Tag: Jerusalem

Book Briefs: “The Advocate” by Randy Springer

~ Bob Hayton

The Advocate by Randy SingerMany have wondered at the person to whom Luke addressed his Gospel and the Book of Acts. Just who was Theophilus? Is his name just a symbol (it means “lover of God”)? Or was this a real person, and if so, who was he?

These theological musings may form part of the background to a new work by Randy Singer. The Advocate (Tyndale House, 2014) traces the fictional life of Theophilus from his schooling in Rome under the tutelage of Seneca, to a stint serving Pontius Pilate in Judea, and on to an improbable confrontation with the emperor. But I don’t want to give too much away.

The telling of the story was as much fun as the tale itself. Theophilus’ 1st Century world was described in a masterful way.  The book spends a lot of time developing the main character and pushing forward a romance, and at first Christianity is only a tangential concern. The reader begins to truly inhabit the character and can only guess at how his story will turn out. The ups and downs, the triumphs and tragedies move the tale along. And Theophilus’ conversion and battles with faith are both believable and inspiring at the same time.

Like any good work of fiction, there is much more to the story than I described above. One will find a complicated love triangle, gladiators and conspiracies, and intimate details concerning two maniacal emperors. The tale becomes engrossing the longer it goes and by the end you are loathe to leave Theophilus behind. I was completely impressed by this story and hope to sample other works from this author.

I should also share that this book won the 2015 ECPA Christian Book Award for the Fiction category! Well deserved, in my opinion.

I listened to the Christianaudio.com version of the book. David Cochran Heath did a fantastic job reading the book, he provided the right amount of character phrasing, differences in the voices, and energy. The audio experience was completely engrossing.  The only challenge I had was the sheer number of chapters: each audio file was a different chapter, and with an inexpensive mp3 player, I had to keep skipping past chapters that were sorted alphabetically (instead of sequentially). This was a small price to pay for this fascinating example of historical fiction.

I highly recommend this for anyone looking for a good summer read. ChristianAudio.com has the download available for free the rest of this month (May, 2015). And I’m sure it would be good in paperback form as well.

Pick up a copy of this book at any of the following online retailers: ChristianAudio.com, Amazon.com, ChristianBook.com, or direct from Tyndale House.

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

About Book Briefs: Book Briefs are book notes, or short-form book reviews. They are my informed evaluation of a book, but stop short of being a full-length book review.

Book Briefs: “The Brotherhood Conspiracy” by Terry Brennan

~ Bob Hayton

The Brotherhood Conspiracy by Terry BrennanAn ancient Coptic monastery, a hidden desert hideout, the Oval office, and Jerusalem’s Temple mount — these are a few of the stops in Terry Brennan’s latest whirlwind novel. From Lebanon to Ireland, New York to the Suez, The Brotherhood Conspiracy weaves an intricate web of secrecy, espionage and discovery.

The sequel to Brennan’s earlier debut novel The Sacred Cipher, this book continues the adventures of Tom Bohannon and his motley crew of archaeological detectives. Having already discovered a hidden Jewish temple built on the Temple mount but below the Dome of the Rock, an even more outlandish prize lures the frazzled team back to the dangerous quest of discovery.

Once again the author pursues a relentless pace using a staccato rhythm, moving the story one bite-size portion to the next. That approach may be wearisome to some readers, and is frustrating in the earlier portion of the book for those readers who didn’t just put down his earlier book before beginning its sequel. The plot keeps one guessing as the potential of an end-times return of Christ cannot be dismissed, even as the role of a **spoiler alert** newly rediscovered Tabernacle **end spoiler**, doesn’t seem to fit any popular end-times Christian fancies.

Brennan appeals to the amateur archaeologist with his mention of cartouches (Egyptian hieroglyphic ovals), discussions of Demotic and Coptic languages, and his historical treatment of the Crusaders and Jewish history. Occasionally, I found some errors in his historical facts which stood out glaringly against the overall historical emphasis in the tale. 1 Maccabees is mentioned as a book that the Council of Trent removed from the Bible (in fact it was the Protestants who removed it and Trent affirmed its canonicity), and the prophet Jonah is mentioned as having preached 40 years (instead of days) to Nineveh. The story itself stretches credulity, but the first book’s miraculous find of a centuries-old Jewish temple sets the stage for anything being possible. Brennan’s masterful character development and ability to draw out a wide range of emotions from virtually all of his characters keeps the story tethered enough to reality, that the reader goes along with the incredible — and happily at that. One other quibble with the book is its lack of illustrations or maps. At several points in the tale, a visual depiction of what the author labored to describe would have helped immensely.

Fans of archaeological fiction, in the vein of Paul Maier (A Skeleton in God’s Closet) and Don Hoesel (Elisha’s Bones), will enjoy this latest offering from Terry Brennan. Those looking for a fast-paced read with characters striving to follow God’s leading in their lives even as they battle against Islamic assassins and try to evade Israeli intelligence — on a mission for the President of the United States, no less — will also enjoy this intriguing work. I recommend the book and look forward to the third (and final?) book in this series.

Pick up a copy of this book at any of the following online retailers: Amazon, Christianbook.com, or direct from Kregel Publications.

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

About Book Briefs: Book Briefs are book notes, or short-form book reviews. They are my informed evaluation of a book, but stop short of being a full-length book review.

Are We “New Covenant Believers”?

~ Bob Hayton ~ 31 Comments

In the comments on a recent article I came across, someone made the following statement:

…Then move to something controversial: Zech. 12:10-14 and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. In guiding our people responsibly through that passage, we need to wrestle with similar “outpouring” language in the NT, but also with the limited object of the outpouring in Zech. 12:10, “the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.”

If we leave behind the matter of literalness, who is to say our application isn’t heresy (to quote Haddon Robinson)? Am I, a new covenant believer, in the house of David? Am I an inhabitant of Jerusalem? (I wish)… [emphasis added]

As I was typing up a response to the idea that we are not “new covenant believers”, I thought my answer might make for a good blog post. So I’m sharing my response for your benefit. Do I hit the mark? Does this make sense? I’d love your input after reading my reply below.

I want to challenge this a bit. And I’m just using Ted’s words here it isn’t about him it’s a bigger issue. What John is doing is trying to do justice to the NT teaching which is quite clear on how much continuity there is between God’s people before Christ and afterward. The comments here by the opposing view center only on Zecharaiah mostly.

If we just had Jer. 31, then yes, we aren’t “new covenant believers”, to use Ted’s terms. But the New Testament tells us the new covenant has begun. Jesus said as much in his inauguration of the Lord’s Supper ceremony for the church. “And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, ‘This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.’ ” (Luke 22:20 ESV) Paul tells us that he is a minister of the new covenant:

“Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” (2 Corinthians 3:5-6 ESV)

In context, the ministry of the new covenant is Paul’s ministry of spreading the gospel among the gentiles (4:1 “this ministry”… and 4:3-6 “our gospel”).

Furthermore, Hebrews says the old covenant is passing away and insufficient because the new covenant is here, see chapters 8 and 10 of Hebrews where Jeremiah 31:31-34 is quoted and applied as a current reality.

Not only are we “new covenant believers”, we are inhabitants of “Jerusalem” who is our true mother (see Gal. 4:26, Heb. 12:22) and seek a heavenly city in the same sense that OT believers sought a heavenly (not earthly) city (Heb. 13:14, cf. Heb. 11:13-16).

This NT language means something. The NT description of God’s people being a living temple is something that goes beyond OT realities. Something is happening in the NT and it will affect how we understand the OT. 1 Peter tells us that the OT authors often didn’t know what they were writing of, but were writing for our benefit (1 Pt. 1:10-12). And what happened to the OT saints is a lesson and instruction for us and was written for our encouragement (1 Cor. 10:11, Rom. 15:4).

I believe that following the lead of the NT apostles and Jesus, in how they used OT Scripture and saw that it culminated in Jesus Christ and the gospel of grace, is how best to interpret Scripture. Scripture doesn’t leave us without a hermeneutic. A redemptive-historical hermeneutic aims to follow the teaching of the Bible about itself and to understand how Christ truly sums up all things in His own ministry. He fulfills the Law.

I think John Davis’ last paragraph captures the NT age experience well. The new covenant is here but we aren’t experiencing it in all its fullness quite yet. That may mean a millennium, but it certainly means more than a millennium. Christ will reign and we will live on a restored earth for all eternity.

This post follows on the heels of my recent entry on Gal. 6:16 which I’d encourage you to read, if the thought of the NT depiction of the church in OT terms is new to you. Again, I’m interested in any input you might have regarding this question. Are we, or aren’t we, “new covenant believers”?

T. Desmond Alexander on Biblical Theology

~ Bob Hayton ~ 4 Comments

Justin Taylor posted an interview of T. Desmond Alexander by Andrew Naselli on the topic of biblical theology. Biblical theology has revolutionized my understanding and appreciation of the Bible, and I thought this brief interview was a good introduction to biblical theology. I’m sharing the first part of this interview but encourage you to read the whole thing.

Consider picking up one of Alexander’s books on biblical theology, too. I have The New Dictionary of Biblical Theology on my shelf (it’s really good), and From Eden to the New Jerusalem is on my wish list.

1. What is biblical theology? How does it compare to systematic theology?

For me biblical theology is about understanding how the Bible as a whole should be read so that we can appreciate its message as the Word of God. I’m still a learner as far as this is concerned. What I’ve found to be helpful is discovering themes that tie together the big picture of Scripture. I’ve tried to convey something of this, hopefully in an accessible way, in my book, From Eden to the New Jerusalem. For me, it’s important that Christians grasp the grand story of what God is doing. Through the story, which I take to be historically true, we begin to understand something of ourselves and the world we live in.

It is this story dimension that sets biblical theology apart from systematic theology. While I think that there is an important place for a systematic understanding of what we believe, it is through Scripture that God speaks to people as they grasp the biblical metanarrative. Hopefully, good biblical theology sheds valuable light on how we should read the Bible. For this reason, I think biblical theology is exceptionally important.

2. Briefly sketch out an example of addressing a theme with a biblical theological approach (e.g., temple, throne of God, evil, lamb, tree of life, people of God, rest).

I’ve said something about most of the examples you list in my most recent book. So let me pick something that might not seem so obvious: the great city.

Fundamental to my understanding of biblical theology is the idea that God created this world with the intention that it should become his dwelling-place, a temple-city filled with people who love and serve him (as reflected in Rev. 20-21). This was the original creation plan. Adam and Eve’s betrayal of God threw the grand design into chaos. Created with the skills to be city-builders, humanity set about building god-less cities. Exhibit number one is obviously Babel. However, in Hebrew Babel is also the name for Babylon. Interestingly, the building of Babel/Babylon is associated with Nimrod in Genesis 10, who is also responsible for the building of Nineveh in Assyria. As a mighty hunter “˜against God’ (not “˜before God’) Nimrod is the founder of a city/kingdom that opposes God’s city/kingdom. Remarkably, the story in Genesis to Kings ends with what appears to be a victory for Nimrod’s descendants (the Assyrians and the Babylonians). The city of God, Jerusalem, is sacked, God’s house is destroyed, and the royal line through which the nations are to be saved is exiled.

Yet all is not lost, for the story does not end here. This big picture is important because it reveals how deep-seated aspirations to create human empires oppose what God desires. Obviously, the OT has lots to say about this (e.g., Habakkuk, Daniel). However, the NT picks up the same contrast. For example, the author of Hebrews has something important to say about the city of God, starting with Abraham. Likewise, the book of Revelation draws an important contrast between the here-and-now Babylon and the future New Jerusalem.

I hope that this very brief biblical-theological sketch of the city makes sense. We’re only scratching the surface. Yet it is a theme that pervades the whole of Scripture….

[Read the entire interview]