Title
Introduction
About This Book
How to Use This Book
Conventions Used in This Book
How This Book Is Organized
Icons Used in This Book
Where to Go from Here
Part I : What the Bible Is All About
Chapter 1: From Moses to Modernity: Introducing the Good Book
Tracing the Bible from Old Scrolls to the Bestseller of All Time
Fathoming the Importance of the Bible
Finding a Translation You Like
Chapter 2: Lights, Camera, Action! Previewing the Bible’s Stage and Storyline
Getting a Glimpse of the Biblical Stage
Seeing a Preview of the Biblical Drama
Part II : Exploring the Hebrew Bible — The Old Testament
Chapter 3: Creation, Paradise Lost, and Other Mysteries of Life (Genesis 1–3)
Beginning “In the Beginning”
What Are We Doing Here? Creation and the Meaning of Life (Genesis 1:1–2:3)
Living in Paradise (Genesis 2:4–25)
He Made Me Do It! The “Fall” and Its Fallout (Genesis 3)
Chapter 4: The Fallout from “The Fall” (Genesis 4–11)
The First Sibling Rivalry: Cain and Abel (Genesis 4)
Tracing Your Family Tree: The First (of Many) Biblical Genealogies (Genesis 5)
Deluge-ional Ideas: Noah and the Flood (Genesis 6–9)
Say What?! The Tower of Babel and the Birth of Nations (Genesis 10–11)
Chapter 5: The Babylonian Hillbillies: The Adventures of Abraham and His Family (Genesis 12–25:18)
Striking It Rich: God Calls Abraham
Abraham’s Most Excellent Adventure to Canaan and Egypt (Genesis 12)
Abraham and Lot (Genesis 13–14)
Cutting a Deal: The Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis 15–17)
Abraham’s Three Mysterious Visitors (Genesis 18)
Fire and Brimstone: The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19)
Abraham: Father of Many Nations . . . and Faiths (Genesis 21)
Asking the Unthinkable: The Near Sacrifice of Isaac (Genesis 22)
One Wedding and Two Funerals (Genesis 23–25:18)
Chapter 6: The Birth of a Nation: Isaac, Jacob, and Their Many Children (Genesis 25:19–50)
The Birth of Nations: Esau and Jacob (Genesis 25:19–26)
Stew of Trouble: Esau Sells His Birthright (Genesis 25:27–34)
Isaac and Rebekah’s “Wife-Sister Act” (Genesis 26)
Jacob Steals Esau’s Blessing (Genesis 27–28:9)
Heading Out of Dodge: Jacob Flees for His Life (Genesis 28:10–22)
Love at First Sight: Jacob and Rachel (Genesis 29:1–30)
Sibling Rivalry: The Birth of Jacob’s Children (Genesis 29:31–30:24)
Jacob Strikes It Rich and Steals Away (Genesis 30:25–31:55)
Settling an Old Score: Jacob Meets Esau . . . and God (Genesis 32–33:17)
Jacob Finds God and Loses His Father and Wife (Genesis 33:18–20; 35)
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Tunic (Genesis 37)
A Righteous Ruse: Judah and Tamar (Genesis 38)
Rising to the Top: Joseph in Egypt (Genesis 39–41)
Spies Like Us: Joseph’s Brothers Come to Egypt (Genesis 42–45)
Once and Again: Jacob and Joseph Reunite (Genesis 46–49)
So Long, Farewell: Jacob and Joseph Die (Genesis 50)
Chapter 7: Holy Moses! Exploring Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy
A Mosaic of Moses’ Early Life
We’re Outta Here! The Exodus from Egypt
Laws for Holy Living: The Book of Leviticus
40-Year Nomads: The Book of Numbers
Moses’ Farewell Address: The Book of Deuteronomy
Chapter 8: An Experiment in Theocracy: Joshua, Judges, and Ruth
Exploring the Book of Joshua
Understanding the Book of Judges
Gleaning Wisdom from the Book of Ruth
Chapter 9: The King and “I Am”: 1 and 2 Samuel
Introducing Israel’s Last Judge: Samuel
Beraters of the Lost Ark
Saul, Israel’s First King
Charting David’s Rise to Power
How the Mighty Have Fallen: The Deaths of Samuel, Saul, and Jonathan
Building a Dynasty
David’s Fall from Power
Chapter 10: A Tale of Two Kingdoms: 1 and 2 Kings and 1 and 2 Chronicles
The “Golden Age” of Solomon
Witnessing the Division of Israel
Israel’s Kingdom from Jeroboam to Ahab
Israel’s Kingdom From Ahaziah to Jehu
Experiencing Israel’s Destruction
Too Little, Too Late: Judah’s Reforms
The End of an Era: The Fall of Jerusalem
Ancient Spin Doctors: Chronicles
Chapter 11: Strangers in a Strange Land: Israel in Exile with Daniel and Esther
Relocation, Relocation, Relocation
The Book of Daniel
The Book of Esther
Chapter 12: Home for the Holidays: Returning to the Promised Land with Ezra and Nehemiah
Cyrus the Great’s Great Idea
The Second Temple: A Sight for Sore Eyes
Ezra the Priest: Can We Fix It? We’ll Get Back to You on That
Nehemiah the Builder: Can We Fix It? Yes, We Can!
Chapter 13: More Than Mere Fortune-tellers: The Prophets
Being a Biblical Prophet
Introducing the Major Prophets
Meeting the Twelve Minor Prophets
Chapter 14: Israel’s Wisdom Literature and Love Poetry: Proverbs, Job, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs
Words to Live By: The Book of Proverbs
Loving God for Naught? The Book of Job
Life Stinks and Then You Die: The Book of Ecclesiastes
Biblical Pickup Lines: The Song of Songs
Chapter 15: Rockin’ the Temple: Music in Ancient Israel (Psalms)
I Write the Psalms: Feeling Bible Music
Musical Instruments in Ancient Israel
How’d That Tune Go Again?
Israel’s Top Tunes: Psalms’ Greatest Hits
Part III : Revealing the Bible’s Hidden Treasures in the Apocrypha
Chapter 16: Rebels with a Cause: The Books of 1 and 2 Maccabees
Filling the Gaps: Jewish History between the Testaments (586–4 B.C.E.)
Understanding the Hasmoneans and the Books of Maccabees
Chapter 17: The Apocrypha’s Other “Hidden Treasures”
Play It Again Ezra: 1 and 2 Esdras
The Tobit and the Lord of the Rings: The Book of Tobit
Don’t Be Afraid: The Book of Judith
Giving God Credit: Additions to Esther
Wisdom, What a Woman! The Wisdom of Solomon
Que Sira Sira: The Wisdom of Ben Sira
If It’s Not Baruch, Don’t Fix It: The Book of Baruch
Cheer Up, Exiles! The Letter of Jeremiah
The Rest of the Story: Additions to Daniel
Okay, I Was Wrong: The Prayer of Manasseh
Part IV : Discovering What’s New About the New Testament
Chapter 18: From Birth to Baptism: Jesus Prepares for the Ministry (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John)
Examining Our Sources for Jesus’ Life
In the Beginning: Contemplating Jesus’ Very Early Life (John 1)
Reliving the Christmas Story
Growing Up with Jesus
Witnessing Jesus’ Baptism
Experiencing Jesus’ Temptation
Chapter 19: Jesus Christ, Superstar: Jesus’ “Ministry Years” (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John)
Charting Jesus’ Ministry
The Period of Inauguration
The Period of Popularity
The Period of Opposition
Jesus’ Final Week and Crucifixion
Jesus’ Resurrection
The Great Commission and Ascension
Chapter 20: The Early Christian Church (Acts 1–8,10–12, and 15)
“Mission Impossible”: Jesus’ Strategy to Change the World
Witnessing In Jerusalem
Witnessing In Judea and Samaria
Witnessing In the Uttermost Parts of the World
Chapter 21: The Traveling Salesman of Tarsus: Paul’s Life and Letters
From Persecutor to Persecuted: Paul’s Transformation
I Get Around: Paul’s Missionary Journeys
Say It in a Letter: Paul’s Letters
Chapter 22: Wait a Minute, Mr. Postman: The New Testament’s General Letters
The Bible “Hall of Faith”: Hebrews
Working Out Your Faith: James
No Pain, No Gain: 1 and 2 Peter
Dear John Letters: 1, 2, and 3 John
Hey, Jude: The Letter of Jude
Chapter 23: The Beginning of the End: The Revelation of John
Seeing the Future (Revelation 1–3)
Unraveling the Future: Jesus Opens the Seven Seals (Revelation 4–11)
A Pregnant Woman, a Dragon, and Two Beasts (Revelation 12–13)
Armageddon and Judgment Day (Revelation 14–20)
Somewhere Over the Rainbow: Paradise Regained (Revelation 21–22)
Part V : That Was Then, This Is Now: Discovering the Bible’s Enduring Influence
Chapter 24: The Bible and the Abrahamic Faiths: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
Abraham: Father of Many Nations and Faiths
Jerusalem: City of Peace — And of Conflict
Chapter 25: Michelangelo, Milton, and Movies: Art, Literature, Life, and the Bible
The Bible in Art
The Bible in Literature
Totally Epic!: Good and Bad Bible Movies
Part VI : The Part of Tens
Chapter 26: Ten+ People You Should Know from the Bible
Adam and Eve
Noah
Abraham
Moses
David
Elijah
Isaiah
Judah Maccabee
Mary
Jesus
Peter
Paul
Chapter 27: Ten Holidays You Can Take Thanks to the Bible
Weekends
Passover
Shavuot (“Weeks,” “First Fruits,” or “Pentecost”)
Sukkot (“Booths” or “Tabernacles”)
Yom Kippur (“Day of Atonement”)
Rosh Hashanah (“New Year” or “Trumpets”)
Purim
Hanukkah (“Dedication” or “Lights”)
Christmas
Easter