Israel’s exodus from Egypt is the Bible’s enduring emblem of deliverance. But more than just an epic moment, the exodus shapes the telling of Israel’s and the church’s gospel. In this guide for biblical theologians, preachers, and teachers, Bryan Estelle traces the exodus motif as it weaves through the canon of Scripture, wedding literary readings with biblical-theological insights.

Echo the Story is a 12-week Bible overview for youth using storytelling, creative reflection, and dialogue. Through this story-based approach, students find meaning and identity in the biblical narrative. The Leader Guide is a map through each of the twelve sessions of Echo the Story. It details the process of each session and provides prompts and scripts that equip each leader to guide students through the 12-week study.

The exodus—the story of God leading his chosen people out of slavery in Egypt—stands as a pivotal event in the Old Testament. But if you listen closely, you will hear echoes of this story of redemption all throughout God's Word. Using music as a metaphor, the authors point us to the recurring theme of the exodus throughout the entire symphony of Scripture, shedding light on the Bible's unified message of salvation and restoration that is at the heart of God's plan for the world.

The claim that the events of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection took place "according to the Scriptures" stands at the heart of the New Testament's message. All four canonical Gospels declare that the Torah and the Prophets and the Psalms mysteriously prefigure Jesus. The author of the Fourth Gospel states this claim succinctly: in his narrative, Jesus declares, "If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me" (John 5:46). Yet modern historical criticism characteristically judges that the New Testament's christological readings of Israel's Scripture misrepresent the original sense of the texts; this judgment forces fundamental questions to be asked: Why do the Gospel writers read the Scriptures in such surprising ways? Are their readings intelligible as coherent or persuasive interpretations of the Scriptures? Does Christian faith require the illegitimate theft of someone else's sacred texts? Echoes of Scripture in the Gospels answers these questions. Richard B. Hays chronicles the dramatically different ways the four Gospel writers interpreted Israel's Scripture and reveals that their readings were as complementary as they were faithful. In this long-awaited sequel to his Echoes of Scripture in the Letters of Paul, Hays highlights the theological consequences of the Gospel writers' distinctive hermeneutical approaches and asks what it might mean for contemporary readers to attempt to read Scripture through the eyes of the Evangelists. In particular, Hays carefully describes the Evangelists' practice of figural reading--an imaginative and retrospective move that creates narrative continuity and wholeness. He shows how each Gospel artfully uses scriptural echoes to re-narrate Israel's story, to assert that Jesus is the embodiment of Israel's God, and to prod the church in its vocation to engage the pagan world. Hays shows how the Evangelists summon readers to a conversion of their imagination. The Evangelists' use of scriptural echo beckons readers to believe the extraordinary: that Jesus was Israel's Messiah, that Jesus is Israel's God, and that contemporary believers are still on mission. The Evangelists, according to Hays, are training our scriptural senses, calling readers to be better scriptural people by being better scriptural poets.

"Paul's letters, the earliest writings in the New Testament, are filled with allusions, images and quotations from the Old Testament. This book investigates Paul's appropriation of Scripture from a perspective based on recent literary-critical studies of intertextuality."--Amazon.com.

This classic series has inspired nearly 2 million readers. Both loyal fans and new readers will want the latest edition of this beloved series. This edition includes a foreword from the publisher, a preface from Francine Rivers and discussion questions suitable for personal and group use. #2 An Echo in the Darkness: Turning away from the opulence of Rome, Marcus is led by a whispering voice from the past into a journey that could set him free from the darkness of his soul.

From comic books to summer blockbusters, all people enjoy art in some form or another. However, few of us can effectively explain why certain books, movies, and songs resonate so profoundly within us. In Echoes of Eden, Jerram Barrs helps us identify the significance of artistic expression as it reflects the extraordinary creativity and unmatched beauty of the Creator God. Additionally, Barrs provides the key elements for evaluating and defining great art: (1) The glory of the original creation; (2) The tragedy of the curse of sin; (3) The hope of final redemption and renewal. These three qualifiers are then put to the test as Barrs investigates five of the world's most influential authors who serve as ideal case studies in the exploration of the foundations and significance of great art.

An exploration of what it means to be in the “image of God,” using the Bible and ancient texts. What does it mean to be made in the “image and likeness” of God? That’s the first-and defining—characteristic of our humanity, celebrated in the opening pages of the Bible. Western Christian tradition, however, has often led us to think of the body and soul as a separate element, with the soul good and the body evil. This profound and challenging book clears away centuries of misunderstanding and shame that have damaged the way we see ourselves—and the way we see God. Author J. Philip Newell, acclaimed for his work on Celtic spirituality, goes back to our spiritual roots in the bible, and in mystical Celtic and Jewish writings, to weave together a deeper, more complete understanding of our bodies as an outward expression our spiritual selves.

New York Times bestselling books have taken the view that the oldest New Testament documents paint a very different picture to later copies. Others are of the opinion that the original gospel accounts were never intended to be historically accurate. Many people assume that the bias of the original New Testament authors distorted their recollections of Jesus, and Jesus' words were not put into written form for several decades, allowing distortion to occur. What would you say? What do you believe and why? Were Jesus' words recorded accurately by the gospel writers during Jesus' life & the making & copying of the New Testament? This highly readable journey of discovery considers gospel textual criticism, Christian historiography, archaeology, literacy & more. See evidence for the reliability of the recounting of Jesus as found in the Bible. This Christian apologetic book provides evidence in an engaging manner, following along a logical journey of discovery. When you've purchased and read this book you will: - understand how literate and historically aware the ancient civilisations were - appreciate how it was possible for the first disciples to accurately record Jesus' life and teachings - have a highly readable explanation of early Greek New Testament documents and know what they have to say about accuracy in copying - know the content and credibility of non-Christian ancient literature that comment on Jesus and the first Christians.

When four recent high school graduates return home from a weekend of camping, they expect to go back to life as usual. Instead, the boys discover empty streets, abandoned cars, and utter silence—everyone has disappeared. As the friends attempt to solve the mystery, they stumble upon more questions than answers. Why won’t the electronics work? Where did the wind go? What do the notebooks full of gibberish mean? With each new discovery, they learn that nothing was ever quite what it seemed on Echo Island and that a deep secret is drawing them in—if only they would surrender to it. Join Bradley, Jason, Archer, and Tim on this exploration into myth and mystery. Uncover exactly what happened on Echo Island and what these four friends’ story has to do with God, the meaning of life, and the nature of reality.