I Saw the Lord: A Biblical Theology of Vision

by Abner Chou

Publisher:

Wipf and Stock

, 2013

Overview

The visions of Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Paul, and John have captivated the people of God. Could it be that we are drawn to these spectacular passages because they are all different angles of the same eschatological event? This study explores the visions of these writers as they relate to their individual theology in light of the possibility that these writers saw different facets of the climax of history when the Son receives all glory.

Contents

• Precedents for a Biblical Theology of Vision
• Unity of Vision as Foundation for a Biblical Theology of Vision
• Isaiah’s Vision: Vision of Salvation
• Ezekiel’s Vision: Vision of Presence
• Daniel’s Vision: Vision of King and Kingdom
• Paul’s Vision: Vision of Inauguration and Anticipation
• John’s Vision: Vision of the Culmination of History and Theology

Top Highlights

“This chapter has endeavored to demonstrate that the visions of Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Paul, and John are actually all angles of the inauguration of the Son of Man.” (Page 45)

“The second component concerns the idea of intertextuality. This concept describes how an author incorporates another text outside of his writings into his message.³ In a biblical theology of vision, this refers to how the biblical writer incorporates another prophet’s or apostle’s vision and theology into his own book.” (Page 2)

“In essence, our job is to trace the uniqueness of each vision and theology and how they join together to portray and anticipate the climactic moment and ramifications of when Christ officially receives dominion over all the cosmos. That is a biblical theology of vision.” (Page 2)

“Thus far, the Lord has shown that his glory will dwell on three levels. His presence will extend throughout the cosmos. He will also reside in the human heart. Finally, his glory relates to Israel nationally through the temple in Jerusalem. The final layer of visions expresses how those factors and the present situation interfaces with God’s eschatological plan (9:1–11:25).” (Pages 99–100)

“Upon closer examination, I would contend that the biblical writers indicate that they see an eschatological event. The ‘vision proper’ portrays something future, and that future reality drives and shapes the prophet’s or apostle’s present ministry as is discussed in the rest of their calling.” (Page 32)

Endorsements

Someone somewhere wrote that a book is good if the reader opens it with expectation and closes it with delight and profit. I Saw the Lord is just such a book. Chou takes us on an exegetical and theological tour of the synoptic visions of Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Paul, and John. We witness his persistent examination of the biblical text in the light of innertextual and intertextual elements as he investigates the potential harmonization of these visions.

—William D. Barrick, professor of Old Testament, The Master’s Seminary

Product Details

• Title: I Saw the Lord: A Biblical Theology of Vision
• Author: Abner Chou
• Publisher: Wipf and Stock
• Print Publication Date: 2013
• Logos Release Date: 2017
• Pages: 280
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• Subject: Visions in the Bible
• ISBNs: 9781620323014, 9781498264358, 9781630870058, 162032301X, 1498264352, 1630870056
• Resource ID: LLS:ISAWTHELORD
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Metadata Last Updated: 2022-09-30T00:47:07Z

About Abner Chou

Abner Chou (Th.D.) is the John F. MacArthur Endowed Fellow and professor of biblical studies at The Master’s University. He is head translator of the Legacy Standard Bible, the author of The Hermeneutics of the Biblical Writers (2018), Lamentations (Evangelical Exegetical Commentary, 2014), and I Saw the Lord (2013) and has authored articles on biblical theology, hermeneutics, and Christian thought.