The God Whom Moses Knew by J. Roger Nelson, M.D., is a novel tightly shaped by the biblical narrative of the Exodus, richly textured with commentary, viewed through the lens of Moses’ life. Imaginative little vignettes introduce the backstories of major characters.

More attentive editing would improve the reader experience, and the story would be stronger without dated diction such as “graven images.” The author braves uncharted territory in his explanations of the mind of God. Behavior based on contemporary rather than ancient standards is sometimes startling.

Nevertheless, the book is a solid reminder that God achieves his great work when ordinary people afflicted with ego and jealousy, weakness and ambition, go ahead and put one foot in front of the other on the path where God leads them. It is not uncommon for people of faith to diminish their own potential for service by comparing themselves to the imagined virtue of biblical characters who were actually not so virtuous. The God Whom Moses Knew reminds the reader that the kingdom of God is not built on perfection; it is built on redemption.