The Story of the Old Testament

by David Talley

Have you ever thought about THE STORY of the Old Testament? Have you wondered how to connect the dots of psalms and sacrifices, laws and kings, nations and wars? And what does it all mean for our lives today?

David Talley believes that following THE STORY of the Old Testament is the key to understanding it. To trace the clear, continuous narrative is to connect the dots and bring the bigger picture into focus.

In this book Talley examines the eleven storyline books of the Old Testament and shows where the other 28 books fit into THE STORY. Unpacking the theology of each storyline book, he reflects on the Old Testament's power for Christians today.

Genres: Theology, Biblical Studies, Old Testament

338 pages, Paperback

First published August 25, 2013

Reviews

[Denice Swanson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first book of the year following reading the Bible in a year last year. I try to read through scripture every other year and study more thoroughly certain books alongside other authors. This narration of Old Testament in chronological order was very engaging. I didn’t feel like the author swayed a particular theological perspective which is important to me. It also intrigued interest to study other books so I went on to read about judges.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! So helpful in understanding the story of the Old Testament and why knowing this story is important for believers today. Dr. Talley ends the book by leading the reader to worship an amazing God who keeps His promises to His wayward people. So thankful His plan includes all nations, and that means even me.

[Marissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was always hesitant about reading the Old Testament because I was unsure of how to read it correctly. Dr. Talley does an excellent job of explaining the different genres and how to read them. If you are curious about the Old Testament and don't know where or how to start, check this book out.

[chloe]

Really great book by Dr. Talley! His lectures were based off similar concepts shared here.

[Alicia Joy · Rating 2 out of 5]

The "big ideas" of this book are helpful in understanding the OT. They took me back to my freshman OT class at Biola.

However, I don't think this book does justice to the class itself. It seemed like the book contained a significant amount of grammatical errors, and was written as though Dr. Talley was verbalizing it (not writing it). This led to some awkward formatting and phrasing for a published book. It had more the feel of a notes packet you would buy for the class. I imagine the primary purpose of this book is to be sold for the class?

Anyhow, I can't state how positively Talley's OT class had on my life. I am sure that it helped my engagement in Scripture to this day. This book was a good reminder of how to treat the Old Testament and look for it's overall "STORY."

[Tyson Guthrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Talley does what he sets out to do rather well. He keeps things moving and focused on the narrative of the Old Testament. The patristics scholar in me can't award that fifth star, citing the need for more typological interpretation. I honestly don't know how one would accomplish this in our current theological context, but in the interest of curbing star inflation, Talley gets 4.

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading Dr. Talley's took me right back to being in his OT survey class at Biola. There's so many great truths packed into this book, I highly recommend whether you've always wondered what the point of the OT is or your looking to brush up on the details you've forgotten.

[Adam Shaeffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Talley's insights into the value of the Old Testament for us today was a worshipful experience for me. The chapter on the covenants especially was powerful.

Great book.