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Five Festal GarmentsFive Festal Garments When did you last preach on Lamentations? This book might, just might, inspire you to do so. It is the tenth in the New Studies in Biblical Theology series, and aims to bring biblical theology (of the Moore College, Sydney variety) to bear on five of the most neglected books of the Bible, in order to reveal their relevance to the Christian believer and Church. Barry Webb is known to us especially for his excellent edition on Isaiah in the Bible Speaks Today series; he is Head of Old Testament at Moore College. In this book he deals with The Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes and Esther. Probably not ideal material for your next five all-age services, but surely these books need preaching on-otherwise what message are we giving about the Old Testament canon? This seems like an admirable methodology, though a little repetitive if the reader ploughs through all five chapters. My principal disappointment was that the third section of each chapter, relating each book to the Christian gospel, was always the shortest-mostly just a couple of pages. That, I guess, is what most of us would want more help with! The help given in those few pages is excellent, though, and gives the reader some vital hints about how these books should be studied, taught or preached today. The outcome is an extremely useful introduction to each of the five books, which are not otherwise abounding in first rate commentaries (except Kidner's BST on Ecclesiastes). It is fair to say that Webb is writing here for the serious Bible student or preacher. If you are either of those, I think this should be on your shelves; not only for what it says about the five books it deals with, but also for the example it sets of interpreting the Old Testament in the gospel era. James Dudley-Smith,
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