I’m writing an easy-to-read two-volume Bible Survey geared towards the average Christian in the pews. This idea has been developing for a while, and my recent adjunct teaching position at Brewton Parker College has solidified my belief that it’s time to pursue it.
The plan is to write the New Testament portion first, then follow it with the Old Testament canon. My aim in writing these books is twofold: 1) To grow in my own faith and understanding of the Bible. 2) To help deepen the faith of other Christ followers through a richer understanding of God’s Word.
With this being said, I want to share with you a snippet of what I have so far. Please join my mailing list to be updated on my progress.
What is the New Testament?
The phrase “New Testament” comes from the Latin “Novum Testamentum”, a translation of the Greek “Hē Kainḕ Diathēkē’. The Greek term meant “a last will and testament,” as the Latin translation showed. However, this translation doesn’t capture the full meaning. It referred to an arrangement made by one party that another party could accept or reject. Once accepted, the terms bound both parties and were unchangeable.
A look at the table of contents shows that the Christian Bible contains both an Old and New Testament. If the Old Testament is the old arrangement between God and humanity, then the New Testament is the record of the character and establishment of a new dealing of God with men through Christ.[1] However, this “new deal” did not appear from out of the blue but was God’s plan all along (Eph. 1:1-14).
Understanding the relationship between the Old and New Testaments is easier when considering the overarching theme of God’s kingdom. The theme of the kingdom of God connects the two testaments, unifying its storyline.
The Kingdom Promised
The theme of the Kingdom of God in the Old Testament underscores God’s sovereign rule over creation and His redemptive plan to establish His reign among His people. From the opening chapters of Genesis, God is depicted as the Creator-King, ruling over His perfect creation. Humanity, made in God’s image, is entrusted with dominion under His authority, yet the fall into sin introduces rebellion against God’s rule.
Despite human sinfulness, God initiates His redemptive kingdom plan through covenants with individuals like Abraham, promising that his descendants would become a great nation and bless all nations (Genesis 12:1-3). The establishment of Israel as a theocratic nation at Sinai further reveals God administering His Kingdom through covenants, so He could dwell with His people and govern them according to His laws.
The monarchy, particularly under David, foreshadows a future Messianic King who will perfectly embody God’s rule (2 Samuel 7). The prophets expand on this hope, envisioning a coming kingdom of peace, justice, and universal worship under God’s anointed ruler (Isaiah 9:6-7; Daniel 7:13-14).
Israel failed to keep their Mosaic Covenant agreement with God (He knew they would fail). They continuously rebelled against God’s reign over them by committing idolatry and immorality. Their rebellion led to their exile from the land. However, God promised to bring them back to the land and make a new covenant with them, so their hearts would be transformed, allowing them to fully serve Him (Jer. 31:31-34).
The Old Testament ends with the people of God returned from exile, but the promised King, and ultimately the kingdom of God, does not arrive. During the intertestamental period (or the 400 years of silence between testaments) many rabbis speculated the way the kingdom of God would come about. Most thought it would be a political/military movement that would usher in the kingdom. This was why many rejected Jesus of Nazareth’s message concerning the kingdom of God.
The Kingdom Come
Jesus came preaching, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:15). Jesus taught that the kingdom would not unfold immediately like many expected but rather it come in stages (See Mark 3;30-34). The New Testament explains how the promised kingdom has been, and will be, fulfilled in Christ’s first and second comings. Theologians defined these stages as: 1) the inauguration of the kingdom (fulfilled in Christ’s First Coming and the Apostles’ ministry) 2) the continuation of the kingdom (being fulfilled through the Church) 3) the consummation of the kingdom (to be fulfilled at Christ’s Second Coming). This is known as inaugurated eschatology.[2]
The Gospels reveal how the kingdom of God was inaugurated through Christ’s incarnational ministry (Lk. 4:17-20; Isa. 61:1-2). Acts tells the story of how the kingdom of God continues to expand to all nations through the church (Christ’s Body). The epistles (or letters) explain how to live in the “already, but not yet” kingdom. Finally, the book of Revelation directs our attention, to not only living in this world and God’s kingdom simultaneously, but to the consummation and fulfillment of the kingdom.
An earthly example of the inauguration, continuation, and consummation of the kingdom can be seen in the history of World War II. The Allied forces landed on the beaches of Normandy and established a beachhead for this assault on the Nazis on June 6, 1944. However, fighting continued until V-Day on May 8, 1945. In a sense, Jesus established a beachhead with his First Coming, and through the Church continues to take enemy occupied territory. He will continue to advance His kingdom until the V-Day of His Second Coming at the consummation of the ages.
What did you think? Even as I post this, I see things I want to revise. But, the idea here is to use this blog as a means of accountability. Again, what did you think? I’d love to have a conversation in the comments.
[1] Merrill C. Tenney, New Testament Survey, (Inter-Varsity Press: Grand Rapids, 1985), 130.
[2] Inaugurated Eschatology is the theological concept that emphases the “already, but not yet” nature of God’s kingdom as revealed in the New Testament. It asserts that eschatological promises of God’s reign, the renewal of creation, and the fulfillment of His redemptive plan have been inaugurated or begun through the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ. However, these promises are not yet fully realized and await their ultimate consummation at Christ’s second coming.
Kevin W. Bounds 
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