Ezra 7, Change the World: Study the Bible

James Davison Hunter recently published To Change the World: The Irony, Tragedy, and Possibility of Christianity in the Late Modern World, which Justin Taylor and Douglas Wilson both blogged through, and Greg Gilbert reviewed.

Ezra set out to advance the kingdom of God, and seeking that agenda entailed nothing less than changing the world.

Ezra 7:10 tells us how Ezra went about seeking to change the world:

“For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.”

Here’s my attempt to exposit Ezra 7, “Change the World: Study the Bible.”

Review of Alexander’s From Eden to the New Jerusalem

T. Desmond Alexander. From Eden to the New Jerusalem: An Introduction to Biblical Theology. Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2009 (Nottingham, England: InterVarsity, 2008). 208pp. 978-0825420153. $19.99 Paperback. Published in The Southern Baptist Journal of Theology 14.2 (2010), 94-95.

T. Desmond Alexander is well known to those interested in biblical theology. Among his publications are key books on the Messiah in the OT (The Servant King) and a theological introduction to the Pentateuch (From Paradise to the Promised Land), along with significant essays on the genealogies, on royal ideology, and on the seed theme in Genesis. Together with Brian Rosner, D. A. Carson, and Graeme Goldsworthy, he edited the New Dictionary of Biblical Theology. The book under review here is the best brief survey of biblical theology to be found anywhere. In 200 pages Alexander instructively presents the major themes in and contours of the Bible’s plot.

He sets out to probe God’s revelation of the world’s meta-story in the Bible for answers to two questions: why does the earth exist and what is the purpose of human life? Alexander shows that the earth is God’s cosmic temple, and humanity’s purpose is to rule in God’s stead and minister in his temple. We are priest-kings in a cosmic temple.

Alexander first examines the gardens that frame the Bible’s big story in the matching portraits of Genesis 1–3 and Revelation 21–22. He contends, with Beale and others, that the earth was designed as a divine residence, and that the tabernacle and temple are literally “microcosms”—depictions of the universe in miniature. As such the tabernacle and temple are symbols of what the world is to be, matching the depiction of the new Jerusalem as a temple-city in Revelation 21–22 and the Garden of Eden as a divine sanctuary in Genesis 2–3. Adam’s role, and Israel’s, was to broaden the boundaries of the dwelling place of God, and that task has been given to the church, which is now God’s temple where the Spirit dwells. Everyone interested in understanding the Bible will want to study the compelling evidence presented for these concepts.

Alexander then explores the role of Adam and Eve as God’s viceroys, priest-kings whose duty it was to “extend God’s temple and kingdom throughout the earth” (78). Instead they betrayed God, sided with his enemy, forfeited their priestly status, and gave the serpent control over the earth. God sets up the theocracy of Israel and later the kingdom of God in the church to reestablish his sovereignty in the world. From Abraham and Melchizedek through the nation of Israel on to Jesus, Alexander traces the depiction of God’s priest-king. The exodus from Egypt is a picture of rescue from the consequences of sin and the establishment of God’s rule and presence, which amounts to a transfer of God’s people from one kingdom to another. Jesus is the fulfillment of Old Testament expectations for a priest-king, and he accomplishes a new and greater exodus.

This new exodus involves the defeat of the ancient serpent, cursed in Genesis 3:15. The conquest is accomplished by the slaying of the new Passover Lamb, Jesus, who was then raised from the dead. He crushed the serpent’s head, accomplishing atonement, purification, and sanctification. God’s people are set right before him (justified), cleansed of their sin (purified), and set apart for him (sanctified). We look forward to the harmonious relationships between creatures and creation in the glorious eschatological future promised in the Bible. This hope, based on our understanding of the plot and purpose inherent in the Bible’s big story, guards us against the new epidemic of “affluenza,” which rests like a spell cast by the sorceress-harlot Babylon on Western society.

This is a remarkable book. In short compass Alexander is wide ranging and thorough, detailed and stimulating. From Eden to the New Jerusalem is a book on biblical theology that will benefit pastors and students, and it deserves a wide reading in the academy as well, especially for the ways it balances prevailing atomistic approaches with a big picture overview. The smaller episodes and characters within the big story cannot be understood apart from whole, and I know of no better brief sketch of the whole picture than this one.

Related: Andy Naselli recently interviewed Desi Alexander on Biblical Theology at Between Two Worlds.

Mickey Mantle’s Bat!

My next door neighbor works for Louisville Slugger, and he told us about all they have going right now:

In addition to the factory tour and seeing the exhibits in the museum, be sure to see our film, visit the batting cages (Jake is big enough to hit in there), and take the little guys to the  Small Ball area (a kids area with a batting tee).   Jed and Luke can take some cuts in there!  We also currently have an amazing art exhibit on Negro Leagues Baseball that is enhanced with some great pieces of history including items from Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Roy Campanella, and Satchel Paige.  In the museum, be sure to visit the Hold a Piece of History exhibit where you can hold a game used bat swung by Mickey Mantle in games in Yankee Stadium in the early 60’s.  We also have a Johnny Bench gamer and ones from current players David Ortiz and Evan Longoria.

So we went, and it was a trip to remember. If you’re in Louisville (or just passing through) you should try to get by there. Not least because you can hold Mickey Mantle’s bat. Here we are with it:

Louisville Slugger is exemplary for their generosity. In response to a question I asked earlier this summer, my neighbor wrote:

On the baseball side, we’ve focused on reaching as many kids as possible by doing broad scale sponsorships of USSSA, Little League, etc., on a national level.  We also put a lot of our dollars into disadvantaged youth programs through the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation, MLB RBI Programs, the Reds Community Fund and, locally, the West Louisville Warriors club.  We provide all of these organizations with equipment.  The kids these groups support wouldn’t have any gear at all to play ball with if it were not for our assistance.  For example, we recently donated 500 baseball gloves to disadvantaged kids in Cincinnati.  We also just sent about $50,000 (retail) of bats, gloves, batting helmets, etc., down to Nashville to support flood victims who lost their equipment in the May flood.

Thanks to Louisville Slugger for their work, for a great experience, and thanks neighbor for the good info!

More on the museum here.

John Sailhamer’s Meaning of the Pentateuch: A Review Essay

Here are the opening paragraphs of my review of Sailhamer’s The Meaning of the Pentateuch: Revelation, Composition and Interpretation:

This book received significant electronic attention. Mark Driscoll and John Piper went back and forth over it on Twitter, then Piper blogged on it, followed by a Collin Hansen Christianity Today interview, all linked on Justin Taylor’s Between Two Worlds. Even before the generation of this digital excitement, I had been looking forward to this book for several years. If asked to identify the major influences on my thinking about the Old Testament, Sailhamer is on the short list with T. Desmond Alexander, Stephen Dempster, William J. Dumbrell, and Paul House.

Sailhamer’s Presidential Address to the ETS, later published as “The Messiah in the Hebrew Bible,” was a watershed moment in my thinking about the Old Testament. That address gripped and fascinated me, as did an essay Sailhamer wrote on the connections between Genesis 49, Numbers 22–24, and other texts. I say all this to preface the following points of appreciation, puzzlement, and disagreement.

And here is the outline of the review essay:

1. Introduction (the two paragraphs quoted above)

2. Points of Appreciation

2.1 Impressive Research in Latin and German
2.2 Focus on the Messiah
2.3 Focus on the Final Form of the Text

3. Puzzling Features of the Book

3.1 Incidental Questions
3.2 Repetitions and Redundancies
3.3 Text or Event?
3.4 Sailhamer’s Dialogue Partners
3.5 Typology?

4. Points of Disagreement

4.1 Pentateuch 2.0
4.2 Abraham and Moses
4.3 The Event at Sinai and the Purpose of the Law
4.4 Other Disagreements

5. Conclusion

Thanks to SBJT‘ for generously granting me permission to post the whole thing here.

For those interested in bibliographic details: James M. Hamilton Jr., “John Sailhamer’s The Meaning of the Pentateuch: A Review Essay,” The Southern Baptist Journal of Theology 14.2 (2010), 62-76.

Errata: I spotted  at least one typo as I looked back over it. On page 70 I meant to refer to Jeremiah presenting himself “as an installment in a line of prophets” but mistyped the word line as life. Oops!

SBTS students: you will receive an email notifying  you when you may pick up the Journal. Thanks for not pestering the nice man who works in the Journal office.

Guide to the Dead Sea Scrolls by Craig Evans

You’ll want to avail yourself of this valuable, attractive new Holman QuickSource Guide to the Dead Sea Scrolls by recognized expert, Craig A. Evans.

Have you ever thought to yourself: I know there is a pile of scholarly information on the Dead Sea Scrolls that I could wade through, but I’d love to be able to sit down with a trusted, balanced, thoroughly informed expert on the scrolls and have him give me the lay of the land.

If you’ve had that thought, this is the book for you. It may not be as good as sitting down in person with Craig Evans, but in this book you’ll find matter-of-fact cut-to-the-chase discussions of all things related to the scrolls.

This is a handsomely produced, well illustrated volume of bite-sized chapters, and every morsel is tasty.

I recommend you buy one for yourself, and this would make a great gift for that student in your family, for your pastor, or for your Sunday School teacher.

Stephen J. Wellum on Theological Interpretation of Scripture

Stephen J. Wellum’s editorial in the most recent issue of SBJT contains some of the most insightful statements I’ve read on Theological Interpretation of Scripture:

“First, what is it and why has it arisen? . . . . Probably at this point, it is best to characterize TIS [Theological Interpretation of Scripture] as a broad and diverse movement comprised of biblical scholars and theologians who are mainline Protestants, Roman Catholics, and evangelicals and who are attempting to recover the authority of the Bible and to return it to the church. Obviously this raises the question as to what TIS is recovering the Bible from and the answer to this question helps us describe why it has arisen. In a nutshell, TIS is attempting to recover the authority of the Bible for the church from the debilitating effects of the ‘assured results of biblical scholarship’ identified with the Enlightenment and modern eras which sought to squeeze the Bible within the alien world-view assumptions of methodological naturalism (e.g., Deism, naturalism, process theism) associated with the historical-critical method. That is why, a majority of those in the TIS movement arise out of non-evangelical circles since, like Karl Barth before them (who is often viewed as the ‘founder’ of the movement), they are attempting to recover the Bible’s voice by rejecting the liberalism they were taught and raised in.”

Note: If you’re a student at SBTS, the journal will not be available for you to pick up until early September (sorry . . . but please don’t pester the nice man who works in the Journal office).

Ezra 6:22, Darius King of Assyria? Error or Typological Biblical Theology?

Time was slipping away from me yesterday, so some parts of the sermon manuscript got passed over. For instance, in Ezra 6:22, the king of Persia, Darius, is referred to as “the king of Assyria.” Here’s how the part of the manuscript that got skipped read:

Ezra isn’t confused here about the identity of the king (cf., e.g., 1:2 “of Persia,” 3:7 “of Persia,” 4:3 “of Persia,” 5:13 “of Babylon,” 6:14 “of Persia,” 7:1 “of Persia”). The point of the reference to Assyria is the linkage of Assyria, Babylon, and Persia, all of which represent the evil empire over against the kingdom of God. Those who oppose Israel are identified with one another, just as Ezra identifies his own generation with the generation who returned to the land and successfully rebuilt the temple.

Ezra knows that Darius is king of Persia and calls him that in Ezra 4:24, “until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.” It’s possible that calling Darius the king of Assyria in 6:22 is merely an incidental way of referring to the territory or realm that was first ruled by Assyria, then Babylon, then Persia. But even that incidental conflagration has significance for our understanding of what Ezra took for granted.

I’m inclined to think that Ezra intentionally refers to Darius as king of Persia in 4:24 then as king of Assyria in 6:22 to make a point. Similarly, he has referred to Cyrus as king of Persia in 4:5 only to call him king of Babylon in 5:13.

The point Ezra is making by referring to King Darius of Persia as the king of Assyria in Ezra 6:22 represents a profound, yet subtle, biblical theological move that reflects the typological identification of Assyria, Babylon, and Persia. The enemies of God and his people are distinguished from one another, but at the same time they are identified with one another because they are, in a sense, all the same.

Review of Joel Kennedy’s The Recapitulation of Israel

Joel Kennedy. The Recapitulation of Israel: Use of Israel’s History in Matthew 1:1–4:11. Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament 2.257. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2008. 264pp. 9783161498251. $105.00 (paper). Published in Bulletin for Biblical Research 20.2 (2010): 268-69.

This book is a revision of a dissertation supervised by Francis Watson at Aberdeen. The subject of the book is “the Christological use of Israel’s history in Matthew 1:1–4:11” (3), and its “primary focus . . . is examining Israel’s history and the recapitulation of it in Matthew” (17). Though Kennedy defines “recapitulation as a particular subset of typology,” he thinks “at this point in the discussion, it appears best to step aside from trying to defend typology as a legitimate label for Matthew’s work” (21). He states that typology needs “further refinement,” and therefore his study avoids “the term typology and seek[s] to strictly examine Matthew’s text itself in regard to recapitulation” (22). Kennedy states, “The term most apt in describing [the] utilization of Israel’s history in Matthew is recapitulation, which includes repetition, summing up, representation, and embodiment” (23).

After the Introduction, Chapter 2 looks at Matthew’s Genealogy (Matt 1:1–17). Kennedy passes over Matthew 1:18–25, moving directly to what he refers to as the “Passive Recapitulation of Israel’s History” in Chapter 3 (Matt 2:1–23). Chapter 4 then treats the “Active Recapitulation of Israel’s History” (Matt 3:1–4:11).

Kennedy’s treatment of Matthew’s genealogy first discusses the multilinear and unilinear genealogies in the Old Testament, then proposes that unilinear genealogies can also be teleological when they aim to highlight a key figure at the climactic end of the genealogy, such as the genealogy in Ruth that concludes with David. He then shows that genealogies are compressed narrative summaries. All this sets up a useful discussion of the way Matthew uses the genealogy to present Jesus as the recapitulation of Israel. The sense in which Israel’s history is “passively” recapitulated is that Jesus relives and repeats it in the events that happen to him as a child. Kennedy reads Matthew 2 from the perspective that it is narrating the new exodus. Chapter 4 then discusses the baptism and testing of Jesus.

This book makes an important contribution to the discussion of the use of the OT in the New. More work like this needs to be done, looking at the larger patterns and frameworks in the OT and then examining how these are used in the New. This goes far beyond citation formulas, verbal quotations and allusions, and other connections that are established at lexical levels. The kind of work that needs to be done, like Kennedy’s, is only possible from reading the texts in their original languages, gaining a thorough knowledge of the stories and patterns, and then engaging in slow reflection on textual connections. Too much work on the use of the OT in the New has been done without respect for OT context. Too many assertions have been made by NT scholars (and OT scholars too) whose conclusions betray simple failure to understand what either the OT or NT author was doing.

My only complaints about the present volume have to do with the way it tries to avoid the issue of typology. The attempt to circumvent the issue fails because though the word “typology” is avoided, the term that is used, “recapitulation,” is presented as a subset of typology. I cannot find a statement that differentiates between the two, nor do I see appreciable distinctions between what Kennedy calls “recapitulation” and what Allison, for instance, calls “typology” (Kennedy briefly summarizes Allison, with approbation, on p. 21). Connected to this is Kennedy’s dissatisfying decision to pass right over Matthew 1:18–25. The thesis of my essay (“The Virgin Will Conceive: Typological Fulfillment in Matthew 1:18–23,” in Built upon the Rock, ed. John Nolland and Dan Gurtner [Eerdmans, 2008], 228–47) fits perfectly, it seems to me, with Kennedy’s thesis, and he cites other essays from Built upon the Rock, so he had access to the volume. Perhaps the sticking point was the word “typology,” but in the absence of clear discrimination between that term and “recapitulation,” it seems that one word is merely standing in for the other. Many people have reservations about typology as a method of interpretation, but I do not think that using a different term for the same thing will alleviate those concerns. These complaints registered, let me say that this is an enjoyable and insightful volume that moves in a productive direction. Kennedy models an interpretive approach that will yield sound conclusions regarding how the New Testament authors understood the Old and presented their work as its fulfillment.

New SBJT on Theological Interpretation of Scripture

I just received my copy of The Southern Baptist Journal of Theology 14.2 (2010), and the theme of the issue is Theological Interpretation of Scripture.

Here’s the Table of Contents:

Editorial: Stephen J. Wellum, “Reflecting upon the ‘Theological Interpretation of Scripture’,” 2-3.

Daniel J. Treier and Uche Anizor, “Theological Interpretation of Scripture and Evangelical Systematic Theology: Iron Sharpening Iron?” 4-17

Stephen Dempster, “‘A Light in a Dark Place’: A Tale of Two Kings and Theological Interpretation of the Old Testament,” 18-26

Gregg R. Allison, “Theological Interpretation of Scripture: An Introduction and Preliminary Evaluation,” 28-36

Keith Goad, “Gregory as a Model of Theological Interpretation of Scripture,” 38-52

Robert L. Plummer, “Righteousness and Peace Kiss: The Reconciliation of Authorial Intent and Biblical Typology,” 54-61

James M. Hamilton Jr., “John Sailhamer’s The Meaning of the Pentateuch: A Review Essay,” 62-76

The SBJT Forum, contributions from Kevin J. Vanhoozer (78-80), Keith E. Johnson (80-81), Graham Cole (82-83), and Everett Berry (83-84)

Book Reviews by J. D. Greear, Mark T. Coppenger, Jason S. DeRouchie, Jason G. Duesing, James M. Hamilton Jr., Michael A. G. Haykin, Chuck Lawless, Robert L. Plummer, Mark A. Seifrid, M. David Sills, and Jeff K. Walters

You can subscribe here.

Do You Love God’s Glory?

If you love God’s glory, you’ll be thrilled to see this new book: Christopher W. Morgan and Robert A. Peterson, ed., The Glory of God (Wheaton: Crossway, 2010).

Here’s the Table of Contents from Crossway’s site:

Contributors17
Introduction19
1. The Glory of God Present and Past
Stephen J. Nichols		23
2. The Glory of God in the Old Testament
Tremper Longman III		47
3. The Glory of God in the Synoptic Gospels, Acts, and the General Epistles
Richard R. Melick Jr.		79
4. The Glory of God in John’s Gospel and Revelation
Andreas J. Köstenberger		107
5. The Glory of God in Paul’s Epistles
Richard B. Gaffin Jr.		127
6. Toward a Theology of the Glory of God
Christopher W. Morgan		153
7. A Pastoral Theology of the Glory of God
Bryan Chapell		189
8. A Missional Theology of the Glory of God
J. Nelson Jennings		209

Of course, I don’t think this should be the only book on God’s glory you buy this year (ahem), but the glory of God is a topic that cannot be exhausted. May we celebrate God and relish the glory of his great name all our days, and may this book help us do so.

Carson’s Collected Writings on Scripture

Congratulations to D. A. Carson on the appearance of his Collected Writings on Scripture. The publisher’s description:

God’s Word has always had enemies, but in recent years the inspiration and authority of Scripture have been attacked with renewed vigor. Respected scholar D. A. Carson has written widely on the nature of Scripture over the past thirty years, and here presents a timely collection of his work in two parts.

In part 1, Carson selects essays written on such themes as how to interpret the Bible, recent developments in the doctrine of Scripture, unity and diversity in the New Testament, and redaction criticism. Presenting a theologically balanced and confessional perspective, Carson defines the terms of a number of debates, critiques interpretive methods and theories, and suggests positive guidelines for future action.

Part 2 presents critical reviews of nine books dealing with the inspiration and authority of Scripture. Though substantial in content, Carson’s detailed reviews will foster careful thought and perspective in those who are relatively new to the debates surrounding biblical inspiration and authority.

This volume is a diverse collection that will prove to be a helpful resource to both seasoned pastors and scholars and those who are just starting serious study of the Bible.

This will be an important resource for those thinking through the nature of Scripture, and it’s a nice appetizer for the forthcoming Scripture Project.

See You in Bowling Green?

I’d love to see you in Bowling Green if you’re in the area.

You can register here.

Schedule

August 13, 2010
5:30pm – 6:30pm
Check-In

7:00pm – 10:00pm
Session 1 – A Theological Vision—Churches that Display God’s Glory
Session 2 – Preaching & Biblical Theology Q&A

August 14, 2010
8:00am – 9:00am
Continental breakfast (provided)

9:00 – 12:00pm
Session 3 – Gospel, Conversion, & Evangelism
Session 4 – Membership, Discipline, & Discipleship Q&A

12:00 – 1:00pm
Lunch (provided onsite)

1:00 – 4:00pm
Session 5 – Leadership
Session 6 – Covenanting Together
Q&A

4:00pm
Workshop ends

Location

Christ Fellowship Church
1347 Ky Hwy 185, Ste 13
Bowling Green, KY 42101

Helpful Links

Church’s Website

9Marks Workshops

Pretty Good Advice for Preachers, Too

Shakespeare presents Hamlet giving advice to a troupe of actors, and as I watched the fabulous reproduction of Hamlet pointed to recently by JT, it struck me that those who preach the word should heed this advice, too:

Speak the speech, I pray you, as I pronounced it to
you, trippingly on the tongue: but if you mouth it,
as many of your players do, I had as lief the
town-crier spoke my lines. Nor do not saw the air
too much with your hand, thus, but use all gently;
for in the very torrent, tempest, and, as I may say,
the whirlwind of passion, you must acquire and beget
a temperance that may give it smoothness. O, it
offends me to the soul to hear a robustious
periwig-pated fellow tear a passion to tatters, to
very rags, to split the ears of the groundlings, who
for the most part are capable of nothing but
inexplicable dumbshows and noise: I would have such
a fellow whipped for o’erdoing Termagant; it
out-herods Herod: pray you, avoid it.

First Player
I warrant your honour.

HAMLET
Be not too tame neither, but let your own discretion
be your tutor: suit the action to the word, the
word to the action; with this special o’erstep not
the modesty of nature: for any thing so overdone is
from the purpose of playing, whose end, both at the
first and now, was and is, to hold, as ’twere, the
mirror up to nature; to show virtue her own feature,
scorn her own image, and the very age and body of
the time his form and pressure. Now this overdone,
or come tardy off, though it make the unskilful
laugh, cannot but make the judicious grieve; the
censure of the which one must in your allowance
o’erweigh a whole theatre of others. O, there be
players that I have seen play, and heard others
praise, and that highly, not to speak it profanely,
that, neither having the accent of Christians nor
the gait of Christian, pagan, nor man, have so
strutted and bellowed that I have thought some of
nature’s journeymen had made men and not made them
well, they imitated humanity so abominably.

First Player
I hope we have reformed that indifferently with us,
sir.

HAMLET
O, reform it altogether. And let those that play
your clowns speak no more than is set down for them;
for there be of them that will themselves laugh, to
set on some quantity of barren spectators to laugh
too; though, in the mean time, some necessary
question of the play be then to be considered:
that’s villanous, and shows a most pitiful ambition
in the fool that uses it. Go, make you ready.

If you’ve never enjoyed Shakespeare’s Hamlet, you should watch this riveting production.

40-50% Off Hendrickson Titles for the Next 10 Days

Great deal here from Eisenbrauns. The text of the notice that just landed in my inbox is below. Note that at the bottom there’s an opportunity to subscribe, which I recommend you take.

If you don’t own the Old Testament Pseudepigrapha by Charlesworth, this is your chance to get it at half price:

BookNews from Eisenbrauns

For the next 10 days, you have the opportunity to save from
40-50% off on selected Hendrickson titles. Don’t miss this
opportunity to get Sasson’s Civilizations of the Ancient
Near East at 50% off (plus shipping).

As always, all sales on this web sale are final; no returns
will be permitted. Offer is good only on orders placed at
www.eisenbrauns.com through July 29, 2010.

To go directly to the weekly sale, click on this link:
http://www.eisenbrauns.com/pages/NEWSLIST
============================================================
“The Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon with an
appendix containing the Biblical Aramaic: Coded with the numbering
system from “Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible””
by Francis Brown, et al.
Hendrickson Publishers, 1995. Cloth. English and Hebrew.
ISBN: 9781565632066
List Price: $34.95 Your Price: $17.48

“The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha:
Apocalyptic Literature and Testaments”
Edited by James H. Charlesworth
Hendrickson Publishers, 2010. Paper. English.
ISBN: 9781598564891
List Price: $69.95 Your Price: $34.98

“The Elements of Biblical Exegesis, Revised and Expanded Edition:
A Basic Guide for Students and Ministers”
by Michael J. Gorman
Hendrickson Publishers, 2009. Paper. English.
ISBN: 9781598563115
List Price: $19.95 Your Price: $9.98

“A Basic Introduction to Biblical Hebrew: with CD”
by Jo Ann Hackett
Hendrickson Publishers, 2010. Cloth. English and Hebrew.
ISBN: 9781598560282
List Price: $39.95 Your Price: $23.97

“Christianity in the Greco-Roman World:: A Narrative Introduction”
by Moyer Hubbard
Hendrickson Publishers, 2010. Paper. English.
ISBN: 9781565636637
List Price: $24.95 Your Price: $13.72

“Analytical Lexicon to the Septuagint: Expanded Edition with
Word Definitions from Greek-English Lexicon of the Septuagint”
by Bernard Taylor, et al.
Hendrickson Publishers, 2009. Cloth. English and Greek.
ISBN: 9781565635166
List Price: $44.95 Your Price: $24.72

“The Jewish Targums and John’s Logos Theology”
by John Ronning
Hendrickson Publishers, 2010. Paper. English.
ISBN: 9781598563061
List Price: $29.95 Your Price: $16.47

“Vines Intertwined: A History of Jews and Christians from
the Babylonian Exile to the Advent of Islam”
by Leo Dupree Sandgren
Hendrickson Publishers, 2010. Paper. English.
ISBN: 9781598560831
List Price: $34.95 Your Price: $19.22

“Civilizations of the Ancient Near East”
Edited by Jack M. Sasson
Hendrickson Publishers, 2000. Cloth. English.
ISBN: 9781565636071
List Price: $179.95 Your Price: $89.98

“Ancient Texts for the Study of the Hebrew Bible:
A Guide to the Background Literature”
by Kenton L. Sparks
Hendrickson Publishers, 2005. Cloth. English.
ISBN: 9781565634077
List Price: $39.95 Your Price: $21.97

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Ezra 4: In the World You Will Have Trouble

God glorifies himself as the weak overcome the proud and strong by faith, and these triumphs are like God’s creative surprises–he makes butterflies from caterpillars and oaks from acorns.

Here’s my attempt to exposit Ezra 4: In the World You Will Have Trouble.

The chapter is arranged thematically rather than chronologically. Here’s a chart that lays out the contents and timeline of Ezra 4:

Ezra 4:1–5

The Time of Cyrus to Darius

538 – 530, reign of Cyrus

522 – 486, reign of Darius

Ezra 4:6–7

The time of Ahasuerus to Artaxerxes

485 – 464, reign of Ahasuerus (cf. Esther)

464 – 423, reign of Artaxerxes

Ezra 4:8–16

Rehum’s Letter to Artaxerxes

464 – 423, Reign of Artaxerxes
Ezra 4:9–23

The Response of Artaxerxes

Ezra 4:23 could be the setting for the news Nehemiah received in 445 BC (cf. Neh 1:1–3)
Ezra 4:24

Return to the Time of Darius

520 BC “second year of the reign of Darius”