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understanding prophecy -- a book review

Alan Bandy and Benjamin Merkle's Understanding Prophecy:  A Biblical-Theological Approach is an excellent text that investigates the nature of the biblical prophetic texts (from both the Old Testament and the New Testament) from a theological perspective.  Bandy and Merkle contend that biblical theology is the primary prism through which biblical prophecy must be seen.  The way in which they define biblical theology centers around three key theses (chapter 1):
  1. The Bible contains a unified message.
  2. That unified message centers on Jesus.
  3. Jesus' death, resurrection, and ascension are the climax of that message, becomes the central viewpoint from which all biblical prophecy must be read.
Bandy and Merkle then offer an understanding of biblical prophecy that focuses prophecy not so much on telling the future as on speaking on behalf of and for God (chapter 2).  Biblical prophecy is "rooted in the revelation of God" and is therefore "historically conditioned" as well as "eschatologically oriented" (pp. 43-49).  Utilizing a variety of literary genres (pp. 50-59), biblical prophecy ultimately intends to read human history as God reads human history -- the entire sweep of that history told as "salvation story".

Chapter 3 offers a unique way of bringing together that understanding of biblical theology for reading biblical prophecy.  "The big picture of redemptive history" and the "grand narrative of Scripture" help to keep the focus of every biblical prophetic text on God and on telling forward of God's intention and understanding of created life.

Chapter 4-10 present the various interpretive schools for reading biblical prophecy, in both the Old and New Testaments.  Although there are some differences between those schools, the survey of the rich ways in which Christians read biblical prophecy theologically will benefit students and pastors alike.

Understanding Prophecy is an introductory approach not to be missed.

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I received a free copy of this book from Kregel Publishing in exchange for my honest review here.
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