Dry Bones to a Mighty Army
Dry Bones to a Mighty Army by Pastor Mathews Abraham is a compelling exploration of Israel’s prophetic restoration, especially surrounding the 1967 Six-Day War. Blending historical insight with his personal journey to Christianity, the author connects world events with biblical prophecy. As an electrical engineer turned pastor, Mathews brings a unique perspective rooted in faith and historical truth. Published on October 28, 2024, the book is available in Kindle format. Beyond writing, he mentors young professionals and fosters interfaith dialogue through active ministry.
CHAPTER 1-The Origin of My Journey
1. Chance to Debate
- I was told, “Life is a journey toward death.” This perspective forced me to define life as the process of dying, since no one knows the time or place of their death. This line of thought introduced me to a profound biblical idea:
- In December 1977, an unexpected series of events led me to a Christian camp where I debated Christian thinkers on philosophy, logic, history, and truth. For three consecutive nights, debates raged until early morning. Initially, I argued from an agnostic/atheist perspective.
- By the second night, the debate shifted to the historicity of the Bible. By the third night, the focus was on modern Israel, the prophecy of Ezekiel, and how the dry bones became a mighty army in 1967. The supernatural comeback of Israel became difficult to refute intellectually, especially when compared to other military leaders like Alexander the Great or Napoleon.
- I was intrigued. Could the Bible truly have predicted events centuries in advance?
The debates left me wrestling with deep historical and philosophical issues:
- 1.The vanity and pomp of leaders, and the meaningless death of their followers
- 2.The role of God in Jewish history and the promise of a coming Messiah
- 3.The ego "edging God out" which hides the root of the problem of evil
2. Unanswered Questions
- At the age of seventeen, my life felt void of meaning. Although born into a Christian family, I immersed myself in Indian philosophy, Hinduism, Buddhism, and martial arts, such as karate, in search of truth. My studies led me to admire Buddha’s teachings, but I struggled with the logical inconsistencies, particularly the paradox of desiring to eliminate desire.
- While leaders like Alexander and Napoleon sent others to die, Jesus died for His followers. He fought not physical but spiritual battles, offering a different kind of kingdom. This radically contrasted with the patterns of history I had studied.
- I couldn’t deny it: I had no logical counter to many of their claims.
“In Him [Jesus] was life.” – Gospel of John
3. Quest to Understand
- ABy May 1978, the transformation of the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) from 1948 to 1967 seemed to fulfill Ezekiel’s prophecy. I couldn’t ignore it anymore. I had to study the Bible in the context of global history.
- A friend in college pointed out that major world religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, were historical faiths, not just philosophical systems. This opened my eyes to the reality that faith and history were deeply connected.
- This new perspective drew me to the life and parables of Jesus, the Gospel of John, and eventually, the Old Testament prophecies. His parables, though simple, were full of truth and often brought me face to face with my sin. My fascination with Eastern philosophy gave way to an insatiable desire to understand biblical truth.
- TBetween 1978 and 1980, I began studying the Book of Romans and its teachings on salvation through Jesus. Without even realizing it, I had become a serious follower of Jesus.
4. My Life of Study
- From 1977 to 2021, I dedicated myself to understanding the problems of history through the lens of the Bible—especially the tension between Israel and its Islamic neighbors, and the covenantal thread running through both the Bible and the Quran.
- •“The God of the Bible and the God of Islam seem to provide two parts of the same puzzle in history focused on the Covenant of circumcision.”
- This book and this course are a reflection of that journey: how the dry bones of 1948 became a mighty army in 1967, and what it means for us today. My goal is not to exhaust the topic but to spark a spiritual awakening, just as I experienced.
5. Today
- In 1987, I came to the United States and pursued advanced education:
- Courses in manufacturing and quality engineering
- An MBA from Indiana University
- Despite this, I never stopped studying the Bible. In 1997, a small home Bible study that my wife and I started grew into a church, Living Epistle Fellowship, which we pastored for 24 years until January 2021.
- To this day, I continue to write and teach still fueled by that single debate that happened on a December night in 1977.
- "It all began with questions. And those questions led me to Jesus."
This course includes
- Lectures Dry Bones To A Mighty Army
- Duration 3 months 15 days
- Skills Advanced
- Language English
- Certificate Yes
Mathews Abraham
mathabraham@hotmail.com