Making sense of the whole Bible is the greatest tool in understanding the parts. So it is vital to have a clear grasp of the OT to understand the NT. The OT provides the theological context for the NT. In other words, instead of reading the Bible backward (reading the OT through the eyes of the NT), the Bible should be read progressively forward (reading the NT through the lenses of the OT). Furthermore, because the Bible provides inspired storyline summaries (Deuteronomy 1–3; 32; Joshua 24; I Samuel 12:6-11; Psalms 78-79; 105; 106; Nehemiah 9; Ezekiel 16; Acts 7; Revelation 12), the reader should take this hermeneutical clue and read the Scriptures as the Scripture—one divinely inspired unfolding meta-narrative.

One final note in reading the Scriptures as the Scripture, the reader needs to look for the dominant theme that the Scripture unfolds (Lk 24:27; John 5:39), it will function to inform him/her how the various parts of the Bible cohere to make the entire story of Scripture coherent. The following is a summary of the major events, which tells the storyline of the Bible with hints at its dominant theme.*

THE PRELUDE TO THE STORY—FOUR EVENTS THAT SHAPED THE WORLD

1. Creation and Its Commissioned King (Man God’s Ruler of Creation)
2. The Fall of the King—The Serpent Defeated Man and Became Creation’s Illegitimate Ruler
3. The Flood: The Near Complete Spiritual Ruin of Man and God’s Universal Judgment
4. The Creation of Nations from Babel: The Unified Rebellion of Man and God’s Corresponding Judgment to Separate Man

STORYLINE OF THE BIBLE PART I—GOD’S PROMISE TO SAVE THE WORLD

5. Abraham—The Father of God’s Promise to Save the World
6. Isaac—The Son Through Whom the Promise Continued
7. Jacob—The Father of the Promised Nation
8. Joseph & Judah—The Son Who Models & The Son Who Will Fulfill the Promise
9. Moses—The Great Deliverer Who Saves the Nation
10. The 10 Plaques—The Great Deliver Who Saves by Conquering the Powers
11. The Passover—The Paradigm for God’s Salvation Through Blood
12. The Exodus—The Paradigm for God’s Salvation, He Rescues & Delivers
13. The Red Sea—The Paradigm for God’s Salvation Through Power
14. Mt Sinai—The Birth of Israel as a Worshipping and Witnessing Nation
15. The Golden Calf—The Quintessential Sin—Idolatry
16. The Tabernacle—The Purpose of Salvation to Make True Worshippers/2^nd Eden
17. The Mosaic Law—The Requirement of a Relationship with God—Righteousness
18. Kadesh-Barnea—The Grave Sin of Unbelief in the Promises of God and the 12 Spies
19. The Wilderness—The Consequences of Unbelief
20. The Defeat of Kings Sihon and Og—The Assurance of God’s Ability to Fulfill His Promise
21. Joshua—The Conquest and Dividing of the Land—The Evidence of God’s Ability to Fulfill His Promise
22. The Period of Judges—Cycles of Rebellion and the Need for a Powerful Savior
23. Transition Towards a Kingdom (Samuel & Saul)—Moving Closer to the Promised Kingdom
24. The Sufferings of David—A Preview of the Suffering of the Promised King
25. The Reign of David—A Preview of the Power of the Promised King
26. The Reign of Solomon—A Preview of the Wisdom and Glory of the Promised King
27. The Worship and Wisdom Required While Awaiting Kingdom Promises
28. The Divided Kingdoms: Israel and Judah—The Failure of All Earthly Kings
29. The Prophets—The Promise of the Coming King and His Kingdom
30. The Northern Kingdom in Exile to Assyria—The Need for the Coming King
31. The Southern Kingdom in Exile to Babylon—The Need for the Coming King (The 2^nd Fall)
32. Years of Exile—The Hope for A Return to the Kingdom
33. The Return from Exile Under Cyrus the Persian—The Hope for the Glorious Kingdom
34. Interlude: The Wait for the Coming King—400 Years of Silence—The Intertestamental Period

STORYLINE OF THE BIBLE PART II

THE INITIAL FULFILLMENT OF GOD’S PROMISE TO SAVE THE WORLD

35. The Birth of The King—The Arrival of the Promised King, the Seed of the Woman, the Son of Abraham, the Son of Judah, the Son of David
36. The Inauguration of the Ministry of the King (His Baptism and Wilderness Battle with Satan)
37. The Preaching Ministry of the King (The Gospel of the Kingdom)
38. The Redemptive Ministry of the King (The Deliverance of People from the Powers of Sin, Satan, and Death)
39. The Victorious Death of the King (Victory Over Sin!!!)
40. The Vindicating Resurrection of the King (Victory Over Death!!)
41. The Commission of the King’s Church (The Great Mission of the Church)
42. The Birth of the King’s Church (The Empowerment of the Church)
43. The Ministry of the King’s Church in Jerusalem (The Power of the Church to Save)
44. The Missionary Work of the King’s Church Throughout the World
45. The Theology of the King’s Church (The Epistolary Explanation of the Purpose, Power, and Plan of the Mission of the Church) (The 3^rd Fall of the Professing Apostatized church)

THE FINAL ACT

THE FULFILLMENT OF GOD’S PROMISE TO SAVE THE WORLD

46. The Time of Trouble for the King’s Nation
47. The Return of the King to Rescue His Nation and Defeat Their Enemies
48. The Millennial Reign of the King (The Promised Fulfilled)
49. The Final Judgment and Defeat of the King’s Enemies (The 4^th and Final Fall)
50. The Ultimate Fulfillment of God’s Promise: God’s Reconciliation of Man, and Man’s Rulership of God’s Kingdom in Righteousness for Forever

* This summary was loosely adapted from Brian Toews’ class on OT theology given at Philadelphia Biblical University. The words in bold are the events which are often repeated in Scripture as the narrative summaries of the Bible’s story.