Old Testament Religion

The church has too often lost its way in reading the Old Testament for lack of sound principles of interpretation. When careless habits get us off track, we can lose sight of what the Bible is really saying, derailing our own spiritual growth and even risking discredit to God's word. We need a consistent approach to give us confidence as faithful interpreters. In Wisdom for Faithful Reading, trusted Old Testament scholar John Walton lays out his best practices developed over four decades in the classroom.

What do we do with a God who sanctions violence? Old Testament violence proves one of the most troubling topics in the Bible. Too often, the explanations for the brutality in Scripture fail to adequately illustrate why God would sanction such horrors on humanity. These unanswered questions leave readers frustrated and confused, leading some to even walk away from their faith.

"The Lord is my shepherd...." The words of this famous psalm have brought comfort to many—but what impact do they have on an actual shepherd? Best selling author and shepherd Phillip Keller draws on his firsthand experience to lead and prod listeners to the greenest pastures of discovery and coolest waters of fulfillment hidden in the psalm. This lively devotional commentary will show you how to experience Psalm 23 in a new way. See with the eyes, touch with the hands, and feel with the heart of our Lord—the Great Shepherd.

God speaks to us through the Bible. That book embodies his words. Creation itself is the visible embodiment of his power and wisdom. It is the result of his words. This book of his is, in a different way, the effect of his speaking. It is his written wisdom and power. There is his voice to us. The thunder and tempest are his loud voice of grandeur. The sunshine and the gentle breeze are his still small voice. But deeper, clearer, keener, softer, and still more penetrating than all of these is his written word to us.

The Revised Geneva Translation (based on Shakespeare's favorite Bible translation) was borne of an actor’s need to memorize and speak Scripture out loud with specific meanings and inflections. It is a 21st Century update of the very first widely-distributed version of the Holy Bible in English, The Geneva Bible.

How long has your Goliath stalked you? Invaded your first thought of the morning and last worry of the night? David knows a little something about facing giants. The shepherd boy seemingly had little to offer against the nine-foot, nine-inch Goliath. You could read his story and wonder what God saw in him. Throughout his life, David fell as often as he stood, stumbled as often as he conquered. But for those who know the threat of a Goliath, David gives this reminder: Focus on giants — you stumble. Focus on God — your giants tumble.

Discover the timeless wisdom and profound insights of King Solomon, through the three biblical books attributed to him: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon. These books offer unparalleled guidance on living a meaningful, fulfilling life and provide deep reflections on love, purpose, and the human experience.

British Narrator Simon Peterson reads The Book of Judges in this wonderful audiobook collection of The Old Testament. As a well-known Christian Broadcaster, Simon has the ideal voice for those of all ages who want to listen to The Bible in full, unabridged form. His emotive reading perfectly captures the beauty and power of God's Word and makes the King James English clear and easy to understand.

God's identity is beyond what we could ever fully express in human words. But Scripture uses one particular word to describe the distinctiveness of God's character: the Hebrew word hesed. Hesed is a concept so rich in meaning that it doesn't translate well into any single English word or phrase. Michael Card unpacks the many dimensions of hesed, often expressed as lovingkindness, covenant faithfulness, or steadfast love. He explores how hesed is used in the Old Testament to reveal God's character and how he relates to his people.

The books of the Bible were written at different times by different authors over a period of approximately 1,500 years from around 1400 BC through 90 AD. The Old Testament was written in Biblical Hebrew, excluding the books written during "the Chaldean captivity" such as Daniel and Ezra which were written in "Biblical Aramaic" during the "Chaldean captivity". Many of the books of the Old Testament bear the names of the prophets who authored them. Moses compiled the earlier parts of Genesis and directly authored the remaining portion.

The Essential Talmud is a masterful introduction by Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz to the great repository of Jewish wisdom, the Talmud. A book of profound scholarship and concise pedagogy, The Essential Talmud succinctly describes the Talmud's history, structure, and methodology. It summarizes the Talmud's main principles, demonstrates its contemporary relevance, and captures the spirit of this unique and paradoxical sacred text as a human expression of divine law.

The Bible is widely considered to be the most profound collection of books in all of history, and it includes messages and stories that are still referenced today in the secular world. But it’s long, complicated, hard to read, and not organized in chronological order. In The Short Bible, author Dr. Peter Bylsma offers basic facts about the Bible, discusses the development of the modern Bible, and reviews its themes. He summarizes all the books of the Old and New Testaments in 25 short, easy-to-understand chapters, capturing the epic stories, characters, and main ideas.

Are you ready for real and radical transformation? God Is Enough! This message comes through loud and clear in the lives of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. While they failed time and again, God was faithful to convict, restore and bless them. And He is able to deal with our slipping and stumbling as well. Watchman Nee uses the lives of the patriarchs to show that God is able to turn our failure into success and our weakness into strength.

The Old Testament is a most valuable book of scripture. It teaches and illustrates time and again what kinds of thinking and actions we need to avoid if we desire to remain firmly on the covenant path. And it teaches how to repent and return to Christ, whose arms of mercy are extended all the day long (Isaiah 65:2), inviting us to repent. In this third edition, noted teacher and gospel scholar David J. Ridges brings the Old Testament to life with his well-known teaching skills. It is much expanded over previous editions.

Psalm 23 is one of the most recognizable passages in the whole Bible. Though relatively short, this poetic depiction of God’s love epitomizes Christ’s goodness and provision as he leads his children. Even lifelong Christians will find fresh encouragement by closely studying these familiar words. David Gibson walks through each verse in Psalm 23, thoroughly examining its 3 depictions of the believer’s union with Christ as sheep and shepherd, traveler and companion, and guest and host.

Abraham is unquestionably one of the most outstanding and influential figures in world history. He had no political or military achievements, and he left no literary remains, yet today billions of people claim him as their spiritual father. Throughout the Bible, Abraham is seen as a pivotal figure in God's plan of salvation. In this richly detailed account of his life and times, John Lennox helps us to see through mists of the past to the real flesh-and-blood man, with all his strengths and weaknesses, to better appreciate all that Abraham stands for as a model of faith today.

Urban Legends of the Old Testament surveys 40 of the most commonly misinterpreted passages in the Old Testament. These “urban legends” often arise because interpreters neglect a passage’s context, misuse historical background information, or misunderstand the original language of the text.

How can an evangelical view of Scripture be reconciled with modern biblical scholarship? In this book Peter Enns, an expert in biblical interpretation, addresses Old Testament phenomena that challenge traditional evangelical perspectives on Scripture. He then suggests a way forward, proposing an incarnational model of biblical inspiration that takes seriously both the divine and the human aspects of Scripture.

From Eden to Egypt is a guided tour of the first book of the Bible. Alex Duke takes the listener by the hand and helps them to see that these stories of Genesis aren’t as difficult to understand as they sometimes seem.

Witnessing the burning bush. Crossing the Red Sea. Collecting manna in the wilderness. Surviving the fiery furnace. Each miracle reminds us that the Old Testament is applicable in our lives today. Take an in-depth look at the divine acts the Lord and his prophets performed.