Go Now to Shiloh: A Biblical Theology of Sacred Space

In the Old Testament, God revealed himself to people in particular places so they might communicate with him and worship him. Unlike pagan deities, who were connected to the created world, God?s worshipers had to rely on him to reveal himself. Communication could be difficult, but God made it possible through places such as Bethel, Shiloh, and the tabernacle. In the New Testament, Jesus takes these categories and applies them to himself, showing that he alone is the access to God. Subsequently, the Holy Spirit comes and gives believers unprecedented access to God, making them connecting points between God and the world.Go Now to Shiloh by Old Testament scholar and professor Blake Hearson explores the challenges believers have faced over the centuries when communicating with God and shows what an immense gift we have as New Testament believers.  Review?Have you found a sacred space, a Shiloh, a Jerusalem, where the living God reveals himself and speaks tenderly to you? Hearson demonstrates how the ?sacred space? tradition evolved throughout Israel?s history, beginning with the garden of Eden and concluding with the everlasting Temple in heaven. On Mt Sinai, at Bethel, at Gilgal, and in numerous other hallowed places, God visited his people with blessings and/or judgment. With the advent of Jesus, believers have become holy temples, sacred places where God dwells, speaks, and reveals himself. This book invites you to live as the temple of the Holy Spirit, as a place where God yearns to commune intimately with you.?-Hélène Dallaire, Earl S. Kalland Professor of Old Testament and Semitic Languages, Denver Seminary   ?The prophet Jeremiah offers a stern warning to the inhabitants of Jerusalem: repent or become like Shiloh. On the one hand Shiloh serves as the prophetic paradigm for the consequences of neglecting the word of the Lord. On the other hand, its divine abandonment offers solace for believers today because it serves as a reminder that God?s presence is not relegated to a geographical ?holy? site. Rather, God?s name resides where he chooses it to dwell, whether in a city, a temple, or in the lives of the faithful. With acute attention to the biblical text and an astute eye on its theological ramifications, Hearson demonstrates how an understanding of sacred space in the biblical world has profound implications for understanding how God continues to connect with all who call upon his name.?-Kyle R. Greenwood, administrative director, MA programs, Development Associates International; associated professor of Old Testament, Denver Seminary; and adjunct associate professor of Old Testament, Fuller Theological Seminary   ?The themes of divine and sacred presence and space and their various expressions are pivotal concepts for historical, literary, and theological narratives in both the Old Testament and New Testament. After evaluating sacred sites like Bethel, Beersheba, Gilgal, and Shiloh (from sacralization to desacralization), Dr. Hearson, in a clear and persuasive manner, demonstrates how these grand themes of biblical theology find their epicenter in the Jerusalem Temple in the Old Testament and Messiah Jesus in the New Testament. Hearson?s research and foray into these complicated ideas provides both the student and seasoned reader of Scripture a detailed exploration of God?s sacred presence and geography and their ultimate culmination in Jesus as sacred space.?-James F. Linzey, chief editor, Modern English Version Bible   ?As a pastor it can be challenging to communicate in a way that connects with all people along a broad spectrum of biblical understanding. Blake Hearson?s use of metaphors and analogies inGo Now to Shiloh meets the challenge of communicating well with a wide range of readers. Before journeying back to Bethel, Gilgal, the burning bush, or the tabernacle, he takes his reader first to Gettysburg and Ground Zero to illustrate the concept of sacred space. His use