From Land to Lands, from Eden to the Renewed Earth

Munther Isaac

Description

The land is an important theme in the Bible. It is a theme through which the whole biblical history found in the Old and New Testaments can be studied and analyzed. Looking at the land in the Bible from its beginnings in the garden of Eden this publication approaches the theme from three distinct perspectives – holiness, the convenant, and the kingdom. Through careful analysis the author recognises that the land has been universalized in Christ, as anticipated in the Old Testament, and as a result promotes a missional theology of the land that underlines the social and territorial dimensions of redemption.

Informations

• Publié par: Langham Creative Projects
• Date de parution: 14 octobre 2015
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781783680931
• Langue: English

Extrait

Munther Isaac’s From Land to Lands, from Eden to the Renewed Earth represents a new and significant work in biblical theology. Isaac carefully explores the notion of “land” in Scripture against the backdrop of the biblical account of the Garden of Eden and then traces its use and significance in both the Old and New Testaments. Accordingly Isaac brings to light how “land” as gift, promise, condition, and covenant delineate the universal, territorial, and ethical dimensions of redemption and the reign of God. This work is not only a significant contribution to biblical scholarship, its contemporary relevance makes it a must buy for students of the Bible and theology alike.
Dr Thomas Harvey
Academic Dean, Oxford Centre for Mission Studies
This is an extraordinary book. It does not fall into the trap of playing Christian universality against Israel’s particularity in view of the “Holy Land.” It sees the unity of the Bible as a whole in regaining the universal scope of God’s particular covenant with Israel to establish justice on earth. This calls both Jews and Christians to overcome imperial conquering of land and oppression of its inhabitants in order to walk humbly with God, the giver and owner of land, to be a blessing for all peoples.
Dr Ulrich Duchrow
Professor of Systematic Theology at the University of Heidelberg

From Land to Lands, from Eden to the Renewed Earth
A Christ-Centered Biblical Theology of the Promised Land
Munther Isaac

© 2015 by Munther Issac
Published 2015 by Langham Monographs
an imprint of Langham Publishing
www.langhampublishing.org
Langham Publishing and its imprints are a ministry of Langham Partnership
Langham Partnership
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ISBNs:
978-1-78368-077-1 Print
978-1-78368-092-4 Mobi
978-1-78368-093-1 ePub
978-1-78368-094-8 PDF
Munther Issac has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988 to be identified as the Author of this work.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher or the Copyright Licensing Agency.
Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version ® (ESV ® ), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN: 978-1-78368-077-1
Cover & Book Design: projectluz.com
Langham Partnership actively supports theological dialogue and a scholar’s right to publish but does not necessarily endorse the views and opinions set forth, and works referenced within this publication or guarantee its technical and grammatical correctness. Langham Partnership does not accept any responsibility or liability to persons or property as a consequence of the reading, use or interpretation of its published content.

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To the memory of my father, who brought our family back to the land;
To my mother, who raised me up in the land;
To Rana, Mona, and Ghassan, who share with me the love of the land;
To my colleagues and students at Bethlehem Bible College, who serve with me in the land;
To the family of the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies, who were a family to me when I was away from the land;
To the Palestinian Church, the church of the land;
And mostly, to Rudaina, the love of my life, whose love and support carried and accompanied me throughout the writing of this book, and to Karam and Zaid, our precious gifts from the God of the land.
To God be the Glory – لله المجد
Contents

Cover


Abstract


Introduction A Biblical Theology of the Land


Biblical Theology


Terminology


The Land in Recent Biblical Studies: A Brief Survey


Thesis


Chapter 1 The Theology of the Land in the Garden of Eden


Introduction


1. Eden as a Sanctuary


2. Torah and Covenant in Eden


3. Eden as a Kingdom


4. Eden and Biblical Theology


5. Conclusion: The Theology of Land in Eden


Chapter 2 The Land and Holiness


Introduction


1. Holy God, Holy People, Holy Land


2. Sanctuaries


3. Conclusion


Chapter 3 The Covenanted Land


Introduction


1. Covenants in the Old Testament: Two Main Types


2. Land and Covenant


3. Land as a Mandate


4. Stipulations of Keeping the Covenant – Ethics in the Land


5. Conclusion


Chapter 4 Kingship, Vicegerency and Universal Dominion


Introduction


1. Abraham as a Royal Figure


2. The Royal Status of Israel


3. The Theology of Kingship in Israel


4. The Failure of the Monarchy


5. Universal Dominion


6. Conclusion


Chapter 5 The Land in the New History


Introduction


1. From Crisis to New History


2. Eschatological Holiness in the Land’s New History


3. New Covenant in the Land’s New History


4. The Royal Vicegerent in the Land’s New History


5. Conclusion


Chapter 6 The Theology of the Land in the Old Testament


Introduction


1. The Land as Eden Regained


2. The Land and Old Testament Biblical Theology


3. The Land and Old Testament Theology – Concluding Remarks


First-Century Jewish Theology of the Land


Land Theology in First-Century Judaism


Expectations of Restoration


A Different Perspective from the Diaspora


Conclusion


Chapter 7 The Jesus-Event and the Land


Introduction


1. The Study of the Land in the NT


2. The Jesus-Event as a Hermeneutical Key


3. The Jesus-Event Aftershocks


4. Conclusion


Chapter 8 Jesus and Holy Space


Introduction


1. Background: The Temple in the Time of Jesus


2. The Embodiment of God’s Presence, and the Nullification of Holy Place


3. The Church as Holy Space


4. Universal Holiness


5. The Demand for Ethical Holiness


6. Conclusion – The Arrival of the Eschatological Temple


Chapter 9 Jesus and the Covenanted Land


Introduction


1. Background: Covenantal Nomism


2. Israel and the Land Redefined


3. The Covenanted People Redefined


4. The Inheritance as a Mandate


5. The Nullification of the Old Covenant


6. Conclusion – The Church as the Eschatological Covenant Community


Chapter 10 Jesus and the Kingdom of God on Earth


Introduction


1. Background: Expectations of Restoration in Jesus’ Time


2. The Jesus-Event and the Reign of God on Earth


3. The Kingdom and the Vicegerency of Jesus in the Epistles


4. The Mission of the Church and Universal Dominion


5. A Future Israelite Kingdom?


6. Conclusion: The Land and the Kingdom


Chapter 11 The Land as Eden Restored


Introduction


1. Echoes of Eden in the Jesus-Event


2. Eden in the NT


3. The NT and the Restoration of Creation


4. Conclusion: A Better Place


Chapter 12 Conclusions: Towards a Missional Theology of the Land


Introduction


1. The Land and Biblical Theology: A Paradigm


2. A Christ-Centered Theology of the Land


3. From Land to Lands: A Missional Theology of the Land


Epilogue


1. The Promised Land Today


2. Religion, Christian Theology, and the Palestinian Israeli Conflict


3. A Palestinian Christian Response: Towards a Shared Land Theology


Bibliography


About Langham Partnership

Endnotes
Abstract
The theology of the land must start in the garden of Eden. Eden is a sanctuary, a covenanted land, and a royal garden. Eden is proto-land, and Adam is proto-Israel. Starting in Eden underlines the universal dimension of the land promise and its conditionality. It also elevates ethical behavior above the gift.
The theology of the land in the Old Testament (OT) reflects these Edenic themes: holiness, covenant, and kingdom