The Psalms

Tremper Longman III, Psalms: An Introduction and Commentary. Downer's Grove, 2014, 480 pp $18.

For the past two years I have been preaching through the Psalms on Sunday nights at First Baptist Church of Oak Ridge. I choose the Psalms because of their robust theology and emphasis on prayer. Therefore, I was excited to receive Tremper Logman's new commentary of the Psalms, recently, to review. The Tyndale Old/New Testament Commentaries from IVP are classic commentaries that provide excellent and accessible scholarship for pastors, students, and can even be used devotionally by laymen. IVP has moved Derek Kidner's (2 part) Psalms Commentaries to the "Classic Commentaries" and inserted Tremper Longman as the new author of the Psalms edition to the series.

Longman, has written extensively on wisdom literature and the Old Testament and was a more than adequate choice to follow Derek Kidner's earlier editions. The other primary commentaries I have used so far, in my two year journey, preaching the Psalms have been Willem VanGemeren's Psalms commentary (TEBC) from Zondervan, Gerald Wilson's classic NIV Application Commentary on Pslams 1-72, and Allen Ross's Psalms 1-41 commentary from Kregel. Ross has three books for his commentary set on the Psalms, while Vangemeren's work is a single volume, consisting of 1011 pages. Longman's Psalms commentary is also single volume, but is only 500 pages long. It is a true 'introduction' commentary.  Longman does not comb through exegetical and linguistic issues in this commentary, but that does not mean that it is not valuable as an introduction to the Psalms as a whole.

Longman is precise and rich in his 'Introduction' (23-53) and explains clearly his view of the Psalms and how he has organized this commentary. After discussing the title of the book in section 1, Longman has a helpful section on the titles to the individual psalms. Interestingly the Hebrew Bible has the heading included, or as, verse 1 when there is a heading. But the English translations separate them from the text. I disagree with Longman that he insists "the titles were certainly not written by the original composer of the text but rather by a later editor" (24). But I agree with his conclusion that ultimately the titles should be considered canonical. The titles should be read and they should inform the reader of the context in which the author wrote.

Next, Longman briefly addresses the authors of the individual psalms who, "...wrote songs that could be used by later worshippers who find themselves in similar...situations" (28). While this may be observable, there is no, clear, textual evidence. I do believe that there is textual evidence (Psalm 8, just one of many) that David is obeying Deuteronomy 17 as he reflects on the Law and provides commentary as a righteous King. Jaime Grant's work The King As Exemplar is a convincing resource that argues the function of Deuteronomy's kingship law in the shaping of the Book of Psalms. Longmont does not refer to Grant's work within his commentary. Throughout the rest of the introduction I particularly was drawn to Longman's comments on organization, poetic style, and his excursus on imprecatory psalms.

Organization: Longman, is not persuaded by Gerald Wilson's argument that there are "seem" psalms that organize the Psalter as a whole. While Wilson's a argument is helpful, I agree with Longman's assessment that it is unsatisfying. Longmont cautions, rightly, that in searching for a structured order of the Psalms one 'may' impose a structure on the book. But does that mean that one cannot argue for evidence of structure without imposing on the text? Yes, we should be cautious, but I believe the organization and structure of the Psalms will be a hot, and needed, subject in the years to come. While Longman does not see a structure (see James Hamilton, Gordon Wenham, and Hossfeldt and Zenger) he does agree that there are intentional placements of certain palms, particularly at the beginning and ending of the book (35). Longmont does not address whether or not the ordering of the psalms is inspired or not. While the inspiration of the authors behind each psalm is agreed upon, it is debated whether of not the ordering of the psalms (or the Old Testament) was inspired.

Chiasm: In section 5 of the introduction Longman discusses poetic style. I found his comments on terseness, parallelism, and imagery helpful but was curious that he did not mention chiasmus (chiasm). Vangemeren's commentary points out the chiastic structure of what seems to be every slam and so I found it disappointing that Longman did not mention such a prevalent aspect of Hebrew poetry.

Imprecatory:  The imprecatory (curses) psalms can be troubling for Christians. I believe that the Psalms inform the readers how to pray. While we may not quote specific imprecatory psalms they are helpful in that "they allow us to turn our anger over to God for him to act as he sees fit" (52). I agree with Longman's assessment of the imprecatory psalms and that they are included in the New Testament and should be read and should inform Christians how to pray. We should not pray against people we just dislike or do not care for, nor should we take physical action against them. But we should, as the authors of imprecatory psalms do, pray that God would be glorified in thwarting their wickedness. After all praying the Lord's prayer of Matthew 6 that the Lord's "kingdom come and will be done" is in its essence imprecatory. For God's Kingdom to spread means that their will be both salvation and judgment.

Commentary: The commentary is very well organized.  Each psalm has three parts: context, comment, and meaning. Longmont is clear in his introduction that this is a theological commentary. He does not speak to the relationship between the psalms nor does he go into the poetic significance found within each psalm.  This does not mean that his work should be ignored but that it should not be used solely if one is studying or preaching/teaching through the Psalms.

Overall, I would suggest that this be s starting point for pastors and student in their research and study on the psalms. The book is also accessible so that it reaches a broader audience and can be used for personal devotions.  Temper Longman, and InterVarsity Press have provided another excellent resource in the Tyndale series.

**I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”**

Truth Matters: Thoughts on graduation, a book review, and the question of evil.

Graduation Season is upon us. I remember well the ceremonies for my High School, College, and M.Div graduations well. Many graduates of high school will go through great emotional rollercoasters during the month of May and the ensuing summer.  No longer are they bond to the task of completing school. They have freedom to choose to advance their education or begin working toward their careers right away.  It's during this time that many students who have been exposed to Christianity begin to doubt, or question, or leave the faith they have been raised in.  

The world is waiting and looking for converts. They will ask questions, push doubts, twist truths, and ultimately present options for how one can abandon Christianity.  To that end 
Andreas J. Köstenberger, Darrell L. Bock, Dr. Josh Chatraw have provided an accessible and helpful book in Truth Matters: Confident Faith in a Confusing World. 

The book is not an exhaustive defense but it is an excellent introductory book for students to read concerning the matters of common objections to Christianity.  The skeptics speak your language, know you have not done adequate research, they confirm an air of disbelief, and they reinforce the view that faith and reason are at odds with each other.  

The authors address the skeptics and then answer important questions. Chapter 2 is all about the question of evil (the go to for agnostics and atheists). Next, chapters 3-5 deal with issues relating to the Bible: it's composition, data, and origins.  Chapter 6 deals with the beginnings of Christianity and Chapter 7 deals with the resurrection of Jesus.  The book is not long and yet is a sufficient introductory to the issues addressed. A follow-up book also has been published that goes a little deeper. 

Truth Matters is an excellent resource for students of both high school and college, but it should not be limited to this audience alone  I would recommend it for every Christian. Every Christian should be versed in these issues concerning the bible, the resurrection, and the problem of evil.  I found chapter 2 about the problem of evil to be the most helpful.  Most non-believers (and unfortunately many so called "Christians) approach God as if he is a genie in a bottle who can be manipulated and forced to do what we want.  Therefore, when things go wrong and we see evil in the world our first thoughts are "it's God's fault" or "there cannot be a god." The authors address this (on page 23)  when they state "to claim that God isn't treating us right is to say God is wrong...which implies we know right from wrong...which means we posses a working conscience...and a moral conscience must come from somewhere (Creator)...so it actually all testifies to a God who is real and who has a standard of morality. "

Many who try to deny God's existence or the Bible's reality push this issue of evil but "to come away believing there is no God since God does not appear good (as we define good) assumes an absolute moral framework which, if God were absent, would not be there at all." Therefore, to use such an argument against God is self-contradicting and self-defeating (25). The Bible presents the realities of God and our world.  Creation and mankind were spoken into existence in Genesis 1-2 and in Genesis 3 man rebelled against the Lord. Genesis 4-Revelation 22 reveal the effect of sin on mankind and the world.  The world is groaning (Romans 8:22) because of sin and from Genesis 4 we see evilness that comes from a sinful mankind.  

The Bible presents God as the sovereign creator.  He is free (I AM WHO I AM Exodus 3:14) and cannot be manipulated (I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy Exodus 33:17).  God is not bound, even by sinful humanity.  He is free to save and to overcome our sin and He is glorified in doing so. God permits evil, and yet He restrains evil. He sent his Son, Jesus into our dark and sinful world and though Jesus did not sin, and fully obeyed his Father, he died for our sins (2 Corinthians 5:21). Why would God put his Son through the greatest evil known to mankind? So that we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21).  Humanity deserves Genesis 6-9 or Genesis 19...but God is gracious, full of mercy, slow to anger (Exodus 34) and He is glorified in salvation through judgment.   

I received this book free from B&H Publishing through the B&H Bloggers program. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a positive review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html.

Review of "God Dwells Among Us: Expanding Eden to the Ends of the Earth" by G.K. Beale and Mitchell Kim

Beale, G.K. and Mitchell Kim. God Dwells Among Us: Expanding Eden to the Ends of the Earth. Downers Grove: InterVasity Press, 2014. 215 pp. $17.

In a recent PhD class on Old Testament Theology I had a discussion about the difficulty of bridging the gap between the academics found in seminaries and the laymen in our pews.  It is the same gap present between computer engineers and the everyday Facebook user.  The person on Facebook, and other popular web pages, is not interested in the lines upon lines of computer codes that it takes to build a website and yet both (the engineer and the Facebook user) are needed.

The goal of Mitchell Kim and G.K. Beale in God Dwells Among Us is to bridge the gap between a very academic work (in G.K. Beale's The Temple and the Church's Mission: A Biblical Theology of the Dwelling Place of God) and how it can be received by local church members (in this case how it can be preached in local churches).  Mitchell Kim takes the thesis of Beale's larger work and uses a pastoral approach to drive home how it applies to our lives.

The goal or purpose of the book is clearly stated "to strengthen the biblical conviction for sacrificial mission" (14). To achieve their goal the authors briefly walk through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation.  In looking closely and Genesis 1-3 and Revelations 21-22 the authors take a bookend approach in tracing the themes of Eden and Expansion through the Bible.  As Adam was called to to be fruitful a multiply and yet failed (Genesis 1-3). Jesus obeys the Father and, through the church, fills the new heavens and new earth with a new Jerusalem (Revelation 21-22).

In chapters 1-2 the foundational information in given from Genesis 1-3.  Chapters 3-4 follow the Patriarchs through the Tabernacle.  Chapter 5 looks into the prophets and promise for a new 'expanded' Eden, while chapter 6 looks into the gospels and how eden will be rebuilt.  Chapters 8-10 deal with the church as the new temple, the role as priests that Christians are called to, and the reality of Eden completed and expanded in Revelation 21-22.  The book concludes with two helpful chapters of application and summary.

The positives: This book is very accessible. Each chapter is filled with great insights and build upon each other. Kim provides wonderful illustrations in a very pastoral manner to help his reader grasp the points that are being made. Essentially, Kim and Beale desire to give a 'big picture' of the Bible. The benefits of reading such a work is that the Bible as a whole becomes easier and more desirable to read. As one reads the Scriptures more their view of God increases and as their view of God increase so does their obedience to what He says. As Kim says "The history of kingdom breakthrough is a history of faithful submission to God's Word over time in difficult places" (54). Part of that submission is a willingness suffer for the advancement of the gospel.

For those who have read Beale's work: this is a wonderful refresher.  I wondered early on if I would get bored with the book because I have read Beale's work but it was a rather quick and refreshing read.  I especially like Kim's remark on the parallels between Chronicles and Matthew and the possibility that Matthew structures his book with the same structure fun in Chronicles (96). Kim's work is also helpful in seeing how the process of bringing academic work to laymen's terms works.  Which leads to a fews negative remarks.

The negatives: The book, while accessible, is still very academic. I do not know if there is any other way around trying to explain and argue what Kim and Beale both argue.  The basic argument is understandable: understanding the mission of God from Genesis to Revelation leads to sacrificial mission. And Kim has moments of being very accessible and contextual with his illustrations...but in the end each chapter reverts back to an academic line of thinking.  This leads back to my original paragraph.  It is very hard to balance academics with everyday Christianity.  That does not mean attempts do not need to be made.  On the contrary, more attempts and better attempts need to be made by scholars and pastors.  1 Corinthian 12 and Romans 12 describe the need for prophets and teachers.  The church needs sound theologians to wrestle with very difficult task on languages, theology, and etc.  But in order for the church to benefit there must be a bridge between the scholar and the person in the pew.  In my ind that bridge is the pulpit and a 'pastor as scholar.'

Another point of criticism is the neglect of the covenants by Kim and Beale.  While creation and new creation are indeed bookends of the Bible the covenants are the how we get from creation to new creation.  Kim and Beale do not state whether there is one or two covenants in Genesis 1-3 (though it appears they only argue for one). They also discuss how Abraham, Sinai, and the Prophets speak to issues about the temple/new temple but not about how the covenants found within those passages (and also the Davidic covenant in 2 Sam 7) help move the story from creation to new creation.

Conclusion: Overall this book is very helpful.  Helpful in introducing biblical theology, typology (which chapter 10 unpacks) and making it easier to see how connected the Scriptures really are.  Even more, I am encouraged to read the Scriptures and share the message of the gospel no matter the cost.  To this end, Kim and Beale achieve their goal.  This book will make the pew sitter, the pastor, and the professor hungry to know God more through His revealed Word.  Therefore I recommend it to everyone, though especially pastors who are tasked with bridging the gap between academics and the pulpit. May the church awaken from its slumber and live sacrificially until the glory of the Lord covers the dry lands as the waters cover the seas (Hab 2:14), Amen.

The Joy and Pain of Mother's Day

Psalm 34:17-18

17 When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The LORD is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.

     Mother's Day is the third largest card sending holiday, (behind Christmas and Valentine's Day),  the second largest gift giving holiday (behind only Christmas), and the top holiday for dining out. It is a day of joy and thankfulness as we honor the women who bore and nurtured us. But it is also one of the most difficult days on the calendar.

     I am a momma's boy and I am not ashamed of that. I am very fortunate. My parents are both still living and still married (celebrating over 30+ years this year) and they are loving their roles as grandparents to our children. I will give my mother a call tomorrow (well FaceTime actually) and tell her I love her...and pass the phone on so that she can talk with her grandchildren.  The kids and I will spoil my wife with gifts, cards, and special meals...I am sure it will be a day filled with joy.

     It will also be a day filled with grief. My wife lost her mother to Ovarian Cancer 10 years ago. Forever loved as "Ms Jackie" my mother-in-law was the best that a son-in-law can have.  She was a faithful and dedicated Christian, Wife, and Mother. She taught children in Sunday School for decades and would often tell the kids in her classes that she wanted to be a "grandma" when she grew up. Just before her battle with cancer ended my wife and I were able to share with her that her dream had come true. My wife was pregnant with twins. My mother-in-law was so happy to tell the nurses and doctors that she was going to be a grandma.

     Shortly after my mother-in-law went to be with the Lord...our twins (Peyton and Jordan) joined her. Several months after losing my mother-in-law and the twins tragedy struck again and Jayden joined them in heaven.  The grief felt by my wife (and I) was enormous. There is nothing harder in life than losing a mother or a child and we had lost both within six months.

     It was during this time that the stories of Hannah in 1 Samuel 1-2, Abraham and Sarah in Genesis 12-21, and Isaac and Rebekah in Genesis  23-25 became very real and very encouraging for us. Adam and Eve were told to be 'fruitful' and to 'multiply' in Genesis 1-2.  They disobey God's Word in Genesis 3 and part of the curse given to the woman is that her 'pain' in childbearing will be increased (3:16). While certainly there is great pain in delivering a child...it appears (after the focus on infertility in Sarah, Rebekah, and even Rachel) that it is not just physical pain that is increased. Women, made with the gift of being able to carry and deliver children, will struggle with infertility and barrenness.

     Our grief droves us to the Bible and the Lord brought comfort. We cried out to the Lord...brokenhearted and with crushed spirits...and He heard our cries.

     One of the great lies of our enemy, the devil, is that you are alone. Take heart, you are not a lone. Many will mourn the loss of their mother tomorrow. If you have lost your mother...the Lord is near the brokenhearted and I pray that he would bring you great peace, comfort, and mercy.  If you desire to BE a mother...take heart...many struggle and many have experienced loss...the Lord hears the cries of the righteous, he is near the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:17-18). Jesus says in Matthew 5:4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted."

    So on this day of joy and grief remember to pray. Thank the Lord for your mother and children. Pray for those who are mourning and for those who are longing. Pray that the Lord would give comfort and grace. Finally, remember that the Lord will one day swallow up death forever and will wipe away every tear (Isaiah 25:8)...and so we pray Revelation 22:20...Come, Lord Jesus!

Mystery in the Bible? A review of G.K. Beale and Benjamin Gladd's "Hidden But Now Revealed: A Biblical Theology of Mystery"

G.K. Beale and Benjamin Gladd. Hidden But Now Revealed: A Biblical Theology of Mystery. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2014. 392 pp. $27.00.

The Bible is amazing. It is a well that never runs dry, but provides life. Today, in 2015, we have access to the Bible like never before…and yet we do anything but meditate on the Scriptures (Joshua 1:8; Deuteronomy 6; Psalm 1). Part of the reason we neglect our Bible is because it can be difficult to understand. It has been picked apart, scrutinized, and denied as foolishness. And yet, “..the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” 1 Corinthians 1:25. While the Bible can be difficult to understand we have no excuse. God has revealed his word to mankind. It is through the Bible that we come to know God and receive eternal life through his son, Jesus Christ.

The relationship between the Old and New Testaments is one of the major difficulties in understanding the Bible. G.K. Beale and Benjamin Gladd in Hidden But Now Revealed, present an extremely helpful resource for anyone seeking to understand the continuity and discontinuity between the Old and New Testaments. Specifically, Beale and Gladd zoom in on how the term mystery is used by New Testament authors to reveal their understanding of the relationship between the Old and New Testaments (18-19). They define mystery as “the revelation of God’s partially hidden wisdom, particularly as it concerns events occurring in the ‘latter days” (20).

The introduction is superb. The authors present the need for their work, a well defined thesis, helpful definitions, presuppositions, goals, and describe the audience they are writing for. Outside of the Introduction the most important chapter of the book is chapter 1 on Daniel’s use of mystery. While the term mystery is found in the New Testament 28 times, it is only found 9 times in the Old Testament and only in the book of Daniel. Thus, the authors emphasize the importance of how Daniel uses the term and how that informs the New Testament authors understanding of the relationship between the Old and New Testaments.

After the foundational chapter on Daniel, the authors have a brief chapter on the use of mystery in early Judaism. They explore how Daniel affected writings, commentaries, and other Jewish texts in their understanding of mystery from the close of the Old Testament canon until the coming of Christ. Next, in chapters 3-10 the authors work through the 28 New Testament findings of the word mystery in Matthew, Romans, 1 Corinthians, Ephesians, Colossians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, and Revelation. These chapters represent the meat of the book and provide excellent insight and analysis of the texts. Each chapter builds off of the initial chapter on Daniel and includes how they are all connected together. After working through the New Testament the authors have a chapter dealing with mystery in the New Testament where the technical terms is not used, and a chapter exploring and contrasting how pagan religions also used secrecy and mystery as well. Finally, chapter 13 provides a concise conclusion.

Throughout the book the authors argue that “…the revealed mystery is in some form or another linked to Old Testament references and bound up with the person of Christ. The unveiled mystery according to the New Testament is is inextricably tethered to Christ and his work” (321). The authors sum up their argument by briefly tracing their argument from Daniel-Revelation before giving final thoughts about the hermeneutical technique of the New Testament authors (which they expand upon in their appendix), the importance of the mystery of the Cross, and how practically mystery should be applied to our lives by increasing our view of God and obedience to His Word.

Beale and Gladd have provided a wonderful resource for the church. It is scholarly, and technical, but not so dry that only scholars and pastors can benefit from it. The authors are very qualified to write such a work (a daunting task 7-8) and each chapter is very helpful on its own and together with the whole. I especially benefited from the chapters on Daniel and Ephesians. These chapters alone are worth the price of the book. While I disagree with some of the authors conclusions about Daniel, that chapter is key to understanding mystery in the New Testament. I recommend this work to anyone who desires to understand the Bible better, as a whole, and the relationship between the Old and New Testaments. The book would be especially beneficial to pastors, seminary students, and others who are wrestling with the tension found between the discontinuity and continuity of the Old and New Testaments. Get it, read it (fast, slow, or maybe both) and be driven to know God through the means He has given us, His Word.

*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review*

Book Review: “With the Clouds of Heaven: The book of Daniel in biblical theology” by James M. Hamilton Jr.

Book Review 

“With the Clouds of Heaven: The book of Daniel in biblical theology”

by James M. Hamilton Jr.

Inter Varsity Press, Downers Grove, IL, 2014

  Of all of the books in the bible, Daniel ranks as one of the most controversial and most difficult to grasp and understand.  In the fall of 2013 I preached through the book of Daniel for 12 weeks. It was an enormous task and yet an enormous blessing at the same time and the Lord used the book of Daniel in a great way within our church.  I used 20 resources before and during that period and purchased and received several more since then.  If I were to preach or teach through Daniel again (and Lord willing I will!) James M. Hamilton Jr’s With the Clouds of Heaven” would be the first resource I would turn to.  In this book review I will give a brief summary of the book, discuss strengths and weakness, and provide come concluding thoughts.  

       The New Studies in Biblical Theology is a fantastic series from Inter Varsity Press and I have read and reviewed several books within this series and Hamilton’s work on Daniel did not disappoint.  The book is broken down into 10 chapters with a series and an author’s preface.  Hamilton uses chapter one to lay out preliminaries for entire work and makes it very clear that his book is not a verse by verse commentary but instead “an evangelical and canonical biblical theology of Daniel.” (21) Hamilton states at the end of chapter one that  his “…hope is to pay close attention to the text of Daniel, in both the original languages in which it was written and in the Greek and English translations, to set what Daniel wrote in the broader context of biblical theology, and to move readers toward a clearer understanding of biblical theology, and to move readers towards a clearer understanding of how we should live today in response to the message of Daniel.” (40)  A difficult task, and yet at the completion of reading his work i believe he has accomplished such a great task.  

  Within the preliminaries Hamilton discusses his view of biblical theology, the canon of Scripture, and the details of his evangelical approach towards this study.  It is an extremely helpful chapter of introduction.  Hamilton is a seminary professor, but even more he is gifted at teaching. He does not miss the opportunity to cover issues that affect his point of view while simultaneously pointing and persuading his readers in the same direction.  In this regard Hamilton is unapologetic of his positions and is passionate about defending the historical authenticity of the book of Daniel.  

Chapters 2 and 3 continue more introductory matters but are both very helpful chapters.  In chapter 2 Hamilton relates Daniel within the progression of the revelation of Scriptures and how the progression will continue until the end of time.  Daniel reaches back to Genesis in his opening statements referring to Babylon as ’Shinar’ (1:2) and carries it forward until the ‘end of days’ (41). Hamilton does an excellent job showing how Daniel is heavily influenced by the Old Testament up to that point in time and how Daniel contributes to the continuing revelation of the coming of the end of days.  In Chapter 3 Hamilton argues that the structure of Daniel should be viewed as a chiasm (A mirroring poetic form where the top and bottom correspond and where the middle is emphasized at times).  Typically, scholars acknowledge 2 chasms within the book of Daniel but Hamilton’s argument for one chiasm is very convincing and very helpful.  He has presented it in prior works and so I was already familiar with it but his chapter on the structure of Daniel is very helpful.  

Next, in chapters 4-6 Hamilton gets into the nitty gritty of the Book of Daniel by addressing the visions, images, and dialogue between Daniel and the heavenly beings.  Much could be said about the details and delicacy that Hamilton gives in dealing with these passages.  In particular, his argument regarding the 3rd and 4th kingdoms are very helpful.  Whereas many scholars argue for the 4th kingdom to be Rome, Hamilton argues that it should more be seen as a typological kingdom that continues (over and over again) until the coming of the Anti-Christ, who is pictured as a Nebuchadnezzar (and later Antiochus Epiphanes). Essentially, Daniel’s message was to encourage his readers to hold fast during these trying times and it is still applicable to Christians today.

In chapter 7, Hamilton goes through early Jewish literature to build his arguments about authorship and dating and to show how the writings of Daniel affected later authors to copy or incorporate Daniel’s style within their own writings.  In chapters 8-10, Hamilton jumps into the New Testament and tackles passages that directly relate with the Book of Daniel from the Appendix IV in the Nestle-Aland Novum Testamentum Graece, 27th edition (179-180).  Then, he carefully handles how John uses Daniel in Revelation (though not exhaustive as he indicates has been done in several other books), even to the point of copying the chiasm of Daniel to drive home the point of the exaltation of Jesus opposed to the humiliation of Nebuchadnezzar and Belteshazzar (205-206).   

Hamilton accomplishes his goal of providing a biblical theology of the Book of Daniel.  It no easy task to read let alone comprehend and communicate what exactly Daniel is conveying through his retelling of visions and dialogues with heavenly beings.  Hamilton does an excellent job of teaching as he argues.  His preliminary chapter is very helpful in preparing his readers for the following arguments without being exhaustive over introductory matters.  Chapter 3 is beneficial even if you are not studying or preaching through Daniel because of the comprehensive presentation of the Scriptures. 

Other strengths include his explanations on the early Jewish literature, the structure of the Book of Daniel as a chiasm and the corresponding nature that John uses the same pattern to organize Revelation, and the typological nature of Daniel and Joseph in chapter 10.  I would recommend anyone, scholar, student, pastor, lay-person, to begin with Hamilton’s work before consulting any other work.  I say this because of the consistency of Hamilton’s argument and the foundational issues such as structure and the typological patterns that create the bases in which Daniel writes.  Of all of the other resources I have read on Daniel none compare to this volume from Hamilton when it comes to these issues.  Other works have their strengths of course but consistently i found myself unable to rely on any particular commentary or resource throughout my study on Daniel.  In my opinion, you will not find a better resource that balances the academic and the application purposes of the Book of Daniel.  

It is rare that a reader can see progression of thought in the right way.  Anyone who reads Hamilton’s earlier works (and I recommend that you make it priority to do so) will see how he has progressed from a literal interpretation of the 70 weeks in Daniel to a more symbolic (typological) interpretation of the 70 weeks.  Though this progression does not change his final view of the 70 weeks (Hamilton takes a Historic Premillennialism point of view) it does show that he has continued to wrestle with the text.  I appreciated words like ‘appears’, ‘seems’ and ‘possibly’ that Hamilton would use in referencing the difficult passages.  He balances strong conviction with the limitations that every interpreter of Daniel faces.  Though I am not persuaded completely to his arguments concerning the 70 weeks and the millennial reign (I would follow Gentry and Wellum’s argument in Kingdom through Covenant), I do believe it is the best (and only legitimate) alternative to the Amillenial view.  It would appear the major differences between my view and Hamilton’s is the placement of the 1000 year reign and whether or not there is a gap between the 69th and 70th week.  I will continue studying and pursuing the nature of these differences but am happy with either.  

       In conclusion, I believe Hamilton successfully arrives at his goal of providing a biblical theology of the Book of Daniel and I would highly recommend it, for personal study, for scholars, for pastors, and even lay-men to continue their pursuits on knowing God better through the means He has given us, His Word.  I am thankful for Inter Varsity Press for providing a copy of Hamilton’s book for review.  I am indebted to Dr. Hamilton’s passion for teaching and communicating the truths of Scripture, the storyline of salvation through judgment, and how the Book of Daniel is applicable to my life.

Book Review: 10:10 Life to the Fullest by Daniel Hill

10:10 “Life to the Fullest”

Daniel Hill

*I received this book for free from Baker Books in exchange for my reviewing it, and I was not required to write a positive review.

Daniel Hill states on page 33 that the purpose of his book is “to paint a biblical picture of holistic, multidimensional faith, and to inspire and equip you to step into that as a new dimension of life in Christ.”  Hill certainly paints pictures, but does he actually reach his goal?  I would argue he does not.  

Hill is a great communicator.  His stories are gripping and his illustrations are on point.  But Hill lacks good exegesis.  He gives the background of his spiritual journey through various denominations and churches in which he realized that people from all of these various backgrounds had the same problem. Something was missing…Hill says it is faith.   He then goes on and describes holistic faith through three sections 1. Faith and Fear 2. Faith and Intimacy and 3. Faith and Missions.  Hill spends 4 chapters in introductory matters (and waits until chapter three to give any sort of thesis statement).  I worried during the first two chapters if Hill would ever actually refer to the Scriptures at all.  Instead it was a very self-centered description of his own journey.  When he does refer to Scripture he frequently takes parables out of their context to to align with a particular story and point he is trying to make.    

I found it ironic that his conclusion was faith and yet he does not emphasize two important things about faith.  First, Romans 10:17 “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” While Hill tries to tie Hebrews 11 into his argument he does not emphasize the fact that true faith only comes through the submission and devotion to the Scriptures.  All through out the Scriptures (Genesis 1, Deuteronomy 6., Joshua 1, Psalms 1, 19, 119 etc) there is an emphasis on knowing God through the means He has given us.  His Word.  Therefore. the more we read Scripture the more we come to know God, the bigger our view of God is the more we fear and obey and LOVE Him.  This is how faith is increased and rightly changes our lives. Hill though completely misses at urging his readers to read and obey the Scriptures.

Secondly, all throughout the gospels and especially the book of Acts the words “faith” and “repent” are used interchangeably.  Therefore to truly have faith is equal to repenting and vice versa.  Hill, however, does not go into the topic of repentance.  Instead in chapter 10 Hill emphasizes our own fears and Satan as what hinders us from having true faith.  Hill never gets the the main thing that separates mankind from God, SIN.  When one reads throughout the Scripture one thing becomes clear.  Man is sinful and God is Holy.  This is what makes grace so amazing, that a Holy God would conquer sin in order for us to be with Him again.  Hill misses a great opportunity to call his readers to repentance.  

Readers will certainly like Hill’s stories and the fact that he will appeal to your flesh and seem to give a new approach to what “real” faith is but ultimately he falls short.  If you are a new Christian or someone who has run away from rules and regulations then this book might appeal to you…but it won’t ultimately point you in the direction you need to go.  I would recommend “Desiring God” by John Piper instead.  John 10:10 is certainly a wonderful promise…just one that Daniel Hill does not right exegete.