Our Portrait in Genesis

By Oswald Chambers

Book Overview

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Hardcover
• ISBN: B000WTCT2Q
• Release Date: January 1957
• Publisher: Christian Literature Crusade
• Weight: 0.37 lbs.

Customer Reviews

great spiritual insights

Our Portrait in Genesis containing the book of Genesis except for Genesis 12-25 . Chambers also wrote Not Knowing Whither, a commentary on the life of Abraham found in those chapters. The two were combined into one volume called Gems from Genesis. These books (like almost all of his) were copied by his wife Biddy Chambers from lectures he gave. I read this work out of The Complete Works of Oswald Chambers. I thought this was an excellent view of the events and themes in Genesis. There wasn't very much by way of culture, history, original languages, etc. What it contained were some good insights into the text itself; some of this involved cross-references within the book that I hadn't picked up before; some of it was insight into specific details that I hadn't picked up before. The best part of this book was Chambers' insights into human nature, and spiritual realities. He really opens up these peoples' lives (Adam/Eve, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph) in a way that exposes the human characteristics that are common to us all, including profound insight into the spiritual aspect of our lives. He also does a great job of referencing Christ throughout the work, keeping His life as the source of truth that illuminates these and our lives. Perhaps this could be classified as a devotional commentary, but it was deeply challenging, as Chambers usually is. Here's something I found particularly relevant: "Unless our ideals find us living in accordance with them they become a mockery. The Bible pays no attention to intellectual and emotional conceptions, but only to the actual manifestation of the ideal. A man may have remarkable conceptions, fine intellectual views, noble ideals and his actual life be beneath contempt, proving that all the high ideals and intellectual conceptions in the world have not the slightest power to bring the life into contact with Reality." (980) I would recommend this as a good approach to some of the spiritual riches to be gleaned from the book of Genesis.