Michael James Williams

After I became a Christian while serving in the U.S. Navy (in a submarine beneath the North Atlantic!), I entered Columbia International University, where I received a B.A. (1985). This was followed by an M.A. in Religion at Westminster Theological Seminary (1987) and a Ph.D. in Biblical Studies at the University of Pennsylvania (1999). In 2000, I was ordained in the Christian Reformed Church, and taught Old Testament and ancient Near Eastern languages and literature at Calvin Theological Seminary from 1995-2018. I have also taught courses at Westminster Theological Seminary; the University of Pennsylvania; and brief stints in Limuru, Kenya; Donetsk, Ukraine; and Warsaw, Poland. In addition to articles on Old Testament topics in various reference works and academic journals, I have authored several books, including “The Prophet and His Message: Reading Old Testament Prophecy Today” (2003); “How to Read the Bible through the Jesus Lens: A Guide to Christ-Focused Reading of Scripture” (2012); and, most recently, "30 Old Testament Passages with Deeper Meaning: The Surprising Significance of Seemingly Ordinary Verses" (2023). My amazing wife, Dawn, and I enjoy hiking and all things outdoors.