Southwestern Journal of Theology 2022 Book of the Year Award (Biblical Studies) Craig Bartholomew's The Old Testament and God is the first volume in his ambitious four-volume project, which seeks to explore the question of God and what happens to Old Testament studies if we take God and his action in the world seriously. Toward this end, he proposes a post-critical paradigm shift that recenters study around God. The intent is to do for Old Testament studies what N. T. Wright's Christian Origins and the Question of God series has done for New Testament studies. Bartholomew proposes a much-needed holistic, narrative approach, showing how the Old Testament functions as Christian Scripture. In so doing, he integrates historical, literary, and theological methods as well as a critical realist framework. Following a rigorous analysis of how we should read the Old Testament, he goes on to examine and explain the various tools available to the interpreter. He then applies worldview analysis to both Israel and the surrounding nations of the ancient Near East. The volume concludes with a fresh exegetical exploration of YHWH, the living and active God of the Old Testament. Subsequent volumes will include Moses and the Victory of Yahweh, The Old Testament and the People of God, and The Death and Return of the Son.

Tremper Longman has studied and taught the Old Testament and its interpretation for four decades. Now, in a planned three-book project, he presents his mature thoughts on the essentials of Old Testament interpretation. This first volume explores the importance of reading the Old Testament as literature. We need to recognize that each culture tells its stories and writes its poems in different ways. To read and understand the Old Testament texts the way the ancient authors intended, we need to be aware of the conventions of Hebrew storytelling and poetry. In part one, dealing with literary theory, Longman investigates how texts create meaning, the history of the study of the Old Testament as literature, and how genre dictates reading strategy. He explores the Hebrew conventions of both narrative and poetry in conversation with contemporary literary analysis. Part two delves into practice, using the tools gained in part one to look at and interpret a variety of Old Testament narratives and poetry. Longman's accessible writing and balanced judgments make this book suitable for the classroom and the church.

How would you describe the Old Testament? Offensive, violent, patriarchal, archaic; difficult, boring, obsolete? Many Christians don’t bother with it anymore. Yet these ancient books were in Jesus’ lifeblood, and they provided the thought-world of those early followers who wrote about him in what became the New Testament. This book challenges those stereotypes of Israel’s Scriptures by exploring their significance in the apostolic writings and by demonstrating the importance of whole books for nuanced interpretation. It takes readers on a tour through four key books before considering the wider issues of interpretation that readers must consider in order to hear God’s Spirit speaking afresh to a range of contemporary concerns, including racism and the environment.

This package contains all four books of An Introduction to the Old Testament set: An Introduction to the Old Testament Historical Books, An Introduction to the Old Testament Poetic Books, An Introduction to the Old Testament Prophetic Books,and An Introduction to the Old Testament Pentateuch. In An Introduction to the Old Testament Historical Books, incredible events, amazing love stories, larger-than-life personalities and deep theological implications and themes are just part of the treasure that awaits readers. These books tell the story of the nation of Israel and the God who loves her, punishes her, and always brings this recalcitrant people back to Himself. In An Introduction to the Old Testament Poetic Books, C. Hassell Bullock, a noted Old Testament scholar, delves deep into the hearts of the five poetic books, offering readers helpful details such as hermeneutical considerations for each book, theological content and themes, detailed analysis of each book, and cultural perspectives. In An Introduction to the Old Testament Prophetic Books, C. Hassell Bullock presents a clear picture of some of history's most profound spokesmen--the Old Testament prophets--and the God who shaped them. Our generational distance from the age of the prophets might seem to be a measureless chasm. Yet we dare not make the mistake of assuming that passing years have rendered irrelevant not only the Old Testament prophets, but also the God who comprehends, spans, and transcends all time. In An Introduction to the Old Testament Pentateuch, Old Testament expert Herbert Wolf provides layreaders and scholars alike with a strong undergirding of understanding and knowledge in this introduction that reveals both the seriousness and excitement of the Pentateuch.

Rich rewards await readers who dig deep into the historical books of the Old Testament. Incredible events, amazing love stories, larger-than-life personalities and deep theological implications and themes are just part of the t treasure that awaits readers of Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther. These books tell the story of the nation of Israel and the God who loves her, punishes her, and always brings this recalcitrant people back to Himself. It is really the story of all of us. David M. Howard Jr. provides an in-depth introduction to the Old Testament historical books, focusing first on the overarching themes of historical narrative in general. He then turns his attention to each book. From the conquest of Canaan to the fall of Jerusalem, from war to peace and back to war, from kings and queens to farmers and housewives--David Howard covers it all in this invaluable introduction to the Old Testament historical books.

A veteran pastor with thirty years of experience guides readers through a ten-step process to preaching Old Testament narratives from text selection to delivery. The first edition received a Christianity Today award of merit and a Preaching magazine Book of the Year award. This edition, now updated and revised throughout for a new generation, includes a new chapter on how to preach Christ from the Old Testament and an exemplary sample sermon from Mathewson. Foreword by Haddon W. Robinson.

In this book, Old Testament theologies written in the last two centuries are scrutinized with special regard to their relation to history. History as a way of making sense and finding one's orientation out of the past is discussed. A distinction between emic (taken from within a literary work) and etic (taken from outside of a literary work) perspectives is suggested as an important criterion for understanding any Old Testament theology. (Series: Contributions to the Understanding of the Bible / Beitr�¤ge zum Verstehen der Bibel, Vol. 33) [Subject: Bible Studies, Religious Studies, Protestantism, Old Testament]

'Discovering Old Testament Origins' tackles the many questions students ask when reading the books of Genesis, Exodus and Samuel for the first time. Dr. Ralph writes clearly, using easily understood terms for anyone asking mature questions about the Old Testament. The book is an ideal text for beginning the study of the Old Testament, and is especially geared to discussion format.

Ancient Israel's Scriptures have exerted worldwide influence for more than two millennia. They explore human experience, including the human longing for the divine, through the powerful media of story, ritual, wisdom, and prophecy. This book retraces the Bible's exploration and shows how not only its conclusions but the steps taken to reach them still matter.

What is the complete essence of this book? The Cosmic Harmony of Science, Scripture, and Reason. Can it be indubitably proven that God absolutely exists? Can it really be shown how science actually confirms creation by God? Given that some say not even God can create something out of nothing, exactly how did God create everything in the universe? Just how can the Holy Bible be reliable and the divine Word of God when it is challenged with so much controversy? Can it be irrefutably verified that Jesus was for real, really rose from the dead, and is the Son of God? Did the Great Flood of Noah and his Ark really happen? How? Everybody wants to see proof. Atheists and skeptics often demand it. A total of twenty-one of the most often asked and difficult questions challenging Christianity are answered by coauthors C. J. Rysen, (author of the Christian apocalyptic thriller, a novel, In the Course of Three Hours (www.inthecourseofthreehours.com)), and Dan Manternach, a public speaker and leader in the Christian Group, Ministry to Men (www.ministrytomen.net). Both men have collaborated to provide irrefutable answers and explanations in a simple, easy-to-understand, straightforward way, providing new, unexpected, and intriguing perspectives to which you likely may have never given any thought. Many of these will be surprising and often startling to anyone--whether skeptic, agnostic, or atheist. The book is also intended to be a reference source for the layperson, as well as those with formal theological or philosophical education. Although this book is intended to address these questions for the benefit of the "nonbeliever," it also is intended to prepare the believer to help answer such questions and solidify their faith. If one is intellectually honest with oneself, the explanations in this book should be overwhelmingly compelling and absolutely convincing. If they are not, one must ask the question, "Why?"