The Return of the Kingdom: A Biblical Theology of God’s Reign (Essential Studies in Biblical Theology | ESBT)
Digital Logos Edition
Overview
The biblical story begins and ends with God as king. Human beings rebel, however, rather than fulfilling their royal calling to rule creation on behalf of their Sovereign—and the world became enslaved to the rule of a dark, serpentine lord.
In this volume of IVP Academic’s Essential Studies in Biblical Theology, Stephen Dempster traces the themes of kingship and kingdom throughout Scripture, illuminating the challenges, pain, and ultimate hope that the Bible offers. The story of God’s kingship is ultimately the fulfillment of a promise, a promise to restore the rightful rule of humanity over creation by defeating sin and death and to establish a world of peace and justice.
Essential Studies in Biblical Theology (ESBT), edited by Benjamin L. Gladd, explore the central or essential themes of the Bible’s grand storyline. Taking cues from Genesis 1–3, authors trace the presence of these themes throughout the entire sweep of redemptive history. Written for students, church leaders, and laypeople, the series offers an introduction to biblical theology.
- Explores the central or essential themes of the Bible’s grand storyline
- Illuminates the challenges, pain, and ultimate hope that the Bible offers
- Traces the themes of kingship and kingdom throughout Scripture
- Introduction: The Return of the Kingdom—The Biblical Theology of God’s Reign
- 1. The Big Picture—The Bible’s Bookends
- 2. The Kingdom Begun: Genesis and Kingship
- 3. Kingdom Come
- 4. The Loss of the Kingdom: Enemy in the Garden
- 5. Kingdom Restoration Begins: Adam to Abraham
- 6. The Patriarchal Narratives and the Kingdom of God 1. Abraham and Life over Death
- 7. The Patriarchal Narratives and the Kingdom of God 2. Jacob and Blessing over Curse; Joseph and Good over Evil
- 8. Exodus-Deuteronomy 1. Exodus and the Beginning of a Nation
- 9. Exodus-Deuteronomy 2. Leviticus-Deuteronomy and the Establishment of a Nation
- 10. The Former Prophets: Kingdom Growth and Decline
- 11. The Latter Prophets: The Once and Future Kingdom
- 12. The Writings 1. The Psalms and the Wisdom Literature: Kingdom Life and Hope
- 13. The Writings 2. Daniel-Chronicles: Awaiting the Kingdom
- 14. The Centre of the Biblical Storyline. 1. The Gospel of Matthew
- 15. The Centre of the Biblical Storyline. 2. The Gospels of Mark, Luke and John
- 16. Kingdom Expansion and Community: Acts and the Letter Collections
- 17. Grand Finale and Kingdom Come: Revelation and the Present
This succinct volume brims with fresh textual observations and insightful canonical connections. Drawing from a deep well of thoughtful study, Dempster skillfully shows that the reign and return of the king is not only a central theme in redemptive history but also a strategic summary of the Bible's unfolding story line. This biblical theology of God's kingdom is a gift.
—Ched Spellman, associate professor of biblical and theological studies at Cedarville University
- Title: The Return of the Kingdom: A Biblical Theology of God’s Reign
- Author: Stephen G. Dempster
- Series: Essential Studies in Biblical Theology
- Publisher: IVP Academic
- Print Publication Date: 2024
- Logos Release Date: 2024
- Pages: 213
- Era: era:contemporary
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subjects: Kingdom of God › Biblical teaching; Bible. O.T. Genesis › Criticism, interpretation, etc; Bible. N.T. Revelation › Criticism, interpretation, etc; Jesus Christ › Royal office
- ISBNs: 9780830842919, 9780830842933, 0830842918, 0830842934
- Resource ID: LLS:ESBTRETURNKINGDOM
- Resource Type: text.monograph.biblical-theology
- Metadata Last Updated: 2024-03-19T20:15:53Z
Reviews
1 rating
Matthew McGuire
4/5/2024
Reading Dempster's Return of the Kingdom has profoundly rejuvenated my interest in the canonical metanarrative of the Hebrew Bible and Christian New Testament—the story of the "once and future kingdom" and how we fit into this grand picture. What at first appears to be a tightly knit overview of the Bible turns out to be a discerning, awe-inspiring bird's eye view of Yahweh's intent for the created order. No doubt I will come back to reference this book for years to come, and I further intend to keep Dempster's sketches in mind as I embark on future read-throughs of the Scripture, the next of which will be following the canonical order of the Tanakh, which Dempster so invitingly brings to the fore of the discussion. In brief: bravo to a biblical scholar who embodies the fullness of logos, ethos, and pathos in his teachings on the kingdom.
Jerold Joe Neuman, Jr.
3/20/2024
The bio on the author needs to be corrected to his emeritus status at Crandall University, probably formerly (?) Atlantic Baptist University.
