"Where is the God of justice?" : the Old Testament and suffering / Michael E.W. Thompson.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Thompson, Michael E. W.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Suffering--Biblical teaching.

Suffering.

Theodicy--Biblical teaching.

Theodicy.

Bible. Old Testament--Criticism, interpretation, etc.

Bible.

Bible. Old Testament.

Physical Description:

xiii, 221 pages ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

Eugene, Or. : Pickwick Publications, [2011]

Summary:

Though Christians believe themselves to be held in the care of the God of love and strength, they yet find that sufferings come their way. Moreover, whole communities, even whole nations, experience terrible sufferings-all of which frequently raises the question, "Where is the God of justice?"

Those parts of the Old Testament that deal with this question are here considered and discussed, both those that understand suffering as due to human sinfulness and those that raise serious questions about that sort of understanding. Further, here are Jeremiah's questions about why he, as the Lord's prophet, must suffer; the gentler questions in Ecclesiastes; the perplexing life experiences of Joseph; the agonized prayer of Habakkuk; those most urgent questions in the book of Job; the outspoken words of psalmists; the radical talk about a "suffering servant"; and the confident hope expressed in Daniel. Thompson argues that while the Old Testament cannot always give us answers, it does point us to God for hope in the midst of suffering.

"With the insights of a scholar and the heart of a pastor, Michael Thompson considers what the Old Testament can say to help those going through times of suffering. He gently leads his readers through a variety of books, treating the problem with realism and showing that a number of responses are considered. This sensitive treatment marks a great advance on many previous dogmatic approaches."

"The Bible does not shy away from the problem of human suffering and the challenge it presents to belief in divine justice. In this book, Michael Thompson gives the reader a first-rate insight into the many-sided approaches that are offered by the prophets, psalmists, and sages of the Old Testament. I commend it very highly for its clarity and readability." Book jacket.

Contents:

Suffering: a "deserved calamity"?

"All is vanity": the book of Ecclesiastes

Psalmic interlude 1: "How long, O Lord" (Psalm 13)

Via dolorosa for Jeremiah

Psalmic interlude 2: "Do not fret because of the wicked" (Psalm 37)

Watching and waiting: Habakkuk and Joseph

Psalmic interlude 3: "Mortals cannot abide in their pomp" (Psalm 49)

New light on suffering: Isaiah 53

Psalmic interlude 4: "I saw the prosperity of the wicked" (Psalm 73)

The great debate: the book of Job

The long view: the apocalyptic hope

Retrospect and reflection.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 197-206) and indexes.

ISBN:

1610972627

9781610972628

OCLC:

741342592

Publisher Number:

99949489761