book review|What Is Biblical Theology?

What Is Biblical Theology?  

James M. Hamilton Jr.

As I was first reading this book, I wasn't expecting all this talk of patterns and imagery and symbolism.  Guess I should have taken a look at the subtitle :)--"A Guide to the Bible's Story, Symbolism, and Pattern.  Once I realized this was the primary basis for the book, I was able to read with clear, focused eyes.  

I was given the opportunity to speak to a group of elementary students about the tabernacle God commanded the Israelites to construct multiple times in the Exodus wanderings.  Only by God's gracious providence that I could have that basis--specifically how the tabernacle points to Jesus--to open my eyes to the reality and connections we see throughout Scripture.

Seeing all of these connections, literally written from eternity past, fulfilled in Christ, giving us faith and hope that what is revealed about the future will truly come to pass is amazing.  This is a great resource and a fairly short read (128 pages).  Scripture has been made more alive to me as I see the following pictures within God's Word: tree/root/branch, the flood, the tabernacle/temple, feasts, and suffering to name a few.

This book helps the reader to see that God is big--bigger than we could comprehend.  We are so quick to become so egocentric and self-centered that we forget that there is a bigger story at play going on in the world around us.  The more we are able to see that God is big and man is small, the easier it is for us to look in an objective way at the circumstances we face.  Very practical when counseling others when their judgment is clouded with the emotions surrounding their situation.