Contents  
Introduction  
Grenville J. R. Kent, Paul J. Kissling and Laurence A. Turner  
1\. Preaching narrative: plot - Laurence A. Turner  
2\. Preaching narrative: characters - Paul J. Kissling  
3\. Preaching from the Law - Christopher J. H. Wright  
4\. Proclaiming lament - Federico G. Villanueva  
5\. Preaching praise poetry - David G. Firth  
6\. Preaching Wisdom - Tremper Longman III  
7\. Preaching the Song of Solomon - Grenville J. R. Kent  
8\. Preaching from Isaiah - H. G. M. Williamson  
9\. Preaching Ezekiel - Daniel I. Block  
10\. Preaching Apocalyptic - Ernest C. Lucas  
11\. Preaching the Minor Prophets - Alison Lo  
12\. Preaching from difficult texts - Gordon J. Wenham  
13\. Preaching Christ from the Old Testament - R. W. L. Moberley

When Jesus walked with his confused disciples on the Emmaus road, he began with Moses and all the Prophets and explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself - and their hearts burned within them (Luke 24).  
Contemporary people, too, can find their hearts burning as they hear God speak through the Old Testament texts. However, preaching from this part of the Christian Bible brings significant challenges and raises a number of issues, and hence can be neglected.  
This stimulating volume offers guidance for expository preaching from the Old Testament, and practical suggestions for how to understand the message of its diverse literature and to apply it today. The chapters cover narrative, plot and characters, along with the main Old Testament genres and two special topics: preaching from 'difficult' texts, and preaching Christ.  
The aim is to encourage use of all the Bible's rich resources, in the power of the Holy Spirit, in preaching the good news of the kingdom of God worldwide.  
The contributors are internationally respected evangelical Old Testament scholars, from a wide range of church traditions, who are also active in preaching: Daniel I. Block, David G. Firth, Grenville J. R. Kent, Paul J. Kissling, Alison Lo, Tremper Longman III, Ernest C. Lucas, R. W. L. Moberly, Laurence A. Turner, Federico G. Villanueva, Gordon Wenham, H. G. M. Williamson and Christopher J. H. Wright.

'There has never been a better time to preach. We have more resources available to guide our understanding of the text than any generation of preachers in human history. But sometimes it feels like we're drowning in information while starving for wisdom. This volume will help create a generation of genuinely thoughtful preachers who can teach people to love God with their minds. It can guide us to preaching that has integrity, power, and authority.' - John Ortberg

'I have found that nothing brings greater joy than preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ from the Scriptures of the Old Testament. This masterful collection of essays will help contemporary preachers understand, proclaim and apply all the genres of Old Testament literature with greater depth and clarity.' - Philip Graham Ryken, president, Wheaton College

'We are fortunate to be studying and preaching on the Old Testament at a time when critical study has produced many approaches to the Old Testament that will aid the preacher. That would have been inconceivable a few decades ago. This volume is a most useful guide to the way those approaches resource preaching on different kinds of texts in the Old Testament.' - John Goldingay, David Allan Hubbard Professor of Old Testament, Fuller Theological Seminary

'InterVarsity Press and the team of pastors and scholars who worked on Reclaiming the Old Testament are to be congratulated on producing a much-needed monograph with some very practical suggestions on how to understand the message of the Old Testament. While not every suggestion will be adopted by all, the conversation is extremely important if we are ever going to get back to teaching and preaching the full counsel of God. Laypersons will profit from reading this text as much as the clergy, for each of the chapters hits on some of the major issues of our day.' - Walter C. Kaiser Jr., President Emeritus, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary

'This book offers a thorough discussion of the various tasks facing the Christian preacher in proclaiming the gospel from the pages of the Old Testament. Particularly unique among recent treatments of this sort is the fact that each of the contributors is a noted Old Testament professor, scholar and proven preacher in his or her own right. Also, each seeks to encounter the gospel not only within the New Testament but from within the Old Testament as well. The contributors are thus much more inclined to look for their answers to Old Testament problems and hermeneutical guidelines from within the Old Testament itself. Also helpful is the example sermon included with each chapter.' - John H. Sailhamer, author of The Meaning of the Pentateuch

Grenville J R Kent, Paul J Kissling and Laurence A Turner (Editors)

CONTRIBUTORS

ABBREVIATIONS

INTRODUCTION

1. PREACHING NARRATIVE: PLOT

Introduction

Plot in Old Testament narrative

Plot in preaching Old Testament narrative

Plot and explicitly Christian proclamation

Conclusion

Sermon outline on 2 Samuel 11

2. PREACHING NARRATIVE: CHARACTERS

Can and should we preach from the Bible's narratives about human characters?

If we can and should, how should we approach the text?

How can/should we structure sermons from the characters of Hebrew narrative?

Sermon outline on Genesis 32:22–32: 'Crippled to be Healed'

3. PREACHING FROM THE LAW

The law was founded on grace

The law was motivated by the 'mission' of God through Israel

The law of Israel was meant to be a model, or paradigm, for the nations38.

The law was based on the character of God

The law was given for human benefit

Old Testament law anticipates failure, judgment and future grace

Finding the message of the law for today

Sermon outline on Deuteronomy 15:1–18: 'The Economics of Generosity'

4. PREACHING LAMENT

The dynamic movements in the lament psalms: the lament as poetry

The need to consider the other movements in the lament

The word in the lament: lament as theology

Praying the lament psalm as a way of preaching it: lament as prayer

Summary and application

Sermon outline on Psalm 12: 'Return to Lament'

Bibliography

5. PREACHING PRAISE POETRY

Introduction – praise poetry and worship

The canon, praise and proclamation

Praise as instruction

Thematic modelling

Intratextual dialogue

Sermon outline on Psalm 99

Sermon outline on Psalm 66

6. PREACHING WISDOM

Preaching from the book of Proverbs

The limits of wisdom: preaching from Ecclesiastes and Job

Preaching Ecclesiastes

Preaching from Job

Sermon outline on Ecclesiastes 12:1–7

7. PREACHING THE SONG OF SOLOMON

How not to read the Song

How to read the Song

Preaching the Song: practical suggestions

Sermon outline on Song of Solomon 4:12 – 5:1: 'I Dig Your Garden'

8. PREACHING FROM ISAIAH

General orientation

Problems of date and authorship

Approaches to preaching from Isaiah

Thematic considerations

Messianic prophecy

Theology

Sermon outline on Isaiah 42:1–4

Key bibliographical resources

9. PREACHING EZEKIEL

The problem with preaching Ezekiel

Proposition 1: In order to preach from Ezekiel with authority and clarity, we need to understand the prophet – his character (ethos), passion (pathos) and argumentation (logos).

Proposition 2: In order to preach from Ezekiel with authority and clarity, we need to understand his audience.

Proposition 3: In order to preach from Ezekiel with authority and clarity, we need to understand the nature and structure of the book.

Proposition 4: In order to preach from Ezekiel with authority and clarity, we need to understand the message that Ezekiel proclaims.

Proposition 5: In order to preach from Ezekiel with authority and clarity, we need to understand Ezekiel's rhetorical and homiletical strategy.

Proposition 6: In order to preach from Ezekiel with authority and clarity, we need to plan carefully.

A test case – Ezekiel 16:1–14: 'The Gospel According to Ezekiel'

Proposition 7: In order to preach from Ezekiel with authority and clarity for the church, we need to link his message with that of the New Testament responsibly.

10. PREACHING APOCALYPTIC

What is apocalyptic?

Preaching apocalyptic texts: the challenge

Preaching apocalyptic texts: the message

Preaching Christ from apocalyptic texts

Sermon outline on Daniel 7:1–22 and Revelation 5:1–10: 'Trusting God's Purposes'

11. PREACHING THE MINOR PROPHETS

1. Briefly explain historical-­cultural context

2. Consider genres and literary features

3. Highlight the central theme of each book

4. Trace thematic coherence among the books

5. Keep a balance with other Minor Prophets

6. Preach Christ from the Minor Prophets

7. Preach to individuals, society and the world

Application: the book of Zephaniah

When Jesus walked with his confused disciples on the Emmaus road, he began with Moses and all the Prophets and explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself - and their hearts burned within them (Luke 24).  
   
 Contemporary people, too, can find their hearts burning as they hear God speak through the Old Testament texts. However, preaching from this part of the Christian Bible brings significant challenges and raises a number of issues, and hence can be neglected.  
   
 This stimulating volume offers guidance for expository preaching from the Old Testament, and practical suggestions for how to understand the message of its diverse literature and to apply it today. The chapters cover narrative, plot and characters, along with the main Old Testament genres and two special topics: preaching from 'difficult' texts, and preaching Christ.  
   
 The aim is to encourage use of all the Bible's rich resources, in the power of the Holy Spirit, in preaching the good news of the kingdom of God worldwide.  
   
 The contributors are internationally respected evangelical Old Testament scholars, from a wide range of church traditions, who are also active in preaching: Daniel I. Block, David G. Firth, Grenville J. R. Kent, Paul J. Kissling, Alison Lo, Tremper Longman III, Ernest C. Lucas, R. W. L. Moberly, Laurence A. Turner, Federico G. Villanueva, Gordon Wenham, H. G. M. Williamson and Christopher J. H. Wright.

Based on the conviction that the Old Testament texts are a vital and dynamic part of the Christian canon and pertinent to Christian practice, this stimulating volume offers guidance for expository preaching and practical suggestions for understanding the message of its diverse literature.

The Old Testament is filled with intriguing characters, stories and themes. But preaching from its remote historical context wrapped in sometimes unfamiliar literary genres and narrative devices can be daunting.Based on the conviction that the Old Testament texts are a vital and dynamic part of the Christian canon and pertinent to Christian practice, this stimulating volume offers guidance for expository preaching and practical suggestions for understanding the message of its diverse literature.The chapters cover narrative, plot, characters, genre and preaching from difficult texts. The book concludes with a vital chapter on preaching Christ from the Old Testament, which offers a theological account of biblical interpretation without unnaturally forcing the texts.The contributors are internationally respected evangelical Old Testament scholars, from a wide range of church traditions and global regions, who are also active in preaching: Daniel I. Block, David G. Firth, Grenville J. R. Kent, Paul J. Kissling, Alison Lo, Tremper Longman III, Ernest C. Lucas, R. W. L. Moberly, Laurence A. Turner, Frederico G. Villanueva, Gordon Wenham, H. G. M. Williamson and Christopher J. H. Wright.Here is a book that will help you use all of the Bible's rich resources in preaching the good news of the global kindgom of God.

\["Pastors, preachers, and students of Old Testament preaching.","Offers guidance for effective Old Testament preaching.","Empowers to preach Old Testament with relevance and clarity."\]

This book equips pastors and students to preach the Old Testament effectively, addressing challenges and providing practical insights for impactful sermons.

The Good Book Stall

This book originates from Luke 24 v27, where Jesus explained to two disciples on the road to Emmaus what was said about Himself in all the Scriptures. The book is a collection of thirteen essays originally presented by some of the best Old Testament scholars from around the world. There is a unifying passion clear in all the essays. The authors want Christian preachers and teachers to see the usefulness and relevance of the 78% of the Bible which is often overlooked.   
 Clear, respected, robust writing in each chapter follow a broadly similar pattern including a sample sermon. Seven of the chapters deal with how to preach different genres with the chapter by Tremper Longman III on Wisdom perhaps the most helpful.   
 This volume is a most useful guide to those who handle scripture with regularity. Gritty, academic and Christ-centric!

'He Began With Moses...'

He began with Moses

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