God's Glory in Numbers

From Hamilton's God's Glory in Salvation Through Judgment:

The point being made in all of these episodes is that Israel is in the presence of Yahweh, and they owe him praise and thanks for what he has done and how he has provided. Grumbling about circumstances, the kind of food, or who is in charge directly attacks the one who sovereignly orchestrated the circumstances, chose this food not that, and appointed the leaders who are in place. Grumbling against Yahweh suggests that what he has brought to pass is not good, or that his choices were not wise, or that he will not be able to do what he said, or that he has not been faithful to his promises. Yahweh responds to suggestions that he is not faithful, able, wise, and good—which are at the heart of unbelief—with wrathful indignation. He is a consuming fire—even with Moses. (p.117)

How true is this for us today! Every circumstance, everything that comes to pass in life is sovereignly ordained by God. A lot of people are comfortable with that truth already but don't often consider it when the grocery runs out of the steaks that were on sale! Or when you go through the drive-thru and they got your order wrong. Every circumstance is ordained. Let's try not to grumble about the ones we don't like... I didn't turn out well for the Israelites.

God's Glory in the Exodus

I'm 107 pages in to Hamilton's God's Glory in Salvation Through Judgment (only 500ish more to go!). I'm using this great book as a tool to go through the entire Bible, cover to cover, and focus on this central theme that Hamilton proposes. I've just completed the section on Exodus. Below are some of the quotes that really stuck out to me. I've had a bunch of conversations with Jude about this book and more specifically about Jim Hamilton (Jude read this book in 2012). We've both come to the conclusion that Hamilton's books are very easy to read considering how smart he is. What I mean by that is that my experience with authors who have a high level of formal education in their specific fields is that for the average person (ie. me!) they can be very difficult to read. I find I don't have any of the "inside information" that would allow me to follow their thought patterns (I don't speak Hebrew, Greek, or have a PhD in hermeneutics!). Hamilton is not this way. He is clear, concise, and his passion for the Bible is infectious. Read this book (and his others)!

But is what Yahweh does to Pharaoh just? From the perspective of the biblical authors, all humans creatures owe their Creator thanks and praise (e.g., Rom. 1:21) No human creatures successfully give God the glory and thank due him (3:23). Therefore all human creatures stand under God's condemnation. The severity of the judgement meted out matches the unspeakable evil of refusing to honor God as God and render him thanks. He does not owe mercy. The only thing he owes in justice, and the gravity of the heinousness of disregarding the infinite worth and beneficence of God calls for punishment that fits the crime. If God does not visit a just punishment, it shows that he has as little regard for himself as the creatures who have refused to honor him as God and give thanks to him. God shows his own great worth by visiting due justice against Egypt, and he shows his love by mercying Israel.

Yahweh's declaration of his name in Exodus 34, which is the revelation of his glory, informs the places in the Bible before and after this incident where Yahweh states his intention of making known to people that he is Yahweh. To know that he is Yahweh is to know that he is merciful and gracious, not clearing the guilty but punishing iniquity. To know that he is Yahweh is to know his name, his character. To know that he is Yahweh is to know his goodness—goodness that upholds what is right. If he does not uphold what is right, he is not good. If he does not keep his word, he is not faithful and cannot be trusted. Yahweh's righteousness, therefore, is an essential component of his love. An unrighteous, unfaithful god is not a loving god bur a scary, unpredictable horror in the likeness of the ancient Near Eastern deities or the gods of the Greco-Roman pantheon. But Yahweh is righteous, faithful, and loving. Even when his holiness demands the death of transgressors, this is an expression of his goodness and love as it upholds his faithfulness and shows him trustworthy.

Israel is saved through judgment, and the tabernacle, with its implements of sacrifice, makes it possible for the glorious Yahweh to take up residence—no longer outside the camp (cf. 33:7), but in their midst. Salvation comes through judgment and leads to the experience of the glory of God, a glory so overwhelming that it dictates the movements of those who perceive it. Israel has constructed the tabernacle "as Yahweh had commanded Moses." Thus, in obedience to Yahweh's word, they have built a microcosm—a symbolic picture of the cosmos on a reduced scale. The tabernacle symbolically depicts the world that God has made, and when his people obey him, God does for the tabernacle what he will do for the world: he fills it which his glory. The filling of the tabernacle with the glory of Yahweh is a proleptic enactment of the earth being filled with the glory of Yahweh. This is why the world exists.

Book Review - What Is Biblical Theology?

I consider myself an outdoorsman. I love to hunt and fish. I don't get to do those things as much as I'd like to, but when I can get out I thoroughly enjoy myself. I'm thankful my father introduced me to fishing and hunting because I wasn't born with a love for those pursuits. I had to be introduced to them. I had to be mentored and pointed in the right direction. I needed someone, in this case my dad, to give me a little push in the right direction. Hunting in particular is a sport that is difficult to begin on your own. You need have someone to guide your steps and teach you the ropes. I'm thankful my dad played the role of mentor in this aspect of my life.

I think biblical theology is a bit like hunting in this regard; it is a little intimidating and difficult to get into that type of reading. The books are often big...really big even. And the term itself seems beyond what the average reader desires or is capable of handling. For us non-scholar types, the pursuit of biblical theology is like hunting in that we would be well served to have a mentor to get us started and teach us the ropes, someone to guide us and get us started in the right direction.

Jim Hamilton, through his book What Is Biblical Theology?, acts as the mentor we need to begin this literary pursuit. Hamilton advises us and instructs us in a preparatory manner for delving into the very edifying and enjoyable world of biblical theology. And once you begin down this path, you just might find reading and studying biblical theology is something that you love to do. The few books on biblical theology that I have read have been God exalting and personally enriching. Hamilton uses What Is Biblical Theology? to point us in the right direction and encourage us to press into this captivating curriculum called biblical theology.

Hamilton begins the book, which for the intimidated is a mere 120 pages, with two introductory chapters which motivate us to investigate biblical theology and educate us on exactly what it is. Biblical theology is the "interpretive perspective of the biblical authors" (15) and its aim is to "understand and embrace"(12) their perspective. Starting in these chapters and continuing throughout the book, Hamilton's passion for this discipline is evident and infectious. From here the book is divided into three parts: "the first sets out the Bible's big story, the second looks at the way the biblical authors use symbols ... and the third considers the part the church plays in that story" (22).

Part 1 of What Is Biblical Theology? is comprised of three chapters. The first considers what we in the English teaching profession call the elements of fiction. But in this case we could call them the elements of non-fiction narrative. These aspects include settings, character, and plot. Hamilton informs us that the big story of the Bible provides us with the true perspective on life; "We make sense of our days in light of this overarching narrative" (32).

The second chapter of Part 1 takes one of the aspects-plot-and focuses its attention on its details. Hamilton includes conflict, episodes, and theme under the heading of plot. The author demonstrates how plot episodes, which revolve around creation’s conflict with God, recur throughout the biblical narrative. These recurring plot episodes, which include ideas like exile and exodus, "function like schematics or templates" which are "used to communicate the meaning of who Jesus was and what he accomplished" (39). Thus, the importance of biblical theology should be apparent; it helps us understand Jesus!

The final chapter of Part 1 investigates the promises throughout the big story of a coming redeemer. These ‘gold coins’ represent clues to a mystery: the mystery of God's great work to save His people through His Son. What seems obvious to us now was not so to those who were anticipating a Messiah. But as we read the Bible, Hamilton explains, we can retrospectively see how God announced this coming mystery-Messiah through the prophets and Old Testament writing. Part 2 deals with elements a little more figurative.

The Bible's Symbolic Universe is the title Hamilton gives to Part 2. The chapters in this section cover symbols, imagery, typology, and patterns in the Scriptures. Hamilton concisely explains how these elements work and what they do. He offers intriguing examples which beckon the reader to look and understand these concepts as they come to us in the Bible. I found these succinct chapters whetted my appetite for more; more study, more investigation, more understanding and more of the Bible. In the author's words, "These images, types, and patterns are often laid on top of each other, and this layering both interprets and communicates. This use of symbolism and imagery adds texture to the story the Bible tells, reinforcing it and making it concrete" (65).

The final section of this book, Part 3, discusses the church and her grand role in this story of stories. Hamilton's passion permeates the whole book but particularly rises in these chapters. He writes, "The true story of the world and the church's place in it is a stupendous tale. Best of all, it's true (98)." Biblical theology's importance increases as we understand that the "Bible's story and symbolism teach the church to understand who she is, what she faces, and how she should live as she longs for the coming of her King and Lord" (113). Biblical theology helps us grasp the glorious truths of the gospel, the magnificence of our Messiah, and the riveting role of the church in this drama. Do you really need any more encouragement to look into biblical theology? I think not.

Hamilton's enthusiasm and zeal for this topic is infectious. I found myself getting excited as I read through this relatively brief introduction to biblical theology. I have found Hamilton's contagious passion for this subject, and similar ones for that matter, to be an endearing quality of his writing which encourages me in my pursuit of understanding and appreciating my God. I think, in this book, he will have this impact on you. In particular, if you need a mentor and coach and motivator to help you to become a disciple in the sometimes intimidating discipline of biblical theology, I do not think you will find a better guide than Hamilton and his guidebook What Is Biblical Theology? is a good place to start.  

Top Books of 2012

Yesterday I posted my reading for the year 2012. Today I would like to share with you my top reads of 2012. I read many wonderful books last year, but I will select my best of the year from those titles published in 2012. Many of the older books are classic that would be on "must read" lists and their oldness, rather than taking away from them, are one of the things which makes them so wonderful; they have passed the test of time. However, three books published in 2012 rise above the rest in my estimation.

Tied for Top Spot

Two books I read this past year were edifying and enjoyable and enriching enough for me to suggest they were the best. But I cannot decide between the two. So I give you them both.

Revelation: The Spirit Speaks to the Churches

I have a review of the Revelation: The Spirit Speaks to the Churches here. It is an wonderful collection of 37 sermons on the book of Revelation and is written by Jim Hamilton. This book has many great qualities but there are two which are most significant in my estimation. First, the balanced and intelligent passion that Hamilton has for eschatology is evident on every page of this book, and it is infectious. It is clear that the author is excited about this book of the Bible and he manages to effectively transfer this affection to the reader in the pages of his book. And the main thing that this apocalyptic letter demonstrates, in the view of the author, is the magnificent and glorious all-sovereign God and the beauty of Christ his Son. Hamilton shows how these sometimes confusing passages demonstrate the glory and grace of our Savior and the all-powerful working of our God. Hamilton conveys these ideas and it follows that our affections for Christ are raised. The Christ-centered approach to this book is an endearing quality which is both edifying and enjoyable. Secondly, this book does a wonderful job of espousing the escatalogical position known as historic premillenialism. Hamilton explains difficult passages and clarifies confusing sections while humbly admitting that there is mystery present as well. His use of illustrations brings both clarity and cause for worship. Because of Hamilton's writing, I will never look at the canonical book of Revelation the same again.

The Man Christ Jesus: Theological Reflections of the Humanity of Christ

I read this book in the last two weeks of the year. And right from the start it was obvious that it would be one of the best reads of the past 12 months. This relatively short book-156 pages-is overflowing with awe-inspiring reflections on the humanity of Christ. Author Bruce A. Ware delivers a book that encourages exultation of our wonderful Savior and also explains an evangelical position on some of the difficulties that appear when one considers the divine and human Jesus Christ.Ware explains how we should consider the suffering of Jesus; the growth of Jesus' faith, wisdom, and understanding; the taking on of a human nature; the manner of Christ's temptations to sin; and many other issues that Christians have struggled with. The Man Christ Jesus contains sections pertaining to the application of what has been discussed and these sections are gold. There are also many surprisingly helpful illustrations which I have already used in explaining the books ideas to others. This book would make a wonderful small group study with its topic and contents but the questions at the end of each chapter make it even more appealing as a small group resource. This book appropriately came to me at Christmas, when the incarnation of God's Son is already on our minds. It filled me with wonder about and worship for our Savior, the God-man Jesus Christ. I will be posting a full review of this book early in the new year.

A Very Close Second

Gospel-Centered Discipleship

I received Jonathan K. Dodson's book Gospel-Centered Discipleship as a gift and it has been the gift that keeps on giving throughout 2012. This book explains how a Christian's discipleship and growth in grace is anchored in the very same thing that brought him to salvation in the first place; the gospel. Dodson deftly describes how the gospel is of first importance in our coming to Christ and our staying in Christ. The gospel applies in a foundational way to how grace saved us and how grace keeps us and Dodson shows how we should think and act about our discipleship with this in mind. I found this book very helpful in integrating a Jesus-Cross-gospel centered approach to my daily sanctification. It builds on ideas of Christian hedonism as espoused by John Piper and clearly relies upon Jonathan Edwards as well. This excellent book was a welcome read in the past year.

Blogged Through Books - God's Glory in Salvation through Judgment

Blogged Through Books is a series that I hope to continue regularly. I will use posts from this blog that have already been produced for a particular book and will compile them all in one post. This will give the reader access to all of the content concerning particular books, as it appears on this blog, in one convenient location. In the near future I hope to write a post about the benefits of blogging through a book. The first post in the series has Jim Hamilton's excellent biblical theology, God's Glory In Salvation Through Judgment, as its focus.

Here is a list of posts on God's Glory In Salvation Through Judgment:

• What NT writers were NOT consumed with
• The Seed and the serpent in Thessalonians
• Hamilton on Philippians 1:27-30
• God did all of this
• Hamilton reflects on glory, judgment, and the cross in the Gospels
• God's glory in salvation through judgment in the Gospel of Mark
• What's the deal with genealogies?
• God's Glory in Salvation through Judgment
• Four Words
• Salvation and Glory
• The turning point
• Saved through judgment
• Jim Hamilton on God's glory, salvation, and judgment
• A pure and unsullied creation
• His justice is exacting, his mercy surprising
• It's about God first, and Pharaoh second
• Substitution and Sacrifices explained by Dr. Jim Hamilton
• Just call me Rahab
• God creates evil. God is good. No problem?

I'd like to thank Dr. Hamilton for all of his tweets and retweets on Twitter, and the ensuing traffic that visited this blog as a result. This is a wonderful book that I'm sure will continue to bless many Christians should Jesus tarry.

What NT writers were NOT consumed with

This is a creative and engaging bit of writing by Jim Hamilton, author of God's Glory in Salvation Through Judgment. In light of the increasingly vitriolic political scene that many countries are experiencing, this reminder of what the inspired authors of the New Testament were not consumed with should bring some clarity to all Christians concerning what matters most.

The Center of the Theology of the New Testament Letters

The writers of these twenty-one letters are radically united in the proclamation of bizarre ideas. To see this, let us engage in a bit of contrastive analysis, contemplating what these authors did not do and what their letters did not advocate.

Rome was not their kingdom, and they were not trying to make it home. They sought the city that is to come. Not one of these authors gave his life to address the systematic injustice of the Roman Empire by means of political reform. Not one of these authors went the way of Josephus and sought to cozy up to the emperor, though Paul seems to have had opportunities to seek such "influence" with high-ranking officials. Not one of these authors did or said anything about trying to stop Rome from fighting its wars. Not one of them championed the idea that the government should take money from the rich and redistribute it equally to the poor, nor did they leave the ministry to advocate a government of greater fiscal responsibility, lowered taxes, and increased national security. Not one of these authors taught that the way to change the world is by initiating a universal, government-funded education program. Not one of these authors was out to make as much money as he possibly could. Not one of these authors embraced one of the popular philosophies of the day, nor did they seek to synthesize the message of Jesus with the spirit of their age. None of them advocate higher moral standards in society at large (outside the church), nor did they lobby for universal health care or a revised definition of marriage that would legitimate same-sex unions. None of them seemed to have cared whether anyone reading their letters would be perceived by the broader culture as hip, savvy, chic, or cool. They had a different program.

These authors believed that the decisive event in the story of the world had taken place, God loved the world by sending his Son, condemned sin in the flesh of Jesus, pored out all his wrath on Jesus at the cross, and accomplished salvation through that ultimate display of justice. God raised Jesus from the dead, and Jesus commissioned his followers to make disciples by proclaiming the good news.

The seed and serpent in Thessalonians

One of the things that I appreciate about Jim Hamilton's biblical theology God's Glory in Salvation Through Judgment is the manner in which Hamilton ties together different strands that occur throughout the biblical narrative. He regularly retrieves ideas, themes, symbols, and images from the Old Testament and shows how they have been woven into the new Testament. In this excerpt he discusses the serpent/seed of woman motif that runs throughout the Bible:

As the seed of the serpent makes war on the seed of the woman (cf. 1 Thess. 2:14-16), the response of the seed of the woman testifies to the past, present, and future realities of the glory of God in salvation through judgment. The past reality is the triumph of God in Christ, on which the faith of the Thessalonians is based (1:3; 3:5-6). What God has done in Christ frees the Thessalonians to live by faith and enact the present reality of God's glory in salvation through judgment, which is evident in their love for one another and even in their persecutors (1:3; 2:12; 3:6; 4:2-8, 9-12, 13-18; 5:8, 12-28). This love exposes and overcomes the hatred and brutality and shameful conduct of Satan and his seed. The future reality of the glory of God in salvation through judgment is focused on the future visitation of God's wrath (1:10). The rebel seed of the serpent are filling up the full measure of their iniquity for that great day of God's wrath (2:16). Jesus will execute this wrath on "the day of the Lord" (5:2), when he will bring sudden destruction on his enemies who have troubled his people (5:3), simultaneously-at his coming-delivering those who believe the gospel and imitate his patient endurance in faithfulness to God (1:10; 2:19; 4:13, 16-17; 5:9, 23).

Hamilton on Phiippians 1:27-30

From God's Glory in Salvation through Judgment by Jim Hamilton:

Paul wants the Philippians to strive for the gospel (1:27b) by adopting his perspective and doing what he is doing. If they will embrace this cruciform pattern, they will agree that "to live is Christ" (1:21a), and they will suffer for Christ (1:29b) and join Paul in the self-sacrificing  struggle for the souls of others (1:30). They will also agree that death is gain (1:21b), which will make them fearless before their opponents (1:28a). Living this way on the basis of the glory of God in the salvation through judgment he accomplished by Christ's death on the cross will enact salvation through judgment in their own experience: the Philippian Christians will become living demonstrations that God will destroy the wicked and save his people (1:28b). The life worthy of the gospel is based on and lives out God's glory in salvation through judgment. (486)

God did all of this

Ephesians 1:3-6 ESV
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

Commenting on the above passage, Dr. Jim Hamilton writes,

God is the initiator here: God chose, God loved, God predestined, God adopted, and God did all of this according to the pleasure of his will (1:3-4). God did not do this for the Jews or the Gentiles because either group had earned it, because either group had sought it, or because either group would respond rightly to it. God did this "for himself, according to the pleasure of his will" (1:5). He did it because he wanted to, and Paul gives the ultimate reason why he did it in Ephesians 1:6: "for the praise of the glory of his grace, with which he graced us in the beloved." God wanted his grace to be praised, so he stunned cognizant beings in the heavens and on earth (3:10, 20-21) by including the Gentiles in Christ. The Gentiles did not earn this. God graced them in his beloved Son (1:6). (Hamilton, James M. God's Glory in Salvation through Judgment: A Biblical Theology. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2010. Print. 480)

Hamilton reflects on glory, judgment and the cross in the Gospels

As Dr. Jim Hamilton finishes his the section on the Gospel of John in his biblical theology entitled God's Glory in Salvation through Judgment he summarizes his work on John's gospel in particular but also the rest of the gospel narratives with focus on the cross of Christ:

At this point we can reflect on the ways that God and Christ will be glorified in the cross. God will be glorified in mercy and justice. His justice will be seen in the outpouring of his wrath to uphold truth and establish his righteousness. His mercy will be seen in the fact that the substitutionary death of Jesus makes it possible for God righteously to extend forgiveness to those who believe. God's love and justice, then, are put on display at the cross.

Christ also is glorified, as his unique ability to absorb God's wrath without remainder is displayed. Jesus exhaustively receives the wrath of God. His greatness is seen both in his ability to satisfy the demands of god's justice and in his own righteousness whereby he is a sinless sacrifice.

Moreover, the love of the Son for the Father's honor is displayed as Jesus obediently goes to the cross. The love of the Father for the Son is displayed as the Father honors the Son for his greatness. The love of both the Father and Son for sinners is displayed by the enormous length to which each goes to establish salvation.

The cross uniquely displays that both Jesus and the Father are committed to justice and mercy, even unto death. The cross displays that Jesus and the Father are unique-holy-in their devotion to righteousness, to mercy, and to one another. The cross displays the all-conquering love of the Father and Son for rebels who will repent and believe in Jesus. Such a sacrifice to save sinners!

The God-honoring, righteousness-upholding, others-benefiting, self-sacrificial way that Jesus loves his disciples is the way he then calls them to love one another in the "new commandment" John 13:34-35. This is a love that upholds the righteousness of God while extending unmerited kindness and mercy to others at the expense of oneself. The display of this kind of love, then, cannot but show forth the priority of God, emphasizing his glory. The new-commandment love that Jesus enjoins on his disciples, like the cross where he supremely manifests that love, centers on the display of God's glory in justice and in mercy, justice highlighting the gracious, free character of the mercy. (416-7)

This is a striking excerpt and is worth re-reading. As Hamilton summarizes God's glory as seen in the judgment and salvation enacted in and through Christ's atoning work at the cross we are witnesses to the foundation of Hamilton's argument. The epitome of God's interaction with humanity is the cross and therefore to see the true focal point of Hamilton's biblical theme we should also look to the cross. In this passage we see clearly how the author perceives this central and foundational event and it seems to me hit hits the mark.

God's glory in salvation through judgment in the Gospel of Mark

If you read this blog with any regularity you will know that I like to "blog through books". The many benefits of this practice includes the review of a particular book as you blog through it. Many readers become frustrated with the realization that they forget much of what they read. Taking books and interacting with them in some way (such as teaching from them, reviewing them, or summarizing them) is a sure way of retaining more information from them. And "blogging through a book" is an practical and enjoyable practice that I pursue in order to get the most out of my reading.


I have been working my way through Dr. Jim Hamilton's biblical theology God's Glory in Salvation through Judgment and with this post I pass from his chapters on the Old Testament to those on the New Testament. Here is a list of my blogging through this book with links to the posts that came from Dr. Hamilton's writing on the Old Testament:

• Salvation and Glory
• God's Glory in Salvation through Judgment
• No one who's guilty wants judgment
• It's about God first, and Pharaoh second
• A Pure and Unsullied Creation
• His Justice Exacting, His Mercy Surprising
• Just Call Me Rahab
• Substitution and Sacrifices
• God creates evil. God is good. No problem?
• What's the deal with genealogies?
• Jim Hamilton on God's glory, salvation, and judgment

Moving into the New Testament section of this terrific biblical theology, Hamilton discusses the themes of glory, salvation, and judgment in the Gospel of Mark.

Jesus has shown the world its bankruptcy so that the world might feel its need for the bailout he provides. He has condemned the world in order to save it. His teaching with authority exposes and condemns the failures of human tradition. His healing the sick and raising the dead judges and triumphs over the effects of sin and the outworkings of the curse in the world. Casting out demons, he reveals that he has entered the home of the strong man, bound him, weighed him in the scales, and found him wanting, and he is now plundering his possessions. Jesus brings salvation through judgment, and in response his fame spreads, the people marvel, and everyone glorifies God. Mark does not use the formulation, but it is clear that the centerpiece of the theology of his Gospel is that Jesus is bringing in the kingdom by conquering all the other kingdoms. He is glorifying God in salvation achieved through judgment. (386)

What's the deal with genealogies?

Have you ever wondered about the significance or purpose of genealogies in the Bible, particularly the seemingly exhaustive ones that occur in the Old Testament? I'm sure most Bible readers have entertained thoughts of the actual usefulness or reason for these lists. In his biblical theology God's Glory in Salvation through Judgment, Dr. Jim Hamilton touches upon one of the purposes of these lists.

The nine chapters of names [1 Chronicles 1-9] present a full but concise summary of the Old Testament that goes from Adam to the exile. The impetus to compile genealogies and preserve "ancient words" (1 Chron. 4:22) springs from the promises made to Israel. Promises are made about a coming seed of the woman, so the descendants of the woman are carefully tracked and recorded. These genealogies in 1 Chronicles 1-9 bear witness to the hope that God will raise up the individual seed of the woman who will deliver the collective seed of the woman through judgment on the head of the serpent and his seed. The making of a genealogy is an act of faith. And faith testifies that one believes that God will do what he has said, which gives him glory (Rom. 4:20). (340)

Dr. Hamilton brought to my attention something about the genealogies that I had never recognized before; they are a powerful and poignant demonstration of faith in God. These were written because people believed what God had promised. They are not extraneous accounts of over-zealous historians. They point to a faithful Father who is sovereign over history who will bring about his desired ends. And those desired ends are faith-engendering for his people. Keep these ideas in mind next time you are struggling through a long list of so-and-so begot so-and-so.

God creates evil. God is good. No problem?

Isaiah 45:7 is an extremely interesting and potentially explosive verse. It reads,

 I form the light, and create darkness:

I make peace, and create evil:

I the Lord do all these things.
(Isaiah 45:7 KJV)

In God's Glory in Salvation through Judgment, author Jim Hamilton comments on this verse:

Isaiah 45:7 teaches that God is absolutely sovereign over all that is. This should not trouble us with questions about God's goodness. We know that he is good. He showed his goodness to Moses when he revealed himself as a saving and judging God (Ex. 33:18-34:7). Rather than being troubling, the teaching of Isaiah 45:7, that Yahweh created evil-that is what the text says-is a comfort, because it tells us, as hymned in "God Moves in a Mysterious Way," that behind the frowning providence of God hides a smiling face. God has good purposes that are not thwarted but accomplished by evil. Apart from this, hope could be challenged. But if God is even sovereign over evil, hope can be affirmed with full-throated, unabashed resolution. God will be glorified by all that is, even if we do not yet understand how everything will come together. (204, emphasis mine)

Though this passage provides numerous interesting ideas to investigate, I want to focus on the material that I emphasized. Dr. Hamilton suggests that this idea about God creating evil should not cause us to question God's goodness. For some, that statement might cause some consternation and leave them feeling as if the good doctor is not being entirely upfront. However, consider what Hamilton does not say.

He does not say that this is not something that requires some serious contemplation. He does not say that there is no mystery here. He does not say that this is really easy to understand.

What he says is this portion of Scripture should not cause us to question God's goodness because we know that he is good. And I concur.

Think of the great mercy extended to us at Christ's expense. Consider God's love in not rejecting humanity outright, but rather his offering redemption and reconciliation to his enemies. Deliberate his patience with us as we worship at the idols of this world. Reflect on all he suffered as our substitute. Speculate on  the great joy he has for us, even now, in him.

Is there any room for questioning God's goodness? We must think over difficult doctrines and reconcile them with what we know to be true; God is good.

Just call me Rahab

Yahweh did not choose the greatest nation on earth; he chose the fewest, Israel (Deut. 7:7). And when he is pleased to show his mercy to an inhabitant of Jericho, he does not choose the most virtuous or noble of the citizenry; he chooses Rahab, a harlot (cf. Josh 6:17, 22-23, 25). No one in Jericho deserves to live. None of them has honored Yahweh as God or given thanks to him (cf. Rom. 1:21). Yet Yahweh is pleased to show kindness, and as he declared to Moses that he would show mercy to whomever he pleased (Ex. 33:19), he chooses to show mercy to one whose unworthiness underscores the riches of his grace. Thus is the free, unconstrained mercy of God displayed in all its glory, and the burning of all Jericho makes the salvation of Rahab and her family more heavy with the weight of the glory of God.


(Hamilton, James M. God's Glory in Salvation through Judgment: A Biblical Theology. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2010. Print.150)

The story of the destruction of Jericho is surely one of the most famous stories of the Old Testament. Any child who attended Sunday school for any length of time knows about Joshua and Jericho. Marching. Trumpeting. Seven times. Walls come tumbling down.

Even now, as an adult, my desire is still to imagine myself as Joshua. I put myself in the sandals of the great warrior and leader of the children of God. I trust in God despite the seemingly silly request to march around the city. I'm a man of action, but I obey the command to walk instead of fight. And then victory.

As I contemplate this excerpt from Dr. Hamilton's biblical theology, it occurs to me that I should be associating with the harlot, not the hero. Isn't all of our stories more akin to Rahab's than to Joshua's. I know mine is. An unworthy sinner is called out from among the enemies of God and shown salvation in the midst of judgment all because of the grace and mercy of God.

I wasn't marching around the city when God moved in my life. I was in the city. I was an idol worshiper and a God-hater. I was Rahab the harlot not Joshua the hero. And yet, he saved me from the flames and the destruction. Not because I deserved, but because it was his pleasure.

I want to be a Joshua; my roots will always be with Rahab. Thank God for his mercy.

Substitution and Sacrifices explained by Dr. Jim Hamilton

As I blog through Dr. Jim Hamilton’s momentous and memorable biblical theology called God’s Glory in Salvation through Judgment, I come to an important explanation focused on the sacrifices of the Old Testament Levitical system. The OT sacrifices, and how they relate to us as New Testament believers, is something I have often wrestled with and, in some respects, continue to wrestle with. This excerpt from Hamilton’s book is very helpful:

The substitution seen in both the sacrifice of the ram in place of Isaac and the Passover lamb in place of the firstborn of Israel is also reiterated in the Levitical system. Wenham writes, “In some degree substitution seems to form part of the theology of all the sacrifices.” The worshiper places his hand on the head of the sacrificial animal (e.g., Lev. 1:4). The description of the Day of Atonement ritual in Leviticus 16 adds that when the high priest places his hands on the head of the animal, he is to confess the sins of the people over the animal (16:21), and this seems to make explicit what is implicit elsewhere. As Wenham writes, “In sacrifice it appears that the worshiper identifies himself with the animal he offers. What he does to the animal, he does symbolically to himself. The death of the animal portrays the death of himself.” The substitute is judged on behalf of the worshiper. The transfer of guilt from the worshiper to the sacrificial beast, and then the death of the beast, cleanses the worshiper of sin. The blood of the beast atones for the soul of the worshiper (Lev. 17:11). Kiuchi writes, “The offerer is viewed as the object of the Lord’s wrath to varying the degrees, and the offerings symbolize the offer appeasing the Lord’s wrath.” The worshipers are saved by faith through the judgment that falls on the sacrifice. God is glorified in salvation through judgment. (110-1)

This passage not only helps support Hamilton’s premise that the central and unifying theme of the Bible is God’s glory in salvation through judgment, but it is also crucial for understanding the sacrifice that Christ made on Calvary. The Levitical sacrifices are a shadow of Christ’s sacrifices and they point to the Son of God becoming our substitute and propitiating God’s wrath and cleansing us from sin. As God’s elect, he identifies us with himself in his sacrifice; he, as our substitute, is judged on our behalf.

These types of discussions are imperative if we are to understand the concept of penal substitution and Hamilton’s elucidating of the OT sacrifices is a welcome voice.

It's about God first, and Pharaoh second

In the story of the exodus of God's chosen people from the land of Egypt, one of the many startling aspects presented to us is the hardening of Pharaoh's heart and the use God makes of this for his own glory. Consider this passage from the book of Exodus:

    And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD.” And they did so. (Exodus 14:4 ESV)

Dr. Jim Hamilton comments on this in his book God's Glory in Salvation through Judgment:

But is what Yahweh does to Pharaoh just? From the perspective of the biblical authors, all human creatures owe their Creator thanks and praise (e.g., Rom. 1:21). No human creatures successfully give God the glory and thanks due him (3:23). Therefore all human creatures stand under God's condemnation. The severity of the judgment meted out matches the unspeakable evil of refusing to honor God as God and render him thanks. He does not owe mercy. The only thing he owes is justice, and the gravity of the heinousness of disregarding the infinite worth and beneficence of God calls for punishment that fits the crime. If God does not visit a just punishment, it shows that he has as little regard for himself as the creatures who have refused to honor him as God and give thanks to him. God shows his own great worth by visiting due justice against Egypt, and he shows his love by mercying Israel." (95)

What I found helpful in this excerpt was not only the reminder that God's justice is both warranted and necessary, but that this really isn't about Pharaoh. First and foremost, it is about God and only secondarily about Pharaoh. When our eyes and mind prioritize the wrong things in Scripture, we can be left with a skewed view of God and reality.

His justice exacting, his mercy surprising

In his biblical theology entitled God's Glory in Salvation Through Judgment, author Jim Hamilton touches upon a point that should cause great gratitude in our hearts. At the fall, in our races original sin, what could have happened and what one might argue should have happened didn't. A just and merciful God was sinned against, rebelled against. And death was the penalty. We know that this was a just judgment because the one making it was wholly just. Nevertheless, as Hamilton explains, death was not immediately enacted and, furthermore, the death of death itself was promised. This is astounding. In our great failure our great God provided for a great victory in his great Son. It causes me to repeat with Paul, "Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!" (Romans 11:33 ESV). Who could have foreseen, let alone believed, the glorious remedy of redemption that would spring forth from God's magnificent mercy in the hour of our parents' sin.

This mercy, then, arises only from God. This is not something that humans deserve, not even in part. Of his own goodness, displaying his own intrinsic character, God announces that the woman will have seed-which means that the promised punishment of death will not be immediately enacted on the physical bodies of the human couple. Not only will their physical lives continue, but they will have seed: offspring. Not only will they have seed, but their seed will triumph over the snake. Salvation comes through judgment, and God makes known his character in justice and mercy. His justice is as exacting as his mercy is surprising. (Hamilton, James M. God's Glory in Salvation through Judgment: A Biblical Theology. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2010. Print. 78)

A pure and unsullied creation

I don't often think of the creation account as one of  purity. But as Dr. Jim Hamilton draws to our attention below, it clearly does register as pure when one considers the other creation accounts out there. The power of the events described seem to overshadow, at least in my mind, their holiness. But our "unsullied" God radiates righteousness when the brutality and perversity of other accounts are juxtaposed to the Bible's account.

When set next to other ancient accounts of the creation of the world and humanity, the Genesis account is aglow with the power, goodness, purity, and uniqueness of the God revealed in the Bible. He is responsible for all that is, and all that is, is good. Genesis 1 and 2 show God to be glorious indeed. Not only is the God of the Bible unsullied by the brutality and perversity of other ancient accounts of the origin of all things, but he is also presented as building for himself a cosmic temple. In this cosmic temple, he places his image, whose task is to fill the earth and subdue it such that the Glory of Yahweh covers the land as the waters cover the sea. ((Hamilton, James M. God's Glory in Salvation through Judgment: A Biblical Theology. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2010. Print. 73)

Jim Hamilton on God's glory, salvation, and judgment

 What is the Glory of God? I would suggest that the glory of God is the weight of the majestic goodness of who God is, and the resulting name, or reputation, that he gains from his revelation of himself as Creator, Sustainer, Judge, and Redeemer, perfect in justice and mercy, loving kindness and truth ...

Salvation always comes through judgment. Salvation for the nation of Israel at the Exodus came through the judgment of Egypt, and this pattern is repeated throughout the Old Testament, becoming paradigmatic even in the New. When God saves his people, he delivers them by bringing judgment on their enemies. This is not limited to Old Testament enemies such as the Philistines. At the cross, the ruler of this world was cast out (John 12:31). At the consummation, Jesus will come to afflict those who afflict his people (2 Thess. 1:6, cf. 6-10) ...

Everyone who gets saved is saved through judgment. All who flee to Christ and confess that he is Lord and that God raised him from the dead (Rom.10:9) do so because they realize their need for a Savior. They realize their need for a Savior because they have been convinced that God is holy, that they are sinful, and that God will judge. In a sense, they feel the force of God's condemning justice. They sense the weight of the wrath that remains upon them (John 3:36), and they recognize that Jesus is their only hope. Thus, historically (in Christ on the cross) and existentially (in their own experience of the wrath of God that makes them feel their need for Christ), believers are saved through judgment.

(Hamilton, James M. God's Glory in Salvation through Judgment: A Biblical Theology. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2010. Print. 56-58)

Walking with God in unrestrained obedience

    Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years. (Revelation 20:4-6 ESV)

If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, 20:4-6 is describing your future. Satan is gone from the scene. Christ is reigning on earth. You will be raised from the dead to sin no more.  No satanic deception. No satanic temptation. In the presence of Christ you will do justice and serve as a priest to God. This is what you were made to do. You were created to enjoy God  as King in God's land in free obedience to God's law. Uncontaminated. Undefiled. Unsullied. No devil prowling about like a roaring lion. Freedom. Joy. Righteousness.

Is this what you think of when you think of happiness? Oh, how we need to soak ourselves in the Bible so that the Bible will define pleasure for us. Pleasure is not sin. Pleasure is walking with God in unrestrained obedience to him. Pleasure is doing the right thing instinctively. Pleasure is responding with wisdom and justice clothed with a natural, unfeigned humility in the glad enjoyment of God's presence. Pleasure is trusting God and knowing him in all your ways. Can you believe God is going to let you in on this?

(Hamilton Jr., James M. Revelation: The Spirit Speaks to the Churches. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2012. Print.375)