Part Two: Staring at the Sun
Chapter 5: God
Christianity believes its God is the explanation for the echoes of the voice described in the start of the book. But that is hardly proof that it is right, or even that God exists. The idea of God is not in our power to grasp, no matter how hard we try. So, where is God?
God in Heaven. The concept of God being in heaven is misunderstood. The original meaning of the word was God’s space as opposed to a location in our space-time universe. The question is how heaven and earth, God’s space and our space relate to one another.
Heaven and Earth The Puzzle. There are 3 options (theologically) for understanding how God’s space and our space relate to each other. One is to slide the two space together so that they are essentially the same thing. This leads to pantheism. The second is to hold the spaces firmly apart. God exists, but he is distant and has no real interest in the world. This leads to Deism.
Heaven and Earth: Overlapping, Interlocking. Option three is that heaven and earth overlap and interlock in a variety of ways. This is certainly the view of the OT. And this view helps explain many Christian beliefs.
The Name of God. To the Israelites, speaking or writing the name of God was not to be done. So, there were other ways of referring to him. That has led to confusion in our own time.
Chapter 6: Israel
Jesus is climax of the long story of Israel. Hence, it is important to understand that story. Wright will retell it in his own words using ancient sources only.
The Call of Abraham. God calls Abraham and commits to be the God of his family. Through Abraham and his family, God will bless the whole world. The whole world is the key idea here. Not only the Israelites will be blessed, but the whole world. The story of Israel is all about going away and coming back, slavery and exodus. And it is the story that Jesus told in his life, death, and resurrection.
Exile and Homecoming. The great theme of the OT is exile and homecoming. This is perhaps not surprising since the OT was probably compiled during the exile in Babylon.
Rescued from Monsters. The book of Daniel is the beginning of the theme of rescue from the oppressors by the “Son of Man”
The Hope of Israel. There are 4 themes in the OT and other Jewish writings that are repeated over and over.
1. The King.
2. The Temple.
3. The Torah or the Law of Moses.
4. New creation.
Servant of YHWH. New creation, according to the OT will only come about through one final and shocking exile and restoration. The king turns into a servant and must suffer in order for the new creation to be established. It is a beautiful dream. But, why should we imagine that it is true. The entire NT is written to answer that question. And, the answer, of course, is Jesus of Nazareth.