God Spoke To Them - character studies of Old Testament people

God spoke to them:
character studies of Old Testament people
By Peter Williams
Gwasg Bryntirion Press. 223 pages.
ISBN 1 85049 139 9

I declare an interest - not that I am getting a half-share in the royalties, but that Peter Williams is one of my favourite people. We were fellow ministers in Bournemouth, albeit at opposite ends of the town, and I learned to value his fellowship and respect his outstanding ministry. That said - and summoning up every effort to be objective - this lovely book fully explains why Peter's ministry was so effective: he gives the fundamental place to the Word of God and allows it to speak.
The expository aim is foremost and application unobtrusive, true to the text and full of the wisdom that only comes through pastoring of a congregation. The great are here - (Noah, Moses, Joshua, Daniel . . .), also the unexpected (Miriam, Nabal and Abigail - 'an ill-suited couple'), Belshazzar - 'who went too far' -, Elihu. . .), women (Hannah, Deborah. . .), men (Jephthah, Samson. . .), kings (Hezekiah) and Prime Ministers (Daniel - two excellent studies). There are 26 studies, all (as I can vouch) excellent companions for daily devotional reading.
All will learn from a master of the Word, but not least we who try to be preachers. Experience shows that congregations warm to character studies and Peter Williams can help us to trace the thread of a Scriptural biography and how to 'serve up' the result as a nourishing dish for the Lord's people. I wish this book very well indeed. I long for many, many readers as grateful as I am and I look forward to volume 2 - for Abraham, Saul, David who await among the greats and Achsah, Jabez, and a host of other Scriptural thumbnail sketches.

Alec Motyer

© Evangelicals Now - September 1998
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Main Articles

• Jews, Muslims and Christendom - coming to terms with the past
  Discussion concerning public expressions of apology or repentance for wrongs committed in the name of Christ in the past
• Jesus in the marketplace
  A group formed to support Christians working in the City of London financial marketplace
• People matter more than things
  The nature of human frailty and our response to everyday annoyances
• How to succeed with a non-Christian husband?
  An interview with Ethel and Ken White
• Must you sing in church? (Bulldog for September)
  The principles of the use of music in worship (reprinted from Crossway Magazine)

Other articles

• Truth Seeker - A New Age Journey to God
• Ruth, a portrait - A biography of Ruth Bell Graham, the wife of Billy Graham
• Pure Sex - An extract from the book Pure Sex on 20th century sexual morality and the influence of the Bloomsbury Group researchers
• A Report on Cohabitation or Marriage - Truth and consequences - what cohabitation is really doing to people
• Trust Your Bible - 31 principles to help you understand the Scriptures
• The Fabric of Faithfulness - The absence of moral meaning and purpose in current higher education - an extract from the book The Fabric of Faithfulness
• Grace and Truth in the Secular Age - 19 essays concerning present-day Anglicanism
• Living in God's Presence - the present tenses of the Christian life
• Power to Parent - rediscovering the miracle of family life
• A Hunger for God - desiring God through fasting and prayer
• Pluralism and the Religions - the theological and political dimensions - A collection of papers given at a gathering of theological scholars from Asia, Europe and Africa
• Metaphors of Ministry - biblical images for leaders and followers
• Daniel - Commentary on the book of Daniel
• Kingdoms in Conflict - Commentary on the book of Daniel
• The Bruised Reed
• God Spoke To Them - character studies of Old Testament people
• With Flaming Zeal - Brief life stories of remarkable missionaries
• The Evangelical Left - encountering post-conservative evangelical theology
• 77 Talks for 20th Century Kids