Esther: The Hidden Hand of God

 

Lydia Brownback’s new Bible study, Esther: The Hidden Hand of God is a well-written, thought-provoking study of the book of Esther.  This is the first release of Brownback’s “Flourish” Bible study series. 

This 10-week study takes a deep look into the book of Esther.  Each week covers approximately one chapter of Esther.  Brownback includes a helpful introduction and several charts throughout, to aid in understanding the flow of the book.  She provides background information for each chapter, and then walks the reader through Esther, verse-by-verse.  Brownback does an excellent job of pointing out repetition, explaining historical context, and highlighting major themes throughout this study.  She concludes each chapter with questions for the reader, to guide in points of application. 

I have been studying the book of Esther with my oldest daughter.  The questions I cover with her are based on Brownback’s book, though tailored to fit the emotional/maturity level of an eleven year-old.  I appreciate that Brownback is teaching Bible study methods that will help my daughter develop good habits now, which she will be able to implement throughout her entire life.  We are enjoying our study together, and I am thankful for this resource!

I highly recommend this author for those who seek a challenging inductive Bible study.  This study can be used for groups or individuals alike.  Brownback is set to release a study of 1 and 2 Peter in January.  I look forward to seeing and working through more of her studies in the future.  Her website gives a schedule of what studies to expect and when.  A leader’s guide to the study of Esther can also be downloaded there for free.

Rachel's Rating:

★★★★★

Thanks to NetGalley for providing and advanced copy of this book for review, in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review - (A)Typical Woman: Free, Whole, and Called in Christ

Abigail Dodds' (A)Typical Woman:  Free, Whole and Called in Christ addresses the topic of biblical womanhood from the complementarian perspective.  This is not a book that is addressing a new idea.  Dodds states in the beginning of her book, "So many are searching for a novel approach, a new way to think about something, a uniqueness or niche.... Novelty leads to heresy and false teaching....  If this book seems like new information to you, it isn't because I came up with something novel; it's because we've forgotten the basics, or we were never taught them." 

(A)Typical Woman is broken into three parts.  Part one addresses what it means to be a Christian woman.  Dodds focuses on being dead to sin and made into a new woman at the point of becoming a Christian.  She debunks the notion that a "typical" woman exists and focuses on the call of all women to be faithful to God in the circumstances He has given.

Part two breaks down the different titles seen throughout womanhood:  single, married, mothering, working, and discipling.  She points out the differences in these varied stations of life, but exhorts that these different viewpoints are inter-dependent.  Dodds poses a question all women, regardless of their current stage of life, should consider before embarking on new endeavors such as "entering the workforce or motherhood or setting up their home or any sphere of work".  She challenges women to ask themselves, "Am I faithfully obeying God as his child by meeting the genuine needs of others, or am I pursuing self-actualization, self-fulfillment, or selfish ambition apart from him?"

In part three, Dodds focuses on how women are fearless and free in Christ. She spends time discussing the importance of relationships with others who differ from us and the growth and perspective that can be developed from those relationships.  She focuses once again on the myth of "typical" womanhood.  "The nature of being Christian women isn't based on what we do but on who we are - who he's made us."  In conclusion, she offers a challenge.  "Are we willing to be agents of the gospel of Jesus Christ?  Are we willing to exercise the gifts God has given us, whether teaching, serving, administrating, giving, counseling with wisdom, exhorting, and on and on, to his glory and for his people, holding nothing back?  Are we willing to really have some skin in the game?"

True to her word, Dodds did not present anything new or different from the Biblical perspective of womanhood that I have been taught from Scripture my entire life.  I appreciated her reminders of serving Christ in every aspect of our lives and remaining faithful to all He has called us to.

 

Rachel's Rating:

★★★★☆

Book Review: Grace Defined and Defended

Kevin DeYoung's Grace Defined and Defended is an in-depth study of the Synod of Dort.  Until I read this book, I had never even heard of the Synod of Dort.  The byline of the book title clarifies a bit:  What a 400-Year-Old Confession Teaches Us about Sin, Salvation, and the Sovereignty of God.
 

The Synod of Dort was held in Dordrecht, Netherlands from November, 1618 to May, 1619.  Leaders of the Reformed Church met 154 times between those dates, to settle controversies that had arisen due to the increasing belief in Arminianism.  During that time, they wrote The Canons of Dort, which included five main points.  The first concerned divine election and reprobation; the second, Christ's death and human redemption through it; the third and fourth, human corruption and how we convert to God; and the fifth, perseverance of the saints.
 

There is much value in reading this book and learning the nuances of Calvinism.  As DeYoung states, "We live in an age where passion is often considered an adequate substitute for precision."  The Canons of Dort are very specific, very detailed, and very clear in explanation.  DeYoung asserts the value in reading these confessions, and offers this thought:  "Many of us, even Christians, have little patience for rigorous thinking and little interest in careful definition.  We emote better than we reason, and we describe our feelings better than we define our words, which is one reason we need to study old confessions written by dead people....[Early theologians] were relentlessly passionate about doctrinal truth.  They cared about definitions.  And they cared about precision.  Praise God, they cared enough to be careful."

Written in a way that a layperson can understand, Grace Defined and Defended contains the articles written at the synod, with DeYoung's explanation following each.  Though theologically rich, this was not difficult to read. 

I would recommend this book to fellow believers.  There is much to learn and understand , both for those who are Reformed in their theology and those who are not. 

*Thanks to NetGalley for making this book available for an honest review.

Rachel's Rating:
★★★★★