Telling God's Story The Biblical Narrative from Beginning to End

by Vang, Preben; Carter, Terry G.

• ISBN13: 9780805432824
• ISBN10: 0805432825
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2006-09-01
• Publisher: B&H

Summary

By the time a Christian reaches young adulthood, he is likely to be quite familiar with every major story in the Bible, but not from having studied them in any particular order. Ask an average Bible student to arrange certain characters and events chronologically, and the results are telling. Telling God's Storylooks closely at the Bible from its Genesis beginning to Revelation conclusion. By approaching Scripture as one purposefully flowing narrative, emphasizing the inter-connectedness of the text, veteran college professors Preben Vang and Terry Carter reinforce the Bible's greatest teachings and help readers in their own ability to share God's story with others.

Author Biography

Preben Vang is professor of Christian Theology at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. He and his family are natives of Denmark and moved to the United States from Copenhagen in 1997. Vang specializes in New Testament study with an emphasis on Pauline theology.

Terry G. Carter is chair of the department of Christian Ministries at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. He specializes in Christian History.

Table of Contents

Preface	xi
The Bible Story: An Overview	1	(10)
Background to the Bible Story	11	(12)
EPISODE ONE CREATION
ACT 1 The Story Begins	23	(8)
ACT 2 Humans Reject God's Plan	31	(12)
EPISODE TWO THE PLAN OF REDEMPTION
ACT 1 The Covenant and Promise	43	(7)
ACT 2 Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph	50	(11)
EPISODE THREE THE FORMING OF A NATION: GOD'S PEOPLE AND THE LAW
ACT 1 Moses and the Deliverance	61	(10)
ACT 2 The Sinai Experience	71	(8)
ACT 3 The Wilderness Experience	79	(6)
EPISODE FOUR THE PROMISED LAND AND SIN'S POWER
ACT 1 The Conquest and the Judges	85	(8)
ACT 2 The Period of the Judges	93	(10)
EPISODE FIVE ISRAEL GETS A KING
ACT 1 Samuel and Saul	103	(5)
ACT 2 David the King	108	(9)
EPISODE SIX REBELLION, JUDGMENT, AND FUTURE HOPE
ACT 1 Solomon and the Demise of the Unified Kingdom	117	(10)
A Note on the Prophets	124	(3)
ACT 2 The Demise of the Northern Kingdom	127	(9)
ACT 3 The Southern Kingdom Slides	136	(9)
EPISODE SEVEN CAPTIVITY AND RETURN
ACT 1 The Judgment	145	(6)
ACT 2 The Captivity	151	(4)
ACT 3 The Return from Exile and the Rebuilding of the Temple	155	(3)
ACT 4 Rebuilding Jerusalem	158	(5)
ACT 5 Wisdom: Finding God's Way	163	(10)
EPISODE EIGHT UNTO US A CHILD IS BORN
ACT 1 God Sends His Promised Messiah	173	(6)
ACT 2 Incarnation and the Two Natures of Jesus	179	(10)
EPISODE NINE THE MINISTRY OF JESUS
ACT 1 Jesus Begins His Ministry	189	(9)
ACT 2 Jesus' Message and Methods	198	(12)
ACT 3 Jesus' Miracles and Ministry	210	(9)
EPISODE TEN "A PROPHET MUST DIE IN JERUSALEM"
ACT 1 Jesus' Entry into Jerusalem	219	(6)
ACT 2 Jesus' Last Supper and His Crucifixion	225	(14)
EPISODE ELEVEN THE GRAVE COULD NOT HOLD HIM
ACT 1 Jesus' Burial and Resurrection	239	(7)
ACT 2 Jesus' Postresurrection Appearances and Ascension	246	(11)
EPISODE TWELVE THIS GOSPEL SHALL BE FORALL PEOPLE
ACT 1 A Sound as of a Rushing Wind	257	(8)
ACT 2 The Church in Jerusalem and the Early Spread of the Gospel	265	(7)
ACT 3 Paul's First and Second Missionary Journeys	272	(6)
ACT 4 Paul's Third Missionary Journey, His Arrest and Final Days	278	(11)
EPISODE THIRTEEN CHURCH GROWTH AND CHURCH STRUGGLES
ACT 1 Church Struggles and the Examples from 1 Corinthians	289	(7)
ACT 2 Church Struggles and Christian Thinking	296	(7)
ACT 3 Church Struggles and Issues of Faith	303	(10)
EPISODE FOURTEEN LOOKING FORA CITY
ACT 1 God's Future for His People	313	(6)
ACT 2 God Brings His Story to Its Climactic End	319
Last Thoughts: The Meaning of the Story in the 21st Century	329