The Unity of the Scriptures

<> Have you ever had trouble reading through the entire Bible? Once when I was a teenager, my Mom offered me ten dollars if I could do it. Sadly, I never took her up on her offer.

My book, A Tale of Two Kingdoms, traces the history of salvation throughout the Scriptures. It shows how the Lord planned and carried out our salvation from the beginning to the end of time. God’s plan is the greatest love story ever told! How Satan and people react is an important part of the story.

This book started out being an essay about eschatology or the end times. Twelve years ago I offered to do some research for my pastor on the apostolic fathers. They were the first few generations of Christian authors after the apostles. He thought that they should be closest to the truth. However, a booklet by George Fletcher changed my focus from eschatology to God’s marvellous plan of salvation. I had never thought about the timeline of the Bible before.

When Adam and Eve sinned, the Lord promised to send a Saviour. Throughout the Old Testament God prepared for the coming of the promised Seed. Therefore the first part of the book is entitled Waiting for the Promised Seed. The last chapter in this section deals with Jewish writings between the Old and New Testaments. The second part of the book, called Responding to the Promised Seed, considers the work of Jesus on earth and the development of the early Church. The final chapter discusses the beliefs of the first few generations of Christian writers after the apostles. This is the essay that I promised my pastor!

This story has a villain—Satan. When Jesus died on the cross and rose again, Satan became a defeated foe. The cover on my book shows very emphatically that Jesus is the victor.

Dr. Adams, past principal of Toronto Baptist Seminary, kindly checked the book for theological accuracy and made many suggestions. Mostly he asked me to add parts of the story that I had left out in the New Testament. Then a Christian editor critiqued it for sales appeal. He said it was well written, but people would want to know who I am and why I write the way I do. Therefore he told me to do three things, which I did. My testimony is scattered throughout the book. There are pull quotes to draw the reader into the book. Every chapter ends with five “Points to Ponder.”

It is a very easy read. My ninety-three-year old mother-in-law read it in two weeks and then proceeded to be a missionary in her own home. My heart’s desire is that the book will encourage all believers to reach out to those around them with the good news of the gospel. To me, the book has turned into a very long tract.

Some other people are reading it more slowly and using the book as a launching pad for their own personal studies. My daughter-in-law discovered that the index is an excellent tool for her to teach Bible characters at the Christian School where she works. There are also maps and, of course, a timeline. “Points to Ponder” at the end of each chapter serve as a devotional guide.

For more information check out www.tale2k.com.