Learning the Unfolding Story of Redemption
Growing up, I heard all the classic Bible stories. I heard about David and Goliath, Daniel in the lion’s den, Moses and the burning bush, how Esther saved her people, and Samson and his mighty defeat. And like most Sunday school students, I was told, “Be like these people and God will bless you like he blessed them. You will be called righteous, just like them.” It felt like big shoes to fill. How could I love God much as David, be as righteous as Abraham, wise as Solomon, strong as Moses, or brave as Esther? Would I ever be able to be loved as much by God as they were?
When I grew a little older, I wanted to read through the Bible for myself. But when I did, I discovered that these people weren’t as great as I was told. David was a murderer and committed adultery. Esther was part of the king’s harem. Abraham lied twice about his wife and allowed her to be taken by kings as one of their many wives. Moses, in a fit of anger, disobeyed God and was banned from the Promised Land. Solomon, despite his wisdom, had many, many wives and concubines who led him to worship other gods. Why should I want to be like these people?
Not only that, I started reading other stories that were horrifying, discouraging, and downright evil. Why were these recorded? What purpose did they serve? How did all these stories, laws, poems, proverbs, prophecies, and songs fit with the New Testament that seemed to be a different book entirely?
As I continued to grow and study, I began to learn what was meant when Luke wrote, “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, [Jesus] interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself,” (Luke 24:27 ESV). I learned that the gospel was the thread that connected all these stories, but how they were hung on that thread was still blurry to me at times.
Zach Keele’s book The Unfolding Word seeks to help people like us see that connection. In the introduction he writes, “You will see the unity running from Genesis to Revelation, even through the murky bends in the Old Testament. You will get better acquainted with the spiritual ancestors who came before us. And you will see with more clarity the bright grace of Jesus Christ showcased in the Law, Prophets, and the Psalms. In the end, we will see together how the Bible is not just a great story, but it is your story—how you are swept up in the drama of God’s wonderful salvation throughout the ages and unto forever.”¹ With captivating writing, theological and exegetical accuracy, and the pastoral heart to make the complex understandable, Keele has written a book for the average church member that makes the unfolding story of Scripture and its connection to the gospel accessible without losing its profundity.
The book walks through the entire Bible—literally from Genesis to Revelation. It’s divided into thirteen sections, each covering a collection of biblical books in mostly historical order and according to genre. While giving a birdseye view of the books, he also takes time to inspect key stories and difficult passages we may encounter. He expounds on each book from Scripture, explaining key elements, connecting it to the grander story of redemption, and setting them in their proper historical context. Keele shows how each book took place in a certain time in history and how the current times and culture of that day impacted the story and the writing.
Zach Keele holds both the surety of what he believes from years of study along with the humility to admit where things aren’t as clear in Scripture as we would like. He admits at times there are multiple, valid perspectives on a passage, and lays out where he believes there’s the best evidence. He’s not afraid to challenge other views, but he also doesn’t get lost in the arguments and debates. He seeks to keep his path on the Scriptures at hand and shows how each contributes to the unfolding, redemptive story of the Bible.
This book is for the learner. At times it takes more of an academic turn, which requires a readiness to slow down and think through the provided reflection questions. The chapters are on the longer side. But if you’re ready to go through the entire Bible with both an aerial and microscopic view, I recommend this book.
Zach Keele writes in the introduction that his hope “is that you will not only expand your knowledge of all of Scripture, but grow in your love for God and his word.”² Where Sunday school once left me wondering how God could be an angry, impersonal God in the Old Testament and a gracious, personal God in the New, Pastor Keele shows us our unchanging, everlasting God within each book of Scripture—his persistent wisdom and might, his sovereignty and goodness, his omniscience and mercy, and his love and justice that never waver or alter throughout history. Keele beautifully demonstrates and expounds this as he unpacks each biblical story within the unfolding history of redemption. Will you join this story?
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Zach Keele, The Unfolding Word (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2020), p. 5.
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Ibid, p.4.
