“The City of the Living God”

I’m posting some selections from T.D. Alexander’s “From Paradise to Promised Land: An Introduction to the Pentateuch”, one of the best works I’ve found on making the Old Testament understandable, especially in the light of the New Testament.

It’s important to note, as G.K. Beale does (“Handbook on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament: Exegesis and Interpretation”, Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, ©2012), that the New Testament writers had the Old Testament firmly in mind as they wrote. Christ was the fulfillment of all Old Testament promises, and the language that they used “echoed” the Old Testament:

In tune with the overall movement in the book of Genesis, the author of Hebrews links the patriarchs—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—with the divine construction of a unique city. Accordingly, in Hebrews 11 Abraham’s faith is reflected in the fact that he looked forward to “a better land,” a ”heavenly one,” a city with foundations, designed and built by God.

By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God…. All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them (Heb. 11:8-10, 13-16).

Particularly striking is the emphasis given here to Abraham’s anticipation of a city. The author of Hebrews stresses that Abraham’s journey to a foreign land was motivated by his “looking forward” to this city. Although some scholars find little evidence for this in Genesis, when the call of Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3 is read against the background of Genesis 1-11, and especially the building of Babel-Babylon, the interpretation adopted in Hebrews 11 makes good sense.

The author of Hebrews is convinced that the future experience of all believers involves a city. In Hebrews 12:22 he refers once more to this city, describing it as “the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem,” and later he states, “For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come” (Hebrews 13:14).

(T.D. Alexander, “From Paradise to Promised Land: An Introduction to the Pentateuch” (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, (2012 Third Edition), pg 131-132).

The Temple-City of God and its Human Antithesis, Babel-Babylon

I’m posting some selections from T.D. Alexander’s “From Paradise to Promised Land: An Introduction to the Pentateuch”, one of the best works I’ve found on making the Old Testament understandable, especially in the light of the New Testament.

Special consideration needs to be given to how the short description of the building of Babel-Babylon precedes the much longer account of Abraham’s life. God’s promise to make Abraham’s name great (Gen 12:2) obviously mirrors the aspiration of the people of Babel—Babylon, who wished to make a name for themselves (Gen 11:4). Moreover, God’s provision of a particular land for Abraham and his descendants has the appearance of being a deliberate response to the scattering of the city builders over the whole earth. More important, Abraham is set apart to be the one through whom God will advance the process of establishing his kingdom and temple-city. To this end, Abraham’s descendants will become a great nation and will include a royal line.

Beyond Genesis, the book of Exodus describes how God rescues the Israelites from building cities for a despotic Egyptian king in order that they may begin the process of constructing God’s dwelling on the earth (Gen 1:11; 25:8). Rescued from death and given both royal and priestly status, the Israelites have the opportunity to live as God’s holy nation (Gen 19:6). Although serious shortcomings still remain, with the making of the tabernacle an important step is taken toward the fulfillment of God’s creation project. This is, however, merely part of a long process that will ater include, among other things, the establishment of Jerusalem/Zion as God’s temple-city and its destruction by the Babylonians. In the light of these events, which are deeply imbedded in much of the Old Testament writings, the opening chapters of Genesis takes on a deeper significance when we observe their particular interest in the relationship between the anticipated temple-city of God and its human antithesis, Babel-Babylon.

From T.D. Alexander, “From Paradise to Promised Land: An Introduction to the Pentateuch” (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, (2012 Third Edition), pg 131.

Genesis: the introduction of God’s “holy temple city” on earth

I’m going to be posting some selections from T.D. Alexander’s “From Paradise to Promised Land: An Introduction to the Pentateuch”, one of the best works I’ve found on making the Old Testament understandable, especially in the light of the New Testament.

The opening chapters of Genesis introduce themes that will be central in the subsequent narrative. Principal among these is the expectation that the earth is to become God’s dwelling place through the construction of a holy temple-city. As God’s vice regents, humans are to extend his authority over the earth, at the same time ensuring its sanctity as a sacred space. Tragically, tempted by the serpent, Adam and Eve betray their Creator and thereby lose their royal and priestly status. Expelled from Eden and alienated from God, human beings try to establish a name for themselves by using their God-given ability to build an alternative city. Though their initial attempt is thwarted by God, the aspirations of those who built Babel-Babylon live on. Against this background, the book of Genesis records the call of Abraham, with whom God will begin the long process of reversing the consequences of humanity’s rebellion against its Creator (T.D. Alexander, “From Paradise to Promised Land: An Introduction to the Pentateuch” (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, (2012 Third Edition), pg 130).