Book Blurbs: Paul Raabe, Isaiah 13-27

Concordia Seminary’s Dean of Theological Research and Publication Dr. Kevin Golden sits down with Professor Emeritus Dr. Paul Raabe to discuss Raabe’s newly published book in the Concordia Commentary Series, Isaiah 13-27 (Concordia Publishing House, 2023), in this Concordia Journal Book Blurbs segment. “It’s profound theology, even in these chapters,” Raabe says. “These chapters are often overlooked by people but they constitute 20% of the book. They’re essential to the message of the book.” He says he wrote the book for non-Lutherans. “Ninety-eight % of the country is non-Lutheran,” he says. “And I believe that we all have to learn to preach and teach and write in ways that are intelligible to non-Lutherans. … We should not be working in some bubble of just Lutherans talking to Lutherans. We need to learn to make it intelligible to a general audience.” Raabe says he hopes readers walk away from the book and “rejoice in the work of Christ and His work of fulfilling Isaiah both now and the promise of the future not yet. And on how our lives in the church now, and our mission, is part of the fulfillment that Isaiah promised 2,700 years ago in the city of Jerusalem in the Middle East. We are now enjoying this age to come that he announced and we look forward to the full consummation. Isaiah can instill in us hope. Hope for the future. Hope for God’s future. Not man’s future but the future that God will bring about for our benefit.”

The book is available for purchase from Concordia Publishing House and from Amazon.