Genesis (NIV Application Commentary | (NIVAC)

por John H. Walton

Editorial:

Zondervan

, 2001

Overview

The Bible begins and ends with a revelation of God that gives redemption its basis. From the first verse of Genesis, the book of origins, we encounter a God of personality, character, purpose, and activity. Only in the light of what he shows us of himself as the Creator of our world and the Interactor with human history does the salvation story assume its proper context. Genesis sets things in order: God first, then us.

In the words of the general editor’s preface, “Especially after the Tower of Babel it became evident that people had forgotten who God was. They needed reminding. The moves God made were essentially concerned with putting himself in front of the world’s peoples.” Today, perhaps more than ever, we need God to put himself in front of us—to remind us who he is, and that he is.

With characteristic creativity and uncommon depth, John H. Walton demonstrates the timeless relevance of Genesis. Revealing the links between Genesis and our own times, Dr. Walton shows how this mysterious, often baffling book filled with obscure peoples and practices reveals truth to guide our 21st-century lives.

Key Features

• Preface by the author
• In-depth introduction
• Bibliographical references and indexes

Contents

Top Highlights

“There is nothing sinister or menacing about this chaos in Genesis; it is simply the indication that God has not yet done his work.” (Page 74)

“The offense in this passage, then, is to be found in the beliefs that resulted in the project and what it stood for in the minds of the builders. It went beyond mere idolatry; it degraded the nature of God by portraying him as having needs.” (Page 377)

“Most commentaries help us make the journey from our world back to the world of the Bible. They” (Page 7)

“In summary, the lexical information suggests that the seventh day is marked by God’s ceasing the work of the previous six days and by his settling into the stability of the cosmos he created, perhaps experiencing refreshment as he did so. By blessing it, he extends his favor to it.” (Page 147)

“In summary, the Tower of Babel project is a temple complex featuring a ziggurat, which was designed to make it convenient for the god to come down to his temple, receive worship from the people, and bless them.” (Page 374)

Endorsements for the Series

The NIV Application Commentary is an outstanding resource for pastors and anyone else who is serious about developing “doers of the Word.

—Rick Warren, Saddleback Valley Community Church

About John H. Walton

John H. Walton (PhD, Hebrew Union College) is a professor of Old Testament at Wheaton College Graduate School. He is the author or coauthor of several books, including Chronological and Background Charts of the Old Testament, Ancient Israelite Literature in Its Cultural Context, Covenant: God’s Purpose, God’s Plan, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament, and A Survey of the Old Testament.