The Bible is a very big book with lots of people, lots of words, and lots of concepts. Thus, understanding the overall message of Scripture and how everything fits together can seem like a daunting task, especially for those who are just getting their feet wet with reading God’s Word. Topics such as sin, salvation, sacrifices, seeds, covenants, resurrection, redemption, and eternity are hugely important concepts. In his excellent book called The Whole Story of the Bible in 16 Verses, Chris Bruno breaks down for the reader the entire message and flow of Scripture into 16 easy to understand steps.
Now Bruno does not cover each and every story, event, principle and theological truth found in the 66 books of the Bible. That would take volumes upon volumes upon volumes. What he does instead is to note for the reader 16 key points in Scripture that define God’s plan of redemption. These markers of salvation history are the backbone upon which the rest of Scripture is built.
Beginning with the creation account and concluding with that glorious day of redemption we all look forward to, Bruno weaves with great expertise God’s salvation story. This was a book I simply could not put down and ended up reading it basically in one sitting. While his intention is not to unpack every aspect of the deep theological points he discusses, he nevertheless explores and explains in a clear and understandable way very important issues such as sin, covenant, and redemption. I found his writing to be lucid, purposeful, and focused on helping the reader understand God’s plan of salvation and redemption.
There are many books available today that approach the various elements of Scripture. Some of those efforts are quite large and take many pages to do what I believe Bruno does in less than 150 pages, namely to share the message of the gospel in a way that all believers, regardless of their maturity level in the faith, will greatly appreciate.
I highly recommend Chris Bruno’s book. In fact, this would be a great book to provide to those new to the Bible. I would suggest the use of this book for family devotions or small group study as a jumping off point to further study of the elements of Scripture Bruno addresses. I know I will be using this as a tool in family devotions for many years to come.
This book is available for purchase from Crossway Books by clicking here.
Michael lives in Belleville, IL, a suburb of St. Louis, MO with his wife Erica, adopted daughter Alissa, two cats Molly and Sweetie Pie and horse Beckham. After spending eight years in the United States Navy as a Yeoman, he has been employed for the past ten years by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) where he oversees advanced educational programs. Michael holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Religion (Biblical Studies) from Liberty University and is currently closing in on completing a Master of Arts in Religion (Biblical Studies) from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary. He is an avid reader and blogger.
