Rethinking the Big Picture of the Bible

I sat watching a lecture in my eschatology class during my final semester of seminary. In this lecture, my professor, Dr. Mark Saucy, successfully synthesized ideas that I had struggled to connect and communicate for several years. It was not a deeply theological perspective on the rapture, pre or post millennium perspectives, or other "end times" issues. It was a simple question about the well-known meta-narrative of scripture. 

The meta-narrative is the overarching story of the Bible. Many describe this in four distinct stages. Creation -> Fall -> Redemption -> Consummation. 

The question was simple: "What is missing?"

It didn't take more than a few seconds for the answer to ping in my brain. What's missing? Nearly the entire Old Testament!

I felt a little embarrassed for never reaching that conclusion on my own, but I had never thought to ask myself the question. I tend to dissect and rethink the tools and interpretations I learned in church, especially when I see how they've created barriers between modern readers and the Old Testament. But this one had slipped past me until now. Once I stopped to consider it, the issue stood out. Glaringly, actually. 

The traditional meta-narrative only accounts for the first three chapters of the Old Testament.

Creation of the World (Gen 1-2)

Fall of Man (Gen 3)

Redemption through Christ (Gospels and Epistles)

Consummation of God's Kingdom (Revelation)

Everything from Genesis 4 to Malachi is missing. Suddenly, it made perfect sense why so many elements of our Old Testament feel obscure or disconnected from the big story we've been taught.

In recent months, I have been doing research to attempt to identify the origin of the four-part framework. I have not been able to pinpoint who it came from, but a group of scholars in the early 20th century began to nuance biblical theology towards a narrative study of scripture. Later, evangelical teachers popularized this model.

I don't disagree with this approach. Helping people understand the Bible as a story is a true gift. Scripture is, after all, the most important story we could ever know and relate to. However, the four-part framework still falls short.

Dr. Saucy suggested that a better "big story" of the Bible: kingdom.

Although I was aware of the flaws in the traditional model, I wasn't immediately convinced that "kingdom" was a better alternative. Mostly because the older I get, the more skeptical I become. The more I learn, the more I question what I thought I already knew and the less I'm willing to adopt an idea because an "expert" told me so. Since graduating in December, I’ve spent six months sitting with this. And after a lot of reflection, I’ve come to agree.

Here are some key areas of the Old Testament that I believe gain greater clarity when the kingdom is considered the overarching story of scripture. 

Priesthood: When God created the world, He designated humanity as His royal priests to co-rule with Him, intending for humans to govern creation and represent Him to the world. Adam and Eve's sin led them to reject this role. Later, God reaffirmed this calling with Israel, declaring them a kingdom of priests as described in Exodus 19. They were meant to embody God's presence and mediate it to the nations. The Levitical priesthood was a microcosm of this role, offering sacrifices for sin, teaching God’s law, and mediating God's presence with Israel. Within the kingdom narrative, Jesus emerges as the ultimate high priest, God with us, who provides salvation through a perfect sacrifice. His actions establish a new royal priesthood, fully realized with the coming of His kingdom.

Covenants: In ancient times, kingdoms relied heavily on covenants. While these formal agreements could be made by individuals outside of royalty, they formed the legal foundation of a kingdom, outlining roles, loyalties, expectations, and royal duties. They specified who was under the king’s rule and the manner of his governance. The ultimate expression of these covenantal themes is found in Jesus, who embodies both the faithful King and the faithful Israelite, establishing God's kingdom for His people.

Law: In Scripture, the law is never arbitrary or a tool for control. It expresses the way of life within a kingdom, it reflects justice, order, and the values of the king, who in the biblical story is God himself. But law does not stand on its own. It only carries meaning within the context of covenant. Covenant is the relational framework that binds a people to their king, giving the law its foundation and purpose. And covenant itself assumes a kingdom, a place where God reigns and his people live under his rule. Without this backdrop, the law is easily reduced to a moral code, rather than what it truly is: a declaration of loyal love between God and his people.

Cosmic Battle Between Good and Evil: From the outset, the Bible portrays rebellious spiritual beings who defy God's authority in the heavenly realm and extend their rebellion to earth. Their aim is to seize control of the kingdom. The Old Testament narrates this ongoing conflict, how the serpent's seed strives to overcome the seed of the woman. We witness idolatry, corruption, and malevolent forces operating behind earthly authorities. Then, Jesus arrives, proclaiming that the kingdom of God has arrived. His message signals that the forces of evil are on borrowed time. Upon His return, He will complete His mission vanquishing evil permanently and establishing God's kingdom on earth where Jesus will reign forever.

These are just a few of the themes that frequently seem out of place in the conventional meta-narrative. It leaves individuals questioning the significance of priesthood, law, or cosmic conflict wondering why these elements hold any importance at all because they feel alien to the familiar "Creation, Fall, Redemption, Consummation" framework we’ve been taught. 

We don't need to throw out the traditional meta-narrative. It's been a helpful starting point. But it simply can't bear the weight of everything God is doing in the biblical story, especially in the Old Testament.

Kingdom offers a structure that is more substantial. It allows us to see that priesthood, law, covenant, and even the cosmic battle of good and evil are not obscure additions to the story. They are core components of a kingdom that was promised, inaugurated, and will one day be fulfilled.

By recovering this more complete understanding, we could not only restore the significance of the Old Testament but also finally feel at home in the narrative we were always meant to live in.

Reflection Questions:

• Which sections of the Old or New Testament have seemed disconnected to you previously? How has this affected your personal Bible study? 

• Have you ever been taught or sensed that certain parts of the Bible are "less important" or "not relevant today"? What contributed to that belief?

• Do you believe that the entire Biblical narrative, not just parts of it, are for you? Why or why not?