Course 201 Manual and Practice Exam PDF

THE BIBLE AS STORY:
FROM GENESIS TO REVELATION
ACADEMY OF BIBLE AND THEOLOGY

Course 201
Basic training in Christian doctrine

for pastors, evangelists, church leaders
and serious students
Sponsored by:
AsiAfrica Ministries, Inc.
U.S.A.
©2019 Rt. Rev. Dr. Martin M. Davis (Ph.D.)
President & Presiding Bishop
AsiAfrica Ministries, Inc.
www.AsiAfricaMinistries.org
email: office@AsiAfricaMinistries.org
U.S.A.
This manual is given freely by AsiAfrica Ministries, Inc. It is not for sale.
This manual is written in basic English for readers whose first language is not English. British spelling
is used throughout this manual.
Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living
Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of
Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. (British spelling is used
in place of American spelling.)
Scripture quotations marked NivUK are from Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV®
Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide
Cover graphic from clipart-library.com.
The Bible as Story
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to Course 201, “The Bible as Story: From Genesis to Revelation,” presented by the
Academy of Bible and Theology, sponsored by AsiAfrica Ministries, Inc. (USA). This course
builds on the material in Course 104, “Jesus and the Old Testament.” Both courses studied
together will provide our students a solid, general understanding of the entire Bible.
In this course you will learn to see the Bible as a coherent narrative, or a consistent “story,”
that runs throughout both the Old and New Testaments, from Genesis to Revelation. This
course will help you “make sense” of the Bible as a whole. You will learn that the Bible is not
merely a collection of stories, but, rather, is one long story that reaches its climax in Jesus
Christ. This course will challenge you to think of the Bible in ways that may be new to you.
In this course, we will draw heavily on the work of Professor N.T. Wright, former Bishop of
Durham (UK) and now Research Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at St.
Mary's College, University of St. Andrews (Scotland). Professor Wright is widely regarded as
one of the greatest Bible scholars of our time. Professor Wright’s name will appear many
times throughout this course, for we are greatly indebted to him for a life-time of great
scholarship, especially in the field of New Testament studies.
UNLOCKING THE MYSTERY

Pastors often say that we should read the Bible all the way through—from Genesis to
Revelation. This is a long and difficult process, however, that may bear little fruit if we do not
understand the overall story that the Bible tells. The task is made more difficult because the
books of the Old Testament are not in chronological (“having to do with time”) order. For
example, the books of Ezra and Nehemiah are located roughly near the middle of the Old
Testament, yet they describe events that bring the Old Testament to a close.
For many Christians, the Bible is a mystery. What is it all about? What is its purpose? Why is
it important to read it? Are the many stories told in the Bible, especially in the Old Testament,
just an interesting source for sermons and lessons for life? Or, does the Bible tell an overall
story that is moving toward a goal? If so, what is the goal? In this course, we will unlock the
mystery by learning to see the Bible as a long but coherent story that was always leading up
to King Jesus.
For many, the Bible is largely unexplored territory. Those who travel through unknown
territory need a map to guide them. Therefore, we will begin this course with a map, an overall
guide that will help us get our bearings, in order to explore what lies ahead. Our map is a
synopsis, or “summary,” of the Bible story, beginning with the story of creation in Genesis
and guiding us to the climax of the story fulfilled in Jesus Christ. We will use our map to get
our bearings, so that we may navigate more easily through the great story told in the Holy
Bible. Therefore, with map in hand, let us begin at the beginning ….
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Academy of Bible and Theology
SYNOPSIS
The Bible is the grand story of a good God, who creates a good world out of an abundance of
love. God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—creates human beings for fellowship. God wants to
share his love with us, and to receive our love in return. God creates Adam and Eve and puts
them in a beautiful Garden. God gives them a vocation, or calling. That is, God gives Adam
and Eve responsibilities and duties, so that they may partner with God and share in his rule
over the world. As “image bearers,” God calls Adam and Eve to carry out God’s good plan for
the world and to gather up the praise of all creation and offer it back to God. The vocation
that God gives to Adam and Eve will be a recurring part of this great story.
Adam and Eve, however, abandon their vocation as “image bearers.” Tempted by the serpent
(the devil), they commit idolatry by putting themselves in the place of God. They claim for
themselves the right to determine good and evil, a right that belongs only to God. When they
hear God walking in the Garden, they hide in fear, ashamed of their disobedience. In an act
of great mercy, God sends his children from the Garden of Eden, so that they will not eat from
the tree of life and live forever in a state of fear, shame and confusion. Following the sin of
Adam and Eve, the world descends into violence.
Despite human sin, God does not give up on his good plan for creation. In order to get his
creation project back on track and moving forward again, God calls Abraham. God makes a
“covenant,” or binding agreement, with Abraham. God promises that all nations will be
blessed through Abraham and his descendants. Abraham and his wife, Sarah, are the new
Adam and Eve, the new human pair through whom God will carry forward his good plan for
the world.
The descendants of Abraham grow in number to become the twelve tribes of the nation of
Israel. They go to live in Egypt because there is famine in their own land. Pharaoh, the king of
Egypt, fears the growing number of “Israelites.” Therefore, he forces them into harsh slavery.
God’s people, the descendants of Abraham, cry out to God, who hears their cries. God sends
Moses to deliver his people from bondage and to bring them to the land that God promised
to Abraham and his descendants. After a series of plagues destroys Egypt, God brings his
people out of slavery in a great movement known as the “exodus,” or “departure,” from
Egypt. God divides the waters of the Red Sea, so that his people may cross safely into the
wilderness of the Sinai Peninsula, out of reach of the evil king of Egypt. Guiding his people in
a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, God brings his people to Mount Sinai, where,
through Moses, he gives them his law. God calls the people of Israel to take up the vocation
given first to Adam and Eve, then to Abraham and Sarah. They are to serve God as a holy
nation and a kingdom of priests, carrying out God’s good plan in the world, bringing blessing
to the nations and offering the praise of all creation back to God. The “exodus” from bondage
in Egypt is a defining moment in the history of God’s people, Israel. The “exodus story” is told
again and again by the psalmists and prophets of the Old Testament.
After a 40-year journey of testing and preparation, Abraham’s descendants, the nation of
Israel, finally enter the Promised Land, the land that God promised to Abraham. After a bloody
conquest of the land of Canaan, under the leadership of Joshua, the people of Israel are ruled
first by a series of judges, then by kings. The greatest king of Israel is David, son of Jesse. God
makes a covenant with David, promising that the “house of David” will last forever. In other
words, there will always be a king in the family line of David on the throne of Israel. David’s
son, Solomon, known throughout the ancient world for his great wisdom and wealth, builds
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The Bible as Story
a “house” for God—the magnificent temple in Jerusalem, where God dwells among his
people. In his old age, Solomon listens to his many foreign wives and falls into idolatry.
After Solomon, the nation of Israel splits into two kingdoms: the ten tribes to the north are
the kingdom of Israel; the two tribes to the south are the kingdom of Judah. Most of the kings
of Israel and Judah do evil in the sight of God. Again and again, despite the many warnings of
the prophets, the people turn away from God and commit idolatry. Eventually, the ten tribes
of the north are carried away into slavery by the powerful nation, Assyria, never to be heard
from again. Roughly 150 years later, the city of Jerusalem, including Solomon’s temple, is
destroyed by the powerful army of Babylon. The people of the southern kingdom, Judah, are
carried away to Babylon as captives, where they remain in exile for 70 years. Like the exodus,
the “exile” is a defining moment in the history of God’s people. Like their ancestors in Egypt,
the people held captive in Babylon cry out to God for deliverance. Finally, the Persian king,
Cyrus, defeats Babylon and allows all captive people to return to their homelands. Under the
leadership of Ezra and Nehemiah, God’s people return to Jerusalem and begin to rebuild the
city and the temple. At this point, the story of God’s people recorded in the Old Testament
comes to an end.
During the following four centuries, the Jews, the people of the southern kingdom, Judah, are
conquered and ruled by various pagan nations. Although they have returned from Babylon,
they are still in exile, for they are held captive in their own homeland by pagan rulers. During
this period of extended exile, the people cry out to God for a deliverer like Moses. They cry
out to God for a great king like David to come and drive out their pagan oppressors. They long
for the coming of the Messiah, the “Anointed One,” who will finally bring an end to exile by
driving out the pagan armies and taking his place on the throne of David. Finally, a prophet
named John goes into the wilderness of the Jordan River, calling God’s people to repentance
and preparing the way for the coming Messiah. Then, a young man from Nazareth comes to
John to be baptised, and a voice from heaven says, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am
well-pleased” …
As we begin to learn the long story that the Bible tells, let us set out from the start the most
important thing you need to know about the Bible:
The Holy Bible is the divinely inspired text, written by human authors, to bear witness to
Jesus Christ.
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CHAPTER 1: IN THE BEGINNING

Genesis 1:1-5: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was
formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was
hovering over the surface of the waters.
3 ThenGod said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light
was good. Then he separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light “day”
and the darkness “night.” And evening passed and morning came, marking the first day.
Genesis 2:3: And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the
day when he rested from all his work of creation.
INTRODUCTION
In this course, we will lean to see the Bible as a coherent (“sensible, consistent”) “narrative,”
or “story,” running from Genesis to Revelation. At first glance, however, the Bible does not
look like a story. Rather, it seems to be a collection of bits and pieces that are difficult to fit
together. Nevertheless, there is an over-all narrative, or story, that runs through the Bible and
leads to Jesus. The apostle Paul writes:
1 Corinthians 15:3, 4: I passed on to you what was most important and what had also
been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4 He was
buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.
Paul says that Jesus died, was buried and was raised from the dead “just as the Scriptures
said.” Paul is referring to what Christians call the Old Testament (the New Testament had not
been written yet). According to Paul, the Old Testament points to Jesus.
Jesus himself teaches the same thing. Jesus said to the Pharisees (religious leaders), “You
search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to
me!” (John 5:39). Like Paul, Jesus refers to what Christians call the Old Testament. According
to Jesus, the Old Testament points to him! When Jesus talked with the disciples from Emmaus
on the day of his resurrection, he said:
Luke 24:25-27: “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets
wrote in the Scriptures. 26 Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to
suffer all these things before entering his glory?” 27 Then Jesus took them through the
writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things
concerning himself.
According to Jesus, Moses and the prophets of the Old Testament wrote about him!
Nevertheless, we cannot go to the Old Testament to find “proof texts” about Jesus. In other
words, generally speaking, we cannot pick out a verse here or there that clearly points to the
events of the life and death of Jesus Christ. Rather, the entire Old Testament is a story that
was always leading up to Jesus. Jesus is always the focal point and climax of the story of Israel,
as written in the Old Testament. To see how the Old Testament points to Jesus, we must
understand the story that the Old Testament is telling. In other words, we have to know the
“back story,” or “background,” if we are to understand how the Old Testament points to Jesus.
So, what sort of story is the Bible? We can better understand the Bible as “story” when we
compare it to another story that was prominent in the days of Jesus and the early church. The
great writers and poets of Rome were telling a competing story that described the history of
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The Bible as Story
Rome as a long story that was always leading to a time of peace and prosperity under the new
king, Augustus Caesar. When Augustus ascended to the throne of the Roman Empire, he was
hailed as the “son of god.” With Augustus on the throne, Rome was set to enter a golden age
of universal peace and prosperity.
The early Christians, on the other hand, were telling a different story. They were saying that
Jesus of Nazareth, not Caesar, was the Son of God. The early Christians said that the Kingdom
of God had arrived on earth through the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. An age of
peace and prosperity was breaking into the world through King Jesus, not through the Roman
king, Augustus Caesar.
The early Christians would encourage us to read the Bible always with Jesus in mind, for the
long story that runs throughout the Bible was always leading up to Jesus and the Kingdom of
God. While many Christians believe the Bible is only a book that shows how souls may get to
heaven, the early Christians understood the Bible as the story of how heaven comes to earth
through the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ.
In this course, we will learn to see the Bible as a coherent story that was always leading up to
Jesus. In order to do that, we must begin at the beginning.
HUMANITY’S PLACE IN GOD’S CREATION

Genesis 2:15-25: The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch
over it. 16 But the Lord God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in
the garden— 17 except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit,
you are sure to die.”
18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper
who is just right for him.” 19 So the Lord God formed from the ground all the wild
animals and all the birds of the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would
call them, and the man chose a name for each one. 20 He gave names to all the livestock,
all the birds of the sky, and all the wild animals. But still there was no helper just right
for him.
21 Sothe Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. While the man slept,
the Lord God took out one of the man’s ribs and closed up the opening. 22 Then
the Lord God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man.
23 “At last!” the man exclaimed. “This one is bone from my bone, and flesh from my
flesh! She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken from ‘man.’” 24 This explains
why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united
into one. 25 Now the man and his wife were both naked, but they felt no shame.
A GOOD CREATION
The Bible begins with a profound statement: “In the beginning God created the heavens and
the earth” (Genesis 1:1). Many people in the ancient world believed that creation is evil. They
saw the world as a dark, sad and gloomy place created by an evil god, or perhaps by a weak
god. Some thought that the earth was ugly, sinful and dirty compared to heaven, which was
beautiful, pure and clean. Yet, the Holy Bible says:
Genesis 1:31: Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!
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Contrary to many pagan beliefs, the Book of Genesis tells us that the world is the good
creation of a good God.
CREATION AS TEMPLE
Many cultures in the ancient world built temples to their gods. The temple was the place
where the world of the gods and the world of humans came together. Leading theologians
today believe that Genesis 1 describes the construction of a temple. The “days” of creation
are actually stages in the construction of the temple where heaven and earth come together
in unity and harmony. The whole creation is a “heaven-plus-earth” unity. Heaven and earth
and God and humanity were always meant to be together. Heaven and earth constitute a
“unity-in-diversity,” where the infinite (unlimited) God and finite (limited) human beings are
intended to live together in a fellowship of love, peace, joy and mutual giving and receiving.
On the sixth “day,” God created human beings. Adam and Eve were created in the “image of
God.” God told Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply, so that human beings would fill the
earth and govern it on behalf of God. God gave Adam and Eve authority to rule over the fish
in the sea, the birds in the sky, and the animals on the ground (Genesis 1:26-28). The authority
and responsibility God gave Adam and Eve was their vocation, or calling. This was the unique
task they were called to do in God’s creation project. They were to be stewards, or
“caretakers,” of creation, looking after the earth on behalf of God and making it beautiful.
Humans were to be the means through which creation celebrates and worships the Creator.
ASSIGNMENT: Read Psalm 8 for a clear statement of the human vocation, especially vs
6-8.
On the seventh day, when creation was finished, God “rested,” or ceased from work. This
does not mean that God retired and went away to leave the world to operate on its own. It
means that God came to rest, or make his home, in the temple he had made, so he could
enjoy fellowship with human beings. “Rest” on the seventh day is God coming to dwell in his
house. Thus, creation is a seven-fold process that concludes with God “at home” with the
human beings he created.
COMMENT: Why is it important to think of creation as a temple where God and
humanity come together in fellowship? It is important because it shows that God has
always wanted fellowship with human beings. God wants heaven and earth to be
united in peace and harmony. God created us, so that we earthly, finite human beings
may share forever in the love, life and beauty of the Holy Trinity—Father, Son and Holy
Spirit. God created us because God wants us with him. Father, Son and Holy Spirit want
to share their love for each other with us. It has been so from the beginning.
Temples of the ancient world had an image inside them that
“For whatever reason, represented the god worshipped in the temple. The image,
since humankind showed usually made of stone or wood, allowed the worshippers to see
up on the scene, God does their god, as they offered sacrifices to it. When God created the
nothing without a human
temple of heaven and earth, he made human beings to be the
partner.”
image in the temple. (This is the reason that the temple in
Bishop Desmond Tutu Jerusalem had no image inside it.) God gave human beings a
task, or vocation, so that God’s love and power could be
exercised in the world through his image, that is, through human beings. As his “image
bearers,” humans were to gather up the praise and worship of all creation and offer it to God.
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The Bible as Story
As professor N.T. Wright explains, human beings are like “angled mirrors,” reflecting God’s
purpose, love and care into the world and returning the praise of creation to God.
COMMENT: Two themes run throughout the Bible from Genesis to Revelation: 1) God
wants fellowship with human beings. That is, God wants to dwell with us! 2) God wants
willing human partners to help him carry out his will in the world. In the words of Bishop
Desmond Tutu, “For whatever reason, since humankind showed up on the scene, God
does nothing without a human partner.”
Human beings as “image” and creation as “temple” are very
Creation as duality
good in the eyes of God. God created the world to be a
or “unity-in-diversity”
harmonious, integrated whole. God’s good creation forms a
harmonious “duality.” Heaven and earth, sea and dry land and
male and female were created to complement and balance day night
one another. Human beings, created as male and female, are heaven earth
the focal point of this duality. At the beginning of the Bible land sea
story, God creates Adam and Eve, man and woman, to male female
complete and complement one another. At the end of the
Bible story, in the Book of Revelation, the New Jerusalem
comes down from heaven to earth as a bride adorned for her husband. Thus, male and
female, coming together in a harmonious, complementary duality, is seen both at the
beginning of the Bible and again at the end. “Duality,” or “unity-in-diversity,” is built into the
structure of the universe.
COMMENT: In our publication, “The Christian Doctrine of God,” we learn that God is
Father, Son and Holy Spirit, three equal divine persons eternally united as One in a
fellowship of love. The “unity-in-diversity” that characterises the Holy Trinity is built into
the structure of creation.i
FAILURE OF VOCATION
Genesis 3 tells the story of Adam and Eve’s disobedience:
Genesis 3:6, 7: The woman . . . saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked
delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit
and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. 7 At
that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness.
So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves.
God told Adam and Eve to eat the fruit from every tree in the garden except the “tree of the
knowledge of good and evil” (Genesis 2:16, 17). Adam and Eve, however, yielded to the
temptation of the serpent (Satan) and disobeyed God. Their disobedience was not merely a
poor moral choice. Their disobedience was a failure of vocation. Instead of giving their
allegiance to the God who created the heavens and the earth, they gave their allegiance to
one of the creatures of the earth—the serpent. As an act of love and mercy, God exiled Adam
and Eve from the garden, so that they would not eat of the tree of life and live forever in a
state of disobedience and separation from God.
The story of Adam and Eve in the garden is much like the story of the nation of Israel. Adam
and Eve are placed in a garden and given a vocation, which they fail to complete. Likewise,
the people of Israel are given the Promised Land, a land flowing with milk and honey. They
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are given the vocation to be a light to the nations. They are to be the nation through whom
all other nations are blessed. Like Adam and Eve, however, Israel fails in its vocation. Like
Adam and Eve, who are exiled from the garden, Israel is “exiled,” or sent away, to the pagan
nation, Babylon.
COMMENT: The story of Israel is a re-telling of the story of the Garden of Eden. The
Jews in the time of Jesus would understand the story in Genesis 1-3 as their story.
After Adam and Eve are exiled from the garden, violence increases in the earth, as Cain kills
his brother Abel (Genesis 4:8). Later, Lamech, a descendant of Cain, kills a man (Genesis 4:23).
Cain goes to a land to the east, then starts a family and builds a city (Genesis 4:17). Genesis,
Chapters 4-11 tells the story of increasing violence and death among the people of the earth.
Filled with pride and self-importance, the people unite to build a city with a tower that
reaches to the sky (Genesis 11:4). The tower is the symbol of human arrogance and self-
idolatry. Humanity shows its desire to run the world its own way, rather than God’s way. Thus,
God confuses the people’s language and scatters them across the earth. The Jews in the time
of Jesus would see a close relationship between the story of Babel and their own story. Just
as exile from the Garden of Eden leads to the tower of Babel, exile from the Promised Land
leads to captivity in Babylon (Babel).
COMMENT: Genesis, chapters 3-11, reveals a pattern of disobedience that results in
violence, failure of vocation and exile. This pattern is repeated in the history of the
nation of Israel.
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The Bible as Story
CHAPTER 2: THE FAMILY OF ABRAHAM

Genesis, chapters 1-3, is the foundation for the great narrative, or story, told in the Bible. In
these chapters, God is at work, creating the temple made up of heaven and earth and calling
it very good. God places Adam in the “temple” to bear his image and carry out his purpose for
the world. Adam fails in his vocation (“calling”), however. Adam commits idolatry by listening
to a creature (the serpent) rather than the Creator (see Romans 1:21-23). Adam and Eve are
“exiled,” or “sent away,” from the Garden.
Despite Adam’s failure of vocation, however, God does not give up on his good plan for
creation. God is determined to carry out his plan through human beings. In order to get his
creation project back on track, God calls another human pair to carry out his purposes: Abram
and Sarai. God says to Abram (or, “Abraham”):
Genesis 12:1-5: … “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family,
and go to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation. I will bless
you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. 3 I will bless those who
bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will
be blessed through you.”
4 So Abram departed as the Lord had instructed, and Lot went with him. Abram was
seventy-five years old when he left Haran. 5 He took his wife, Sarai, his nephew Lot, and
all his wealth—his livestock and all the people he had taken into his household at
Haran—and headed for the land of Canaan.
God promises the land of Canaan to Abram. God promises to make a great nation through
Abram. God promises that all nations will be blessed through Abram and his descendants.
COMMENT: God chooses a childless couple to carry out his plans for creation (see
Genesis 15:2, 3). Abram was 75 years old and Sarai was past the age of child bearing.
Abram and Sarai were unable to fulfill God’s purposes on their own. Only God could
fulfill his promises to Abram. This shows that God’s plans for humanity are plans of
grace. All God’s ways toward us are ways of grace.
There is a link between Abram and Sarai and Adam and Eve. God puts Adam and Eve in the
garden and tells them to be fruitful and multiply. In much the same way, God promises land
to Abram. God promises that Abram’s descendants will multiply in number like the stars of
heaven. Abram and Sarai are the new Adam and Eve. The “Promised Land,” Canaan, is the
new Garden of Eden. Abram and Sarai are called to reverse the
sin of Adam and Eve. They are called to take up the vocation
of Adam. As the new stewards of creation, they will take care Abram and Sarai are
of God’s garden (the Promised Land). As the new “image the new Adam and Eve.
bearers,” they will bring God’s love and care to the world,
while gathering up the praise of all creation and returning it to God. Thus, Abram builds
shrines and altars to God wherever he goes. Through the new Adam and Eve, God renews his
good purposes for creation. Through Abram and Sarai, God gets his creation project back on
track and moving forward again.
GOD’S COVENANT WITH ABRAM

In Genesis 15, God makes a covenant with Abram. A covenant is a binding agreement, often
made between a king and one of his subjects. The king and his subject make promises to each
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other. Both parties are responsible to keep the terms of the covenant. God makes a covenant
with Abram. God promises to give Abram a family and land (Genesis 15:5, 18). God’s promise
of land and a family recapitulates, or “repeats,” God’s promise to Adam.
COMMENT: “Recapitulate” means “to repeat” or “to do over again,” as in repeating a
previous pattern or process. In many ways, the story of Abram and Sarai “recapitulates”
the story of Adam and Eve. We will see this pattern again in our study.
Unlike other covenants of the time, however, where both parties are responsible for the
terms of the covenant, God makes a unilateral, or “one-sided,” covenant with Abram. When
God enacts the covenant ritual (Genesis 15:17), Abram is in a deep sleep. Thus, Abram plays
no part in making the covenant. The covenant God makes with Abram is a covenant of grace.
God takes sole responsibility for the terms of the covenant. God will be faithful, whether or
not Abram and his descendants are true to the covenant.
COMMENT: For more on the covenant God made with Abram, see Course 104, pp.
16-18.
There is a dark side, however, to the great biblical narrative, or
A “double strand” of story, that runs throughout the Bible, especially in the Old
light and dark, good and Testament. Abram and Sarai are weak, sinful human beings, full
evil runs throughout the of faults like everyone else. Abram tries to take God’s creation
biblical narrative. project into his own hands by producing a son (Ishmael) through
Sarai’s servant, Hagar (Genesis 16). Abram lies to protect
himself against jealous rivals by claiming that Sarai is his sister (Genesis 20). Sarai laughs in
disbelief at God’s promise to give her a son (Genesis 18:10-12). Abram and Sarai are not only
bearers of the solution; they are also carriers of the problem. While Abram and Sarai are to
bring blessing to the nations, they are, in fact, sinful human beings. According to Professor
Wright, this “double strand” of good and evil, light and dark, promise and failure, obedience
and disobedience runs throughout the biblical story.
THE SIGN OF THE COVENANT

In Genesis 17, God re-affirms his covenant with Abram. God promises to multiply Abram’s
descendants, so that he will be the father of many nations (vs 1-4). God changes Abram’s
name to “Abraham,” which means “father of many” (vs 5). God promises that kings will come
from the line of Abraham (vs 6). God promises to give the land of Canaan to Abraham’s
descendants as an everlasting possession (vs 8). As a sign of God’s covenant with Abraham,
God commands that every male child be circumcised (vs 10). Finally, God changes Sarai’s
name to Sarah and promises to give her a son (vs 15, 16).
THE OFFERING OF ISAAC

Finally, Sarah gives birth to a son, whose name is Isaac. Abraham is 100 years old when his
son, Isaac, is born (Genesis 21:1-5). God’s covenant with Abraham will be carried forward
through Isaac.
Years later, however, God tells Abraham to go to the land of Moriah and sacrifice his son,
Isaac (Genesis 22). Child sacrifice was common among the nations in the time of Abraham.
Thus, God’s command may not have seemed out of place to Abraham. Nevertheless, at the
crucial moment when Abraham is about to sacrifice his son, God intervenes (vs 10-12). God
provides a ram for the sacrifice in place of Isaac (vs 13). The offering of Isaac points forward
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The Bible as Story
to the time when God will give his one and only Son as an expression of his love for the world
(John 3:16).
NOTE: For more about the offering of Isaac, see Course 104, pp. 18-20.
THE DESCENDANTS OF ABRAHAM

The remainder of the Book of Genesis tells the story of Abraham’s descendants. Abraham’s
son, Isaac, is the father of Jacob. Jacob has a dream in which he sees a ladder climbing from
earth to heaven. Angels go up and down the ladder (Genesis 28:10-19). According to Professor
N.T. Wright, Jacob’s dream is a temple vision—a vision that God will bring heaven and earth
together again at last. Later, Jacob wrestles with an angel of the Lord by the river Jabbok.
Jacob is wounded in the struggle. Because Jacob struggles with God, his name is changed to
“Israel” (Genesis 32:22-32). Jacob’s struggle points forward in time to the nation of Israel’s
struggle with God as a result of their ongoing idolatry. Jacob has twelve sons, who become
the fathers of the twelve tribes of the nation of Israel (Genesis 35:23-26). Genesis ends with
the descendants of Abraham living in Egypt, because there is a famine in their own land.
The Book of Genesis is the story of God’s purpose for creation and God’s promise to renew
creation despite humanity’s idolatry and failure of vocation. Alongside the bright hope of a
renewed creation, however, there is a dark side to the story, for Genesis is also a story of
sibling rivalry that pits Cain against Abel, Isaac against Ishmael, Jacob against Esau, and Joseph
against his brothers. The story that the Bible tells is not a fairy tale where everyone lives
happily ever after. It is a story of jealousy, envy, violence and conflict—often done in the name
of God.
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CHAPTER 3: THE EXODUS STORY

Exodus 14:21-31: Then Moses raised his hand over the sea, and the Lord opened up a
path through the water with a strong east wind. The wind blew all that night, turning
the seabed into dry land. 22 So the people of Israel walked through the middle of the sea
on dry ground, with walls of water on each side!
23 Then the Egyptians—all of Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and charioteers—chased them
into the middle of the sea. 24 But just before dawn the Lord looked down on the
Egyptian army from the pillar of fire and cloud, and he threw their forces into total
confusion. 25 He twisted their chariot wheels, making their chariots difficult to drive.
“Let’s get out of here—away from these Israelites!” the Egyptians shouted. “The Lord is
fighting for them against Egypt!”
26 When all the Israelites had reached the other side, theLord said to Moses, “Raise your
hand over the sea again. Then the waters will rush back and cover the Egyptians and
their chariots and charioteers.” 27 So as the sun began to rise, Moses raised his hand
over the sea, and the water rushed back into its usual place. The Egyptians tried to
escape, but the Lord swept them into the sea. 28 Then the waters returned and covered
all the chariots and charioteers—the entire army of Pharaoh. Of all the Egyptians who
had chased the Israelites into the sea, not a single one survived.
29 Butthe people of Israel had walked through the middle of the sea on dry ground, as
the water stood up like a wall on both sides. 30 That is how the Lord rescued Israel from
the hand of the Egyptians that day. And the Israelites saw the bodies of the Egyptians
washed up on the seashore. 31 When the people of Israel saw the mighty power that
the Lord had unleashed against the Egyptians, they were filled with awe before him.
They put their faith in the Lord and in his servant Moses.
When God makes his covenant with Abraham, God promises that Abraham’s descendants will
multiply like the stars of heaven (Genesis 15:5). Yet, God also says something that must seem
strange to Abraham. God says that Abraham’s descendants will be afflicted in a strange land
for four hundred years. Finally, God will judge the strange nation and Abraham’s children will
come out of it with great possessions (Genesis 15:13, 14). Then God will give them the land
of Canaan (Genesis 15:18-21).
The story of the “exodus,” or “exit,” from Egypt shapes the identity and character of God’s
people. They are “exodus” people. The story of the exodus from Egypt and the long journey
to the Promised Land is told again and again in the psalms and the writings of the prophets.
Even today, Jews remember the exodus story each year at Passover! We cannot overstate the
importance of this event in the history of Israel. Centuries later, when God’s people are once
again in captivity, this time in Babylon, they will look back to the exodus story in hope that
God will bring about a “new exodus,” and once again deliver his people from bondage.
THE CALL OF MOSES

The Book of Exodus begins with the children of Abraham living in slavery in Egypt, where they
multiply and fill the land, as God promised (Exodus 1:7). The early chapters of Exodus are
about the call of Moses. Moses meets with God on Mount Horeb (or, “Sinai”), where God
speaks to Moses from a burning bush (Exodus 3). The meeting between God and Moses is a
moment when “heaven and earth” come together, as God commissions Moses to bring his
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The Bible as Story
people out of bondage in Egypt. God will use Moses to redeem

his people. That is, God will “bring them out of slavery” and guide To confirm their identity
God gives his people
them to the land promised to Abraham.
Torah and tabernacle.
As usual, there is a dark side to the story. Pharaoh, the king of
Egypt, is the slave master, the dark power that refuses to let the slaves go free. After God
sends a series of terrible plagues upon Egypt, Pharaoh decides to let God’s people go (Exodus
7:14-12:30). Thus, the story of the rescue of God’s people from Egypt is, at the same time, the
story of the defeat of the dark powers that hold God’s people in bondage. As Professor Wright
explains, this dark theme runs throughout scripture until the cross of Christ, where Jesus
defeats the power of darkness at Passover, that is, at the “exodus” time.
COMMENT: In the New Testament, Passover is an annual celebration of God’s rescue
of his people from Egypt, as recorded in the Book of Exodus. For more about Passover,
see Course 104, pp. 21-23.
GOD DIVIDES THE WATERS

Soon after God’s people leave Egypt (see Exodus 12:31-42), they come to the Red Sea.
Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, pursues them into the desert, determined to bring them back into
slavery. God parts the waters of the Red Sea, so that his people can walk on dry ground in
order to escape the Egyptians. The parting of the waters of the Red Sea is a “new creation”
moment that closely parallels the creation account in Genesis. In the story of creation, a
“wind” from God, that is, the Spirit of God, sweeps over the face of the waters (Genesis 1:1,
2). At the Red Sea, Moses lifts up his rod and stretches his hand over the sea, while a strong
east wind blows through the night to divide the waters, so that God’s people may pass on dry
ground (Exodus 14:15-22). Therefore, the Exodus story is a story of new creation. Before God
calls Moses at the burning bush, the children of Abraham are living in slavery in Egypt without
hope. Under the leadership of Moses, however, the people have new hope as they move
forward toward the land promised to Abraham. As he did with Abraham, God chooses Moses
to move his creation project forward.
COMMENT: God comes into a situation where there is only darkness without hope.
Then God brings light and power, new hope and new possibilities. Passing through the
Red Sea is one of those moments, when God turns darkness into light, slavery into
freedom, and despair into hope. The early Christians saw the Red Sea crossing as a
“baptism” (see 1 Corinthians 10:1, 2). They drew upon the events of the Exodus story,
especially the Red Sea crossing, to understand the meaning of their own baptism.
“Coming through the waters” of baptism shows that we are new creation people. We
are new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).
TORAH AND TABERNACLE

In the royal court of Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt, Moses tells the king to free God’s people, so
they can go into the desert to worship God (Exodus 5:3). God wants his people to come out
of Egypt so that he can give them two things that are important to their identity as God’s
chosen people. These are 1) Torah, or the Law and 2) the tabernacle. With Torah (Law), the
children of Abraham are the people of God’s word (or, law). With the tabernacle, they are the
people of God’s presence, as he dwells among them in the tabernacle. Thus, God leads his
people through the desert as a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night (Exodus 13:21).
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With God present among them and the law as their guide, the people of Israel are the new
“Adam and Eve people,” the renewed family of God.
When God leads his people to Mount Sinai (Exodus 19ff), he renews the vocation that he
intended for Adam and Eve. The descendants of Abraham are to be a kingdom of priests and
a holy nation (Exodus 19:6). Just as Adam and Eve were God’s image bearers in the Garden
of Eden, the people of Israel are called to be God’s special treasure and a light to the nations.
As a holy nation, they are set apart from the nations of the world in order to fulfil God
purposes, both for Israel and for all nations. In contrast to the idolatry of the pagan world,
Israel is called to offer pure worship to God. As priests, they are to reflect God’s will into the
world, while summing up the unspoken praise of creation and offering it back to the Creator.
In short, Israel is called to be the means through which God’s will is done in the world. Israel
is to be the people through whom all nations of the earth are blessed. The Book of Exodus
does not explain how Israel is to be a light to the nations. Israel’s mission unfolds throughout
the Old Testament and is finally fulfilled in the ministry of Jesus.
COMMENT: God chooses, or “elects,” Israel to be his special people. Through Israel,
God will bless the nations. Election is not a matter of choosing one group while
excluding all others (as a few denominations teach). Rather, election is the means by
which God blesses all nations. Election means that God chooses the “one” for the
blessing of the “many.”
According to Professor Wright, the Exodus story is about God re-establishing his sovereignty
in the world in a new way. In other words, it is a story about the coming of the Kingdom of
God. In the New Testament, Jesus brings the good news of the Kingdom of God. Yet, the
Kingdom is already evident in Exodus. After they pass through the Red Sea, the people join
Moses in a song of praise that ends with the affirmation that “the Lord will reign forever and
ever” (Exodus 15:18). God establishes his Kingdom by defeating the dark powers, by rescuing
his people from bondage and by establishing his presence among his people in the tabernacle.
COMMENT: According to Professor Wright, the tabernacle is a small working model of
the whole creation. The tabernacle is a “heaven and earth” place—a “Genesis 1 and 2”
place—a place where God and his people come together at last in fellowship. Aaron and
his sons, who are chosen as priests, represent the image of God in the tabernacle. They
go into the inner chamber of the tabernacle, where they take up Adam’s vocation to
gather the praise of all creation and offer to its Creator, while bringing God’s will to bear
upon his people and, finally, upon the whole world.
Genesis 1 through Exodus 40 is the story of God’s good creation and God’s loving will to enjoy
fellowship with humanity. The story goes off track, however, when Adam and Eve fail in their
vocation as God’s image bearers, who are called to care for the garden and return the praise
of all creation to God. To get his creation project back on track and moving forward again,
God calls Abraham and Sarah to be the new Adam and Eve. When Abraham’s children multiply
into a great nation, God calls Moses to lead his people out of slavery and take them to the
Promised Land. This portion of the biblical story ends with God dwelling again among his
people in the tabernacle, while guiding them to Canaan, the new Garden of Eden.
GOD COMMANDS THE PEOPLE TO CHOOSE

Deuteronomy 26:16-19: Today the Lord your God has commanded you to obey all
these decrees and regulations. So be careful to obey them wholeheartedly. 17 You have
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The Bible as Story
declared today that the Lord is your God. And you have promised to walk in his ways,
and to obey his decrees, commands, and regulations, and to do everything he tells
you. 18 The Lord has declared today that you are his people, his own special treasure,
just as he promised, and that you must obey all his commands. 19 And if you do, he will
set you high above all the other nations he has made. Then you will receive praise,
honour, and renown. You will be a nation that is holy to the Lord your God, just as he
promised.
The first five books of the Bible are called the “Pentateuch” (penta means “five”). These five
books form the foundation of the story that runs throughout the Bible. By the end of
Deuteronomy, the final book in the Pentateuch, the people of Israel (the children of Abraham)
are nearing the end of their forty-year journey to the Promised Land. As they are getting ready
to cross the Jordan River and enter the land of Canaan, Moses lays out the terms of the
covenant that God made with his people at Mount Sinai (Deuteronomy 27-30). Moses tells
the people that obedience to God will lead to blessing and fruitfulness. Disobedience,
however—especially idolatry—will lead to exile. That is, if the people reject God and turn to
idols, they will be cast out of the Promised Land, just as Adam and Eve were cast out of the
Garden of Eden.
ASSIGNMENT: Read Deuteronomy 27-30. These chapters are important to the entire
story of Israel.
COMMENT: As Professor N.T. Wright explains, the covenant, as written in
Deuteronomy, chapters 27-30, is an expansion of the original command given to Adam
and Eve, who were to be God’s image bearers, caring for the garden, reflecting God’s
will into the world and reflecting the praise of all creation back to God.
In Deuteronomy, chapter 30, Moses predicts that the people will go into exile because of their
idolatry. Yet, God will graciously bring his people back from exile and restore them to the land.
Moses says:
Deuteronomy 30:1-10 (NivUK): “When all these blessings and curses I have set before
you come on you and you take them to heart wherever the Lord your God disperses
you among the nations, 2 and when you and your children return to the Lord your God
and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul according to everything I
command you today, 3 then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have
compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where he scattered
you. 4 Even if you have been banished to the most distant land under the heavens, from
there the Lord your God will gather you and bring you back. 5 He will bring you to the
land that belonged to your ancestors, and you will take possession of it. He will make
you more prosperous and numerous than your ancestors. 6 The Lord your God will
circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him
with all your heart and with all your soul, and live. 7 The Lord your God will put all these
curses on your enemies who hate and persecute you. 8 You will again obey the Lord and
follow all his commands I am giving you today. 9 Then the Lord your God will make you
most prosperous in all the work of your hands and in the fruit of your womb, the young
of your livestock and the crops of your land. The Lord will again delight in you and make
you prosperous, just as he delighted in your ancestors, 10 if you obey the Lord your God
and keep his commands and decrees that are written in this Book of the Law and turn
to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
15
According to this passage, God will reaffirm his covenant with Israel, despite their
unfaithfulness and exile. He will gather his people from among the nations and bring them
back to the Promised Land, where they will be blessed and prosper, even more than their
ancestors. God says that he will “circumcise” their hearts. In other words, God will ratify, or
reaffirm, the covenant with Israel, as he did with Abraham (see Genesis 17:9-14). When God
“circumcises the hearts” of his people, they will be able to love and serve him—not just in the
external form of duty, but from within their hearts. As they love, worship and serve God from
the depths of their hearts, they will be true human beings. Like Adam and Eve, they will be
God’s image bearers, bringing his love and care to the world, while offering back to God the
praises of all creation.
When God makes his covenant with Abraham, God says that Abraham’s descendants will be
slaves in a foreign land (Egypt) for 400 years. Then God will deliver his people from bondage
(Genesis 15:13, 14). In Deuteronomy 30, when God reaffirms the covenant with Israel, he tells
the people that, like their ancestors, they too will be slaves in a foreign land (Babylon).
Through exile, slavery and restoration, God will shape his people into a great nation. As
Professor Wright says, the future return from exile (in Babylon) will be a “new exodus.” Just
as God brought his people out of Egypt under the leadership of Moses and made them into a
nation, God will again bring his people out of bondage in a foreign land. This “new exodus”
will be a time of “new creation.” Through exile and restoration, the descendants of Abraham
will finally and truly be God’s people.
As the people prepare to enter the land of Canaan, Moses reminds them that obedience to
God will bring them blessings: they will live and multiply. But disobedience (idolatry) will bring
a curse upon the people: they will perish and they will be exiled from the land. The promise
of blessings or curses closely parallels the promises of blessings and curses made to Adam in
the Garden of Eden.
Read: Deuteronomy 30:15-20 and Genesis 2:15-17; 3:17-19
In summary, God reaffirms his promise to Abraham regarding the land that his children will
inherit. Moses tells the people that they are given the land because:
• The nation of Israel is a new creation because of the exodus from Egypt.
• The people of Israel are a royal priesthood. They are a “new” humanity, taking up the
vocation of Adam and Eve to worship and serve the Creator.
• They are the people among whom God dwells (in the tabernacle).
Deuteronomy 32 is called the “song of Moses.” In this “song,” or “poem,” Moses describes
past events in the history of Israel. He also prophecies about events that will take place in the
future. The Jewish people in the time of Jesus apply the “song of Moses,” as well as the entire
Pentateuch, to their situation. For the Jews of the first century, the Pentateuch is not merely
a record of ancient history that has no meaning for their lives. Rather, the Pentateuch helps
the Jews to understand their history, as well as their current situation under the oppression
of the pagan nation, Rome. They also believe that the Pentateuch can help them understand
what is to come in the future of their people.
The Pentateuch ends with the song of Moses and a warning. As with Adam and Eve and
Abraham and Sarah, two narratives stand side by side: 1) Israel is the bearer of the promise
and 2) Israel is also the carrier of the problem.
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The Bible as Story
HUMAN VOCATION IN THE PENTATEUCH

When God created Adam and Eve and placed them in the Garden of Eden, God gave them a
vocation, or “calling.” The human vocation is taken up by Abraham and Sarah and later by the
people of Israel. The human vocation described in the Pentateuch, or the first five books of
the Bible, can be summarised as follows:
• Adam and Eve are called to bear God’s image, gathering up the praise of all creation
and offering it to God. They are to take care of the garden. They are to be fruitful and
multiply.
• Abraham is called to be the father of many nations. He is promised the land of Canaan.
Through Abraham and his descendants, all nations will be blessed.
• The nation of Israel is called to be a kingdom of priests, who worship God and reflect
the worship of creation back to God. They are to build the tabernacle, so that God may
again dwell among his people.
• Israel’s vocation is presented again in Deuteronomy 27-30. The covenant with God is
affirmed with Israel. If the people are faithful to God, they will enjoy the blessings of
the covenant. They will be fruitful and multiply. They will enjoy the bounty of the land
of Canaan, the new Garden of Eden. If the people are unfaithful to God and turn to
idols, they will experience the curses of the covenant. As Professor Wright teaches, if
the people of Israel do on a large scale what Adam and Eve did in the garden, they will
be exiled from the land.
The story of Israel is a retelling of the story of Adam and Eve
Adam and Eve Israel
land Garden of Eden Canaan, the Promised Land,

flowing with milk and honey
command Be fruitful and multiply, cover the Abraham’s descendants will
earth number like stars in heaven
divine presence Walked with God in cool of evening God present in tabernacle
vocation Tend the garden and return praise Light to the nations; kingdom
of creation to Creator of priests and a holy nation
choice Tree of life, tree of knowledge of Blessings for obedience,
good and evil curses for disobedience
disobedience Idolatry (listened to a creature Ongoing idolatry (golden calf
rather than to Creator) and other idols)
result Exile from garden Exile from land of Canaan
JOSHUA AND JUDGES

Joshua and Judges record the early history of the nation of Israel as the people settle into
Canaan, the land promised to Abraham and his descendants.
Joshua
After the death of Moses, the people cross the Jordan River and enter the land promised to
Abraham and his descendants (Joshua 1:1-9). The Book of Joshua has been rightly called a
“book of war,” because it tells the story of Israel’s conquest of the Canaanites under the
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leadership of Joshua. The fall of the city of Jericho is a well-known story from the Book of
Joshua (Chapter 6). The book describes the distribution of the land among the tribes of Israel
(Joshua 6-12; 13-21). The book reminds us that God gave the land to the people of Israel in
fulfilment of the promise God made to Abraham and the fathers of the nation (Joshua 1:6).
Judges
The Israelites fail to drive out all the pagan peoples of the land, however. As a result, their
calling to be a “kingdom of priests” is severely hindered by the influence of the pagan religions
of the land, for the people of Israel often fall into idolatry. The Book of Judges describes the
religious and social problems that fall upon Israel because they are disobedient to God. The
Old Testament says:
Judges 17:6: In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right
in their own eyes.
Instead of obeying God’s commands and enjoying his blessings, everyone does as they please.
As a result, they experience the curses of disobedience that Moses warned about years before
(see Deuteronomy 28). The people of Israel are oppressed and troubled by their pagan
neighbours. Despite Israel’s disobedience, however, God remains faithful to his commitment
to his people, for he sends “judges,” or leaders, to free the people from their enemies. Among
the many judges of the time are Othniel, Ehud, Deborah, Gideon, Jephthah and Samson, who
is remembered for his long hair and great strength. The judges rule over Israel for more than
three hundred years.
THE PROBLEM OF DIVINE VIOLENCE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

The descriptions of God in the Book of Joshua are troubling. Since the early church, Christians
have struggled to explain the violence attributed to God in the Old Testament. Does God really
command the murder of women and children—even infants? For example, when the
Israelites conquer the city of Jericho in Canaan, the Book of Joshua says that everything in the
city must be destroyed as an offering to the Lord. Only Rahab the prostitute and her
household are to be spared (Joshua 6:17). Thus, when Israel conquers Jericho, “[t]hey
completely destroyed everything in it with their swords—men and women, young and old,
cattle, sheep, goats, and donkeys” (Joshua 6:21). Many regard the conquest of Canaan as
described in the Book of Joshua as divinely-sanctioned genocide. How are Christians to
understand the actions of a god who commands the slaughter of men, women, children and,
even, babies?
The Academy of Bible and Theology teaches its students to begin their thinking about God,
the Bible and Theology with Jesus. Jesus is the definitive revelation of God. In other words,
Jesus shows us what God is like, for God is like Jesus! When Moses and Elijah appear on the
mountain where Jesus is “transfigured” (“visually transformed”), God does not tell us to listen
to Moses and Elijah. God says, “This is my Son. Listen to him” (Mathew 17:1-5). Jesus is greater
than Moses (Hebrews 3:3). Jesus is greater than Jonah. Jesus is even greater than the great
King Solomon with all his wisdom and wealth (Matthew 12:41, 42). While we can learn much
from the Old Testament, Jesus “trumps” all other visions and descriptions of God, whether
written by Moses, Joshua, Solomon, Jonah or any of the prophets. Jesus is superior to all other
ways of knowing God. The New Testament says:
Hebrews 1:1-3: “Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors
through the prophets. 2 And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his
Son. … 3 The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God …”
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The Bible as Story
God is now speaking to us through his Son, Jesus. Therefore, we must read the Bible through
the “lens” of Jesus. When we look at an object through a piece of coloured glass, the object
takes on the colour of the glass. In other words, the “lens” shapes what we see. When we
read the Bible through the “lens” of Jesus, we see things in a new and better way.
Jesus teaches us to love our enemies. He teaches us to pray for those who persecute us and
do good to them (Matthew 5:43, 44; Luke 6:27). Jesus does not tell us to murder our enemies
in the name of God. Students of the Academy of Bible and Theology learn in Course 101, “The
Christian Doctrine of God,” that Jesus and the Father are “one” in their will, their work and
even in their “nature” or “being.” When Jesus tells us to love our enemies and do them good,
he is expressing the character and heart of God the Father (Hebrews 1:3). Therefore, we must
conclude that the merciful, loving God revealed in Jesus does not command the murder of
men, women, children and babies.
The Academy of Bible and Theology does not support belief in the
angry, violent god often presented in the Old Testament. The The portrayals of
writers of the Old Testament were influenced by their cultures. divine violence in the
They were shaped by the thoughts and beliefs that were common Old Testament are not
in those days, not only in Israel but also in neighbouring nations. consistent with the
In the Book of Joshua, God is described as a typical warrior God, character of Jesus
who leads his people against the native inhabitants of the land. At
that time in human history, nations attacked and destroyed one
another in the name of their “god.” With their “god” on their side, the nations were assured
of victory against their enemies.
In this regard, Israel was no different from her pagan neighbours. The writers of the Old
Testament assume that God gives them victory. They kill women and children in the name of
God because they believe it is God’s will. God, who is ever merciful and always seeking to
enter relationship with his children, allows his people to portray him in this violent way. God
meets his people in the context of their culture and time and slowly reveals himself to them.
In the same way that Jesus allows himself to be mocked, lied about, and put to death for
crimes he did not commit, God stoops down to the level of his people and allows them to
commit violence in his name.
Before Jesus, God’s people, including the great prophets of the Old Testament, did not fully
understand God. They could see God only in part. Their vision was shaped, and often
distorted, by their culture and their times. Only Jesus Christ allows us to see God as God truly
is. Jesus shows us that God is love. Jesus shows us that we are God’s children. Jesus shows us
that God loves the world and all people in it. Jesus shows us that God is not an angry,
punishing God. Instead, Jesus shows us that God is “Abba,” our loving Father.
This issue, of course, raises other issues, especially the issue of the “inerrancy” (“without
errors”) and “infallibility” (“unable to fail”) of scripture. The New Testament tells us that all
scripture is “God-breathed,” or “inspired by God” (2 Timothy 3:16). Fundamentalists and
many Evangelicals interpret this to mean that God “dictated” every word of the Bible, while
the human writers simply wrote down what God said. Muslims apply this understanding to
the Quran. We regard this as an incorrect interpretation of divine inspiration. As we will learn
in this course, the Bible tells a long story that was always leading up to Jesus. To the extent
that the Bible leads us to Jesus, we regard it as inerrant and infallible. Old Testament
descriptions of God that are inconsistent with the character of God as revealed in Jesus may
be rejected, while still maintaining that holy scripture is the divinely-inspired means to lead
us to Jesus. We respect and honour the Old Testament as a valuable source of wisdom,
teaching and correction. But it must always be read with Jesus in view.
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CHAPTER 4: INTERLUDE
An “interlude” is a “pause” or “break.” In this Chapter, we will pause in our story to apply
what we have learned to Jesus. We begin with a beautiful, important passage in the New
Testament that reads like a poem.
CHRIST IS SUPREME
Colossians 1:15-22 (NivUK): The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over
all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible
and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been
created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold
together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the
firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the
supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through
him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by
making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
21Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your
evil behaviour. 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death
to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation …
First, we note that Christ Jesus is “the [visible] image of the invisible God” (vs 15). As we have
often noted in the Academy of Bible and Theology, if we want to see the “invisible God” (the
Father), we need only look at Jesus, for he is the “image” of God. In Genesis (1:26, 27), we
learn that man and woman are created in the image of God. Yet, the image is distorted by
human sin. In other words, what was once lovely and beautiful is stained and dirtied by our
sin. Jesus, however, is the perfect image of God, and he is the perfect image of human beings
as we are created to be. Jesus is both the fully human one and the fully divine one.
In the Old Testament, the “fullness” of God is associated with the tabernacle and temple,
where God is said to dwell (Exodus 40; 1 Kings 8). Yet, the tabernacle and temple are only
advance signposts of the true reality to come. The tabernacle and temple point forward in
time to the moment when God dwells among his people in the person of Jesus Christ (John
1:1-3, 14). Jesus is the “fullness” of God (Colossians 1:19). Since God created human beings in
his own image, it is perfectly natural and fitting for the fullness of God to come in the person
of Jesus, the Son of God. Thus, the “image of God” in Genesis 1, and the presence of God in
the tabernacle and temple point forward in time to the image and fullness of God found in
Jesus.
In addition, in Colossians 1, we hear echoes of the Exodus story:
Colossians 1:13, 14 NivUK: For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and
brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the
forgiveness of sins.
In Jesus, God has rescued us from the powers of darkness, just as he rescued his people, Israel,
from the powers of darkness that held them captive in Egypt. We are transferred into “the
Kingdom of the Son he loves,” just as God brought his people out of Egypt and led them to
the Promised Land. In Jesus, we have redemption. Jesus has purchased our freedom with his
blood. The word, “redemption,” calls to mind the slave market, where slaves were redeemed
by their relatives. A family member paid money to purchase the freedom of a loved one who
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The Bible as Story
had been taken into slavery. Jesus, our Elder Brother, our
kinsman, has redeemed us from slavery with his blood, just as Jesus is our Redeemer.
God redeemed his people from slavery in Egypt after they put He has purchased us with
the blood of a lamb on their doorposts (see Exodus 12:7). his blood.
In Jesus, we have “the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:14).

When the people of Israel fail to keep God’s covenant, they are sent into exile in Babylon. In
order to be free again, they need a new Exodus marked by the forgiveness of sins, so that
they can truly be the covenant keeping people of God. In Jesus, we have forgiveness of sins.
In Jesus, we are declared the people of the New Covenant in his blood.
Again in Colossians 1, we hear echoes of the creation story that begins with the first verse of
the Holy Bible: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). In
Colossians (1:16), we learn that all things are created “in Jesus,” “for Jesus” and “through
Jesus.” As Professor Wright notes, the whole “poem” recorded in Colossians, Chapter 1, gives
the impression that the entire story that begins with the first verse of the Bible reaches its
unexpected, surprising conclusion in the man we know as Jesus.
Jesus is the “place” where the fullness of God is pleased to dwell (Colossians 1:19). He is the
true temple. He is the one through whom the victory over the dark powers has been achieved.
He has made peace by his blood on the cross, for he has reconciled all things in heaven and
on earth. Thus, Colossians 1:15-20 is a temple story. It is a story of heaven and earth coming
together with Jesus standing right in the middle.
Finally, Colossians 1:15-20 is a powerful testimony to the authority of Jesus Christ. Many in
the western world are uncomfortable with the idea of the “authority” of Jesus. They prefer
to think of Jesus as only a wise teacher and noble example of self-giving love. The authority
of Jesus has traditionally been expressed in two ways. First, especially in the modern West,
Jesus’ authority extends only to the limits of each individual human heart. The Kingdom where
Jesus is King is reduced to a form of private, interior spirituality that has little to do with the
outward concerns of public affairs or the problems of the world. Second, the authority of
Jesus has been usurped historically by the “church,” which has imposed his authority on
others by the normal use of human power.
But the poem recorded in Colossians 1:15-20 trumps all such attempts to weaken or usurp
the authority of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the “firstborn over all creation.” “Jesus is “before all
things.” He is the “Head” of the church. He is “the beginning and the firstborn from among
the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.” He has overthrown the powers
of darkness to bring in a new creation that works by the rule of love. This poetic passage in
Paul’s letter to the Colossians attests to the majesty, power and authority of Jesus Christ. New
creation begins with Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. He is the start of it all, the firstborn
from the dead, so that in all things he may be first.
In this beautiful “poem,” Jesus is seen as both the agent and the model of a new creation. He
sums up the entire story of Genesis and the Pentateuch. Jesus reveals to us that this is where
the story was always going. Speaking of Jesus, the New Testament says:
Philippians 2:9-11: Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honour and
gave him the name above all other names, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee
should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue declare
that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
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The focal point of the entire Holy Bible is Jesus. He stands at the intersection of the Old and
New Testaments. The Old Testament was always leading up to Jesus. The New Testament
teaches us who he is and why he came. While the Holy Bible contains many valuable stories
that can teach us much wisdom, the whole point of the Bible is Jesus. We must give our
primary attention to him.
REVELATION OF THE DIVINE GLORY AND THE NEW TEMPLE

John 1:1-18 NivUK: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and
the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were
made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that
life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has
not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to
testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not
the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the
world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognise
him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all
who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become
children of God – 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a
husband’s will, but born of God.
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the
glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, ‘This is the one I spoke about
when I said, “He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before
me.”’) 16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already
given. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus
Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is
in the closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.
The prologue (“introduction”) to John is an outstanding example of the use of Old Testament
themes in the New Testament, especially themes from the Pentateuch. The opening verses
of the Gospel of John remind us of the opening verses of Genesis. Both are creation stories.
“In the beginning was the Word,” says John, and the Word was with, or close beside, God (vs
1:1, 2). All things were created by the Word (vs 3). In the Word was life, and the life is the light
of all humanity (vs 4). The light shines in the darkness and the darkness does not overcome it
(vs 5). As Professor Wright notes, this is creation language. It reminds us of Genesis 1. Yet,
John introduces a theme not found in Genesis. In Genesis, the world is covered in darkness.
Darkness is part of creation. Then God says, “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:1-3). In John,
darkness is no longer simply part of creation. Rather, darkness is an evil force that resists the
light (vs 5). This suggests a cosmic battle between light and darkness, good and evil. Because
of the Word, the one through whom all things are made (vs 3), the darkness is held at bay.
Darkness does not overcome the light.
Following his paraphrase of the creation story, the writer introduces John the Baptist (vs 6).
John comes to give evidence about the light. He bears witness to the light, so that through
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him all may believe (vs 7, 8). The true light is coming into the world. The true light gives light
to all humanity (vs 9). Echoing Genesis 1, John tells us that the world was made through the
Word, or through the true light that was coming into the world. Yet, the world does not know
him. What is the world that John is writing about? John is writing about the world of human
beings, who, like Adam and Eve, have turned away from God and followed their own ungodly
way. They have worshipped and served the creature, rather than the Creator (Romans 1:25).
In other words, they have committed idolatry.
The true light came to his own people, yet they did not accept him (vs 11). Why not? Because
the people who are to be the bearers of the solution are, at the same time, carriers of the
problem. The two strands of the Bible story continue as darkness grows to the point that,
when the Word comes into the world as a person, his own people cannot see him for who he
is. Therefore, they do not receive him (vs 11). Yet those who do receive him, who believe in
his name, are given the right to be called children of God (vs 12). In the Old Testament, the
nation of Israel is the people of God. God tells Pharaoh, “Israel is my son, my firstborn,
therefore let my son go (Exodus 4:22, 23). But now, those who believe in the name of the
Word are the children of God. They take up Israel’s vocation to bring blessing to the world.
They are not born in the usual way. They are born of God (vs 13). They are the new family of
God, a world-wide family that does not come from just one ancestor, or one race, but comes
from every nation, tribe and clan.
Verse 14 is one of the most important verses in the New Testament: “The Word became flesh
and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son,
who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” The words, “made his dwelling among
us,” include images of “pitching a tent” or setting up a tabernacle. In choosing his words this
way, John takes us back to the tabernacle in the wilderness. The Word became flesh and
“tabernacled” among us,” and we have seen his glory (vs 14). The tabernacle is described in
Exodus (25-31; 35-40). When the tabernacle was finished, the glory of God came to fill it in
the form of a glorious cloud (Exodus 40:34, 35). But now, says John, we see the glory of God
in God’s one and only Son, who comes from the Father, full of grace and truth. In Jesus, the
divine glory is revealed for all who have eyes to see. Throughout the Gospel of John, Jesus
reveals his glory, for Jesus is the revelation of God. But his glory is not revealed through a
cloud by day or a pillar of fire by night but, rather, through a series of signs that show us who
Jesus is (see Course 102 manual, pp. 12-16).
All the temple themes found in the Old Testament come together in Jesus’ High Priestly prayer
recorded in John 13-17. In these chapters, Jesus explains how the divine life that is in him will
be carried forward by his followers through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. “I in them and
you in me,” says Jesus, as he prays to his Father and our Father in heaven (John 17:23). In
John 17, we learn that the new temple is not a physical temple built with stones, bricks and
mortar. Rather, the new temple starts with Jesus then goes out into the world through his
followers. Thus, Jesus tells his followers, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Just as the Father sent me,
I am sending you” (John 20:21, 22). This reminds us of the story of Israel coming out of
bondage in Egypt and commissioned by God to be his special people, “a kingdom of priests
and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:6). Israel is rescued through the death and resurrection of Jesus
Christ, so that they may become a world-wide people who will be the instruments of God’s
glory to the ends of the earth.
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“No one has ever seen God,” says John (vs 18), but the one and only Son has made him known.
Since the Father can only be known through the Son, all the Old Testament symbols are signs
pointing forward in time to Jesus. We must not create our own ideas about God and try to fit
Jesus in, for our ideas about God are distorted. For example, many in the western world think
that God is far away and not interested in human affairs. In this view, Jesus is like an alien
from outer space who comes to inhabit a strange planet that is not suited to him. Thus, we
must allow the Son to reveal the Father, for he is in the closest relationship with God (vs 18).
Both Genesis 1 and John 1 show us that Jesus is completely “at home” in this world, for it was
made through him and for him. The belief common among Evangelical Christians of escaping
earth at death in order to go to heaven is misguided. This is God’s world. God created it to be
a heaven-earth reality in which he will truly be at home. Heaven and earth are not to be torn
apart but brought together, so that God may dwell in his home. The Gospel of John celebrates
the fact that heaven and earth have come together in the person we know as Jesus of
Nazareth. In Jesus, the powers of darkness are defeated, and heaven and earth are reconciled
and brought together in peace and harmony.
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CHAPTER 5: GOD’S PROMISE TO DAVID AND HIS FAMILY

Many pastors and teachers treat the Old Testament as a collection of interesting stories that
can be used to teach valuable lessons for life. But that is not how the Old Testament is meant
to work. The Old Testament presents a consistent narrative (“story”) that leads us to Jesus.
Speaking of the Old Testament, Jesus said, “These are the very Scriptures that testify about
me” (John 5:39, 40 NivUK). So, now let us return to the great narrative, or story, told in the
Bible.
SAMUEL AND DAVID

The Book of First Samuel introduces the era of the kings of Israel. This period of time is known
as the “Monarchy,” a word that means “the rule of kings.” The story begins with Hannah, a
barren woman who prays for a child. God answers Hannah’s prayer (1 Samuel 1:11) and she
bears a child named Samuel. Hannah takes the boy Samuel to Eli, the priest, and dedicates
Samuel to the service of God (I Samuel 1:24-28). In the night, God calls to Samuel three times.
The old priest Eli explains to Samuel that God has chosen him for his service (1 Samuel 3). In
thanksgiving for the gift of a son and his dedication to the service of God, Hannah sings a great
song of praise (1 Samuel 2:1-10). Centuries later, Hannah’s song is taken up by the Virgin
Mary, when the angel Gabriel tells her that she is to bear the Son of God (Luke 1:46-55).
COMMENT: A theme that runs throughout the Bible is the gift of a child to a woman
who is barren.
Samuel grows up to be a great prophet in Israel (1 Samuel 3:19-21). Samuel is the last of the
judges of Israel. When Samuel grows old, the people ask for a king to rule them. God tells
Samuel that the people want a king because they do not want God to rule them. They want a
king like the other nations around them. Their desire for a king is a rejection of God.
God tells Samuel to anoint Saul as the first king of Israel. When Samuel anoints Saul with oil,
the spirit of God comes upon the new king in a powerful way (1 Samuel 10:1, 6). Under King
Saul, Israel wins many military battles against their pagan enemies. But Saul is disobedient,
despite the fact that he is God’s chosen one. God is displeased with Saul. Therefore God sends
Samuel to anoint a new king of Israel. Samuel goes to the house of Jesse in Bethlehem, where
he anoints the youngest son, David, to succeed Saul as king. When Samuel anoints David, the
spirit of God comes mightily upon David from that day forward (1 Samuel 16:13).
COMMENT: The story of Saul shows that even someone anointed with the Spirit in a
powerful way can still be disobedient to God.
With the anointing of David, we begin to see what the true king of Israel is like. Throughout
the history of the kings of Israel, the king stands up for the people to defeat the enemies of
the nation. Soon after his anointing, David volunteers to fight the Philistine giant, Goliath.
Even though Saul, who is still king, is a tall, powerful man himself, it is the young shepherd
boy David who defeats the giant with only a slingshot, and saves Israel from slavery to the
Philistines. David gains fame and popularity among his people, because he is the one who acts
as the true king of Israel, not Saul. In this regard, David represents Jesus, who battles the
forces of evil and death to set us free from bondage to the devil.
COMMENT: When David faces Goliath, he represents the entire nation of Israel. If David
wins the battle, the people of Israel are set free from the threat of slavery. If David loses
the battle, his people become slaves of the Philistines. In other words, all Israel is
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included in David’s representative act. Whatever happens to David happens to the

entire nation. In the same way, all humanity is included in the saving acts of Jesus Christ.
Jesus is the new Adam who represents everyone. Whatever happens to Jesus happens
to everyone. In other words, everyone is represented and included in Jesus’ life of
perfect faith and obedience. For more see Course 103, “Discipleship,” pp. 10, 11.
The remainder of the Book of First Samuel describes the relationship between David and King
Saul. Saul is jealous because David’s popularity with the people is growing. Therefore, Saul
plans to kill David. David gathers a group of faithful soldiers and hides in the wilderness from
Saul. Finally, Saul and his son Jonathan, who is David’s dearest friend, are killed in a battle
against the Philistines.
The Book of Second Samuel begins with David mourning the death of both Saul and Jonathan.
Despite the fact that Saul wanted to kill him, David has only praise for the fallen king (2 Samuel
1:17-27). David knows that the position of king is a gift from God. Therefore, the young king
praises the fallen king. David does not seize the throne of Israel like a usurper. He inherits the
throne as God’s gift to him. In the same way, Jesus receives his kingly throne from his Father
in heaven.
David makes Jerusalem the capital city of Israel, and he brings the sacred Ark of the Covenant
to Jerusalem. In David, we see that the king is not only the one who defeats the dark forces
who threaten the people. The king is also the one who establishes the place of worship. David
wants to do more, however, than bring the Ark to Jerusalem. David plans to build a permanent
house for God to replace the tabernacle that was moved from place to place during the time
of Israel’s journey to the Promised Land. The “house of God,” that is, the temple in Jerusalem,
will be the new “heaven and earth place,” the place where God dwells among his people. The
building of the temple takes us back to Genesis 1, where God created the heavens and earth
as a “temple,” where he would dwell and also to Exodus 40, where the tabernacle is designed
as the heaven and earth place where God will meet with his people. The tabernacle and
temple are symbols, showing that heaven and earth belong together. They are signposts
pointing forward to the time when heaven and earth will come together in the person of Jesus
Christ.
2 Samuel 7 is an important Old Testament chapter for Christians. In this chapter, the prophet
Nathan tells King David that God will build a “house” for him, not a “house” of wood and
stone, but a family line. The Old Testament says:
2 Samuel 7:11c-16 NivUK: ‘“The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish
a house for you: 12 when your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise
up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his
kingdom. 13 He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the
throne of his kingdom for ever. 14 I will be his father, and he shall be my son. When he
does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by
human hands. 15 But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from
Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 Your house and your kingdom shall endure
for ever before me; your throne shall be established for ever.”’
Time and again, the people of Israel will look back to the promise that God made David. When
the Israelites return to their land after their long captivity in Babylon, they wait for God to
restore the throne of David. In the days of Jesus, the Jews continue to look for a king in the
line of David, who will rescue his people from their pagan masters, cleanse the temple and
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restore proper worship in Jerusalem. With Genesis 1 in mind, we see that the king will come
to restore the heaven-earth union that God intended for creation. He will be the “image
bearer,” who fulfils the vocation of Adam and Eve to enact God’s will in the world and to
return the praises of all creation to its Creator. In thanksgiving, David praises God for the
promise of a “house,” or family line, which will last forever. David says:
2 Samuel 7:27-29 NivUK: ‘Lord Almighty, God of Israel, you have revealed this to your
servant, saying, “I will build a house for you.” So your servant has found courage to pray
this prayer to you. 28 Sovereign Lord, you are God! Your covenant is trustworthy, and
you have promised these good things to your servant. 29 Now be pleased to bless the
house of your servant, that it may continue for ever in your sight; for you,
Sovereign Lord, have spoken, and with your blessing the house of your servant will be
blessed for ever.’
Thus, the promises of a new creation and a renewed heaven-earth union are now focused on
David and his family line. The covenant God made with Abraham, then renewed at Mount
Sinai under Moses, is now taken up by David and his descendants, so that God’s plan to renew
creation may go forward. One day a descendant of David will come, of whom God will say, “I
shall be his Father and he shall be my Son.” But, as we have seen before, the bearers of the
promise are also the carriers of the problem. David commits a great sin when he has Uriah
killed, so that he may take the beautiful Bathsheba for himself (2 Samuel 11). Both David’s
faithful obedience and his selfish disobedience will be repeated again and again among the
kings of Israel (and later Judah). Thus, the great narrative that runs throughout the Old
Testament is marked by a dark side that runs parallel to the story of God’s good plan for a
new creation.
KING SOLOMON
Solomon, son of David, becomes king when he is still young. God comes to Solomon in a
dream and promises to give the young king anything he wants. Instead of asking for gold and
silver or fame, Solomon asks for wisdom (1 Kings 3). God is pleased with Solomon’s request.
Therefore, God gives Solomon not only great wisdom but also gold and silver and fame as well
(1 Kings 3:1-15). Solomon soon proves his wisdom in the well-known story of two prostitutes,
each claiming to be the mother of a new-born child. When the people of Israel hear the King’s
decision in this matter, they are amazed by his wisdom (1 Kings 3:16-28). Because news of
Solomon’s wisdom spreads beyond the borders of Israel, kings and queens from distant lands
come to pay homage (“honour,” “reverence”) to Solomon and to hear his word of wisdom.
One thousand years later, wise men will travel to the tiny village of Bethlehem to pay homage
to a new king, born from the line of David (Matthew 2).
Solomon is the model for kingly wisdom. Yet, he, too, like Abraham, David, and many others
before him, is a flawed human being. Solomon’s father, David, committed a great sin when
he caused the death of Uriah, the husband of Bathsheba. Despite his human weakness,
however, David was a man of great faith. David’s heart was true. He was devoted to God.
After his adultery with Bathsheba, David confessed his sin with great shame and sorrow (read
Psalm 51). Unlike his father, however, Solomon’s heart gradually turns away from God. Under
the influence of his many pagan wives, who brought their “gods” with them from distant
lands, Solomon, in his old age, gradually falls into idolatry (1 Kings 11:1-6).
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According to Professor Wright, idolatry is the age-old human sin. As a result of his idolatry,
after Solomon’s death, the nation of Israel splits into two separate kingdoms ruled by two
different kings: the ten tribes of the northern kingdom of Israel are ruled by Solomon’s servant
Jeroboam. The two southern tribes, Judah and Benjamin, are ruled by Solomon’s son,
Rehoboam. Beginning with the division of the kingdom of Israel after Solomon’s death, the
Old Testament records a gradual decline into exile and captivity, as the curses foretold by
Moses in Deuteronomy 27-29 begin to come true.
David had wanted to build a “house,” or temple, for God in Jerusalem. Because David was a
man of war with blood on his hands, however, the task of building the temple falls to his son,
Solomon. Like the tabernacle in the wilderness, the temple is the “heaven and earth place,”
the place where God comes to dwell among his people. The temple is a microcosm (“a small
world”) that represents the heaven and earth “temple” that God created during the days of
creation recorded in Genesis 1.
A VISION OF THE COMING KING

First and Second Kings record the failures of many of the kings of Israel and Judah. Despite
the inadequacies of the kings, however, the poets and prophets of Israel and Judah foresee
an ideal king who will come to take up the vocation of Adam. God created humans being to
rule the world as his representatives and stewards (“caretakers”). Humans are intended to
gather up the praise of all creation and return it to God. In the mind of the poets and prophets
of Israel, the human vocation will be taken up by the king. Psalm 72 is an excellent example
of the idealised king who will take up the human vocation given first to Adam, then to
Abraham and his descendants:
Psalm 72: Give your love of justice to the king, O God, and righteousness to the king’s
son. 2 Help him judge your people in the right way; let the poor always be treated fairly.
3 May the mountains yield prosperity for all, and may the hills be fruitful.
4 Help him to defend the poor, to rescue the children of the needy, and to crush their
oppressors. 5 May they fear you as long as the sun shines, as long as the moon remains
in the sky. Yes, forever!
6 May the king’s rule be refreshing like spring rain on freshly cut grass, like the showers
that water the earth. 7 May all the godly flourish during his reign. May there be
abundant prosperity until the moon is no more. 8 May he reign from sea to sea, and
from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth. 9 Desert nomads will bow before him;
his enemies will fall before him in the dust. 10 The western kings of Tarshish and other
distant lands will bring him tribute. The eastern kings of Sheba and Seba will bring him
gifts. 11 All kings will bow before him, and all nations will serve him.
12 Hewill rescue the poor when they cry to him; he will help the oppressed, who have
no one to defend them. 13 He feels pity for the weak and the needy, and he will rescue
them. 14 He will redeem them from oppression and violence, for their lives are precious
to him.
15 Long live the king! May the gold of Sheba be given to him. May the people always
pray for him and bless him all day long. 16 May there be abundant grain throughout the
land, flourishing even on the hilltops. May the fruit trees flourish like the trees of
Lebanon, and may the people thrive like grass in a field. 17 May the king’s name endure
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forever; may it continue as long as the sun shines. May all nations be blessed through
him and bring him praise.
18 Praise
the Lord God, the God of Israel, who alone does such wonderful things.
19 Praise
his glorious name forever! Let the whole earth be filled with his glory.
Amen and amen!
Psalm 72 describes a king who will bring justice not only to Israel but to the whole world. This
king is even more glorious than King David or King Solomon, under whom Israel reached a
golden age of prosperity and safety from its enemies. This king takes up the promise God
made to Abraham, that all nations will be blessed through his seed, or descendants (Genesis
22:18). The psalmist foresees new creation under the wise rule of this king (vs 3). Justice will
fill the world at last. The poor will be treated fairly and the godly will flourish (vs 2, 7). This
psalm and many others like it (e.g. Psalm 92, 96) celebrate the fact that, even though human
kings fail, take bribes or commit idolatry, God does not forget his promise to Abraham and
David. One day there will come a true son of David who will take up the vocation of Adam and
restore God’s righteous rule in the world. The true king’s rule will be universal. He will rule
the world, from sea to sea and to the ends of the earth (vs 8). The promise God made to
Abraham will now be focused on the king. Through him, all the nations of the earth will be
blessed. The kings of the earth will bring gifts and tribute to the true king. They will bow before
the true son of David (vs 10, 11). The true king is worthy of praise and honour, because he will
rescue the poor when they cry out. He will defend the weak and oppressed. This king does
more than fight great battles like David. This king does more than build great buildings like
Solomon. This king listens to those who have no one else to listen to them. He hears the cries
of the poor. He protects the weak and oppressed. His reign recalls the year of Jubilee, the
time when debts are forgiven and the poorest of the poor are remembered and a portion of
the crop is left for the poor to gather (see vs 16). In words that echo God’s promise to
Abraham, the psalmist foresees the time when all nations of the earth will be blessed
thorough the true King, the true son of David. Thus, the vocation given to Adam, and later to
Abraham and his descendants, is taken up by the true king. Psalm 72 ends with a temple
vision: “Let the earth be filled with his glory” (vs 19). This is a vision of new creation, where
the glory of God will fill not only a tabernacle or temple but the whole earth.
COMMENT: Psalm 72 points clearly to the Gospel of John, where the glory of God is
revealed in Jesus, the Son of God, who comes to “tabernacle,” or dwell among the
peoples of the earth (John 1:14). Jesus is the true Son of David, the ideal king, who will
bring justice to the weak and oppressed and who will care for the poor and needy (see
Luke 4:18-21). In his death and resurrection, King Jesus defeats the powers of evil and
launches the new creation, which culminates with the re-union of heaven and earth
recorded in Revelation 21, when the New Jerusalem comes down from heaven and God
makes his home among his people. Like the king in Psalm 72, God will make all things
new. He “will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow
or crying or pain” (Revelation 21:4, 5). Psalm 72, and others which foresee the reign of
the true king, is fulfilled in Jesus!
COMMENT: Like many psalms and other Old Testament writings, Psalm 72 describes
the ideal king as a warrior who will “crush” the enemies of Israel (vs 4, 9). During the
Old Testament period, all nations prayed to their god or gods, asking divine favour upon
themselves and divine wrath upon their enemies. Therefore, we must temper the
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psalmist’s vision of the ideal king with the greater revelation of the True King, Jesus
Christ. Unlike the psalmist, King Jesus does not teach us to “crush” our enemies. Rather,
King Jesus teaches us to love our enemies and do good to those who persecute us. The
Old Testament writers understood God in a way that was appropriate to their time and
place. A fuller understanding of God, however, is only possible through Jesus, for he is
the definitive revelation of God. In other words, God is like Jesus. For this reason we
must read the entire Bible, especially the Old Testament, through the “lens” of Jesus
Christ. While the psalmists and prophets saw in part, the fullness of God is revealed in
Jesus (Colossians 2:9). The knowledge of the glory of God is seen in the face of Jesus
(2 Corinthians 4:6). Jesus teaches us that God is not an angry warrior-god, who demands
that his enemies be crushed. Rather, God is the loving Father who sent his Son to save
the world because God loves the world (John 3:16). Therefore, let us always allow Jesus
to teach us who God is. Let us form our view of the ideal king from King Jesus.
Psalm 2 is another psalm that foresees the coming of the true king:
Psalm 2:1-8: Why are the nations so angry? Why do they waste their time with futile
plans? 2 The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against
the Lord and against his anointed one. 3 “Let us break their chains,” they cry, “and free
ourselves from slavery to God.”
4 Butthe one who rules in heaven laughs. The Lord scoffs at them. 5 Then in anger he
rebukes them, terrifying them with his fierce fury. 6 For the Lord declares, “I have placed
my chosen king on the throne in Jerusalem, on my holy mountain.”
7 Theking proclaims the Lord’s decree: “The Lord said to me, ‘You are my son. Today I
have become your Father. 8 Only ask, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance,
the whole earth as your possession.’”
The writers of the New Testament drew heavily upon this psalm in order to understand who
Jesus is. At the beginning of this psalm, the kings of the earth plot against the Lord God and
his anointed King. These verses portray a theme that runs throughout the Bible: the battle
between the kingdom of men and the Kingdom of God. Like in the story of the Tower of Babel,
God looks down from heaven and “laughs” (vs 4) at the arrogant plans of the rebellious kings
of the earth. God has set his chosen King on his throne in Jerusalem, and he will bring an end
to the constant war and fighting among the kings of the earth. The true King is God’s son.
Echoing the promise God made to Abraham, God declares that he will give the nations of the
earth to the true King as his rightful inheritance (vs 8). In the New Testament, the early
Christians apply this psalm to Jesus. Jesus is the anointed King whom the kings of the earth
(Herod Antipas, Pontius Pilate and the chief priests) plot against and crucify (see Acts 4:24-
27). Therefore, God says of Jesus what he said of King David: “You are my son. Today I have
become your Father…” (Psalm 2:7). Jesus’ resurrection from the dead proves to the world
that he is the true Messiah, the true King from the house of David, who will finally bring peace
to the nations.
Finally, we must consider Psalm 8, which begins with a short description of the Kingdom of
God advancing against the warring kingdoms of the world (vs 1, 2). A creation narrative
follows with humans at the centre (vs 3-8). This brief narrative recalls the Adam story, the
David story and finally, the Jesus story. The psalm recounts the vocation given to Adam and
taken up by the “house,” or “royal line,” of King David, culminating in Jesus Christ. Verses 6-9
are picked up in the New Testament, in the Book of Hebrews, which announces that Jesus has
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been crowned with glory and honour, with all things made subject to him (Hebrews 2:9).
Again, the theme is picked up in the New Testament letter, Philippians, which describes both
the humility of Jesus and the proclamation that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow
(compare Psalm 2:5-9 and Philippians 2:5-11). Jesus is the truly human one, the new Adam,
who fulfils the vocation of humanity established in the Garden of Eden. Jesus is the true King
in the line of David, who hears the cry of the poor and needy and brings justice to the weak
and oppressed. In fulfilment of the promise made to Abraham, all nations are blessed in Jesus.
Jesus restores creation and brings it to the goal set out for it since the Garden of Eden.
THE ROAD TO EXILE AND THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD

Isaiah 2 is a picture of the mountain of the Lord, the place where, one day, all nations will go
to be taught by God and to learn his ways:
Isaiah 2:1-4: This is a vision that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and
Jerusalem:
2 Inthe last days, the mountain of the Lord’s house will be the highest of all—the most
important place on earth. It will be raised above the other hills, and people from all over
the world will stream there to worship. People from many nations will come and say,
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of Jacob’s God. There he
will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths.” For the Lord’s teaching will go out
from Zion; his word will go out from Jerusalem. 4 The Lord will mediate between nations
and will settle international disputes. They will hammer their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer fight against nation, nor train
for war anymore.
Despite the many problems in the divided kingdom, including wicked kings and corrupt
priests, the prophets trust God to be faithful to his promises. This passage from Isaiah is a
commentary on the faithfulness of God. Isaiah foresees a time in the future when God will
bring blessing to the nations of the earth through Israel. As result, the nations will hammer
their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks, and there will be no more
war. Despite the wars and rumours of wars that continually plague nations, even today, the
prophets foresee a future time of peace throughout the earth.
The theme of universal peace is taken up again in Isaiah 11, when the True King assumes the
role of the peacemaker:
Isaiah 11:1-5: A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch
will bear fruit. 2 The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him – the Spirit of wisdom and of
understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear
of the Lord – 3 and he will delight in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what he
sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; 4 but with righteousness he
will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will
strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the
wicked. 5 Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash round his waist.
COMMENT: Even in Isaiah’s beautiful vision, the king is portrayed as a bloody warrior
who “will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth” and slay the wicked. As before, we
must temper Isaiah’s vision of the ideal king with a vision of King Jesus.
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From “the stump of David,” or the “root of Jesse” (King David’s father), will grow a new shoot,
a descendant of David, and the Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom,
knowledge and the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by appearance or according to rumours
or hearsay. He will bring justice to the poor. He will defend those who are exploited and
oppressed.
Along with Isaiah’s vision of the righteous rule of the True King, we find a vision of new
creation, a vision far beyond anything we might imagine:
Isaiah 11:6-9: The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. 7 The
cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat
straw like the ox. 8 The infant will play near the cobra’s den, and the young child will put
its hand into the viper’s nest. 9 They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy
mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover
the sea.
In that day, says Isaiah, knowledge of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters cover the
sea. Of course the “waters” are the sea. Thus, Isaiah is referring to something universal. The
knowledge of God will flood the earth, and creation will finally be seen for what is—the good
creation of a good and loving God. Despite the violence, hardship and misery of the present
time, God will finally bring in an age when even wild animals will dwell together in peace.
God’s answer to the sorrow and tragedy of the present world is a new age when all will finally
be well, a new age of justice and peace, not only for human beings, but for animals as well.
According to Isaiah, the new creation, that is, the new age of justice, peace and righteousness
will be brought in by the True King.
Isaiah’s beautiful vision of new creation, however, comes crashing down under the rule of the
wicked kings of Israel and Judah, when even the priests commit idolatry in the temple itself.
Despite the continued warning of the prophets of Israel and Judah, the kings, priests and the
people themselves continue to turn away from God and worship idols. Because of their
rejection of God, pagan armies conquer both Israel to the north and, finally, Judah to the
south. The ten tribes of the northern kingdom are carried away as slaves to the distant pagan
land, Assyria (722-721 B.C.), never to be heard from again. About 150 years later (586 B.C.),
the southern kingdom, consisting of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, is conquered by the
powerful nation, Babylon. The temple is destroyed and the city of Jerusalem is left in ruins.
The people are carried away into exile in Babylon. As a result of their continual idolatry, God’s
people experience the curse of exile as foretold long before by Moses (e.g. Deuteronomy
28:36, 37)
Again, we see the two parallel stories that run throughout the Old Testament: the hopeful
vision of the True King who will bring in new creation running alongside the dark vision of
human failure, idolatry and the apparent collapse of the house of King David. Psalm 89 is an
excellent example of the dual narrative that runs throughout the Old Testament. This psalm
was probably prayed many times by God’s people during their long captivity in Babylon. The
psalm begins with praise for God’s faithfulness to his covenant with David to establish the
King’s royal house forever (vs 1-4). The psalm goes on to praise the wonderful, mighty works
of God (vs 5-18). The psalm returns to the promise, or covenant, God made with King David
and again asserts the faithfulness of God. Even if the people rebel and turn away, God will
never stop loving them. He will remain faithful to his covenant with David (vs 19-37). Finally,
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the psalm ends with a long cry of despair (vs. 38-52). It appears that God has broken his
covenant with David, that the crown of David has been cast into the dust. “How long will this
go on,” asks the psalmist. “Where, Lord, is your faithful love,” he asks. “What happened to
the promise you made to David?” The psalm ends with a description of the disgrace, insults
and mockery the pagan nations have for the fallen house of David.
ASSIGNMENT: Read Psalm 89. Imagine yourself in the place of the psalmist. Jerusalem
is in ruins. The temple is destroyed. There is no king on the throne of David. The people
are in captivity in a distant pagan land. What happened to God’s promises? Where are
you God? Have you forgotten your people?
ASSIGNMENT: Read Psalm 74. The writer describes the terrible destruction of
Jerusalem and the temple. He cries out to God to remember his covenant with his
people and to come and save them from their enemies. In this Psalm we find references
to the Exodus story, when God led his people through the sea, brought water from a
rock and stopped the flow of the Jordan River, so that his people could cross into the
land of Canaan (vs 12-15). We also finds references to the story of creation in Genesis
(1:16, 17). The psalmist cries out for God to do a new thing, a “new creation,” that is, to
reknew the covenant he made with Abraham and, later, with the house of David. The
psalmist cries out for God to do a “new exodus,” that is, to bring his people out of
bondage, as he did long before under Moses, and to restore them to their homeland.
Psalms 74 and 89 were written after the armies of Babylon destroyed the city of Jerusalem
and the temple. They were written when the people were in “exile” from their own land and
held captive in the distant land of Babylon. These are psalms of lament (sadness) but they are
also cries of anguish for God to come and rescue his people. Psalms like these ring true for
Asian, African and Latin American people, who have experienced the evils of colonialization.
Like the psalmists, they have cried out to God to free them from their oppressors and to
restore their homeland to them. Centuries later, the psalmists’ cries of despair are answered
when a young man from the house of David comes to John to be baptised in the Jordan River,
when the Holy Spirit falls upon him like a dove, and a voice from heaven says, “You are my
dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy” (Mark 1:9-11).
HOPE FOR THE END OF EXILE

The Book of Second Kings (25:27-30) ends with a hint of hope for Israel and its royal line of
kings. After the 70 years of captivity foretold by Jeremiah (25:11; 29:10), a remnant of the
people returns from Babylon and begins to rebuild the city, as told in the Books of Ezra and
Nehemiah. Although they are returning to their homeland, however, they are still slaves, now
under the rule of the powerful Roman Empire (see Nehemiah 9:36, 37). Though they were
back in their own country, their exile continued under their pagan rulers. Professor Wright
refers to this period of oppression under the Romans as “the exile after The Exile.” Ezra 9 and
Nehemiah 9 record prayers that were offered to God during this period. They acknowledge
both the sins of the people and the faithfulness of God to his people. Yet, both Ezra and
Nehemiah understood that they were still in exile, because they were slaves in their own land.
COMMENT: Nehemiah 9 is an excellent overview of the history of Israel from the time
of Abraham until their post-exilic oppression under the Roman Empire.
Finally, Daniel, Chapter 9, is a very important passage to properly understand the extended
exile of God’s people. The prophet Daniel was one of the exiles living in Babylon after the fall
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of Jerusalem. Like the psalmists, Daniel cries out in prayer to God (Daniel 9:4-19). Daniel
acknowledges the sins of his people and praises God for his faithfulness, despite their sins.
Daniel prays that God will do a “new exodus” and rescue his people from bondage in Babylon,
as he rescued his people from bondage in Egypt in the days of Moses (Daniel 9:15, 16).
Daniel knew Jeremiah’s prophecy that the exile would last 70 years (Daniel 9:2). For Daniel, it
seemed that the exile must soon come to an end. As Daniel was praying, the angel Gabriel
appeared to him with important news. According to the angel, the exile of God’s people would
not last 70 years but “seven times seventy” years (7x70), that is, 490 years, according to the
original language (Hebrew). Professor Wright sees a hint of the Jubilee year in this passage.
Jubilee occurred every 50 years. The year of Jubilee was a time when slaves were set free,
debts were forgiven and land returned to its original owners. Jubilee was a time of
redemption from bondage, a time of freedom and restoration. According to Professor Wright,
the prediction that the exile would last 490 years seems to lead up to a “Jubilee of Jubilees,”
a time when exile will finally be over at last, a time when slaves are set free, a time of ultimate
redemption.
In the first part of his prayer, Daniel acknowledges the “righteousness” of God. The
“righteousness” of God refers to God’s faithfulness to the covenant he made with Abraham
and later with the house of David. God had warned that Israel’s rebellion would lead to exile
(Deuteronomy 29:28). God was faithful. God said what he would do, and he did it. God was
true to his word and the people went into exile. Yet God also said that he would bring his
people back from exile and restore them to their land (Deuteronomy 30:3-5). Thus, as
Professor Wright says, Daniel prays both in sorrow for sin and in hope of restoration for his
people, based on his belief in the “righteousness” or “faithfulness” of God.
In answer to Daniel’s prayer for God to be faithful to the covenant, the angel Gabriel reveals
that God’s faithfulness will be worked out over an extended period of exile (7x70 years). At
the end of this extended period, says Professor Wright, there will be a final rescue, a final
redemption for God’s people, and a final end of exile.
Throughout this extended period of exile, many “Jews” (those who returned from exile) were
calculating when the 490 years might end. At the time when it suited God’s purpose, John the
Baptist appears, crying in the wilderness, as the forerunner of the One to come. Through
Jesus, the Son of God, God himself finally becomes King of Israel—and the whole world! Exile
finally comes to an end when the King himself, Jesus Christ, defeats the powers of darkness
on the cross and rises from the dead three days later.
NOTE: We find references to the end of the extended period of exile in the words of
Jesus and the apostle Paul. Jesus says, “The time has come” (see John 12:23). Later, the
apostle Paul would say, “The time is fulfilled” (see Romans 13:11, 12).
In Daniel 2 and 7, we find prophecies that echo Psalm 2, where the nations of the earth war
against God’s Anointed One. Despite the destruction brought upon the earth by the four
“beasts” described by Daniel, at the proper time, God sets up a Kingdom that cannot be
shaken, a Kingdom that will have no end—a Kingdom where God (Jesus) is finally King!
Daniel 7:9, 10, 13, 14: ‘As I looked, ‘thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days
took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool.
His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze. 10 A river of fire was
flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten
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thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books
were opened.’ …
13 ‘In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man,
coming
with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his
presence. 14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples
of every language worshipped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will
not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.’
The King who is crowned by the Ancient of Days (God the Father) is our Lord Jesus Christ. He
is the One “like a son of man,” that is, he is the truly Human One. Echoing Genesis (1:26-28),
Jesus takes up the human vocation given to Adam. Jesus will rule the world forever in
goodness, faithfulness, justice and peace. Jesus also takes up the theme of Davidic kingship
in Psalm 2 (especially vs 6-8) and the “son of man” theme in Psalm 8 (vs 4). This is what the
early Christian’s believed about Jesus Christ, based upon his glorious resurrection from the
dead.
COMMENT: Psalm 8:4 is properly translated from the Hebrew as “what is man that you
should think of him, the son of man that you should care for him.” Both the “son of
man” theme and the restatement of human vocation in this psalm (vs 6-8) are taken up
and carried forward by Jesus.
ASSIGNMENT: Read Psalm 2.
In its original setting, Psalm 2 describes the “nations’” (Gentiles’) hostility toward Israel and
King David. Although David felt surrounded by enemies and that everyone was against him
(vs 2), he knew he was God’s “anointed one,” the king chosen by God to rule his people (vs 2,
6). God even calls David his “son” (vs 7).
We can read this psalm, however, in another way, with Jesus, not David at the centre. Verse 7
echoes the words heard from heaven when Jesus was baptised by John (see Matthew 3:17;
“this is my dearly loved son.”). Verse 2 brings to mind the persecution Jesus experienced at
the hands of the Pharisees and priests and the angry crowd screaming, “Crucify him!”
(Matthew 27:22-23).
The early church found signs pointing to the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ, in many of the
psalms. Psalm 2 describes his universal reign. Psalm 22 describes his crucifixion. Psalm 16
speaks of his resurrection and Psalm 110 describes our Saviour at the right hand of the Father.
In addition, the “royal psalms” celebrate God as King. According to Psalm 93, God is King from
the beginning of time (vs 1, 2). God the King has authority over the raging sea (vs 3, 4). Unlike
the pagan gods of the nations that surrounded Israel, God the King is all-powerful, truthful
and holy. God is King over creation because he is the Creator (Psalm 74:12-17). God is King
over Israel (Psalm 44:4), for he is their saviour. Finally, God is the coming King who will judge
the world (Psalm 47:7 8). The psalms assert both God’s present reign over creation (Psalm
93:1) and God’s coming reign at the fulfilment of all things (Psalm 24:9).
Finally, Psalms 8, 19 and 104 (and others) are “creation” psalms. They celebrate the creation
as the handiwork of a good and loving God.
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Finding King Jesus in the Psalms
Psalm Jesus
93:1, 2 God is King from existed before anything was created;

beginning of time supreme over all creation (Colossians
1:15)
93:3, 4 God has authority over Jesus calms the sea (Luke 8:22-25)
raging sea
74:12-17 God is King over all things created by him, through him
creation and for him (John 1:3, 4; Colossians 1:16,
17; Hebrews 1:2
74:12-17 God the King is truthful Jesus is the way, the truth and the life
(John 14:6)
2:7 King of Israel is God’s Jesus is God’s dearly loved Son
“son.” (Matthew 3:16, 17; Hebrews 1:1-5)
22 Suffering Messiah Jesus cries, “Why have you forsaken
me.” (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34)
16:8-11 Body will not see Peter applied this verse to Jesus when
corruption preaching at Pentecost (Acts 2:25-28).
110 At right hand of Father 40 days after resurrection, Jesus
ascends to right hand of Father (Mark
16:19)
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CHAPTER 6: THE STORY OF RESCUE: HOPE FOR THE FUTURE

Isaiah 40-55 is an extraordinary section of scripture. Professor Wright describes these
chapters as an outstanding example of ancient poetry.
These chapters are about “comfort,” that is, the way God brings comfort to his people. In
Chapter 39 (vs 5-7), Isaiah tells King Hezekiah that the southern Kingdom of Judah will be
taken into captivity in Babylon, as it eventually was. The following Chapters, Isaiah 40-55, are
written to a community facing exile, to people who have lost hope, to people who think God
has forgotten them. But the prospect of exile does not mean that God has forgotten. To the
contrary, God is being faithful to the covenant he made. Curses for disobedience were woven
into the covenant. God told the people of Israel, when they were led by Moses, that if they
turn to idols and worship other gods, they will go into exile (see Deuteronomy 27-29). Perhaps
the worst consequence of the people’s sin was that God had abandoned the temple. Because
of their gross idolatry, God no longer wished to dwell among the people of the Kingdom of
Judah.
In Isaiah 40, God offers “comfort” to his people. God has dealt with their sin, so that exile may
now come to an end. As Professor Wright notes, in the Old Testament, there seems to be a
close connection between sin (idolatry) and exile. Sin (idolatry) brings exile. When sin is dealt
with, exile may come to an end. Thus, God’s forgiveness means the return from exile in
Babylon.
Isaiah 40:1-11: “Comfort, comfort my people,” says your God. 2 “Speak tenderly to
Jerusalem. Tell her that her sad days are gone and her sins are pardoned. Yes,
the Lord has punished her twice over for all her sins. …”
But the end of exile means much more than the people’s return to Jerusalem and their
homeland.
3 Listen!It’s the voice of someone shouting, “Clear the way through the wilderness for
the Lord! Make a straight highway through the wasteland for our God! 4 Fill in the
valleys, and level the mountains and hills. Straighten the curves, and smooth out the
rough places. 5 Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it
together. The Lord has spoken!”
In this passage, a messenger cries out, “Clear the way for the Lord.” “Straighten the roads and
fill up the rough places, for God is coming back to his people.” “Then the glory of the Lord will
be revealed. Everyone will see it!”
So, what is the “glory of the Lord” that the messenger shouts about? It is the glory of the Lord
that appeared in the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night, guiding the people through
the wilderness to the Promised Land. It is the Shekinah glory cloud that came to fill the
tabernacle and, later, the temple, when Solomon dedicated it to God. This is the glory that
will be revealed, and it will not only be Israel who sees it, but everyone will see it.
How will this happen? God will send a messenger with “good news.” The messenger will shout
from the mountaintops, “Get ready, Jerusalem. Get ready people of Judah. God is coming!”
Isaiah writes:
Isaiah 40:9-11: O Zion, messenger of good news, shout from the mountaintops! Shout
it louder, O Jerusalem. Shout, and do not be afraid. Tell the towns of Judah, “Your God
is coming!” 10 Yes, the Sovereign Lord is coming in power. He will rule with a powerful
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arm. See, he brings his reward with him as he comes. 11 He will feed his flock like a
shepherd. He will carry the lambs in his arms, holding them close to his heart. He will
gently lead the mother sheep with their young.
According to this passage, God will come in power. But what kind of power? God will come
like a shepherd, who will feed his flock. He will carry his lambs in his arms, holding them close
to his heart. In Isaiah 40:1-11, we see a description of God’s power expressed as a shepherd’s
gentle hand upon his sheep. Throughout Isaiah 40-55, we find a combination of divine power
and divine gentleness. The power with which God destroys Babylon is interwoven with his
gentleness for his people. God’s power is expressed in terms of gentleness.
In Isaiah 55, the last Chapter in this important section of scripture, we find images of new
creation fulfilling the plan that was intended for creation from the beginning. As a result of
Adam’s sin, creation fell into bondage, so that the ground brought forth thorns and weeds. In
Isaiah 55, we see a picture of God’s vineyard (Jerusalem-Judah) going wrong as a result of sin
(especially vs 5, 6). But Isaiah also tells of new creation:
Isaiah 55:12, 13: You will live in joy and peace. The mountains and hills will burst into
song, and the trees of the field will clap their hands! 13 Where once there were thorns,
cypress trees will grow. Where nettles grew, myrtles will sprout up. These events will
bring great honour to the Lord’s name; they will be an everlasting sign of his power and
love.
God is bringing in a new creation (or, better, a renewed creation) where thorns are replaced
by cypress trees and nettles are replaced by myrtles. Thus, according to Professor Wright, in
Isaiah 40-55, we find:
• Promise of return from exile
• Return of God to his people
• Resulting in a new covenant and new creation
How will these things be accomplished? In the same way God created the world in the first
place. God spoke and it was done. He commanded and it came to pass. Professor Wright finds
an important insight in Isaiah 40:6-8:
6 A voice said, “Shout!” I asked, “What should I shout?” “Shout that people are like the
grass. Their beauty fades as quickly as the flowers in a field. 7 The grass withers and the
flowers fade beneath the breath of the Lord. And so it is with people.
8 The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever.”
God’s people are like grass withering in the sun. Their beauty fades like flowers in the field.
From the time of Abraham, God’s people come and go, withering like grass in their
disobedience, fading like flowers in their unfaithfulness (idolatry). But despite the failures of
the people, “the word of God stands forever.” The constancy and faithfulness of God’s word
is echoed in Isaiah 55:10, 11:
10 “The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water
the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for
the hungry. 11 It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit.
It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.”
God’s dealings with Israel and Judah are the work of a sovereign God who brings his will to
pass, despite human frailty and sinfulness. Isaiah paints a portrait of a God who is infinitely
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bigger, more powerful—and more loving!—than the idols of wood and stone worshipped by
Babylon and other nations around Israel and Judah. The direct result of Judah’s idolatry is
exile in Babylon, a land filled with idolatry. It seems as though God gives the people exactly
what they want! Isaiah proclaims that the end of exile can only come when the “dark lords”
and idols of Babylon are finally destroyed.
In Isaiah 40, we find a majestic picture of God as Creator, the True God who stands far above
the idols of Babylon:
Isaiah 40: 12 Who else has held the oceans in his hand? Who has measured off the
heavens with his fingers? Who else knows the weight of the earth or has weighed the
mountains and hills on a scale? 13 Who is able to advise the Spirit of the Lord? Who
knows enough to give him advice or teach him? 14 Has the Lord ever needed anyone’s
advice? Does he need instruction about what is good? Did someone teach him what is
right or show him the path of justice? …
15
No, for all the nations of the world are but a drop in the bucket. They are nothing
more than dust on the scales. He picks up the whole earth …
18 To whom can you compare God? What image can you find to resemble him? 19 Can
he be compared to an idol formed in a mould, overlaid with gold, and decorated with
silver chains? …
21Haven’t you heard? Don’t you understand? Are you deaf to the words of God—the
words he gave before the world began? Are you so ignorant? 22 God sits above the circle
of the earth. The people below seem like grasshoppers to him! He spreads out the
heavens like a curtain and makes his tent from them. 23 He judges the great people of
the world and brings them all to nothing. 24 They hardly get started, barely taking root,
when he blows on them and they wither. The wind carries them off like chaff.
25 “To whom will you compare me? Who is my equal?” asks the Holy One. 26 Look up
into the heavens. Who created all the stars? He brings them out like an army, one after
another, calling each by its name. Because of his great power and incomparable
strength, not a single one is missing. 27 O Jacob, how can you say the Lord does not see
your troubles? O Israel, how can you say God ignores your rights? 28 Have you never
heard? Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all
the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his
understanding. 29 He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. 30 Even
youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. 31 But those
who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.
Isaiah paints a picture of a God who is much, much more than the local tribal gods of Babylon
and other pagan nations. To the contrary, this is the God who controls the universe, the God
who holds the oceans in his hand and measures the heavens with his fingers, a God who is
capable of completing his plans for the exiles in Babylon. Who can we compare to God? Who
is his equal? Man-made idols of wood and stone are laughable and insignificant in comparison
to the True God who made heaven and earth. As God said to Abraham, Isaiah tells the captives
in exile to look into the heavens and remember who created the stars. How can they think
that God does not see their troubles? How can they say that God has forgotten them? Have
they never heard? Have they never understood who God is? Yes, of course they have, in their
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own scriptures! But their idolatry has blinded them, so that they can no longer see the True
God, the one who never grows weak and weary but, rather, gives power and strength to the
weak and powerless. Finally, in beautiful words of comfort, Isaiah tells the people that “those
who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will
run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.”
God will show his people in exile the same mercy and faithfulness he showed to Abraham
and, later, to David. God will overthrow the powers that have captured his people. God will
destroy the idols that his people have worshipped. Finally, God will return to his people in
person and dwell among them! This is the good news of Isaiah 40-55. These are the words of
comfort that Isaiah speaks to the people.
A NEW EXODUS THROUGH THE SUFFERING SERVANT

COMMENT: See Course 104, “Jesus and the Old Testament,” pages 45-48, for a review
of the “Suffering Servant” of Isaiah.
Isaiah 40-55 includes the promise of a “new exodus.”
Isaiah 43:16: I am the Lord, who opened a way through the waters, making a dry path
through the sea. 17 I called forth the mighty army of Egypt with all its chariots and
horses. I drew them beneath the waves, and they drowned, their lives snuffed out like
a smouldering candlewick. 18 “But forget all that—it is nothing compared to what I am
going to do. 19 For I am about to do something new.
In this passage, Isaiah recalls the “original” exodus, when God led his people out of Egypt and
through the waters of the Red Sea (Exodus 14). But now, says Isaiah, God is about to do
something new. It will not be a repeat of the “original” exodus. God is going to do something
much bigger. Although God’s people were unfaithful, God is now going to forgive their
idolatry. He is going to blot out their sins and never think of them again (Isaiah 43:22-25). In
this “new exodus,” God will do much more than deliver his people from a pagan king. In this
new exodus, God will deliver his people from the power of sin. God’s people went into exile
because of their sin (idolatry). Therefore, they need forgiveness of their sin. But now,
forgiveness will take the form of a “new exodus,” wherein the people leave sinful Babylon
and travel home to Jerusalem-Judah. Isaiah seems to combine the imagery of two of Israel’s
great holy days:
• the original Passover in Egypt, the night before the original exodus (or, exit) from
Egypt (Exodus 12), and
• the Day of Atonement, when the people confess their sins and are forgiven for
another year (Leviticus 16).
COMMENT: The important point is that a new exodus indicates that God has forgiven
the people’s sin. Sin caused the people to go into exile in Babylon. Forgiveness of sin is
what allows them to leave Babylon in a new exodus.
In Isaiah 48:14 (NivUK), we read:
14‘Come together, all of you, and listen: which of the idols has foretold these things?
The Lord’s chosen ally will carry out his purpose against Babylon; his arm will be against
the Babylonians [or, “Chaldeans”].
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The “arm” of God will be against Babylon. In other words, God will use his power to free his
people from exile in Babylon. The “Lord’s chosen ally” is a reference to King Cyrus of Persia.
The Persians conquered Babylon. Then King Cyrus allowed all captive people, including the
people of Judah, to return to their home lands.
This theme is taken up again in Isaiah 51 NivUK:
9 Awake, awake, arm of the Lord, clothe yourself with strength! Awake, as in days gone
by, as in generations of old. Was it not you who cut Rahab to pieces, who pierced that
monster through? 10 Was it not you who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep,
who made a road in the depths of the sea so that the redeemed might cross over?
11 Those the Lord has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting
joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing
will flee away.
Isaiah recalls the great acts of rescue that God did for his people in the days of Moses. Now
Isaiah asks God to do it all again, to bring about a new exodus and once again deliver his
people from captivity in a pagan land.
In Isaiah 52:10 NivUK, we read:
10The Lord will lay bare his holy arm in the sight of all the nations, and all the ends of
the earth will see the salvation of our God.
According to Professor Wright, Isaiah is asking God to “roll up his sleeve” and to do a great
work for his people, so that all nations “will see the salvation of our God.” But how will this
happen? What will it look like when God “bares his arm” in order to overthrow the powerful
kingdom of Babylon, to rescue his people from exile, to forgive their sins and to come back to
Jerusalem with them, so that his glory will be seen in all the world?
In Isaiah 53:1, we read:
1 Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
To whom has the “arm of the Lord been revealed,” asks Isaiah. In answer, he writes:
2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had
no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should
desire him. 3 He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar
with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held
him in low esteem.
In this passage, Isaiah describes the “Servant of the Lord,” or the “Suffering Servant.” The
theme of “the arm of the Lord,” that is, the great power of God to overthrow Babylon and
free his people from captivity, is merged with the image of the Suffering Servant. The Servant
is introduced in Isaiah 42:1 (NivUK):
1 “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my
Spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations.”
According to Isaiah, God has put his Spirit on the Servant. Here, we must remember Isaiah’s
earlier writing, where God puts his Spirit on the root (descendant) that will arise from the
house of David (Isaiah 11:1, 2). Notice that the Servant will bring justice to the nations.
Compare this to passages like Isaiah 11:4 and Psalm 72:1, 2, where God promises to give the
love of justice to his chosen King from the family line of David.
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But how will the Servant bring justice to the nations? Isaiah writes:
Isaiah 11 NivUK: 2 ‘He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets.
3 A bruised reed he will not break, and a smouldering wick he will not snuff out.
In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; 4 he will not falter or be discouraged

till he establishes justice on earth. In his teaching the islands will put their hope.’
The Servant will bring justice to the nations, but not through the usual means of earthly kings
and politial leaders. He will not shout or cry out, but, rather, he will bring peace. He will not
come not with political and military power. Rather, he will come in weakness. He will not
break a simple reed by the river or snuff out a smouldering wick.
Isaiah continues:
6 ‘I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep
you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to
open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon
[prison cell] those who sit in darkness.’
God will make a covenant for the people through the Servant, who will be a light to the nations
(Gentiles). Clearly, God intends for the Servant to take up the covenant he made with
Abraham. God promised that all nations of the earth would be blessed through Abraham and
his descendants (Genesis 12:1-3; 15:5; 17:1-7). In this passage we hear echoes of God’s
promise to David that his throne and kingdom would last forever (2 Samuel 7:16). In short,
the Servant will fulfil the calling given to Abraham and his descendants, the nation of Israel,
and carried forward through the family line of King David.
Psalm 42 is the first of four “Servant Songs” recorded in the Book of Isaiah (see 42:1-4; 49:1-
6; 50:4-9; 52:13-53:12). As Professor Wright says, these four passages of scripture are
important parts of the overall narrative that runs throughout Isaiah 40-55. The Servant Songs
speak powerfully about the strange figure that is to come, the one who takes up the calling
of Abraham and Israel.
At first, of course, the Servant is the nation of Israel itself. God entered into a covenant with
Israel and gave them the calling to be a holy nation, a royal priesthood and a light to the
nations. Isaiah 42:18-25 is a harsh criticism of Israel’s failure to fulfil its calling. Therefore, God
raises up another “Servant,” who will fulfil the calling intended for Abraham and Israel.
The second “Servant Song” gives us more insight into this strange, mysterious figure that
Isaiah describes:
Isaiah 49 NivUK 1 Listen to me, you islands; hear this, you distant nations: before I was
born the Lord called me; from my mother’s womb he has spoken my name. …
5 And now the Lord says – he who formed me in the womb to be his servant to bring
Jacob back to him and gather Israel to himself, for I am honoured in the eyes of the Lord
and my God has been my strength – 6 he says: ‘It is too small a thing for you to be my
servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will
also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the
earth.’
In these passages, God calls the Servant even before his is born. The Servant will be “Israel.”
That is, the Servant will act in place of the nation of Israel, just as David did when he fought
the Philistine giant, Goliath. The Servant will fulfil Israel’s mission on behalf of Israel. But not
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only for Israel! The Servant will be a light to the nations! He will bring God’s salvation to the
ends of the earth. In verse 7, the Lord God says to the Servant:
7 Thisis what the Lord says – the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel – to him who was
despised and abhorred by the nation, to the servant of rulers: ‘Kings will see you and
stand up, princes will see and bow down, because of the Lord, who is faithful, the Holy
One of Israel, who has chosen you.’
Like King Solomon, who received honour and praise from the kings of the earth, the Servant
will receive the praise and honour of earthly kings and world leaders. This passage recalls
Psalm 2, where the kings of the earth are commanded to honour and obey God’s chosen King.
God’s chosen Servant will take up the vocation given to Adam and Eve in Genesis 1. The
Servant will take the role of “image bearer,” bringing God’s loving-kindness to the world,
while returning the praises of creation to God. The Servant will take up Israel’s vocation and
bring light to the world. Because the Servant offers true worship, he will be entrusted with
God’s plan for the world. Not only will he bring light to the nations but he also will bring peace,
justice, forgiveness, hope and reconciliation between God and humanity.
The third “Servant Song” (Isaiah 50:4-9) brings in a dark side to the Servant’s calling, for it
introduces the theme of suffering:
4 The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that
sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like
one being instructed. 5 The Sovereign Lord has opened my ears; I have not been
rebellious, I have not turned away. 6 I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks
to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting.
Just as Israel went into shameful exile, says Professor Wright, the Servant seems to be taking
the same role upon himself. The Servant bears the shame and mocking that pagan Babylon
forced upon Israel. Isaiah continues:
7 Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. … 8 He who vindicates
me is near. Who then will bring charges against me? Let us face each other! Who is my
accuser? Let him confront me! 9 It is the Sovereign Lord who helps me. Who will
condemn me? They will all wear out like a garment; the moths will eat them up. 10 Who
among you fears the Lord and obeys the word of his servant? Let the one who walks in
the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely on their God.
In this passage, the Servant appeals to the people in exile in Babylon. Despite his
mistreatment at the hands of the pagans, God will help the Servant. The Servant tells the
exiles to trust God, for it is through the Servant that God will finally deliver his people.
The fourth “Servant Song” is probably the most well-known among Bible students. It is found
in Isaiah 52:13-53:12. The themes or ideas in the other Servant Songs set the stage for this
important passage in the Old Testament. This passage contains the “good news” of the
Kingdom of God!
Isaiah 52:7 NivUK: How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring
good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who
say to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’
This passage praises the messenger, or evangelist, who brings the good news of the Kingdom
of God, the good news that God reigns! From the time of the Garden of Eden, God chose to
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work through human beings. But Adam and Eve failed in their vocation to carry out God’s will
in the world. Abraham and his descendants, the people of Israel, also failed in their vocation
to bring the rule of God into the world. The kings of Israel and Judah also failed in the same
vocation. But now, God himself is becoming King in a way that has not happened before and
God will rule through his chosen one, the Suffering Servant. This is the good news that the
messenger brings. Isaiah continues:
Isaiah 52:8-10 NivUK: Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices; together they shout
for joy. When the Lord returns to Zion, they will see it with their own eyes. 9 Burst into
songs of joy together, you ruins of Jerusalem, for the Lord has comforted his people, he
has redeemed Jerusalem. 10 The Lord will lay bare his holy arm in the sight of all the
nations, and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God.
The Lord God himself will return to Zion, or Jerusalem. Yet, his glorious return is not only for
the Jews. It is for the blessing of the entire world. All nations will see the salvation he brings!
Thus, the messenger in this passage is telling the exiles in Babylon to prepare to leave. They
are to return to their homeland, because God himself is claiming his rightful rule and he will
rule from Jerusalem.
But how shall God rule? How shall God become King? God will rule through his chosen
Servant. Isaiah continues with his final “Servant Song”:
Isaiah 52:13-15: “See, my servant will act wisely; he will be raised and lifted up and
highly exalted. 14 Just as there were many who were appalled at him – his appearance
was so disfigured beyond that of any human being and his form marred beyond human
likeness – 15 so he will sprinkle many nations, and kings will shut their mouths because
of him. For what they were not told, they will see, and what they have not heard, they
will understand.
Isaiah 53:1-6: Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of he Lord been
revealed? 2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we
should desire him. 3 He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and
familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and
we held him in low esteem.
4Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by
God, stricken by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was
crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by
his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned
to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
As Professor Wright notes, the entire biblical narrative—from the Garden of Eden through
Abraham and Israel, through the monarchy (reign of kings in Israel and Judah) and into exile
in Babylon—comes together at this point in Isaiah’s fourth Servant Song. Who would have
thought that the “arm of the Lord” would turn out to be a “Suffering Servant,” one who is
despised and rejected by humankind, one who is familiar with suffering and pain? Yet, it is
this Servant—the one who is “pierced for our transgressions,” who is “crushed” for (or, “by”)
our iniquities (wickedness, sinfulness)—who endures the punishment inflicted on him by
sinful human beings in order to bring healing to the nations and to bear the iniquity of us all.
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Who would have thought that this is what it would look like, says Professor Wright, when the
God who made the heavens and the earth finally rescues his people from exile? Who would
have thought that this is how God would rescue the world from the bondage of sin and death?
Yet, this is exactly the message of the fourth Servant Song.
In the next Chapter, the prophet Isaiah rejoices over the new covenant, where, at last, Israel
can be reunited with its God, like a wife who has been cast off but is now welcome back again
(Isaiah 54:5-8).
Isaiah 55:1: Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no
money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.
Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labour on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare.
God is telling his people not to waste their money on things that do not satisfy. In other words,
he is telling them to forsake idols and return to the True God who made heaven and earth.
Isaiah 55:3: Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live. I will make an everlasting
covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David.
God promises to renew the covenant he made with David. Then God says:
Isaiah 55:6: Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.
7 Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn
to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
As Professor Wright says, “Seek the Lord while he may be found.” That was the message long
ago and it is still the message today. The covenant is renewed, creation is renewed (Isaiah
55:8-13) and forgiveness of sins is accomplished through the Servant, who is “pierced for our
transgressions and crushed for (“by”) our iniquities.”
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CHAPTER 7: THE GLORY OF GOD LEAVES THE TEMPLE

ASSIGNMENT: Read Ezekiel Chapter 1
The First Chapter of the Book of Ezekiel, in the Old Testament, has long been a source of
mystery, even confusion. Ezekiel begins his prophetic book by describing four mysterious
creatures moving in “whatever direction the spirit chose” (Ezekiel 1:12). In addition to the
strange creatures, Ezekiel describes “wheels within wheels,” moving in opposite directions (vs
16, 17). They appear to be the wheels of a chariot, a chariot that is actually a throne (vs 26).
Sitting on the throne is “a figure whose appearance resembled a man” (vs 26). Ezekiel explains
that the mysterious vision he is seeing is “the appearance of the likeness of the glory of
the Lord,” a vision so glorious that Ezekiel falls face down on the ground and hears a voice
speaking (vs 28). Ezekiel does not say specifically that he is seeing God. Rather, he is seeing
something that appears to him as the “likeness of the glory of the Lord.” No doubt, even
Ezekiel is not certain what he was seeing! According to Professor Wright, Ezekiel sees a vision
that is as close to a vision of God as a human being may be allowed to see.
Like Isaiah, who had a vision of God in the temple (Isaiah 6:1-13), Ezekiel is given a
commission. That is, he is given a job to do. He is to speak to the people of Israel. His message
will not be good news, at least at first, because the people of Israel, along with the kings and
priests, have sinned and rebelled against God (Ezekiel 2:1-5). The vision of the glory of God
goes hand-in-hand with a warning of doom and disaster, because the people are not
worshipping the true God. Instead, they are worshipping idols. The first ten chapters of Ezekiel
are warnings of judgement to come upon the people because of their idolatry.
Ezekiel, Chapters 10 and 11 describe a vision of the glory of God about to depart from the
temple. As far back as King Solomon, the temple was the dwelling place of God, as the
tabernacle was in the days of Moses and Joshua. But now, God is preparing to abandon the
temple and leave the nation to its fate. In Ezekiel’s vision, the chariot of God, along with the
four strange creatures described in Chapter 1, rises above the temple, stops briefly above the
mountain to the east (Mount of Olives) and then moves (“shifts”) away from the city to an
unknown place. Chapter 11 describes the judgement that is soon to fall upon the people of
Israel because of their idolatry. The Chapter also describes the mercy that will follow when
God brings his people back to their land.
Much of the Book of Ezekiel describes God’s judgement against his people because of their
idolatry. Ezekiel also describes God’s judgement upon the pagan nations that surround Israel.
Finally, the city of Jerusalem falls to the pagan nation, Babylon. The people who had not
already been taken away into exile are killed by the pagan army (Ezekiel 33:21-29).
ASIGNMENT: Read Ezekiel 34.
In Ezekiel 34, God gives warnings against the “shepherds” of Israel (kings, priests, leaders),
who have failed to take care of God’s flock, the people of Israel. In an important passage, God
promises that he himself will be the Shepherd of Israel:
Ezekiel 34:11 NivUK: ‘“For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for
my sheep and look after them. 12 As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he
is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where
they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness. 13 I will bring them out from the
nations and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land. …
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As a Shepherd, God will search for his scattered flock and bring them back to their own land,
where they will enjoy abundant blessings (Ezekiel 34:11-31). The image of shepherd points
back to King David and Moses, who were shepherds of God’s people. Most importantly, the
image of God as Shepherd of his people points forward in time to Jesus Christ, who is himself
“The Good Shepherd” who takes care of God’s flock (John 10:11-18). In this regard, notice
what follows in Ezekiel’s prophecy:
Ezekiel 34:23 NivUK: I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will
tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd. 24 I the Lord will be their God, and
my servant David will be prince among them. I the Lord have spoken.
There seems to be a bit of uncertainty in Ezekiel’s thought at this point. Is God himself going
to be Shepherd over his people, or is David going to be shepherd? No doubt, Ezekiel would
answer “yes” to both questions! As Professor Wright notes, we find “bits and pieces” in the
Old Testament that point forward to a coming King who will do God’s work. He will be a
Shepherd to God’s people. For example, in Psalm 2 and Isaiah 11, God declares that he will
do his work through his chosen King. From the time of the Garden of Eden, God has
committed to doing his work through his “image bearers,” that is, through human beings. The
work is God’s work, but it is to be done by human beings.
According to Professor Wright, the Book of Ezekiel is about four things:
• The temple
• The priesthood
• The uncleanness that has infected the temple and priesthood
• The glory of God that had to depart the temple as a result
The remedy to the problem of uncleanness (idolatry) is found in Ezekiel 36:
24 ‘“For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and
bring you back into your own land. 25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be
clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. 26 I will give you
a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and
give you a heart of flesh [a teachable heart]. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move
you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. 28 Then you will live in the
land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God.
There are four important points in this passage of scripture:
• Return from exile
• Cleansing from sin
• Renewal of the heart (a “new heart”)
• Empowerment by the Spirit to live God’s way
Because of their idolatry, the people’s hearts turned away from God. Their hearts turned to
stone, like the idols they worshipped. The people need cleansing from the impurities
associated with idol worship. Therefore, God promises to sprinkle clean water on his people.
He will give his people a “new heart” and a “new spirit.” God will put his Spirit in his people,
so that they can obey him.
ASSIGNMENT: Read Ezekiel 37:1-14
In Ezekiel 37, we find the amazing vision of dry bones being brought back to life.
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4 Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy to these bones and say to them, “Dry bones, hear the
word of the Lord! 5 This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make
breath enter you, and you will come to life. 6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh
come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to
life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”’ NivUK
Ezekiel sees the bones come together, as tendons and flesh cover them. Breath “from the
four winds” comes to bring the vast army of bones to life. The wind or breath may refer to
the spirit promised in the previous Chapter.
The valley of dry bones represents God’s people in exile, where all seems hopeless and lost
(Ezekiel 37:11). But God will not leave his people in exile, in hopelessness. God tells Ezekiel:
12 Therefore prophesy and say to them: “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: my
people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you
back to the land of Israel. 13 Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I
open your graves and bring you up from them. 14 I will put my Spirit in you and you will
live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have
spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.”’ NivUK
According to Professor Wright, the vision of the valley of dry bones is a vision of return from
exile, where God will do something that seems impossible to those held captive in Babylon.
This is an act of new creation, reminding us of the original creation in Genesis 1-2, where God
breathes life into Adam and Eve. God will breathe life into his people again. He will bring them
back from exile in Babylon to their homeland, where they will rebuild the temple in Jerusalem.
In Ezekiel 40, we find a long, detailed vision of the new temple. In Ezekiel 43:1-5, when the
new temple is built, the divine glory returns to the temple. Finally, the Book of Ezekiel ends
by proclaiming, “‘And the name of the city from that time on will be: the Lord is there.’”
The Book of Ezekiel is a testimony to the power of God to redeem his people by bringing them
back from exile, to heal them by giving them a new heart and filling them with his presence
(his spirit) and to restore the temple as the dwelling place of God in the midst of his people.
Thus, the final Chapters of the Book of Ezekiel point toward four things:
• A new temple
• A new spirit
• A new heart
• A new people
In turn, these four things point forward to the day when Jesus comes to pour out his Spirit, to
renew creation and to renew human hearts and lives, not just in one city (Jerusalem), but
throughout the whole world, so that creation itself will finally become the place where “the
Lord is there.”
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CHAPTER 8: THE PSALMS: JOY AND SORROW

God’s people are taken away as captives to the powerful pagan nation, Babylon. They are in
exile from their homeland. They hope and pray that God will bring about a “new exodus,”
that once again he will deliver his people from bondage, as in the days of Moses, when he
brought his people out of Egypt. Even after many of the captives return to their homeland,
however, there is still a sense of exile. They are in their homeland again, but they continue to
be ruled by a pagan nation—this time, Rome. The people continue to hope and pray that God
will finally bring exile to an end. Of course, there are many questions. How and when is this
going to happen? What will it look like when God comes to rescue his people and restore his
covenant relationship with them? Who will be King? Where is the royal descendant who will
sit on the throne of David? When will God come in person to feed his flock like a Shepherd
and gather the lambs in his arms? What will it look like when God comes to dwell again in his
temple? What will it look like when God forgives Israel’s sins, that is, the idolatry that led to
exile in the first place?
As Professor Wright explains, many of these questions are contained in the psalms. While the
psalms celebrate both the goodness of God and the call of Israel, they also lament the fact
that everything seems to have gone terribly wrong. God’s people are a “psalm-singing”
people. They are a “psalm-praying” people. Therefore, they are familiar with the questions
the psalmists are asking. They know both the joy and the sorrow of the psalms.
Psalm 89 celebrates God’s unfailing love expressed in his covenant with Israel, while also
lamenting the misery that has fallen upon God’s people because of their idolatry. Psalm 22
takes the opposite approach, beginning with lament and ending in triumph (Jesus quoted
from this psalm as he hung on the cross). Psalm 24 praises God as the King who will come
back to Zion (Jerusalem) to dwell among his people and rule over them. Psalm 88, on the
other hand, is a psalm of lament and grief over the misery of God’s people because of their
sinfulness:
Psalm 88: O Lord, God of my salvation, I cry out to you by day. I come to you at night.
2 Now hear my prayer; listen to my cry. 3 For my life is full of troubles, and death draws
near. 4 I am as good as dead, like a strong man with no strength left. 5 They have left me
among the dead, and I lie like a corpse in a grave. I am forgotten, cut off from your care.
6 You have thrown me into the lowest pit, into the darkest depths. 7 Your anger weighs
me down; with wave after wave you have engulfed me. 8 You have driven my friends
away by making me repulsive to them. I am in a trap with no way of escape.
9 My eyes are blinded by my tears. Each day I beg for your help, O Lord; I lift my hands
to you for mercy. 10 Are your wonderful deeds of any use to the dead? Do the dead rise
up and praise you? 11 Can those in the grave declare your unfailing love? Can they
proclaim your faithfulness in the place of destruction? 12 Can the darkness speak of your
wonderful deeds? Can anyone in the land of forgetfulness talk about your
righteousness?
13 OLord, I cry out to you. I will keep on pleading day by day. 14 O Lord, why do you reject
me? Why do you turn your face from me? 15 I have been sick and close to death since
my youth. I stand helpless and desperate before your terrors. 16 Your fierce anger has
overwhelmed me. Your terrors have paralyzed me. 17 They swirl around me like
floodwaters all day long. They have engulfed me completely. 18 You have taken away
my companions and loved ones. Darkness is my closest friend.
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Psalms 96 and 98 celebrate the new creation and new covenant that God has promised, not
only for Israel but for the world. Psalms 47 and 67 are celebratory psalms that point to the
Kingdom of God, the time when God is finally King, the time when God sets all things right,
not only for Israel but for the whole world. Here is Psalm 96:
1 Sing a new song to the Lord! Let the whole earth sing to the Lord! 2 Sing to the Lord;
praise his name. Each day proclaim the good news that he saves. 3 Publish his glorious
deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does. 4 Great is
the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! He is to be feared above all gods. 5 The gods of
other nations are mere idols, but the Lord made the heavens! 6 Honour and majesty
surround him; strength and beauty fill his sanctuary.
7O nations of the world, recognize the Lord; recognize that the Lord is glorious and
strong. 8 Give to the Lord the glory he deserves! Bring your offering and come into his
courts. 9 Worship the Lord in all his holy splendour. Let all the earth tremble before him.
10 Tell all the nations, “The Lord reigns!” The world stands firm and cannot be shaken.
He will judge all peoples fairly.

11 Letthe heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice! Let the sea and everything in it shout
his praise! 12 Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy! Let the trees of the forest
sing for joy 13 before the Lord, for he is coming! He is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with justice, and the nations with his truth.
Psalms 96 and 98 speak of the judgement of God. Many think of judgement as something
bad, something to fear and dread, a time when God will pour out his awful wrath upon
sinners. But in the psalms, judgement is a time to be celebrated, because it is the time when
God will set everything right. God will restore and heal all creation and make all things new.
Notice the ending of Psalm 96. God will judge the world with justice. He will bring truth to the
nations. This is exactly what the weak and oppressed people of the world need. We need
truth instead of lies, promises kept rather than promises broken. As Professor Wright
explains, Psalms 96 and 98 celebrate the fact that someone is finally coming to sort things
out, to clean up the mess and make things right, as God always intended them to be. Of
course, we continue to pray this hope even today.
The psalms portray the double strand of thought that runs throughout the story of Israel, that
is, both the joy of their covenant relationship with God and the sorrow resulting from their
unfaithfulness to God. Although the people of Israel are the bearers of the promises of God,
they also are a rebellious people, who are carriers of the problem.
Psalm 47 is an example of a joyful psalm that celebrates the Kingdom of God, the time when
God is King and the entire world is set right:
1 Come, everyone! Clap your hands! Shout to God with joyful praise! 2 For the
Lord Most
High is awesome. He is the great King of all the earth. 3 He
subdues the nations before
us, putting our enemies beneath our feet. 4 He chose the Promised Land as our
inheritance, the proud possession of Jacob’s descendants, whom he loves.
5 God has ascended with a mighty shout. The Lord has ascended with trumpets blaring.
6 Singpraises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises! 7 For God is the
King over all the earth. Praise him with a psalm. 8 God reigns above the nations, sitting
on his holy throne. 9 The rulers of the world have gathered together with the people of
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The Bible as Story
the God of Abraham. For all the kings of the earth belong to God. He is highly honoured
everywhere.
Psalm 97 also celebrates the day when God is finally King over all the earth:
1 The Lord is king! Let the earth rejoice! Let the farthest coastlands be glad. 2 Dark clouds
surround him. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
3 Fire spreads ahead of him and burns up all his foes. 4 His lightning flashes out across
the world. The earth sees and trembles. 5 The mountains melt like wax before the Lord,
before the Lord of all the earth. 6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness; every nation
sees his glory. 7 Those who worship idols are disgraced—all who brag about their
worthless gods—for every god must bow to him. 8 Jerusalem has heard and rejoiced,
and all the towns of Judah are glad because of your justice, O Lord! 9 For you, O Lord,
are supreme over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods. 10 You who love
the Lord, hate evil! He protects the lives of his godly people and rescues them from the
power of the wicked. 11 Light shines on the godly, and joy on those whose hearts are
right. 12 May all who are godly rejoice in the Lord and praise his holy name!
In the New Testament, the story reaches its climax in Jesus, the King of kings, who comes to
put all things right, bringing good news to the poor and justice to the nations, pouring out his
Spirit, not just for Israel but for the world and finally bringing God’s good and loving rule to all
nations.
AN UNFINISHED STORY
According to Professor Wright, we have been following a great story, God’s story, which is
then the story of creation, with human beings in the middle of it. It is Israel’s story, the people
called to be the bearers of the good promises of God. It is the story of the house of David, the
line of kings who are given the responsibility to rule God’s people with fairness and bring
God’s justice to the world. But along with the human vocation, or calling, to enact God’s good
and loving will on earth, there is always the temptation to abuse the vocation. As Professor
Wright notes, David’s descendants, the kings of Israel and Judah, seem to take every
opportunity to abuse their God-given vocation. Despite human failure, however, God will
fulfill his good purposes for the world and set all things right at the proper time.
The Old Testament ends with the return of the people to their homeland to rebuild the city
and restore the temple. A period of about 400 years follows before we come to the events of
the New Testament. This 400-year period is called the “intertestimental” period, or the time
between the Old and New Testaments. It is also called the “Second Temple” period, because
the people begin to build a new temple, because King Solomon’s temple was destroyed by
the army of Babylon. During this period, God’s people are oppressed by various pagan
nations, including Greece under Alexander the Great, Syria and finally, Rome, the most
powerful nation of all. God’s people are waiting for the longing of the prophets and psalmists
to be fulfilled. They are singing and praying the psalms that celebrate the coming new creation
in the Kingdom of God. They are waiting for the covenant to be renewed and the people given
a new heart and a new spirit, as prophesied by Ezekiel. When will all the strands of the story
come together at last, and what will it look like? When will the King from the hoiuse of David
return to free God’s people from pagan oppression? When will God return to the temple to
dwell again among his people? When will the exile of opression by foreign armies finally come
to an end? The Old Testament ends with these questions largely unanswered.
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When the New Testament begins, we find groups of people with different ideas about how
the Kingdom must finally come in. The Pharisees, with whom Jesus had so many
disagreements, believe that keeping the Law is the way to bring in the Kingdom. The Pharisees
create new laws for every conceivable situation and, thereby, turn the Law into an impossible
burden. Others, known as “zealots,” believe a military revolt against Rome is the solution. In
fact, there are a number of failed military “revolutions,” both before and after the time of
Jesus. Others, like the Sadducees, want to make the best of a bad situation by accommodating
to Roman rule through acceptance and compromise.
In this complex situation of prayer, hope and confusion, John the Baptist goes to the Jordan
River and begins to preach a baptism of repentance. According to the New Testament, John’s
ministry is foretold by the prophet Isaiah (40:3-5). According to Professor Wright, John’s
ministry of baptism symbolises a crossing of water, as when the people crossed the Red Sea
under Moses on their way to the Promised Land. It symbolises new covenant and return from
exile. It represents a new exodus, an escape from oppression and a new Passover, where sins
are forgiven, both for the individual and for the nation.
Finally, Jesus of Nazareth comes to the Jordan River to be baptised by John. A voice from
heaven speaks, combining Psalm 2 and Isaiah 42: “This is my beloved Son, my chosen one,
who brings me great joy.” The hope of the prophets and psalmists and the longing of God’s
people for deliverance from exile come together in one place, in one moment, in one
person—Jesus Christ.
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CHAPTER 9: THE FULFILMENT OF THE GREAT STORY IN JESUS CHRIST

The first four books of the New Testament are called “Gospels.” The word, “gospel,” means
“good news.” The four gospel writers—Matthew, Mark, Luke and John—tell the good news
of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. The long story of Israel written in the Old Testament is
finally fulfilled in Jesus.
MATTHEW
The New Testament is closely connected to the long story of Israel in the Old Testament. We
see the connection clearly at the beginning of the Gospel of Matthew, where we find “a record
of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of Abraham” (Matthew 1:1).
Ancestry was important to the Jews of the First Century, just as it is important today to people
in Africa and Asia. Ancestry grounds us. It gives a sense of who we are. The family line of
Abraham is very important because God promised to bless the whole world through Abraham
and his descendants. Through his human ancestry, Jesus is intimately connected to the story
of Abraham and Israel.
The first name mentioned in Matthew’s list of ancestors is Abraham. Matthew shows us that
Jesus is connected to Abraham. Jesus is part of the long story of Israel that begins with
Abraham and Sarai (Genesis 12:1). Matthew records the names of other ancestors, all the way
to Kind David (vs 6). Then Matthew lists the ancestors of Jesus to the time of the exile in
Babylon (vs 11). Matthew puts Jesus into a historical context. Jesus did not appear out of thin
air like a ghost. Jesus is a member of a long family line going back to Abraham. God promised
to bring blessing to the entire world through the family of Abraham,
According to Matthew’s account, there are fourteen generations from Abraham to David.
There are fourteen generations from David to the exile. Finally, there are fourteen
generations from the exile to Jesus the Messiah. According to Professor Wright, these 42
generations represent “six sevens” (6 X 7). The number “seven” takes us back to Genesis and
the story of creation. Matthew is telling us in a rather vague way that the birth of Jesus marks
the dawn of a new day, for the “seventh seven” is the Jubilee moment, the time of release for
captives, the time for a fresh start, the time for new creation. This is the point when the
Messiah, the “Anointed One,” is to arrive in Israel.
In Matthew’s list of ancestors, other nations besides Israel are represented. For example,
Tamar, Rahab and Ruth, who are mentioned as mothers of various men, are not blood
descendants of Abraham. They are Gentiles from foreign nations. The inclusion of other
nations in the family tree of Jesus Christ shows that God’s good purposes were never intended
for Israel only but for all nations. God uses Israel to draw all nations into the inheritance
promised to Abraham and his descendants.
COMMENT: It is not necessary to take Mathew’s list of ancestors literally. While it is
entirely possible that there were exactly three sets of fourteen ancestors in the family
tree of Jesus Christ, it is far more likely that Matthew is being selective in his list of
ancestors. He is using numbers to make the point that the time for the new day, for new
creation, has finally come.
COMMENT: In Chapter 1, verse 16, Matthew is careful not to say that Jesus is the son
of Joseph. Rather, he says that Mary is the mother of Jesus. Jesus was not conceived in
the ordinary way. Rather, Jesus was conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary by the
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power of the Holy Spirit. Matthew traces Jesus’ family line from Abraham to Joseph,
because Joseph is a descendant of Abraham, and also because Joseph is the “legal”
father of Jesus. For that reason, the New Testament sometimes refers to Joseph as the
“father” of Jesus (see Luke 2:33; John 1:45). In terms of a “blood connection,” however,
Jesus is descended from Abraham through Mary.
Matthew draws frequently on the Old Testament to show his readers (Jews) who Jesus is. For
example, Matthew takes a prophecy from Isaiah, that a virgin will conceive a child (Matthew
1:23; Isaiah 7:14), and applies it to the birth of Jesus from the Virgin Mary. Matthew 2 picks
up Micah’s prophecy that the Messiah will be born in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:5, 6: Micah 5:2-
5). The arrival of “wise men from eastern lands” (Matthew 2:1, 2) echoes many of the
prophecies in Isaiah and the psalms about kings coming from distant lands to worship the
True King, the King of Israel. The return of the holy family from Egypt after the slaughter of
the children of Bethlehem fulfils Hosea’s ancient prophecy, “Out of Egypt I have called my
son” (Matthew 2:14, 15; Hosea 11:1). When Mary, Joseph and Jesus go to Nazareth to live,
they fulfil another old prophecy (Matthew 2:23). Yet, this one is not found in the Old
Testament. Some scholars believe Matthew is referring to the “branch” or “root” of Jesse in
Isaiah (11:1), for the word, “Nazarene,” is similar to the Hebrew word for “branch,” thus
showing that Jesus is a descendant of King David, the son of Jesse. Matthew uses the Old
Testament to show that the entire narrative, or story, of Israel is now being summed up in
Jesus. In other words, Jesus is the fulfilment of the story of Israel.
In Matthew 3, the baptism of Jesus mirrors the “baptism” of the people of Israel, who passed
through the waters of the Red Sea to escape bondage in Egypt (see 1 Corinthians 10:2). The
baptism of Jesus represents the promise of renewal and cleansing. It represents a new
exodus-Passover event that leads to rescue from bondage and forgiveness of sins.
(Remember that Passover is associated with the forgiveness of sins). Matthew shows that
Jesus fulfils God’s promise to his people by finally putting an end to the bondage of exile
through the forgiveness of sins.
In Matthew 4, after his baptism, Jesus goes into the wilderness, or
Jesus relives the
barren desert, to undergo trials and temptations for forty days. When
Jesus faces the temptation of Satan in the wilderness, we see the real
story of Israel
nature of the battle that takes place between the kingdom of light
and the kingdom of darkness. It is not enough for God to defeat dark,
earthly powers like Pharaoh, king of Egypt, or the powerful pagan nation, Babylon, which
carried away God’s people into exile. God must also defeat the dark power that stands behind
evil kings and powerful sinful nations. Jesus must defeat Satan in order to finally put an end
to human bondage and suffering. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve give in to the
temptation of Satan. Jesus, the new Adam, overcomes temptation and wins the battle against
the devil. Jesus’ baptism, followed by the temptation in the wilderness, clearly echoes Israel’s
passage through the Red Sea and forty years of testing and preparation, as they journeyed
through the wilderness of the Sinai Peninsula. Jesus responds to Satan’s temptations by
quoting from the Book of Deuteronomy, a book that is all about Israel’s testing and
preparation for the Promised Land. In a real and important sense, Jesus is re-living the
experience of Israel. Jesus is Israel. Yet, where Israel failed to obey God and be a light to the
nations, Jesus succeeds!
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The Bible as Story
Matthew clearly arranges his material to show the relationship

between Jesus and Israel. Matthew arranges his Gospel into five The great story in the
major sections: Old Testament was
• Sermon on the Mount, Chapters 5-8 always leading to Jesus!
• Teaching to the disciples, Chapter 10
• Teaching with parables, Chapter 13
• More teaching to disciples, especially about forgiveness, Chapter 18
• Teachings and warnings, especially about coming destruction of temple because
people have continued to resist God’s will, Chapters 23-25
By arranging his material into five major sections, Matthew brings to mind the Pentateuch,
the first five books of the Bible in the Old Testament, thought to be written by Moses.
Matthew is describing a “new Pentateuch” and a new Israel, reformed and renewed around
the person of Jesus.
In the latter Chapters of Matthew, where Jesus is crucified (“put to death on the cross”), we
find reminders of the temptation in the wilderness. Satan said to Jesus, “If you are the son of
God, turn these stones into bread” (Matthew 4:3). When Jesus hangs on the cross, people
mock him by saying, “If you are the son of God, save yourself and come down from the cross”
(Matthew 27:40b). As the son of Abraham and the son of David, Jesus bears the shame of
exile on behalf of the nation of Israel. Jesus dies on the cross, bearing the weight of Israel’s
sins—of the world’s sins—in order to defeat the dark powers that have oppressed humanity
since the Garden of Eden.
In Matthew 28, we find the resurrected Son of God exalted as the King of heaven and earth,
just as the psalmists and prophets foretold. Jesus says to his disciples, “I have been given all
authority in heaven and earth” (Matthew 28:18). As Professor Wright wisely notes, believers
are accustomed to the idea that Jesus has all authority in heaven. Yet, we have hardly begun
to think through what it means that Jesus has all authority on earth, as well. The church has
struggled to understand this from the time of Jesus until today.
Jesus’ authority in heaven and earth bears directly on mission. Jesus said, “Therefore, go and
make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and
the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). Professor Wright regards the Sermon on the Mount as
instruction for discipleship, along with the teachings to the disciples about their mission
(Matthew 10). The parables of the Kingdom (Matthew 13) show that the Kingdom of God
does not come into the world through the usual means of power and violence. The Kingdom
comes as seeds are sown and fruit grows from them. Bringing to mind the exodus from Egypt
and Passover, Matthew 18 shows that the Kingdom comes through the power of forgiveness.
Israel went into exile because of the sin of idolatry. Forgiveness signals the end of exile.
According to Professor Wright, “making disciples” means:
• Making “Sermon on the Mount” people
• Making seeds and sowing people
• Making forgiveness people
• Making people who are following Jesus into all the world
• Making disciples and baptising them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
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At the end of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus says, “And be sure of this: I am with you always,
even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). This takes us back to the “Immanuel” promise,
where Matthew began his Gospel. Matthew quotes Isaiah to show that Jesus is “Immanuel,”
which means “God with us” (Matthew 1:22, 23; Isaiah 7:14). Thus, says Professor Wright, as
we look back at the entire Gospel of Matthew, we see that “Immanuel” is really a “new
temple” promise. In Jesus, God is with us. In Jesus, God is dwelling among his people, as he
did in the days of Solomon, when the glory of God came to fill the temple; as he did in the
days of the Moses, when God led his people in a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, and
came to dwell in the tabernacle in the form of the Shekinah cloud of glory. In the person of
Jesus Christ, God is with us. God comes back in person to renew the covenant (“new heart,
new spirit”) and to bring in the renewal of creation. The ancient promises of a new temple, a
new covenant and the coming of God as King to sit on the throne of David, all come together
in Jesus Christ. As Professor Wright notes, this is where the long story of Israel written in the
Old Testament was always going.
At the same time, Jesus is not only the conclusion of the story of Israel. He is also the beginning
of the story of the new Israel, the story in which you and I are playing our parts!
LUKE
Luke begins his Gospel (1:5ff) in a way that reminds us of the Old Testament book, Second
Samuel. Like the prophet Samuel, who prepared the way for the anointing of David as King,
John the Baptist is a “new Samuel,” who prepares the way for the anointing of Jesus as the
Messiah of Israel and the King of the world.
In Chapter 2, Luke calls our attention to the world-wide scope of the events surrounding the
birth of Jesus. Caesar, the king of the vast Roman Empire, commands that a census be taken
of all his subjects. Everyone must return to the town or village of their birth to be counted. As
a result, a young man and woman from Nazareth journey to Bethlehem, to a remote part of
the Empire that most people cared nothing about. In this distant and forgotten village, the
True King and Lord of the entire world is born.
In Chapter 3, Luke lists the ancestors of Jesus Christ. Unlike Matthew, who writes for Jewish
readers, who would be mainly interested in the ancestors of Abraham, Luke traces the family
line of Jesus all the way back to Adam. Luke shows that Jesus is coming not only for the
salvation of Israel, but for the salvation of all humanity. In Luke, we see that the story of Israel
is a story for the entire world, for it is through Israel that all nations are blessed.
From the beginning, the Gospel of Luke is a story about the temple and its judgement. It is
also a story about Jesus as the new temple. Luke begins in the temple with the priest
Zechariah, who is to become the father of John the Baptist (Luke 1:5ff). In Chapter 2, Jesus is
presented in the temple by Joseph and Mary, according to their custom. Luke is the only
Gospel writer who records this event. Luke’s emphasis on the temple continues throughout
his Gospel. The Gospel of Luke ends with the disciples in the temple, praising God after Jesus
rises from the dead and finally returns to heaven (Luke 24:53).
Like the books of Isaiah and Ezekiel in the Old Testament, the Gospel of Luke is an account of
judgement against the temple. Instead of a house of worship, the temple has become the
symbol of Israel’s resistance to the will of God. It is the symbol of the stubbornness and hard-
hearted-ness of God’s people. The temple is the symbol of Israel’s pride in their national
identity, for the Jews think of themselves as superior to other nations. As Professor Wright
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The Bible as Story
says, the temple represents the two strands that run side-by-side throughout the Old
Testament. The temple represents the story of God’s promises, of God’s presence and the
hope that God will finally deliver his people. At the same time, the temple represents the
people’s rebellion and turning away from God. Professor Wright draws an interesting analogy
from the Old Testament. The temple in the time of Jesus is a strange mixture of competing
stories, like Moses on the mountain, receiving instructions for the tabernacle, while Aaron is
at the base of the mountain, making a golden calf. The story of God’s will and his good plans
for the world always runs parallel to the story of Israel’s resistance to God’s will and rebellion
against his plan for the world. This long story with its two strands continues into the Gospel
of Luke.
In Chapter 4, after he is tempted by Satan in the wilderness, Jesus comes to Nazareth, his
home village. In the synagogue (meeting place), Jesus preaches from the Book of Isaiah (Isaiah
61:1, 2):
Luke 4:18-21: [Jesus says] ‘The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the
prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, 19 to proclaim
the year of the Lord’s favour.’
20 Thenhe rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of
everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 He began by saying to
them, ‘Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.’
The passage in Isaiah, quoted by Jesus, is about the Messiah, the “Anointed One,” who will
deliver Israel from her enemies. “The year of the Lord’s favour” (vs 19) is a reference to
Jubilee, when once every 50 years slaves were to be set free, debts were to be cancelled and
ancestral property was to be returned to the original family owners. But this is no ordinary
Jubilee. This is the Jubilee that follows the 70 x 7 years of exile foreseen by Daniel and the
“seventh seven” indicated by Matthew in his family history of Israel. Jesus is bringing in the
“Jubilee of Jubilees,” when all humanity will be set free from the dark power of Satan, sin and
death. Isaiah predicts the release of Israel from their coming captivity in Babylon. In the
synagogue at Nazareth, Jesus proclaims freedom from sin and all its consequences.
The people of Nazareth, however, are unwilling to listen to Jesus. They get angry because
Jesus speaks about God’s goodness to those outside Israel (Gentiles). Jesus tells about the
prophet, Elijah, who was sent to a Gentile widow, a woman of Sidon, at a time when there
were many widows in Israel. Jesus tells about God’s goodness to the leper, Naaman, the
commander of the enemy army of Syria. Jesus is reminding the people of Nazareth that God’s
goodness was never intended for Israel alone. God’s good purposes have always been for the
entire world. But the people of Nazareth are outraged at the thought that Israel’s God would
be gracious to any nation other than Israel. For this reason, they try to kill Jesus (Luke 4:24-
30). As Professor Wright says, Luke’s gospel is about a wonderful message for the whole
world, paired with a shocking rejection of that message by the Jews. All the gospel writers
portray Jesus as bringing a message so revolutionary and surprising that most of God’s chosen
people are unable to accept it.
Throughout the Gospel of Luke, we see a contrast between Jesus’ Kingdom message and its
rejection by God’s chosen people. In Luke, there are many stories of celebration and feasting,
where Jesus eats and celebrates with sinners. Yet, the religious leaders constantly reject and
disapprove of Jesus’ fellowship with sinners and outcasts. For example, in Luke 15, a Chapter
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that contains three of Jesus’ best-known parables (“stories”), we find the Jewish leaders
rejecting Jesus’ message of love and forgiveness:
Luke 15:1, 2: Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering round to hear
Jesus. 2 But the Pharisees [religious leaders] and the teachers of the law muttered, ‘This
man welcomes sinners, and eats with them.’
The religious leaders cannot understand why Jesus eats with sinners and fellowships with
corrupt tax collectors. In their minds, Jesus cannot be announcing God’s Kingdom. If Jesus
were announcing God’s Kingdom, so they think, then he would tell everyone to keep the Law,
not celebrate with law-breaking sinners! Jesus would join with the “righteous” ones, who are
trying to be faithful to Israel’s law.
COMMENT: The Pharisees believe that strict obedience to the law will hasten the arrival
of the Kingdom of God. For this reason, they disapprove of Jesus’ fellowship with
sinners.
In answer to the criticism of the Pharisees, Jesus tells three parables (“stories”) to explain why
he celebrates with sinners. The parables of “the lost sheep,” “the lost coin” and the “lost son”
are stories about the great celebration that happens when something—or, someone—that
was lost is finally found. Here is the “parable of the lost sheep”:
Luke 15:3-7 NivUK: 3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 ‘Suppose one of you has a
hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open
country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully
puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbours
together and says, “Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.” 7 I tell you that in the
same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over
ninety-nine righteous people who do not need to repent.
According to Jesus, God’s forgiveness of lost sinners is something to celebrate. God’s
forgiveness is cause for rejoicing. Therefore, when Jesus celebrates and fellowships with
sinners and outcasts, the angels in heaven also celebrate! In this parable, Jesus brings heaven
and earth together, so that God’s will is done on earth as it is in heaven (see Matthew 6:10).
Jesus is enacting on earth the same celebration that occurs in heaven when one of God’s lost
sheep is found and brought safely home.
In the parable of the lost coin (Luke 15:8-10), a woman loses a valuable silver coin, perhaps a
wedding gift or part of her marriage dowry. So, she sweeps the house in search of the precious
coin. When she finds the coin, she rejoices and invites her neighbours to come and celebrate
with her. Again Jesus says:
Luke 15:10: ‘In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels
of God over one sinner who repents.’
According to Jesus, the angels are celebrating, and so should we! Jesus again brings heaven
and earth together in celebration and joy for God’s love, even for sinners!
The third parable, usually known as “The Parable of the Prodigal Son,” is certainly one of the
best known parables in the New Testament. In this story, the younger son asks his father for
his share of the inheritance. In those days, it was customary to receive an inheritance upon
the death of the father. By requesting his share now, the younger son insults his father, as if
he were putting a curse on the older man. In spite of the younger son’s greed and disrespect,
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however, the father generously and graciously gives his younger son his share of the
inheritance. The son leaves home for a distant country, where he wastes his inheritance and
ends up feeding pigs, hoping for some husks to eat because of his hunger.
Eventually, the younger son decides to return to his father. When he arrives home, he does
not receive guilt, shame or condemnation. Rather, he receives joyous, overflowing love.
Because his son has returned, the father declares a celebration! As in the previous parables
in Luke 15, Jesus uses the story of the lost son to show why he celebrates with sinners. If
heaven is celebrating at the return of a lost sinner, then so should we. Again, he brings heaven
and earth together in celebration over God’s generous, lavish love for all.
But as usual, there is a dark side to this story. The Pharisees grumble and complain because
Jesus fellowships with sinners. Therefore, Jesus continues his story by telling the Pharisees
about the older brother. The older brother has always done exactly as his Father wants, but,
as Professor Wright says, perhaps with a cold and stony heart. The older brother is angry and
resentful because his father has never given him a party, or celebration, but when the
rebellious younger brother returns home, the father immediately declares a celebration. But
the father says to his older son:
Luke 15: 31, 32: ‘“My son,” the father said, “you are always with me, and everything I
have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours
was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.”’
According to Professor Wright, Jesus is saying two things in this parable:
• This is the reason there is a celebration, or party: the heart of God is filled with joy
when a sinner is rescued and restored.
• This is a sign of resurrection: “This brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was
lost and is found.”
This part of the story reminds us of Ezekiel’s vision of the dry bones brought back to life
(Ezekiel 37). Jesus is saying, “This is what the restoration of Israel looks like. This is what return
from exile looks like.” A sinful son went off into a far country but now he has returned home.
This is the story of God’s people who were taken to the far country, Babylon, in exile from
their homeland and now have returned home. Resurrection is the proper image for this story
of exile and return. Jesus is saying to the Pharisees that resurrection is taking place all around
them and they cannot see it.
In Luke 19, Jesus enters Jerusalem as the True King, the one foretold long before by the
psalmists and prophets. The people celebrate by waving palm branches and throwing them
to the ground as Jesus draws near, as is the custom upon the arrival of a king or a very
important person. But Jesus does not arrive with joy in his heart. Rather, he arrives with tears
in his eyes because he knows that judgement is soon to fall on the city of Jerusalem and its
people (Luke 19:41-44). Jesus has offered Jerusalem the way of peace, the way of
reconciliation and fellowship. But he has been largely rejected. The Jews insist on holding to
their own ethnic identity. They insist that the blessings of Israel’s God are for them only. They
reject any notion of God’s goodness to other nations. They are determined to bring in the
Kingdom of God their own way, the way of revolution, war and violence, rather than through
Jesus’ way of peace and love for all. Jesus says to the people:
Luke 19:42-44 NivUK: ‘If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring
you peace – but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43 The days will come upon you when
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your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in
on every side. 44 They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your
walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognise the time
of God’s coming to you.’
Just as the Pharisees and other religious leaders cannot see the “resurrection” of sinners
happening all around them, they cannot see the return of Israel’s King, as the psalmists and
prophets foretold long before.
When Jesus arrives in Jerusalem for the last time before his death, he goes to the temple and
drives out those who are selling. He says:
Luke 19:46: “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be a house of prayer,’ but you have
turned it into a den of thieves.”
Jesus drives out those who are buying and selling in the temple as an enacted parable. In
other words, Jesus’ actions symbolise the destruction that is soon to fall on Jerusalem and the
temple at the hands of the powerful Roman army. In Luke 21, Jesus goes into greater detail
about the destruction that is soon to come upon Jerusalem, because the people have rejected
their King and his way of peace.
Later that week, Jesus celebrates the Passover meal with his disciples, an event usually known
as “The Last Supper.” While eating with his disciples, Jesus says:
Luke 22:37: It is written: “And he was numbered with the transgressors”; and I tell you
that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfilment.’
Jesus quotes from the well-known “Servant Song” of Isaiah (see Isaiah 53:12). Jesus says, “This
is written about me.” Jesus is the Suffering Servant who comes to rescue Israel and the world.
Jesus has already enacted the judgement that is to come upon Israel. When Jesus willingly
goes to the cross to die the most terrible death, he puts himself in the place of Israel, bearing
the death and judgement that are about to fall upon Jerusalem and its people at the hands of
the brutal Romans. He allows himself to be mocked and lied about. He allows himself to be
shamed and made to appear guilty of crimes he never committed. He allows himself to be put
to death by sinful men.
Luke makes it clear throughout Chapter 23 that Jesus is innocent. One of the thieves who are
crucified alongside Jesus rightly says, “We are punished justly, for we are getting what our
deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” A Roman soldier standing by says,
‘Surely this was a righteous man’ (Luke 23:41, 47). Luke wants us focus on the meaning of
Jesus’ death. Jesus, who is innocent, is dying in place of sinful Israel and a sinful world. He is
giving himself for the salvation of the world.
COMMENT: When Jesus dies on the cross in place of the criminal, Barabbas, he
symbolically enacts his substitution for the entire nation of Israel (see Luke 23:18, 19).
In Luke 24, after Jesus rises from the grave, the story of Israel comes together. Jesus explains
the story to two disciples who are returning home to their village, Emmaus. The two disciples,
perhaps husband and wife, are sad and broken hearted, because Jesus has been put to death.
They thought Jesus was the one who was going to redeem Israel (Luke 24:21), but since he
has been put to death, they think, he cannot be the Messiah. But Jesus tells them they have
got it all wrong. Jesus says:
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Luke 24:25-27 NivUK: ‘How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the
prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter
his glory?’ 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what
was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
Jesus does not draw on a few “proof texts” to show who he is. He tells the two disciples that
the long narrative, or story, running from creation, through Abraham, through David and the
kings, through exile and return, was always leading up to him. Jesus is the one who brings the
story to its fulfilment. Finally, when Jesus appears to all the disciples, he says:
Luke 24:44-47: ‘This is what I told you while I was still with you: everything must be
fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.’
45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told
them, ‘This is what is written: the Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third
day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all
nations, beginning at Jerusalem …’
The end of exile and the coming of new creation are fulfilled through the suffering, death and
resurrection of the Messiah. This is the only way the story of Israel could reach its conclusion.
Thus, we should read the Gospel of Luke as the climax of a great story, but also as the
beginning of a new story:
• a story of mission
• a story of suffering in the name of Jesus
• a story of holiness, or dedicating our lives to Jesus
• a story of following Jesus to the ends of the earth
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CHAPTER 10: THE CHURCH AS THE NEW TEMPLE

The great narrative, or story, of God and his people continues into the New Testament to
include the church. In his many letters to churches and various people, the apostle Paul picks
up the long story of Israel and brings it out in his many writings. In Paul’s letter to the church
in the region of Ephesus, we read:
Ephesians 1:3-14: All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed
us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with
Christ. 4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy
and without fault in his eyes. 5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family
by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave
him great pleasure. 6 So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us
who belong to his dear Son. 7 He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our
freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. 8 He has showered his kindness
on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.
9 Godhas now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ—which is to fulfill his
own good plan. 10 And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together
under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth.11 Furthermore,
because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he
chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.
12 God’s purpose was that we Jews who were the first to trust in Christ would bring
praise and glory to God. 13 And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good
News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his
own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. 14 The Spirit is God’s
guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased
us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.
According to Professor Wright, this passage is retelling the story of:
• creation
• exodus
• Messiah, the story through which God is doing a new thing. That is, God is opening up
the inheritance promised to Israel to include all nations.
As we look closer at this passage of scripture, we can find references to the great story of
Israel that culminates in Jesus. Under the authority of Jesus, the Messiah, heaven and earth
will come together at last (vs 10). This takes us back to the creation story in Genesis 1, where
God creates the universe as a heaven-and-earth temple, where he may dwell with human
beings. In Jesus, who is both fully God and fully human, heaven and earth come together. In
Jesus, God and sinful humanity are reconciled, or brought together in union (2 Corinthians
5:19; Colossians 1:20). We also find references to the human vocation that God gave to Adam
and Eve and is now taken up by those who are united to Christ through the ministry of the
Holy Spirit (vs 12, 14c). We find echoes of the promise made to Abraham (vs 5, 11, 13), that
he will the father of many nations, that his descendants will receive an inheritance, and that
through Abraham and his family all nations will be blessed. In this passage from Ephesians,
we even find indirect references to the exodus story when God redeemed Israel from the
bondage of slavery in Egypt. God called the nation of Israel to be his special people, a kingdom
of priests (or, “royal priesthood”) and a holy nation (Exodus 19:6), and he gave them the land
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(inheritance) that he promised to their ancestor Abraham. Through Jesus, the Messiah, God
does a new thing: he brings the Gentiles (non-Jews, all nations) into the covenant promise he
made to Abraham and his descendants. Through Jesus, God brings about a “new exodus.”
God “purchases our freedom” with the blood of his Son (vs 7). God delivers us not only from
the power of evil kings but even more from the dark powers of Satan, sin and death. God
purchases us to be his own people and promises us an inheritance (vs 11, 14), just as he chose
Israel and brought them to the Promised Land.
COMMENT: Many pastors and teachers regard the letters of Paul as a source of “proof
texts” to support various—and often competing—theological points of view. But the
Holy Bible is not—and was never meant to be—a theological textbook. The Bible tells a
great story of God’s good purpose for the world as it is fulfilled in Jesus. The writings of
the apostle Paul must not be detached from the story and reduced to a series of “proof
texts.” Rather, Paul’s writings must be understood in the context of the overall story
that the Bible tells. (Of course, this is much easier said than done!)
In Ephesians 2:19-22, Paul describes the church as the new temple, the place where Jew and
Gentile come together under the authority of Jesus, who is the cornerstone of the new
temple. As in the Old Testament, the new temple—the church— causes the world to stare in
amazement:
Ephesians 3:10, 11: God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom
in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This
was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Echoing many of the psalms and prophets, this passage says that the kings and rulers of the
earth will see the wisdom of God revealed through the church. Professor Wright draws on
these pasages to show that Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is rooted in the long story recorded
in the Old Testament and brought to its climax in Jesus.
Pauil’s other letters are also rooted in the great narrative, or story, told in the Bible. For
example, in Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth, he tells the exodus story:
1 Corinthians 10:1-4: [Paul writes] I don’t want you to forget, dear brothers and sisters,
about our ancestors in the wilderness long ago. All of them were guided by a cloud that
moved ahead of them, and all of them walked through the sea on dry ground. 2 In the
cloud and in the sea, all of them were baptized as followers of Moses. 3 All of them ate
the same spiritual food, 4 and all of them drank the same spiritual water. For they drank
from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ.
Paul tells the Gentiles in Corinth about “our ancestors,” who wandered in the wilderness long
ago. Notice that Paul includes Gentiles (non-Jews) in the family line of Abraham. Then he talks
about the exodus in terms of baptism and spiritual feeding. The ancient people of Israel were
brought through the Red Sea, then fed with the bread from heaven (“manna”) and given
water from the rock. In a similar way, the church is the “new exodus,” people, fed and
nourished by the bread and wine of Holy Communion (1 Corinthians 10:16-18). Paul goes on
to warn the believers in Corinth not to fall into idolatry, like the Israelites in the wilderness,
but to remain obedient to their vocation, or calling, so that everything they do is for the glory
of God (1 Corinthians 10:31).
Thus, Paul uses the story of creation, Abraham, Israel, and, especially, the temple to instruct
believers. For example Paul describes the church as the temple of God (1 Corinthians 3:9).
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Paul also describes each individual as the temple of God, for God the Holy Spirit dwells within
us (1 Corinthians 6:19). As Professor Wrights says, Paul uses the story of Israel to point to a
new reality. Paul is saying that the God who came to dwell in the tabernacle in the wilderness
and, later, in the temple of Solomon is the God who dwells both in the church as a whole and
within the heart of each individual believer.
In his letter to the church in Galatia (Asia Minor), Paul draws heavily on the biblical story,
especially in relationship to Abraham, faith and law. In Galatians 3 and 4, Paul writes about
Abraham, because outsiders, who were Jews, had come to the church in Galatia saying that
Gentiles must be circumcised and they must obey the Law of Moses if they are to be included
in the family of Abraham. So Paul tells the great story from Abraham to Jesus, the Messiah,
to show that God always intended to include the Gentiles (all nations) in the blessings and
inheritance promised to Abraham. Paul explains that the Law of Moses was necessary
because the people of Israel were a rebel people, who continually refused to obey God and
chose, instead, to worship idols. But the Law of Moses was intended to guard the people only
until the Messiah, Jesus, came. The law was like a school-master or guardian, who watched
over the people for a time, that is, until the Messiah came. But now everyone, both Jew and
Gentile, are children of God through faith in Messiah Jesus (Galatians 3:23-29).
In Galatians 4, Paul tells a miniature version of the exodus story, a story of slavery, rescue,
son-ship and inheritance. Just as God redeemed his people from slavery in Egypt, God
redeems believers from slavery to the Law by sending his Son to buy our freedom. Echoing
the Old Testament prophet Hosea (11:1)—“I called my son (Israel) out of Egypt”—Paul
describes believers as children of God who know the Father intimately as “Abba.” Through
faith in Jesus—not through law!—the children of God, both Jew and Gentile, are heirs to the
promises made to Abraham, promises that are fulfilled in Jesus and the coming of the Holy
Spirit (Galatians 4:4-7). As Professor Wright says, the coming of the Spirit reminds us of the
temple, where God dwelled with his people. But now that Jesus has come, the glorious
presence of God is not found in a building of wood and stone. It is found wherever and
whenever God’s people gather to worship in the name of Jesus, as well as in the heart of every
believer.
Paul’s letter to the church at Rome, usually known simply as “Romans,” takes up the grand
narrative of the Bible in a much more detailed way. Paul retells the story of Israel and shows
how Jesus is the fulfilment of God’s promises to Abraham. Paul opens his letter by describing
the idolatry, and its consequences, that has characterised humanity since Adam and Eve
forsook their vocation and worshipped the creature rather than the Creator. Paul explains
how God has dealt with this problem in Romans 2 and 3. In Chapter 4, Paul turns to the story
of Abraham, where he shows how God has been true to the promises he made to Abraham.
God promised Abraham that his descendants would number like the stars in heaven, and
Abraham believed God. On the basis of his faith, God established a covenant with Abraham
and his descendants (see Genesis 15:5, 6). The promise God made to Abraham, however,
always included a world-wide family, composed of both Jews and Gentiles (see Ephesians 3:6).
Furthermore, the inheritance promised to Abraham was never intended to be only the land
of Canaan (the Promised Land). It was always intended to be the entire world. Paul explains
that all of this has been accomplished, in principle, in Jesus, although it is still be worked out
in human history.
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In Romans 5:12-21, Paul tells the story of Adam and the Messiah (Jesus). This story begins
with creation and runs through the disobedience of Adam, which Paul compares with the
obedience of Christ, the new Adam. For Paul, the story is about creation and new creation,
Adam and new Adam. In Romans 8, Paul describes creation as under a curse (see Genesis
3:17), waiting to be set free at the time when the children of God are finally revealed. Here
Paul is directly in line with the psalmists and prophets who looked forward to a new creation
(e.g., see Isaiah 11). According to Professor Wright, Romans 6-8 form a large-scale exodus
narrative, or story. God delivered Israel from bondage in Egypt, brought them through the
waters of the Red Sea and guided them to a new life in the Promised Land. In Romans 6,
believers come through the waters of baptism, dying with Christ and set free from slavery to
sin in order to live new lives in Jesus. After passing through the Red Sea, the Israelites came
to Mount Sinai, where they received the Law under Moses, a law that the people were unable
to keep. Romans 7 is about the failure of Israel to keep the law. In this Chapter, we see again
the double strand that runs throughout the story of Israel, for this Chapter is the story of a
good law combined with the failure of God’s people to keep it. Paul writes, “Oh, what a
miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?”
(Romans 7:24). According to Professor Wright, this is the lament of Israel in exile because of
its idolatry. This is the mournful cry of a people who know that the curses of Deuteronomy
27-29 have come true. They are crying out for rescue from exile, as described in Deuteronomy
30 (vs 1-10). Paul goes on to say that the solution is Jesus Christ himself (vs 25). Romans 8
describes the rescue of God’s people from bondage under the law. God sends the Holy Spirit
to dwell in our hearts and enable us to do what the law could not do. The language of
“indwelling” (or, “dwelling in our hearts”) is temple language. It refers to God dwelling among
his people once again, only now, not in a building of stone and wood, but in their hearts. Like
Israel being led by the cloud by day and pillar of fire by night, as they journeyed to the
Promised Land, the Holy Spirit leads believers toward their inheritance, which includes
adoption as the children of God, eternal life and a share of all the blessings that are ours in
Jesus. Just as the tabernacle and temple were signs pointing to God’s desire to fill the earth
with his glory, the church is the sign that God will eventually do for the whole creation what
he did for Jesus on Easter Sunday morning, two thousand years ago. This is the hope for both
the church and all creation that Paul describes in Romans 8.
In Romans 9 and 10, Paul tells the same story again but from a different point of view. Paul is
concerned about the future of the people of Israel. Where do they fit into God’s plan now
that Jesus has come to fulfil their vocation and bring blessing to the nations through the
church? Paul addresses the issue by going back to Abraham (9:7) and tracking the story
through the prophets, all the way through the exile and beyond, when a small remnant of the
people of Israel returned to Jerusalem after their captivity in Babylon. In Chapter 10:1-4, Paul
describes his heartfelt wish that the people of Israel may be saved:
Romans 10:1-4: Dear brothers and sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to
God is for the people of Israel to be saved. 2 I know what enthusiasm they have for God,
but it is misdirected zeal. 3 For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right
with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right
with God by trying to keep the law. 4 For Christ has already accomplished the purpose
for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God.
According to Paul, Israel does not understand its own history. The people of Israel seem to be
ignorant of God’s covenant faithfulness. They try to make themselves right with God by
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keeping the Law, but they fail utterly. But Christ is the “goal,” or culmination, of the law. He
has accomplished the purpose for which the law was given and he has established a covenant
relationship with everyone who believes in him, whether Jew or Gentile.
Paul looks back to the promised return from exile described by Moses in Deuteronomy 30,
where God promises to gather his people from the ends of the earth and to change their
hearts, so that they will truly love God (Deuteronomy 30:4-6). Paul explains what covenant
relationship will finally look like:
Romans 10:9-13: If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that
God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart
that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are
saved. 11 As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be
disgraced.” 12 Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord,
who gives generously to all who call on him. 13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of
the Lord will be saved.”
Paul understands the great narrative told in the Old Testament in terms of the crucified
Messiah who rose from the dead, so that everyone—both Jew and Gentile—is made right
with God through faith in Jesus. For Paul, the great story of Israel is fulfilled in Jesus and the
coming of the Holy Spirit.
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CHAPTER 11: A VISION OF A NEW EDEN

The Book of Revelation, says Professor Wright, sits at the end of the Christian scriptures like
a great thunderstorm full of lightening, causing fear in many who enter it. But the Book of
Revelation is also filled with beauty and glory. More importantly, the Book of Revelation ends
with a vision of how the great biblical story that begins in Genesis finally reaches its ultimate
conclusion.
The final book in the New Testament is a revelation of Jesus Christ concerning things that are
happening in the First Century, when the book is written, and also things that must “soon take
place” (Rev 1:1). Many believe that Revelation was written by the apostle John, one of the
original twelve disciples. Others believe it was written by another “John,” often referred to as
John of Patmos, the small island where the writer lived in exile.
Chapter 1 includes a vision of Jesus himself (Rev 1:12-18). John sees “someone like the Son of
Man” standing in the middle of seven gold lampstands. “Son of man” is a term that Jesus often
applied to himself (e.g., Matthew 8:20; 9:6). The prophet Daniel has a great vision of
“someone like a Son of Man,” coming with the clouds of heaven to receive honour and
authority from the “Ancient One” (Daniel 7:13, 14). In Revelation 2 and 3, Jesus sends letters
to the churches in Asia Minor (western Turkey) that contain special, sometimes mysterious,
messages for each church.
In Chapters 4 and 5, we see a vision of heavenly worship. This is not a vision of heavenly
worship as it may be in the future. It is a vision of the never-ending worship that goes on
now—today!—in heaven. Believers are invited to join the celebration, to participate in the
unceasing worship that takes place in heaven. In the parables of Luke 15, Jesus teaches us to
join with the angels in heaven, as they celebrate the return of a sinner to the Father. As
Professor Wright says, when believers participate in the worship of heaven, we are “new
temple” people, bringing heaven and earth together in worship of Jesus Christ.
COMMENT: We participate (“share”) in the worship of heaven whenever we pray, sing,
praise or read psalms, both privately and in the company of other believers.
John’s glorious description of worship in heaven makes a mockery of the puny emperor
worship that is taking place in Rome at the time Revelation is written. Caesar, the Roman king,
is worshipped as a god. He is even called the “son of god.” Yet, Caesar and his royal court are
nothing compared to the glorious worship that is taking place in the courts of heaven. Much
of the Book of Revelation is written to proclaim that Jesus, not Caesar, is the True King and
True Son of God. As empires rise and fall, says Professor Wright, we need to remember always
the message that John is announcing: Jesus is King. Jesus is Lord. Listen to him!
The strange creatures, or “living beings,” described in Revelation 4 represent creation.
Although not identical, they remind us of the four creatures in the prophet Ezekiel’s vision
(Ezekiel 1). In John’s amazing vision, all creation offers worship and praise to the One who sits
on his dazzling throne, a throne that reminds us of the strange, mysterious throne-chariot
described by the prophet Ezekiel. The four creatures cry out:
Rev 4:8: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty—the one who always was, who
is, and who is still to come.”
The living creatures declare that the One who sits on the throne in heaven is the True King.
He is the Holy One (not Caesar!). He alone is worthy of worship. John’s vision is similar to the
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prophet Isaiah’s vision in the temple, where four strange seraphim (angels) cry out “holy, holy,
holy” as they worshipped God (Isaiah 6:1-3).
COMMENT: Long after Revelation was written, the church began to interpret the four
strange creatures around the throne of Christ as representing the four gospel writers—
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. This is not church doctrine, however, it is simply a
tradition.
The 24 elders who sit on thrones around the throne of God represent the human race,
according to Professor Wright. Like the four living creatures, they give glory, honour and
thanks to the One sitting on the throne, laying down their crowns and saying:
Rev 4:11: “You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power.
For [or, “because”] you created all things, and they exist because you created what you
pleased.”
The key to this passage is the word “for,” or “because.” Creation praises God in an unspoken
way, whether through the song of the birds, the beauty of a sunset or the babbling of a
mountain stream. But human beings can praise God in a conscious, knowing way because he
is the Creator who is worthy of praise and honour. The human task is to sum up the unspoken
praise of creation and present it to God. We are to be “image bearers,” a royal priesthood
that offers to God the praise of all creation.
In Revelation 5:1, we read of a scroll in the right hand of the one who sits on the throne. The
writing on the scroll represents God’s plan, or purpose, for creation. Since God put Adam and
Eve in the Garden of Eden to act as stewards, or caretakers, of the earth, God has always
planned to carry out his will through obedient human beings. When humanity goes wrong
and turns from God, as recorded in Genesis 1-11, God calls Abraham and his descendants, the
nation of Israel, to be the means to put the world right again. But Israel fails in its mission to
be the light to the nations. Who, then, can take the scroll and open it? Who can carry God’s
plan forward? According to John, no one in heaven or earth is worthy to take up the scroll.
Thus, John weeps in sadness. Then one of the elders says to John, “Do not weep! See, the
Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and
its seven seals” (Rev 5:2-5). But notice what John sees next. It is not a powerful lion that opens
the scroll. It is a Lamb that looks like it has been slaughtered!
Rev 5:6, 7: Then I saw a Lamb that looked as if it had been slaughtered, but it was now
standing between the throne and the four living beings and among the twenty-four
elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which represent the sevenfold Spirit of God
that is sent out into every part of the earth. 7 He stepped forward and took the scroll
from the right hand of the one sitting on the throne.
When the Lamb takes the scroll, the four living creatures and 24 elders sing in praise:
Rev 5:9, 10: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were
slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language
and people and nation. 10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our
God, and they will reign on the earth.’
We easily get lost in a dramatic vision like this by focusing on the wrong things. If we are overly
concerned with the meaning of the “seven horns and seven eyes,” or “the seven-fold Spirit of
God,” we will miss the essential point of this part of John’s vision. It is not the triumphant
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The Bible as Story
“Lion of Judah” that takes the scroll and opens it. Rather, it is the Lamb who was slain that is
able to open the scroll and take God’s plan forward. God’s plan for creation moves forward,
not by worldly ideas of power and might, but by the self-sacrificing love of God revealed on
the cross, where the Lamb of God takes away the sin of the world (see John 1:29). Just as God
redeemed his people from slavery in Egypt, the Lamb who was slain, Jesus Christ, redeems
humanity from slavery to the dark powers of sin, death and the devil. Just as God called Israel
to be a holy nation and a royal priesthood (Exodus 19), the Lamb gathers from every tribe and
nation a Kingdom of priests, who will serve God by ruling on earth and carrying forward God’s
good plan for all creation. As we have already learned, God intends to carry out his purpose
for creation though his “image bearers,” that is, through human beings. Therefore, the Lamb
who was slain takes up the human vocation and moves it forward, not by the worldly love of
power, but by the self-sacrificing power of love.
The Book of Revelation continues with strange images, visions, mystery and dark passages,
but it returns again and again to the theme of the Kingdom of God, where Jesus the Messiah
is already reigning as the True King over the kingdoms of the earth. Of course, at the time
when John is writing, a time when Christians are persecuted and killed by the Romans, it does
not look like Jesus is reigning as King, just as it does not look like Jesus is reigning today as
King, given the violence and injustice of the modern world. But the Book of Revelation is
written to show the Christians of the First Century, who were being persecuted and killed by
the Romans, that Jesus is already Lord and King. Jesus has already won the victory over the
dark powers, whether sin, death and the devil, or the dark power of evil kings, like Caesar,
who sits on the throne of the mighty Roman Empire. John writes to encourage the believers
in the churches scattered across Asia Minor, so they may receive hope and strength to endure
the terrible trials and suffering they are going through.
Finally, in Chapters 21 and 22, John sees a vision of a new heaven and a new earth. John
writes:
Revelation 21:1-4: Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and
the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. 2 And I saw the holy city, the
New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed
for her husband. 3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is
now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself
will be with them. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more
death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”
In John’s vision of the new heaven and earth, the sea is gone (vs 1). This should not be taken
literally. In Jewish thought, the sea represented evil and danger, for it was thought to be filled
with terrifying monsters. By saying that the sea is gone, John is saying that there will be no
evil in the new heaven and earth.
Many Evangelicals mistakenly believe that at some time in the future God will destroy this
present earth, while believers will dwell forever in a far off place called heaven. But that is
not what the Bible teaches. When God created the earth, he said, “It is very good” (Genesis
1:31). The problem is that God’s good creation fell under the curse of corruption and decay
following the sin of Adam and Eve. When the children of God are finally and fully revealed,
the curse will be lifted, so that the earth is renewed (“made new again”), no longer subject to
decay and corruption (Romans 8:20, 21).
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Some use 2 Peter 3:8, however, to teach that the earth will be destroyed by fire at “the Day
of the Lord,” associated with the return of Jesus Christ. But other passages teach that God will
renovate the earth (e.g., Rom 8:18–22). Revelation 21 seems to suggest both replacement
(Rev 21:1) and transformation (Rev 21:5). The destruction of the world described in 2 Peter
3:8 does not mean the end of history or the end of the physical earth. The shift from the
present heavens and earth to the new heaven and earth involves both continuity and
discontinuity (“sameness and difference”).
A comparison with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ will help us better understand
this point. Before his resurrection from the grave, Jesus’ physical body was subject to
corruption and decay, like the bodies of everyone else. Jesus’ physical body was laid in the
empty tomb. But God would not allow Jesus’ physical body to decay (see Psalm 16:10). Three
days after Jesus died on the cross, God raised him from the dead. Jesus rose from the grave
in a transformed and renewed body, a body no longer subject to corruption and decay. Death
has no more power over Jesus (see Romans 6:9). Jesus did not rise in a different body. Even
after the resurrection he bore the wounds and scars of his crucifixion (see John 20:27).
Although he rose in the same physical body, his body was transformed and renewed, no
longer subject to the physical processes of decay and corruption. Thus, Jesus’ post-
resurrection body (the body he had after he rose from the grave) was both the same as, and
different from, the physical body he had before his death on the cross. In the same way, God
will renew the present earth. He will not destroy the earth as many think, but he will renew
it (“make it new again”) in such a way that it is no longer subject to decay and corruption. In
short, God will do for the whole creation what he did for Jesus at his resurrection. John writes:
Rev 21:5: He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’
The word, “new” in this verse means “freshness” and “transformation,” not a new beginning.
The renewal and transformation of creation has already begun in the lives of believers. Paul
writes:
2 Corinthians 5:17 NivUK: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:
the old has gone, the new is here!”
COMMENT: Many Evangelical Christians are not interested in ecology (“study of the
earth”). They are not concerned with issues like global warming, because they believe
Jesus is coming again soon and the earth will be destroyed. Thus, they conclude, why
clean up a house that is going to burn down tomorrow? The earth, however, is God’s
good earth. In the fullness of time, the curse on the ground that followed the sin of
Adam will be lifted and the earth —this earth!—will be renewed. God’s people will rule
on this earth, as a royal priesthood, carrying out the human vocation as stewards of the
earth.
John sees the holy city, the New Jerusalem, coming down from heaven, like “a bride
beautifully dressed for her husband” (Rev 21:1, 2). As Professor Wright says, believers do not
spend eternity in a far off place called heaven. Rather, heaven—the New Jerusalem—comes
down to earth, where God’s people will dwell with him forever. John’s vision of the New
Jerusalem goes against certain forms of Greek thought current at that time (and even today!),
wherein the spiritual life is regarded as a means to escape the evil, corrupt earth in favour of
a pure, non-physical, “spiritual” realm. To the contrary, God will fulfil his covenant promises
to Abraham right here on earth, so that Abraham and his descendants, both Jews and Gentile,
will inherit not only the Promised Land but all the earth as well!
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The Bible as Story
John’s sees both a new Garden of Eden and a new Most Holy Place. There is no physical
temple in the New Jerusalem, for “the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple” (Rev
21:22). The New Jerusalem is the Most Holy Place, where God dwells among his people (Rev
21:3). As Professor Wright reminds us, God’s purpose from the beginning of creation was to
fill the whole earth with his presence. That dream is fulfilled in the new heaven and earth
centred in the New Jerusalem.
In Revelation, John sums up the dreams and visions of the psalmists and prophets and brings
them to their conclusion. For example, John’s vision of a new heaven and earth is like the
visions of Isaiah, recorded in the Old Testament:
Isaiah 65:17: “Look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth, and no one will even
think about the old ones anymore.
Isaiah 66:2: “As surely as my new heavens and earth will remain, so will you always be
my people, with a name that will never disappear,” says the Lord.
John’s vision picks up Old Testament themes from the days of King Solomon, when the kings
of the earth came to Jerusalem to hear the wisdom of Israel’s king and to stand in awe of his
wealth and riches. John writes:
Rev 21:24-26: The nations will walk in its light, and the kings of the world will enter the
city in all their glory. 25 Its gates will never be closed at the end of day because there is
no night there. 26 And all the nations will bring their glory and honour into the city.
John’s vision echoes Ezekiel, who saw living water flowing from the temple, when God finally
returned to dwell again among his people: John writes:
Rev 22:1, 2: Then the angel showed me a river with the water of life, clear as crystal,
flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 It flowed down the centre of the
main street. On each side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit,
with a fresh crop each month. The leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations.
In this passage, we hear echoes from the first Chapters of the Bible, where, in the Book of
Genesis, a river flows from the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:8, 10-14). In the New Jerusalem,
John sees the tree of life, the tree that Adam and Eve were barred from eating after their sin
(Genesis 3). Furthermore, John’s vision is very similar to Ezekiel’s vision of a river that flowed
from beneath the restored temple (Ezekiel 47:1, 2 12). Then John writes:
Rev 22:3-5: No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and
of the Lamb will be there, and his servants will worship him. 4 And they will see his face,
and his name will be written on their foreheads. 5 And there will be no night there—no
need for lamps or sun—for the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign forever
and ever.
God’s project for new creation, the restoration of all that is good that was lost in Eden, can
now be fulfilled, for there is no longer a curse on anything. The throne of God will be
established among his people, his servants, who will worship God in the New Jerusalem and
reign forever as a kingdom of priests.
Our loving God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—created human beings in order to share their
love with us, so that we may dwell with them forever in the New Jerusalem, sharing in the
life, joy and beauty of the Holy Trinity. And so, the Bible ends with a vision of God dwelling
among his people, his “image bearers,” who once again fulfil their vocation as stewards of the
earth. As a royal priesthood, they offer faithful praise to God, while bringing God’s good
purposes into the world, gathering up the praise of all creation and offering it back to God.
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CONCLUSION
We have concluded our long journey through the Bible. We have studied the great narrative
of scripture. We have learned the story the Bible tells, and we have seen that it was always a
story about King Jesus. The Old Testament points forward in time to the coming of Jesus—the
descendant of Abraham, through whom all nations are blessed; the great King in the family
line of David, the Suffering Servant, who is the Messiah of Israel. The New Testament reflects
on the meaning of the life, death, resurrection and ascension of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ and traces the early history of the church he founded.
Therefore, the proper use of the Bible, whether in preaching, corporate worship or personal
study, is to bear witness to Jesus Christ. The name of our faith, “Christianity,” is taken from
Jesus Christ. We do not call ourselves followers of Moses or Isaiah or Paul. We are followers
of Jesus Christ. Only to the extent that our worship and study is focused on Jesus can it truly
be called Christian. We may certainly use the Bible “for teaching, rebuking, correcting and
training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every
good work” (2 Timothy 3:16, 17 NivUK). We may use the Bible as a source of wisdom and
important lessons for life. But our focus must soon return to Jesus, for he is the way, the truth
and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Jesus (John 14:6).
In this course, we have learned that a good, loving God created the heavens and the earth as
a great temple in order to dwell in fellowship with human beings—his “image bearers.” God
gave us a vocation and called us to carry out his good plan for the world, while offering praise
and worship back to the Creator. Despite ongoing human sin and failure of vocation, God has
never given up on his plan to dwell with us in fellowship. God sent his Son into the world to
do what Adam and Eve could not do, what Abraham could not do, what Israel could not do.
God sent his Son to fulfil the human vocation by reconciling God and sinful humanity in
fellowship and offering perfect praise and worship to the Father in the name of all creation.
Jesus came preaching the good news of the Kingdom of God. Jesus calls his church today to
help him bring in his Kingdom across the world, so that one day the earth will be covered with
the knowledge of God, as the waters cover the sea. Jesus will return one day to rule in the
renewed heaven and earth, and he will give his followers the right and responsibility to rule
over the earth under him. In that day, there will be no more war, no more sorrow, no more
tears, for God will be King and the earth and all its people will flourish and thrive under his
loving rule.
“And I saw the holy city, the New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like
a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 I heard a loud shout from the throne,
saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they
will be his people. God himself will be with them. 4 He will wipe every tear from their
eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are
gone forever.” AMEN.
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The Bible as Story
COURSE 201 PRACTICE EXAM
This practice exam is for your personal study. Do not send answers to Academy of Bible
and Theology. Use this practice exam as a tool to help you learn. When you can answer all
questions on the practice exam, you are ready for Final Exam.
THE BIBLE AS STORY: GENESIS TO REVELATION
Introduction
1) Reading the Bible all the way through is long and difficult process that may bear
little fruit if we do not understand the overall story that the Bible tells.
a) True
b) False
.
2) What is the most important thing you need to know about the Bible:
a) The Bible teaches us how to go to heaven and avoid hell.
b) The Bible is a book of rules that we must obey to be saved.
c) The Bible is mostly concerned with ancient events that do not matter today.
d) The Holy Bible is the divinely inspired text, written by human authors, to bear
witness to Jesus Christ.
.
CHAPTER 1: IN THE BEGINNING
3) The Bible is a coherent "narrative," or "story," running from Genesis to Revelation.

a) True
b) False
.
4) Which statement is NOT true?

a) According to Paul, the Old Testament points to Jesus.
b) According to Jesus, Moses and the prophets of the Old Testament wrote
about him!
c) The Old Testament has nothing to do with Jesus because he was born long
after the Old Testament was written.
d) The entire Old Testament is a story that was always leading up to Jesus.
.
5) The early Christians would encourage us to read the Bible always with Jesus in
mind.
a) True
b) False
.
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6) Which statement(s) is true?

a) Leading theologians today believe that Genesis 1 describes the construction of
a temple.
b) The “days” of creation are actually stages in the construction of the temple.
c) The whole creation is a “heaven-plus-earth” unity.
d) All the statements above are true.
.
7) The authority and responsibility God gave Adam and Eve was their vocation, or
calling.
a) True
b) False
.

a) Temples of the ancient world had an image inside them that represented the
god worshipped in the temple.
b) When God created the temple of heaven and earth, he made human beings to
be the image in the temple.
c) God gave human beings a task, or vocation, so that God’s love and power
could be exercised in the world through his image, that is, through human
beings.
.
9) Male and female, coming together in a harmonious, complementary duality, is seen

both at the beginning of the Bible and again at the end.
a) True
b) False
.
10) Two themes run throughout the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. They are:
a) sin and punishment
b) heaven and hell
c) fellowship and vocation
CHAPTER 2: THE FAMILY OF ABRAHAM

a) The story of Israel is a re-telling of the story of the Garden of Eden.
b) The Jews in the time of Jesus would understand the story in Genesis 1-3 as
their story.
c) After Adam and Eve are exiled from the garden, violence increases in the
earth
d) All the statements above are true..
.
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The Bible as Story
12) In order to get his creation project back on track, God calls another human pair to
carry out his purposes: Abram and Sarai.
a) True
b) False
.
13) Which statements(s) are true?

a) God promises the land of Canaan to Abram.
b) God promises to make a great nation through Abram.
c) God promises that all nations will be blessed through Abram and his
descendants.
.
14) Which statement is false?

a) Abram and Sarai are the new Adam and Eve.
b) The “Promised Land,” Canaan, is the new Garden of Eden.
c) Abram and Sarai are called to reverse the sin of Adam and Eve.
d) None of the statements above are true.
.
15) Which statements are true?

a) Abram and Sarai are called to take up the vocation of Adam.
b) As the new stewards of creation, Abram and Sarai will take care of God’s
garden.
c) As the new “image bearers,” Abram and Sarai will bring God’s love and care to
the world, while gathering up the praise of all creation and returning it to God.
d) All the statements above ae true.
e) Only "a" is true.
.

a) In Genesis 15, God makes a covenant with Abram.
b) A covenant is a binding agreement, often made between a king and one of his
subjects.
c) God promises to give Abram a family and land.
e) Only "c" is true.
.
17) A “double strand” of good and evil, light and dark, promise and failure, obedience
and disobedience runs throughout the biblical story.
a) True
b) False
.
75

a) God promises that kings will come from the line of Abraham.
b) God promises to give the land of Canaan to Abraham’s descendants as an
everlasting possession
c) As a sign of God’s covenant with Abraham, God commands that every male
child be circumcised.
e) Only "a" and "b" are true.
.
19) The offering of Isaac points forward to the time when God will give his one and only
Son as an expression of his love for the world.
a) True
b) False
.
20) Which statement(s) are true?

a) Jacob’s dream is a temple vision—a vision that God will bring heaven and
earth together again at last.
b) Jacob’s struggle with the angel points forward in time to the nation of Israel’s
struggle with God as a result of their ongoing idolatry.
c) Jacob has twelve sons, who become the fathers of the twelve tribes of the
nation of Israel.
.
21) Genesis ends with the descendants of Abraham living in Egypt, because there is a
famine in their own land.
a) True
b) False
.
CHAPTER 3: THE EXODUS STORY
22) The story of the “exodus,” or “exit,” from Egypt shapes the identity and character of
God’s people. They are “exodus” people.
a) True
b) False
.
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The Bible as Story

a) The parting of the waters of the Red Sea is a “new creation” moment that
closely parallels the creation account in Genesis.
b) The Exodus story is a story of new creation.
c) As he did with Abraham, God chooses Moses to move his creation project
forward.
.

a) The early Christians saw the Red Sea crossing as a “baptism.”
b) The Red Sea crossing helped early Christians understand their own baptism
c) “Coming through the waters” of baptism shows that we are new creation
people.
e) None of the statements above re true.
.

a) With Torah (Law), the children of Abraham are the people of God’s word (or,
law).
b) With tabernacle, they are be the people of God’s presence, as he dwells
among them in the tabernacle.
c) The people of Israel are the new “Adam and Eve people.”
e) Only "a" and "b" are true.
.
26) The people of Israel are the renewed family of God.

a) True
b) False
.

a) God chooses, or “elects,” Israel to be his special people.
b) Election is not a matter of choosing one group while excluding all others
c) Election is the means by which God blesses all nations.
.
77

a) According to Professor Wright, the tabernacle is a small working model of the
whole creation.
b) The tabernacle is a “heaven and earth” place—a “Genesis 1 and 2” place—a
place where God and his people come together at last in fellowship.
c) Aaron and his sons, who are chosen as priests, represent the image of God in
the tabernacle.
e) None of the statements above are true.
.
29) When God leads his people to Mount Sinai (Exodus 19ff), he renews the vocation
that he intended for Adam and Eve.
a) True
b) False
.
30) The descendants of Abraham are to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.
a) True
b) False
.

a) Israel is called to be the means through which God’s will is done in the world.
b) Israel is to be the people through whom all nations of the earth are blessed.
c) The Book of Exodus does not explain how Israel is to be a light to the nations.
.
32) Israel’s mission unfolds throughout the Old Testament and is finally fulfilled in the
ministry of Jesus.
a) True
b) False
.
33) Moses tells the people that obedience to God will lead to blessing and fruitfulness.
Disobedience, however—especially idolatry—will lead to exile.
a) True
b) False
.
34) If the people reject God and turn to idols, they will be cast out of the Promised
Land, just as Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden of Eden.
a) True
b) False
.
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The Bible as Story
35) Deuteronomy 27-30 is important to the entire story of Israel.

a) True
b) False
.
36) Moses dies not predict that the people will go into exile because of their idolatry.
a) True
b) False
.

a) The nation of Israel is a new creation because of the exodus from Egypt.
b) The people of Israel are a royal priesthood.
c) They are a “new” humanity, taking up the vocation of Adam and Eve to
worship and serve the Creator.
e) Only "b" is true.
.
38) The story of Israel is a retelling of the story of Adam and Eve.
a) True
b) False
.
39) Since the early church, Christians have struggled to explain the violence attributed
to God in the Old Testament.
a) True
b) False
.
40) Many regard the conquest of Canaan as described in the Book of Joshua as divinely-
sanctioned genocide.
a) True
b) False
.
41) Which statement is false?

a) The Academy of Bible and Theology teaches its students to begin their
thinking about God, the Bible and Theology with Jesus.
b) Jesus shows us what God is like, for God is like Jesus!
c) It is more important to listen to great heroes of the Old Testament, like Moses
and Elijah, than to listen to Jesus.
d) Jesus “trumps” all other visions and descriptions of God, whether written by
Moses, Joshua, Solomon, Jonah or any of the prophets.
.
79
42) God is now speaking to us through his Son, Jesus. Therefore, we must read the Bible
through the “lens” of Jesus.
a) True
b) False
.
43) When Jesus tells us to love our enemies and do them good, he is expressing the
character and heart of God the Father.
a) True
b) False
.
44) The writers of the Old Testament were not influenced by their cultures.
a) True
b) False
.
45) As is common in all cultures of the time, the writers of the Old Testament assume
that God gives them victory.
a) True
b) False
.

a) God, who is ever merciful and always seeking to enter relationship with his
children, allows his people to portray him in this violent way.
b) God meets his people in the context of their culture and time and slowly
reveals himself to them.
c) In the same way that Jesus allows himself to be mocked, lied about, and put to
death for crimes he did not commit, God stoops down to level of his people
and allows them to commit violence in his name.
.

a) Before Jesus, God’s people, including the great prophets of the Old
Testament, did not fully understand God. They could see God only in part.
b) Their vision was shaped, and often distorted, by their culture and their times.
c) Only Jesus Christ allows us to see God as God truly is.
d) Jesus shows us that God is love.
e) All the statements above are true.
.
48) God "dictated" every word of the Bible, just as Allah "dictated" every word of the
Quran.
a) True
b) False
.
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The Bible as Story
49) To the extent that the Bible leads us to Jesus, we regard it as inerrant and infallible.
a) True
b) False
.
50) Old Testament descriptions of God that are inconsistent with the character of God
as revealed in Jesus may be rejected, while still maintaining that holy scripture is
the divinely-inspired means to lead us to Jesus.
a) True
b) False
.
51) We must always read he Old Testament with Jesus in view.

a) True
b) False
.
CHAPTER 4: INTERLUDE

a) Christ Jesus is “the [visible] image of the invisible God”
b) If we want to see the “invisible God” (the Father), we need only look at Jesus,
for he is the “image” of God.
c) Jesus is both the fully human one and the fully divine one.
.
53) In the Old Testament, the “fullness” of God is associated with the tabernacle and
temple, where God is said to dwell.
a) True
b) False
.
54) The tabernacle and temple point forward in time to the moment when God dwells
among his people in the person of Jesus Christ (John 1:1-3, 14). Jesus is the
“fullness” of God.
a) True
b) False
.
55) In Jesus, God has rescued us from the powers of darkness, just as he rescued his
people, Israel, from the powers of darkness that held them captive in Egypt.
a) True
b) False
.
81

a) In Jesus, we have forgiveness of sins.
b) In Jesus, we are declared the people of the New Covenant in his blood.
c) in Colossians 1, we hear echoes of the creation story that begins with the first
verse of the Holy Bible: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the
earth”
d) all the statements above are true.
.
57) As Professor Wright notes, the whole “poem” recorded in Colossians, Chapter 1,
gives the impression that the entire story that begins with the first verse of the
Bible reaches its unexpected, surprising conclusion in the man we know as Jesus.
a) True
b) False
.

a) Jesus is the “firstborn over all creation.
b) “Jesus is “before all things.”
c) He is the “Head” of the church.
d) He has overthrown the powers of darkness to bring in a new creation that
works by the rule of love.
.

a) The prologue (“introduction”) to John is an outstanding example of the use of
Old Testament themes in the New Testament.
b) The opening verses of the Gospel of John remind us of the opening verses of
Genesis. Both are creation stories.
c) In the Word was life, and the life is the light of all humanity.
d) In John, darkness is no longer simply part of creation. Rather, darkness is an
evil force that resists the light
.
60) John 1:14 is one of the most important verses in the New Testament.
a) True
b) False
.
61) When the tabernacle was finished, the glory of God came to fill it in the form of a
glorious cloud (Exodus 40:34, 35). But now, says John, we see the glory of God in
God’s one and only Son.
a) True
b) False
.
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The Bible as Story
62) Since the Father can only be known through the Son, all the Old Testament symbols
are signs pointing forward in time to Jesus.
a) True
b) False
.
63) The Gospel of John celebrates the fact that heaven and earth have come together in
the person we know as Jesus of Nazareth.
a) True
b) False
.
CHAPTER 5: GOD'S PROMISE TO DAVID AND HIS FAMILY
64) Speaking of the Old Testament, Jesus said, “These are the very Scriptures that
testify about me.”
a) True
b) False
.
65) Which statement is true?

a) The Book of First Samuel introduces the era of the kings of Israel
b) This period of time is known as the “Monarchy.”
c) The story begins with Hanna, a barren woman who prays for a child.
d) Hannah dedicates Samuel to the service of God.
.
66) Because of Saul's disobedience, Samuel anoints David to succeed Saul as king.
a) True
b) False
.
67) With the anointing of David, we begin to see what the true king of Israel is like.
a) True
b) False
.
68) 2 Samuel 7 is an important Old Testament chapter for Christians. In this chapter, the
prophet Nathan tells King David that God will build a “house” for him, not a “house”
of wood and stone, but a family line.
a) True
b) False
.
83
69) In the days of Jesus, the Jews continue to look for a king in the line of David, who
will rescue his people from their pagan masters, cleanse the temple and restore
proper worship in Jerusalem.
a) True
b) False
.
70) Which statement(s) are true?

a) With Genesis 1 in mind, we see that the king will come to restore the heaven-
earth union that God intended for creation.
b) He will be the “image bearer,” who fulfils the vocation of Adam and Eve
c) The promises of a new creation and a renewed heaven-earth union are now
focused on David and his family line.
.
71) Solomon is the model for kingly wisdom.

a) True
b) False
.
72) In his old age, Solomon gradually falls into idolatry.

a) True
b) False
.

a) after Solomon’s death, the nation of Israel splits into two separate kingdoms
ruled by two different kings:
b) the ten tribes of the northern kingdom of Israel are ruled by Solomon’s
servant Jeroboam.
c) The two southern tribes, Judah and Benjamin, are ruled by Solomon’s son,
Rehoboam.
.
74) Beginning with the division of the kingdom of Israel after Solomon’s death, the Old
Testament records the gradual decline into exile and captivity, as the curses
foretold by Moses in Deuteronomy 27-29 begin to come true.
a) True
b) False
.
84
The Bible as Story
75) Because David was a man of war with blood on his hands, the task of building the
temple falls to his son, Solomon.
a) True
b) False
.
76) Like the tabernacle in the wilderness, the temple is the “heaven and earth place,”
the place where God comes to dwell among his people
a) True
b) False
.
77) First and Second Kings record the failures of many of the kings of Israel and Judah.
a) True
b) False
.
78) Which statement(s) is true about Psalm 2?

a) The writers of the New Testament drew heavily upon this psalm in order to
understand who Jesus is.
b) Echoing the promise God made to Abraham, God declares that he will give the
nations of the earth to the true King as his rightful inheritance.
c) Jesus is the anointed King whom the kings of the earth (Herod Antipas,
Pontius Pilate and the chief priests) plot against and crucify
.
79) Which psalm is an excellent example of the idealised king who will take up the
human vocation given first to Adam, then to Abraham and his descendants:
a) Psalm 101
b) Psalm 72
c) Psalm 299
d) Psalm 102
.
80) Psalm 8 recounts the vocation given to Adam and taken up by the “house,” or
“royal line,” of King David, culminating in Jesus Christ.
a) True
b) False
.
85

a) Jesus is the truly human one, the new Adam, who fulfils the vocation of
humanity established in the Garden of Eden.
b) Jesus is the true King in the line of David, who hears the cry of the poor and
needy and brings justice to the weak and oppressed.
c) In fulfilment of the promise made to Abraham, all nations are blessed in Jesus.
d) Jesus restores creation and brings it to the goal set out for it since the Garden
of Eden.
.
82) Isaiah 2:1-4 is a commentary on the faithfulness of God.

a) True
b) False
.
83) The theme of Isaiah 11 is universal peace, when the True King assumes the role of
the peacemaker.
a) True
b) False
.
84) Isaiah' description of the king as a bloody warrior must be taken literally, despite
what Jesus says about loving our enemies.
a) True
b) False
.
85) Along with Isaiah’s vision of the righteous rule of the True King (Isaiah 11), we find a
vision of new creation,
a) True
b) False
.

a) Psalms 74 and 89 were written after the armies of Babylon destroyed the city
of Jerusalem and the temple.
b) They were written when the people were in “exile” from their own land and
held captive in the distant land of Babylon.
c) These are psalms of lament (sadness) but they are also cries of anguish for
God to come and rescue his people.
.
86
The Bible as Story
87) The Book of Second Kings (25:27-30) ends with a hint of hope for Israel and its royal
line of kings.
a) True
b) False
.
88) After the 70 years of captivity foretold by Jeremiah (25:11; 29:10), a remnant of the
people return from Babylon and begin to rebuild the city, as told in the Books of ...
a) Obadiah and Nehemiah
b) Esther and Ruth
c) Ezra and Hosea
d) Ezra and Nehemiah.
.
89) When a remnant of the people returns to their homeland, they are still slaves, now
under the rule of the powerful Roman Empire. Professor Wright refers to this period
as ...
a) a time of joy and hope, because the people were back in their own land.
b) “the exile after The Exile.”
.
90) Daniel, Chapter 9, is a very important passage to properly understand the extended
exile of God’s people.
a) True
b) False
.
91) According to the angel that appeared to Daniel, the exile of God’s people would not
last 70 years but “seven times seventy” years (7x70), that is, 490 years,
a) True
b) False
.
92) The “righteousness” of God refers to God’s [ ].

a) anger
b) faithfulness
c) holiness
.
87

a) Throughout this extended period of exile, many “Jews” (those who returned
from exile) were calculating when the 490 years might end.
b) At the time when it suited God’s purpose, John the Baptist appears, crying in
the wilderness, as the forerunner of the One to come.
c) Through Jesus, the Son of God, God himself finally becomes King of Israel—
and the whole world!
d) Exile finally comes to an end when the King himself, Jesus Christ, defeats the
powers of darkness on the cross and rises from the dead three days later.
f) Only "b" is true.
.
94) We find references to the end of the extended period of exile in the words of Jesus
and the apostle Paul.
a) True
b) False
.
95) Despite the destruction brought upon the earth by the four “beasts” described by
Daniel, at the proper time, God sets up a Kingdom that cannot be shaken, a
Kingdom that will have no end—a Kingdom where God (Jesus) is finally King!
a) True
b) False
.
96) In Daniel 7, the King who is crowned by the Ancient of Days (God the Father) is our
Lord Jesus Christ.
a) True
b) False
.
97) The early church found signs pointing to the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ, in many
of the psalms.
a) True
b) False
.
98) Since Jesus' name is not clearly mentioned in the psalms, we must conclude that the
psalms have nothing to do with Jesus.
a) True
b) False
.
88
The Bible as Story
CHAPTER 6: THE STORY OF RESCUE: HOPE FOR THE FUTURE
99) Isaiah 40-55 is about "comfort," that is, the way God brings comfort to his people.
a) True
b) False
.
100) Isaiah 40-55 are written to a community facing exile, to people who have lost hope,
to people who think God has forgotten them.
a) True
b) False
.

a) The prospect of exile means God has forgotten his people.
b) God is not faithful to the covenant he made with Abraham and his
descendants.
c) Exile has nothing to do with idolatry.
d) None of the statements above are true.
.
102) Perhaps the worst consequence of the people’s sin was that God had abandoned
the temple.
a) True
b) False
.
103) As Professor Wright notes, in the Old Testament, there seems to be a close
connection between sin (idolatry) and exile.
a) True
b) False
.
104) The end of exile means much more than the people’s return to Jerusalem and their
homeland. It means also that the "glory of the Lord" will be revealed.
a) True
b) False
.
105) When God returns to his people, he will come like a ...
a) bloody warrior-king
b) politician making empty promises
c) wounded lion full of anger and fury
d) shepherd
.
89
106) According to Professor Wright, in Isaiah 40-55, we find:

a) Promise of return from exile
b) Return of God to his people
c) Resulting in a new covenant and new creation
d) All the above.
.
107) Isaiah paints a portrait of a God who is infinitely bigger, more powerful—and more
loving!—than the idols of wood and stone worshipped by Babylon and other
nations around Israel and Judah.
a) True
b) False
.
108) In Isaiah 40, we find a majestic picture of God as Creator, the True God who stands
far above the idols of Babylon.
a) True
b) False
.
109) Isaiah 40-55 includes the promise of a “new exodus.”

a) True
b) False
.

a) In this new exodus, God will deliver his people from the power of sin.
b) God’s people went into exile because of their sin (idolatry).
c) They need forgiveness of their sin.
d) Forgiveness will take the form of a “new exodus,” wherein the people leave
sinful Babylon and travel home to Jerusalem-Judah
f) Only "c" is true.
.
111) According to Isaiah 48:14, the “arm” of God will be against Babylon. In other words,
God will use his power to free his people from exile in Babylon.
a) True
b) False
.
112) In Isaiah 53, the theme of “the arm of the Lord,” that is, the great power of God to
overthrow Babylon and free his people from captivity, is merged with the image of
the Suffering Servant.
a) True
b) False
.
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The Bible as Story
113) Which statement is NOT true about the Suffering Servant described by Isaiah?
a) The Servant will bring justice to the nations,
b) The Servant will use great military power to bring peace to the nations.
c) The Servant, who will be a light to the nations (Gentiles).
d) The Servant will come in weakness; he will not break a simple reed by the river
or snuff out a smouldering wick.
.
114) The Book of Isaiah contains four "Servant Songs." The Servant Songs speak
powerfully about the strange figure that is to come, the one who takes up the
calling of Abraham and Israel.
a) True
b) False
.
115) Which statement(s) is true? (from Isaiah 49)

a) The Servant will receive the praise and honour of earthly kings and world
leaders.
b) The Servant will take the role of “image bearer,” bringing God’s loving-
kindness to the world, while returning the praises of creation to God.
c) The Servant will take up Israel’s vocation and bring light to the world.
.
116) Because the Servant offers true worship, he will be entrusted with God’s plan for
the world. Not only will he bring light to the nations but he also will bring peace,
justice, forgiveness, hope and reconciliation between God and humanity.
a) True
b) False
.
117) The fourth “Servant Song” is probably the most well-known among Bible students.
It is found in Isaiah 52:13-53:12.
a) True
b) False
.
118) God himself will become King and he will rule through his chosen one, the Suffering
Servant
a) True
b) False
.
91
119) As Professor Wright notes, the entire biblical narrative from the Garden of Eden
through Abraham and Israel, through the monarchy (reign of kings in Israel and
Judah) and into exile in Babylon—all come together at this point in Isaiah’s fourth
Servant Song.
a) True
b) False
.
120) The "arm of the Lord" is the Suffering Servant, one who is despised and rejected by
humankind, one who is familiar with suffering and pain.
a) True
b) False
.
121) The covenant is renewed, creation is renewed (Isaiah 55:8-13) and forgiveness of
sins is accomplished through the Servant, who is “pierced for our transgressions and
crushed for (“by”) our iniquities.”
a) True
b) False
.
CHAPTER 7: THE GLORY OF GOD LEAVES THE TEMPLE
122) According to Professor Wright, Ezekiel sees a vision that is as close to a vision of
God as a human being may be allowed to see.
a) True
b) False
.
123) Ezekiel, Chapters 10 and 11 describe a vision of the glory of God about to depart
from the temple.
a) True
b) False
.

a) Much of the Book of Ezekiel describes God’s judgement against his people
because of their idolatry.
b) Ezekiel also describes God’s judgement upon the pagan nations that surround
Israel.
c) The city of Jerusalem falls to the pagan nation, Babylon.
d) The people who had not already been taken away into exile are killed by the
pagan army
.
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The Bible as Story
125) In Ezekiel 34, God gives warnings against the “shepherds” of Israel (kings, priests,
leaders), who have failed to take care of God’s flock, the people of Israel.
a) True
b) False
.
126) God promises that he himself will be the Shepherd of Israel.

a) True
b) False
.
127) Ezekiel's image of God a Shepherd has nothing to do with Jesus, because he lived
hundreds of years later.
a) True
b) False
.
128) In Ezekiel 36, there are four important points. Which of the following is NOT one of
those important points:
a) Return from exile
b) Renewal of the heart
c) Empowerment by the Spirit to lives God’s way
d) A description of the "rapture" that some say is yet to come.
e) Cleansing from sin
.
129) In regard to Ezekiel's vision of the dry bones, which statement is NOT true?
a) According to Professor Wright, the vision of the valley of dry bones is a vision
of return from exile.
b) This is an act of new creation.
c) He will bring them back from exile in Babylon to their homeland, where they
will rebuild the temple in Jerusalem.
d) The vision of the dry bones refers to the creation of the modern nation of
Israel in 1948.
.
130) The Book of Ezekiel is a testimony to the power of God:

a) to redeem his people by bringing them back from exile.
b) to heal them by giving them a new heart and filling them with his presence
(his spirit)
c) to restore the temple as the dwelling place of God in the midst of his people.
d) All the above.
.
93
131) The final Chapters of the Book of Ezekiel point toward four things. Which of the
following is NOT one of the four things::
a) a new people
b) a new temple
c) a new heart
d) a new military leader to defeat Israel's enemies
e) a new spirit
.
CHAPTER 8: PSALMS OF JOY, PSALMS OF SORROW
132) While the psalms celebrate both the goodness of God and the call of Israel, they
also lament the fact that everything seems to have gone terribly wrong.
a) True
b) False
.

a) Psalm 89 celebrates God’s unfailing love expressed in his covenant with Israel,
while also lamenting the misery that has fallen upon God’s people because of
their idolatry.
b) Jesus quoted from Psalm 22.
c) Psalm 24 praises God as the King who will come back to Zion (Jerusalem) to
dwell among his people and rule over them.
d) Psalm 88 is a psalm of lament and grief over the misery of God’s people
because of their sinfulness.
.
134) In the psalms, judgement is a time to be celebrated, because it is the time when
God will set everything right. God will restore and heal all creation and make all
things new.
a) True
b) False
.

a) The Old Testament ends with the return of the people to their homeland to
rebuild the city and restore the temple.
b) A period of about 400 years follows before we come to the events of the New
Testament.
c) This 400-year period is called the “intertestamental” period,
d) It is also called the “Second Temple” period, because the people begin a new
temple,
.
94
The Bible as Story
CHAPTER 9: THE FULFILMENT OF THE GREAT STORY IN JESUS CHRIST
136) The inclusion of other nations in the family tree of Jesus Christ shows that God’s
good purposes were never intended for Israel only but for all nations.
a) True
b) False
.
137) Matthew's list of ancestors must be taken literally.

a) True
b) False
.
138) Jesus’ baptism, followed by the temptation in the wilderness, clearly echoes Israel’s
passage through the Red Sea and forty years of testing and preparation.
a) True
b) False
.

a) Matthew arranges his Gospel into five major sections.
b) Matthew brings to mind the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible in the
Old Testament.
c) Matthew is describing a “new Pentateuch” and a new Israel, reformed and
renewed around the person of Jesus.
.
140) As the son of Abraham and the son of David, Jesus bears the shame of exile on
behalf of the nation of Israel.
a) True
b) False
.
141) In Matthew 28, we find the resurrected Son of God exalted as the King of heaven
and earth, just as the psalmists and prophets foretold.
a) True
b) False
.
142) In Luke, John the Baptist is a “new Samuel,” who prepares the way for the anointing
of Jesus as the Messiah of Israel and the King of the world.
a) True
b) False
.
95

a) Luke traces the family line of Jesus all the way back to Adam.
b) Luke shows that Jesus is coming not only for the salvation of Israel, but for the
salvation of all humanity.
c) In Luke, we see that the story of Israel is a story for the entire world, for it is
through Israel that all nations are blessed.
.
144) The Gospel of Luke has little to say about the temple and the judgement to come.
a) True
b) False
.
145) As Professor Wright says, Luke’s gospel is about a wonderful message for the whole
world, paired with a shocking rejection of that message by the Jews.
a) True
b) False
.
146) Jesus tells three parables (“stories”) to explain why he celebrates with sinners.
Which of the following is NOT one of the three parables:
a) the parable of the lost sheep
b) the parable of the lost coin
c) the parable of the good Samaritan
d) the parable of the lost son
.
147) According to Jesus, God’s forgiveness of lost sinners is something to celebrate.

a) True
b) False
.
148) The third parable, usually known as “The Parable of the Prodigal Son,” is certainly
one of the best known parables in the New Testament.
a) True
b) False
.
149) In Luke 19, Jesus arrives in Jerusalem with tears in his eyes because he knows that
judgement is soon to fall on the city and its people.
a) True
b) False
.
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The Bible as Story
150) Just as the Pharisees and other religious leaders cannot see the “resurrection” of
sinners happening all around them, they cannot see the return of Israel’s King, as
the psalmists and prophets foretold long before.
a) True
b) False
.
151) Jesus drives out those who are buying and selling in the temple as an “enacted
parable.” In other words, Jesus’ actions symbolise the destruction that is soon to fall
on Jerusalem and the temple at the hands of the powerful Roman army.
a) True
b) False
.
152) Jesus quotes from the well-known “Servant Song” of Isaiah (see Isaiah 53:12). Jesus
says, “This is written about me.” Jesus is the Suffering Servant who comes to rescue
Israel and the world.
a) True
b) False
.
153) The end of exile and the coming of new creation are fulfilled through the suffering,
death and resurrection of the Messiah.
a) True
b) False
.
CHAPTER 10: THE CHURCH AS THE NEW TEMPLE
154) The great narrative, or story, of God and his people continues into the New
Testament to include the church.
a) True
b) False
.
155) In Ephesians 2:19-22, Paul describes the church as the new temple, the place where
Jew and Gentile come together under the authority of Jesus, who is the cornerstone
of the new temple.
a) True
b) False
.
156) In 1 Corinthians 10:1-4, Paul includes Gentiles (non-Jews) in the family line of
Abraham.
a) True
b) False
.
97
157) In his letter to the church in Galatia (Asia Minor), Paul draws heavily on the biblical
story, especially in relationship to Abraham, faith and law.
a) True
b) False
.
158) Paul tells the great story from Abraham to Jesus, the Messiah, to show that God
always intended to include the Gentiles (all nations) in the blessings and inheritance
promised to Abraham.
a) True
b) False
.
159) In what chapter does Paul tells a miniature version of the exodus story, a story of
slavery, rescue, son-ship and inheritance.
a) Galatians 5
b) Ephesians 5
c) Philippians 2
d) Galatians 4
.
160) Where does Paul tell the story of Adam and the Messiah (Jesus)?
a) Romans 8:32-38
b) Ephesians 5:22-26
c) Romans 5:12-21,
d) Philippians 1:8-12
.
161) According to Professor Wright, Romans 6-8 form a large-scale exodus narrative, or
story.
a) True
b) False
.
162) Christ is the “goal,” or culmination, of the law. He has accomplished the purpose for
which the law was given and he has established a covenant relationship with
everyone who believes in him, whether Jew or Gentile.
a) True
b) False
.
CHAPTER 11: A VISION OF A NEW EDEN
163) The Book of Revelation is entirely about events that will happen in our futures,
very soon!
a) True
b) False
.
98
The Bible as Story
164) Revelation, Chapter 1, includes a vision of Jesus himself

a) True
b) False
.
165) In Revelation, Chapters 4 and 5, we see a vision of heavenly worship. This is not a
vision of heavenly worship as it may be in the future. It is a vision of the never-
ending worship that goes on now—today!—in heaven.
a) True
b) False
.
166) Believers are invited to join the celebration, to participate in the unceasing worship
that takes place in heaven.
a) True
b) False
.

a) The strange creatures, or “living beings,” described in Revelation 4 represent
creation.
b) The living creatures declare that the One who sits on the throne in heaven is
the True King.
c) The 24 elders who sit on thrones around the throne of God represent the
human race, according to Professor Wright.
.
168) In Revelation 5:1, we read of a scroll in the right hand of the one who sits on the
throne. The writing on the scroll represents God’s plan or purpose for creation.
a) True
b) False
.
169) One of the elders says to John, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah,
the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals”
(Rev 5:2-5).
a) True
b) False
.
170) In Revelation, Chapters 21 and 22, John sees a vision of a new heaven and a new
earth.
a) True
b) False
.
99
171) Some use 2 Peter 3:8 to teach that the earth will be destroyed by fire at “the Day of
the Lord,” associated with the return of Jesus Christ. They are correct because no
other interpretation is possible.
a) True
b) False
.
172) Many Evangelical Christians are not interested in ecology (“study of the earth”),
because they believe Jesus is coming again soon and the earth will be destroyed.
a) True
b) False
.
173) In the fullness of time, the curse on the ground that followed the sin of Adam will
be lifted and the earth —this earth!—will be renewed.
a) True
b) False
.
174) As Professor Wright reminds us, God’s purpose from the beginning of creation was
to fill the whole earth with his presence. That dream is fulfilled in the new heaven
and earth centred in the New Jerusalem.
a) True
b) False
.
175) The Bible ends with a vision of God dwelling among his people, his “image bearers,”
who once again fulfil their vocation as stewards of the earth.
a) True
b) False
.
i
“The Christian Doctrine of God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit,’ is available on Amazon. To purchase the book,
and to see our other publications, click here.
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THE BIBLE AS STORY:

FROM GENESIS TO REVELATION

ACADEMY OF BIBLE AND THEOLOGY

Basic training in Christian doctrine

UNLOCKING THE MYSTERY

CHAPTER 1: IN THE BEGINNING

HUMANITY’S PLACE IN GOD’S CREATION

CHAPTER 2: THE FAMILY OF ABRAHAM

GOD’S COVENANT WITH ABRAM

THE SIGN OF THE COVENANT

THE OFFERING OF ISAAC

THE DESCENDANTS OF ABRAHAM

CHAPTER 3: THE EXODUS STORY

THE CALL OF MOSES

people out of bondage in Egypt. God will use Moses to redeem

GOD DIVIDES THE WATERS

TORAH AND TABERNACLE

GOD COMMANDS THE PEOPLE TO CHOOSE

HUMAN VOCATION IN THE PENTATEUCH

Adam and Eve Israel

land Garden of Eden Canaan, the Promised Land,

JOSHUA AND JUDGES

THE PROBLEM OF DIVINE VIOLENCE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

In Jesus, we have “the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:14).

REVELATION OF THE DIVINE GLORY AND THE NEW TEMPLE

CHAPTER 5: GOD’S PROMISE TO DAVID AND HIS FAMILY

SAMUEL AND DAVID

included in David’s representative act. Whatever happens to David happens to the

A VISION OF THE COMING KING

THE ROAD TO EXILE AND THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD

HOPE FOR THE END OF EXILE

Finding King Jesus in the Psalms

93:1, 2 God is King from existed before anything was created;

CHAPTER 6: THE STORY OF RESCUE: HOPE FOR THE FUTURE

A NEW EXODUS THROUGH THE SUFFERING SERVANT

In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; 4 he will not falter or be discouraged

CHAPTER 7: THE GLORY OF GOD LEAVES THE TEMPLE

CHAPTER 8: THE PSALMS: JOY AND SORROW

He will judge all peoples fairly.

CHAPTER 9: THE FULFILMENT OF THE GREAT STORY IN JESUS CHRIST

Matthew clearly arranges his material to show the relationship

CHAPTER 10: THE CHURCH AS THE NEW TEMPLE

CHAPTER 11: A VISION OF A NEW EDEN

COURSE 201 PRACTICE EXAM

THE BIBLE AS STORY: GENESIS TO REVELATION

CHAPTER 1: IN THE BEGINNING

3) The Bible is a coherent "narrative," or "story," running from Genesis to Revelation.

4) Which statement is NOT true?

6) Which statement(s) is true?

8) Which statement(s) is true?

9) Male and female, coming together in a harmonious, complementary duality, is seen

CHAPTER 2: THE FAMILY OF ABRAHAM

11) Which statement(s) is true?

13) Which statements(s) are true?

14) Which statement is false?

15) Which statements are true?

16) Which statements are true?

18) Which statements are true?

20) Which statement(s) are true?

CHAPTER 3: THE EXODUS STORY

23) Which statement(s) is true?

24) Which statement(s) is true?

25) Which statement(s) is true?