Standing in the Breach An Old Testament Theology and Spirituality of Intercessory Prayer

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Widmer, Michael, 1970-

Series:

Siphrut ; 13.

Siphrut : Literature and Theology of the Hebrew Scriptures ; 13

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Bible. Old Testament--Theology.

Intercessory prayer--Biblical teaching.

Local Subjects:

Bible. Old Testament--Theology.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (571 p.)

Place of Publication:

Winona Lake, Indiana : Eisenbrauns, 2015.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

At the heart of this study is a biblical-theological approach to central passages on intercessory prayers in the OT. After examining these largely prophetic prayer dialogues, Widmer argues that they provide an important key to biblical theology and spirituality. Furthermore, a close reading of prayers by Abraham, Moses, Samuel, David, Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Joel, and Amos reveals fascinating insights into the portrayals of these characters and confirms strong conceptual associations with Moses, Israel’s archetypal mediator. Widmer reads these prayers in both their immediate literary and wider canonical contexts. The ultimate aim of this study is to gain a deeper understanding of the God whom the church worships and confesses to be the Father of Jesus Christ.Particularly pertinent is the finding that many OT prayers interact with God’s nature as revealed to Moses in Exod 34:6–7. Yhwh’s fullest revelation is also given in the context of an intercessory prayer. Widmer argues that intercessory prayer and theology have a hermeneutical-spiral relationship, mutually informing and correcting each other. It is in engaging with a loving and holy God that the phenomenon of divine mutability must be understood. Overall, Standing in the Breach suggests that fundamental biblical themes such as God’s mercy and judgment, divine retribution and forgiveness, covenant mediation, substitutionary suffering and atonement, and eventually the dynamics of the cross are all intrinsically related to and illuminated by prophetic OT intercessory prayers.

Contents:

Front ; Contents; Preface; Abbreviations; Hermeneutical Reflections; Abraham: Patriarch and Intercessor (Genesis 18); Moses: Israel's Archetypal Intercessor (Exodus 17, 32-34, Numbers 13-14, Deuteronomy 9-10); Samuel: Israel's Second Legendary Intercessor (1 Samuel 7, 12, 15); David: Repentant Sinner, Priestly Intercessor, and Yhwh's Change of Mind (2 Samuel 24); Solomon: Prayer of Dedication (1 Kings 8); The Suffering Servant: Substitutionary Atonement through Intercession (Isaiah 53); Jeremiah: Agent of Grace and Judgment

Joel: The People's Repentance, Priestly Intercession, and God's Gracious Return (Joel 2)Amos: The Logic of Intercessory Prayer (Amos 7); Summary of Theological Findings and Some Implications; Bibliography; Index of Authors; Index of Scripture

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

9781575067155

1575067153

OCLC:

907586001