The Chamberlain Key

The Chamberlain Key: Unlocking the God Code to Reveal Divine Messages Hidden in the Bible by Timothy P. Smith sounded super intriguing, so I decided to pick it up and read it. The description says:

"Imagine you are a young, ambitious, successful appraiser of artifacts and antiquities—your services in demand by many of the most powerful individuals and branches of government in Washington, D. C. Your future could not seem brighter—except for a troubling dream...with the same mysterious message...on the same exact date...three years in a row...

A True Story...Better Than Fiction

"Timothy P. Smith, heir to a renowned family business responsible for construction or renovation of some of America’s most cherished landmarks, struggled to understand the significance of his recurring dream...until he had another dream--one that identified a specific location where it seemed he might find answers to his questions. So Timothy drove to a remote spot in British Columbia. There the adventure--which later led to a startling discovery in the oldest Hebrew text of the Bible--began.

It took the convergence of the sacred text, one man’s life, and modern computer technology to reveal messages that may explain dramatic world events, as well as influence every person alive today.

Welcome to The Chamberlain Key.

“However one wishes to interpret the meaning and significance of the text, they may rest assured that the text on which Timothy Smith bases his interpretation has almost certainly been there for a very long time, since before the birth of Christ.”
—Eugene Ulrich, Ph.D.
Department of Theology, University of Notre Dame
Chief Editor, The Biblical Dead Sea Scrolls

“For more than fifteen years I managed to keep the lid on a discovery that will dramatically redirect biblical scholarship, Christian theology, and perhaps even the trajectory of history itself.” –Timothy P. Smith

What You Will Discover in The Chamberlain Key

• An encrypted code in Genesis, in the oldest known Hebrew text of the Old Testament, centuries before predicted the birth and resurrection of Jesus.
• Scientific evidence that this encrypted code was authored by the divine hand of God.
• Signs that there are more encrypted codes in this same Hebrew text that will lead to additional messages from God to humanity
• Hidden clues that may lead to the location of long-missing sacred artifacts, such as the Ark of the Covenant
• Insights on why Timothy P. Smith was chosen to uncover this encrypted code.
• A dire warning that God wants us to hear—and heed."

I mean, I couldn't pass up a story like this - it seems too good to be true. I started this book with an open mind, but a huge grain of salt. I'm always suspicious of anyone claiming to have extra knowledge, exclusive words from God, or a secret code or formula. At first, this book was just so incredible and intriguing I just couldn't put it down and read it in two sittings. However, after finishing it and reflecting on it a bit I'm just not sure what to think about it. On one hand, if everything is just as Timothy describes, on the face of it, it's incredible. However, I have a great deal of trouble believing that his name, his wife's name, all of his children's names, AND all of their birth dates are found in the Bible in a particular chapter of Genesis, especially because he refuses to divulge his wife and children's full names and birth dates in the book and only provides the portion that includes his name and birth date. The way he gets this information is also extremely confusing - skipping x number of letters (the number of letters skipped vary), then shifting everything into different orders and grids. Honestly, I feel like you might be able to get any word or words out of the Bible using these methods.

Also, many stories are rushed over and left me wanting more information - for example, his story about moving to the Canadian wilderness with his pregnant wife, two small children, and another couple they were friends with. Who were this couple? Why did they agree to go to the Canadian wilderness in the dead of winter with them with nowhere to live? What kind of man takes his pregnant wife and two small children into the Canadian wilderness with a tent and no idea of where you might stay? Who lets their wife give birth in a cabin in the wilderness, out of the country, in the howling winter with no way to get help if anything goes wrong with her or the baby? This may not have been the case, but this is how it was portrayed in the brief explanation in the book. Also, what happened with this wife (now ex wife)? Why did they get a divorce? What does she think about Timothy's discoveries? Timothy also mentioned his second wife forcing him to go to counseling. Why? I was left with a tinge of a feeling that he could potentially be mentally ill, a narcissist, or both.

I want to believe every one of Timothy's words. They're certainly intriguing and could be earth shattering if true. However, I have so many more questions that weren't answered in this book. I think if Timothy expects us to believe all of his claims, he needs to be more open about everything - his life, everything he claims to have found, etc. At the end he provides a tantalizing claim that he's found something too potentially groundbreaking to share. Why write the book at all if you aren't ready to provide all of the facts you claim to have found? It just leaves me, like I said, with more questions than answers. Pick up a copy of the book and read it for yourself to see what you think. It is definitely an extremely interesting read. I'm reserving my final judgment until I see how everything plays out once the book is published.

I received an advance copy of this book from Blogging For Books in order to provide an honest and unbiased review. All opinions are my own.