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    God of Promise: Introducing Covenant Theology
    Unavailable
    God of Promise: Introducing Covenant Theology
    Unavailable
    God of Promise: Introducing Covenant Theology
    Ebook254 pages7 hours

    God of Promise: Introducing Covenant Theology

    By Horton Michael Scott and Michael Horton

    4/5

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    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    Since biblical times, history is replete with promises made and promises broken. Pastors and teachers know the power of the covenant, and they know that understanding the concept of covenant is crucial to understanding Scripture. They also know that covenant theology provides the foundation for core Christian beliefs and that covenants in their historical context hold significance even today. But to laypeople and new Christians, the eternal implications of "cutting" a covenant with God can be complicating.

    God of Promise unwinds the intricacies of covenant theology, making the complex surprisingly simple and accessible to every reader. With keen understanding, careful scholarship, and insight, Michael Horton leads all believers toward a deeper understanding of crucial covenant concepts.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBaker Publishing Group
    Release dateMar 1, 2006
    ISBN9781441200471
    Unavailable
    God of Promise: Introducing Covenant Theology

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    Reviews for God of Promise

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    • 4/5
      Michael Horton's book, God of Promise:Introducing Covenant Theology, is a wonderful primer for anyone interested in understanding the basics of the Reformed hermeneutic. As Horton says explicitly, it is not that covenant is viewed as the central dogma of Scripture, but rather that covenant is the framework of Scripture. In fact, “God's very existence is covenantal: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit live in unceasing devotion to each other; reaching outward beyond the Godhead to create a community of creatures serving as a giant analogy of the Godhead's relationship.” God's revelation to us is framed in that of a covenant, that of a relationship, because He Himself exists in covenant, in relationship.

      Beyond that, our very existence is covenantal also. “We were not just created and then given a covenant; we were created as covenant creatures—partners not in deity, to be sure, but in the drama that was about to unfold in history. As covenant creatures by nature, every person has a relationship with God.” Horton highlights the fact that God is covenantal, relational, and deals with us as covenantal beings. We are created for a relationship. Even as fallen and unredeemed, we are in a relationship with God.


      One of the main aspects of covenant theology, as outlined by Horton, is the emphasis on continuity. As someone who has just relatively recently embraced the fact that the Old Testament exists for a greater reason that tormenting me in my Read-the-Bible-in-a-year efforts, this is a great encouragement. “Covenant theology begins with continuity rather than discontinuity, not because of any a priori bias, but because Scripture itself moves from promise to fulfillment, not from one distinct program to another and then back again.” Reading the Scriptures through the lens of the mega-narrative of promise-fulfillment has allowed me to understand greatly the purpose and point of the Scriptures, and has allowed me to see more greatly the presence of Christ from Genesis 1:1 and on. It has also helped in keeping me from inserting my self and my felt needs into the Old Testament narrative, moralizing and stripping the Scriptures of their intention, to reveal Christ from cover to cover.

      What is a covenant? “Covenant...is a broad term encompassing a variety of arrangements—most notably, conditional covenants of law and unconditional covenants of promise.” Horton spends plenty of time unpacking the “variety of arrangements”, but this definition will suffice at the most basic level. At an even more basic level, a covenant is a relationship between two entities. Horton spends time fleshing out what a covenant is, looking at ancient near eastern treaties/covenants and how they mirror the covenant framework of the Scriptures. Horton gives a clear and succinct(for him) exposition of Suzerain-vassal treaties and how they relate to the covenants of Scriptures, and to the layout of the entirety of Scripture. He then devotes some chapters to outlining the differences between covenants of promise(unilateral) and covenants of law(bilateral). After this, Horton spends a chapter going over the different covenants in Scripture and how they relate to each other, what they do and do not accomplish/promise, and how they relate to us today.

      The chapter I had the hardest time with is also the chapter I enjoyed the most. Horton's chapter on covenant signs and seals was brilliant, too brilliant for me at points. More than a few times, I was completely lost in this chapter. Sometimes this happens when I am reading Michael Horton. It almost feels as if he slips into Professor Horton lecturing to third year M-Div students...and that is not me. And that is probably not best for a book entitled “Introducing” anything. Complaints on that issue aside, I will revisit that chapter a few more times and look at the referenced material because how he connects Communion and Baptism to the covenants, and how that relates to the Christian life is fascinating and seemingly Scriptural, if a bit below the surface for many of us raised dispensational, or at least ignorant of any possible covenant framework of Scripture.

      The final chapter on covenant obedience is worth the price of the book and the read up to it alone. Horton explains clearly the motivation and necessity of obedience in the life of a Christian, while also dispelling the false motivations and false necessity of obedience with which most of us continually struggle. As a whole, while at times deeper than probably necessary for an introductory text, God of Promise is a great primer on covenant theology and just a fun read.
    • 3/5
      (1) Distinguishing features of suzerainty treaties (25-28)(2) The nature of the Abrahamic Covenant (41-42)(3) Is there an eternal covenant within the Godhead? (79-82)(4) Was is the Law? (84)(5) Prayer is the chief part of gratitude (162)(6) New Testament believers understanding of the Law (174-181)
    • 5/5
      What a wonderful book that serves as an introduction to Covenant Theology. If you're having trouble getting your head around this, this is the first place to stop.
    • 4/5
      Horton's "intro" may not seem to be such to many readers. That said, Horton does introduce the reader to the important Biblical motif of the Covenant however nuanced that introduction may be. Horton offers what I think to be a helpful articulation of the two historical covenants made with man. He discusses the prelapsarian covenant of works made with Adam (and reinstituted through Moses at Sinai) and the postlapsarian covenant of grace which Horton demonstates is revealed more and more though the covenants made with Noah, Abraham, David, and ultimatly Christ.Hortons discussion of "Two Mothers" is helpful in understanding the importnace of distinguishing between the COW and the COG (and thefore the hermeneutical tool of Law/Gospel). I found his last chapter on "New Covenant Obedience" to be most fruitful and encouraging. This "intro" will challenge the newbie and be a great resource to those already well read on the subject. Horton does rely on his mentor (Kline) a bit but certainly offers his own thoughts on the subject of Covenant Theology and demonstrates well the understanding of the Reformed theologians since Calvin. Because the covenants are a key (if not the key) way in which YHWH has revealed himself relationaly to his people, understaning how they relate to one another, and ulitmatly how they point to Jesus is importnat; for that reason I hightly recomend this book to all who want to better undertand the Bible and the God who has there made himself known.
    • 3/5
      this is a good intro to Covenant Theology, but... I disagree with his idea that many Covenants are actually testaments. In addition, it requires more backgroudn in Biblical theology than does Williamsons "Far as the Curse is Found"
    • 5/5
      Good introduction to covenant theology. I demur on Horton's views of the sacraments, but other than that, I highly recommend this work.