Encountering the Old Testament: A Christian Survey

Book was good. However I thought I had ordered the new updated version..nope..I did gift it...

If you're a pastor, seminary student, or a layperson who needs a good, informative, and easy to read introduction to the Old Testament then this book will be perfect for you. Many OT introductions/surveys that are out there are either 1) too technical and academic, or 2) liberal/modernist. This introduction is solidly evangelical, easy to understand, and academic enough for even the novice biblical scholar. The strength of the book is that it does not only survey each of the books in the Old Testament section by section but by topics of significance in each book. For instance, when the authors talk about the book of Genesis they do not only discuss what each of the 50 chapters say but about what the author said about the nature of election, the Abrahamic promise, the covenant, etc. Pretty much everything is covered regarding each book (authorship, date, place of writing, etc.). Another feature of the book that will attract more novice pastors and students of the Bible is the colourful pictures that are abundantly printed in the book. Though some may find this comical, I think it added to the charm of this book. Pictures, graphs, maps, etc. help readers understand the background of each of the OT books better. Finally, one other thing I really liked about this book is that the authors discuss side-issues related to the OT. The chapters on the historical background of the OT (chap. 2) and the introduction to the Prophetic books (chap. 24) are well written, informative, and orthodox. Sure, the authors could have written more deeply on these chapters but the intended audience demanded that they do not go too deeply in these matters. Overall, I would highly recommend this book for those who want a better understanding of the OT books. Though it is not that scholarly and deep, it is still good enough for what it intends and many students of the Bible will find rich information that will greatly help in their personal spiritual growth and ministry.

This book was chosen as a textbook by the teacher of a class in which I enrolled. Beautifully illustrated, and heavily re-inforced by bullets, summaries, and review questions, this volume would easily lend itself to the high school student. More scholarly works are referenced for further reading.

This wonderful book, with its clear layout, readable text, brilliant pictures, accurate maps, and added interactive CD, is a great beginner's guide to studying the Old Testament. I compared the book to the Lion Handbook to the Bible, and found that while the layout is similar, so much more information is provided. Suited to a Diploma or Home Bible Study level, "Encountering the Old Testament" will still be of help when reviewing any Old Testament survey for bachelor study or above. If the Old Testament has seemed a closed book, this will open it up in a fresh and vibrant way. A wonderful companion to the equally as good "Encountering the New Testament".

Although at times it reads like a high school textbook, this is an excellent survey of the Old Testament and ancient cultures. When I first encountered it, I had already studied a lot about the ancient world and the Old Testament and I still found this book to be a worthwhile read.I recommend this book for any Christian, or non-Christian, who is interested in learning about the Old Testament and how the Israelite culture fit in to the ancient world. There are plenty of pictures and trivia pieces to keep the book from reading like a long essay.After reading this, you'll gain so much appreciation for one simple fact: the New Testament is completely built upon the foundation of the Old Testament. And to learn the OT better is to know the NT better!

Encountering the OTThis is an excellent text for a survey class in college or high school. Full of charts, pictures, and other layout features, it looks fluffy at first glance, but it covers all the major issues. Comes with a CD that has nicely presented summaries of the chapters, quizzes over the outline of the book/s, and a glossary of terms. One nice feature on the CD, along with the audio glossary (aids correct pronunciation of difficult words), is the video introduction to each book. Two complaints: first, the section on the minor prophets is far too brief to yield meaningful information or encourage retention. Second, the CD's quizzes could have been much more helpful and really made the CD a valuable addition. Hopefully, future additions will find both of the shortcomings remedied. Overall, this is a perfect textbook for Generation X.