Category: Book Reviews

Bob’s book reviews

“Warfare in the Old Testament: The Organization, Weapons, and Tactics of Ancient Near Eastern Armies” by Boyd Seevers

~ Bob Hayton ~ 2 Comments

Warfare in the Old Testament by Boyd SeeversBook Details:
  • Author: Boyd Seevers
  • Category: Biblical Studies
  • Book Publisher: Kregel Academic (2013)
  • Page Count: 320
  • Format: hardcover
  • ISBN: 9780825436550
  • List Price: $34.99
  • Rating: Recommended

Review:
Most of us experience warfare only through classic “war movies” or by means of game like Risk. Oh, but then there are the stories in Sunday School too! We hear of David and Goliath, the conquest of Canaan, and the sack of Jerusalem. In truth, tales of war are foreign to our very makeup. If we haven’t served in the armed forces, we cannot really appreciate all that goes into fighiting for one’s land and the sacrifice and honor it brings.

Warfare was a fact of life in the ancient Near East (ANE), and Bible characters, like everyone else, were affected by the ebb and flow of the seasons, and “the time when kings go out to battle” (2 Sam. 11:1). The Bible is written in this context of ANE warfare and assumes we know what chariots and javelins are, and why it is that a people would want a king to “go out before us and fight our battles” (1 Sam. 8:20). (Chariots, by the way, were less like tanks and more like mobile platforms for archers.)

Boyd Seevers gives us a tool in understanding the concept of war in ANE history with his new book Warfare in the Old Testament: The Organization, Weapons, and Tactics of Ancient Near Eastern Armies. In this accessible and attractive volume, he itemizes the implements and tools for war as found in the dominant cultures represented in the Old Testament: Philistia, Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, and of course, Israel.

Strategy, history, numbers and weapons, boats and chariots, siege engines, and armor — all these and more are described in the detail a bible geek or armchair archaeologist-historian will love. Maps, drawings, diagrams and sketches fill the pages like a technical manual. Interesting facts are highlighted, like the difficulties with the Hebrew number system, the fact that Akkadian was a lingua franca as far back as the fourteenth century BC, and Persia’s invention of the first true “pony express.”

Seevers doesn’t just present dry historical facts ad nauseum, however. He offers fictional vignettes of typical soldiers on a campaign before each discussion of the military history of a given culture. This draws the reader in and adds the tool of imagination which helps flesh out the incomplete picture that too often emerges after the archaeological digs are done sifting through what remains we have left. His style is inviting, even if at times his rigid arrangement of the material comes off somewhat wooden.

This book will help situate the student of OT history, and will make a good addition to any scholar’s library. It may interest the casual reader, but it may not. The laser focus of the material will not appeal to everyone, but for those who are interested, Seevers leaves few stones unturned.

About the Author:
Boyd Seevers (PhD, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) is professor of Old Testament studies at the University of Northwestern St. Paul. He is an expert on ancient warfare and has participated in numerous archaeological excavations in Israel. He lived in Israel for eight years, during which time he was a visiting professor at Jerusalem University College. He has written numerous articles for the Baker Illustrated BIble Dictionary and was the author of “Joshua” and “Daniel” in What the Old Testament Authors Really Cared About.

Where to Buy:
  • Amazon
  • ChristianBook.com
  • direct from Kregel

Disclaimer:
This book was provided by Kregel Publications. The reviewer was under no obligation to offer a positive review.

“A Draw of Kings (The Staff and the Sword #3)” by Patrick W. Carr

~ Bob Hayton

A Draw of Kings by Patrick W. CarrBook Details:
  • Author: Patrick W. Carr
  • Category: Fantasy Fiction
  • Book Publisher: Bethany House (2014)
  • Page Count: 212
  • Format: softcover
  • ISBN: 9780764210457
  • List Price: $14.99
  • Rating: Must Read

Review:
If you are looking for a thrilling adventure, something comparable to Tolkien’s MiddleEarth, or Lewis’s Narnia, look no further than the kingdom of Illustra and Patrick W. Carr’s “The Staff and the Sword” series. A Draw of Kings is third and final installment of this series and is satisfying in every way.

The setting of this tale is a medieval kingdom where the crown and the church hold sway over the lives of its people. But mythic tales of antediluvian monsters turn into stark reality as evil threatens to overtake the good kingdom of Illustra. The hero of the books is an unassuming misfit, Errol Stone, who rises from a lowlife drunken teenager to become a true hero of the land. He learns he is a reader, one who can cast lots in wood or stone. But he isn’t just any reader, he is a special omne and can read any other reader’s lot.

In A Draw of Kings, Errol faces his destiny, throwing himself into the desperate quest for some boon to save the land from sure defeat. No one knows who will be the next king, and every attempt to find out by casting lots ends in bewilderment. Without a king they are surely doomed. Their God’s blessing depends on the barrier made with blood, and that barrier is weakening. Stone must rescue a lost treasure and restore it to the kingdom. Then he must look his love in the eye and forsake her to save the realm. Will he have courage? Is his destiny to die? Will Illustra be spared a cruel demise? These questions are answered in a compelling way in the thrilling conclusion to this saga.

The books in this series are superbly written, the tale is engrossing. This is a page turner with a surprising amount of depth. It isn’t a direct allegory like at times the Chronicles of Narnia seem to be. Nor does it have its own language and ethos completely, as does The Lord of the Rings. But this series is in the same vein. Carr crafts a Christian world, with a sacred history, and a classic good versus evil fight. The hero must sacrifice his own desires and beyond this there are even more parallels with Christian themes. A doctrine and tradition-oriented church cannot accept the religion of the mystics and their faith in the Spirit of God, and an ancient book of the sacred history of Illustra has been lost. Sound familiar? I appreciate though, that the book never comes off as a direct allegory and doesn’t preach a moral or lesson to learn. It is a story first and foremost.

I would compare the power and beauty of the story to the Sword of Shanarra series by Terry Brooks, or any of several series written by Stephen R. Lawhead – both favorite authors of mine. Patrick W. Carr joins them as this is the best fantasy series I have read in years.

If you are looking for some new fiction to add to your shelf, this is the series for you. Preview the first 40 pages of this book, or pick up the first book in the series on Kindle for free (for a limited time). And be sure to enter a contest (US/CA only) to win one of two free sets of all three books in the series.

About the Author:
Patrick Carr was born on an Air Force base in West Germany at the height of the cold war. He has been told this was not his fault. As an Air Force brat, he experienced a change in locale every three years until his father retired to Tennessee. Patrick saw more of the world on his own through a varied and somewhat eclectic education and work history. He graduated from Georgia Tech in 1984 and has worked as a draftsman at a nuclear plant, did design work for the Air Force, worked for a printing company, and consulted as an engineer. Patrick’s day gig for the last five years has been teaching high school math in Nashville, TN. He currently makes his home in Nashville with his wonderfully patient wife, Mary, and four sons he thinks are amazing: Patrick, Connor, Daniel, and Ethan. Sometime in the future he would like to be a jazz pianist. Patrick thinks writing about himself in the third person is kind of weird.

Where to Buy:
  • Amazon
  • ChristianBook.com
  • direct from Bethany House

Disclaimer:
This book was provided by Bethany House via Chapter-by-Chapter.com. The reviewer was under no obligation to offer a positive review.

“The Pyramid and the Box: The Decision-Making Process in a Local New Testament Church” by Joel Tetreau

~ Bob Hayton ~ 1 Comment

The Pyramid and the Box by Joel TetreauBook Details:
  • Author: Joel Tetreau
  • Category: Church and Ministry
  • Book Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers (2013)
  • Page Count: 212
  • Format: softcover
  • ISBN: 9781620326367
  • List Price: $23.00
  • Rating: Must Read

Blurbs:
“You are holding a great handbook on decision-making for every local church. I commend Joel’s insights into biblical decision-making — here are some profound new insights into how it should be done.”
—Hans Finzel, author of The Top Ten Mistakes Leaders Make

“Joel’s book is both needed and refreshing. It is needed because church leadership needs clear exegetical direction, and it is refreshing because Joel puts truth into usable shoe leather for today’s church.”
—Daniel Davey, President and Professor of Biblical Exposition, Virginia Beach Theological Seminary

“Dr. Tetreau’s approach is theologically rich, exegetically sound, biblically shaped, and eminently practical for both the teaching-shepherd and the people of God in the body of Christ. I have every confidence that his seminal work in this book will benefit multiples of ministries.”
—Doug McLachlan, former President of Central Baptist Theological Seminary, Minneapolis, MN

Overview:
Much has been written on how to do church. Church should be purposeful, simple, deliberate or missional. The building must be inviting and the service disarming. Or the answer might be: we need to major on small groups or a downplayed doctrine. The answers and strategies are as varied as they are plentiful, and the books keep coming as fast as the presses can run. All this attention is not without some merit. There have been some excellent books published and taking time to think through how we do church is certainly time well spent. But of all the books I have seen on the subject of how to do ministry, not a single one is devoted strictly to how decisions should be made in a local church. This important ministry “how to” gets a full Scriptural treatment in Joel Tetreau’s book The Pyramid and the Box: The Decision-Making Process in a Local New Testament Church.

Twenty years of pastoral ministry stand behind this book. It was written in part “to shed light on the destructive power of poor decision-making” (p. xi). The book gets its title from two versions of an “institutional” church: “The Pyramid” illustrates the “power-hungry” pastor, who is like “an Egyptian pharaoh, sitting on top of his own pyramid… his own domain” (p. 8). “The Box” illustrates an institutional church consumed more with its “budget, buildings and reputation” than with its people. With both of these approaches to ministry, churches are “acting like cut-throat corporations” who are “willing to discard families or use up individuals” (p. 9). In contrast, “the family church is willing to ‘sell the farm’ if necessary for the sake of its members” (p. 8).

The book is well designed and carefully laid out with key chapter principles summarized at the beginning of each chapter, and a clear and helpful outline. The book spells out in very practical ways, all the considerations that need to go into decision-making in the context of the local church. After setting the stage for how vital decision-making is, Tetreau presents a biblical theology of decision-making in his first main chapter. Next he examines the different levels of decision-making made by the various members of the church: the decision-making role of the senior pastor, the elders, the deacons, the congregation and then each church member. The book then turns to how to recover from bad decisions and concludes with a summary of the principles that should inform decision-making in the local church.

At the beginning of the book, Tetreau explains that the leadership principles for decision-making that he finds in Scripture “can give concrete help, no matter what form of polity a local church prefers” (p. 12). An honest read of this book will benefit pastors and congregations from a variety of different backgrounds. Tetreau prefers a model with a senior pastor who is the “first among equals” with respect to a plural body of elders. Deacons play a role as well, as does the congregation and its authority. The balance of power and responsibility will vary among different church models: some will not have an elder board, some will not prefer the idea of a senior pastor, but the principles in this book truly will be a benefit to all kinds of churches.

Quotable:
The following excerpt illustrates the problem with “the Pyramid” approach to decision-making.

The pyramid approach places one man at the top of the pyramid. He directs many resources to a project in order to achieve the goals he has in his mind quickly. In some cases, this one man is the senior pastor; in other cases, he is the chairman of the deacon board. IN a few confused situations, these two may fight for the top position within the pyramid, straining the entire structure. In any case, the strict pyramid approach identifies one man as the only person who can make the final decision on just about everything. This leader may become such a CEO that he loses touch with the shepherding side of ministry altogether. These ministries and organizations display very centralized leadership.

The pyramid approach may lead to ecclesiastical demagoguery on the part of the leader. Everyone assumes that all decisions must have one individual’s approval before they can be implemented. Too often, the assumption is that the chairman or the pastor always knows best, even when the item falls outside the leader’s area of expertise. These leaders can display a harsh and unloving demeanor. While a godly leader might be forceful or show strong emotion, he is to have that energy checked by a personal code of conduct and character that is consistent with 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1. (p. 87)

Evaluation:
Tetreau lays out a biblical vision for a vibrant local church ministry with each member playing their part and applying the Scripture to areas where they have decision-making authority. His years of pastoral experience inform and illustrate the work, providing humor and caution, and wisdom. He pieces together helpful quotes and critiques opposing leadership models. And throughout the book, he turns to a careful exegetical focus on the text. The book doesn’t provide all the answers for every question. He doesn’t explore the question of women’s ministry in a church in too great a detail, and his chapter on deacon ministry doesn’t fully address their particular role and how they should or could serve in churches today. But he does take time to address so many other practical areas. He discusses how and when not to defend your self; when it is best to stay in a church and push for growth, and when it is best to leave—and how exactly to go about leaving. His bent toward practical applications brings him to address the “worship-wars” and the problem of emphasizing each and every doctrinal position as being fundamental in nature. He spares no punches in opposing a legalistic spirit that is lurking in some fundamental churches, and tries to push for a focus on discipleship and servant-leadership rather than a ministry-first mindset.

Recommendation:
This book is a handbook for church leaders and a blueprint for a healthy New Testament church. Tetreau’s contribution offers the next generation of church leaders a steady compass from which to chart a sure course for fruitful ministry.

About the Author:
Joel Tetreau (M.Div, Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary; D.Min, Central Baptist Theological Seminary, Minneapolis), is Senior Pastor of Southeast Valley Baptist Church in Gilbert, AZ. He is Regional Coordinator for the Institute for Biblical Leadership (West), and has over twenty years of ministry experience. Joel has taught at the undergraduate and graduate levels and serves on the boards of several parachurch ministries.

Where to Buy:
  • Amazon
  • Christianbook.com
  • Direct from Wipf and Stock

Disclaimer:
This book was provided by the author. The reviewer was under no obligation to offer a positive review.

Commentary Roundup: “Romans 1-7 For You (God’s Word For You series)” by Tim Keller

~ Bob Hayton

Romans 1-7 For You by Timothy KellerCommentary Roundup posts are a series of short reviews or overviews of Bible commentaries. I’m working my way through a variety of commentaries, new and old, and hope to highlight helpful resources for my readers.

Book Details:
• Author: Timothy Keller
• Series Editor: Carl Laferton
• Publisher: The Good Book Company (2014)
• Format: hardback
• Page Count: 208
• ISBN#: 9781908762917
• List Price: $22.99
• Rating: Highly Recommended

Series Description:
Each volume of the God’s Word For You series takes you to the heart of a book of the Bible, and applies its truths to your heart. The central aim of each title is to be:

  • Bible centered
  • Christ glorifying
  • Relevantly applied
  • Easily readable

Each title in the series can be used “To read… as a book that explains and explores the themes, encouragements and challenges of this part of Scripture. To feed… as part of personal devotions, or alongside a sermon or Bible-study series. Or, to lead… as a resource to help one teach God’s word to others, both in small-group and whole-church settings.”

Commentary Type:
This is a devotional, introductory-level commentary designed for personal reading and growth rather than a technical commentary.

Special note: The series introduction on page 5 states: “These books are not commentaries.” I respectfully disagree. This title is more accessible than the average commentary, but still functions much like a commentary, so I am treating it as if it is a commentary.

Structure and Features:
Romans 1-7 For You includes an introduction to the Book of Romans. Each textual section in Romans 1-7 is covered in a chapter, which is then split into roughly two equal parts. At the end of each part are three “Questions for Reflection.” The Scripture text is not included in the commentary, but verse references from Romans are bolded to help the reader follow along in the commentary as he reads the Bible text. At the end of the book is a glossary where bolded words in the commentary are defined. Following this are three appendixes and then the bibliography. The first appendix is a helpful summary of Paul’s flow of thought through the first seven chapters of Romans. The next appendix defines idolatry and explores how to identify and dismantle the idols of the heart — those underlying motives that stand behind our sins. The last appendix is a brief, two and a half page discussion of the recent debate over the New Pauline Perspective and how that impacts our understanding of Romans. He concludes that it doesn’t require a completely new reading of Romans, while it can add to our understanding here and there.

Throughout Keller’s discussion of the text are pastoral nuggets of wisdom. Quotes become sidebars in the text to encourage the reader to continue reading. Lists of three reasons for this, or three kinds of churches, and other pastoral wisdom are brought to bear on the text. This is fitting for a devotional commentary where the comments need not directly flow from the text itself. Yet Keller’s comments are not just devotional. He draws careful distinctions from the text, such as pointing out how the aorist tense in Romans 5:12c indicates all of humanity sinned corporately when Adam fell. The commentary aims to illumine the Scriptural text and does just that in a variety of ways.

Excerpt:
Like most books I have read by Tim Keller, there are several fantastic quotes and extremely helpful insights or ways of putting things. I wanted to provide an excerpt which gives the flavor of the commentary as a whole, and also hones in on the important message of Romans 1-7. This excerpt is from the section on Rom. 3:21-31.

“But” is a word that reverses the statement which has gone before; it can qualify praise, or bring hope where there seemed to be none. This is why there are few words more glorious than the “but” that begins Romans 3:21. “No one will be declared righteous … through the law we become conscious of sin” (v 20)… But… Paul now turns from the black cloth of human sin to hold up the glittering diamond of the gospel.

Righteousness and Justification

The gospel, as we know from 1:17, reveals a “righteousness from God” (3:21); or “the righteousness of God” (ESV). It is a righteousness displayed; but it is also a righteousness granted. Our translations sometimes obscure this, but the words “righteousness” and “justified” in these verses are all the same word: dikaiosune. So, verse 21 could read: But now a justification from/of God has been made known; verse 24 could be translated: and are righteousnessed freely.

Righteousness is a validating performance record which opens doors. When you want a job, you send in a resume. It has all the experiences and skills that make you (you hope!) worthy of the position. You send it in and say: Look at this. Accept me! Your record has nothing on it that disqualifies you from the job; and it has (you hope!) everything that will qualify you for it.

Every religion and culture believes that it’s the same with God. It’s not a vocational record; it’s a moral or spiritual record. You get out your performance record and if it’s good enough, you’re worthy of life with God and you’re accepted. And then Paul comes along and says: But now… For the first time in history — and the last — an unheard of approach to God has been revealed. A divine righteousness — the righteousness of God, a perfect record — is given to us.

No other place offers this. Outside of the gospel, we must develop a righteousness, and offer it to God, and say (hopefully and anxiously): Accept me. The gospel says that God has developed a perfect righteousness, and he offers it to us, and by it we are accepted. This is the uniqueness of the Christian gospel; and it reverses what every other religion and worldview, and even every human heart, believes. (pg. 79-80, italics original, bold emphasis on the verse numbers and glossary terms, removed)

Evaluation:
This commentary is packed with gospel goodness. Romans 1-7 is perhaps the most gospel-central section in the New Testament, and Tim Keller is the perfect author to lead us through this section. His insight into legalism and religiousity on the one hand, and licentiousness and atheism on the other, helps us see how the gospel cuts into all kinds of people. This is no dry theological tome, but an exultation in the gospel of God’s grace. Keller does advocate a reformed view of salvation, but is very irenic and pastoral in how he explains the text. His position on Romans 7 is that it describes the struggles believers continue to face after salvation. Keller is careful not to force the reader into a theological mold but encourages them to see the text and feed on it. His practical insight and emphasis on application combine to provide a commentary that doesn’t stop with the head but moves to the heart quickly. It can be read as a devotional book with benefit, or used as a text for an adult Sunday School class or small group study. I highly recommend it.

About the Author:
Timothy Keller was educated at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and Westminster Theological Seminary, and is Senior Pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City. He is the New York Times bestselling author of The Reason for God, The Prodigal God, and Galatians For You.

Where to Buy:
  • Westminster Bookstore
  • Amazon.com
  • Christianbook.com
  • Christianaudio.com
  • Direct from The Good Book Company

Disclaimer:
This book was provided by the publisher. I was under no obligation to offer a favorable review.

“What the Old Testament Authors Really Cared About: A Survey of Jesus’ Bible” edited by Jason DeRouchie

~ Bob Hayton ~ 1 Comment

What the Old Testament Authors Really Cared AboutBook Details:
  • Editor: Jason S. DeRouchie
  • Category: Biblical Theology
  • Book Publisher: Kregel Academic (2013)
  • Page Count: 490
  • Format: hardback
  • ISBN: 9780825425912
  • List Price: $45.99
  • Rating: Must Read

Blurbs:
“How could I not enjoy a book in which the editor says ‘is designed as a springboard for delight in God—the supreme Savior, Sovereign, and Satisfier of the world’? Jason DeRouchie has a sure hand when it comes to guiding a team of scholars. The aroma of his God-centered, Christ-exalting commitments permeate this survey…I would happily put this in the hand of every church member.”
—John Piper, former pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis; Founder and Teacher at DesiringGod.org

“Finally! An introduction to the only Bible Jesus had that tries to makes sense of each book by highlighting its life-giving message. This volume is invitingly organized and composed, and delightfully illustrated.”
—Daniel I. Block, Gunther H. Knoedler Professor of Old Testament, Wheaton College

“No ordinary survey! This clear, concise, and easy-to-understand text will help church folks and serious students alike grasp the contribution of the Old Testament to the Bible as a single text with a unified plot structure that finds ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Beautiful pictures and helpful diagrams aid communication in a powerful way. I heartily recommend it!”
—Peter J. Gentry, Professor of Old Testament Interpretation, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Overview:
In What the Old Testament Authors Really Cared About: A Survey of Jesus’ Bible, Jason DeRouchie brings together 16 other evangelical OT scholars to produce a truly one-of-a-kind resource. Rather than being a work by scholars for scholars, this is a work for the Church. The Old Testament is expounded and analyzed from the perspective of the cross of Christ, and the result is an unpacking of the Gospel in the Old Testament. Today’s believers are provided a practical approach to reading and studying the Old Testament. And as the authors remind us, the Old Testament was the Bible of Jesus and the early Church.

The book surveys each of the 24 books of the Old Testament — 24 books according to the Hebrew numbering, that is. And the Hebrew order of the books of the Old Testament is the order the contributors to this volume follow. Each chapter gives a brief introduction as to the setting and author of that Hebrew book and then focuses on a discussion of the book’s major themes with particular regard to how it fits into the overall canonical structure. Jason DeRouchie provides introductions to each of the major sections of the Hebrew Bible: the Torah (or Law), the Prophets, and the Writings, as well as an overview of the entire Old Testament. Throughout the volume, there are beautiful, full-color photos of scenes from the Holy Land. Additionally, there are countless charts and tables on helpful subjects relating to the material covered. Memory verses and suggestions for additional reading round out each chapter. The KINGDOM Bible reading plan is also included as an appendix and will help readers in continuing to read through and appreciate the Hebrew Bible in the canonical order this book stresses.

Quotable:
The following excerpt from the chapter on Exodus gives a flavor of the particular approach of this work.

“God’s powerful deeds against Egypt are commonly called ‘plagues’ (cf. 8:2; 9:3, 14; 11:1). As a series, however, the acts are introduced as ‘miracles’ (4:21) and ‘signs and wonders’ (7:3) — terms used more frequently than ‘plagues’ (8:23; 10:1, 2; 11:9, 10; cf. 7:9). The broader designation ‘signs’ more appropriately highlights the intent of these acts: Yahweh was working for his own glory, which included judgement (connoted by ‘plagues’) but went beyond it. This also helps the Bible reader see the connections between the ‘signs’ of the exodus and the ‘signs’ of Jesus, particularly in the Gospel of John (cf. John 2:11, 18, 23; 3:2; 4:48, 54; 6:2, 14, 26, 30; 7:31; 9:16; 10:41; 11:47; 12:18, 37; 20:30)….

“The exodus is to the Old Testament what the cross-resurrection event is to the New Testament. In each case, the great redemptive act (exodus/cross) produces the covenant community of God’s people (Israel/church) who are called to serve God and his universal mission. The importance of the exodus is signaled by its constant reference throughout the Old Testament, to motivate covenant fidelity (Exod. 19:4; 20:1), to establish national identity and self-consciousness (e.g. Josh. 2:9-11; Judg. 6:8-13; 1 Sam. 12:6-8; 1 Kings 8:51; Neh. 9:9; 2 Chon. 7:22), to inspire prophetic judgment and hope (e.g., Jer. 7:21-24; 11:1-18; 16:14-21; 34:13; Ezek. 37:24-28; Hos. 11:1), and to produce personal praise and confession (e.g., Pss. 77:14-20; 78:12-55; 80:8; 106:7-14; 114; 136:10–22). In short, the rest of the Old Testament can only be understood in light of the significance of the exodus.” (p. 87, 89)

See also this excerpt from Kregel.com.

Evaluation:
This is a very readable and engaging work. The full-color illustrations, charts, maps and graphs will engross the reader. The material presented is merely a survey and so it would make for a great resource for an adult Sunday School class or a Bible Institute course. The Hebrew terms are transliterated and the discussion for the most part stays at a high level. That being said, the discussion focuses on the Messianic nature of the Hebrew Bible and how it all points to Christ. Pastors and teachers will detect a non-dispensational approach that doesn’t overtly teach any one system of eschatology (it leans to a new covenant theology approach, specifically recommending Kingdom through Covenant by Wellum and Gentry a few times). It could be used with prudence by churches from a wide spectrum of positions, yet is firmly evangelical and unflinching in its stance for biblical inerrancy. Some of the discussions about authorship and date will open the reader to some of the challenges of OT scholarship, but much is not said that could be. The balance it achieves is probably right for the purposes the book aims to serve.

The Christological focus of the book and its emphasis on how the Old Testament fits together to point to Christ, makes it most helpful for average readers, and yet it manages to avoid an allegorizing approach to the OT. The authors clearly care about the OT in its own right, and yet make the connections where textually warranted, between the themes and types in the Old Testament and the anti-types and fulfillment in the New Testament. I was disappointed to see a Christ-centered interpretive approach to the Song of Songs was not followed, and that stands as proof that this book is not a free-for-all when it comes to interpretive approach. The book is text-grounded and yet gospel-saturated. The sidebars and graphs are quite useful and the pointers for additional study will help the busy pastor.

Recommendation:
Having met Jason DeRouchie and sat in his adult Sunday School class I could feel his passion for the gospel in the Old Testament oozing out of this volume. I am eager to find ways to use it in adult SS settings in my church too. I highly recommend this work, it will reignite a love for the Old Testament and a fuller appreciation for the beauty of the suffering servant and prophesied King, Jesus the Christ.

About the Editor:
Jason S. DeRouchie (MDiv, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary; PhD, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is associate professor of Old Testament at Bethlehem College and Seminary. He is passionate about helping Christians exalt Christ and treasure the hope of the gospel from the Old Testament. He is the author of numerous publications, including A Modern Grammar for Biblical Hebrew (coauthored with Duane A. Garrett). Learn more about Jason on his faculty page here.

Where to Buy:
  • Westminster Bookstore
  • Amazon
  • Christianbook.com
  • Direct from Kregel

Disclaimer:
This book was provided by Kregel Academic. The reviewer was under no obligation to offer a positive review.