Digital Logos Edition
Waiting for the Rest That Still Remains. A Biblical Theology of the Former Prophets focuses on Israel’s squandering of God’s gift of rest from the enemy all around by worshiping at the altars of other gods, and its ultimate consequences: a second exile, this time from the landed presence of the Lord. Where land is the Pentateuch’s promised future, the Former Prophets proffer a future tied to the Lord’s dynastic covenant with David and Solomon’s dedicatory prayer. Pleas that God hear in heaven the prayers his people direct toward the temple in Jerusalem express hope for the good life in the land, but the culmination of Solomon’s prayer pleads that upon repentance their captors be compassionate to them in the land of their captivity; there is no plea for return to the land from exile. Outside of God’s promise to David Joshua-Kings do not identify an earthly place, like Noah’s ark or the land filled with God’s presence, to which they might return. Israel awaits the fulfillment of God’s promise to David.
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With the expertise that comes from a long career of carefully reading Scripture, Arie Leder provides an insightful reading of the Former Prophets, situating them amidst themes developed in the Pentateuch and wrestling with how the church can hear them as Scripture, today. Leder develops a biblical theology for all of us seeking rest in our restless world. This book is a gift full of wisdom for the church.
—Andrew Heyd, International Graduate School of Leadership, Manila, Philippines
In this sequel to Waiting for the Land, Leder produces a compelling biblical theology of the Former Prophets that highlights the centrality of the ‘rest’ motif. It ends with an insightful hermeneutical discussion that identifies the church as a desert community called to long for God’s promised rest while facing increasing challenges from post-Enlightenment Western culture. Teachers and ministers will greatly benefit from this book.
—Wilson de Angelo Cunha, LeTourneau University