In his second entry into The Gospel According to the Old Testament series, Duguid examines the lives of Isaac and Jacob. From these two men and the events of their lives, we gain understanding about the ways God chooses and preserves His people. Although these men have glaring flaws, God’s promises are never in doubt—due only to His faithfulness. Duguid has written another helpful, much-needed volume on how the Old Testament points us to Christ. 

Our God delights in writing straight with a crooked pencil. He delights in using clay pots in which to store His treasure. The reason for this is simple. His strength is most abundantly seen in our weakness, and His glory most apparent when He uses the most insignificant people to bring about His wonderful purposes. [xiv]

Perhaps one of the most remarkable aspects of fallen humanity is our ability to believe that we can sin and not get hurt. We are so easily convinced by Satan that our sin will not come to light and that if it does it will not hurt us. The Bible, however, warns us against such comfortable illusions. [37]

Once you enter a debate with Satan over whether sin is safe, you will always lose. [38]

Let God be true and every man a liar. Every man and woman in this whole mess has been false to the core. Each of them has been self-seeking, self-trusting, self-serving, using others and trying to use God for their ends. But God’s purposes still stand. They may have meant it for evil, but God will use it for good. The well-devised plans of men succeed or are frustrated at God’s pleasure, in order to accomplish His goals. [42]

We are so quick to think when things are going well that it is our cleverness that has achieved our goals. Nonsense! God is accomplishing His purposes through us, and He deserves all of the credit. [98]

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All of Scripture is centered on Christ, even those passages written centuries before His human birth. The life of Abraham, far from being a mere example for us to follow, is actually a glimpse at the salvation God would ultimately provide through His Son. Abram’s call, justification, and faith are gifts of God and it is through his maturing into Abraham that we discover (among other things) that God’s Word is timeless and His promises sure.

The situation in which we find ourselves may well be a key part of God’s preparation of us for the task to which He will call us at some point in the future. But it may be only as we look back that we will come to understand how it all works into God’s plan for our lives. In the meantime, we may simply have to cling to God, believing, though not understanding. [11]

Abram’s logic, natural as it was, was fatally flawed. He had forgotten that the God whom he served was greater than his problems. He thought that God needed some help in fulfilling His promise. He thought too much about the potential disasters that might befall him and too little about obeying God and letting the chips fall where they may. [23]

Sin cannot be buried. It can only be atoned for. And there on the cross, we see in Jesus the God who really sees, who is looking out for the wanderer, pursuing us out in the desert. We see Jesus silently convicting us of our sin and rebellion against God, for which He hung there, but also pointing us to the way home, the way to blessing. There is no way to blessing that bypasses the cross. There was no shortcut for Jesus, and there is none for us. [71]

If there is anything in your life that you must have, apart from God, then it is your idol. When push comes to shove and you have to choose between serving your idol and serving God, then you will find out where your real commitment lies. [105]

All you really need to know about guidance can be summed up in this one sentence: God is faithful, so obey Him. Whether or not that seems likely to work is not your business. Being faithful to God’s revealed will is your business. [151]

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