God’s Design: A Focus on Old Testament Theology

The book matinee idols Design A Focus on Old Testament Theology by Elmer Martens discusses the essence of the Old Testament, in which the motive offers his own categories from give-and- allow as text, knowledge of divinity, saving, community and, finally, abundant life. The first partition Gods formulate is discussed in terms of pre-monarchial period stressing the importance and influence of Israels history on emergence and development of Christianity. repurchase and saving atomic number 18 presented through the Yahwehs image a divine warrior.The aspect of community appears as the author draws relations between the mess of Israel and the God. Martens argues that the knowledge of God is knowledge of the introductions being and worlds order which can be found in the prologue in Genesis. The second section discusses the monarchial era and the author applies Gods design template to present or even to rise up the validity of his approach. Martens notes that both Hosea and Ex odus passages are provided with the corresponding design elements.For example, in monarchial period deliverance was viewed instead differently actually, Israel established its own army. Instead, the divine warrior is presented in the expressions of the Day of Yahweh. The central point of the section is that people expected for Messiah. The last section is devoted to post-monarchial period. The author refers to tertiary text of Ezekiel. In particular, the author tends to durability the aspect of deliverance and he shows that Yahweh was handing over Israel and he was to be blamed for having got in the hands of enemies.The author views deliverance as the future promise. Only in this period the first community was established in the Israel history. Community is presented as future, whereas the knowledge of God was firstly identified in the post-monarchial period focusing more than on prayer. Judgment and salvation are two events which Israel people experiences. In the conclusion th e author shows Gods design in creation and shows relations between Gods design and the worlds nations. Gods design is highly appreciated both in the Old and the sunrise(prenominal) Testaments. Book ReviewI think that the book is very informative and the other offers his original ideas and thoughts virtually the Gods design in the Old Testament basing in scared scriptures. The author has managed to take seriously scriptural text and to make readers acquainted with hidden facts and revelations. The author doesnt apply foreign categories to Gods design. Neither has he supported interposition of categories developed by other scientists as they are not consistent with the book. Instead, Martens has utilized approach which is an excellent way to do biblical and theological researches.Therefore, the author asserts that there are unifying themes of the Scripture and it is requisite to base the whole research on them. Martens claims that there are many different pictures (p. 4) in the la ndscape of Scripture. The author views his task as to rouge the best possible picture. (p. 4) I think that the author has done an excellent job when underdeveloped own categories and not forcing them to be applied to any sacred scripture. Instead, the author allows sacred scriptures to shape the necessary template.We can see this in the changing nature of deliverance through the pre-monarchial to post-monarchial era. In the pre-monarchial ear deliverance is accomplished by divine warrior, whereas in monarchial period deliverance changed as Israel had established own stand army. Thus, deliverance is presented through expectation to be sent by the God. Finally, in the post-monarchial period divine deliverance us seen to come from the Messiah defined as cataclysmic event. It is possible to say that the book is the exegetical perspective brought out but h author in the context of unifying themes of the Old Testament. designers template can be applied to certain aspects of the text and , in such a way, the author manages to inform his readers about the primary meaning of the passage. To prove exegetical perspective it is necessary to call forth stipulations of Israel covenant. In particular, the author claims that Israel must not be loyal to the words which are not a coercive law which doesnt threaten the blessing of the God. Stipulations are viewed as the necessary response to a personal God. Actually, it was Yahweh who had promised salvation and deliverance to the people of Israel.In other words, the found promises arent consistent with Israels failure to obey and to follow the ten words of stipulations. However, if this point is proved, it means that Gods design wouldnt ever be fulfilled because the people of Israel are faithless. It is the God who has designed salvation and deliverance, and Gods character and purposes generated the design that brought about faithfulness to the people with whom He was covenanted. (p. 86) The book offers comprehensive analyze and analysis of the Old Testament, but there are many moments where the author refers to the issue of hermeneutics.Some of the passages are vague and they are nothing more than overarching paradigms. The author assumes that the name of Yahweh should be differentiated from Gods name as the author speaks about the God of all people, but it is not correct. Instead, the Abrahamic Covenant shares the same goal interpreted by the Old Testament and the covenant template is found in the pre-monarchial period. Nevertheless, despite certain weaknesses and misinterpretations the book is very helpful in identifying modes of biblical theology.