God made
Adam bit
Noah arked
Abraham split
Jacob fooled
Joseph ruled
Bush talked
Pharaoh plagued
Sea divided
Tablets guided
Promise landed
Judges led
Saul freaked
David peeked
Kingdom divided
Prophets warned
People exiled
Hope rose
Jesus born
God walked
Anger crucified
Love rose
Spirit flamed
Word spread
God remained.
Revised from the original by Dana Livesay, Wanganui, New Zealand. Source:
'Top of the Morning' Book of Incredibly Short Stories compiled by Brian Edwards.
Auckland, New Zealand: Tandem Press.
Graphics trademarked by CliffsNotes. Used here
under the educational purposes provisions of the U.S. copyright acts.
"Take to heart all the words I have solemnly declared to you." -- Deuteronomy 32:46
| "Because the Bible grapples with the basic questions man has always asked himself, it has fascinated him for 2,000 years and more. This is why it is one of the most influential and widely read books in
human history. The Bible -- which is actually a collection of sixty-six documents called "books"
-- tells of the rise and fall of ancient nations and the clash of armies. It tells about kings and plain
people, heroes, and villains. It contains history and theology, poetry and songs, philosophy and
letters. It contains strange dreams/visions, wise sayings, and some seemingly dull collections of
court records, family trees, and religious rules. It contains some of the greatest literature man has
produced. All of it is directed to the relationship between man and God" -- A Reader's Guide to the Holy Bible ©1972, Thomas Nelson |
"Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds." -- Deuteronomy 11:18
People sometimes ask, "How many stories are there in the Bible?" Well, there are many, but there is also only one. That is, the Bible is a collection of documents, each of which contributes to telling one continuous story.
This is not the "perfect" summary. It only goes through the gospels. Written by a student, it is a good example of what is expected on exams in Introduction to Biblical Literature.
"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth and all that was in it, and He saw that it was good. A demonic serpent deceived Eve in what we call the Fall of the Human Race. However, in the aftermath of that, God promised to send a Redeemer, saying that although the serpent would strike the heel of a descendant of that woman, the heel of that descendant would crush the serpent. Many years later, God called Abraham in a giant step toward fulfilling that promise. Centuries passed, and Abraham's descendants wound up enslaved by the Egyptians. God heard their cries and he called Moses to lead His people in the Exodus from Egypt. Then Joshua led the people in a conquest of Canaan. This was followed by a period of judges where every man did what was right in his own eyes.
"Eventually, the Israelite people asked Samuel to give them a king. With God's permission, Samuel anointed Saul king. Several years later, Israel's third king, Solomon, built a temple for God. Then, under the reign of Rehoboam, the kingdom was divided, with Jeroboam ruling in the North and Rehoboam in the South. The two kingdoms existed side by side for more than a hundred years. Then, the Northern Kingdom fell to the Assyrians. More than a century later, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon invaded the Southern Kingdom and burned the temple. He then forced God's people into exile in Babylon. After 70 years, they returned to their land and rebuilt Jerusalem.
"Many, many years later, God sent His Son, the redeemer, to earth. Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem. He was crucified at 33 years of age after teaching, healing, and serving people. However, after three days, He arose from the grave, thus fulfilling God's promise of a redeemer."
-- S.T., student in Introduction to Biblical Literature at Southern Nazarene University
My list of events for composing a one-page "story of the Bible"
-- Howard Culbertson, hculbert@snu.edu
Brief overview of each Bible book:
Being able to briefly summarize the entire storyline of the Bible can be beneficial for you in the following six ways:
The Bible begins with God creating the heavens, the earth, and all living things. It culminated in the creation of humans, Adam and Eve, who were made in God's image. They lived in perfect harmony with God in the Garden of Eden. However, tempted by Satan, they disobeyed God. Their eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil led to the Fall, the event in which sin entered the world, and humanity became separated from God.
God chose Abraham to be the father of a great nation, Israel, through whom He promised to bless all nations. Abraham's descendants -- Isaac, Jacob, and his twelve sons -- formed the foundation of Israel. Sadly, the Israelites eventually ended up in Egypt, where they were enslaved.
God raised up Moses to deliver Israel from slavery in Egypt. After the Exodus, God gave Moses the Law, including the Ten Commandments, to guide Israel in their covenant relationship with Him. Despite this, the Israelites repeatedly struggled with being faithful to God.
After Moses' death, Joshua led the Israelites into the Promised Land. The period of the Judges followed. That time was marked by cycles of sin, oppression, and deliverance. Israel eventually demanded a king. This led to the reigns of Saul, David, and Solomon. David established Jerusalem as the capital, and his dynasty was promised an everlasting kingdom.
After Solomon's death, Israel split into two kingdoms: Israel in the north and Judah in the south. Despite the warnings of the prophets, both kingdoms fell into injustices and idolatry. Israel was conquered by Assyria. Later, Judah was exiled to Babylon. The prophets, however, spoke of a future restoration and a Messiah who would establish God's kingdom.
After 70 years, a remnant of Judah returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple and restore the city. Despite physical restoration, the people still the fulfillment of God's promises.
The New Testament begins with the birth of Jesus, the promised Messiah who was fully God and fully man. Jesus preached the Kingdom of God, performed miracles, and taught repentance, justice, and love. He was crucified. He died as a sacrifice for humanity's sins. He rose from the dead, conquering sin and death. His resurrection opened the way for reconciliation between God and humanity.
After His resurrection, Jesus commissioned His disciples to spread the Gospel to all nations. The Holy Spirit empowered the early church to grow rapidly despite persecution. Paul and other apostles spread Christianity throughout the Roman Empire. The New Testament letters bring up doctrinal issues, nourish believers, and affirm that Jesus will return to establish a new heaven and earth. Revelation, the final book, describes the ultimate victory of God over evil, the final judgment, and the eternal reign of Christ with His people.
