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Author Muller offers an imaginative saga of events based on the Holy Bible's book of Exodus, in which a spiritually significant, historically notable event takes place—the migration of the Hebrew nation, guided and encouraged by the prophet Moses, to escape the tyranny and enslavement of the Egyptian Pharaoh. After contemplating a similar trek taken by thousands of dedicated American freedom seekers along the renowned Oregon Trail, Muller focuses much of this lively novel on members of one Hebrew family: Saul, a skilled slave assigned to work as a brickmaker; his supportive wife, Devorah; and their adventurous son, David.
Saul, highly intelligent despite his lack of formal education, hears rumors that a man named Moses is spreading the message that he and his fellow slaves should be making necessary preparations to return to their long-lost home in Canaan. After learning more about Moses and his special powers, guided and exhorted by his deity, HaShem, Saul and others, after many questions and rational proofs arising regarding the prophet and his divinely inspired declarations, decide that this newly risen leader can and will lift them from their labors and limitations. With thousands of others, they undertake the long, perilous journey to their true homeland.
There will be many terrifying events along the way, some instigated by Pharaoh as he seeks to denigrate and destroy the promises of Moses, and some by HaShem to demonstrate the overarching authority of God. Plagues are cast upon Egypt that will also be experienced by the Hebrew nomads. Conflicting beliefs among the travelers inevitably arise, resulting in idols being created and then, as Moses orders, destroyed. Saul's clan, especially David's wife, Rivka, maintain their determination to wait for the signs of their journey's ultimate goal, encouraged by the group's chosen guide, Aaron. A major turning point for the exhausted multitudes comes when Moses parts the Red Sea, creating a miraculous pathway for the weary wanderers. Within Saul's family, crises like the traumatic birth of David's child and the loss of its mother will test their faith, but at last they will experience newfound freedom and establish new roots, spurred by their newfound independence and deepened spiritual faith.
Muller, a career Air Force officer and management professor, has traveled the world in those capacities, exposing him to a multitude of peoples, cultures, and their many distinctions. He has undertaken this and other stirring works based both upon his general understanding of the Bible and his bold ambition to convey the complex reasons for the feelings and actions of people immersed in worldly dilemmas and their accomplishments as they seek widespread improvement and solace. His latest work combines historical fact, biblical reference, and a deft drawing of the entertaining and educational possibilities inherent in both. In constructing this dramatic tale, he demonstrates a true gift for depicting human cultures with their weaknesses, ambitions, and potential perfections. Muller's wit and wisdom will undoubtedly attract readers across a broad spectrum, who will appreciate his venturesome gifts of revealing and expressing human hopes and high ideals.
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