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Book Recommendations

According to Plan: The Unfolding Revelation of God in the Bible

By Graeme Goldsworthy

Graeme Goldsworthys work,According to Plan: The Unfolding Revelation of God in the

Bible, is a book that is an introduction to biblical theology. The goal of the book is for the readerto know God through His word, and the means by which the author will aid in the process is to

provide instruction for meaningfully studying Gods word, which is the revelation of who God is.

Therefore the author advocates biblical theology as a means of knowing God through the

Bible. Biblical theology is an interpretive framework by which the whole Bible can be

cohesively interpreted through the one central message of the Bible.

Below are summaries of the three major parts of the book. The first part makes a case for

why biblical theology is the most useful means for interpreting the Bible. The second explains

how God can be known through biblical theology (i.e. how one can know God through Jesus

through His word). The third part is an overarching summary of the whole Bible through the lens

of biblical theology.

Biblical Theology - Why?

Virtually anyone who has read the Bible has encountered some difficulties. likely the first

difficulty is dealing with and interpreting difficult passages. Simply, the Bible is hard to

understand and relate to in many places. The second difficulty is understanding the Old

Testament, its relation to the New Testament, and how it relates to the modern person and/or

Christian. The third is how to rightly apply Scripture to life. Many times the reader just doesnt

see how a passage speaks into their life right now.

Biblical theology proposes to have an answer for each of the difficulties. Biblical

theology examines the process by which God has revealed Himself to mankind. The underlyingprinciple of biblical theology is that God has revealed Himself through the Bible, and He has

done so by means of one unified story told in history, over a period of centuries, and through

various human writerswhich climaxes in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

If indeed the Bible is one unified story, difficult passages become less problematic

because they are viewed through the lens of the big story. The Bible reader is not left out on an

island, so to speak, to interpret a difficult passage; the passage fits within a bigger message

which will illuminate its meaning. In regard to the second difficulty, according to biblical

theology all of the Old Testament is seen through its relationship to the person and work of Jesus

Christ. Therefore, in regard to the third difficulty, all of Scripture is relatable and applicable

through Jesus Christ. Biblical theology says that all Scripture flows to and through Jesus. Once

interpretation works its way through the gospel of Jesus, application then flows from what Jesus

has done.

Biblical Theology - How?

The second major part of the book answers how God is able to be known through His

word. The author describes the biblical story as progressive, redemptive revelation. The first

principle of the answer is that truth about God can be known, but it is only known as God reveals

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it. The Bible is Gods revelation of Himself. The biblically-based presupposition is that sin has

marred mankinds ability to perceive and receive truth. Therefore, God must intervene in order

for mankind to see and receive the truth of who He is. Through the Bible along with the

collaborative work of the Holy Spirit, God reveals His truth through His word exactly as He

wants to.

The biblical story is also progressive. The second principle of how God revealsHimself is that everything in the Bible flows to and through Jesus. The unified story of the

Scripture in the Old Testament is meant to lead to Jesus; it is not an end unto itself. Jesus carries

the plotline unto eternity. Jesus is central in how God reveals Himself. Jesus is the ultimate

revelation of who God is.

The biblical story is redemptive. The unified story is a unified message of redemption.

God is to be understood as Redeemer and His story as a story of rescue. Gods attributes, or any

truths about God, are seen only through Gods saving acts. It is only through Gods redemption

storythe story of restoring all things to perfect relationship with Himself through Jesusthat

the truth of God can be known.

Biblical Theology - What?

The third major part of the book makes up the bulk of the book. In a summary of the

entire Bible, the author shows biblical theology at work. The story is told from the creation of all

things until the consummation of all things in the new heaven and new earth. Biblical theology

holds that the entire story fits as one unified story with one unified message. Thus as the author

offers a thorough summary of the entire Bible, he is sure to highlight the repeated themes that

run throughout the entire story, leading to Jesus and finding ultimate completion in Jesus.

Two themes that run the entire length of the biblical story are the themes of kingdom and

regeneration [of Gods creation]. In creation, God ordered all things according to a kingdom

pattern, with God as the King. Mankind and the rest of creation found their place within Godsfirst created kingdom order. In Genesis 3 with the introduction of sin by mankind, Gods

kingdom order is rebelled against, disorder and death ensue. From that point forward, the created

order and relationship of God to His creation is blemished and in need of regeneration and

restoration. A major cataclysmic event like the flood shows the degree to which the created order

has been overturned by human sin. Yet, at the same time, Gods saving act of the human race

through Noah foreshadows God ultimate intention to give new birth to sinful people and

ultimately bring the completed restoration of all creation.

In the Old Testament, three key figures and three respective major events move forward

the story of God and foreshadow Gods redemptive work. Gods call and covenant with Abraham

foreshadow Gods ultimate purposes. God, through the line of Abraham intends to bless all

nations. He makes promises that He Himself is faithful to keep despite any seeming

contradictions or difficulties. From Abraham, God intends to foretell the ultimate restoration of

all things via the story of Israel. Second, Moses and Israel reveal a pattern for Gods redemption.

The supernatural works of God to rescue Israel from Egypt foreshadow the need for supernatural

intervening for God to redeem sinful humanity. The Law given through Moses tells of Gods

supreme intention in redemption to restore right relationship with His creation. Third, David and

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the kingship in Israel represent Gods kingdom rule in the world. Through the king God intended

to mediate His covenant relationship with God.

Furthermore, the prophetic messages of the latter portion of the Old Testament

foreshadow Gods ultimate intentions. Again, themes such as the sinfulness of mankind, the

covenant faithfulness of God, Gods preservation of His purposes through the faithful emerge.

And the message of the prophets push forward and foretell of a new creation that is to come.Up to this point, all that has come before has been ashadow, asign, or a typewhich has

pointed forward and which is to be fulfilled in Jesus. Through Jesus the kingdom that has been

foreshadowed as coming has come. Through Jesus the regeneration that has been foreshadowed

has come for us and in us. In essence, the new kingdom and regeneration has already come in

Jesus. Now believers are in Jesus, and they partake of the kingdom and life progressively now.

Finally in Jesus, Gods kingdom and regeneration of the created order will finally come;

believers will take part fully of Gods redemptive purposes on that day.

Again the emphasis of biblical theology is that all themes or doctrines find their place

within a unified storya story that begins and ends with Jesus Christ.

Why you should readAccording to Plan: The Unfolding Revelation of God in the Bible:

First, this book is not appropriate for the casual reader. Though the book is billed as an

introduction to biblical theology, the book is dense in wording and subject matter. While the

book is not difficult to read per se, the book is not a light read. It reads like an academic,

information-driven work. Yet, if one takes the time to invest in the dense writing, one will

discover a wealth of information that deepens knowledge of the biblical story and gives useful

instruction for the study of Gods word.

Second, the reason you should read this book is that the author does an incredible job

highlighting Jesus as the key figure to which all the Bible points and through whom all the

saving purposes of God are realized. Especially if you have trouble seeing the big picture of theBible or if you cannot see how the Old Testament relates to Jesus, this books is an incredibly

helpful book. Anyone who can dedicate to reading this work will benefit from the authors in-

depth summary of the biblical message as he traces the events, the writings, the themes, and the

revelation of God all through the Scriptures.

Third, in particular for those who are following Vintage Churchs Story series, the book

is useful to gain a further grasp on the story of God, though it is diverse and complex. But more

than just knowing the Bible, the book is about knowing God Himself through Jesus Christ.

Certainly the book will lead the zealous reader to a deeper knowledge of God by seeing Himself

revealed through His saving acts in His word.