Sixth Covenant

A.D. Chronicles #6

by Bodie Thoene, Brock Thoene

Who in Bethlehem could guess that their tiny, obscure village, populated by shepherds, would become the hinge upon which all history turns . . . and the focus of a terrifying rampage? "Sixth Covenant" is the conclusion of the three-book Nativity story within the A.D. Chronicles series. "Sixth Covenant" chronicles Mary, Yosef, and baby Yeshua in the first months of his life in Bethlehem. From the shepherd's visit to the escape to Egypt to the Bethlehem babies who gave their life for Jesus, discover the most critical events in the history of the world.

Genres: Christian Fiction, Historical Fiction, Christian, Biblical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Adult

336 pages, Hardcover

First published March 29, 2007

About the author

BODIE AND BROCK THOENE (pronounced Tay-nee) have written over 45 works of historical fiction. These best sellers have sold more than 10 million copies and won eight ECPA Gold Medallion Awards.

Bodie began her writing career as a teen journalist for her local newspaper. Eventually her byline appeared in prestigious periodicals such as U.S. News and World Report, The American West, and The Saturday Evening Post. She also worked for John Wayne’s Batjac Productions (she’s best known as author of The Fall Guy) and ABC Circle Films as a writer and researcher. John Wayne described her as “a writer with talent that captures the people and the times!” She has degrees in journalism and communications.

Bodie and Brock have four grown children—Rachel, Jake Thoene, Luke Thoene, and Ellie—and five grandchildren. Their sons, Jake and Luke, are carrying on the Thoene family talent as the next generation of writers, and Luke produces the Thoene audiobooks.

Bodie and Brock divide their time between London and Nevada.

Reviews

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A perfect read for the Christmas season. This book very vividly illustrates the circumstances surrounding Jesus' birth. These authors are longtime favorites of mine, and novels like these are why.

[Abby Burrus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another well done book in the AD Chronicles series!
This one focuses on the time after Jesus's birth and the time of Herod's killing of all the two year old sons in Bethlehem, as well as the visiting wise men.
The Thoenes did a wonderful job at portraying Herod as a chilling villain. Seriously, it'll make your spine crawl. It is portrayed with emphasis that he was heavily under the influence of demons, and that was probably true.
The scene of the killing of the boys of Bethlehem was not easy to read. Especially since these children are well known in the story. It was gut wrenching. To know that it's coming made it worse.
But it was still an enjoyable read, and I look forward to the 7th book.

[Amanda]

After just finishing this book, I feel...sad. My heart aches for these fictional people. Call me crazy. Maybe it's mostly because, while this is a fictionalized retelling, these things ACTUALLY happened. Maybe not exactly this way, but they happened nonetheless.

Kings Herod in his old age became more and more troubled by dreams and visions that some coming king was going to usurp his throne. He had a reason to be afraid - he wasn't the rightful one to sit in his throne. He wasn't a Jew, but he proclaimed himself the king of the Jews. Rumors were spreading to Jerusalem that a baby had been born who was the true King. A visit from a group of astrologers who sought to worship this same baby only confirmed Herod's nightmares. The joy of the people of Bethlehem over the birth of the Messiah was trampled by Herod's murderous paranoia.

The Gospel of Matthew records Herod's order that all baby boys under the age of 2 were to be slaughtered. That's something I've read a number of times but never really thought about. Until now. Reading this scene was horrible. I can't imagine how it's possible for someone to be that heartless - heartless enough to kill innocent children. All because he was afraid one of those boys was going to grow up and take his throne. If I could go back in time and punch Herod in the face I would. I can't imagine what it would've been like as a mother. To be minding your own business when Roman soldiers come barging into your house and slaughter your kids before your eyes. To have your children ripped from your arms and watch the life leave their eyes. It's hard to not wonder why in the world God would let something like that happen. But then again maybe it's foreshadowing of what was to come. Of what God Himself would have to suffer as His Son suffered and died for the sins of the world.

[Glenda Moyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this during Christmas vacation 2021. The Thoenes trace Mary's faith journey from the angel's announcement of her pregnancy through to birth of Yeshua in Bethlehem where the Jewish shepherds and families welcome her and Yosef. Yosef faces so many questions about Adonai's choice of him and timing of the birth and why he enjoys learning about shepherding so much. Zadok, the Chief Shepherd of the Temple lambs, is an important character who identifies lessons learned as shepherd with David's psalms and spiritual journey. Balthasar, Melchior, Esther (B's granddaughter) and others from other nations meet in their quest to follow the signs in the stars indicating the King of the Jews has been born. King Herod truly earns the title of "Butcher King" as he sees plots of his demise around every corner and orders killings at the snap of his voice. Fascinating -- integrated with Scripture in context of everyday responses to Jewish life, this fiction in biblical times challenges me to integrate more Scripture into my responses to everyday living, and affirms the historical fact that the Lord God is sovereign, working out His purposes even through the evil of this world. QUOTE: " The children die first when Satan is aroused....(he) seek(s) out those who are easily devoured." (260)

[Julia Haynes · Rating 5 out of 5]

“A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.” Matthew 2:18

15 Thus saith the Lord; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rachel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not.
Jeremiah 31:15

In The Sixth Covenant, this prophecy fulfilled in detail. Innocents slaughtered so that evil men may continue to prosper. King Herod's death, fitting as it was, still did not match the evil that he committed.

Highly recommend this book.

[Mary Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sixth Covenant - Another Great Book!

Suspenseful! Couldn’t put the book down. Love reading about the love & care that Mary & Joseph had for Baby Yeshua. God chose well! Emotional feelings in reading of the tragedy of the children of Bethlehem due to the crazy jealousy of King Herod. Read this book!

[Jennifer Knutson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the most emotional of the series so far. I don’t think I’ve ever been so effected by a book before. Wow.

[Ann Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story. Lots of filler. Heartbreaking end.

[Neil · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book (although the final chapter involving the massacre of the boy two years of age and under was hard to read). I like how the authors help what is recorded in the Gospels "come alive." It is easy to read what is recorded in the Gospels and forget that these events transpired, that these events involve real people who had their own dreams, ambitions, desires, concerns, and lives. The book focuses on just after Jesus' birth through to the wise men visiting followed by the escape of Yeshua and his family and the young boys in the region being murdered. Overall, the character development in this book is quite good; the authors really made some of the characters "stand out" with their behaviors and idioms to the point of truly seeming "real" and not just fictional characters. It was a fast read, and it held my attention throughout.

I still enjoyed the explanations behind the movements of the stars and the constellations across the night sky. It really is something I had never considered, how other nations would have used the stars in the sky to navigate by across the land or how different nations would have their own constellations they created to use. I think those explanations are some of the better parts of the book.

It still makes me laugh that Joseph is described as being so strong and muscular due to his years of working as a carpenter (and one gets the impression he is not that much older than Mary), and yet Yeshua is described as being so thin and nearly frail (to me) as an adult. One would think that after working for twenty-some years as a carpenter, He (Yeshua) would be just as strong as His earthly father was at the same age instead of being some kind of wisp of a man. But that is just interpretations and I prefer my interpretation of how Yeshua might have physically appeared

There is a lot of "filler" in this book because of how little the Gospels share regarding this early time in the life of Yeshua. Not that the filler is "bad" in any way; I think the authors do a good job of creating "something" for Yeshua and His family as well as describing how life might have been like in Beth-lehem during that time. That being the case, the authors do a great job of building more of the backstory of some of the characters introduced in some of the earlier books. It some ways, it gives the reader a more "omniscient view" than the characters themselves, because the reader may or may not remember some of the events described in the earlier books regarding what people like Zadok and his wife Rachel and others went through, what they experienced. We get to see some of these characters before their lives were changed by the great heartache that occurred after Joseph fled to safety with his family. It is kind of interesting how the authors did this, how they gave the readers "foreknowledge" in the earlier books of what was to come in books IV - VI.

I felt the authors populated with some interesting and great characters, some who provoked strong emotional responses in me throughout the book. One of them was called 'Grandmother" and was the grandmother of Zadok's children. When she was first introduced in the story, she was quite annoying to me. Extremely annoying. But I think that shows how great a job the authors did because I have met people who speak and act like she did during her most annoying times early on in the book. It was pretty well done, I must admit.

I also liked how the authors introduced something like six or seven "wise men"/Magi from the east. They were all men from different countries, which was even cooler. I've never understood why people limit the Magi to just three men (unless it had to do with their being "just" three gifts given? In any case, the initial party is joined by various other wise men who have also spent their lives studying the stars and seeking to know the truth behind the revelation that the King of the Jews will be born soon. It was pretty cool to me and one of the better moments of the book.

I was happy that Melchior and Esther resolve their differences and become betrothed. They were good for each other. I also liked how Zamaris and his men appeared just in time to lead the party of Magi to safety. I did not expect that to happen, so that was a pleasant surprise. Actually, it was a "double-surprise" as I was not expecting Zamaris to appear and assist the group in escaping, and neither did i expect Zamaris to want to learn more about how the stars revealed the birth of the Hebrew Messiah and what it all meant. That was another pretty cool moment in the book; I expected him to turn out to be a "villain" through and through.

It was a good book. It was solid storytelling (especially when considering the dearth of information revealed in the Gospels upon which to base such a story). Sure, some of it seemed a little trite and some of it seemed too contrived, but I still enjoyed it, overall, while reading it and was sorry to see it end "so soon." I am glad I continued reading this series; now I just have to find the seventh book.

[Jan Curry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sixth in the series

So far this book has been the best in the series. The stars were so fasinating to me! How God gives signs in the sky's for our eyes to see his purpose shows great love!

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

SO well written. Read and find out for yourself!
I don't want to spoil it by say much.

[Betty Ast · Rating 5 out of 5]

The account of the birth of Jesus and the killing of babies 2 years old and under was remarkable!

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's what I need right now.

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

Great read, had to skim the terrible history that happens at the end. Glad I read it because of the great story and all I learned about history.

[Mona Randall · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of the Bible comes to life and is chilling when all baby boys around the age of two are slaughtered by order of king Herod.

[JL Salty · Rating 5 out of 5]

no offensive content: Xn historical fiction

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I knew what was coming and dreaded getting to it the whole way through. This was a tough one for me!

[Pam Behal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series and love everything about this book except the truth it reveals. It is a heart wrenching to read, but in the end because it is true, by God’s power, good.

[Shannon VanZegeren · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one just rips your heart out 💔

[Bob Wylie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great installment in the series.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book didn't seem to grab my heart as strongly as the last two, until the end. The way the authors delicately but fiercely handle King Herod's mass execution of all male children ages 2 and under, is just perfect! I found myself holding my breath and unable to relax until the final page. They cap the book off very well too, not leaving your heart in a total mess. I am so pleased with this whole series and how it is making the books of the Gospel so real and relatable.

[Rachael Robbins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book concludes Peniel's record of the memories of people from Bethlehem. Thoene is such a gifted writer that it really brings the horror home to you. Those who are wisest at the time recognize that Jesus Christ has been born to bring the sixth covenant after Noah, Abraham, Moses, David and ?? Thoene brings the covenants and the biblical story to life

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started reading Brock and Bodie Thoene's books when I was pregnant with my daughter and put on bed rest. I started with the Zion Covenant series and have worked all the way to the A.D. Chronicles. These books are amazing and quite addictive.

In Sixth Covenant, Mary and Yosef have arrived in Bethlehem and Mary has just given birth to the Messiah, baby Yeshua in Rachel and Zadok's lambing cave. Rachel, Zadak, Eliyahu and Havila make Mary and Yosef very comfortable and welcome and Mary and Yosef start to settle down a little with the baby.

During this time, King Herod is getting more and more paranoid. He is sure that there is a rebellion happening even though there is no evidence of one thus far. That does not stop Herod, aka the Butcher King, from crucifying anyone he thinks is a traitor. When a caravan of astronomers and princes and kings from several countries come looking for the baby Messiah, Herod becomes outraged. When he realizes that the coming Messiah that he is looking for is a baby, he orders all males children ages 2 and under killed.

This story is straight out of the Bible. If you know this story, nothing will be a surprise to you, except maybe the horror you feel at the end. I knew what King Herod did. I have read the story several times and always thought it was horrible but I never had any real emotions attached to the story until now. Rachel and Zadok and Eliyahu and Havila both have baby boys. You come to know these families and their babies and love them. It was heart wrenching to read the end. It also makes it worse since I am a mom to two beautiful boys. I cannot begin to imagine what all those mothers felt when their children were taken from them so brutally.

The rest of the book had some slow moments but I loved all the history and details in it. I enjoy reading about Mary as a normal mother with the same feelings of love and joy while looking at her child and the same feelings of helplessness when her baby is hurting or crying. I haven't ever really taken the time to think about what it must have been like for her.

I am now anxiously awaiting for the seventh novel in the series to get here from my library. I cannot wait to finish reading how Mary, Yosef and Yeshua make it to Egypt and I want to see how Zadok survives now.

[Dyana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This sixth in the series is a hauntingly detailed depiction of what led up to the murder of all babies two years old and under during the paranoid reign of King Herod.

Baby Yeshua has just been born. Mary is attended to by midwife Rachel, wife of Shepherd Zadok (a recurring character is all the books so far). All Beth-lehem is awed and excited because they welcome the newborn king that has been prophecied. They mistakeningly believe he will be a warrior king who will grow up and rid them of their enemies and establish his kingdom on earth.

In route to see the newborn king are a caravan of astrologers and others traveling to find the culmination of years of research in the stars and prophecy. They each come from different countries, but their studies of the stars and prophecies have led them all to the same conclusion - that the Messiah of the Jews has just been born, and they are now on their way to find him. The three that the bible mentions are Balthasar of Parthia, Gaspar of India, and Melchior of Parthia. This book also has Perroz of Ethiopia, Kagba of Armenia, Prince Aretas of Nabatea, and Balthasar's daughter, Esther traveling with the group.

Then we have the fictional account of King Herod, also known as the "Butcher King", who is becoming increasing troubled by dreams and visions and has lapsed into paranoia. He is King of the Jews, but not Jewish. His hencemen are Talmai, Herod's chief steward; Hermes, the captain of his bodyguards; and Boethus, the priest. Herod fears the rumors that are circulating that a baby has been born - the one the Jews call the Messiah - who he fears will one day usurp his throne. We all know the end of this story.

In the telling of this fictional account we come to know the simple people of Beth-lehem by name, their families, their lives tending sheep and the newborn lambs, and the landscape. People like Rachel, Zadok, Rabbi Eliyahu and his pregnant wife, Havila, Lem and Sharona, Grandmother, and especially the little children, Obi, Dan Samu'el, Enoch, and Jesse. I have read the account of the killing of the little children many times in the bible, but this one was so detailed it couldn't help but bring tears to my eyes. Once again, historical fiction that has been well researched, fleshed out, and conforms to the Word.

[Jeni Enjaian · Rating 3 out of 5]

**Update** I have no idea why I judged this book so harshly the last time I read it. I did not see any of what I listed. Instead, I saw the following: This book, for those who know the Biblical story upon which it is based, fills the reader with sadness even as characters experience great joy in the beginning. I could not put it down.

This book most definitely survives round two of the purge from my personal collection.

I'm increasingly unimpressed with these books. Some of the problems I have with them are the following.

First, the Thoenes fall prey to the all-too-easy maligning of certain Biblical and historical characters as irredeemably evil. It's easy to do. However, it's not true. Every person is redeemable. Also, just because certain historical actors are known for heinous acts (Hitler, Herod...etc) that does not mean that they are demon possessed. (I have a big problem with many Christians' reliance on demon possession to explain horribly evil acts. Humans, like it or not, have the capability of these evil acts all on their own. It's called "sin nature.")
Second, I really dislike that the Thoenes had the Uzipin (spelled incorrectly) visit Joseph in the middle three books because Peniel is not alive at that particular time. It's one thing to ascribe visitations to a character that could have existed during Biblical times. It's another thing to assign them to a Biblical character with no other external evidence. I would have preferred that the Thoenes limited Joseph's visions to the two Biblically recorded incidents.
Third, I am increasingly uncomfortable with the Thoene's manipulation of the Biblical storyline. (I referenced this in my second point.) That being said, the Thoenes seem to halt their downward spiral in the next two books. I hope that will continue.

Overall, the storytelling is decent and free of irritating Christian clichés. For that reason, and almost that reason alone, I will keep this series in my collection.

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a magnificent picture, the most compelling, most authentic version of the birth of the Savior I have ever read!
The only part that was heart wrenching is along with the birth of Christ, throughout the whole story, you are getting to know by name the other families in Bethlehem...The families whose sons die tragically in one of the most horrific acts of human violence I have ever had to read about, at the hand of the butcher king Herrod. I actually sobbed wretched tears and wondered if the writer did the same as she chronicled the desperation of the night long ago in Bethlehem.
Needless to say, I had to take a break from this series, but when my heart mends, I fully intend to read the whole lot of these amazing books in the series by my most favorite author of all time!

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5*
Finally, the culmination of the three book Nativity mini-series set within the A.D. Chronicles! Sixth Covenant covers the time period between Jesus' (Yeshua's) birth and Mary and Yosef's flight to Egypt. I hate to admit that I was reluctant to read this one, and I really hate admitting that my reluctance was well founded. Like the two previous titles, Sixth Covenant feels stilted, overly dramatized, and stretched out. However, I do enjoy the characters of Mary and Yosef. Be warned – there is a lot of sadness at the end of this book, as might be expected by those who have read all the previous entries into the series. The death of the infants at the hand of Herod is pretty graphic, so I would recommend skipping those chapters. I am hoping that Seventh Day will be more like the Thoene's original three novels, and the Jerusalem Chronicles!

[1peterm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many of us know the Christmas story of Jesus' birth, the angels and the shepherds, and the evil king Herod, but most of what we hear is a watered down children's version. For example, where in the Bible does it state that there were only three wise men? Or, have you ever thought about the verse in Matthew which reads "Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: "A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more?"" Bodie and Brock Thoene, well-known Bible scholars, take on a different point of view - one that is far more graphic and factual based then a simple word and color book.

A great read right before Christmas time, you're sure to love this historical fiction novel!

[Todd Coburn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The entire AD Chronicles series, starting with book 1, is some of the best writing I've encountered, both in the spiritual and secular realms. Bodie's insights into Scripture are consistently deep, often deeper than what I have seen from many pastors and teachers of God's Word. The fictional details that she creates to flesh out the details of the story not recorded in Scripture seem insightful and accurate to a surprising degree. I highly recommend this book and series as the pinnacle of Bodie and Brock's work, which has all been superb in my opinion. Each book of the series (I've read 1-12) is well written and hard to set down. There is romance, passion, action, and fun. At the same time one can learn Biblical truth and insight, without even being aware of it most of the time. Enjoy.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a hard one to read. At the very end, after the Magi visit baby Yeshua (Jesus), Herod's orders to kill all the baby boys in Bethlehem are carried out. I read it once before--when I had boys the ages of those being killed in the story--and sobbed the whole way through that part. This time I just couldn't read those pages. So many have given so much for Jesus over their lives, and although I selfishly pray that I never have to make a sacrifice like above, it reminds me to thank God for the blessings I have and to be more willing to live my life for Him. Another good book that makes the story of Jesus's life REAL, so much more than just a story.