Overview of Bible--Alistair Begg

from the series "The Kingdom of God," Volume I, March 2004

Alistar Begg sets up his series on Genesis with this broad, "30,000 feet" overview of the scriptures.  He begins by establishing that the Bible is one book, not a library of books that operate independently and as self-contained units, but as an interdependent collection inspired by one author, God.

He's rightly big on context and frameworks:

"And if the one thing that is necessary in real estate is location, then the one thing that is necessary in understanding the Bible is context—context."

"For a framework to be of any use to us at all—or, if you like, a theme or an idea to be any use to us at all—two things need to be true of it: one, it must arise from the Bible itself rather than being pressed onto the Bible; and two, it must be broad enough to allow each part that fits into it to make its own distinctive contribution."

Graeme Goldsworthy's definition of the Kingdom of God: “God’s people, in God’s place, under God’s rule and blessing."

Begg asserts that the covenant framework is compatible with the kingdom framework: "They’re not in opposition to one another, because essentially God’s covenant promises are his kingdom promises." -Begg

"To be under God’s rule in the Bible is always to enjoy his blessing."-Begg

"And as a result of that, all of the story of how the kingdom will come and is coming and is prophesied and is partial and is stopping and starting and moving and going finally reaches its great conclusion.  And there’s no doubt about it: no tears, no pain, no sorrow, no parting—no kidding! You could summarize it in four words, and I’ve done this before: the good, the bad, the new, the perfect. The garden of Eden is the good—creation in perfection as God has made it; the bad, as sin enters into the world; the new, as a result of redemption in Christ. But it is not perfect. That awaits the day when his kingdom will finally come. It’s not a fairy story. But actually, we will all live happily ever after. It’s the story of from one garden to another garden." -Begg