Review of OLD TESTAMENT TODAY by John Walton and Andrew Hill

Title: Old Testament Today

 

Author: John Walton and Andrew Hill

 

Publisher: Zondervan

 

What It's About: Old Testament Today is a survey of the Old Testament that is focused on helping readers to understand the relevance of the Old Testament to modern day believers.

 

What I Liked About It: I was interested in reading this textbook-style book because I've read some of Walton's other writings on the Old Testament. He has incredible insight and much to convey about the world in which the biblical stories take place.

 

Where You Can Buy It: This book does a great job of orienting readers into the Old Testament world. The authors give an overview of the Old Testament's storyline and show how the OT is a large part of a greater work. The main goal of the book is to show the OT's relevance to believers today. For example, there are helpful comments on how the New Covenant as promised in the OT applies to us, as well as the role of the laws that aren't applicable to us today but reveal something about the world the biblical characters lived and about God's character.

The book is divided into the different types of literature presented in the OT. The authors bring to light the way different biblical authors focused on certain things just as authors do today. You'll find helpful information on each book of the OT and how it contributes to the overall message of the OT.

Because this is a textbook, it will be especially helpful as a classroom textbook on the Old Testament, but it's also a great book for non-academics who want to understand more about the Old Testament. The Old Testament is often a confusing collection of texts. Walton and Hill help make it more understandable and reveal the character of the God who is at its center.

Review copy provided by Zondervan Academic, courtesy of AcademicPS