeps the reader’s interest by keeping the timeline moving.

Israel sat, historically speaking, at the geographical center of this conflict because it was smack dab in the middle of the crossroads of the major trade routes among the lands which now comprise Egypt, Europe, and the Middle East. Is it any wonder why Jesus Christ would intersect humanity when He did at the world’s most prominent geographical cross roads? And today, spiritually speaking, Israel remains seated at the center of the conflict because God’s promise of land to Israel is everlasting.

I especially recommend chapter 2, “An Everlasting Possession”, which contains a brief overview of the history of the land, people, and events. For those who find the study of history fascinating, this is your chapter. Once the historical framework is established in chapter 2, Wright refers to the details mentioned here as he lays out the “seeds of turmoil” theme throughout the remainder of the book.

“Seeds of Turmoil” concludes with the following:
 Three chapters: one from the Muslim perspective, one from the Jewish, and a third from the Christian.
 A well-detailed glossary of terms, people, places, and events mentioned in the book.
 A study guide for each chapter for personal or group reflection.
 A timeline of events.

“Seeds of Turmoil” runs in two parts of 11 chapters over 173 pages. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Islam, Judaism, and the history of the middle east conflict. I give “Seeds of Turmoil” 5 stars and two thumbs up!

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson publishers through “Booksneeze”. I am not paid for my opinion, nor am I expected to provide a favorable review or rating.