Alec Motyer has labored for many years in print, in church and college ministry. This book is the development of lectures he gave more than twenty years ago in London. His great concern has been to show that the Bible is truly one book, to unfold the fact of Christ as being the master theme of all the scriptures. The subtitle is ‘An Old Testament Background to our Understanding of Christ’ and the book really is jam-packed with insights, cogent, concise and will prove to be a mine of great worth to those prepared to work their way through it. It is not very long, about two hundred pages plus a lengthy bibliography. It will necessitate a little at a time, following the authors thought with diligence as he unfolds his subject matter in an orderly fashion. Here is a book for the Bible student desiring to see the wholeness and connectedness of the Old and New Testaments. It is illuminating to see the subject of King and kingdom, covenant, grace and law, revelation, sin and death, creation and consummation opened systematically and to see Christ in all. Each chapter concentrates on the Old Testament but ends with a short section entitled ‘Avenues into the New Testament.” Remember, the whole purpose is to point out the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, His being the fulfillment of all that which went before in Old Testament history. Jesus is the King expected and He brings in the Kingdom earnestly desired in the Old Testament. He is the image and the Word of God and conquers sin and death bringing to an end the diseased and disordered creation and ushers in the consummation of all. I am certain that the author is correct when he says that it is impossible to have a full view of glory of Christ if we neglect the older testament. I think you could refer to this as a ‘text book’ but because its author is a godly man of great devotional life and love for the Lord study of it will encourage the reader to the same ends.
