Shades of Sheol: Death and Afterlife in the Old Testament    •
Philip S. Johnston   • Sep 1, 2004   • Series: Volume 7 - 2004
Johnston, Philip S. Shades of Sheol: Death and Afterlife in the
Old Testament. Apollos. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2002.
Paperback. 288 pp. ISBN 0-8308-2687-4.  This revised (1993)
Ph.D. thesis from the University of Cambridge provides an
exhaustive examination of the Old Testament's teaching on death,
the destiny of the dead, and the practices associated with the
dead in ancient Israel. He begins his study with several
essential observations regarding communication, expression, and
beliefs in ancient Israel. These include the recognition of the
diversity of religious beliefs among different peoples and times
in ancient Israel; the awareness that the biblical descriptions
are often more poetic and evocative than what we might call
literal and specific; and the common cultural sensitivity that,
as English speeakers may use terms and expressions laced with
references to Greek, R