Beginning at Moses: A Guide to Finding Christ in the Old Testament

Rating:
Summary: A True Help in Finding Christ in the OT!
Review: Appropriately titled, Beginning at Moses: A Guide to Finding Christ in the Old Testament gives opportunity for students, pastors and laymen to develop the proper tools necessary for finding Christ in the Old Testament. Barrett indeed guides the reader through the maze of Hebrew, Greek, and theological terminology with such simplicity and clarity that most anyone with some exposure to the Old Testament may follow with ease. The constant encouragement and brief pause to define terms makes this a priceless resource to any student of the Scripture. The author's love for the Old Testament is infectious. He warns, however, that without Christ it is impossible to comprehend truly the Old Testament; so he propounds: "Seeing Christ is the key to unlocking the message of Scripture," and in this book, specifically the Old Testament (14).
The first part of the book is concerned with identifying "who we are looking for." Christ or messiah is the term for an anointed one. Anyone anointed. The individual is chosen, accredited, and empowered. This understanding allows the reader to identify not only certain individuals with these particular qualifications within the Old Testament (e.g. Jeremiah, Jer. 1; Aaron, Ps. 106:16, and Zechariah, 2 Chron. 24:20), but also Jesus the Messiah. Furthermore, the three distinct duties of the messianic office (Prophet, Priest and King) are demonstrated to be fulfilled in Jesus the Messiah.
Best seen where Barrett's clarity cuts through the complex is chapter two: the Person of Christ. He makes five statements, based on the Westminster Confession of Faith (also sprinkled throughout the book), that explain the hypostatic union. Of course he quickly defines this term: "Hypostasis is just a Greek word meaning essence or substance that has been used to describe this otherwise inexplicable union of a perfect human nature with the eternal divine nature in the Second Person of the Trinity." Referring to Christ's divine nature, Barrett explores His perfections of Deity, works of Deity, and the worship ascribed to Him. And the section on Christ's humanity addresses head-on the relationship of Christ to sin.
The balance of Part One is an explanation of Christ's work. It is expedient that the reader understand the works of Jesus Christ as one would study art, so that the beholder may correctly identify His person (79). First, discussion is given to Christ's first advent. His thoughts on 2 Corinthians 5:21 are "By God's legal transaction, the life that Christ earned becomes ours and the death that we earned became His" (88). Further down the page, he argues for the eternally sure purpose of Christ's work, which defies the postponement theory. Second, His prophetic and kingly administration and priestly intercession demonstrate His present work. Last, Christ is described as Judge and Ruler in His Second Advent.
At this point you are 100 pages into the book. In the next 200 pages Barrett masterfully guides the reader "where to look" in the Scripture to find Christ. Chapters 4-10 deal with Christ in the covenants, in persons, in His names, in word prophecy, in picture prophecy, and in song.
Barrett gives a colorful synopsis of the covenant development from Adam to David (120-21). He spends considerable time with the first, particularly with reference to Gen. 3:15. Barrett believes that the phrase "bruise thy head" describes the crucifixion, while "bruise thy heel" "suggests the ineffectiveness of the serpent to frustrate or alter the mission of Christ" (127). Also he translates Genesis 4:1 "I have acquired a man, even Jehovah" (128). This indicates that Eve anticipated her first child to be the direct fulfillment of Genesis 3:15.
Christ in person steers the reader through a discussion about Christophanies. In Micah 5:2-3a, Barrett sees an indirect reference to eternal generation of the Son and a direct reference to the pre-incarnate appearances of Christ. The appearances of Christ as the Angel of the LORD (taken appositionally) are a foretaste of Christ's prophetic, priestly and kingly mission. A chart including 24 passages revealing Christophanies allows the reader to get a jump start in his personal study.
Barrett gives the most pages in this second half of the book to Christ in His names (42 pages). He organizes the names in relationship to Christ's person and work. Although the list is not exhaustive, he chooses some names which may not be as familiar: Nail, Battle Bow, Thou God seest me, and Shiloh.
Christ in prophecy is broken up into chapters discussing verbal prophecy and typology from a premillennial standpoint (213). Barrett notes that verbal prophecy indicates that God is in control, inspires, confidence, and increases expectant hope. Using three "C's" as guidelines (messianic clues, Scriptural confirmation, and context), the reader explores Old Testament prophecies from the virgin birth to the resurrection. In the chapter on picture prophecy, the reader is walked through the gallery of various passages. The final chapter of part two identifies Christ in Song or Psalm, which points to His person and work. A helpful chart lists the Messianic Psalms, New Testament confirmation, and topics addressed in the Psalm.
Barrett's over twenty-five years of classroom experience radiates in his ability to draw attention with introductory humor and personal illustration as well as spread passion to the reader for his topic. One unfortunate aspect of the book is that there is no Scriptural index. Because of the gold-mine of exegesis on major passages, I seriously thought about making one myself. The conclusion and summary, which encapsulates the entire book in six pages, is written to the curious fellow that reads conclusions first (the author admits this tendency himself).
Overall the book is truly a masterful work that is Christ-honoring. Upon reading this book, not only will your appetite be whetted and ready for another reading of the Old Testament, but also your senses will be sharpened to see Christ! No doubt this is a must for every serious Bible reader.

Rating:
Summary: A Pointer to Christ
Review: Christ is the heart of the Christian faith. He is also the centerpiece of both the Old and New Testament Scriptures. Yet many believers neglect the Old Testament limiting their study of the Scriptures to the New Testament. Dr. Michael Barrett masterfully removes all the typical excuses for neglecting the pursuit of the knowledge of Christ in the Old Testament. He shows where and how to look for Christ. This book is a must for those who pursue the knowlege of Christ but have neglected the pursuit of that knowledge in the Old Testament.

Please, suggest to your church leadership that your church use this book as a textbook for an adult Sunday school elective on studying the Old Testament. It would be a wonderful elective because this is a wonderful book!

Rating:
Summary: A Pointer to Christ
Review: Christ is the heart of the Christian faith. He is also the centerpiece of both the Old and New Testament Scriptures. Yet many believers neglect the Old Testament limiting their study of the Scriptures to the New Testament. Dr. Michael Barrett masterfully removes all the typical excuses for neglecting the pursuit of the knowledge of Christ in the Old Testament. He shows where and how to look for Christ. This book is a must for those who pursue the knowlege of Christ but have neglected the pursuit of that knowledge in the Old Testament.

Please, suggest to your church leadership that your church use this book as a textbook for an adult Sunday school elective on studying the Old Testament. It would be a wonderful elective because this is a wonderful book!

Rating:
Summary: A MUST buy for every believer
Review: I had the privilege of sitting under the instruction of Dr. Barrett in seminary. His courses were always inspiring and life-changing.

I remember in one class a student asked Dr. Barrett why he always found Christ when studying the Old Testament. Dr. Barrett replied that when reading the Bible you find what you are looking for. I have had few statements in my life that have stayed with me through the years as that statement has stayed with me. If you are looking for information about the Bible, that is what you will find. If you are looking for daily inspiritation, that is what you will find. However, that is not why God gave us His written Word. God gave us the Bible that we might know Christ. No book, other than God's inspired Word, can teach us of Christ: His Person and His Work.

This book is for any Christian who is serious about their Old Testament study. This book is a manual for unlocking the depths of the Old Testament and its riches in Christ. Furthermore, Dr. Barrett's style is very readable and not overly technical--it is written for the student and the scholar.

I am currently using this book as the textbook for a Sunday School class in our church. I want my students to learn what I have learned, and continue to learn: that the Old Testament is full of Christ, His person, and His work. No other message is as needed for mankind.

I highly recommend this book to any and all.

Rating:
Summary: A MUST buy for every believer
Review: I had the privilege of sitting under the instruction of Dr. Barrett in seminary. His courses were always inspiring and life-changing.

I remember in one class a student asked Dr. Barrett why he always found Christ when studying the Old Testament. Dr. Barrett replied that when reading the Bible you find what you are looking for. I have had few statements in my life that have stayed with me through the years as that statement has stayed with me. If you are looking for information about the Bible, that is what you will find. If you are looking for daily inspiritation, that is what you will find. However, that is not why God gave us His written Word. God gave us the Bible that we might know Christ. No book, other than God's inspired Word, can teach us of Christ: His Person and His Work.

This book is for any Christian who is serious about their Old Testament study. This book is a manual for unlocking the depths of the Old Testament and its riches in Christ. Furthermore, Dr. Barrett's style is very readable and not overly technical--it is written for the student and the scholar.

I am currently using this book as the textbook for a Sunday School class in our church. I want my students to learn what I have learned, and continue to learn: that the Old Testament is full of Christ, His person, and His work. No other message is as needed for mankind.

I highly recommend this book to any and all.