God's Design, 4th Edition: A Focus on Old Testament Theology

by Elmer Martens

Overview

How does one summarize the thirty-nine books of the Old Testament? How might one determine the message of the Old Testament with others? This book attempts an answer to these questions. The answer is taken from a single Scripture passage, Exodus 5:22-6:8, which is here considered a theological "Table of Contents" for the Old Testament. In addition to such topics as Deliverance, Community, and Experiencing God, the book has an extended discussion on "Land," a subject which deals with a wide range of interests but which only rarely receives attention in books on biblical theology. The current edition features reflections and a set of discussion questions following each of the seventeen chapters--a boon for university and seminary teachers and students, and of large help for church study groups.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781498218597
Publisher:	Wipf & Stock Publishers
Publication date:	11/11/2015
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	384
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Elmer A. Martens is President Emeritus and Professor Emeritus of Old Testament at Fresno Pacific University Biblical Seminary (formerly Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary). In addition to Bible commentaries (e.g, Jeremiah), three of his many articles appear in his Festschrift edited by former student Jon Isaak, The Old Testament in the Life of God's People (2009). An active church member, he has taught internationally in twelve countries.

Table of Contents

Tables and Figure ix

Preface xi

Preface to Second Edition xiii

Preface to Third Edition xv

Preface to Fourth Edition xvii

Abbreviations xix

Part 1 God's Design Articulated

1 A Pivotal Text about YHWH and His Purpose 3

2 Earlier Anticipation of Gods Purpose 19

Part 2 God's Design Implemented: The Pre-Monarchy Era

3 God's Design: Salvation 33

4 God's Design: The Covenant Community 62

5 God's Design: Knowledge of God 80

6 God's Design: Land 98

Part 3 God's Design Tested: The Era of the Monarchy

Prologue: Hos 2:14-23 121

7 Deliverance 127

8 The Covenant Community And The New Functionaries: Kings, Prophets 146

9 The Experience of God 166

10 Life and Land 187

Part 4 God's Design Reaffirmed: The Post-Monarchy Era

Prologue: Ezek 34:17-31 207

11 Deliverance 211

12 Covenant and Community in the Post-Exilic Period 227

13 The Experience of God 242

14 Land 257

Part 5 Framing God's Design

15 Framing God's Design: Creation 275

16 Framing God's Design: The World's Peoples 287

17 Divine Design and the New Testament 299

Appendix: A Place to Stand, Issues in of Theology 315

Bibliography 327

Basic Books on Old Testament Theology 327

Sources Cited or Referenced 330

Index of Authors 343

Index of Subjects 347

Index of Akkadian, Greek, and Hebrew Words 353

Index of Scripture Citations 355

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"Taking his cues from a key biblical text (Exodus 5:22-6:8), in God's Design, Elmer Martens has seized upon basic threads of biblical theology and woven them into a magnificent tapestry of divine grace and redemption encompassing the entire Bible. Through his careful exegesis of individual texts, judicious synthesis of fundamental theological concepts, and an engaging literary style, readers learn how the motifs of salvation, covenant, divine revelation, and land all play together in God's grand design of creation and redemption. Martens' presentation is neither overly technical nor esoteric; on the contrary, he often pauses to guide us in relating biblical theology to life. I am delighted that through the republication of this volume another generation of readers of Scripture will have ready access to his brilliant work."
—Daniel I. Block, Gunther H. Knoedler Professor of Old Testament, Wheaton College

"God's Design provides the best traits of a good Old Testament Theology: thematic focus on God and his work with his creation and his people; clear, concise writing by a veteran scholar; sound and irenic evangelical teaching; and a method that can be used by students, pastors, and scholars. Martens' wise, careful, and helpful volume deserves wide use. I am grateful for this fourth edition, and look forward to introducing my students to it."
—Paul House, Beeson Divinity School of Samford University

"Elmer Martens has captured the essential message of the Old Testament in God's Design. The diachronic presentation of key biblical themes illuminates the nuances and development of God's revelation. Each of the four main themes is complex and draws on the scholarship of many others in order to offer an informed theological perspective on the First Testament. The fourth edition intensifies the attention given to the contemporary relevance of the biblical message. God's Design is a logical sequel to Old Testament survey studies and an excellent textbook for college students."
—R. Jerome Boone, Professor of Old Testament and Christian Formation, Lee University

"Built around four rich themes, God's Design is a most stimulating and useful study of the coherence of Old Testament theology. Not only is it a good introductory textbook, but it has opened up for me new vistas on how to bridge between exegesis and systematic theology."
—Ian W. Payne, Principal and Head of Theology, South Asia Institute of Advanced Christians Studies (SAIACS)

Editorial Reviews

"Taking his cues from a key biblical text (Exodus 5:22-6:8), in God's Design, Elmer Martens has seized upon basic threads of biblical theology and woven them into a magnificent tapestry of divine grace and redemption encompassing the entire Bible. Through his careful exegesis of individual texts, judicious synthesis of fundamental theological concepts, and an engaging literary style, readers learn how the motifs of salvation, covenant, divine revelation, and land all play together in God's grand design of creation and redemption. Martens' presentation is neither overly technical nor esoteric; on the contrary, he often pauses to guide us in relating biblical theology to life. I am delighted that through the republication of this volume another generation of readers of Scripture will have ready access to his brilliant work."
—Daniel I. Block, Gunther H. Knoedler Professor of Old Testament, Wheaton College

"God's Design provides the best traits of a good Old Testament Theology: thematic focus on God and his work with his creation and his people; clear, concise writing by a veteran scholar; sound and irenic evangelical teaching; and a method that can be used by students, pastors, and scholars. Martens' wise, careful, and helpful volume deserves wide use. I am grateful for this fourth edition, and look forward to introducing my students to it."
—Paul House, Beeson Divinity School of Samford University

"Elmer Martens has captured the essential message of the Old Testament in God's Design. The diachronic presentation of key biblical themes illuminates the nuances and development of God's revelation. Each of the four main themes is complex and draws on the scholarship of many others in order to offer an informed theological perspective on the First Testament. The fourth edition intensifies the attention given to the contemporary relevance of the biblical message. God's Design is a logical sequel to Old Testament survey studies and an excellent textbook for college students."
—R. Jerome Boone, Professor of Old Testament and Christian Formation, Lee University

"Built around four rich themes, God's Design is a most stimulating and useful study of the coherence of Old Testament theology. Not only is it a good introductory textbook, but it has opened up for me new vistas on how to bridge between exegesis and systematic theology."
—Ian W. Payne, Principal and Head of Theology, South Asia Institute of Advanced Christians Studies (SAIACS)

From the Publisher