Bearing God's Name

Have We Misunderstood the Ten Commandments?

Have you ever wondered what the Old Testament—especially the Old Testament law—has to do with your Christian life? You are not alone. Some Christian leaders believe we should cast off the Old Testament now that we have the New. Carmen Joy Imes disagrees.

In this warm, accessible volume, Imes takes readers back to Sinai, the ancient mountain where Israel met their God, and explains the meaning of events there. She argues that we've misunderstood the command about "taking the Lord's name in vain." Instead, Imes says that this command is about "bearing God's name," a theme that continues throughout the rest of Scripture. The story of Israel turns out to be our story too, and you'll discover why Sinai still matters as you follow Jesus today.

Bearing God's Name offers:



- An opportunity for readers to revisit the story of Israel as they trudge through the wilderness from a grueling past to a promising future,

- An appendix with resources from The Bible Project, and

- Discussion questions for individual reflection or group conversation.



Carmen Joy Imes (PhD, Wheaton College) is associate professor of Old Testament at Prairie College in Three Hills, Alberta. A graduate of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, she is the author of Bearing YHWH's Name at Sinai. She is also a regular contributor to The Well and serves on the board of directors of the Institute for Biblical Research. She is also a member of the Evangelical Theological Society and the Society of Biblical Literature.

Foreword by Christopher J. H. Wright


Introduction
Part I: Becoming the People Who Bear God's Name


1. Leaving Egypt


2. Surprised at Sinai


3. Major Deal


4. Now What?


5. Ready to Roll


Intermission
Part II: Living as the People Who Bear God's Name


6. Striking Out


7. What Yahweh Sees


8. Just Give Me Jesus


9. Blob Tag


10. Who Let You In?


Conclusion


Acknowledgments


Appendix: Resources from The Bible Project


Discussion Questions


Notes


Sidebar Notes


Bibliography


Image Credits


Scripture Index

"Warm, witty, wise, and winsome; theologically rigorous, rhetorically convincing, and pastorally helpful, this book is not to be missed. Taking the reader through the narrative of the exodus, Carmen Joy Imes shows us that it is our story, not an arcane, ancient document as dry as last year's bird nest. The genre of Law speaks today. You will see the name Carmen Joy Imes regularly in the future as she continues to bless the church with accessible and edifying scholarship."



"Carmen Joy Imes's Bearing God's Name is a marvel. Imagine a scholar who writes for the church, a member of the academy who cares deeply for the parish. However you phrase it, Imes has done it—given the gift of both accessibility and accuracy to the church. I learned much in this text and look forward to returning to it again and again. I suspect your experience will be the same." weniger anzeigen expand_less