Note: These study questions may "give away" the plot. Please read the sections in the book before looking at the questions that go with them, so as not to spoil your reading experience.

Ch 1-4

      1. David Rothmeyer misses the adventure of serving the Consortium, and has felt at loose ends for a long time. When the rabbis re-enlist him, his life has meaning again. Have you ever felt your time of usefulness was over? Was it? Discuss.
      2.  What items do the rabbis wish for David to find, and why? Why don't they just create new ones, rather than go on a quest for the originals? Be specific.

Ch 5-7

      1. What kind of woman is Roberta? How does she show her friendship to Honey? What is the sorrow of her life? How should we deal with it when our children follow paths we don't condone?

      2. How does Rabbi Ben exhibit leadership? What does his interaction with his various colleagues say about his character? Give examples.

Ch 8-14

      1. What is Zachary Cohen's dilemma? Do you think it can realistically be solved? How?
      2. Lamar Jackson and Senator Jefferson are victims of forces much greater than themselves. Give examples of cases where forces "behind the scenes" engulfed the unwary and the innocent.
      3. Several lives are being brought together from separate places and backgrounds in these chapters. Name as many as you can, and discuss their parts in the drama.
      4. Discuss the rabbis' flexibility. As orthodox Jews, how do they manage to handle their scruples? What do you think of their reasoning?

Ch 15-16

      1. Discuss the courage of characters such as Mel Wester and Lamar Jackson. What does the Bible say about courage?

Ch 17-19

      1. What is so wonderful about Jerusalem? How is it different than other cities? (You might want to read JERUSALEM - THE CITY OF GOD, by the same author.)
      2. Discuss the phrase "word of the Lord." Why is this such a universal saying, and what does it mean?
     3. Discuss Rabbi Ben's approach to Frank Paddock. What can we learn from this?
How prevalent is the Neo-Nazi movement? (You may want to look into this and see how it is growing today.)

Ch 20-25

      1. God uses the most unlikely people and places to work his will. How does he use Ann Marie, the auction house and the auction mamas? Have you seen God work in unlikely ways? Discuss.
      2. How does Zachary relate to Mel? How does he help him to feel more at ease? What can we learn from this?

Ch 26-31

      1. What do Ken Aronstam, Pete and Honey learn in the laboratory? Discuss Ken's reserach methods and tools.
      2. What does Laad Girzim learn at Petra? Do you think Fatima is a believable character? Did God ever use non-Israelite prophets in the Bible?
      3. What is the legend of Masada? Why do the characters question it?
      4. How are the scholars led to the X on Masada?
      5. What conclusion do Laad and the Queen come to? Why does the Queen want to help Israel? (This is a work of fiction, but what do you know about Jordan's relationship to Israel?)

Ch 32-35

      1. How does Laad get permission to work with the rabbis? What is the nature of the relationship between the Jordanians and the Palestinians?
      2. Discuss Zachary's prayer when the rabbis' plans seem to be blocked. The prayer seems to bring the necessary answer, yet God had already solved the problem before Zachary prayed. Discuss the nature of prayer.
      3. Read John, Chapter 3 in the New Testament. How is Uriel Katz's experience with Zachary similar to Nicodemus's experience with Jesus? What does it mean to be "born again"? How does Katz's experience change him?

Ch 36-37

      1. Discuss "Messianic Judaism." What is it? Do you consider it a valid belief system? Why/why not?
      2. What answer does Zachary discover in the Messianic meeting? Do you think the discovery is believable? Discuss.

Ch 38-39

      1. What do the archaeologists discover at Masada? What part does Laad play? Britta?
      2. Discuss the network of evil in the book. Who are the spies in the Jordanian palace, at Masada, etc. How far reaching is the network? Do you think such an international scenario is likely? Discuss.

Ch 40-44

      1. What climactic moment faces Zachary in Ch. 40? How has he prepared for it, and what choice does he make?
      2. Discuss the Interfaith Center for Ecumenical Studies. (This is based on a real place in Rome.) Do you think such a place is a good idea? Why or why not? How might Jews be involved?
      3. What do the scholars find in Rome? How had it gotten there?
      4. What do Rabbi Ben and Uriel Katz share with Zachary at the end of the book? What has their mutual secret done for their relationship?
     5. How does Zachary conclude that the Old and New Covenants are alike?

Epilogue

      1. What does David experience at Zachary's ceremony? In what way is it true that God didn't "know" David until then?
      2. What do you think the future holds for David, Zachary and the others gathered in the Hall of Polished Stones?

A Note from the Author:

I hope you enjoyed THE ORACLE. This book and its predecessor, THE PRIEST, are works of fiction. However, they are based on actual events and characters existing today. I encourage the reader to keep abreast of current events, which confirm the scenario of both volumes on a daily basis. If you have any questions regarding these works, please feel free to contact me by email at porthole@digisys.net, and visit my website at ellentraylor.com. God Bless You!