Old Testament Theology provides a foundational tool for a theological reading of the Old Testament. In the book's central chapters, John Kessler delineates six differing representations of the divine-human relationship, with special emphasis on the kind of response each one evokes from the people of God. He traces these representations through the Old Testament, into the New Testament, and reflects on their significance for the values and character formation of the people of God today. Old Testament Theology combines elements of Old Testament history, exegesis, hermeneutics, and theology, and situates them within the social, cultural, and intellectual world of ancient Israel and Israelite religious institutions. The result is a comprehensive and readable introduction to Old Testament theology for students in seminaries and colleges.

Preface: What Is This Book About? Acknowledgments List of Abbreviations 1 Reading the Old Testament Theologically Challenges and Rewards 2 Hearing God's Voice in the Old Testament 3 The Old Testament's Portraits of Relationship with God 4 Creation Theology The Relationship of Knowing God as Greator and God's Purposes for Creation 5 Covenants and Covenantal Relationships in Israel and the Ancient Near East An Overview 6 Sinai Covenant Theology The Relationship of Grateful Obligation 7 Promise Theology The Relationship of Confident Expectation 8 Priestly Theology The Gift of Yahweh's Holy Presence 9 The Theology of Divine Accessibility Speaking to God amidst the Manifold Experiences of Life 10 Wisdom Theology The Relationship of Faith Seeking Understanding 11 Living in the House That God Built Learning to Read Scripture for Theological Emphasis and Relational Response Bibliography Index