W. D Bishop Knihy

Fascination with the end times is not just a recent phenomenon.The young church at Thessalonica, having taken root during Paul's brief stay there, pondered when the end might come as well. Paul, in order to instruct them more fully, wrote them two letters, which taken together expound the "already-and-not-yet" character of the end times. His instruction and counsel can serve us well today.Throughout this commentary, G. K. Beale explains what each letter meant to its original hearers and its application for us today.

The heart of the Biblical understanding of idolatry, argues Gregory Beale, is that we become like what we worship. Employing Isaiah 6 as his interpretive lens, Beale demonstrates that this understanding of idolatry permeates the whole canon, from Genesis to Revelation.

Just like we do today, the writers and chief actors of the Old Testament felt a deep longing for the presence of God. Tracing the themes of Eden, the temple, God's presence and the new creation, this book seeks to add fuel to the fire of the church's passion to fulfill its mission—demonstrating God's abiding presence to the ends of the earth.