Kirjahaku

This is a comprehensive survey of the Old Testament which offers an introduction to each book of the Old Testament. It includes contributions from Walter Brueggemann and Carol A. Newsom and covers essential historical, sociocultural, literary and theological issues.

Can you trust what you read in the Old Testament?Are its documents historically reliable?Are its teachings relevant in the twenty-first century? These are important questions for all who believe that Christianity is a religion founded on events that took place in space-time history, indeed for all who care about truth and meaning in life.In this thought-provoking book Walter C. Kaiser Jr. makes the case that the Old Testament documents are both historically reliable and personally and socially relevant. He begins by looking at the origins of the Old Testament books and how well their texts were preserved. Next he explores Old Testament history, giving close attention to the book of Genesis, the patriarchal narratives, and the chronicles of the kings of Judah and Israel. He then surveys the larger questions of the trustworthiness and authority of the various Old Testament genres: historical narrative, wisdom and prophecy. Lastly, Kaiser probes the relevance of the Old Testament for Christian faith today. And in an epilogue he asks--and answers--the question "What is the Old Testament all about?"Here is a helpful, even essential, book to help you face the challenges of reading and applying the Old Testament in today's world.

Most of us will have faced that most delicate situation of meeting a person who is suffering. We tend to go down one of two different avenues. One is to offer well-intentioned advice - often in the form of well-worn cliches that the person will have heard several times before. The other is not to say anything at all - risking the danger of leaving the person under the impression that God has no idea what is going on and is unable to help.How are we to understand suffering and its place in our lives? Should we try and rationalise it away, trying to come up with a solution that sits as comfortably as possible? Surely we should look to Scripture first? This is what Walter Kaiser does here. Looking at the Old Testament book of Lamentations Kaiser does not offer any easy solutions - but rather shows us how a Sovereign and Loving God can work through even the most painful moments. "In the book of Lamentations, more than perhaps anywhere else except for its individualistic expression in the book of Job, we are led into an experience of suffering and communal pain on a scale seldom endured by many individuals or nations. All too frequently the subject of suffering is avoided, or the realities of human pathos and divine involvement are minimized. Lamentations will not yield to any of these cheap 'cures'. Instead of panaceas, it will direct us to the faithfulness and gracious character of God." Walter C. Kaiser, Jr.

The book of Nehemiah's opening verse immediately declares that "Nehemiah, son of Hacaliah," contrary to other so-called historical books of the Old Testament, is named as the author of this book. Nehemiah's name means "Yahweh/Jehovah comforts," and his father's name means "Yahweh/Jehovah is hidden." Thus, Nehemiah began his own personal account of his memoires as directed by the Holy Spirit. The first seven chapters of Nehemiah are all written in the first-person pronoun, as well as the material in Nehemiah 12:31-13:31. Therefore, we are given an unusual and unique look into the heart and life of an outstanding servant-leader of God. Nehemiah combined a steady life of prayer, a deep trust in the Lord, along with unusually careful planning, good organization skills and energetic action in the twelve years of his administration over the province of Judah.

The first two chapters of 1 Kings are truly transitional, for they mark the move from the rule of King David to the next in line in his family, King Solomon. King David appears to have little zest for life in his senior years, with a result that matters of state were beginning to slip and events were about to preempt any wish or instruction David might give about who was to be the future king. It was time someone took action and that person seems to have been Nathan the prophet. David's son Adonijah puts himself forward as the new leader asserting, "I will be king," but the prophet Nathan and David's Queen Bathsheba halt Adonijah's quest for the throne by pleading with King David to act immediately and decisively on naming a successor; David, therefore, declares Solomon to be king; Adonijah's coronation festivities are suddenly halted with the news of Solomon's installation as king in Israel and King David's charge to Solomon and David's death. And now we examine and discover the character and life of Solomon.

The name and man Moses towers over all of Pentateuchal history for he is mentioned almost 300 times in the book of Exodus alone and almost 750 times in the entire TaNaKh (OT). But this fails to account for the fact that he is further mentioned over 700 times in the rest of the Old Testament, as a whole and some 80 times in the New Testament. In fact, Moses is accorded a unique status among mortals in Deuteronomy 34:11, which noted that, "No one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel." Moses was a man of many tasks: he was a prophet, a priest, a leader of Israel, a poet, a miracle worker, a hero of the exodus, a receiver of God's word, and the founder of God's law as well as being a savvy political administrator. He is the author of the first five books of the Old Testament, and he is variously described as "a man of God," and "a servant of the Lord" (Neh. 10:29). No wonder he is so highly regarded in Scripture.

A young shepherd named David, from the family of Jesse, is called "the man after God's own heart" by God himself. Samuel the prophet is instructed by God to stop grieving over the divine rejection of Israel's first king, Saul, whom Samuel helped appoint as king at the demand of the people, Instead, Samuel was to go to Bethlehem to anoint Saul's successor. But once this successor to the kingship of Israel was found, he was not left with nothing to do; instead, David, though he came from humble and somewhat uncultured circumstances of the shepherd's fields outside Bethlehem, he nevertheless found his way immediately into the court of King Saul by the providential working of God. The establishment of the monarchy under David begins with the narrative of his slow rise to power that is closely connected with the decline of Saul's tenure as king. Hence, the stories of Saul and David crisscross each other at a number of points in the rest of the chapters of 1 Samuel and therefore make for some of the most exasperating, yet fascinating, portions of the book of Samuel.

The Minor Prophets is a distinction that does not refer to the importance or significance of these books, but refers only to the general size and length of the books. The prophet's function was only to call men and women back to the word God had given to Moses and to pray for the people he served. The words taught by the prophet were to agree with what had already been revealed by God, and should be able to accompany the words he taught with signs and wonders that would back up and authenticate that word as being from God. Moreover, the truthfulness of a prophet's ability to predict the future was to be seen in the fulfillment of near events that he predicted. If these came to pass, then his long-range projections into the future could then also be trusted. The near and close fulfillments served as the reason why their audiences in their day and in our own times were to trust the prophet's long-range predictions (Deut. 18:15-22). In this way the more immediate fulfillments confirmed the truthfulness of those that were distant to the prophet and happened after he had passed from this life.

In this study of the life and character of the prophet Ezekiel we have selected some outstanding highlights--the call of the prophet, the departure to heaven of the glory of God, the prophecy of Tyre's fall, the restoration and redemption of the Jewish people back to Israel, and some beautiful insights into the coming eternal and world-wide rule and reign of the LORD over his kingdom.

Ruth found favor with Boaz when her first priority was her relationship with God and serving her mother-in-law. Esther found favor with the King when her first priority was her relationship with God and serving Mordechai. Neither woman saw themselves as someone God would choose to affect the entire nation of Israel. But God worked providentially in each woman's life.

Elijah and Elisha are among the most influential prophets of Israel, and their narrative serves as part of the structure of key sections of the Gospels. Welcome to the enjoyable adventure of exploring these key figures with Dr. Walter C. Kaiser. Great for: - Personal devotionals - Bible Study - Group discussion - Classroom lectures - Sermon series

With his usual scholarship and vision, Dr Walter C. Kaiser Jr. reveals spiritual principles inherent in the great awakenings of the Bible and shows us how to prepare the way for revival today. Revivals like those led by Moses and by John the Baptist provide us with clear examples of what God can do when His sovereign will is acknowledged and obeyed. Read this book and help prepare the way for revival in your community, your church and most importantly your heart.