Wow this book was very well done and informative. It took me months to read it as I had to keep stopping to put notes in my bible. I learned so much and noticed the importance of reading the OT. This book felt a bit like a text book with application at the end. I think the author would do well to create a textbook for his course out of his book.

A hopeful look at the first five books of the Bible and their significance to the rest of our reading, The Dawning of Redemption is a devotional-style book for any Christian. Accessible for any reading level and good reminders for the seasoned believer. See how the covenant of God is seamlessly woven throughout the entire Bible.

[I received a free eBook from Crossway through NetGalley.]

This is a very accessible introduction to the broad themes and the overarching narrative of the Pentateuch. Each chapter first discusses the theme, and then employs a more biblical-theological method to show how it leads to Jesus, and how it applies to life today. Villaincourt's writing is clear and avoids getting bogged down with anything technical. I would feel confident handing this to an interested high schooler.

On the theological side, Villaincourt shows his cards early on. He is heavily influenced by Peter Gentry, Stephen Wellum, John Sailhamer, L. Michael Morales, and T. Desmond Alexander. This book is an excellent distillation of all that scholarly work for a lay audience. However, it comes with the weaknesses of some of that scholarship -- particularly Gentry and Wellum's perspective on biblical covenants. To be fair, that perspective is far from the weakest position out there. It has many strong points (where it agrees with historic Reformed covenant theology). But it flops on many of the relations between the covenants.

As I've mentioned, this is very much a lay-level work. If you're involved in academic study of the Pentateuch, there's nothing groundbreaking here. (Although I did learn a few new things along the way.)

Each chapter ends with discussion questions, which is great. But the questions themselves leave a lot to be devoured. In a small group setting, many could elicit mere yes-or-no answers. The more substantive questions call for little more than regurgitation of the chapter's material. More thought could have been put into these.

In the end, I think this is a great resource for Sunday Schools, small groups, and maybe high school biblical studies curricula. As a lay-level handbook, it fills a gap in the literature that's out there. I'll be looking for future books by Villaincourt, too!

The Dawning of Redemption
The Story of the Pentateuch and the Hope of the Gospel
by Ian J. Vaillancourt
Pub Date 01 Nov 2022 | Archive Date 18 Nov 2022
Crossway
Christian

I am reviewing a copy of The Dawning of Redemption through Crossway and Netgalley...




Often when we start a new Bible Reading Plan we starting a new Bible Reading Plan we start enthusiastically in Genesis, but are quick to loose momentum as we encounter the Old Testament laws and genealogies. This book reminds us that today's Christian can get a lot from the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible. The Pentateuch is the foundation for understanding the rest of the Bible, pointing forward to the coming Savior, Jesus Christ, in profound ways.



Ian. J Vaillancourt offers readers a helpful introduction to the Pentateuch as the essential first act in the Bible’s grand story of redemption, in this accessible book. The chapters cover the whole of Genesis through Deuteronomy, examining themes such as creation, salvation, genealogies, and biblical covenants. Each chapter concludes with discussion questions, making this book a useful resource for individuals or groups who are looking to dive deeper into biblical study.



I give the Dawning of Redemption five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

The Dawning of Redemption: The Story of the Pentateuch and the Hope of the Gospels Is as promised an “introduction to the Pentateuch as the essential first act in the Bible’s grand story of redemption.” I requested to review this as I feel this knowledge is lacking in the church today. SO many people avoid the Old Testament as they do not understand how it connects with the New Testament and what value it holds today. I am always looking for resources on this topic to recommend. There are some great nuggets to be found here but overall it’s not written in an engaging style and may be difficult for the average reader to stay the course. I think it’s more suited to upper level college courses where you are used to plowing through denser material. The gospel centric piece at the end is not as clear as it could be. The book has tremendous merit and could be used with someone who has more knowledge and is in a position to explain what a group has read and shed more light and/or tie the pieces together.
#netgalley #thedawningofredemption