The Old Testament contains a lot of desert territory. Reminders of God’s law, warnings against sin, and especially descriptions of God’s judgment on Israel and the surrounding nations for rebelling again him dominate the prophetical books. Sometimes the journey goes on and on without relief from God’s anger over sin. However, scattered throughout these books are oases of hope, where flowers of the gospel grow. There we observe the beauty of the gospel and hear promises of salvation to come.
A section on the New Testament will help you understand how the prophets’ words were fulfilled in Christ, in the growth of the church, and the acceptance of the Gentiles as full-fledged members of the church.
Flowers in the Desert will help you develop a sense of purpose when reading the Old Testament on your own. Soon you’ll be watching for the flowers to be found at every turn.
This book is part of Northwestern Publishing House’s Bible Discovery series. The books in this series provide background resources to help you read and understand the text of Scripture. The insights provided in these books remove the speed bumps on your road to a greater understanding of God’s Word.
A Bible study on this topic was written by Professor Tom Kock of Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary and is available from 
