W. Ross Blackburn - The God who makes himself known

New Studies in Biblical Theology is a series of monographs that address key issues in the discipline of biblical theology. Contributions to the series focus on one or more of three areas: 1. the nature and status of biblical theology, including its relations with other disciplines (e.g. historical theology, exegesis, systematic theology, historical criticism, narrative theology); 2. the articulation and exposition of the structure of thought of a particular biblical writer or corpus; and 3. the delineation of a biblical theme across all or part of the biblical corpora.

Above all, these monographs are creative attempts to help thinking Christians understand their Bibles better. The series aims simultaneously to instruct and to edify, to interact with the current literature, and to point the way ahead. In Gods universe, mind and heart should not be divorced: in this series we will try not to separate what God has joined together. While the notes interact with the best of scholarly literature, the text is uncluttered with untransliterated Greek and Hebrew, and tries to avoid too much technical jargon. The volumes are written within the framework of confessional evangelicalism, but there is always an attempt at thoughtful engagement with the sweep of the relevant literature.

The God Who Makes Himself Known is a thought-provoking book. Initially, a subtitle such as The Missionary Heart of the Book of Exodus is bound to raise a few eyebrows: has Dr Blackburn tumbled into hopeless anachronism? Yet while remaining sceptical about pieces of the argument here and there, I found the work strangely compelling, drawing me forward to the conclusion that there is much more to the thesis than one might expect. Careful reading of this volume demands frequent pauses for reflection on the inner-canonical connections that Dr Blackburn unpacks with stimulating verve. I am quite certain that most who work their way through this volume will never be able to read Exodus in the same way they did before doing so and that is high praise.

D. A. Carson
Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

The following gets to the heart of the most important question we can ask: Who is God? The writing has been a cause of great thanksgiving, for several reasons. First, it is an answer to a prayer ten years ago that the Lord would give me a doctoral project that would help me know him better. Secondly, this work has been a tremendous help in understanding how the Old and New Testaments are to be read together, making clearer, at least to me, how the God-breathed word is meant for our instruction. Finally, it has given me the opportunity to serve and be served by many others, and to put down in an organized fashion much of what I have learned from others over many years.

While my debt to others in this project is legion, I would offer special thanks to several people. Chris Seitz patiently and wisely guided my doctoral work at St Andrews, upon which the following is based. Allen Ross, by his teaching, example and consistent encouragement, has given me a hunger for biblical exposition and a particular love for the Old Testament. The fellowship of Christ the King, Boone, has been an encouragement in every way, supporting me prayerfully and financially, refining my understanding of the Scriptures and giving me the space and resources within our life together to undertake a project such as this. My reluctance to mention names is not due to lack of appreciation, but knowing that I cannot do justice to all who have played a part in this, not least through hidden prayer. However, simply because I know of their earnest prayers for this project in particular, I would mention Carolyn Clement, Darcey James, Matt Foster, Dan Kiser, and Tom and Anna Barry. I would also thank the fellowship for bringing Jonathan Riddle, whose cheerful help in assisting me has freed time to finish this work. My mother and father, Marcia and Bill Blackburn, have always been a tremendous support in just about anything I have done, and particularly this, as has my grandmother, Libby Ross. My children, William, Anna and Joseph are in all things a delight and a cause for great thanksgiving, and I am happy to acknowledge them here. Without Lauren, my wife (and unusually perceptive editor), none of this would be possible.