Monday, December 30, 2013

Book Review: The Message of Daniel


I've admired Dale Ralph Davis as a Bible teacher and writer for a long time. When I was preparing to preach through Daniel in the autumn term, I was delighted to hear that he had just published a new commentary on Daniel in The Bible Speaks Today series from IVP.

As you would expect if you've read his material before, this isn't so much a technical commentary as an enlarged and expanded series of sermons preached by Davis. Along the way he touches on some of the key issues and mentions some of the disputes found in bigger commentaries, but they aren't his primary function. His analysis of the text is first class; his exegesis is always spot on; but his illustrations are out of this world! The apparent ease with which he illustrates the passages, always having stories or observations that perfectly prove the point he's making could lead to a series dose of coveting - or even better, a determination to improve my own illustrations.

This would be a good book for anyone wanting to learn more about God working in and through difficult, even hostile situations. If you're feeling like you're in Babylon, trapped in exile (which, let's face it, is every Christian while we're still in this sinful world), you'll benefit from Davis' warm style as the truth makes its mark.

The Message of Daniel is available from IVP at 28% off the retail price.

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