6 Ways the Old Testament Speaks Today: An Interactive Guide

by J. Alec Motyer

Publisher:

Crossway

, 2016

Overview

What does the Old Testament have to do with us today?

To many of us, the Old Testament can seem distant, foreign, and confusing, with difficult language and events disconnected from our present-day lives. But with a little guidance, it is quickly evident that the Old Testament still speaks today.

In this engaging book, late pastor-theologian Alec Motyer leads us to discover the everyday significance of six key themes that resonate throughout the Old Testament: history, religion, worship, prophecy, wisdom, and theology. Each chapter focuses on one theme, featuring a week’s worth of Scripture readings paired with accessible commentary on the biblical text. Clear, accessible, and warmly pastoral, this book will help you see what this collection of ancient texts from the past has to do with our day-to-day lives in the present.

Key Features

• Surveys the structure and main themes of the Old Testament
• Provides guided daily Bible readings
• Explores the significance of the Old Testament for today

Contents

• The Voice of History
• The Voice of Religion
• The Voice of Worship
• The Voice of Prophecy
• The Voice of Wisdom
• The Voice of God
• Appendix: Short Daily Bible Readings

Top Highlights

“First, we must be careful not to criticize the Old Testament for being realistic.” (Page 24)

“In the Old Testament the verb ‘to create’ is used only with reference to God.” (Page 128)

“One major lesson of all the history books, and one reason why so much of the Old Testament is occupied with history, is that we may see that behind all events and behind their whole sequence is a great and wonderful God engineering and controlling everything and working his purposes out in the flow of history.” (Page 23)

“It follows from all this, and from the many more references that could be offered under each heading, that the life that conforms to God’s wisdom and to his standards of right and wrong is the proper life for everyone on earth, the truly human life.” (Page 105)

“Third, the long sweep of Old Testament history allows us to see the holy God governing the world by his own moral laws.” (Page 25)

Praise for the Print Edition

I have lost count of the number of times I have read this book. Priceless wisdom and exquisite summaries of Old Testament genres, with the added bonus of Motyer’s wit and wisdom, make this book a treasure indeed.

—Derek W. H. Thomas, Chancellor’s Professor, Reformed Theological Seminary; Teaching Fellow, Ligonier Ministries; Senior Minister, First Presbyterian Church, Columbia, South Carolina

Alec Motyer was both a princely man and a prince among Old Testament theologians, teachers, and authors. Devout and witty, scholarly and accessible, theological and commonsensical, God-honoring and Christ-centered, Spirit-illuminated and practical—he seemed to sprinkle gold dust on every page he wrote. And from seminary-trained leaders to the youngest believer, every reader can share his generosity by a little digging into 6 Ways the Old Testament Speaks Today.

—Sinclair B. Ferguson, Chancellor’s Professor of Systematic Theology, Reformed Theological Seminary; Teaching Fellow, Ligonier Ministries

Product Details

• Title: 6 Ways the Old Testament Speaks Today: An Interactive Guide
• Author: J. Alec Motyer
• Publisher: Crossway
• Publication Date: 2018
• Pages: 240
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Topic: Old Testament Theology

About J. Alec Motyer

J. Alec Motyer (1924–2016) was a renowned Old Testament pastor and scholar. With extensive experience in parish ministry, he was principal of Trinity College in Bristol, England, and was well known as a Bible expositor. His books include The Prophecy of Isaiah, and he was the Old Testament editor of The Bible Speaks Today commentary series.