The Bible or the Axe: One Man's Dramatic Escape from Persecution in the Sudan [Paperback]

William O. Levi (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 31, 2004

Exile. Persecution. Torture. The Riveting True Story of One Man’s Escape from the Sudan.

By the muddy banks of the Kulo-jobi River, a young Sudanese boy is faced with a decision that will shape the rest of his life. The Bible or the Axe is the dramatic true story of faith tested by fire in war-torn South Sudan.

William Ochan Levi, a Messianic believer from an African Hebrew tribal group, grew up as a refugee in the wilderness of Uganda. As a teen he returned to his homeland, only to face persecution, arrest, and torture. His miraculous escape from jihad forces was the first step in an odyssey that ultimately led to a new life in the United States.

After meeting with Pastor Richard Wurmbrand, founder of Voice of the Martyrs, William was inspired to found Operation Nehemiah Missions, International. Operation Nehemiah is dedicated to rebuilding the minds, bodies, and spirits of the Sudanese people who have been brutalized by war and persecution.

What tools should Christians use to fight the war in Sudan and other Muslim countries—the Bible or the axe? Learn the depths of forgiveness and the power of Christ’s love to triumph in the most desperate of circumstances. If you have a heart for the persecuted Church, don’t miss this book!

***

William Levi has written a gripping account of his suffering as a Sudanese under Islamic persecution. He accurately describes the spiritual and physical struggle.

—Tom White, The Voice of the Martyrs

If you have ever wanted to know the heart of Sudan and the people who have been used of God to, "rebuild the wall," you must read The Bible or the Axe.

—Dr. Vic Eliason, Vice President, VCY America Radio Network

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Wine Pr Pub; First Edition edition (August 31, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 157921732X
• ISBN-13: 978-1579217327
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,688,702 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This Book Will Touch Your Soul, October 4, 2005

By 

Angel "of "The Rogue Angel"" (Kentucky) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Bible or the Axe: One Man's Dramatic Escape From Persecution in the Sudan (Paperback)

The Bible or the Axe is the testimony of William Levi. It tells the story of his struggle against oppression and religious persecution in Sudan. It tells a story of hope, family, responsibility, and dependence on God. It tells the story of one man's calling. If you have a heart for the persecuted church, this book will touch you in ways you can't imagine.

What struck me even more than the gut wrenching opening, or even the torture this man endured, was the unmistakable message of God. I repeatedly had to stop and mark passages in the book to come back to. They were passages that touched me deeply and conveyed profound spiritual lessons.

The wisdom that flows from William Levi throughout this book is a gift from God. His understanding of scripture will touch you and change you. His struggle will give you strength and make you think. It will cause you to question the very fabric of your convictions and ask yourself where you stand. You will also ask yourself - will it be the Bible or the axe?

In a time of war and distress between nations and religious groups, this book could not have come at a better time. It is one thing to know what the Bible says and quite another to see it firmly in practice. William Levi met the call to love his enemies with service and strength of conviction.

To tell you that I enjoyed The Bible or the Axe would be to understate my real feelings. This book is profoundly touching. If you can put it down without feeling changed, without seeing the message God is sending through the words of William Levi, then you haven't opened your heart and paid attention. This book is a must read.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring book but disappointing finish, September 26, 2005

By 

Paul A. Baggaley "baggas" (Hobart, Tasmania) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Bible or the Axe: One Man's Dramatic Escape From Persecution in the Sudan (Paperback)

This is a very interesting and powerful autobiography which tells the story of William Levi's childhood in South Sudan, and his subsequent escape from religious persecution there and ultimate journey to America.

I found the early parts of this book fascinating, particularly where Levi talks about the history of the Sudan and the long Jewish and Christian heritage of that part of the world. I must confess my relative ignorance about the history and current events this country, and Africa in general, and this book has inspired me to learn more. For quite a while now I've had it on my heart to visit and perhaps do some work in Africa one day, and this book has further kindled that flame.

In some ways this book is reminscent of 'Hotel Rwanda' (one of my favourite movies) however in that setting it was Christians of different tribes fighting each other. In this story it is Islamic persecution of Christians, and their imposition of Shari'a law, that is the problem. Despite the injustices he faced, Levi manages to convey a sense of understanding and love towards Muslims - in this he is truly living up to Jesus' command to love your enemies. Levi's respectful religious discussions with a Turkish Muslim, and the attempts by some Egyptian Muslims to convert him (in a 'good cop, bad cop' kind of way) are some of the compelling episodes in this book.

The biggest disappointment I had with this book is that the story ends quite abruptly. There is very little written about what happened with Levi's 'Operation Nehemiah' ministry for the Sudanese which he started after a few years in America. And even more of a let down was that he didn't tell us what happened to his family in Sudan - did he ever get reunited with them? Did he ever return to the country himself? And the story of meeting his wife and having children in America would have been interesting to hear also. So although this was a great book, there were too many loose ends for me to be completely satisfied with it. The narrative just didn't go the full circle.

Even so, this book has further kindled my interest in Africa in general, and specifically to find out more about the Sudan, and Operation Nehemiah.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An Inspiring Story, November 6, 2005

By 

Tim Challies (Oakville, Ontario) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Bible or the Axe: One Man's Dramatic Escape From Persecution in the Sudan (Paperback)

Exile, persecution and tortue. Jesus told His followers that they should expect this type of treatment from the world. Those of us who live in the Western world often lose sight of the difficulties that Christians face in other parts of the globe. It is books like The Bible or the Axe, the biography of William Levi, than tend to shake us up a little bit, reminding us of the inestimable blessing of having freedom of worship.

William Levi is a Messianic believer from an African Hebrew tribal group in Sudan. When only a child his family was forced to flee religious persecution and they settled as refugees in the wilderness of Uganda. They lived there happily as subsistence farmers, growing all they needed for their survival. When the time of persecution seemed to come to a close they returned to Sudan, but after only a short respite the Muslim leadership began a new program of systemic persecution against Christians. Levi, when only a teenager, was arrested and tortured as his captors sought to convert him to Islam. He refused, trusting that the promises of God were worth far more than his life. While being taken to his place of execution he made a miraculous escape and eventually made his way out of the country and to the United States of America.

In the years since coming to America, Levi founded Operation Nehemiah Missions International and has told his story to millions. He continues to bring awareness to the persecution faced by believers in Sudan and elsewhere.

The Bible or the Axe is quite an interesting book. It is well-written and is sure to bring attention to a group of believers that desperately need our prayers. There were one or two places where I had small concerns about the author's theology, especially in his understanding of the differences between Protestant and Roman Catholic theology, but this did little to detract from the impact of this stirring story. I have no trouble recommending it.