My Salvation Is Close at Hand

""In My Salvation Is Close at Hand, Benjamin Giffone provides the tools necessary for preachers in our present generation to engage responsibly with the closing section of the book of Isaiah. These chapters, from what is often considered the 'fifth gospel, ' are rarely broached in Christian circles, even though Jesus began his ministry by reading from their very core in Isaiah 61. Take this opportunity to read and preach the full context of Christ's missional text with attention to its message to a community reeling from the exile which provides perspective for all of us bringing the gospel into alienating circumstances."" --Mark J. Boda, professor of Old Testament, McMaster Divinity College, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada ""Benjamin Giffone is inclined to think that the last part of the book of Isaiah (maybe the least-read part) is especially significant for our age. It's a day when the people of God are down-sized and down-hearted. We need God to encourage us and challenge us, and that's what God does for the people of God in Isaiah 56-66. So read Benjamin Giffone's exposition of these chapters!"" --John Goldingay, senior professor of Old Testament, Fuller Seminary ""In My Salvation Is Close at Hand, Benjamin Giffone offers an accessible yet rich look at Trito-Isaiah (Isa 56-66), highlighting how its original message to a post-exilic community living in the unique political tensions of the Persian Period offers an analogy for thinking through our Christian message and witness within in the post-Christian West."" --John Dunne, associate professor of New Testament, Bethel Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota ""In this useful volume, My Salvation Is Close at Hand, Benjamin Giffone provides Christians around the world with the resources they need to interact with the last stratum (chapters 55-66) of the book of Isaiah in a masterful manner. The profound messages of Isaiah 55-66 will be better understood and appreciated by preachers, pastors and lay readers in the face of the challenges and the opportunities of our post-Christian societies. Giffone offers insightful interpretations of the most significant passages from the book of Isaiah engaging his own existential experiences with the issues such as immigration, diaspora, family, gender, alienation, scar, and much more."" --Johannes Unsok Ro, professor of Old Testament studies, International Christian University ""Dr. Benjamin D. Giffone has written an engaging, relevant, and thought-provoking work on Isaiah 56-66. Attending to the details of the biblical text, he considers how these passages connect to our culture, society, church, and individual lives. His reflections and prayers suggest practical implications for living and encourage modern readers to continue to learn from the Old Testament."" --Brian G. Toews, professor, Center for University Studies, Cairn University ""In this wonderfully accessible guide to Isaiah 56-66, Giffone provides rich and helpful content that makes one of the most important prophetic texts approachable and understandable, helping students, pastors, and laypeople hone their reading and interpretive skills so that the message of these chapters can be applied in incisive ways for our complex, modern context."" --Seulgi L. Byun, chair, Department of Biblical and Religious Studies and Philosophy, Grove City College