The Emotions of God

Have you ever contemplated whether or not God has emotions? Well, whether or not you have, the fact of the matter is He does. And quite a few of them when you do the research. And, that is what this book is all about – a study of the emotions of God and how the believer can relate to those emotions.

The book is titled The Emotions of God: Making Sense of a God Who Hates, Weeps, and Loves. (Yes, that’s a mouthful.) It is authored by David T. Lamb (Doctor of Philosophy, University of Oxford), the Allan A. MacRae Professor of Old Testament and dean of faculty at Missio Seminary (formerly Biblical Theological Seminary) in Philadelphia. It is published by InterVarsity Press.

So, should we be fearful? Should we take comfort? Should we stand back and let God do His thing? These are the questions that Lamb examines. He does this by examining seven emotions that are expressly stated in Scripture – three negative and four positive.

It’s a serious read but it’s also a fun read. It’s a serious read because Lamb will educate you in your knowledge of God’s emotions. Most Christians don’t connect the words “God” and “emotions.” Lamb does and demonstrates why they go together. But, it’s also a fun read. Lamb sprinkles every chapter with personal anecdotes to illustrate what he’s trying to get across.

Lamb’s style is also light and easy to read. He does away with the scholarly jargon making the book accessible to all Christians. However, I would not recommend it as a “fast” read. To get the maximum benefit from the book, I would suggest taking the time to absorb all that Lamb presents.

So here’s who should read this book: believers who desire to know their God better and nonbelievers who think God is some kind of grouchy old man just waiting for you to err so He can zap you. Everyone will gain knowledge and practical application.

Disclaimer: This volume was provided to me by IVP for a fair and honest review.