From Eden to the New Jerusalem: An Introduction to Biblical Theology [Paperback]

T. Desmond Alexander (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 13, 2009

God has given us the reasons for creation and our existence in the Bible. ”by resolving an intricate plot that sheds light on the entire story,“ Alexander writes. Using this theory to start from the denouement, or resolution, in Revelation's last verses and work backward, Alexander pieces together the Bible's overarching plot. The resulting picture reveals the reasons for creation and life that have eluded those who seek to answer life's biggest questions without first placing themselves in God's story.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Personal stories aren't enough to offer individuals peace when they question their own existence. But the Bible's story comes not from humanity, but from God. Author, T. Desmond Alexander, suggests that God has given us the reasons for creation and our existence in the Bible. “by resolving an intricate plot that sheds light on the entire story,” Alexander writes. Using this theory to start from the denouement, or resolution, in Revelation's last verses and work backward, Alexander pieces together the Bible's overarching plot. The resulting picture reveals the reasons for creation and life that have eluded those who seek to answer life's biggest questions without first placing themselves in God's story.

About the Author

T. Desmond Alexander is senior lecturer in Biblical Studies and director of Postgraduate Studies at Union Theological College, Belfast. For ten years, he had been director of Christian Training for the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. Previous to that position, he lectured for 18 years in Semitic Studies at the Queen’s University of Belfast. He is the author of From Paradise to the Promised Land: An Introduction to the Main Themes of the Pentateuch and coeditor of Heaven on Earth. He is also the coeditor of New Dictionary of Biblical Theology and Dictionary of the Old Testament: Pentateuch.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Kregel Academic & Professional (October 13, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0825420156
• ISBN-13: 978-0825420153
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #78,683 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dr Desmond Alexander is senior lecturer in Biblical Studies at Union Theological College and associate director for Post-graduate Studies in the Institute of Theology at Queen's University, Belfast. He currently chairs the Tyndale Fellowship for Biblical and Theological Research, as well as Southern Theological Seminaries, a UK based charity committed to the establishment of a centre for theological education and vocational training in the south of Argentina.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How Revelation brings to completion what began in Genesis, January 9, 2010

By 

Paul Manata (Grand Rapids, MI) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: From Eden to the New Jerusalem: An Introduction to Biblical Theology (Paperback)

This is a great book. Alexander starts with Revelation 21 and 22's teaching on the new heavens and earth and the temple-city that comes down from heaven. He shows that this is simply the culmination of what God planned on from the beginning---the institution of an Arboreal temple-city from which God reigns and lives with his people. So Alexander (a highly regarded Biblical Theology scholar) lays out what he calls the biblical meta-story by focusing on the bookends of Genesis 1 and 2 and Revelation 21 and 22.

Alexander's notion of the earth's purpose as God's garden temple-city is a popular theme (laid out rigorously in Beale's The Temple and the Church's Mission, for example) and he pulls from many sources to establish this. Man was to extend the garden over all the earth. Adam and Eve's descendents would populate the earth as God's holy image bearers (in the ANE kings would place their images in all their domain to show that they owned it and were sovereign over it). He then points out that from the beginning the plan went astray. From then on, Alexander argues, we read of God's plan to bring about what he initially planned from the beginning. Alexander traces this theme of a temple-city with holy inhabitants from Abraham to the New Testament church. Along the way in this fascinating study (which he calls an introduction to thematic Biblical Theology) Alexander discussion such themes as God's sovereignty, Satan and the world's warfare against God, the slaughter of the lamb, redemption and sanctification, and assurance in living as a citizen of the kingdom as opposed to Babylon. This last theme is interesting. While Alexander certainly doesn't endorse any form of theonomy or theocracy, he does seem to say some things that might be at odds with the popular "dual citizens" view. Christians are called to flee Babylon, not participate as citizens of it (he shows this from Revelation and also pulls from Bauckham's commentary on Revelation on precisely this matter). Yes, we have to live in particular cities that are not the New Jerusalem, and we are "citizens" of it. But the sense the Bible understands "citizens of the city" wouldn't seem to apply. So, while it is true that we are "citizens" of our respective countries it is uninteresting as a theological point given how the Revelation is using this term. Call the uninteresting sense "citizen 1" and the Revelation sense "citizen 2." This means that we Christians are dual citizens 1 but not dual citizens 2. The latter invokes more Van Tillian worldview antithesis themes.

In this illuminating study Alexander notes that John's vision in Revelation of a temple wasn't some esoteric vaporous abstraction but is rooted in the Old Testament, thus serving to unite the testaments into a coherent storyline. Alexander also touches on issues not the main subject of his book. For example, though the book deals with eschatology broadly, it does not look at the millennial position. But Alexander takes views of some of the "golden age" passages not in accord with postmillennialism. He places them in the new heavens and earth. He also intimates that the next time Jesus returns bodily will be at the consummation, thus denying premillennialism. As an Amillennialist, though, he doesn't seem too pessimistic. For example, he claims that "By living in obedience to Christ, his disciples participate in the establishment of God's kingdom on earth. This kingdom is not restricted to national boundaries, but is gradually expanding to fill the whole earth. Yet as this divine kingdom continues to grow, with more and more people acknowledging the supreme sovereignty of God, many of the earth's inhabitants defiantly refuse to enthrone God as Lord" (96).

Yet, while this brief detour indicating millennial affinities is worthwhile (as are many other ones), Alexander takes some weird detours too. For example, he spends three pages taking some shots at capitalism. While I agree with the basics of his discussion here, he seems to simply rest on anti-capitalist caricatures of capitalism. He engages in the common mistake of confusing capitalism with capitalists. He also falls for the fallacy that the "rich" and the "poor" and the world's "wealth" are static categories and the "rich" have a large portion of the "total wealth" while the poor are left fighting over the scraps. These categories are not static. Furthermore, "wealth" isn't a static pie that is cut up into pieces. In fact, capitalism (broadly, though I understand some forms of capitalism are not capitalist) is the cause of building wealth so that the world is moving upward in a linear fashion in terms of things like wealth and life expectancy [...]. He also confuses self-interest with greed, taking his understanding of capitalism more from Gordon Gekko than a Hayek, a Friedman, a Sowell, a Mankiw, a Richards etc., though I realize these thinkers have their deficiencies). I felt this digression was unhelpful and would have rather the three pages been spent elucidating his main points some more. Anyway, I guess I shouldn't be too hard, Alexander is a theologian and not an economist, after all.

All in all, this was a very good book. It inspires as well as well as illuminates by looking at some of the great biblical themes Christians love. Alexander shows a tight unity pervading the Bible and shows how all the themes have their fulfillment in Christ and their end in the arboreal temple-city of the New Jerusalem.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Insights!, September 6, 2010

By 

Joel Jones (Indiana, USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: From Eden to the New Jerusalem: An Introduction to Biblical Theology (Paperback)

This book is a tremendous help for anyone who has read the Bible but desires to understand the message of the Bible -from cover to cover.- Alexander's book offers great insights into the important themes laid out in the Garden of Eden and a glimpse into the purposes of God's heart when He created the world. He then shows how these themes continue throughout Scripture, into our day, and eventually culminate in the coming of the New Jerusalem. The parts about how the Tabernacle, Temple, Eden, and New Jerusalem are all tied together were especially interesting and edifying. I highly recommend this book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of my Top 10, July 6, 2011

By 

Jacob Sweeney (Louisville, KY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: From Eden to the New Jerusalem: An Introduction to Biblical Theology (Paperback)

I have read a lot of books. I have learned from many; I have enjoyed fewer. There are a handful of books that I found to be mind-changing, paradigm-shifting. A few years ago one such book was John Piper's Desiring God. Also on that list are Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer, Knowing God by J.I. Packer and Dominion and Dynasty by Stephen Dempster. I have another book to add to this short list: From Eden to New Jerusalem by T. Desmond Alexander.

Alexander's book is accessible, easy to read, yet immensely informative. He focuses on the "book-end" chapters of the Bible: Genesis 1-3 and Revelation 20-22. These chapters inform the rest of the story of Scripture. Alexander contends that Eden was created as a temple-garden. Satan's rebellion brought about Adam's insurrection resulting in man's expulsion from God's temple. Yet, he was on the move. Age to age he was moving humanity toward its intended end: the beginning.

He traces the motif of the temple and God's presence throughout the entire Scriptures. The Bible is not a collection of independent texts. Nor are there ages within Biblical history that are separated from one another. Instead, there is a cohesive story. We find ourselves in the intervening period. Yet, the dawn has come. Soon the day will arrive when the entire universe is once again a temple to the living God.

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.

Revelation 22:1-4

Note: I have received this book from Kregel Publishers as compensation for my review. I was not required to write a positive review.