Customer Reviews

Cracking the Bible Code

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There have been several recent books concerning the potentially life-altering phenomenon, The Bible Code. The most widely known text, by Michael Drosnin, seems to be a highly drawn upon source of information. This is unfortunate, as it is written with such narrow scope and understanding, it leaves one feeling as if he has just stepped out of a $60 million special effects picture, entertained but not enlightened, not inspired. Cracking The Bible Code by Jeffrey Satinover, on the other hand, is written with the care and skill deserving of such complex and subtle material. A wonderfully thought out book that certainly explains the codes and their mind boggling implications, but also goes a step deeper, using a devastating combination of history and hard science relating to the math behind the codes, as well as the Torah (the first five books of the Bible) and the Jews themselves. A very passionate mix. There is no doubt Satinover is sympathetic to the cause... However, unlike the aforementioned "pop" text by Drosnin, Cracking the Bible Code attempts (and succeeds) to do nothing more than this: Provide enough framework to warrant further exploration into the legitimacy of the Codes. This exploration would be intended not to "see into the future" as Drosnin strongly suggests, but rather to reveal an undeniable watermark: God's authorship. Religious or not, Jewish or not, this is powerful stuff.

QUESTION: Which one of the following terms describes people's reactions to the discovery of the Bible codes? Amazing, astonishing, incredulous, questionable, impossible, puzzling, stunning, astounding, baffling, weird, implausible, curious, exciting. ANSWER: All of the above. Incidentally, these same words could be used to describe the reactions of people to miraculous happenings in Bible times, both Old Testament and New Testament. QUESTION: Which one of the following words describes the contents of Dr. Satinover's new book, Cracking the Bible Code? Mystical, psychological, statistical, philosophical, archaeological, technical, autobiographical, probable, theological, anecdotal, historical, fuzzy. ANSWER: All of the above. QUESTION: How would you compare and contrast the books by Michael Drosnin (The Bible Code) and Jeffrey Satinover (Cracking the Bible Code)? ANSWER: In comparison, (1) both authors think the Bible code is real. (2) Both men have helpful Jewish roots and connections. (3) Both are gifted writers. (4) Both aimed their books at a general readership. (5) Both ignore or discount the research of Christian codes' enthusiasts. (6) Both think that only the surface has been scratched by current scientific research and that there is more to come, particularly from the disciplines of quantum physics and quantum cryptology. In contrast, (1) Drosnin's book is sensational, the work of a journalist; Satinover's book is reasonable, the work of a scientist. (2) Drosnin says Bible codes are like crossword puzzles; Satinover says they are like cryptograms. (3) Paradoxically, Drosnin is both secular and Biblically apocalyptic; Satinover is both religious and scientifically restrained. (4) I had to keep my Bible concordance at hand while reading Drosnin; I had to keep my Webster's dictionary at hand while reading Satinover. (5) Drosnin preaches, prophesies, and warns; Satinover teaches, explains, and enlightens. (6) Drosnin says that Bible codes are not God's doing; Satinover says that Bible codes are a divine fingerprint, God's watermark, on the Torah scrolls.

Dr. Satinover must be commended on assembling all the background and technical information on this topic that a lay reader could possibly want. In fact, some of the technical explanations of probability theory made for fairly boring reading. Having made this criticism, I would hasten to add that this should not deter anyone, with an honest interest in this topic, from reading this book. It is the best explanation of the Bible Code phenomenon I have so far come across, both in print and on-line. The historical account of jewish belief in a hidden code in the Torah adds a unique dimension to this book, and seems to add credibility to the "modern" discovery of the Bible Codes. Hopefully, after reading this book, you will conclude that the existence of the codes is not something to be immediately dismissed out of hand, but likewise is not a sensationalistic new crystal ball. There was one critical piece of information I found in this book. Dr. Satinover does not avoid the challenge of critics who have found "codes" hidden in for example Moby Dick. He very carefully examines these challenges, and draws a distinction between such random results, and the results obtained in the Torah. Probability theory shows the huge significant difference between the chances of such random codes occurring, and what appears to be the extremely high odds against the number and length of the Torah codes. I also appreciated that Dr. Satinover made it clear that the Torah codes cannot be used for fortune telling. If you are open minded about this topic, and looking for information to help you evaluate the Bible code phenomenon, this is the jackpot.

When I purchased this book and began to read it, I did so thinking that it would be a somewhat intriguing diversion from all the ugliness of the atrocities of Sept. 11 and their aftermath. But I doubted that it was anything that I should take seriously. I have been a Christian for many years, and have heard all kinds of theories regarding Biblical interpretation, from numerology to non-Christian mysticism. So I wasn't quite sure what I should expect from this book. The topic of hidden Biblical codes was mildly interesting to me, but somehow - out there; the stuff of pseudo science, pseudo religion and Fox Molder.

"Cracking the Bible Code" surprised me in that it does not sensationalize or subjectively promote its topic. Rather, it begins by telling a series of biographical stories that illustrate the long and rich history of the Jews and their devotion to the Torah both as Holy Scripture, and as God's Puzzle to be pieced together by the faithful. Eventually, these stories include the development of modern day encryption/decription technology, and the application of some of this technology to continue the ancient pursuit of hidden mysteries of the Torah. The results are astounding.

As a Christian, I believe that science and the theology are investigating the same mystery. The two are at once compatible but divergent. The more scientific information we gather, the more we learn of the act of creation, and even of the mind of God. "Cracking the Bible Code" follows this theme, but perhaps leaves the reader with more wonder than answers. Dr. Satinover seems especially aware of the temptation for the Jewish and Christian believer to loose objectivity with regard to this subject, and strives to stay focused on the facts (as he sees them) and present to the reader a 4000 year old drama that has yet to be finished.

I picked up a number of these bible code books after reading "Conquest of Paradise", a fictional account of the end times and the prophecies from the Bible. This is far superior to any other that I've read. "Cracking the Bible Code" is concise and elegantly written. You won't find the hype associated with other books, just facts and rational reasoning. This is a must read for both Bible scholar and skeptic alike. It provides tremendous amounts of research, great discussion, relevant stories, and ample references. It's far better than the original "Bible Code" by Michael Drosnin. I suggest readers avoid that and pick up "Conquest of Paradise" and "Cracking the Bible Code" instead. Both books will have a profound effect on your worldview long after you've read them.

I picked up this book as a Bible study, a simple scholasticexercise. But the stories of the rabbis and other Jews who lived,breathed and sometimes died over their Torah has gripped my heart. This book goes into such things as Rabbi Weismandel, whose deal to bribe Nazis for the lives of Jews went bad, and he ended up tearfully bidding his wife and children goodbye as he jumped the train on its way to Auschwitz and they went on to certain death. It was he who brought the code to modern-day light, where military cryptographers and mathematicians trying to break German war codes became interested and eventually applied it to the first computer for cracking. More than announcing, "Here is the amazing code," this book brings to life the amazing people behind the discovery.

When I read Drosnan's book I was intrigued. When I read Satinover's book,the Bible Code subject became very credible. The book takes 120 pages to throughly describe the historical background of the discovery of the codes; their genesis as a legitiment subject; and the development of a solid basis for statistical study and analyses.

The existence of the codes, as coded in the first 5 books of the Bible, is now being supported and clarified by scientists through the world. They are now coming to the conclusion that the Codes may be real.

To me the codes can only be a part of the Bible because God placed them there! Randomness is not a valid conclusion nor a viable result. The "Finger of God" wrote the codes just as he spoke to the scribes that recorded the biblical scriptures.

I recommend that ALL persons interested in a complete Bible Study, must also read the developing issues of the emerging Bible Codes to complete their total understanding of Bible scripture.

Satinover's book is an excellent start in the understanding of the newly emerging study of the Bible Codes.

This is one of those books which seems very interesting, if it is true. In, "Cracking the Bible Code", the author claims that there are secret messages inplanted within the Bible, which modern science can decipher with our new computers. These messages are predictions of possible futures given to Moses, and others, by God.

The author, to his credit, takes along time to explain the statistics behind his arguments and describes interesting analogies which make his case stronger. For example, if you found a coin in the middle of the street, you would probably assume it fell out of someone's pocket. If you found five coins stacked, one on top of each other in the same location, you would probably assume someone did it deliberately.

The author gives you the odds of each events above, and then relates it to the messages he states are found in the code. The author also puts the Hebrew text in his book so, if you read Hebrew, you will be able to see what he is talking about. As such, it seems to be an honest and straight foward attempt to explain interesting patterns found within the Bible.

I loved it. I hoped that it is true. But, sometimes, we can be mislead by our hopes. It certainly is not the author's job but I wondered why God would hide those things, instead of saying them straight out. Also, because I don't speak Hebrew, I didn't understand the Hebrew text, so I ended up having to take alot of the book on faith, even with the statistics. I wanted to know if these "codes" were found in other parts of the bible, not just the five first books limited which were discussed here.

Finally, I was disappointed by the manipulation of some of the text. I can't explain it well here, but basically the "codebreakers" would change the length of the text to find messsages. That is, they would make the text 85 letters long in one example, and 120 letters long in another. The author explains why they did this, but it still seems to take away from the book. Perhaps, he ddin't do this section well?

Whatever the case, this book made me think. Probably the highest compliment and I give anything, or anybody. If you are interested in thinking too, you will enjoy this book.

Finally, a book that takes you where the first flurry of "code" books should have. The author takes you back through the outstanding history of the codes. Going much farther through history than many just "jumping in" on this phenomenon ever thought possible. The book holds many suprises and shares much information that many should know. This book takes you on an amazing journey through time, and unlocks facts that have surrounded the codes for centuries. Tired of the hyped up books surrounding the codes? This is THE book to own, to reafirm your faith, and give you a clearer view of just how astounding these are. The author guides you through an incredible journey with an understandable ( It can get a bit complicated, but he is a reliable tourguide )and intelligent approach.

Few critics of the so-called "Bible Codes" have actually taken the trouble to understand what they're criticizing: most attacks are generic, and are far more readily cobbled together by not reading this book, than by considering it as it deserves. Ok, maybe the codes are a crock, as the author admits--and illustrates why, in a fashion that makes you go, "ahem!"

Or maybe not, in which case, "aha!" In any case, "Cracking the Bible Code" is tremendous fun to read--intellectually challenging, extremely well-written, a gem. As a bonus, you get to absorb an amazing amount of little-known history--everything from Kabbalah to Cryptology. Fans of the X-Files: you'll love it!