The Connection of Christ
from Garden to Cross

SANDRA BETZ

ABOUT ME
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You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13

Summary

Have you ever heard the story of Joseph and the coat of many colors? How about the story of Noah building a boat for his family to survive a rainstorm? Then there is the story of Elijah, who rode up to heaven in a flaming chariot. These are familiar stories from the Bible. But do you understand their purpose and how these and others connect together to tell God’s message to you? Using the historical periods, Sandra Betz simply and clearly explains the chronological order of the Bible and its message. You will learn how God had a relationship  with man at creation, how man’s choice broke the relationship, and how God instigated a plan of redemption for all people. This study will connect how the Old Testament shows the need for a Savior and the New Testament tells of this Savior.

Learn the structure of the Bible and the connection of its stories to make  one powerful message of love from the Garden to the cross and beyond.

Westbow Press (142 pp.)

ISPN: 978-4908-8642-8; August 10, 2015

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Introduction

Let me understand the teaching of your precepts;
then I will mediate on your wonders.
Psalm 119:27

Have you ever heard the story of Joseph and the coat of many colors? How about the story of Noah building a boat for his family and at least two of every creature to ride out a rainstorm that lasted for 40 days? One of my favorites is the story of Elijah, who rode up to Heaven in a flaming chariot. Most people would recognize these stories from the pages of the Bible. Growing up and attending Sunday school, I heard these stories and many more. But as I grew into an adult, I wondered how all these stories connected together into God’s plan for mankind. God chose men to write the Bible, but He was in control of what was written. The Bibles states in 2 Timothy 3:16a, “All Scripture is God breathed.” So, why did God choose these particular stories  to be canonized into the Bible? Thus, in my mid-40s, my dig to uncover the big picture began.

Since I came to know the Lord, I have understood that Christ came to earth to die on the cross for you and me, but what I did not understand was how all the stories of the Bible fit together to share this truth. To me, God’s Word was very complex and confusing.  Reading through from cover to cover could not hold my attention. 

Even though I knew it was God’s Word and worthy of reading, I felt it was beyond my comprehension. This left me only with stories and verses that I had heard in Sunday school and truths learned listening to sermons. Sadly, I was missing the connections! Not until I was encouraged by my mother to dig into the Bible did I reach a point where I could begin to grasp the basic  foundation of the Bible. It was so basic but rich with life that I came to see it as the living skeleton of the Bible. The more I dug, the more I discovered how the stories weave together to reveal  why we need a Savior and Who is our Savior. Since this discovery, it has been my goal in life to share my findings of how the beautiful Bible stories share God’s love and desire for a relationship with mankind. Maybe you have not been able to find God’s message that flows from Genesis to Revelation. My hope is to show you the skeleton that will enable you to visualize for yourself the message of God’s Word. The Bible truly is a love letter that not only is worthy of reading but can also be understood by you and me.

- Excerpt

My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you,
Turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding,
and if you call out for insight and aloud for understanding,
And if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure,
then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.
Proverbs 2:1-5

Reviews

"The typical church serves its members a steady diet of "trees," my metaphor for detailed but disconnected sermons and Sunday school lessons. In her book The Connection of Christ from Garden to Cross, Sandra Betz provides the missing link, a view of the "forest" that reveals the strong connections between biblical books, events, and characters. Such a perspective enables her readers to understand and to appreciate the many biblical details."
Ivan Parke, Ph.d., professor,
Department of Christian Studies and Philosophy,
Mississippi College,
co-author of Reclaiming the Real Jesus
"It is a mystery for many to see how the sixty-six books of the Bible are related to each other through Jesus Christ. Sandra Betz has given us a way to do this through her book The Connection of Christ from Garden to Cross. Use this book as a companion to your Bible study as you follow the story of Jesus Christ from Genesis to Revelation."
homer walkup, pastor
Lake Shore Baptist Church,
Lake Dallas, Texas
"The Connection of Christ from Garden to cross leads you directly to the heart of God. God loves you, and He wants you to know that He loves you."
Betty Wolfe
Veteran Bible Teacher
"I have read many Bible study books in my life which address specific subjects. This book is unique in that it has given me an entirely new perspective on how to study the Bible as a whole and how each story in the Bible is interconnected. I now have a much broader view of the study of the Bible!!"
Debra Martin
Bible Study Enthusiast
"A book that attempts to summarize the Bible from the Garden of Eden to the first church. Betz, working from a 13-page document her mother created called "The Bible Overview," tries to help readers understand the basic structure of the Scriptures and explain how she sees Jesus Christ as the link between its many sections. She begins by addressing what the Bible is, how it was written, and why, expanding on scriptural notions of divine inspiration and God's connection with mankind. From there, she begins to build the "skeleton" of the Bible. She divides it into 12 historical periods and finds that most of its books fit into one of three categories: history, poetry, or prophecy. While sketching out these huge time spans, Betz summarizes the histories of biblical figures such as Noah, Moses, David, and her main focus, Jesus. After providing essential details, she returns to each section to "strengthen the structure by adding detail or meat to each historical period." She also cites biblical or historical scholars, particularly when addressing the gap of time between the Old Testament and the New Testament and the life of Jesus, for which she provides the most detail. The appendix's helpful charts and graphs offer biblical histories and lineages at a glance. For the most part, Betz fleshes out each section with her own interpretations and understandings: "The story of Samson," she writes, "teaches us that God recognizes that we will fail. What is important to Him is how we choose to react to our failure." The majority of her conclusions seem meant to provide brief, inspiring insights, not in-depth analysis. Many Christian readers will find Betz's humor and relaxed tone to be personable and relatable, and they'll identify with her conclusions and thoughts. Although this isn't a rigorous historical study, Betz does offer up an easy, enjoyable way for Christians to reacquaint themselves with the basics of the Bible. "An impressively succinct biblical overview for Christian readers, written with warmth and concise insight."
kirkus reviews
August 10, 2015