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Spring 2005 Professor Book review Mission in the obsolescent testamentCRITICAL BOOK REVIEWBibliographical info Kaiser, Walter C. Jr. Mission in the gray testament Israel as a Light to the Nations. Baker Books Grand Rapids, MI. January 2004.In assortmentation about the Author Walter C. Kaiser, Jr. is prexy and Colman M. Mockler Distinguished Professor of Old Testament at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He has a Doctorate. He is also the author or coauthor of several books. He is a strong advocate for Christians making Gods missional purpose a central theme in their lives. Missions cannot be an afterthought for the Old Testament it is the heart and core of the plan of God (38). Walter desires for the church, to not plainly participate in blessing to the greatest of ability, but also to receive the autonomous blessings the Lord has to offer us. Purpose of the Author Gods eternal plan was to provide salvation for all peoples it was never intended to be uncommunicative fo r one special group, such as the Jews, even as an initial offer It is the history of this offer and the way it was carried out in Old Testament times that will form the heart of our study here (10). Through this book Kaiser wants his reader to understand the correlation or the connecting point between the Old Testament and New Testament pertaining to missions. Kaiser wants the reader to understand that Genesis is the beginning for the call of missions, not the New Testament. He yearns for the reader to reflect on what he has to say and not only share his burden, but act on it. Kaisers of import purpose and focus is to fully define, expound, and elucidate the Old Testament mission in a way that his readers could have a better taste. Mission points to a central action the act of being sent with a commission to carry out the will of a superior. It is God who commissions and God who sends (11). Israel was to be Gods missionaries to the world-and thereby so are all who gestate in this same gospel (20). Kaiser puts things into simple terms and charges us or challenges all of us Who will go?Plan of the book Walter Kaisers main theme or plan, if you will, of the book is to refute the notion that the theme of missions inaugurated with the Great commission, but instead missions is a main theme throughout the Bibles entirety. Thus this theme of a mission to the whole world for... ...After reading this book I now have a greater knowledge and understanding for missions. As I said earlier it is Gods will that we are all called to be some form of missionary. When people think missionary they automatically think foreign land, but thats not what the word missionary means. Going to a foreign land is just one form of being a missionary. We are all called or charged by God to be some form of a missionary. Recommendation I in person have benefited greatly from reading Mission in the Old Testament. At first when assigned this book I assumed it was a book only for those who ar e preparing to go into the mission field to be used as a guide and a tool, but as I later find that my assumption was wrong. Instead this book was written for anyone who desires to know Gods plan, Gods purpose, Gods will, and Gods call for their individualised life. I also recommend it to be used in small study groups such as youth groups or a prayer meeting. I think every new and old Christian, if you will, should read this book. I myself have a greater knowledge and understanding of the Old Testament mission and standardised I said have a greater burden for Gods missionary plan and purpose.