Faith in the Face of Apostasy: The Gospel According to Elijah and Elisha (Gospel according to the Old Testament)
Digital Logos Edition
Overview
In this helpful volume, Raymond B. Dillard explains the stories of Elijah and Elisha in the context of redemptive history. As prophets of God, Elijah and Elisha sought to restore God’s covenant with his wayward people. They pointed forward to a better prophet to come who would satisfy the terms of the covenant despite Israel’s covenant breaking. In the power and spirit of Elijah, John the Baptist came to prepare the way of the better prophet, Jesus Christ, who alone can restore God’s people in the better New Covenant through his life, death, and resurrection. Written for laypeople, study groups, and pastors, this study of the lives of Elijah and Elisha shows how the Old Testament accounts direct us to faith in Christ today.
In the Logos edition, this volume is enhanced by amazing functionality. Important terms link to dictionaries, encyclopedias, and a wealth of other resources in your digital library. Perform powerful searches to find exactly what you’re looking for. Take the discussion with you using tablet and mobile apps. With Logos Bible Software, the most efficient and comprehensive research tools are in one place, so you get the most out of your study.
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- Explains the stories of Elijah and Elishain the context of redemptive history
- Demonstrates how the Old Testament accounts direct us to faith in Christ
- Presents an aid to pastors, teachers, and laymen in teaching and reading the Old Testament
Top Highlights
“Matthew draws parallels between the lives of Elijah and Elisha and the lives of John the Baptist and Jesus. He presents John as the fulfillment of Malachi’s prophecy that Elijah would come again (Mal. 4:5), and he presents Jesus as the new Elisha.” (Pages 9–10)
“Both Elijah and John the Baptist anointed their successors at the Jordan River” (Page 10)
“All three of these episodes illustrate that God, not Baal, provides life for his people” (Page 15)
“Elijah’s great qualification for serving God at his moment in history was the same as that other servant of the Lord: his food and drink were ‘to do the will of him who sent me’ (John 4:34). All too often as Christians, we tend to think that the work of God in our day is done by the great and powerful, the famous preachers, celebrities, and the influential wealthy. God looks not for fame but for faith, not wealth but willingness, not renown but reliance. The only pedigree needed to serve God in our world is his call to obedience. It is to believe that ‘the Lord, the God of Israel, lives’ (1 Kings 17:1), and to serve him instead of the Baals.” (Page 17)
“Earthquake, storm, and fire (1 Kings 19:11–12) commonly announce the presence of God (a theophany) in the Old Testament.” (Pages 55–56)
The Old Testament stories of Elijah and Elisha are as fascinating as they are puzzling, and Christian readers will be delighted to find in this book just the help they need. Few writers combine scholarly expertise and theological good judgment as the late Ray Dillard did . . . highly recommended for anyone who wishes to understand Old Testament narrative.
—Moisés Silva, former professor, Westmont College, Westminster Theological Seminary, and Gordon-Conwell Seminary
Raymond B. Dillard was professor of Old Testament at Westminster Theological Seminary until his death in 1993. He was the author of 2 Chronicles in the Word Biblical Commentary Series, and, with Tremper Longman III, An Introduction to the Old Testament.