Reformation 21's End of Year Review of Books Preaching's Survey of Bibles and Bible Reference "Who shall ascend the mountain of the LORD?" —Psalm 24:3 In many ways, this is the fundamental question of Old Testament Israel's cult—and, indeed, of life itself. How can creatures made from dust become members of God's household "forever"? The question of ascending God's mountain to his house was likely recited by pilgrims on approaching the temple on Mount Zion during the annual festivals. This entrance liturgy runs as an undercurrent throughout the Pentateuch and is at the heart of its central book, Leviticus. Its dominating concern, as well as that of the rest of the Bible, is the way in which humanity may come to dwell with God. Israel's deepest hope was not merely a liturgical question, but a historical quest. Under the Mosaic covenant, the way opened up by God was through the Levitical cult of the tabernacle and later temple, its priesthood and rituals. The advent of Christ would open up a new and living way into the house of God—indeed, that was the goal of his taking our humanity upon himself, his suffering, his resurrection and ascension. In this stimulating volume in the New Studies in Biblical Theology, Michael Morales explores the narrative context, literary structure and theology of Leviticus. He follows its dramatic movement, examines the tabernacle cult and the Day of Atonement, and tracks the development from Sinai?s tabernacle to Zion's temple—and from the earthly to the heavenly Mount Zion in the New Testament. He shows how life with God in the house of God was the original goal of the creation of the cosmos, and became the goal of redemption and the new creation. Addressing key issues in biblical theology, the works comprising New Studies in Biblical Theology are creative attempts to help Christians better understand their Bibles. The NSBT series is edited by D. A. Carson, aiming to simultaneously instruct and to edify, to interact with current scholarship and to point the way ahead.

In America's Jubilee distinguished historian Andrew Burstein presents an engrossing narrative that takes us back to a pivotal year in American history, 1826, when the reins of democracy were being passed from the last Revolutionary War heroes to a new generation of leaders. Through brilliant sketches of selected individuals and events, Burstein creates an evocative portrait of the hopes and fears of Americans fifty years after the Revolution. We follow an aged Marquis de Lafayette on his triumphant tour of the country; and learn of the nearly simultaneous deaths of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson on the 4th of July. We meet the ornery President John Quincy Adams, the controversial Secretary of State Henry Clay, and the notorious hot-tempered General Andrew Jackson. We also see the year through the eyes of a minister's wife, a romantic novelist, and even an intrepid wheel of cheese. Insightful and lively, America's Jubilee captures an unforgettable time in the republic’s history, when a generation embraced the legacy of its predecessors and sought to enlarge its role in America’s story.

In the isolated ski-resort town of Gold Flume, longtime Sheriff Jay Isaacs, prepares to confront three teens for a condo break-in. On his way to the county seat of Aureole, with the teens in custody in the dead of winter, an earthquake shakes the mountain and creates an avalanche which seals off the small town from the rest of civilization. No passage out of town, no electricity, no Wi-Fi. And with the spring melt, the town will soon be underwater. In Joanne Greenberg's Jubilee Year, the world is flipped upside down as the town must revert to the old days and old skills to survive a brutal winter with no electricity, no Wi-Fi, no cell phones, no modern conveniences. It's a clash of culture, values, age and youth, as a divided town must come together to survive. Joanne Greenberg was born in Brooklyn, New York, and was graduated from American University, Washington, D.C., with a major in anthropology and English literature. She also studied at the University of London and the University of Colorado. In 1955, she married Albert Greenberg, who encouraged her to write her first book, The King's Persons, an account of the York Massacre. This has been followed by 15 novels and four collections of short stories. Her most famous work is the classic I Never Promised You A Rose Garden which was adapted into a 1977 movie and a 2004 play of the same name. Her book, In This Sign, was made into a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie called Love Is Never Silent.

How did the books of the Bible come to be recognized as Holy Scripture? After nearly nineteen centuries the canon of Scripture remains an issue of debate. Adept in both Old and New Testament studies, F. F. Bruce brings the wisdom of a lifetime of reflection and biblical interpretation to bear in addressing the criteria of canonicity, the canon within the canon, and canonical criticism.