Living Larger: A Book Review on Even Better Than Eden
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”—2 Tim. 3:16-17
“…the story found in the sixty-six books of the Bible—shapes the world you live in, who you are, and what you want….That’s why you and I need to know this story. It is where we find the answers to our questions about what really matters now and into eternity. This story has the power to change everything about our stories.”—Nancy Guthrie, from the introduction to Even Better Than Eden
In a world where we are searching for purpose and meaning in life, this quote challenged me to begin my exploration in what I’ve come to discover is called biblical theology. This is the “the attempt to tell the whole story of the whole Bible as Christian Scripture.”
Understanding this underlying thread throughout the Bible, though it is not explicitly stated, is just as critical as understanding the truths of systematic theology, the topical study of particular doctrinal truths. As Vern Poythress points out, biblical theology deepens and enlightens our study of systematic theology. We need both.
Book Overview
Like many stories, the Bible is full of themes. By tracing these themes from Genesis to Revelation, Nancy unfolds each of these themes through the familiar stories and passages we know and love. Though there are many more, the book highlights nine of them:
Wilderness—the theme of wandering
Tree—the theme of choices
Image—the theme of identity
Clothing—the theme of sanctification
Bridegroom—the theme of our relationship with Christ, our beloved Savior
Sabbath—the theme of rest
Offspring—the theme of family
Dwelling Place—the theme of home
City—the theme of citizenship
What I Loved About This Book
I have always loved reading the Bible, but I must admit, I can get quite enamored by the study aspect of it. It is so easy to dig deep into verses, doing word studies and such—and completely miss the big picture. This book forced me to step back once again and remember that the Bible is a whole book, not a random assortment of fanciful tales.
When I remembered this, this actually brought a far deeper, redemptive, Gospel-centered understanding of the story our passage. For example, in “The Story of Clothing” (ch. 4), I learned that just because Adam and Eve were naked in the garden didn’t mean that this was the ideal state for humanity. It was not the end goal but the beginning point.
From there, Nancy weaves in other passages that highlight this theme:
How instead of being clothed in increasing glory, we wear clothes today to cover our shame (Gen. 3:21)
How the priests in the tabernacle, particularly that of the High Priest, previews the glory of what God intends for us one day—holy, glorious, and beautiful (Ex. 28:2)
How Jesus, wrapped in swaddling clothes, begins to pave the way for that hope to come (Luke 2:7)
How Christ’s transfiguration gives us a picture of what we will one day look like—radiant! (Mark 9:2-3)
How Jesus bore our shame by being stripped naked (John 19:23-24)
How those who are joined to Christ are born again but now participate in our sanctification by putting off and putting on the new clothes He has given us (Col. 3:12-14; Eph. 4:22-24).
How we keep transforming in degrees into our new glory (2 Cor. 3:18) as we anticipate the day when this process will be complete (2 Cor. 5:1-4).
And finally, how we will one day put on the imperishable and immortal body when He comes again (1 Cor. 15:52-53).
Over and over again, what was once obscure (like all the details in the Law) began to make sense in a new way. The details that seemed rather out of place in the stories I loved became important. And most of all, the end to which this theme was headed really did begin to frame how I looked at life here and now.
If God’s intention for me is to be gloriously clothed, standing in His presence in robes of gleaming white, then what am I doing today to get ready for that day? If that is where He is leading me, I will want to make sure that I am joining Him towards those ends.
No longer will I seek to grow like Christ because I’m supposed to. I will want to put on that which reflects who I will one day become—starting today. I don’t need to wait!
Conclusion
Though published relatively recently (2018), this book has quickly taken a spot in one of my most recommended titles. Why? Because I am convinced that we have been reading the Bible way too small.
This can be a wonderful orientation to discipleship through Bible study by jump-starting and rekindling a love for the Word. When I read this book with some ladies from my church, we agreed that this book deepened our appreciation for old and familiar stories. In fact, it has spurred some of us on to even read books we often overlooked (like Leviticus!).
This can also be a great book to use when helping others. I have taken a chapter in this book and used the passages in it to work our way through the themes, such as “The Story of Wilderness” for those who feel like they are wandering, or “The Story of Sabbath” for those who are on the treadmill, or “The Story of Tree” for those who struggle with worldly temptations.
As believers, we want God’s Story to shape our understanding of who we are and how we are to live as we make our way through life here. Through it, I began to see myself as an exile, not a citizen of this world. I began to understand each day as a pilgrimage, an exodus to the promised land of the new heaven and new earth.
And with these themes now forming the backdrop of my understanding of life here and now, I have found myself agreeing with Nancy: The Bible’s story really does change everything about my story.
