Two of the Stranraer congregation made the trip to hear Jonty Rhodes of Christ Church Derby speak at Cornhill Belfast about the covenants of the Bible. Much of the material was taken from Jonty's excellent book Raiding the lost Ark: recovering the gospel of the covenant king (known in America by the less entertaining but more informative title Covenants Made Simple: understanding God's unfolding promises to his people).
If you want to understand the big picture of the Bible and see how all the different parts tie together, this is a must-read. It costs £6.75 (delivered) and you can read a sample chapter here. It's also available to buy on kindle.
Here's a review by Mark Loughridge of New Life Fellowship Letterkenny (RPCI):
"I've been waiting for a book like this to be written for years - now it has arrived. For me it is now the go-to book for anyone wanting an introduction to Covenant theology - clear, straight-forward, readable and most of all biblical. In it Jonty Rhodes tells the big story that runs through the Bible.
He explains, illustrates and anticipates questions well.
He shows the interconnectedness of the covenants with Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David--how they are all part of the one rich means of God interacting and relating to mankind. He unpacks the Covenant of Redemption--that glorious agreement between Father and Son, out of which all the other covenants flow. With clarity he sets out the differing viewpoints on the Mosaic Covenant and then opts not to go with the view of Kline and Horton, an outcome I was happy with.
As a Sabbath keeping, paedobaptist, Presbyterian I was pleased to see him connecting the dots between covenant theology and these spheres as well.
An excellent book, and a joy to read. My copy is well highlighted."
You can read an interview with Jonty about the book on Reformation 21.
