The Old Testament in Seven Sentences: A Small Introduction to a Vast Topic

Some people find the Old Testament to be confusing, out of date, and essentially replaced by the New Testament. They are missing out. The Old Testament offers us a grand narrative that reveals God's work, God's purposes, and God's wisdom. Christopher J. H. Wright fits the pieces together and shows us the coherent whole. Using seven key sentences drawn straight from the Old Testament, he connects the dots and points us toward Jesus.

• "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."
• "All peoples on earth will be blessed through you."
• "You shall have no other gods before me."
• "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news."

Such sentences as these are not merely beautiful or helpful (though they are that). They are part of the great drama of Scripture, the story of God's plan of redemption that embraces all nations and the whole of his creation. Wright starts from the beginning, describing God's promises and covenants with his people and his mission to bless the world. At the end of this short survey, readers will clearly see God's faithfulness and love for his people and will understand how the Old Testament scriptures prepared for the identity and mission of Jesus as Messiah, Savior, and Lord.

The accessible primers in the Introductions in Seven Sentences collection act as brief introductions to an academic field, with simple organization: seven key sentences that give readers a birds-eye view of an entire discipline.

Christopher J. H. Wright (PhD, Cambridge) is international ministries director of the Langham Partnership, providing literature, scholarships, and preaching training for pastors in Majority World churches and seminaries. He has written many books, including The Mission of God, Cultivating the Fruit of the Spirit, Old Testament Ethics for the People of God, Knowing Jesus Through the Old Testament, and commentaries on Deuteronomy, Jeremiah, Lamentations, and Ezekiel.