The first official book of the challenge I read was one being taught in our Adult Bible Fellowship. The book was Out of the Forest by Rick Brown.
The concept of this book is the verse of 2 Samuel 18:8 focusing on the phrase that “the forest claimed more lives that day than did the sword.” Brown’s main point is that many of us are retreating from battle and rendered inffective. Brown introduces 5 types of retreats and how they render us ineffective. Then he introduces us to Beauty, Blessing and the Body as ways to wake up and face our battles.
Out of the Forest is in a very authentic tone and filled with Brown’s personal experiences making it an easy read. I had difficulty reading the book however. I had difficulty with the passage in 2 Samuel 18:8 about the forest claiming more lives than the trees. The whole passage is about David reclaiming the throne of Israel from his son Absalom.
” 6 The army marched into the field to fight Israel, and the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim. 7 There the army of Israel was defeated by David’s men, and the casualties that day were great—twenty thousand men.8 The battle spread out over the whole countryside, and the forest claimed more lives that day than the sword.”
I had a problem with saying that the reason the men died in the forest was because they were running away from the battle when the verses say it started in the forest. After I finished the book I wanted to settle this question of how Brown came to this conclusion. I read and reread the passage where he sets up the verse and I think understand it better now. As Brown is introducing the verse he makes a quick allusion to the battle in the beginning of the movie Gladiator where the Romans have met the Germanic tribes at the edge of a forest. Brown states in different part of the book that he is a student of military history. He must of come to a conclusion through his study acient battles on how this one was fought. When Brown uses alludes to the battle in Gladiator I believe he is envisioning this battle to be set up similarly. David’s men meeting the Israelites at the edge of the forest. David’s men would have chased (or lured) the Israelites into the forest as they gained control of the battle. The Israelites then in their retreat would of been harmed by the enviroment.
I think the world we live in is a very dangerous battlefield and Brown’s points are valid in either view of this battle. Whether approaching this passage from the viewpoint of retreat through a forest or a raging battle in the midst of a dangerous enviroment.
The last point I wanted to make about this book is that Brown does a good job of setting up his points but I often felt like I needed more on the application end. However, the book made me think and through the questions I asked God moved.
In the end I would recommend this book with the caveat that you have your Bible in hand and let the Holy Spirit guide your thoughts. This book is a useful catalyst in exploring ways that the Enemy keeps us from living a full life with God.