2013 -- What books have you read?

Here is a book that should be on the shelf of anyone that does serious bible study - certainly every pastor should have it.

The Literary Structure of the Old Testament: a commentary on Genesis - Malachi [LINK]

by David Dorsey, Baker Books, 1999

I've used it extensively as I teach through the story of Joseph in Sunday morning classes.

Here is a small sample of the chiastic structure of the Joseph Cycle (it doesn't format well so I've added color).

Macro Structure of the Joseph Story​

A. Beginning of Joseph story – Introduction (37:2-11)

• Joseph's dream that the brothers will bow down
• brothers hate Joseph
• they cannot speak kindly to him
• Joseph's age

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B. Grievous mourning in Hebron (37:12-36)

• Jacob weeps over the "death" of Joseph when brothers take Joseph's cloak back to Jacob
• Jacob refers to his own future death
• Joseph goes from Canaan to Egypt (not to father in Hebron)

​

C. Reversal of elder and younger sons of Judah as “firstborn” (38:1-30)

• despite string tied to hand

​

D. Joseph’s enslavement to Egyptian (39:1-23)

• he is sold (37:27-28), purchased, becomes a servant to an Egyptian
• finds favor in the eyes of his master
• second only to his master
• in charge of Egyptian bread

​

E. Disfavor in Pharaoh’s court (40:1-23)

• dishonoring and expulsion of Egyptian servants
• imprisonment
• life and death

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F. Joseph’s revelation of pharaoh’s dreams (41:1-57)

• promotion to second to Pharaoh
• gives God credit

​

G. Brothers come to Egypt for food – first trip (42:1-38)
G’. Brothers come to Egypt for food – second trip (43:1-34)

F’. Joseph’s revelation of his identity to brothers (44:1-45:15)

• he is second to Pharaoh
• gives God credit

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E’. Favor in Pharaoh’s court (45:16-47:12)

• honoring and reception of Joseph's family
• granted good place to live in Goshen
• life and death

​

D’. Joseph’s enslavement of Egyptians (47:13-27)

• they are sold, purchased and become his servants
• seek to find favor in the eyes of Joseph, their master
• he is second only to Pharaoh
• in charge of Egyptians' bread

​

C’. Reversal of elder and younger sons of Joseph (47:28-49:33)

• despite trying to uncross Jacob's hands when blessing his sons: reversal of Judah (elder) and Joseph (younger) as firstborn

​

B’. Grievous mourning near Hebron over Jacob's death (50:1-14)

• Joseph weeps over death of Jacob when he and his brothers take Jacob's body back
• Jacob's death
• Joseph goes from Canaan back to Egypt

​

A’. End of Joseph story - Conclusion (50:15-26)

• Joseph's brothers bow down to him
• fear that he will hate them
• he speaks kindly to them
• Joseph's final age and death

​

Rob

 

Wendell Berry

I have recently finished Wendell Berry's A Place in Time:Twenty Stories of the Port William Membership. This is some of Berry's best work. The stories are some of his saddest. In many of them he describes the deaths of characters that I have come to know from other stories and novels. Berry is, or will turn, 79 this year, so I assume that the passage of time and the experience of loss in his own life are on his mind. The stories are tender and filled with a great deal of humor. However, if you have not read any of Berry's fiction, I would recommend starting one of his earlier novels (e. g., A Place on Earth, or Nathan Coulter, or In Memory of Old Jack). All of these are available on Amazon.

I have just recently begun reading Wendell Berry: Life and Work, edited by Jason Peters. It is a collection of essays and articles on Berry's fiction, poetry, and essays. Some of the contributors are Berry's friends. Some, like Berry, are farmers as well as writers. I have read seven of the 27 pieces in the book so far. I've been very pleased with what I have read.

Tim Reynolds
Nashville, Tennessee

 

Miraculous Gifts in the Early Church

 

Going Deeper by J. Sidlow Baxter

 

Isaac Asimov's Foundation Trilogy

Foundation (1951), Foundation and Empire (1952), Second Foundation (1953)

Everyman's Library Edition with an Introduction by Michael Dirda (copyright 2010)
by Isaac Asimov

Voted "the greatest all-time science-fiction series" at the 1955 World Science Fiction Convention, this trilogy demonstrates why Isaac Asimov has been called a modern "sci-fi" prophet.

Rob

 

"Heaven" by Randy Alcorn. Really good book! Almost everyone I've given this book to wound up anticipating going to heaven. It'll getcha really fired up about going.

 

Good read, I enjoy his work. I don't always agree with him, but he causes me to think and study. I given that book to a few people.

 

"If God is Good" by By Randy Alcorn.

 

Holiness The False and The True by H.A. Ironside

 

George MacDonald's
Lilith: A Romance [Free on Kindle]

A spiritual sci-fi romance

Rob

 

Pierre Burton's two volume work on the same war, but from a Canadian perspective, is a good read.

 

It is a wonderful book. I read it about five years ago. One can get absorbed by the story even now that many are jaded.