Read this as I am taking a Precept class on the Covenants - nice Reformed primer on the Covenants of God. ( )

This a book for which I have searched a good while. I have looked for a short, concise, clear, accessible introduction to covenant theology. Thanks to RC Sproul's The Promises of God, I have found such a book.

Sproul takes the reader from Creation to Consummation and shows how the covenant is at the heart of Biblical revelation. Sproul spends a chapter (or multiple) on each of the main covenants in Scripture: Redemption, Creation/Works, Noahic, Abrahamic, Mosaic, Davidic, and New Covenant. He also starts with a chapter explaining what a covenant is and finishes by highlighting how the covenants all point directly to Christ.

The Promises of God is released by publisher David C. Cook and, if I understand correctly, this book kicks off a series of books that Sproul and David C. Cook will be putting out with a unique format. The Promises of God is setup with a built in study guide at the end of each chapter. Where many books will offer questions to consider and further readings to pursue, or some books even have pretty in-depth study guides you can purchase separately or may be included at the end, this is the first book I have read with this type of built in study feature.

I am usually not too concerned with study guides to books. I do not know why but they usually do not interest me. It is the same thing with reflection or study questions included at the ends of chapters. It is not that I am against them or find them superfluous or anything of the sort. I am usually just uninterested. I cannot say the same for this book. The study guide is really cool! It is set up with an introduction, Scripture readings, a learning objective, quotation, detailed outline of the chapter, study questions, Bible study/discussion questions and suggested further readings. It is just a couple of pages, but it is extremely helpful for digesting the topic covered.

The chapters themselves are short and to the point. Sproul shares some anecdotes and expounds quite a bit on some points, but he is very straightforward and does not waste much time getting to the meat of the topics. While I enjoyed books like Sacred Bond and God of Promise, both were a bit advanced for a genuine newcomer to Covenant theology. The Promises of God is a great place to start for anyone seeking to understand the importance of covenant in interpreting Scripture and seeing the role of covenant in redemptive history.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley.com for review purposes. ( )

This book was not what I thought, I thought it would be more personal, but I found it actually more useful because I have an understanding of the God who gave us the covenants. It should have been titled "The Covenants of God" It summarizes each covenant God made and shows how it fits in to the ultimate covenant, the only one who could offer us salvation.

In The Promises of God, Dr. R. C. Sproul shows how God—the one true Promise Keeper—always keeps His promises. Drawing from his expansive theological background, Dr. Sproul addresses questions such as these:
• How do we know that God will fulfill His promises to us?
• What can we learn about God’s faithfulness as we wait for His promises to be fulfilled?
• What was the agreement God the Father had with Jesus before the beginning of the world?
• What does God’s covenant with Adam mean for us today?
• What common covenant do atheists and other non-Christians participate in with God?
• What does God’s covenant have to do with His forgiveness of our sins today?
• Why did Jesus have to die to complete God’s covenant with us?

God’s promises throughout history are the foundation for your relationship with Him. Here you will see how and why He keeps His promises to you, from now through eternity.

Sproul goes on to define the different covenants God makes throughout redemptive history: the Covenant of Redemption, the Creation Covenant, the Noahic, Abrahamic, Mosaic, Davidic Covenants, and finally the New Covenant. Faith has an expansive horizon. It is not merely about believing the right things. Instead, it inhabits every dimension of our personhood--how we think, how we behave, how we deal with our emotions and how we relate to others. We owe R.C. Sproul a great debt of gratitude for expanding the faith horizon in a way that will encourage many to actively grow their faith, their confidence in God. Christians who read this book will definitely be edified and encouraged. Intellectually solid reading. Full of lots of great examples and left me wanting more. Reminds us that God is very active in our lives and in the world. Great insights on what faith is and what it's not.

I was given this book by Christian Review of Books. ( )