There is a beautiful thing about biblical fiction: it always sends me digging into the Bible with fresh eyes in light of the context. A Hope Fulfilled is April W. Gardner’s contextual imagining of the book of Obadiah. The 21 verses of the minor prophet’s Old Testament prophecy are easy to skim over, but don’t be fooled by the book’s length. And don’t be fooled by the novella’s length, either. Gardner sets the stage with a Jewish servant in the household of an Edomite official who despises her the way Edom despises Judah and is more than happy to treat her poorly. With the Babylonian army at the gates, Tikvah must decide if she is willing to help one enemy with a task that ultimately fulfills part of Obadiah’s prophecy against another enemy. And because we all love the thread of hope of a happy future for the heroine, there is a surprise hiding within the Babylonian armor. As a novella, this story moves at what I call “novella’s pace.” It can feel rushed if you are settling in for a novel length exposition, but packs a lot of story in a few hours’ read. Kind of like the book of Obadiah, to which the author refers, so it seems fitting.
Not to be overlooked are Gardner’s companion books, which together with A Hope Fulfilled complete the A Fire and a Flame series. Knowing Obadiah is her commentary on the Old Testament book and But in Mount Zion is a Bible study of the book. It seems at first glance like the second shortest book of the Bible needs little explanation, but with context and study come understanding of the prophecy that calls down warning and judgement on a nation that has despised and abused the nation of Judah, while promising hope for God’s people.
A Hope Fulfilled, Knowing Obadiah, and But in Mount Zion by April W. Gardner are available online from Amazon. You can find more information on the A Fire and a Flame series on the author’s website.
This is such a beautiful review! It does my heart good to watch others fall in love with the book of Obadiah. God has so much to tell us, even in the tiniest of books! Thanks so much for featuring my series!
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