Book: The Drama Of Scripture
The book Drama of Scripture contains a six act structure for understanding scripture. The first act is God establishing his kingdom, the creation story. The second act is man’s rebellion in the kingdom, the Fall of man. The third act is God the King choosing the nation of Israel as his own people and leading them to a promised land, initiating redemption. Act four is the coming of the King, redemption accomplished. Act five comprises the spreading of the news of the King, the mission of the church. The church progresses from Jerusalem to Rome and into all the world. The final act is the return of the King, redemption completed.
The authors of The Drama of Scripture believe that the biblical story is not one of a “religious flea market… full of pious stories…with promises and commands scattered from one end of the Bible to the other… they believe it’s a “Continuing biblical story of redemption… of what God is doing in this world accomplishing the renewal of the whole creation… It’s a story of God acting in history for the salvation of the world” (213).
The first two chapters of Genesis detail how God, by his spoken word, establishes his kingdom. God is king over creation (Gen.1:1-4) and proclaims that what he has created is good (Gen.1:31). Next, in Genesis three, we learn about the fall of Adam and Eve and the effects of sin on mankind and creation. Genesis 3:15 demonstrates the grace of God; he will restore his beautiful creation by his redemptive work (215). God chooses mankind to partner with him in his work towards renewal and redemption. Later, in Genesis 12 God calls Abraham to become a great nation through which all nations will be blessed. His offspring is to be the embodiment of God’s first purpose for humanity in the creation account. God’s people are to be a treasured possession among all peoples, a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation (Exodus 19:3-6).
God calls Israel to be a light to the nations for the purpose of drawing them to himself. Israel is not faithful in drawing the nations to God; God is faithful through Jesus, having him be a light to the nations. The Worthy Lamb (Rev5) will draw them to God. Jesus’s mission is ushering in God’s kingdom now at hand in the already but not yet. His mission is to restore God’s rightful rule over all creation and man. In Acts, we see that Christ has given us the Holy Spirit to fulfill his mission until he returns. The day of salvation is here. Salvation “Is the restoration of God’s rule over all creation and all of human life” (216). The resurrected Christ has ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the father. We, the church, are to live our lives with a gospel centered, kingdom perspective in word and deed within our communities. The church is not a perfect place but it is a snapshot for New Testament believers to see the kingdom of God Acts 2:42-47 (217).
Through the cross work of Christ, cosmic redemption is accomplished when Jesus says “It is finished” (John 19:30). In Revelation 21, the “Final cosmic restoration and renewal of God’s good creation… where sin and death have no dominion,” is God’s holy city, New Jerusalem. His kingdom is revealed and he dwells with his people just like he did in the garden.
Barholomew, G. Graig.,The Drama Of Scripture, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2004), 213, 215, 216, 217.
