Authorpreneur Dashboard – R Frederick Riddle
Noah and the Ark
Literature & Fiction
Living in an ungodly generation Noah was chosen of God to preach to the lost people and to build an Ark for a refuge. Supported by Methuselah he set about its construction. As his sons were born and grew to adulthood they joined his crew. This is the story of a man who found grace in the eyes of the Lord and was burdened to save as many people as possible from the coming Flood. Though mocked and ridiculed, he was faithful to the task. Faced with giants, dragons, and deadly enemies he persisted until the task was done. Then came the test as the rain began to fall.
Book Bubbles from Noah and the Ark
Noah and the Ark
Literature & Fiction
Living in an ungodly generation Noah was chosen of God to preach to the lost people and to build an Ark for a refuge. Supported by Methuselah he set about its construction. As his sons were born and grew to adulthood they joined his crew. This is the story of a man who found grace in the eyes of the Lord and was burdened to save as many people as possible from the coming Flood. Though mocked and ridiculed, he was faithful to the task. Faced with giants, dragons, and deadly enemies he persisted until the task was done. Then came the test as the rain began to fall.
Book Bubbles from Noah and the Ark
The Call of Noah
Noah is one of the intriguing people of the Bible. A godly man living in an ungodly world, Noah was chosen of God not only to preach to these people, but to build an Ark designed for their deliverance. Noah was not a shipbuilder. Yet God called him to build the biggest ship ever built in that time - a size that would remain the largest until the 19th century. In this passage you see the call where God gave Noah what amounts to a blue print. Most likely Noah needed someone experienced in building boats or ships to understand this blueprint. I know some people believe the Ark was the first ship built, but the Bible nowhere says that. In either case Noah was a special man chosen of God!
Perished: The World That Was
Literature & Fiction
This book is Volume I of The World That Was series. . . . . . . When God creates the heavens, and earth, the archangel Lucifer refuses to believe. With the creation of man, he rebels. Adam and Woman (Eve) enjoy sweet fellowship with God, but Satan makes war against God. Using Serpent, he tricks Woman into eating the forbidden fruit, which Adam knowingly eats. God extends His grace in response to their sin, but He drives them out of Eden in holy anger. They start a family, but tragedy strikes as Cain slays Abel and God drives him from home. He starts a new civilization, thus beginning a struggle between good and evil. While conflicts grow, faith in God also grows and is demonstrated in the lives of Adam, Methuselah, Noah, and others. Meanwhile, immorality rises, bringing the judgment of God.
Book Bubbles from Perished: The World That Was
Cain's Rebellion
In writing this scene I was reminded of how we all rebel at times. Cain was apparently rebellious about being considered the Redeemer as his parents believed. His rebellion took on the form of outright disobedience. Cain's rebellion was really the beginning of false religion. He put his own ideas before God's. God had shown Adam how to properly worship Him and Cain turned away. We are all capable of doing this. In Cain's case he was offered a second chance, which he refused. God is a God of second chances. We need to accept and embrace that opportunity when it comes. While the scene is actually a sad scene it is also a revealing scene as it reveals God's grace.
Origin of Sin
Sin! Today people deny the very notion of sin, but everyone of us are sinners. It all traces back to Adam and Eve. The tragedy of Adam putting his love of Eve above his love for God resulted in all of us being sinners. In Perished I have tried to bring this tragic event alive. Not only did they sin but they had to live with the consequences! As I delved into the Bible and learned as much as possible about these two I discovered that they were the first to experience many aspects of sin, including the murder of their own son. I easily pictured Adam regretting his sin and remembering it all of his life! He felt the shame as well as the physical consequences. I have tried to bring all of that to the forefront so that my readers can truly see the impact.
Perished: The World That Was
Christian Books & Bibles
This version no longer available. New edition is Perished: The World That Was (volume 1). . . . . . . This is the book that launched The World That Perished series.It begins when God creates the heavens, and earth. The archangel Lucifer refuses to believe and, with the creation of man, he rebels. Adam and Woman (Eve) enjoy sweet fellowship with God, but Satan makes war against God. Using Serpent, he tricks Woman into eating the forbidden fruit, which Adam knowingly eats; thus bringing sin unto mankind. In holy anger He drives them out of Eden, while at the same time extending His grace and promising a Redeemer. Adam and Eve start a family, but tragedy strikes as Cain slays Abel and God drives him from their home. He goes to land of Nod and starts a new civilization, thus beginning a struggle between good and evil. While conflicts grow, faith in God also grows and is demonstrated in the lives of Adam, Methuselah, Noah, and others. As society makes marvelous advances immorality rises, bringing upon them the judgment of God.
Book Bubbles from Perished: The World That Was
The Purpose of the book
How did I arrive at the title of the first book, Perished: The World That Was? When I decided to write this book it was to include two other books: Refuge: The Genesis Chronicles and Adam’s Chronicles, plus brand new material connecting the two books. So when it came time to choose a title I needed to ask myself some questions. 1st Question: What is the story about? The answer was simple: About the world that existed prior to the Flood including the people who lived in that time. 2nd Question: What is the emphasis of the story? Again the answer was simple: To show God’s creative and preserving hand throughout history, and to show why God had to destroy the world. Having answered those two questions, I then had to come up with a title. I am not suggesting that you get your title from the same source I used, but you do want it relevant to your story. I came across 2 Peter 3:6: “Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished.” Right there was my Title and Subtitle.
We Need Revival
All the problems of the world can be traced back to that moment when Adam bit into the forbidden fruit. Unlike Eve he knew what he was doing. Perhaps he did it out of love for Eve, but a love that is put above the love of God is not real love. Since that time sin has been manifested in us and is now more prevalent than ever! Today we are calling good evil and evil good. Christian and biblical moral standards are denigrated. Wickedness of all types reigns. We are revisiting the days of Noah and judgment cannot be far off. We need revival not just political but spiritual. Christians need to pray for personal and national revival. Only then can we expect positive change.
How Would Abel Celebrate Thanksgiving?
We know from the Bible that Abel loved God. His life was cut short, but not before he demonstrated that love by making a sacrificial offering that pleased God. How would Abel celebrate Thanksgiving? I think his short life tells us that he would have been thankful for the Promise of the Redeemer. He didn't have a lot of information available to him, but he would have had his father's remembrances. Since writing was already present he would have had access to God's written record (Genesis 1:1 to 2:4a) of creation and the Garden of Eden. Therefore it is safe to assume he would have been thankful for a Creator God and a loving, merciful God who expelled his parents rather than destroy them. Most likely he would have offered a lamb upon the altar and spent some time in praising and worshipping his God. I have no doubt it would have been a beautiful expression of his faith!
The Flood: Fact or Fiction
I recently saw headlines inferring that the story of Noah and the Ark is a myth. The opening line said it was suspiciously like the Epic of Gilgamesh. What a sad and mistaken view. Unfortunately many people, including Christians, believe the Biblical story of the Flood was preceded by other stories such as the Epic of Gilgamesh. This is nonsense. The whole argument falsely rests on the idea that the Flood story began when Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible. Moses drew much of the facts written in Genesis from written records. Read the opening chapters of Genesis and you discover they were written in the first person. In fact, Chapter one through Chapter two, verse 4a bears evidence of God's authorship! The story of the Flood was a firsthand account, recorded perhaps a hundred years or more before any other story. We know Gilgamesh wasn't written until after the Confusion of Tongues at Babel. How long after is the mystery. If Christians would study the Bible they would know its reliability and could easily refute those who make false statements about any events recorded in the Bible. While the Epic of Gilgamesh is a myth based on distorted memories of the Flood, the Biblical story the Flood is fact recorded for us and preserved by God.
Adam
We don't usually think of Adam and Thanksgiving together. But how would Adam have handled Thanksgiving? Adam was the first recipient of God's grace. The first instance is the promise of a Redeemer found in Genesis 3:15, but the second instance happened in the context of the excerpt. In Genesis 3:21, God slew a lamb and provided clothes for them to wear which replaced the fragile, insufficient leafs. Adam would have remembered this incident, along with the Promise, for the rest of his life. So what did Adam thank God for? The Promise of a Redeemer and the Covering of his sins. Although not stated here, Adam and Eve were saved. They may not have understood it like we do, but their sins were covered by the blood of Jesus, represented by the blood of the lamb. Adam and Eve could also give thanks that God kicked them out of the Garden, because if they had stayed and continued to eat of the Tree of Life they would have forever been in their sins. There was still more: God provided for them, He gave them sons and daughters, and He gave them long life. Yes, Adam suffered for his sins, but the grace of God was greater than the sufferings. Adam would have celebrated Thanksgiving with joy!
Death of Cain
Cain was the first murderer ever! But what happened to him and how did he die? The Bible doesn't answer that question other than to call him a vagabond. In writing Perished, I sought to picture what his life and death was like. Being called a vagabond suggests being alone. He chose to deny God and that left him on the outside of society. Even people who did not worship God would have turned against him. In the end, he died alone. And it pictures the end of all unbelievers. Deny God and He will deny you. And the result will be the Lake of Fire surrounded by other unbelievers yet alone.
Cain's Offering
Sandwiched between being kicked out of the Garden of Eden and the murder of Abel is the sad story of Cain's rebellion. Because the events are only briefly recorded and follow quickly after the expulsion from the Garden we often skim over this true and tragic event. And tragic it was! In writing my book I tried to imagine what could have turned Cain against God and against his brother. There are many theological explanations, but it occurred to me that there were high expectations. Adam and Eve undoubtedly looked upon him as the likely Redeemer. That was a heavy burden to carry. Did he rebel against that idea? Was he jealous of Abel? My goal was first to picture the scene of his rebellious offering in a manner consistent with the Bible. Secondly, to show the mercy of God at work even at this early stage of humanity. And finally, to encourage people to read their Bible and look deeper than just the surface.
Noah's Ark
We live in an exciting age of renewed interest in Noah's Ark resulting in good actions like the Ark Encounter, and bad actions like the terrible movie Noah. In my novels I tried to keep to the Biblical facts. One interesting fact I discovered is the Bible does not say no ships were built before the Ark, but I have heard preaching that said otherwise. I understand that preachers might preach that because it is a fact that until the Ark is mentioned there is no mention of boats. However, this is not proof that boats did not exist. There is internal Biblical evidence suggesting much smaller ships existed. That evidence lies in the blue print God gave Noah. No one could have built the ship by using only that general blue print. This suggests that God gave Noah additional instructions (entirely possible) or that someone with shipbuilding experience helped. I think the latter is the case. One thing for sure, the Ark was unique! It bore a striking resemblance to modern barges, only it was three stories tall and was large enough to handle all the 'Kinds' in existence at the time (fewer than the 'species' of today).
Expelled from the Garden
This was the most devastating decision man has ever made. When Adam sinned, he not affected himself, but all mankind right down to those of us living now and those who will live later. In writing this section I tried to capture just how devastating it really was. But the wonderful part of the story is that even as God was expelling them from the Garden, He was providing a Redeemer. That Redeemer was, of course, Jesus Christ. Just as this event was pivotal in the course of human history, it is also pivotal for the book and the series. Because all the sins of mankind (murder, rape, homosexuality, lying, extortion, robbery, etc.) are the result of the sin of Adam. It might be added that the forgiveness of all these sins is found only in Christ.
Biblical Creation is Reliable
Perished:The World That Was is the first book of the series appropriately named The World That Was. The creation of the world is a subject that mankind has been studying for centuries. The Bible is our ultimate source of information. Here in the Information Age man has turned to fables such as evolution. But these fables ultimately fail. In researching for this book I recognized that the Bible is the only true and reliable source. While I did use much secular information (both hard copy and Internet) I kept the book true to the facts as reported in the Holy Word of God.
Rise of Shem
Christian Books & Bibles
This is book #2 of The World That Was series. God's judgment of the world with a world-wide Flood leaves only eight people who survive, land on the Ararat Mountains and start a new life. But it isn't long before Satan causes trouble, raising up Nimrod, who quickly rises to power and leads the people into false religion. Called of God, Shem witnesses and records the rise and fall of Babel, the Confusion of Tongues, and the rise of violence and immorality. But he also watches as God's plan for the redemption of mankind begins unfolding, and finds he has a role to play.
Book Bubbles from Rise of Shem
Melchizedek
There's a belief among Jews and Christians that Shem, the second son of Noah, was the Melchizedek mentioned in Scripture. Not everyone shares that belief. But is it possible? I think there is enough evidence to say yes, it is possible. My research revealed that Shem was still alive during the life of Abraham. Furthermore, the city of Salem existed as an actual city, changing names from Salem to Jebus and finally to Jerusalem. The main objection has been the Bible says he was without birth or death. But if Melchizedek was a title rather than a name then this objection doesn't really apply. Titles, such as Pharaoh, are passed on, neither being born or dying. This would seem to be the case with Melchizedek. I would add the Bible never identifies him as the Angel of the Lord or equivalent, which would seem to rule out the argument he was a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ. He exhibited no powers, received no worship, nor made any divine statements. He simply received tithes as a representative of God. In fact, Melchizedek was recognized by Abraham as a representative of God by giving him tithes. Again, no worship by Abraham in voice or action. Later in Hebrews Melchizedek became a type of Christ's Priesthood, which is the most important fact.
Will man ever again face judgement?
In my book Naamah asked her husband Noah, "Will man ever again face judgment?" While the Bible doesn't who was Noah's wife, the question is real enough. Man went through a horrific judgment called the Flood, which destroyed the existing civilization. Why? Because of sin. When I read that question, I find it to be a very important question. And the answer is Yes! In fact, a hundred years later God did judge mankind again with the Confusion of Tongues which was caused by man's disobedience toward God. Man rebelled and built a tower. That tower represented many things among which was lack of belief in God and defiance. But that's not the end of the matter. Another judgment is coming called the Great Tribulation, which won't be the final judgment. It won't come until after the thousand year millennium. Ultimately the earth will be destroyed by fire and a New Earth and heavens will appear. God has the right to expect our complete obedience and worship. Today, we see man departing from that concept on the right and on the left. Belief in a holy God seems to be bereft. The question of God's judgment is still relevant today.
Tour of the Ark
Describing the interior of the Ark required a great deal of research. I had to: 1. Look at ancient construction methods 2. seek expert opinions Fortunately I own a copy of Genesis Record. I also had access to websites where people, including scientists, were knowledgeable in ancient shipbuilding and the requirements necessary to withstand ocean currents. For people who don't believe the Biblical account I suggest they have a faulty view of the Bible. In the Book of Genesis you have first hand accounts of actual events. These accounts predate the Epic of Gilgamesh. (By the way, people who say that the Epic of Gilgamesh is older than the Biblical account of Noah and the Ark are forgetting that they are comparing one COPY with another COPY. You cannot set dates based on copies.) The Ark was built to go wherever the tides took it. Considering the Pre-Flood world was one continent, the Ark's origination cannot be ascertained. But its destination was ultimately the mountains of Ararat. This ship was a masterpiece of construction: so good that it survived a full year plus on the high seas! What a magnificent testimony to God's care and provision!
Confusion of Tongues
The Confusion of Tongues was God's judgment on mankind that we are still enduring to this day. Man has tried to undo God's judgment with technology and translators. But we are still under that judgment. In writing Shem I tried to capture the overall impact. It tore families apart, Anger and hatred erupted. People died! All of this I tried to capture. From this point on man would no longer speak in one language. But the significance went beyond that. Not long after this event the Epic of Gilgamesh would be written that would distort the original story of Noah and the Ark. Soon the world was awash in myths not only of the Flood but of Creation and of God Himself. It also marked the beginning of tribes moving away and forming their own races (although that is an incorrect term - we are all one race). This was a judgment from God and it came because man turned his back on that same God. Something that we are in the process of doing again.
Shades of Brown
This bubble is an excerpt from when Noah got drunk after the death of his wife. This particular bubble zeroes in on the birth of Canaan. Today we have many people of differing colors and features and have labeled them races. But the Bible teaches that we are all of one race, the human race. As one scientist says, "we are of different people groups" not races. Prior to the Flood it is believed that the most common shade (we are all different shades of brown) was somewhere in-between white and black. More importantly, Adam and Eve were likely to have been this in-between shade. Racism is a concept of Darwin, not of the Bible. You see racism today, blame it on the teachings of evolution. The Bible teaches we are all of one race and have all sinned thereby needy a Savior!
Absolute Power
Man doesn't change much. O, we change physically, but our quest for power, yes absolute power, never changes. Then it was Nimrod rebelling against the God of Noah and building both a great city and a great tower. His goal was to turn the people away from God and to be a god himself. Today we see an increasing desire of the people for one man to rule the whole world. We never learn! Nimrod was that man for the people of the day and they suffered for it. Unfortunately we are heading toward that same situation. That man has not yet appeared (that we know of) but the world is looking for him.
Noah's Flood
The great Flood or Deluge is an historical event that changed the entire world! Outside of the Bible there is precious little reliable information. There are many non-biblical stories of the Flood, Epic of Gilgamesh being the most well-known. But this is a distorted version written long after the event and quite unreliable. I had to do a lot of research in the Bible itself, all the while getting to know the story more intimately than ever before. I have tried to paint a picture (of words) showing the Flood and its impact on the world and upon humans. For me personally it was enlightening to understand how complete and total the destruction that took place. We have nothing to compare with it today. But it changed the geography of the earth and the course of human history!
Dead Eye: An American Hero
Christian Books & Bibles
Will Riddle enters the War of 1812 as a boy and quickly grows to manhood. Along the way he becomes known as "Dead Eye Will" and gains the trust and confidence of William Cass.
Book Bubbles from Dead Eye: An American Hero
Colonel Richard Johnson
This event where Colonel Johnson was credited with killing Tecumseh helped propel the colonel to the vice president of the United States. His career as a vice president was so undistinguished that President van Buren dropped him from the ticket when re-election time came. But the colonel got his start by killing Tecumseh although others claimed the honor as well. It was certainly a very interesting research. While a minor part of the book and, for that matter, the war, it did play a significant role in the battle. I found the man interesting.
The Story of William Riddle
I love history and was naturally drawn to the War of 1812. l was also intrigued with the idea of using an ancestor in the story. I subscribe to Ancestry.com and there you will find my ancestor Edward Riddle, who served in the Revolutionary War. Like most people he had a large family, including his son James Riddle. But I focused on James' brother William Riddle. Mixing fact and fiction I created Dead Eye, but William Riddle was a real flesh and blood man. Through his eyes I pictured the British, Indians, and the lifestyles of the time. If you read the book carefully you will meet real people that actually lived during that period of time; and a few I made up. In Dead Eye William Riddle is a hero. But many of the people of the day were heroes, such as William Cass, and others known only to their family and friends. But all played a role in the beginnings of America. It was a time of heroism. Today we once again need heroes. Especially those that love the Lord and are willing to carry His message throughout our land.
William Riddle
William Riddle is more than the main character of Dead Eye Will. I came across his name through researching my family history on Ancestry.com. As depicted in the book he was the brother of my ancestor James Riddle and the son of Edward Riddle. It is believed that at least three brothers fought in the War of 1812: James, Alexander, and William. Researching family history as well as the war proved very enlightening. As for William being known as Dead Eye I will leave that up to the reader whether it is truth or fiction. Some of the facts that I can share are that William did get married, became a teacher, and lived a fairly long life. Most of his life was in Mercer, Pennsylvania on the same farm as he was at the beginning of the story.
Wreck of the Walk-in-the-Water
The Walk-in-the-Water steamship was a pioneer. Launched in 1818 and wrecked in 1821 it had an illustrious career until that untimely wreck. I personally found researching the Walk-in-the-Water a fascinating subject. Although the wreck was the end of the ship, certain parts and machinery were used in the new steamship Superior. Much of the story that appears in Dead Eye is taken from firsthand reports. Captain Rodgers, for example, did a great job of getting the ship ashore without losing a single person!
Tecumseh
Although history gives Colonel Johnson (a future Vice President of the United States) the credit for killing Tecumseh, there is some controversy. But the evidence for the most part supports Johnson. To Dead Eye Tecumseh was a great warrior, as history has shown. Dead Eye's own bravery and skill was still growing. He would go on and be promoted to Lieutenant. After the war Governor Cass would call upon him to perform special assignments.
