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Here Is Our God
“I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up.” - Isaiah 6:1 Scripture records a number of instances in which God visibly revealed himself to his people, offering a glimpse of his stunning beauty and overwhelming glory. These awe-inspiring manifestations of God’s presence―known as “theophanies”―give us wonderful insights into his character, will, and salvation. In this collection of biblical expositions, eight prominent Bible teachers explore key passages in which God displayed himself in a spectacular revelation. From the giving of the law at Mt. Sinai to Christ’s glorious transfiguration, the passages examined in this book challenge us to look afresh at our God―that we might truly know, love, and serve him. Published in partnership with the Gospel Coalition.
224 pages, Paperback
First published May 8, 2014
14 people are currently reading
150 people want to read
About the author
Kathleen B. Nielson
27 books25 followerssee also: Kathleen Buswell Nielson
A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Kathleen Nielson holds M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in literature from Vanderbilt University and a B.A. from Wheaton College (Illinois). She has taught in the English departments at Vanderbilt University, Bethel College (Minnesota), and Wheaton College. She is the author of numerous Bible studies, and the book Bible Study: Following the Ways of the Word, as well as various articles and poems. Kathleen has directed and taught women s Bible studies at several churches and speaks extensively at conferences and retreats. She serves as director of women s initiatives for The Gospel Coalition and on the board of directors of The Charles Simeon Trust. Kathleen and her husband Niel (president of Covenant College 2002 2012, now leading an enterprise in global Christian education) have three sons, two beautiful daughters-in-law, and a growing number of grandchildren!
A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Kathleen Nielson holds M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in literature from Vanderbilt University and a B.A. from Wheaton College (Illinois). She has taught in the English departments at Vanderbilt University, Bethel College (Minnesota), and Wheaton College. She is the author of numerous Bible studies, and the book Bible Study: Following the Ways of the Word, as well as various articles and poems. Kathleen has directed and taught women s Bible studies at several churches and speaks extensively at conferences and retreats. She serves as director of women s initiatives for The Gospel Coalition and on the board of directors of The Charles Simeon Trust. Kathleen and her husband Niel (president of Covenant College 2002 2012, now leading an enterprise in global Christian education) have three sons, two beautiful daughters-in-law, and a growing number of grandchildren!
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
January 7, 2015
Ours is an age of conferences. Dozens of conferences vie for our attention, from a variety of ministries. For those who cannot attend, livestreaming is a way to experience the thrill from afar. Another common way to expand the reach of a conference is to turn the series of messages into a book. The success of such books is usually limited, but in this book we have an exception.
"Here is Our God: God’s Revelation of Himself in Scripture" (Crossway, 2014), is the latest book from The Gospel Coalition. This book is actually a compilation of the messages from the women’s 2012 TGC conference. Reading the book, however, I am not transported to the scene of thousands of women meeting together in a conference. Instead the message of each plenary session is powerfully communicated in this book, and the entire theme of the conference—suitable for men and women—comes together in this one short volume.
Three men (Tim Keller, D.A. Carson, and John Piper) join five women (Paige Brown, Carrie Sandom, Nancy Leigh DeMoss, Jenny Salt, and Kathleen Nielson) in expositing the Word of God. Each author tackles a text which offers us a revelation of God. Exodus 19, 1 Kings 8, Isaiah 6, Matthew 17, Revelation 21 and other passages are mined for what they tell us of our God. The chapters flow together well, and reinforce the argument of the work as a whole. Each author in their unique way contributes to a dazzling picture of our God and His glory.
D.A. Carson (one of the editors of this book) is known for his advocacy of biblical theolgoy, and this is on full display in the contributions from each author in this title. The grand themes of the Bible are followed as we truly encounter God through the book. The application is poignant, and the messages are powerful. I’m glad that by means of this book I was able to be blessed by this women’s conference!
I listened to the Christianaudio.com version (link is external) of the book. A male voice read the chapters written by men, and a female voice the other chapters. The editing in the book being as excellent as it was, allowed the audio version to flow well. Connections between chapters were made, and the reading speed aided in reflection.
The book itself is extremely well written. You would be hard pressed to find a more God-centered example of biblical theology. I appreciated that the Old Testament received due attention. In fact both testaments are treated, and so many foundational texts are treated that this could be considered a miniature whole-Bible biblical theology in its own right.
The conference aimed to make much of God and this book does that. If you are hungry for an encounter with the God of the Bible, this book will reveal Him in fresh and helpful ways. The call to holy living and a deeper faith permeates the book, and the Gospel of God’s grace underlies it as well. The book would serve well as a small group resource, with questions at the end of each chapter that could be used for discussion. I encourage both men and women to avail themselves of this helpful resource. May God bless you with a greater revelation of Himself in the reading of this short book.
Disclaimer: This book was provided by Christianaudio.com. The reviewer was under no obligation to offer a positive review.
"Here is Our God: God’s Revelation of Himself in Scripture" (Crossway, 2014), is the latest book from The Gospel Coalition. This book is actually a compilation of the messages from the women’s 2012 TGC conference. Reading the book, however, I am not transported to the scene of thousands of women meeting together in a conference. Instead the message of each plenary session is powerfully communicated in this book, and the entire theme of the conference—suitable for men and women—comes together in this one short volume.
Three men (Tim Keller, D.A. Carson, and John Piper) join five women (Paige Brown, Carrie Sandom, Nancy Leigh DeMoss, Jenny Salt, and Kathleen Nielson) in expositing the Word of God. Each author tackles a text which offers us a revelation of God. Exodus 19, 1 Kings 8, Isaiah 6, Matthew 17, Revelation 21 and other passages are mined for what they tell us of our God. The chapters flow together well, and reinforce the argument of the work as a whole. Each author in their unique way contributes to a dazzling picture of our God and His glory.
D.A. Carson (one of the editors of this book) is known for his advocacy of biblical theolgoy, and this is on full display in the contributions from each author in this title. The grand themes of the Bible are followed as we truly encounter God through the book. The application is poignant, and the messages are powerful. I’m glad that by means of this book I was able to be blessed by this women’s conference!
I listened to the Christianaudio.com version (link is external) of the book. A male voice read the chapters written by men, and a female voice the other chapters. The editing in the book being as excellent as it was, allowed the audio version to flow well. Connections between chapters were made, and the reading speed aided in reflection.
The book itself is extremely well written. You would be hard pressed to find a more God-centered example of biblical theology. I appreciated that the Old Testament received due attention. In fact both testaments are treated, and so many foundational texts are treated that this could be considered a miniature whole-Bible biblical theology in its own right.
The conference aimed to make much of God and this book does that. If you are hungry for an encounter with the God of the Bible, this book will reveal Him in fresh and helpful ways. The call to holy living and a deeper faith permeates the book, and the Gospel of God’s grace underlies it as well. The book would serve well as a small group resource, with questions at the end of each chapter that could be used for discussion. I encourage both men and women to avail themselves of this helpful resource. May God bless you with a greater revelation of Himself in the reading of this short book.
Disclaimer: This book was provided by Christianaudio.com. The reviewer was under no obligation to offer a positive review.
September 10, 2014
The Gospel Coalition (TGC) is an international ministry based out of the USA under the leadership of Tim Keller and D. A. Carson. TGC is being used by God to assist Christians, local churches and missionaries around the world to equip them for ministry and in their understanding of Scripture. For the latter, TGC has a rich and deep ministry which provides resources in various forms to help believers understand Scripture better. One of these resources is the semi annual conferences they hold which has general and breakout sessions. The conferences are centered on a theme which the general sessions focus on and the breakout sessions are available for other areas of focus.
In 2012 TGC held its first women’s conference titled Here is Our God: God’s Revelation of Himself in Scripture. The general sessions address eight theophany passages beginning in Exodus and ending in Revelation. TGC decided to put these sessions in book form carrying the same title as the conference itself. The contributors and their passages are as follows:
1. Tim Keller – Exodus 19
2. Paige Brown – 1 Kings 8
3. John Piper – Isaiah 6
4. Carrie Sandom – Psalm 40
5. Nancy Leigh DeMoss – Matthew 17:1-15
6. Jenny Salt – 2 Corinthians 12
7. Kathleen Nielson – Revelation 4-5
8. D. A. Carson – Revelation 21-22
The central point of the theme that runs through the book is that through His self-revelation in the Old Testament God is pointing us to Christ as revealed in the New Testament. One thing that particularity stood out to me in Tim Keller’s chapter (Exodus 19) was the connection the writer of Hebrews makes with Christ and Exodus 19. In Exodus 19 the Israelites have great fear and distance between then and God as Moses (their mediator) is on the mountain with God. But when Christ comes He becomes the mediator to the Father and we are brought near to Him – no more fear and distance. D. A. Carson’s final chapter on Revelation 21-22 is the perfect end to this series of text’s on the theophany passages covered. Together these chapters really put the whole Bible together in terms of God’s revelation of Himself to man and His presence with us.
If you want to read what was taught at the 2012 TGC National Women’s Conference then pick up Here is Our God. It serves as a great mini-biblical theology and it is easy to use for your devotions or in a small group. It is even good for those who attended and want to revisit the great teaching they heard.
I received this book for free from Crossway for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
In 2012 TGC held its first women’s conference titled Here is Our God: God’s Revelation of Himself in Scripture. The general sessions address eight theophany passages beginning in Exodus and ending in Revelation. TGC decided to put these sessions in book form carrying the same title as the conference itself. The contributors and their passages are as follows:
1. Tim Keller – Exodus 19
2. Paige Brown – 1 Kings 8
3. John Piper – Isaiah 6
4. Carrie Sandom – Psalm 40
5. Nancy Leigh DeMoss – Matthew 17:1-15
6. Jenny Salt – 2 Corinthians 12
7. Kathleen Nielson – Revelation 4-5
8. D. A. Carson – Revelation 21-22
The central point of the theme that runs through the book is that through His self-revelation in the Old Testament God is pointing us to Christ as revealed in the New Testament. One thing that particularity stood out to me in Tim Keller’s chapter (Exodus 19) was the connection the writer of Hebrews makes with Christ and Exodus 19. In Exodus 19 the Israelites have great fear and distance between then and God as Moses (their mediator) is on the mountain with God. But when Christ comes He becomes the mediator to the Father and we are brought near to Him – no more fear and distance. D. A. Carson’s final chapter on Revelation 21-22 is the perfect end to this series of text’s on the theophany passages covered. Together these chapters really put the whole Bible together in terms of God’s revelation of Himself to man and His presence with us.
If you want to read what was taught at the 2012 TGC National Women’s Conference then pick up Here is Our God. It serves as a great mini-biblical theology and it is easy to use for your devotions or in a small group. It is even good for those who attended and want to revisit the great teaching they heard.
I received this book for free from Crossway for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
July 16, 2014
I really loved this collection of essays. These essays or speeches were originally given at the Gospel Coalition 2012 National Women's Conference. The theme of the conference was "Here Is Our God." Speakers were "looking into passages where God reveals himself in spectacular ways to his people."
The contributors are:
*On the Mountain: The Terrifying and Beckoning God (Exodus 19) Tim Keller
*In the Temple: The Glorious and Forgiving God (1 Kings 8) Paige Brown
*In the Throne Room: The God of Holiness and Hope (Isaiah 6) John Piper
*From a Miry Swamp: The God Who Comes and Delivers (Psalm 40) Carrie Sandom
*On Another Mountain: The God Who Points To His Son (Matthew 17:1-15) Nancy Leigh DeMoss
*In the Third Heaven: The God Who Can't by Talked About (2 Corinthians 12) Jenny Salt
*Through the Open Door: The Transcendent and Redeeming God (Revelation 4-5) Kathleen Nielson
*Home at Last: The Spectacular God at the Center (Revelation 21-22) D.A. Carson
I loved the theme of this book! I did! I loved the focus being on God and God's Revelation of Himself in His Word. I loved how each chapter focused on one particular passage of Scripture. I loved the expository nature of each chapter. I loved the layout of each chapter. For example, in the first chapter, the sermon is broken down into three sections: 1) The history and order of grace Exodus 19:1-8, 2) The terrifying and beckoning God Exodus 19:9-19, and 3) The going down of Moses 19:20-25. All chapters are written with clarity. I also loved how all the chapters seem to come together to create a big picture. That wasn't surprising, but, it was wonderful all the same.
Favorite quote: The gospel shuts up your ego and gets it all sorted out so that you’re not constantly whiplashing between (a) thinking too much of yourself and (b) being down on yourself. The gospel does this by (a) humbling your ego into the dust with knowledge that you’re a sinner and (b) affirming it to the sky by telling you rightly that you’re now a son or daughter of the king and that you can’t lose that status. As C. S. Lewis taught, you don’t think less of yourself or more of yourself; you just think of yourself less.
The overall goal for these talks was to gain from God’s Word a renewed vision of God and his sweeping purposes of redemption, as he shows himself to us through his revelation.
The contributors are:
*On the Mountain: The Terrifying and Beckoning God (Exodus 19) Tim Keller
*In the Temple: The Glorious and Forgiving God (1 Kings 8) Paige Brown
*In the Throne Room: The God of Holiness and Hope (Isaiah 6) John Piper
*From a Miry Swamp: The God Who Comes and Delivers (Psalm 40) Carrie Sandom
*On Another Mountain: The God Who Points To His Son (Matthew 17:1-15) Nancy Leigh DeMoss
*In the Third Heaven: The God Who Can't by Talked About (2 Corinthians 12) Jenny Salt
*Through the Open Door: The Transcendent and Redeeming God (Revelation 4-5) Kathleen Nielson
*Home at Last: The Spectacular God at the Center (Revelation 21-22) D.A. Carson
I loved the theme of this book! I did! I loved the focus being on God and God's Revelation of Himself in His Word. I loved how each chapter focused on one particular passage of Scripture. I loved the expository nature of each chapter. I loved the layout of each chapter. For example, in the first chapter, the sermon is broken down into three sections: 1) The history and order of grace Exodus 19:1-8, 2) The terrifying and beckoning God Exodus 19:9-19, and 3) The going down of Moses 19:20-25. All chapters are written with clarity. I also loved how all the chapters seem to come together to create a big picture. That wasn't surprising, but, it was wonderful all the same.
Favorite quote: The gospel shuts up your ego and gets it all sorted out so that you’re not constantly whiplashing between (a) thinking too much of yourself and (b) being down on yourself. The gospel does this by (a) humbling your ego into the dust with knowledge that you’re a sinner and (b) affirming it to the sky by telling you rightly that you’re now a son or daughter of the king and that you can’t lose that status. As C. S. Lewis taught, you don’t think less of yourself or more of yourself; you just think of yourself less.
June 29, 2014
I received this book courtesy of Christian Audio for the purpose of writing a review.
Narrator Thoughts - I thought that both of the narrators did a wonderful job of making the chapters come alive. I liked how it would alternate between the two of them. It added a nice freshness and depth to the narration. Besides both of them have very melodic voices. It made it a very enjoyable listen.
Book Thoughts - I greatly admire and enjoying reading books from the authors that worked together to write this book. This work was beautifully put together and very refreshing. Each bringing their own thoughts and encouragement to the table was uplifting. So many of the chapters hit it home for me. The chapter on the Holy God was very good. How God is God. He is worthy of praise and worship. Yet he chose to reach out and love us. Through story and scripture the writers encourage you to live for God and dwell on Him. It's a wonderful listen for anyone.
You can find this audiobook on Amazon & Christian Book
Narrator Thoughts - I thought that both of the narrators did a wonderful job of making the chapters come alive. I liked how it would alternate between the two of them. It added a nice freshness and depth to the narration. Besides both of them have very melodic voices. It made it a very enjoyable listen.
Book Thoughts - I greatly admire and enjoying reading books from the authors that worked together to write this book. This work was beautifully put together and very refreshing. Each bringing their own thoughts and encouragement to the table was uplifting. So many of the chapters hit it home for me. The chapter on the Holy God was very good. How God is God. He is worthy of praise and worship. Yet he chose to reach out and love us. Through story and scripture the writers encourage you to live for God and dwell on Him. It's a wonderful listen for anyone.
You can find this audiobook on Amazon & Christian Book
May 8, 2019
Here is Our God caught my attention as a book which included several well-known authors discussing God and how He is revealed in the Scripture. The idea for the book came from The Gospel Coalition 2012 National Women’s Conference in Orlando and as a result a beautiful compilation of various works by amazing men and women of God. Each chapter is written by a different author and at the end of each chapter there are questions about both content and reaction. The chapters to some degree build off one another, but all center around the idea of presenting God in a holy and reverent manner.
Here is Our God allows believers to be reminded of the awesome, powerful and perfect God we serve and how He must be worships because we are called to do so and He is deserving of all of us.
June 2, 2019
A good read that gave me so much to consider. I loved the focus on looking in awe and worship to our God. The expository style for most of the essays were rich and deep. The truths being laid out were beautiful.
There was one chapter I felt took, perhaps, too much liberty in its definition and use, but as a whole, I enjoyed the book and found it to be one that deepened my understanding of Scripture and God.
There was one chapter I felt took, perhaps, too much liberty in its definition and use, but as a whole, I enjoyed the book and found it to be one that deepened my understanding of Scripture and God.
November 5, 2019
Some chapters are better than others, the first being the best for me. But it's definitely a book I would recommend to all Christians. The chapters are talks that were given at the Gospel Coalition's annual women's conference.
May 3, 2019
Great book for discussions at Bible study.
June 21, 2019
Nothing special.
February 26, 2023
4.5. Really good. Extremely helpful.
September 13, 2023
This collection of essays are taken from lectures at the 2012 TGC woman's conference. Some are better than others.
February 17, 2024
Fantastic collection of teachings that I know will return to again.
February 26, 2025
Listened to the audiobook borrowed from the library.
April 8, 2019
I find books like this to be helpful, because it's way too easy to just focus on myself when it comes to spiritual growth and the pursuit of holiness, rather than putting the focus on God, where it belongs. Out of the various conference sessions turned into book chapters, I was particularly impacted by the ones on God's revelation of himself at Mount Sinai, the dedication of Solomon's temple, and the Transfiguration. I also appreciated the way the selected Scripture passages were central to each chapter, keeping the focus on God and his word. I frequently find myself in need of a strong reminder of exactly how awesome and glorious God is, and this book provided exactly that.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews