Jeremy L. Berg

What is the “Big Story” behind all the smaller episodes in the Bible?  How does the Old Testament relate to the New Testament?  Why does the portrayal of God in the OT (as wrathful, violent, etc.) seem at odds with the NT picture of God revealed to us by Jesus Christ?  What ultimate goal do both Old and New Testaments point toward?  What is the character of God really like?

Have you asked any of the above questions?  You’re not alone.

When I was younger, new believer and just beginning to try to understand the Bible, I always felt completely lost in the deep jungle of a very long and confusing story. My first impression was that the Bible was a bunch of scattered stories about various ancient people designed to teach simple moral lessons.  For example, Abraham taught us to have faith in God’s promises.  Moses taught us to obey God’s commandments.  Daniel taught us that God was able to rescue us from our own den of lions if we didn’t deny Him and bow down to others.  David taught us that with God on our side we can slay our own giants.  And so on.

While we can learn such moral lessons from our forefathers in the faith, we should NEVER turn the Bible into a bunch of unrelated episodes of the ancient equivalent of The Cosby Show. The Bible at it’s core is one long story of God and the world he created and loves.  It is rooted in history and all headed in a particular direction with a specific goal in mind.  Genesis flows into Exodus with the central plot in tact. The rest of the OT — the Law and prophets, as well as the poetic writings of the Wisdom books — all give us different angles on what God is up to in history.

It’s a story of love and betrayal, of a God of reckless love and relentless pursuit of his wayward people.  It’s a story with hero and a villain, a problem and a proposed solution.  It’s a story of failed attempts, of second and third chances, of grace and redemption.

If you still can’t quite see how the entire Bible fits together, and are still seeking that golden thread that weaves the whole thing together, then please take a moment to watch the following video.  Greg Boyd helps us make sense of all the questions above. Once you see the big picture it will revolutionize your study of the Bible and your understanding of the Christian faith.