Mission in the Old Testament: Israel as a Light to the Nations - Paperback

by Walter C. Jr. Kaiser (Author)

Walter Kaiser questions the notion that the New Testament represents a deviation from God's supposed intention to save only the Israelites. He argues that--contrary to popular opinion--the older Testament does not reinforce an exclusive redemptive plan. Instead, it emphasizes a common human condition and God's original and continuing concern for all humanity. Kaiser shows that the Israelites' mission was always to actively spread to gentiles the Good News of the promised Messiah. This new edition adds two new chapters, freshens material throughout, expands the bibliography, and includes study questions.

Back Jacket

When discussing mission, it is easy to rely on the New Testament and overlook the importance of the Old Testament. Walter Kaiser corrects this tendency by explaining the missionary message of the Old Testament. This edition adds two new chapters, freshens material throughout, expands the bibliography, and includes study questions.

Praise for the first edition

"Mission in the Old Testament challenges the axiom that the gospel mandate begins with the New Testament. Dr. Kaiser rightly begins with Genesis 1-11 as the opening drama of redemptive history that explains the subsequent developments in the story of salvation. The connecting point between the testaments is God's promise to Abraham to include all the clans of the earth in his blessing. The book offers great insights for all concerned with the direction of the church."
--Willem A. VanGemeren, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

"Kaiser helps us regain the big picture of what God is doing in human history. . . . His challenge helps us put mission back into the center of our lives and ministries, . . . demonstrat[ing] clearly that God's mission to the world is the central theme binding Old and New Testaments together. For us to focus on anything else is to miss what God has done and continues to do in human history."
--Paul G. Hiebert, author of Transforming Worldviews

"In the best tradition of Richard De Ridder, John Stott, Arthur Glasser, John Piper, and Roger Greenway, this book is a much-needed resource for all . . . who want to understand God's missionary purpose for the church as found in the Old Testament. . . . The reader will [also] find excellent sources for further study in the footnotes and bibliography."
--Charles Van Engen, School of Intercultural Studies, Fuller Theological Seminary

"A welcome contribution to the literature that hopefully will correct popular evangelicalism's sole reliance upon the New Testament for its mission theology."
--David K. Strong, Missiology

"This volume remains a wonderfully accessible introduction to and exploration of the missiological promise-plan of God, and hence would serve well as a supplemental text in classes both on missions and the OT."
--Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society

Author Biography

Walter C. Kaiser Jr. (PhD, Brandeis University) is president emeritus of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Massachusetts. He previously taught at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and at Wheaton College. Kaiser is active as a preacher, speaker, researcher, and writer and is the author of more than forty books, including "Preaching and Teaching from the Old Testament" and "The Majesty of God in the Old Testament."