Honi the circledrawer was a jewish scholar of the 1stcentury bc, prior to the age of the tannaim, the scholars from whose teachings the mishnah was derived. The circle maker exposed circle making, a tool of witchcraft. Like the honis jerusalem critics, i was forming the impression that batterson was being presumptuous. Kids are encouraged to be brave and bold in their prayers and dreams just like honi, and to see how god answers prayers in big and small ways.
You will love the freshness of this approach to prayer. God honors bold prayers because bold prayers honor god. The publisher claims that batterson is offering a new way of praying see advertisement on page 233 of the circle maker based on a jewish legend of honi the rainmaker, also called honi the circle maker pp. Mark batterson tells the story of honi the circle maker. This should be the first red flag to any biblebelieving christian and it is this authors sincere hope and prayer that this article will encourage believers to use the bible as the basis of their beliefs and decisions about what is godhonoring and what is not. Its a mechanism whereby god accomplishes great things in us. In this student adaptation of the circle maker, pastor mark batterson uses the true legend of honi the circle maker, a firstcentury jewish sage whose bold prayer saved a generation, to uncover the boldness god asks of us at times and what powerful prayer can mean in your life. The circle maker was a challenging read to be sure.
Jul 01, 2016 batterson discussing the legend of honi. Once again, the fable of honi the circle maker is not in the bible. A book called the circle maker has started making the rounds through churches as the latest new method to access untold blessings from god. Sep 12, 2016 the publisher claims that batterson is offering a new way of praying see advertisement on page 233 of the circle maker based on a jewish legend of honi the rainmaker, also called honi the circle maker pp. The circle he drew in the sand became a sacred symbol. The circle maker heresy witchcraft in the church john. From honi he has learned the value of big, bold, audacious prayers. According to pastor mark batterson in his book, the circle maker, drawing prayer circles around our dreams isnt just a mechanism whereby we accomplish great things for god. Apr 11, 2012 early on in the circle maker, i started to worry that batterson was veering into name it and claim it territory.
In his book he describes many occasions in which he has prayed in circles and seen the lord grant what he asked. What impossibly big dream is god calling you to draw a. The honi circle maker story is directly referenced in a book on witchcraft. The greatest tragedy in life is the prayers that go unanswered because they go unasked. May 24, 2012 in the circle maker i share a true legend about a jewish hero who was famous for praying for rain. The circle maker goodreads meet your next favorite book. I did a little research last night just to get some more information. Once they said to honi the circle drawer, pray that rain may fall. The title comes from the story of honi the circle maker you can read battersons retelling of honi s story from a previous post. He is remembered as a miracleworker in the tradition of elijah and elisha. The circle maker student edition audiobook by mark. Batterson uses the legend of honi the circle maker as the basis of his prayer method. The christian pastor mark batterson claims to have gotten a new revelation from god about a new way to pray based on honi the circle maker. Who he was and what he did will become a relevant portion of a consideration of popchurchianity.
That the circle was an important element in the magical ceremony we also see from the fact that the miracleworker honi mentioned in talmud babli, taanit 19 a and 23 a ff. Of interest in this regard is mark battersons the circle maker which was a book turned into a curriculum turned into a video series, etc. Mb a few years ago, i discovered the legend of honi the circle maker. Dramatic illustrations by antonio caparo bring the compelling story to life, while each page prompts children to discover the timeless truth that god. Mark is one of those favored few who dig a little deeper into the word, consistently finding truths that are sometimes surprising and always challenging.
Honi was celebrated as a hometown hero by the people whose lives he had saved. In this student adaptation of the circle maker, pastor mark batterson uses the true legend of honi the circle maker, a firstcentury jewish sage whose bold prayer saved a generation, to uncover the boldness god asks of us at times, and what powerful prayer can mean in your life. Here is the legend of honi as recorded in mark battersons book, the circle maker. People are taught to draw circles around the things they want, or even to walk in circles. Honi isnt a bible character, but from other writings that include his story jerome, for instance, it seems that honi likely lived within fifty or so years of jesus. To answer a question on circle makers circle makers were jewish scholars believed to have miraculous powers, around the first century, bc. A few years ago, i was reading through the book of. Honi hamaagel was a jewish scholar from the first century bc. I have been hearing a lot about mark battersons book, the circle maker.
Honi was an israelite known for his ability to pray for rain. I was not familiar with the basis of the book, the story of honi, the circle maker. In the circle maker i share a true legend about a jewish hero who was famous for praying for rain. He is reported as a 1bce scholarmysticprayer man, depending where you source the info from. Sharing inspiring stories from his own experiences as a circle maker, mark batterson will help you uncover your hearts deepest desires and godgiven dreams and unleash them through the kind of audacious prayer that god delights to answer. After the first chapter, telling the story of jewish legendary circle maker honi who stood in a circle to pray for rain, i wasnt convinced this book was biblical at all. But after reading the whole book, ive changed my heres the premise of the circle maker, a book on praying through. Honi, who lived a century before the ministry of christ, supposedly drew a circle in the dirt, stepped into that circle and. One of the most popular witchcraft books ever written actually cites the honi circle maker story itself as way to practice the occult. Wikipedia provides a condensed version of his most famous miracle.
Batterson says his book is inspired by a legendary jewish sage, honi, the circle drawer, who lived centuries before christ. A few days ago i finished reading mark battersons latest book, the circle maker. May 27, 20 the circle he drew in the sand became a sacred symbol. With the authority of the prophet elijah, who called down fire from heaven, honi called down rain p 10. Life returned to normal, but the legend of the circle maker had been born. Open letter to anne graham lotz regarding the circle maker. What impossibly big dream is god calling you to draw a prayer circle around. This illustration was about a jewish man named honi, who lived during the 400 years of silence between the old testament and the new testament. The bestselling author of circle maker, which helped over two million people learn to talk to god, now helps listeners learn how to listen to god. Yet here is batterson, equating honi, who was not a prophet of god, and never mentioned in scripture, with elijah, one of the. Jewish history records him as being a miracleworker in the tradition of elijah and elisha. Boys and girls will learn the story of honi the circle maker, who drew a circle in the sand and didnt budge from it until god answered a seemingly impossible prayer.
This is one of the dangers of a book like the circle maker. Jan 02, 2020 batterson uses the legend of honi the circle maker as the basis of his prayer method. Solitary witch was written by legendary witchcraft practitioner silver ravenwolf. In the circle maker, pastor mark batterson shares powerful insights from the true legend of honi the circle maker, a firstcentury jewish sage whose bold prayer ended a drought and saved a generation. During this time, israel i believe was suffering from severe drought. The power of a single prayer the earth has circled the sun more than two thousand times since the day honi drew his circle in the sand, but god is still looking for circle makers. During the 1st century bc, a variety of religious movements and splinter groups developed amongst the jews in judea.
He is the lead pastor of national community church, one of the most innovative and influential churches in america. We now come to how who he was and what he did became a relevant portion of a consideration of popchurchianity. Nov 01, 2011 after the first chapter, telling the story of jewish legendary circle maker honi who stood in a circle to pray for rain, i wasnt convinced this book was biblical at all. The circle metaphor is applied loosely throughout the book e. He answered, go out and bring in the passover ovens made of clay that they be not softened. Mark batterson has a new book titled the circle maker that is a marketed as prayerfocused, but seemingly built on a talmudic story of honi. The voice that spoke the cosmos into existence is the same voice that parted the red sea and made the sun stand still in the midday sky. Mark batterson is the new york times bestselling author of fifteen books, including the circle maker, in a pit with a lion on a snowy day, and chase the lion. The legend of honi the circle maker the caffeinated.
Once they said to honi the circledrawer, pray that rain may fall. For the sake of ease on the reader, any paragraph starting with mb is the words of mark batterson from his promo video for the circle maker. The circle maker finds its title and inspiration in honi hamaagel, a jewish scholar who lived in the first century b. I have read battersons other books and also listen to his podcasts from national community church in d. But some within the sanhedrin called the circle maker into question.
According to the story, honi drew a circle in the dust, stood inside it, and told god he would not move until it rained. Remember, this is an extrabiblical source, so take it for what it is. He was known for drawing circles in the ground where he would stand praying until he received an answer. Batterson begins with a chapter called the legend of the circle maker, which is a story in the talmud also recounted by josephus, the ancient historian, about a man named honi who lived in the first century bc. Honi the circle maker is a longtime legendary figure, and mark batterson is well on his way.
But batterson dispels this impression in a single paragraph. And the legend of honi the circle maker stands forever as a testament to the power of a single prayer to change the course of history. Dramatic illustrations by antonio caparo bring the compelling story to life, while each page prompts children to discover the timeless truth that god honors bold. Now i must admit i have not read the circle maker yet. And it is from honi that batterson found the inspiration to begin praying in circles. Based on the new york times bestselling the circle maker and draw the circle by mark batterson, the circle maker devotions for kids encourages kids ages 8 and up to pray circles around their biggest dreams boys and girls will learn the story of honi the circle maker, who drew a circle in the sand and didnt budge from it until god answered a seemingly impossible prayer. Mark batterson is a colorful and imaginative writer and pastor of national community church in washington, d. Jan 18, 2015 here is the legend of honi as recorded in mark battersons book, the circle maker. Honi hamagel aka khoni or choni and also onias as this is the greek form of the name lived in the first century bc born circa 65 bc and came to be known as the circle maker or circle drawer. The first book i finished this year is the circle maker by mark batterson.
Notice that the entire premise of the book is based on the legend of honi the circle maker. Honi thoughts from a hoosier fan in the buckeye land. When it started to sprinkle, honi informed god that he wanted more rain. Batterson is the author of the circle maker, a bestselling book that promotes the practice of praying in circles that has become widely accepted in american evangelical churches. The talmud also tells a rip van wrinkle story about how honi fell asleep under a carob tree for 70 years, similar to how yeshu was hung on a carob tree in the toledot, and then woke up and walks to a town where he hears the sages saying, this tradition is as clear to us now as it was in the days of honi the circle maker, but when. Honi the circle maker thoughts from a hoosier fan in the. If you were to type into a search engine the circle maker you would find what i, a layman, found out about this book and this new way of praying. The circle maker heresy witchcraft in the church september 12, 2012 by beginning and end the apostasy of the modern church continues with a book that is teaching witchcraft. As i mentioned in yesterdays post i have started reading mark battersons the circle maker. The circle maker take heed that no man deceive you.
Introduction it was the first century bc and a devastating drought threatened to destroy. First off, the circle maker is book is filled with a lot of blatant misinterpretations of scripture. Sorry we were unable to playback the trailer in your browser you can still view the trailer by downloading the circle maker dvd promo. A faction believed that drawing a circle and demanding rain dishonored god. Obviously, the first thought that should jump out is. Beginning with the jewish legend of honi, who drew a circle around himself and prayed for rain, batterson examines the answered prayers of several circle makers. The power of a single prayer the earth has circled the sun more than two thousand times since the day honi drew his circle in. There is nothing about honis account that was divinely inspired scripture. The circle maker for kids, based on mark battersons new york times bestselling the circle maker, reveals the true legend of honi, a man whose prayers for rain saved a generation. Jun 28, 2012 buy the circle maker right now from my amazon store. The circle maker is a book about prayer based on a jewish man named honi who lived during first century bc. He and his wife, lora, live on capitol hill with their three children.
Yet you equate honis circle in the sand with gods instructions to the israelites to circle the city of jericho times in one week. When i first started reading the circle maker by mark batterson, i was taken aback. Hone drew a circle in the sand and knelt down to pray. The example that comes to mind first is the usage of the miracle of the quail in the desert as an example of how we can ask god for anything we want and he has the power to do it. The circle maker download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. The inspiration, i suppose, is mark batterson and his book the circle maker. Mark is the author of several bestselling books, including new york times bestsellers the circle maker and in a pit with a lion on a snowy day. I believe that this is a good example of what prayer could look like. And the rainmaker returned to his humble hovel on the outskirts of jerusalem. Batterson bases his prayer technique on a story from the life of honi hamaagel, a jewish scholar who lived in the first century b. Many people did not like marks illustration of the circle maker. Its time you learned from the legend of honi the circle makera man bold enough to draw a circle in the sand and not budge from inside it until god answered his prayers for his people. Jan 04, 20 and believe me, there is plenty to question.