A key theme in your book is humankind’s journey towards God’s heavenly kingdom; what called you to focus on this?
Not sure really! I have long felt uneasy about Sabbatarianism and wanted to address it. My approach to biblical theology always lands me with the results of lateral thinking, that is, I end up with a number of related themes to examine.
Who have you written the book for?
It was written with the non-technically trained but biblically literate Christian in view.
What was the most enjoyable thing about writing Homeward Bound?
Researching a theme, or themes, in biblical theology always gives me a buzz. I have been doing this since writing Gospel and Kingdom (1981), and never ceased to be amazed at the new insights into the Bible that keep coming.
What was the hardest part of writing Homeward Bound?
‘Hard’ is not an adjective that springs readily to mind. I suppose the less creative stuff like spelling and syntax as well as the grind of preparing indexes.
What was the most important lesson you learnt from writing this book?
Apart from a better understanding of the three major themes (exile, city, Sabbath), I never cease to be amazed at the unity of Scripture with its great diversity. Writing this reinforced my sense of two things: The fact that every part of the Bible relates to every other part, and the fact that not every part relates to Christians in the same way.
Has researching the Biblical text in preparation for writing this book had an impact on your personal faith journey?
Yes, it always does.
What effect do you hope Homeward Bound will have on the reader?
Several things:
-
A greater appreciation of the unity of all the various parts and themes of the Bible.
-
A better understanding of how the whole Bible is about Christ.
-
A greater sense of awe at the grace of God in the gospel.
-
A reinforced hope (certainty) for the participation in God’s rest and his kingdom.