Neglecting the Old Testament | CT Books

[Also: On the Move] Also: On the Move | [View online]( [ChristianityToday.org]( [Donate]( [CT Books newsletter]( Tuesday, August 01, 2017 Neglecting the Old Testament Confession time: Although I am an editor in good standing at a magazine called Christianity Today, I can't remember the last time I read through the book of Numbers … or Deuteronomy … or 1 and 2 Chronicles … And Leviticus? Do you even need to ask? Which is odd. Unlike those who are biased against the Old Testament, thinking it bleak and barbaric, I have no difficulty affirming its status as God's holy Word. I believe, with Paul, that "all Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Tim. 3:16). But for one reason or another, my own devotional life can often keep the Old Testament at arm's length. No longer. That's what I resolved after editing David Lamb's review of [The Old Testament Is Dying: A Diagnosis and Recommended Treatment](, by Brent Strawn, a fellow Old Testament Professor (Lamb at Biblical Theological Seminary in Hatfield, Pennsylvania, and Strawn at Candler School of Theology in Atlanta). I'll be looking to re-immerse myself in the laws, the histories, the genealogies, the battles, the poems and prophecies—the whole package. After all, as Lamb reminds us, "when we make a commitment to regularly read, teach, preach, and sing the Old Testament, we're doing more than nursing a dying language back to health. We're also connecting personally to a living God." On the Move You can probably find this bit of timeless wisdom recorded somewhere in Proverbs, or perhaps etched in cuneiform on a clay tablet from some ancient civilization: Moving is a giant hassle. When our landlord informed us he'd be selling the house where I live with a couple friends from church, I immediately dreaded the prospect of boxing up my substantial book collection for the second time in a little under two years. As someone who values rootedness and stability— perhaps excessively!—it's instructive to think about the radical willingness of so many believers to uproot themselves from home and hearth out of a sense of mission. Missionaries, of course, come immediately to mind. And then you have the phenomenon of religious pilgrimage. Last year, CT published A. J. Swoboda's excellent [review]( of [The Pilgrim Journey: A History of Pilgrimage in the Western World](, by James Harpur. "What was clearest to me as I read The Pilgrim's Journey," wrote Swoboda, "was the reality that Christians have, for centuries, considered these expansive, life-giving, costly journeys a legitimate component of seeking God. Of course, the reasons behind these pilgrimages were rarely the same. Some were undertaken for healing, others to see an allegedly powerful relic. Some chose an outer pilgrimage as a way to hopefully launch an inner pilgrimage. Whatever the reason, Christians have practiced pilgrimage, not merely endured it." [Matt Reynolds](mailto:ctbooks@ChristianityToday.com), Associate Editor, Books Christianity Today To reply to this newsletter: ctbooks@christianitytoday.com Add newsletter@lists.christianitytoday.com to your address book. [Featured Articles]( [Man Shall Not Live on the New Testament Alone]( No less than Jesus in the wilderness, we need every word that comes from the mouth of God. David T. Lamb [A Journey as Old as Humanity Itself]( What's behind our timeless fascination with religious pilgrimage? A. J. Swoboda More from Christianity Today [Missions Sunday: The Missing Key to the Refugee Crisis: Christian Hospitality towards Muslims (Part One)]( A biblical view of hospitality can offer a corrective to the current view of refugees. [Big Churches And Small Churches: Contrast Without Criticism]( Church leaders need to understand the differences between churches of various sizes. So we can work together, not tear ourselves apart. [After 50 Years in a Wheelchair, I Still Walk with Jesus]( On the anniversary of her accident, Joni Eareckson Tada reflects on God's faithfulness. Follow Us [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [RSS]( [Subscribe to this newsletter]( In the Magazine [Current Issue]( [Luther's Return to a Gospel of Grace Is Still Relevant 500 Years Later]( [Reading the Reformation in 2017]( [Pro-Life's Reformation Ripples]( [View Full Issue]( [Subscribe Now]( Related CT Newsletters [CT Entertainment]( Reviews and perspectives on movies, TV, and music. [Sign Up Now]( [CT Connection]( The official newsletter of the global media ministry. [Sign Up Now]( [CT Books]( Delivered via email to subscribers weekly. [Subscribe]( | [Email Preferences]( | [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy]( | [Advertise]( | [Subscribe to CT]( You are currently subscribed as: {EMAIL} Copyright ©2017 [ChristianityToday.org]( Christianity Today, 465 Gundersen Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188. All rights reserved.