God's Story (Text Only Edition)

The Bible Explained

Matt Searles

• Publisher: Lion Books
• Year: 2021
• ISBN:
  9780745981123
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Biblical Studies

'God's Story is a delight!... Those who have never opened a Bible and those who read the Bible every day will return to God's Story again and again.' James Robson, Ministry Director, Keswick Ministries

This deeply researched overview of the Bible clearly sets out the grand narrative of scripture.

By linking each of its many parts back to the whole, it moves beyond simply retelling biblical stories to help us to see how the Bible remains vitally relevant to our daily lives.

Giving historical context and theological insight, this book functions as both an accessible introduction for new readers of the Bible and an effective guide for those looking to grow their understanding of God's word.

This is a text-only edition.

For the full-colour edition, with over 150 superb images, see ISBN 9780745980645 (HB EDITION)

01THE BIBLE: GOD SPEAKS

How could small finite creatures know a vast infinite God? They could not – unless he chose to reveal himself in ways they could understand. The Bible presents itself as just such a revelation. Not humanity’s thoughts about God, but a personal address from God. God speaking so that people can know him, can have a relationship with him.

The story in miniature

The Bible is one coherent whole, telling the story of God’s plan to save the world through Jesus Christ. Though it is vast in scope, with different authors and an astonishing array of characters and sub-plots, it still has a very basic structure, shared by all good stories:

The setting	Creation Genesis 1–2	God created a beautiful world with a paradise garden where he would live with humanity. Humanity is tasked with making the world more glorious.
The conflict	The Fall Genesis 3–11	Satan (the serpent) tempts humanity to disobey God, leading them to be cast out of the garden and unable to complete their mission.
The rising action	Redemption Genesis 12 – Revelation 20	God made promises to Abraham to restore all things through his family. Abraham’s family became a nation, and were given a land where they would know God’s blessing. But then they sinned and were cast out of the land – things looked worse than ever. Jesus came to relive the story of Israel. He is the descendant of Abraham who would bring blessing. The story climaxes in Jesus’ death and resurrection – one of the great reversals in literary history. This seeming defeat was in fact Jesus’ greatest victory. He conquered Satan and death, so his people could re-enter the presence of God.
The conclusion	Consummation Revelation 21–22	The goal has been reached, the conflict overcome, and the villain defeated. God’s people live with him in a newly created paradise, more glorious even than the first creation. Jesus, the hero of the whole story, is vindicated, honoured, and marries his bride – his people – in a perfect happy ending.

The books of the Bible

THE OLD TESTAMENT – thirty-nine books written mainly in Hebrew		THE NEW TESTAMENT – twenty-seven books written in Greek
History Genesis to Esther		Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)
Poetry Job to Song of Songs		Acts of the Apostles
Prophecy Isaiah to Malachi		Letters Romans – Jude
		Revelation

The simplest way to think of the relationship between the Old and New Testament is that of promise and fulfilment. The Old Testament story is incomplete on its own. The New Testament completes the story, and shows the true fulfilment of all promises made in the Old Testament. Despite there being sixty-six books and many different authors, Christians believe the Bible to be one book, with one coherent story, because the ultimate author of the Bible is God himself, who inspired each human author in what they wrote (2 Peter 1:21).

How to understand the Bible

Reading the Bible can seem daunting. Three key principles make the task much easier (and are the principles that underpin the approach of this book).

1. Read later Scripture in light of what precedes it. The biblical authors deliberately developed the existing story, using similar language and themes. The most helpful background for understanding Mark’s Gospel (for example) is not history or archeology, but the Old Testament, primarily the prophecies of Isaiah. This book will seek to draw out some of these links, with regular “Old Testament fulfilment” sections in the New Testament part of this book.

2. Read in light of Christ. Jesus said that the Old Testament testified about him (John 5:39). The Bible is about God before it is about us. So don’t read it just looking for moral examples or lessons for today. First, try to see how what you’re reading forms part of the story climaxing in Jesus. In the Old Testament part of this book there are regular “Looking ahead to Jesus” sections.

3. Read in light of the main story. It can be easy to get lost in the details of the Bible. Keep an eye on the main story: God’s plan to restore all things through Jesus Christ. This introductory book cannot cover every detail and much must be left out, but we will focus on the main story that makes sense of everything else.

02IN THE BEGINNING: GOD CREATED THE WORLD

In the beginning, God spoke, and a world came to be. Seas and oceans, mountains and valleys, lions and eagles, ants and starfish, all created by God’s powerful word. All of creation reverberates with the joy of its creator, and reflects – in some small part – the beauty and generosity of the God who authored it. No wonder that as God laid the foundations of the earth “the morning stars sang together and the angels shouted for joy” (Job 38:7).

“And God said… ”

Other ancient accounts of creation (from Babylon, Egypt, and Greece) describe struggles between various gods; in contrast the account in Genesis 1–2 emphasizes God’s power, authority, and goodness. He created simply by speaking. With just a word, galaxies were born, the heavens were stretched out like a tent, and all beasts and creatures sprang into life. Everything that exists only does so because God spoke it into existence. Scripture consistently describes God as a speaking God, and emphasizes the power of his words.

By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.

Psalm 33:6

Forming and filling

Genesis chapter 1 presents a very ordered account, with the six days of creation in matching pairs. On the first three days, God creates the universe as a “house” with three different environments. On the next three days, God populates each of these environments in turn.

FORMING	FILLING
Day 1: “Let there be light.” God separated the light from darkness and made day and night.	Day 4: God made the sun and the moon to govern the day and night, and mark the seasons. He also made the stars.
Day 2: God separated the waters above from the waters below and made the sky.	Day 5: God created the birds of the sky and the creatures of the sea.
Day 3: God gathered the seas and made the dry land, and caused vegetation to grow.	Day 6: God made the living creatures to live on the land, and then made humanity.

“It was good”

A repeated refrain runs throughout Genesis 1: “And God saw that it was good.” When God had finished creating and saw all that he had made, he pronounced it very good. This has profound implications for a Christian view of the physical world, and indeed of God himself.

The ancient Greeks believed that the physical world was inferior to spiritual realities, as do many religions and philosophies today. They viewed material things as unimportant, or even evil. Yet God’s verdict “it was good” means that families and society, music and zoology, sunsets and coffee are all part of God’s good creation, to be valued and enjoyed to the glory of God. There is no division between the “sacred” and...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Introduction
• 1. The Bible: God Speaks
• 2. In the Beginning: God Created the World
• 3. Humanity: The Crown of Creation
• 4. A Royal Task: Fill and Subdue the Earth
• 5. The Fall: Sin Entered the World
• 6. Cast Out: Judgment and Salvation
• 7. The Flood: God’s Covenant with Noah
• 8. Abraham: God’s Gospel Promise
• 9. Covenant with Abraham: “I Will Be Your God”
• 10. Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph: Relentless Grace
• 11. Slaves in Egypt: Moses and Pharaoh
• 12. The Exodus: God Redeemed His People
• 13. Mount Sinai: The Law and the Covenant
• 14. The Tabernacle: God Dwells Among Us
• 15. Leviticus: Holiness, Priests, and Sacrifice
• 16. Numbers: Wilderness Wanderings
• 17. Deuteronomy: “Choose Life!”
• 18. Joshua: Entering the Promised Land
• 19. Judges: The Misery of Life with No King
• 20. Samuel: The Gift of Kingship
• 21. David: The Persecuted Messiah
• 22. Psalms: Prayers for All Seasons
• 23. Solomon: Prince of Peace
• 24. Wisdom Literature 1: The Order of Eden
• 25. Wisdom Literature 2: The Disorder of the Fall
• 26. The Kingdom Splits: God’s Judgment Falls
• 27. Elijah and Elisha: God’s Patience
• 28. The Exile: The Death of the Nation
• 29. The Prophets: God’s Mouthpieces
• 30. Isaiah: Prophecy of a New Heavens and Earth
• 31. Jeremiah: Prophecy of a New Covenant
• 32. Ezekiel: Prophecy of a New Temple
• 33. Daniel and Esther: Living as Exiles
• 34. Ezra and Nehemiah: The Return from Exile
• 35. Minor Prophets: Darkness Before the Dawn
• 36. Jesus: Who is This Man?
• 37. Four Gospels: Portraits of Jesus
• 38. Jesus’ Birth: Heaven Embraced Earth
• 39. Jesus’ Early Ministry: The Coming of the Lord
• 40. Jesus’ Teaching: Gospel and Kingdom
• 41. Jesus’ Miracles: Signs of a Restored World
• 42. Disciples and Opponents: Jesus’ Identity
• 43. Jesus’ Final Days: Ministry in Jerusalem
• 44. The Last Supper: Preparing for the End
• 45. The Cross: The Centre of the Bible’s Story
• 46. The Resurrection: New Creation Begun
• 47. Pentecost: God Sends His Spirit
• 48. Acts: Jesus’ Mission Continues
• 49. Paul: Witness of the Resurrected Christ
• 50. Paul’s Theology: Justification by Faith
• 51. Paul’s Theology: Union with Christ
• 52. Christian Living in the Last Days: Tension
• 53. The Church: God’s Plan for the World
• 54. Father, Son, and Spirit: The Trinity
• 55. The Return of Christ: The Day of Justice
• 56. The End of All Things: The New Creation
• Notes
• Glossary
• Diagram and map credits