God in the Eclipse

Books Published: God in the Eclipse

Journal of Dispensational Theology – Winter 2104

hn Metzger, missionary and educator with Ariel Ministries has written God in Eclipse directly to Jewish people “to put into simple language a debunking of the issues surrounding God’s nature” (p. 5). Most Jews have abandoned even Judaism (pp. 13, 19) and rejected Christianity partly due to mistreatment by Christians throughout the ages. Therefore, Metzger distinguish-ed true believers and biblical Christianity from the corrupt forms that have too often emerged (p. 13). The bulk of the book deals with an analysis of Scripture to demonstrate the Old Testament (the Jewish Bible) clearly teaches the same truths honored by authentic Christians and taught in the New Testament.

There are several highlights in the book. Metzger demonstrated that the use of Elohim (Elokim) for God demonstrates that the Lord exists in an oneness in plurality, thus allowing for the doctrine of the Trinity (pp. 20-23, 51-60, 69-76. 164-75). The Angel of the Lord, as found in the Old Testament, is God and yet distinguished from the Father. The Angel is thus a pre-incarnate appearance of the Son (pp.38-48). The Rabbis attempted to build a “fence” around the Law, and this fence is what Jesus dismantled (pp. 62, 155, 213-14). The oral Law of Moses never existed; rather it was an invention of the Rabbis during the Second Temple Judaism era (450-70 BC). The credentials of Yeshua (Jesus) as being the Messiah (pp. 152-54) were given, along with proof that HE is Messiah (pp. 187-89), and very helpful answers to common objectives to his Messiahship (pp. 181-86). Metzger dealt well with some of the most complicated teachings and prophecies concerning Christ that are found in the Old Testament, such as the seed prophecies (pp. 78-95), the two messengers coming before Messiah taught in Malachi (pp. 131-35),and Messiah as the branch (pp. 159-68). Numerous important scriptural texts were well exegeted, such Genesis 4:1; 6:1-5; 49:9-10; 1 Kings 12:28; and, Isaiah 7:14; 53.

Not everyone, even among premillennial dispensationalists, will agree that the birth pangs prophesied by Jesus in Matthew 24:5-8 have already been fulfilled (pp. 192-93); nor that the battle described in Ezekiel 38-39 occurs prior to the Day of the Lord and is predominately against Muslims (pp. 192-94, but Metzger’s positions are well worth pondering.

God in Eclipse concludes with a call to Jewish people to be reconciled to their own God (pp. 201-05). The “Jerusalem Road,” modeled after the better-known Roman Road method of evangelism and drawn entirely from the Old Testament Scripture, is provided as an excellent source for explaining the gospel to Jewish people (pp.206-12). Whether given directly to Jewish people interested in knowing God or as a resource for those evangelizing Jews, God in Eclipse is a valuable tool.

Gary E. Gilley   Senior Pastor-Teacher

Southern View Chapel, (Springfield, IL)