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When Bethany House sent me an e-mail offering to let me review Dr. Marty's “The Whole Bible Story,” I was immediately interested. Back in January I started using a new Bible-reading system which I have absolutely loved – and among other benefits, it has fostered in me an even greater hunger to know more about the Bible. Especially the chronological order of everything. I mean, most of it is pretty straightforward but I've always been a little fuzzy on things like where Daniel and Esther fit into the captivity. What about Jeremiah? So I was thrilled when I had the chance to read and review this title.
One thing I'd like to stress is that this is not a Bible translation, nor is it at all intended to replace Bible reading. This is meant to be a help for those who want to know the Bible in a more linear fashion.
Dr. Marty takes us through the events of the Bible, but he does not focus on any books related to law, prophecy, poetry, or the epistles. It's more like an action account, or as the back cover tells us, “A Bible story book for grown-ups.” The flow is smooth and very easy to read. I've read some reviews that complained there was not more cultural information included – well, no, this pretty much takes any Bible account and condenses it into a few paragraphs, stringing it together in chronological order. That how it presents itself and that is exactly what it is.
I have grown up in a Christian home and the Bible has been taught to me my whole life but I still learned some new things as I read here. Tales that I hadn't quite grasped or details that had escaped my notice. It also answered most of the questions I had, such as I listed above. Those it didn't answer I felt it gave me enough information that I could now go look in my Bible and be satisfied.
As ever, you know it's a good book on the Bible when it motivates you to stay in the Bible yourself. That's the true test, and this one passes with flying colors!
Thank you to Bethany House for my copy of this book.
One thing I'd like to stress is that this is not a Bible translation, nor is it at all intended to replace Bible reading. This is meant to be a help for those who want to know the Bible in a more linear fashion.
Dr. Marty takes us through the events of the Bible, but he does not focus on any books related to law, prophecy, poetry, or the epistles. It's more like an action account, or as the back cover tells us, “A Bible story book for grown-ups.” The flow is smooth and very easy to read. I've read some reviews that complained there was not more cultural information included – well, no, this pretty much takes any Bible account and condenses it into a few paragraphs, stringing it together in chronological order. That how it presents itself and that is exactly what it is.
I have grown up in a Christian home and the Bible has been taught to me my whole life but I still learned some new things as I read here. Tales that I hadn't quite grasped or details that had escaped my notice. It also answered most of the questions I had, such as I listed above. Those it didn't answer I felt it gave me enough information that I could now go look in my Bible and be satisfied.
As ever, you know it's a good book on the Bible when it motivates you to stay in the Bible yourself. That's the true test, and this one passes with flying colors!
Thank you to Bethany House for my copy of this book.
