William Newell wrote several volumes titled Old Testament Studies.
He also preached here at RBC several times in the 50s and early 60s.
I have been re-reading some of his introductory material.
This is from the first chapter of his first volume.
He gives a pretty clear summary of the Old Testament.
We hear the critics say ‘The supposed God of Love drowned all the world except one man in the Old Testament.’
We reply, “Yes God must let His holy hatred and judgment of sin be known. If not, who would see a reason for the death of His Son?”
From creation onward, God’s way has been to permit man to reveal his unwillingness to obey God’s directions and to exhibit his folly and weakness. And then, after man has made a wreck of things in his vain self-confidence and sin, to return to him in forgiving mercy and reviving grace. Judgment is necessary and must often precede the exhibition of God’s tender love; for God is God: His name is Love, but it is also Light. And He is holy and righteous, – in measure and degree infinite, eternal, unchangeable!