Jesus directs Mack to a cave like entrance, which Mack unsteadily enters into. He comes to a chair sitting in the middle of an open space which he sits in, waiting for something to happen. As he did this, a beautiful Latina woman appears.
She begins a barrage of questioning that intentionally lead Mack down a path of his judgment. She asks him of repentance and then informs him that he will be the judge of God and the human race. She peels back the layers of Mack with a brutal honesty until Mack finally confesses that He’s angry at God.
The questioning goes on until the woman asks Mack to choose 3 of his children to go to hell and the other 2 to go to heaven. He screams at the woman that he can’t, he won’t make that choice. He offers himself in their place. The woman smiles and says, “Now you sound like Jesus.”
The woman continues on, teaching Mack about God, attempting to clean up his confusion about the sameness of God and Jesus. It is then that Mack sees his children together – all of his children playing with Jesus.
The woman pulls him back from the vision (for lack of a better word) and says, “Judgment is not about destruction, but about setting things right.”
This is BY FAR my favorite chapter.
Probably because it led me into a space of introspection. Makes me ponder over what I hold against God, if I truly trust Him, if I accept that He and Jesus truly are one.
This chapter was worth a million dollars to me.
How come, Jonathan?
I pictured God saying to me, “OK, you want to judge, then get on the judges seat.” No, I don’t want to sit there. That’s not my place.
Then I leave and walk out of the judge’s room to go judge myself and others.
I can only hope that I can tune my ears to the words, “Judgment is not about destruction, but about setting things right”—about healing, restoration and relational reconciliation.
I guess we’ll have to agree to disagree on that one, Jeromy
(I think that God setting things right has far more to do with God than it does with us.)
I’m such a semantics person and the word “judge” traps me into wondering what that word means. I’ve done word (hebrew and greek) studies on it and I still don’t feel like I’m getting it. I always tend to think of judgment more along the lines of condemnation; but one can judge how good that someone is, right?
“to pronounce an opinion concerning right and wrong”
I really liked this chapter. I think it was a great visual of what we try to do on a regular basis. And, I think there is never a place for judging God – which we do all the time – whether it be pouting when things go wrong, second-guessing His timing, or determining that the things He has told us are bad for us really might be okay after all.
But, I do believe the Bible makes room for a proper use of judgement. We must not judge the speck in our brother’s eye when the plank is still in our own eye, but we are told to “judge with righteous judgement” in John 7:24.
I think the prevalent teachings of today would be that we are to love and accept everyone just the way that they are – rather than leading them to the truth that there are things about them that are not okay. A good friend of mine has a father-in-law who owns a few rental properties. And the number of young girls he is leading to the Lord, by telling them straight up that there decision to live with their boyfriends is sin is astonishing. We do love a God who has an abhorence of sin, and exhorting one another while it is still called today is an essential part of being a fellow believer. Is that judging?
Raquel, I’m confused at what we are disagreeing on. Help?
I was trying to point out my personal tension. In one breath I say I do not want to be the judge—to take God’s place on the “judgement” seat, then with the next breath I can harshly judge myself and others. This is not a good thing.
Jeromy,
The whole “healing, restoration and relational reconciliation” thingy. But that’s an aside… sorry, I didn’t mean take us in that direction…
wow- just a comment on the book…what a struggle the end was- I gulped back sobs when Mack was lead to the body and the subsequent burrial…..it was written so well that the readers actually suffer with him in this grueling task. Well done!
I was left with the question about it being a tale told by a guy who truly believed it happened or did the author make the whole thing up including the characters since it was fiction…any thoughts?
Dana,
It’s just fiction.
I know that a lot of people walk away really moved from this book… honestly, I had a hard time forcing myself to finish it. Was it the back story of the father/daughter thing or the development of Mack and the Trinity that moved you? As I type that, I figure that it’s probably both (but I’de rather you tell me;)).
The idea here may be fine and well for a subjective lesson; but when the day comes, we will not be on the throne rather before it, with no excuses. Any anger we have with God will be shown to be unjustified and we will be found guilty of all charges.
Should I finish it? I’m on page 108 and can’t seem to force myself to read another page. I was told it was a great book and would change my life. I feel obligated to try and finish it – but ugh!!! Boring.
nothing says you have to finish any book Rebeka
rebeka, if you like reading, you might like “Rescued” by John Bevere.
I am so glad that I found this book.. To my amazement I am humbly grateful for whatever reason this guy wrote this book.. I feel like the pages come alive in my spirit and that the truth is that we has humans put God in a box. He said to become to man all things… And I know that this is the begining of a real relationship with God that I never really thought about before… I am so greatful to have read this book and am again ready it for the second time.. I cannot get enough of it.. I think in tradgedy that we wonder all these things and to finally hear these words and to look at the indepth replys that most people really have towards God is mind opening… It has truly made me look at me and then see that God is not what I thought he was.. and HE LOVES US ENOUGH TO COME TO US WHERE WE ARE.. I believe that a mans mind could not just have thought of these explanantions in this book with devine appoinment with GOd himself.. I truly am amazed and long for a deeper walk with God…
Thanks for all your posts. I was actually confused about this latina woman and who she’s supposed to represent. I actually thought as I read the chapter that the woman represented Satan and was leading Mac into false perceptions of God. Who those she represent and where in Proverbs is the author alluding to?
Eugene – the woman is “sophia,” the word for wisdom, specifically used in the book of Proverbs, and when Solomon counsels the reader to seek wisdom, he personifies Wisdom as a “she.” So I would imagine the woman figure in the chapter represents the Wisdom of God. As such, she is not seperate from God as much as she is a part of God personified in the Scriptures, and so personified here in this chapter. It’s a cool tool the author uses to mix things up a bit…
I just finished watchingthe July 2nd Q & A with William Young from this website. You all might enjoy it if you read this book. I loved it!!
http://www.marinerschurch.org/theshack/av/index.html
The reminder here to a previous place where Mack understands that blaming God comes from not trusting God. Do we really truly believe God loves us? He does. The question this book then tries to answer is why the bad stuff. The bad stuff is not from God, it is a result of sin. Judgement is the condemning of that sin, and also from the rejection of the love offered.
I just finished reading this book. I was a bit leery because I had read both good and bad reviews. Well, with that said, going into reading it I prepared myself to not be pulled into anything not of God. As I read, I literally felt my spirit being opened and the eyes of my understanding were broadened. I love a good read and I am not overly “religious”. I love God, but have always felt as though others knew Him better than me, or were more “spiritual” than me. What reading this book did for me was to help me understand, that its not all about, “me”. ITs about Him. He loves me soooooo much and once I realize that, I am able to be free to love with out restraint. God is LOVE. I really loved the part that talked about our own relationships and our relationship with Him and how when we live with expectancy it is wonderful, fulfilling…but when we live with expectations, ugh!!!! Reading that freed me up!!!! anyways, i feel i got nothing but positive from this book, i want to read it again just to let more of the between the lines stuff stand out to me! Read it! it really is a good book!
Stinks of New Age to me.
not new age. new age is full of self. this book teaches us that it is about God. it is about love. and that we are receptacles of HIS love – the ONE love.
I suppose that it all depends on which ONE god that this book is pointing towards. If it’s one that looks a lot like us… I’m thinking that it does go back to self.
I read the book, and it was a good story, many visuals one can paint for his or herself, so that was good. My sense is that it is a book mainly for those in need of a healing. Forgiveness healings. After that, it is a good story, one that is Not complete,..at least scripturally in my opinion. The book does a wonderfull job on the awesome aspects of God and His Grace and love. While He forgives, so shall we forgive. Let us Not Judge least we be judged. The Book clearly outlines wonderfull Ear tickling attributes from God and for us to learn and live by. With that being said, I have serious concerns about the Dangers of the Book. Those dangers are what\’s Not in the book. Perhaps the author choose not to address them or it was not an end all of All that there is either ( which is what I beleive it is not and end all ). Mack never talks or asks about Satan or the Evil one. The Book of Daniel sure does, and Paul clearly teaches are battle is spiritual from the Devil. Ephesians 6: chapters 10-20. Then we have Revelations. We have Jesus talking about being concerned about the One who can both destroy the body and the Soul as well. These are what is dangerous about the book in my view. It leaves out Hell, judgement, the Devil, all of which are real and especailly the Devil and the main Anti Christ, these are what we live with until the Lords Day comes. I don\’t understand why some Pastor and Church LEaders are so quick to blog about how good this book is with not even a slight waving of a warning flag of some sort. The Devil is tricky beloved. Guard yourselves and be VERY carefull out there. God is Love, God is Spirt yes He is our God, but, yes But, the evil one roams the earth like a lion and can decieve the very elect. I am not saying this about this book, but if you believe that part is true about the Devil, then becarful not to Sugar Coat God and His Judgement and the pouring out of His Wrath that is to come and Will Come. I bet you would\’nt see that coming from Papa in this story, would you? SOme people have amovie being made with Queen Latiffa being God, could you see her saying on the Silver Screen what Jesus says is coming and what Revelations says and what IS going to happen on Judgement Day? I think you would\’nt, why? It would ruin the movie and the feelings of love joy and everything is going to be alright aspect that some new churches preach. I bet it won\’t come up much in the new study groups at some Church\’s in the name of this book. Beloved, this book is ok and has good stuff, don\’t get me wrong. But Clearly, do not lose sight of the warnings Christ spoke of and how it all ends. It is Not all flowers and Roses out there, keep focused and know that He JEsus is our Lord and Savior. I say all these things because it is a confusing world out there. Jehovah Witnesses preach Jesus is a created being or an Angel so this book would not be for them. The Mormans believe what the teach about JEsus and Satan, the Seventh Day Adventest teach their views and so on and so on. Becareful not to read my post and take it as gospel or a blog or post from someone that says they are a Pastor and take it in Hook line and sinker that this is Good and God is blessing this Book Fully and Completely. I\’m just sayin,…….