James M. Hamilton Jr., Exalting Jesus in Ezra and Nehemiah (Holman Reference 2014, $12.99)
Review by S. Craig Sanders
Would you preach sermons from Ezra and Nehemiah? I have spent my entire life in Southern Baptist churches, and only remember hearing five sermons from Nehemiah — three during revival week as a teenager and two this summer at Sojourn Community Church. That means I have listened to roughly 1,500 sermons in my lifetime and only five of them, to my recollection, exposited the text of Ezra and Nehemiah.
“By faith Ezra and Nehemiah were used of God to advance God’s kingdom by provoking, preserving, and adding to the hope for a glorious eschatological restoration when the Messiah would reign,” writes James M. Hamilton Jr. in his new book, Exalting Jesus in Ezra and Nehemiah, which seeks to rectify the lack of faithful biblical exposition on these seemingly insignificant Old Testament narratives.
Hamilton, associate professor of biblical theology at Southern Seminary, contributed to the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series with sermons he delivered in 2010 at Kenwood Baptist Church, where he is the senior pastor. Hamilton’s edition is comprised of seven sermons from Ezra, nine sermons from Nehemiah, and a closing sermon on the messianic hope evident in both books.
Each chapter includes a main idea, structural outline of the passage, historical context, exegesis, application, and discussion questions. The accessible arrangement and the clarity of Hamilton’s writing provide the reader with not only a helpful study guide but also an instructional model for sermon preparation.
In his messages on the book of Ezra, Hamilton demonstrates the sovereignty of God in using insignificant people to play significant roles in his cosmic drama and the centrality of Scripture enabling God’s people to prosper. Indeed, he even offers encouragement to seminary students in his exegesis, urging them to “set your heart to study the Bible, do the Bible, and teach the Bible.”
“No method, program, or initiative — not even a Great Commission Resurgence — can be more effective than the living and active Word of God,” Hamilton writes.
The collection of sermons on Nehemiah insists that his “strength of character was forged from his study of God’s Word” and his initiation of covenant renewal for the returning exiles typifies the coming Messiah. According to Hamilton, Nehemiah’s significance in God’s story of redemption consists of nothing more than his obedience to God’s word and expectation of Jesus’ reign.
“God is building churches of seemingly insignificant people who have normal lives and normal problems,” writes Hamilton. “If you desire significance, what will make you significant is not something about you. It’s the Word of God, the promises of God … that’s the path to lasting significance.”
Surprisingly, the book’s most endearing trait is not Hamilton’s precise exegesis but the wide breadth of his illustrations — ranging from fantasy-fiction, classical music, and history — which attests to his voracious reading and creative application.
Hamilton’s work is an affordable commentary on two neglected books of the Bible, and can function either as a study guide for group discussion or a handbook for a minister determined to preach through these difficult texts. Exalting Jesus in Ezra and Nehemiah alters the perception as to the significance of these biblical texts, demonstrating that they are indeed integral in setting the stage for Jesus Christ in the big story of the Bible.
