Here is another great review of my new book, "I Will Make of Thee a Great Nation," that was posted on Amazon.com on March 28. Mr. Melgr describes the book just as I hoped it would be perceived by those who read it.
Very useful and welcome tool for students of the Old Testament, March 28, 2009
By Jaroslav Melgr "jaroski" (Colorado)
[5 stars]
This is a very nice volume aimed to introduce the Old Testament (OT) to a person who would not typically feel inclined to pick up KJV and read the OT cover to cover. It's neither a re-translation nor a complete OT, but a selection of 219 stories from the OT told in a more accessible modern-day English. It could also be well used in a family setting, helping the children familiarize with the most common scripture stories. However, with that said I believe that even seasoned students of OT will find value in Mr. Greenwood's book. The stories are told in a refreshingly plain speech and offer a different perspective. Though told as seen through someone else's eyes it is still remarkably unbiased and balanced account.
The OT is a large volume or work and it isn't easy to understand at first. I remember the first time I opened the bible at the beginning and felt utterly overwhelmed and unprepared to comprehend what lied within. The OT is also much underappreciated volume of scripture. Many bible students touch on it only when they have to in seminaries or Sunday school classes and rush off to study the New Testament (NT) to discover the mysteries therein.... Yet it is my belief and my experience that the OT is a treasure trove of wisdom, knowledge and a key to proper understanding of the NT and Christ's atonement. So Mr. Greenwood did a great service to us all by putting together this book. His experience studying and teaching OT for a number of years clearly shows through. He gets to the essence of each story and when he gives an interpretation or explains meaning of something he clearly documents his interpretation with references to biblical passages. Once again, it provides the reader with a fresh view of the stories many of us are already familiar with.
The book also includes a section with biblical maps, pronunciation guide, name index with description of each character and references to where to read about them, subject index and bibliography. I highly recommend it to both beginning and advanced students, but especially to parents and teachers interested in fostering the love of the scriptures and of the Old Testament.
