DAVID ADAMS dives into George Athas’ new commentary on Deuteronomy…
George Athas
Deuteronomy: One Nation Under God
Aquila Press, Sydney South, Australia, 2016
ISBN-13: 978-1-925041-90-3
“Deuteronomy gives us the principles and standards that God demanded of his covenant people, Israel. It tells who God is and how He relates to Israel in the Old Testament as well as who Israel is, how they should live and why. These ideas frame the rest of the Old Testament.”
– Rev Dr George Athas
Deuteronomy is one of the Old Testament books of the Bible that tends to be overlooked thanks to the nature of its content. This study by George Athas, part of a series – Reading the Bible Today – edited by Paul Barnett, aims to redress that in light of the importance it carries within the broader context of the Bible.
In fact, Rev Dr Athas, director of postgraduate studies and senior lecturer in Old Testament at Moore Theological College in Sydney, goes so far as to call it the “theological backbone” of the entire Old Testament, saying that without a proper understanding of Deuteronomy, “one can’t fully appreciate what is going on in the Old Testament” which, as he points out, ultimately has repercussions for our understanding of the new.
“Deuteronomy,” he says, “gives us the principles and standards that God demanded of his covenant people, Israel. It tells who God is and how He relates to Israel in the Old Testament as well as who Israel is, how they should live and why. These ideas frame the rest of the Old Testament.”
The study is divided into 13 chapters and works its ways chronologically through the book with each chapter in the text taking on a passage which ranges in length from a few verses to several chapters.
Each chapter in the study follows the same approach – first looking at how the passage in question is structured before moving on to an exploration of the meaning of the text itself and then how to read the text in the context of both the Old Testament and New. Each chapter in the book also comes with a series of questions for further discussion, whether for individuals or for groups.
The study is written in clear and easy-to-grasp language and while it provides some great background to what is written and what it means, one of the great strengths of this study is how the text impacts our understanding of the New Testament.
Personally, among the most interesting passages in the book were those dealing with the 10 Commandments (Rev Dr Athas breaks the study into two parts – those commandments dealing with our relationship with God and those relating to our relationship with each other) and in particular the in-depth examination of what the commandments actually refer to.
A great resource to help people in their personal walk with Christ, for studying the Word in a group or others, or as an aid to pastors preparing a sermon series.
To buy this book, follow this link – Deuteronomy: One Nation under God.
BOOKS: TAKING A SECOND LOOK AT DEUTERONOMY
DAVID ADAMS dives into George Athas’ new commentary on Deuteronomy…
George Athas
Deuteronomy: One Nation Under God
Aquila Press, Sydney South, Australia, 2016
ISBN-13: 978-1-925041-90-3
“Deuteronomy gives us the principles and standards that God demanded of his covenant people, Israel. It tells who God is and how He relates to Israel in the Old Testament as well as who Israel is, how they should live and why. These ideas frame the rest of the Old Testament.”
– Rev Dr George Athas
Deuteronomy is one of the Old Testament books of the Bible that tends to be overlooked thanks to the nature of its content. This study by George Athas, part of a series – Reading the Bible Today – edited by Paul Barnett, aims to redress that in light of the importance it carries within the broader context of the Bible.
In fact, Rev Dr Athas, director of postgraduate studies and senior lecturer in Old Testament at Moore Theological College in Sydney, goes so far as to call it the “theological backbone” of the entire Old Testament, saying that without a proper understanding of Deuteronomy, “one can’t fully appreciate what is going on in the Old Testament” which, as he points out, ultimately has repercussions for our understanding of the new.
“Deuteronomy,” he says, “gives us the principles and standards that God demanded of his covenant people, Israel. It tells who God is and how He relates to Israel in the Old Testament as well as who Israel is, how they should live and why. These ideas frame the rest of the Old Testament.”
The study is divided into 13 chapters and works its ways chronologically through the book with each chapter in the text taking on a passage which ranges in length from a few verses to several chapters.
Each chapter in the study follows the same approach – first looking at how the passage in question is structured before moving on to an exploration of the meaning of the text itself and then how to read the text in the context of both the Old Testament and New. Each chapter in the book also comes with a series of questions for further discussion, whether for individuals or for groups.
The study is written in clear and easy-to-grasp language and while it provides some great background to what is written and what it means, one of the great strengths of this study is how the text impacts our understanding of the New Testament.
Personally, among the most interesting passages in the book were those dealing with the 10 Commandments (Rev Dr Athas breaks the study into two parts – those commandments dealing with our relationship with God and those relating to our relationship with each other) and in particular the in-depth examination of what the commandments actually refer to.
A great resource to help people in their personal walk with Christ, for studying the Word in a group or others, or as an aid to pastors preparing a sermon series.
To buy this book, follow this link – Deuteronomy: One Nation under God.
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