Fretheim presents here the Old Testament view of the Creator God, the created world, and our role in creation. Beginning with "The Beginning," he demonstrates that creation is open-ended and connected. Then, from every part of the Old Testament, Fretheim explores the fullness and richness of Israel's thought regarding creation: from the dynamic created order to human sin, from judgment and environmental devastation to salvation, redemption, and a new creation.

Written by two leading Old Testament scholars with a wide range of expertise, this unique introduction describes the historical, social and cultural setting in which the Old Testament was written and a description of the major genres of literature that it contains. It seeks therefore to illuminate the literature of the Old Testament by showing how it was shaped by the events, social structures, and religions and intellectual ideas of the ancient civilizations and cultures in which it was produced.Unlike most Introductions, it does not build largely on the traditional formats. It also reflects the huge changes that our understanding of the Old Testament has undergone in the recent decadesRather than a conventional canonical-theological approach, the book offers an approach for those interested in the Old Testament as a monumental cultural achievement, ideal for students of ancient history and religion in general as well as theology, and requires a minimum of prior knowledge or expertise.

Jumpin' Jehovah: Exposing the Atrocities of the Old Testament God, by Paul Tice. Was Jehovah a criminal? Was he psychotic? In the realm of the gods, was Jehovah just a renegade punk gone wild? Tice has collected all the dirt on this shady historical character. Once you read this book, your views on God will never be the same. Jehovah is stripped bare of his fabricated benevolent "godliness" & we discover an entity with no sense of ethics, forgiveness, or compassion. Jehovah delighted in roasting people alive & tormenting his followers in a variety of creative ways. So why is he worshipped as God? Tice reveals how Jehovah conned & bullied his way to the top of the godly heap. He then maintained his standing through threats & coercion - & when that didn't work, he did what any mentally deranged god would do: he just moved in & killed people. Basic questions: Was Jehovah a god or a demon? Why did Jehovah never promise a heaven or any kind of reward to his followers? Does any entity who murders thousands of devoted followers deserve to be worshipped? Today, Jehovah is no longer around, demanding to be worshipped. He has stopped punishing people in terrible ways, so it's probably safe to buy this book.

The Old Testament both tells the story of Israel and points to the coming Messiah. Kaiser distinguishes between Old Testament passages that describe national Israel's glorious future and those that point to Christ and his kingdom. Kaiser's chronological approach traces Israel's developing concept of Messiah through different time periods.

In this six week video study, Adam Hamilton explores the key points in his new book, Making Sense of the Bible. With the help of this Leader Guide, groups learn from Hamilton as his video presentations lead groups through the book, focusing on the most important questions we ask about the Bible, its origins and meaning.