Who's Afraid of the Old Testament God?

by Alden L. Thompson

This book is for those who have serious questions about the meaning and relevance of the Hebrew scriptures, and strikes at the heart of Christian teaching and our understanding of God. With his characteristic insight, wisdom and enthusiasm, Dr. Thompson takes on some of the most difficult passages and finds in them the love and care of God, along with an understanding of the humanness of the authors of scripture. The discussion includes such passages as Judges 19-21 and Psalm 137. You will come away from this book with a new appreciation for the whole Bible both as it stood in its own world, and as it can be applied today.

Genres: Religion

135 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1989

Reviews

[Carlton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alden Thompson's study of scripture helps the reader reset their understanding to factory default settings. In other words, the reader is able to understand the intent of the biblical writers as though reading it for the first time.
A few of Thompson's positions are questionable, but his thought process and conclusions are invaluable. For instance, why was Satan largely absent from Old Testament scriptures and why was God blamed for so much evil? The answer lies in who the people of Israel were, and where they were both geographically and in their spiritual growth.
Thompson also covers topics rarely talked about, such as how the Hebrew people interpreted Messianic prophesies before and after the coming of Jesus.
Recommended for anyone pursuing a college-level in-depth study of scripture.

[Joel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cuando uno lee el antiguo testamento, le surgen muchas dudas, aunque las siguientes dos diría que son las más considerables:
1) ¿Por qué Dios parece tan cruel?
2) ¿Dónde está Satanás?

Cuando uno empieza a leer el nuevo testamento, ve el inmenso amor de Dios y el autor del mal, que es Satanás, y uno se preguntará: ¿será que Dios cambió? La respuesta es NO. Dios no cambió, sino que:
1) El crecimiento es progresivo.
2) La luz revelada es progresiva.
3) El Señor debía llevar a Israel con paciencia hacia el estándar que El requiere.
4) La ausencia de Satanás fue necesaria para evitar mayores problemas.

Una vez que el pueblo de Israel fue creciendo en conocimiento, la luz se iba aclarando más y más hasta que llegó a la cruz de Cristo.

Para todo el que con sinceridad quiera abundar en estos maravillosos detalles y la forma majestuosa en la que Dios trató al pueblo de Israel en sus inicios y por qué, ¡les recomiendo este libro! Les ayudará a obtener una mayor comprensión en el inmenso amor de Dios.

[Christopher Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

The author attempts to answer some of the difficult OT scripture passages. He introduces a concept of high vs low approach to reading the Bible. His argument is that we post New Testament readers tend to bring our refined understanding of God to the OT. We forget that God meets people where they are and work within their culture and slowly leads them to a better understanding of him. Hence the difficult passages are not a reflection of God but of the people he is working with and the cultural norms of their time.

[Carla Albrecht · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book for anyone who is honest in their Bible journey!

What a great book. An honest look at some of the biggest issues we have in what God is doing and has done in our world. Some of the Bible brings questions to our minds—this is a honest look and a beautiful outcome that shows how God is working in a broken world and with broken people—meeting us right where we are at.

[Peter Dodds · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty unremarkable theological argument.

[Jeff Noble]

Who's Afraid of the Old Testament God? by Alden Thompson (?)