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The Blood of the Moon: The Roots of the Middle East Crisis

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This is an excellent book to aid in an understanding of the threat of terrorism and the ongoing crisis in the middle East. George Grant compares the Christian worldview as opposed to the Muslim beliefs. Where the divergence came from and where it seems to be leading us. Very readable and interesting book. One you will want to share with many friends.

Since September 11th, have you found yourself asking, "Why did this happen?" "How could somebody do this?" "What or who is behind this madness?" "What can be done to stop the terrorism?" The Blood of the Moon is a great book for anyone wanting to better understand the historical dynamics behind the war with terrorism which has involved our entire world. Written in a straightforward, easy-reading, common sense style, you do not need to be a college professor to enjoy this book and gain a lot of information in a short amount of pages - although even academics will find the book to provide a wealth of information, which is well-documented and footnoted (the footnotes, by the way, are referenced at the end of the book, rather than page-by-page, which makes it very easy to read). If you want to gain a decent grasp on what is behind horrible events of today and had to choose one book to buy for a student, a friend, or yourself, this is one for sure.

Perhaps you were like I was on September the 11th, gaping in awe at the destructiveness of the beliefs that propogate terrorism and carnage. What are the beliefs behind such atrocities?
And then there was and is the ensuing battle over the whole concept behind the religion of Islam. What, historically, has this concept been, and what is it today?
In concise, easy to read terms, starting with the ancient past and exploring the history of Eastern/Western tension, George Grant explains the source of the conflict. Going directly to the Koran, and utilizing his deep knowledge of the history, he gives answers to the questions we have been asking since September 11. A great book for people like me--laypeople searching for reasons and answers.

I thank God that as I write, this book is soon to be re-released by Thomas Nelson. Not a moment too soon! Despite the short length of the book, Rev. Grant gets down deep to uncover the real underlying causes and issues. With this book, you will come away with understanding and with hope, but you won't come away with any easy answers. One of the things I like best about Rev. Grant -- whose books can almost all be given the highest recommendation -- is his thoroughly BIBLICAL approach. Too many "Christian" writers lack a thoroughly biblical perspective, due to their theological weakness. (For example, many Dispensationalist writers on the Middle East will miss the important issues because of their preoccupation with the greatly anticipated "any-moment-now" Rapture and Christ's alleged return to Jerusalem thereafter to bring in the Millennium.) Rev. Grant's Covenant Theology frees him from these distractions. I don't know whether the impending re-release will be updated in any way, but it is an extremely useful book just as it was first written around the time of the Gulf War. Get it and read it!

Presenting a background to the roots of the Middle East conflict with any degree of clarity and brevity is no mean achievement. Yet in some 130 pages that is exactly what the author has to some extent achieved here.

The book covers the age-old conflict between Arab and Jew, tracing it's origins back to the time of Abraham and his sons Isaac & Ishmael.

From there the author devotes a chapter to each significant period of history in the region, whilst presenting an overview of the current dilemmas facing the region at the time of writing in 1991, which are remarkably similar to those still faced today.

Sections of the book are also devoted to the region's great empires of antiquity including those of Egypt, Assyria, Persia and Babylon. The Crusades are also covered, plus the more recent historical involvement of the British, French & Russians following the First World War and the break-up of the Ottoman Empire and the mapping of the `modern' Middle East.

Drawing on references to the Bible, the Quran and Biblical prophecy, the writer tries to make some sense out of the current conflict between Israel and the Palestinians and what the region's future holds for us all.

The author examines how World opinion has turned against Israel through the Palestinian `intifada', whilst other similar & larger `intifadas' have been downplayed or ignored by the World's media and the International Community.

He makes reference to the `intifadas' of the Kurds in Iraq, the Shiites in Tajukskaya, the Albanian Muslims in Kosovo, the Druze in Lebanon, the Azaria in Azarbidjan, the Sunni in Kashmir, the Armenians in Turkey, the Dinka in Sudan and the Copts in Egypt. The writer queries why the `Palestinians' are always in the news and yet the others are hardly ever mentioned.

The writer declares his goals of trying to understand the `perilous present' and the `frightening future' by shedding some light on the `ponderous past'. His attempts to do this are commendable, although not error free.

Especially in relationship to his use and understanding of the historic term `Palestine'. The term `Palestine' only originating in AD135 when the Romans changed the name of the Jewish nation to `Syria Palaestina' which eventually become anglicised into `Palestine'. The name of Jerusalem also being changed at the same time by the Romans to `Aelia Capitolina'. The author's brevity in relation to the British Mandate also results in the omission of some essential data.

Having said that, this is a useful book for those beginning their studies in the Middle East conflict, but there are better books out there. "Philistine; The Great Deception" by Ramon Bennett is highly recommended and Hal Lindsey has also recently released another useful study entitled "The Everlasting Hatred; The Roots Of Jihad".

Service was excellent and delivery was timely. I contacted the seller before purchase and he was very helpful.
R. E. Collier

This book brings us to the very simple focal point, that if we have two different beliefs, each firmly rooted it is the only right way to live, the other must be conquered. If this book were read thousands of years ago, just maybe we would not have these differences today. (...). A way to bring us together.

'The blood of the moon'the author purports to have taken this title from a verse of the Quran, which, according to him, is the 112th verse of the 9th chapter. In fact, this phrase does not occur anywhere in the Quran. The first part of George Grants misquotation resembles the 111th verse of the 9th chapter. The actual translation of this verse is: Verily, Allah has bought from the believers their lives and their properties for (the price) that theirs shall be the Paradise. They fight in Allahs Cause, and slay and are slain. It is a promise which is binding on Him in the Torah and the Gospel and the Qur'an. And who is truer to his covenant than Allah? Rejoice then in the bargain which you have concluded, for that is the supreme success.

The next verse continues: (The believers whose lives Allah has purchased are) those who turn repentant (to Allah), those who serve (Him), those who praise (Him), those who fast, those who bow down, those who fall prostrate (in worship), those who enjoin the right and who forbid the wrong and those who keep the limits (ordained) of Allah - And give glad tidings to believers!

These are rather flagrant inaccuracies; especially unforgivable since the Quran in Arabic and its English translation are freely available on thousands of websites, for example [website]. Can the rest of Grant's book be trusted for accurate information? For a 5 minute introduction to Islam try [website]