Jim Hamilton has become quite the prolific commentator and biblical theologian, and he has a new commentary out on Ezra-Nehemiah that I highly recommend to you. It appears in Broadman & Holman’s new “Christ-Centered Exposition” series edited by Danny Akin, David Platt, and Tony Merida. Thus, the aim of the commentary is not only exegetical precision but also explaining how the message of Ezra-Nehemiah fits into the entire storyline of scripture—a story which has its culminating moment in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Hamilton argues that Ezra-Nehemiah are enormously relevant, though many pastors only preach sermons on them during church building programs. This is unfortunate. Instead, Jim encourages pastors: “I’m talking about preaching them straight through, start to finish, in the regular course of the ministry of the word” (p. xi).
This is a fantastic exposition of Ezra-Nehemiah, and it is aimed at pastors. So if you are a regular preacher of God’s word, this volume is for you.
6 Comments
B.J. Levie
May 29: Will Gay Marriage Destroy the GOP? – 28 comments.
June 2: Resolution on Transgender for the SBC – 60 comments.
June 3: Exalting Jesus in Ezra and Nehemiah – 0 comments.
Don’t know what this means, if anything. Still thinking about it.
Ian Shaw
I’ll make myself an outlier B.J.,
I’ve gone thru Nehemiah more than Ezra. I think I might give this book a go. There are books of the OT that I can honestly say I really don’t go through.
B.J. Levie
Ian-
I agree; Hamilton’s book will probably be very helpful – especially on the issue of seeing Christ in the O.T. I guess I’m troubled by what too many seem to be focused on judging by the number of comments that articles on gay marriage, LGBT related stuff generate. Does the number of comments reflect what we care about the most or just what happens to be the latest cultural hot potato?
Ian Shaw
B.J.- I think it’s two-fold. First, it is a hot potato, culturally speaking, so it draws a lot of attention, especially from influential evangelicals that have blogs, podcasts, etc. (not singling out Denny, but other such as Piper, Mohler, Moore, etc.). The second piece I think reflects your first possible outcome.
In a world where there are still probably millions that have not heard about Jesus or the good news of the Gospel, we (collectively speaking) have a tendancy to try and put out the fires that keep popping up around us, instead of focusing on the root of the fire, or our true mission, so to speak.
Again, I am not blaming those that have influence in the evangelical world and as much as I enjoy listening to some of the guys’ daily podcasts, can they seriously go a day or two without harping on the SSM issue? Honestly, it sometimes gets to be like they are just beating a drum on the topic. Is it right to draw a line in the stand and link arms for what is Godly, sure! But Is our mission to drum up support against a behavior of a pagan people while we all live in a pagan country? Or is it to share the Gospel, the story of man, how fallen we are and about a God who relentlessly pursues us for a relationship only made possible with Christ?
Sometimes I can imagine ancient Babylon and Corinth looking at our county and saying, “thank God we don’t do the stuff they do!” We’re a lot more like Corinth and Babylon than we think. I could ramble on with this section, but I’ll show restraint.
Whatever it may be that people spend most of their attention/time on, can be a pretty good measure of where their heart is at. And I’m just as guilty at times.
Ian Shaw
Nehemiah is also a good book for part of a men’s series on how we should fight side-by-side with each other, arms linked and support one another.
Ian Shaw
.”…Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sosn and yoiur daughters, your wives and your homes.”