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The gospel according to the Old testament
Faith in the Face of Apostasy: The Gospel According to Elijah & Elisha
Explains the stories of Elijah and Elisha in the context of redemptive history.
184 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
December 26, 2025
A lovely collection of bite-sized reflections on the narratives of Elijah and Elisha in 1 & 2 Kings. It was not formatted in the way I expected; I thought there would be a stronger argumentative through-line, but it really is much more of a loosely organized set of devotionals. Only a few paragraphs are devoted to various aspects of a given narrative; this isn't a commentary and isn't even a full exposition. Much of the material can be found in Dale Ralph Davis' two-volume exposition of 1 & 2 Kings. Still, Dillard's reflections on the typological significance of these two great prophets are often very compelling and thought-provoking. I benefited most from the Christological connections he makes -- even just the early passage where he shows how John's baptism of Jesus in the Jordan echoes the passage of Elijah's prophetic ministry to Elisha was a bit mind-blowing.
Sometimes the short, devotional style means Dillard emphasizes personal applications that I'm not sure were/are the point of the given narrative. In these moments, the discussion could feel a bit spiritualized or moralized (in good seventeenth-century style), and for me it became less compelling. But then another Christological link would be sure to follow, triggering other exciting thoughts and connections (the man who was restored to life after being thrown down on the bones of Elisha!!!). So all in all, this slim volume is well suited to devotional use and an excellent place to start unpacking the riches of God's redemptive work as it was played out in the lives of Elijah and Elisha.
Sometimes the short, devotional style means Dillard emphasizes personal applications that I'm not sure were/are the point of the given narrative. In these moments, the discussion could feel a bit spiritualized or moralized (in good seventeenth-century style), and for me it became less compelling. But then another Christological link would be sure to follow, triggering other exciting thoughts and connections (the man who was restored to life after being thrown down on the bones of Elisha!!!). So all in all, this slim volume is well suited to devotional use and an excellent place to start unpacking the riches of God's redemptive work as it was played out in the lives of Elijah and Elisha.
November 25, 2019
This is the first book in The Gospel According to the Old Testament series, written by the man who was the seminal influence for the series. In God's providence, Ray Dillard died and left only a draft version of this book; it was completed by the series editors.
I strongly suspect the book would have been longer had Dillard lived. Some of the sections of Scripture that he treats would have benefited from more exposition. But, to judge what he did write, it is excellent. He writes in a very approachable style, making this book a great resource for the layman as well as the academic and preacher. As such, he set the standard for the ensuing books in the series.
The first chapter of the book, "Christians and the Old Testament", is by itself worth the price of the book. He explains the importance of the Old Testament, sets forth four different interpretative filters through which to view the stories of Elijah and Elisha, and demonstrates how Elijah pointed forward to John the Baptist and how Elisha pointed forward to Jesus. The latter had never struck me, but Dillard makes a compelling case from Scripture.
Dillard groups incidents in the prophets' lives under common themes. For each Scripture passage, he sets forth the Biblical narrative, gives thoughtful exposition of the passage, demonstrates how the passage/prophet is to be understood in the light of Jesus' coming, and gives a number of questions for further reflection.
This book would make an excellent study guide for a small group, as well as a devotional guide for the individual reader. Highly recommended!
I strongly suspect the book would have been longer had Dillard lived. Some of the sections of Scripture that he treats would have benefited from more exposition. But, to judge what he did write, it is excellent. He writes in a very approachable style, making this book a great resource for the layman as well as the academic and preacher. As such, he set the standard for the ensuing books in the series.
The first chapter of the book, "Christians and the Old Testament", is by itself worth the price of the book. He explains the importance of the Old Testament, sets forth four different interpretative filters through which to view the stories of Elijah and Elisha, and demonstrates how Elijah pointed forward to John the Baptist and how Elisha pointed forward to Jesus. The latter had never struck me, but Dillard makes a compelling case from Scripture.
Dillard groups incidents in the prophets' lives under common themes. For each Scripture passage, he sets forth the Biblical narrative, gives thoughtful exposition of the passage, demonstrates how the passage/prophet is to be understood in the light of Jesus' coming, and gives a number of questions for further reflection.
This book would make an excellent study guide for a small group, as well as a devotional guide for the individual reader. Highly recommended!
May 31, 2025
This book was a help as I prepared to teach on 1-2 Kings in Sunday School in Brazil. Dillard shows how Elijah and Elisha play a key role in redemptive history. He made great connections to Christ and lots of helpful applications.
(I've been disappointed with other contributions to this series, specifically the books on David by Boda and Israel's worship by Longman. But this book by Dillard was exactly what I was expecting from the series!)
(I've been disappointed with other contributions to this series, specifically the books on David by Boda and Israel's worship by Longman. But this book by Dillard was exactly what I was expecting from the series!)
February 19, 2017
In today's church, the Old Testament is often overlooked. When attention is drawn to it, the focus tends to be on creation science, Proverbs for daily living, Psalms for devotional nourishment, and character studies for us to emulate. The Christian church largely focuses on the New Testament for its teaching and preaching. In a sense this is natural, because the New Testament is so definitive for church life. Yet the NT spends a lot of time focusing on the Old Testament, and the early church's Bible was primarily the OT. In fact, the more one understands and appreciates the message of the Old Testament, the better he or she will be prepared to really be impacted by the teaching of the New Testament.
Thankfully, the last twenty or thirty years have seen a revival of interest in the Old Testament and the recovery of preaching it as a Christian testament. Moralistic surveys of the characters of the Old Testament might have some use, but they are being set aside today in favor of a biblical theological approach that sees a unity in the Bible as a whole. The narrative of Scripture is being seen again as thoroughly Christocentric, and countless believers are being revitalized in their faith through finding the glory of God in the Old Testament afresh.
A big factor in the renaissance of the study of the OT has been the impact of good Christian books. P & R Publishing has produced a series of helpful books on OT themes called The Gospel According to the Old Testament series. The first book in that series is Faith in the Face of Apostasy: The Gospel According to Elijah and Elisha by Raymond B. Dillard.
Dillard's book and the series as a whole, parts ways from a simple anthropocentric approach to the OT. Such an approach centers on people and their needs, and looks to the OT for examples to follow, and life-lessons to learn. Dillard's approach, in contrast, focuses on what we can learn about God from the story, remembering that all OT stories have the unique quality of being divine revelation. The “first question” in this approach, “will not be 'What's here for me?' but rather 'What do I learn about God from this passage?'” Once we learn “about what God is like” from the passage, we are then prepared to ask “How we should I respond to this God?” Dillard then goes a bit further. “For Christian readers of the Old Testament”, he says, “there is yet another step to take.... We need to ask, How can we see God in Christ reconciling the world to himself in the pages of the Hebrew Scriptures? That is, in addition to anthropocentric and theocentric ways of reading the Bible, there is also a Christocentric approach.” (pg. 124-125)
With these goals in mind, the book begins with a historical overview of the time period of Elisha and Elijah and the likely time when Kings was written (the Babylonian exile period). It is interesting to note that Elijah and Elisha are singled out and given almost 1/3 of the space of the entire book of 1-2 Kings. Dillard also traces how later Scripture uses the account of Elijah and Elisha, focusing particularly on the parallels Matthew draws between Elijah and John the Baptist, and Jesus and Elisha.
The book moves on to a treatment of all the texts in 1 and 2 Kings where Elijah and Elisha have an important role. Each chapter contains, two or three passages (quoted entirely) which are discussed individually followed by questions for further reflection. Having the Biblical text included allows for the book's easy use as a devotional guide. The study questions make it handy for a small group study, and the material covered is simple and direct enough to allow for several uses. The themes developed and traced often throughout Scripture, make this an accessible theological resource, and the brief nature of the thoughts shared make it a perfect tool for pastors, who could easily prepare a longer sermon using the material Dillard offers as their starting point.
Dillard's exegesis is sound and the application he draws is challenging, relevant and helpful. I particularly enjoyed how he brought to bear a detailed understanding of the historic worship of Baal (from the Ugaritic texts) and how this highlights many of the points made in the stories of Elijah and Elisha. From crossing the Jordan, to the chariot of fire, from the rain being stopped and with fire coming from heaven, all of this relates to the alleged domain and limits of the god Baal. Dillard also excels at translating the concerns of the agrarian age of Elijah and Elisha to our own contemporary problems. Along the way he also develops a thoroughly God-centered approach.
The anticipatory function of Elijah and Elisha (e.g., the confrontation with Baal on the spot of the future battle of Armageddon, the feeding of a hundred men from 20 loaves with food “left over”, and etc.) is highlighted well in this book, even as parallels with Christ are carefully and judiciously drawn. Sometimes more explicit NT connections are left for the discussion questions, and I credit the author with stopping short of stretching too far in finding types and analogies of NT truths in the stories. I was intrigued too by the fascinating parallels drawn between Elijah and Moses when they went to Mount Horeb, and the discussion of the redemptive role of miracles – restoring creation to how it was intended to be.
The stories of Elijah and Elisha are breathtaking, and life-giving in themselves. Just as Elisha's bones brought a man to life, so too will this book bring life to your spiritual soul as you see those stories in a fresh and faith-filled way. The book may open your eyes to a Christian understanding of the Old Testament that you were unaware of. At the very least it will thrill you to the wonderful, covenant keeping God we serve, and His Son Jesus Christ. I highly recommend this book and others like it in The Gospel According to the Old Testament series.
Disclaimer: This book was provided by Presbyterian & Reformed Publishing for review. The reviewer was under no obligation to offer a favorable review.
An expanded version of this review is available at CrossFocusedReviews.com, where you can find book excerpts, giveaways, promotional offers, audio reviews and more.
Thankfully, the last twenty or thirty years have seen a revival of interest in the Old Testament and the recovery of preaching it as a Christian testament. Moralistic surveys of the characters of the Old Testament might have some use, but they are being set aside today in favor of a biblical theological approach that sees a unity in the Bible as a whole. The narrative of Scripture is being seen again as thoroughly Christocentric, and countless believers are being revitalized in their faith through finding the glory of God in the Old Testament afresh.
A big factor in the renaissance of the study of the OT has been the impact of good Christian books. P & R Publishing has produced a series of helpful books on OT themes called The Gospel According to the Old Testament series. The first book in that series is Faith in the Face of Apostasy: The Gospel According to Elijah and Elisha by Raymond B. Dillard.
Dillard's book and the series as a whole, parts ways from a simple anthropocentric approach to the OT. Such an approach centers on people and their needs, and looks to the OT for examples to follow, and life-lessons to learn. Dillard's approach, in contrast, focuses on what we can learn about God from the story, remembering that all OT stories have the unique quality of being divine revelation. The “first question” in this approach, “will not be 'What's here for me?' but rather 'What do I learn about God from this passage?'” Once we learn “about what God is like” from the passage, we are then prepared to ask “How we should I respond to this God?” Dillard then goes a bit further. “For Christian readers of the Old Testament”, he says, “there is yet another step to take.... We need to ask, How can we see God in Christ reconciling the world to himself in the pages of the Hebrew Scriptures? That is, in addition to anthropocentric and theocentric ways of reading the Bible, there is also a Christocentric approach.” (pg. 124-125)
With these goals in mind, the book begins with a historical overview of the time period of Elisha and Elijah and the likely time when Kings was written (the Babylonian exile period). It is interesting to note that Elijah and Elisha are singled out and given almost 1/3 of the space of the entire book of 1-2 Kings. Dillard also traces how later Scripture uses the account of Elijah and Elisha, focusing particularly on the parallels Matthew draws between Elijah and John the Baptist, and Jesus and Elisha.
The book moves on to a treatment of all the texts in 1 and 2 Kings where Elijah and Elisha have an important role. Each chapter contains, two or three passages (quoted entirely) which are discussed individually followed by questions for further reflection. Having the Biblical text included allows for the book's easy use as a devotional guide. The study questions make it handy for a small group study, and the material covered is simple and direct enough to allow for several uses. The themes developed and traced often throughout Scripture, make this an accessible theological resource, and the brief nature of the thoughts shared make it a perfect tool for pastors, who could easily prepare a longer sermon using the material Dillard offers as their starting point.
Dillard's exegesis is sound and the application he draws is challenging, relevant and helpful. I particularly enjoyed how he brought to bear a detailed understanding of the historic worship of Baal (from the Ugaritic texts) and how this highlights many of the points made in the stories of Elijah and Elisha. From crossing the Jordan, to the chariot of fire, from the rain being stopped and with fire coming from heaven, all of this relates to the alleged domain and limits of the god Baal. Dillard also excels at translating the concerns of the agrarian age of Elijah and Elisha to our own contemporary problems. Along the way he also develops a thoroughly God-centered approach.
The anticipatory function of Elijah and Elisha (e.g., the confrontation with Baal on the spot of the future battle of Armageddon, the feeding of a hundred men from 20 loaves with food “left over”, and etc.) is highlighted well in this book, even as parallels with Christ are carefully and judiciously drawn. Sometimes more explicit NT connections are left for the discussion questions, and I credit the author with stopping short of stretching too far in finding types and analogies of NT truths in the stories. I was intrigued too by the fascinating parallels drawn between Elijah and Moses when they went to Mount Horeb, and the discussion of the redemptive role of miracles – restoring creation to how it was intended to be.
The stories of Elijah and Elisha are breathtaking, and life-giving in themselves. Just as Elisha's bones brought a man to life, so too will this book bring life to your spiritual soul as you see those stories in a fresh and faith-filled way. The book may open your eyes to a Christian understanding of the Old Testament that you were unaware of. At the very least it will thrill you to the wonderful, covenant keeping God we serve, and His Son Jesus Christ. I highly recommend this book and others like it in The Gospel According to the Old Testament series.
Disclaimer: This book was provided by Presbyterian & Reformed Publishing for review. The reviewer was under no obligation to offer a favorable review.
An expanded version of this review is available at CrossFocusedReviews.com, where you can find book excerpts, giveaways, promotional offers, audio reviews and more.
July 12, 2024
I have the whole series and am reading it along with my Bible reading plan. Every volume has been good so far. Some read more like a commentary and some read like sermons. Each volume teaches a portion of the OT while making connections to Christ and the Christian life. It is really aiding my devotional reading of the OT and I heartily recommend it. If I could only recommend one volume, it would be the one on Joseph, but this one is excellent as well. I came away from it loving OT narrative more, and loving the one to whom it points more
December 8, 2021
Really good look at the lives of Elijah and Elisha. Dillard is a good exegete who makes connections with numerous Bible passages and brings many great insights to light. One of the best parts is the "For Further Reflection" section at the end of each chapter where he lists a number of thought-provoking questions.
June 9, 2022
This was a quick and easy read about the text of 1 and 2 Kings involving Elijah and Elisha. Dillard makes some great connections and points, but, as one might expect in a book like this, some things seem to be stretched. Would be something to read while preaching through Kings or Elijah and Elisha's life.
June 18, 2025
read most of it while preaching through 1-2 Kings.
Tons more helpful than Dale Ralph Davis.
Always an interesting comment is left somewhere that's worth pondering upon and developing.
Not every chapter on Elijah and Elisha is covered.
Good third after Leithart and Provan.
Tons more helpful than Dale Ralph Davis.
Always an interesting comment is left somewhere that's worth pondering upon and developing.
Not every chapter on Elijah and Elisha is covered.
Good third after Leithart and Provan.
June 13, 2019
Starts off strong with good deep content...ends shallow and stretching a little too hard to connect dots.
August 3, 2020
Excellent review of the lives of Elijah and Elisha and the application to the Christian life.
June 14, 2011
I loved this book, study, and I love the old testament. The format was very good. Started with a small introduction, scripture, history of the scripture, comparissions of scripture and whenever possible, comparissions of Jesus, Elijah, Elisha and Moses. With the comparissions, you have much more insight to who the Lord is and his redemptive plan. Each miracale, was a redemption and restoration that was very insightful. One of the chapters that left me with much reflection and shows the importance of in so many ways is repentance. King Ahab was to lead Israel to the ways of the Lord, however, he did not and sinned mightly against the Lord and the people. Because of his pride and lack of repentance, the people of Israel became complacent and did not listen to the word of God. Did not want to hear what God was saying. We have leaders in our church and in our homes that need to know the importance of repentance for the people they are leading. Maybe that is why our spiritual walk with the Lord is lacking. Helps me to know how to pray for the leaders and what to look for in the leaders of a church. Looking forward to reading more of this series
January 18, 2008
The late Dr. Dillard was professor of Old Testament at Westminster Theological Seminary. This is concise, sharp exegesis of these narratives from I and II Kings. Don't expect exhaustive verse-by-verse technical commentary. Dillard is interested in grasping the big message of each text, interpreting it theologically, relating it to Christ and applying it practically. His applications are often biting, striking for the heart.
Along with Dale Ralph Davis, this was the most helpful I found in my studies of Elijah and Elisha.
Along with Dale Ralph Davis, this was the most helpful I found in my studies of Elijah and Elisha.
December 30, 2013
The Old Testament and New Testament are not two separate books, but rather one congruent story of God’s work for His glory and the salvation of His people. Because of this, Dillard claims, we find the gospel in the pages of the old covenant as well. Focusing on Elijah and Elisha, Dillard reveals how their lives and ministries ultimately direct us to Christ. There is a wealth of information here, presented in a winsome, approachable manner.
April 2, 2015
Very good gospel-centric commentary that our staff used collectively in preparing a recent series on Elijah and Elisha. The book includes helpful study questions as well. Why only four stars? Because nothing compares to Dale Ralph Davis! I highly recommend reading Dillard alongside Davis' two works on 1 and 2 Kings. They complement each other very well, both with great quotes, illustrations, and application.
July 21, 2011
Women's Bible Study
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