The Bible miniseries premiered on March 3

Third, I was impresses with the repeated themes: “Trust in God” and “God is with us.” Abraham kept telling that to his family. Moses told the newly freed Israelites, “Pharaoh is not a god. There is only one God. …God has delivered us from slavery. We are free. Our journey is just beginning. …You must trust in God. We must follow His path.” As the Taylorsville Biblical Truths Examiner, I see this as the emphasis of the Bible as well as of the miniseries by that name. We must put our trust in God for forgiveness of sins and eternal life. Then out of gratitude for our deliverance, we will want to follow God’s path as given in the Bible.The second thing that impresses me was that the history of earth includes much violence. From Cain killing his brother, to the Canaanite kings vs Lot, and Abraham fighting to get him back, to conflict within families, violence in Sodom, Egyptian oppression of the Israelites, and Egyptians pursuing Israel into the Red Sea. What is the source of violence and evil? The show takes literary license to have Noah telling his family about Eve and Adam eating the fruit God forbade. There is a brief shot of a snake and of a dark hooded figure, presumably Satan. Human disobedience and Satan are in opposition to God. The story of the Bible tells how God graciously provided the solution to sin and Satan—at first by the blood of animal sacrifices, and ultimately by the blood of Jesus Christ.Part 1 of the miniseries impressed me with the necessity of deliverance (salvation). Notice how many times in the episode’s highlights (see first paragraph above) the words saved or delivered are used. Especially in the binding of Isaac-- we wonder why God would give promises, keep them, and then tell his faithful follower Abraham to offer the promised son as a sacrifice on Mt. Moriah. There’s a plot problem there. The reader of the Bible is left to wonder what kind of God is this. We never get clarity until the Gospels when God allows His own Son to be bound (on Mt. Moriah by the way) and offered as a sacrifice. This time nothing stops the killing. No lamb is substituted. Jesus IS the Lamb. "The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). Because of His death we can be delivered from Satan and saved from sin, but I’m reading ahead.View the list »
The Bible is God's message to us

Western Religions newsletter

Roma Downey and Mark Burnett have created an epic mini-series for the History Channel, which premiered on Sunday evening at 8 pm ET and will continue for the next four Sunday evenings, ending on Easter, March 31. They portray the major events of the Bible in ten hours of excellent cinematography.

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The first night’s episode, called “Beginnings,” dealt with Creation to Jericho (Genesis 1:1 to Joshua 2:1). It highlighted the following: Noah's family saved from the flood. God calling Abraham. Lot and Abraham separating. Abraham delivering Lot from the kings who captured him. Birth of Isaac. Ishmael and Hagar sent away. Sodom destroyed and Lot saved. Isaac bound as a sacrifice but saved from death. Israel enslaved in Egypt. Baby Moses saved from death. Moses’ exile from Egypt. God in the burning bush. Plagues on Egypt. Firstborn saved from death in households with blood applied. Israel delivered from Egypt and taken through the parted Red Sea, then saved from Pharaoh’s entire army. Ten Commandments given to Moses on Mt. Sinai. Joshua facing Jericho.

Being a Biblical Truths Examiner, three things impressed me. Please view the list.

View the list
  • Part 1 of the miniseries impressed me with the necessity of deliverance (salvation). Notice how many times in the episode’s highlights (see first paragraph above) the words saved or delivered are used. Especially in the binding of Isaac-- we wonder why God would give promises, keep them, and then tell his faithful follower Abraham to offer the promised son as a sacrifice on Mt. Moriah. There’s a plot problem there. The reader of the Bible is left to wonder what kind of God is this. We never get clarity until the Gospels when God allows His own Son to be bound (on Mt. Moriah by the way) and offered as a sacrifice. This time nothing stops the killing. No lamb is substituted. Jesus IS the Lamb. "The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). Because of His death we can be delivered from Satan and saved from sin, but I’m reading ahead.
  • The second thing that impresses me was that the history of earth includes much violence. From Cain killing his brother, to the Canaanite kings vs Lot, and Abraham fighting to get him back, to conflict within families, violence in Sodom, Egyptian oppression of the Israelites, and Egyptians pursuing Israel into the Red Sea. What is the source of violence and evil? The show takes literary license to have Noah telling his family about Eve and Adam eating the fruit God forbade. There is a brief shot of a snake and of a dark hooded figure, presumably Satan. Human disobedience and Satan are in opposition to God. The story of the Bible tells how God graciously provided the solution to sin and Satan—at first by the blood of animal sacrifices, and ultimately by the blood of Jesus Christ.
  • Third, I was impresses with the repeated themes: “Trust in God” and “God is with us.” Abraham kept telling that to his family. Moses told the newly freed Israelites, “Pharaoh is not a god. There is only one God. …God has delivered us from slavery. We are free. Our journey is just beginning. …You must trust in God. We must follow His path.” As the Taylorsville Biblical Truths Examiner, I see this as the emphasis of the Bible as well as of the miniseries by that name. We must put our trust in God for forgiveness of sins and eternal life. Then out of gratitude for our deliverance, we will want to follow God’s path as given in the Bible.
  • Many other religious beliefs existed during the time of Moses, but none of those (false) gods spoke to people in literal audible ways. Only the “One True God” of the Hebrews revealed Himself in spoken and written words. His written word tells Who He is, why we humans need Him, and how He provided the way for us to have a personal, individual, forever relationship with Him.Would you like to hear an overview of the whole Bible in less than an hour? Dave Wyrtzen, a Texas pastor, gives it on his website Truth Encounter.  Another excellent thematic approach to the whole Bible, with vivid pictures,  is given as a 25-minute slide show called God’s Message of Hope, done by Steve Spacek.
View the list
Suggested by the author:

, Taylorsville Biblical Truths Examiner

Marcia Hornok, minister’s wife and mother of six, has been published in seventy different religious and secular markets. She is the managing editor of CHERA Fellowship magazine for widow/ers. Her credits include six curriculum books for children, two mini-inspiration books, and contributions to...

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