Studying the Old Testament is a fundamental and complicated task. Bible is an integral part of the ancient Near Eastern civilization, into the languages and culture of which Western students need to dive deeply. In the first chapter of their monograph, Hill and Walton argue that the Bible represents God’s self-revelation and affirms a covenant with people. The approach developed by the authors consists of letting the Bible speak from its perspective (Hill & Walton, 2009). As the authors demonstrate, the Bible reveals the Divine plan to restore God’s connection and communication with people.
There are seven stages of divine presence. The first stage is revealed in the Creation and placement of the first humans in the garden of Eden. Then, the prophets like Abraham and Moses were chosen to manifest the divine plan to the world. In the next stage — the Tabernacle and further — people can maintain their connection with God through following law and order established by his supreme authority. The next stage in restoring the connection between people and God lies in sending his Son, Jesus Christ, who has reassured a covenant with people. As noted in the chapter under consideration, the Lord reveals himself and his plan to believers by introducing these stages. Therefore, according to the authors, the Old Testament study should consist of comprehending and following the divine covenant more fully.
The approach developed in the book may have its strengths and weaknesses. The advantage is that the Bible is viewed from a historical perspective, and its vocabulary and content are analyzed and studied within their context. As a result, the source can indeed speak for itself. One possible weakness is that because the approach does not take into account scientific or non-religious reading of the Bible, it can seriously limit understanding of the source.
Reference
Hill, A. E., & Walton, J. H. (2009). A survey of the Old Testament (3rd ed.). Zondervan.