The first way we can know the God of the Bible through His book is by observing what happens in its pages. As we trace the sequence of events, the storyline, we will see God in action: creating, making things happen, reacting to the things that take place in His world, and responding to the needs of man. All of this gives us insight into His mind and character. It helps us know God better.

Learning From Literature.

Suppose we are reading Moby Dick. To understand and enjoy the book, we first have to follow the story. We must note its beginning, how it develops, the climax, and the ending. When Moby Dick begins, the peg-legged Captain Ahab is hiring a crew to take his whaling vessel onto the high seas. His quest is to hunt down and kill the great white whale that took his leg. We soon realize that Ahab is obsessed with revenge.

As the story moves along from event to event, the showdown comes closer. Finally, the whale is sighted and a longboat is lowered. The whale is harpooned, but in the wild struggle the longboat is smashed and the ship itself destroyed. Only one man is left to tell the tale of Ahab’s defeat.

That is the basic story of the book. But in its 400 pages, numerous smaller dramatic episodes take place. Their significance can be understood only in the light of the basic storyline. Each of these minor episodes has a beginning, middle, and ending. Tracing them and fitting them into the main thread of the story is part of the enjoyment of reading the novel. It also helps us see the author’s purpose for writing.

The Story Line Of The Bible.

We can apply the same method to the Bible. Tracing its storyline involves two stages as well: (1) seeing the big picture, and (2) examining the smaller segments.

The Big Picture.

In short, the storyline of the Bible shows what God either causes or allows to happen in the process of offering Himself to people who don’t deserve to know Him. First He made two people, Adam and Eve, and placed them in a beautiful garden paradise. But then this same God allowed this first family to set the tone for what was to follow. While giving them an indescribable opportunity to enjoy His goodness, He allowed them to fail a simple “test of trust” (Gen. 3).

The rest of the Bible tells how God responded to man’s need for rescue. The high point of this love story is also the low point of human history. God visits earth in the person of His own Son and allows Himself to be falsely indicted, tortured, and executed. But that was not the end. Three days later the Son of God rose from the dead. And before ascending to heaven, He assured the eternal life of all who would accept His offer of rescue. Revelation, the last book in the Bible, shows how God will bring to a wonderful, yet terrible fulfillment the love story begun in Genesis.

This storyline is important. It shows that the God who has made us is a God who does more than give us good times, good health, and good relationships. He is also a God who allows the kind of circumstances that will test our faith. He allows the kind of temptations that will test our love. He allows us an opportunity to fail so that we will also have a real opportunity to succeed. But most important, He shows Himself as a God of indescribable patience, mercy, and love, in that He is willing to save all who have failed so miserably and are now willing to come to Him in faith.

The Smaller Segments.

The same method we applied to the big picture of the Bible may also be applied to its smaller segments. Although the Bible is one major story, it is made up of many smaller stories and incidents. It reveals a God, for example, who oversaw and directed the flood of Noah, the call and life of Abraham, the deliverance of Israel from Egypt, the conquest of Canaan under Joshua, the trials of Job, the birth of Christ, and a host of other events.

Let’s take a closer look at one of these smaller segments that make up the one big story of Scripture. Let’s look together at that most revealing record of God’s plan for a man named Joseph (Gen. 37–50). As we do, keep in mind that God did not record the events of Joseph’s life to educate us in the culture of an ancient nomadic people. He didn’t leave this record to fill us in on the details of Egyptian dynasties. Neither did He give us the story of Joseph to enable us to explore the dynamics of sibling rivalries. While He may teach us something about all of these along the way, His main purpose is to teach us to know and trust Him—the God who remains with us regardless of circumstances.

Joseph, one of Jacob’s youngest sons, was his aging father’s favorite. He was an irritant, however, in the eyes of his brothers. They were angered by the special treatment their father gave him. And when Joseph began telling them about his dreams that he would someday rule over them, jealousy burned within their hearts. Finally, they had all they could take of their little brother. After deciding against killing him, they chose to throw him into a pit. Later that day they sold him as a slave to a passing caravan. That sudden end to Joseph’s home-life marked a new beginning.

In the far-off country of Egypt, Joseph was resold to Potiphar, an officer of the Pharaoh. Things steadily improved for Joseph until Potiphar’s wife made sexual advances. When he resisted, she accused him of trying to rape her.

Joseph was thrown into jail, but Joseph’s God was still very much in control. After a series of up-and-down experiences, Joseph was appointed as Egypt’s second-in-command. He held that kind of power when a famine caused his brothers to come looking for food. Unknowingly, they ended up at the mercy of the brother they had sold many years earlier.

The dream had come true. Joseph now had the upper hand. When he finally revealed his identity to them, they were scared stiff. But Joseph, the man of God, said, “‘Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. Now, therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.’ And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them” (Gen. 50:19-21).

The story of Joseph tells us a lot about God. It shows us that God is all-knowing. He knew everything about Joseph’s future. He knew that someday He was going to give Joseph dominance over his brothers, even though it sounded outrageous and impossible when Joseph dreamed it.

The story also reveals God as all-wise and all-powerful. He could stand by and let Joseph be sold into slavery because He knew He would weave this tragedy into His long-range plan. He could let Joseph be slandered by Potiphar’s wife because He knew that He would bring good out of this unfair situation.

The truths about God that shine through in the story of Joseph are comforting. He knows and controls our present as well as our future. We can rest assured in His constant love, no matter what He permits us to suffer. We can find joy in knowing that He will someday honor all who trust Him—if not in this life, then certainly in the life to come.