The Greatest Story Ever Told

CONTENTS
The Plot . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
The Kings Vision. . . . . . . 2
The Gift Of Freedom. . . 5
A Paradise Lost. . . . . . . . 9
The Family
Moves South . . . . . . . . . 13
Across The River . . . . . 18
The Collapse . . . . . . . . 22
The Appearance Of
A Great Teacher . . . . . . 24
Death On A Holiday. . . 26
Unexpected Results . . . 27
Life-Changing News . . . 28
The Fulfillment Of
The Kings Vision. . . . . . 31
Where Do You Find
That In The Bible? . . . . . 32
THE GREATEST
STORY EVER
TOLD
T
T
he world is full of stories.
But there is one that
deserves to be told more
than the rest. Its a timeless
story of love and intrigue found
in a collection of 66 writings
known around the world as the
Old and New Testaments.
Yet, because the sections of
this book do not always read
like a continuing story, its
unfolding drama is often missed.
What follows is a retelling
of that story. The imagination
weve used along the way is
meant to reflect conditions
that are consistent with what
we know about the people,
places, and events of the most
published and timeless book
in the worldthe Bible.
Martin R. De Haan II
Managing Editor: David Sper Cover Photo: Terry Bidgood
Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas
Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
1999,2004 RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, Michigan Printed in USA
RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
THE PLOT
A
A
great king appears
from a mysterious
past to expand his
kingdom and to share his
vision for a free world where
citizens willingly share his
life and values.
When members of the
new world rebel against him,
the king shows his patience.
Instead of forcibly restoring
order, he begins a long
process of developing a
relationship with those who
are willing to trust him.
The kings heart is
seen most clearly when
he disguises himself as
a servant and, at great
personal cost, goes to the
rescue of those who have
fallen under the control
of an evil rebel leader.
Although the king
secures the ultimate safety
and happiness of his
citizens, the battle for
their hearts and minds
goes on.
THE KINGS
VISION
L
L
ong ago, before
dinosaurs roamed
the earth, and before
lakes of oil pooled below
the ocean floor, there was
a great king.
No one knows where
this king came from, or
what he did before giving
us the greatest story ever
told. All we know about
him began when he
appeared with a vision
for a free world that
would share his life and
happiness. What follows
is his storyand ours.
BY HIS WORDS
The kings first act was
to make a place for his
plan to unfold. With power
no one can explain, he
gave a command and the
universe exploded into
existence. Later, as a
newborn planet cooled
under the cover of water
2
and darkness, the king said,
Let there be light, and the
darkness ran
from him.
1
While most
of the cosmos
remained
barren and
empty, the
king reached
down and lifted vast islands
from the deep waters that
covered his chosen planet.
Then he transformed the dry
ground into a paradise of
rain forests and grasslands.
He made high mountains,
deep valleys, and white
sandy beaches. He designed
environments of enormous
complexity. With unending
attention to detail, the king
filled the earth with color,
texture,
sound, and
fragrance. By
everything he
made, he
showed the
breadth of his
personality
and greatness.
With endless wisdom
and insight he filled the air,
land, and oceans with living
creatures of every shape
and kind. From camels
to chimpanzees, from
microscopic insects to giant
redwood forests, the king
designed an endless variety
of plants and animals.
In all that he did, the
king showed his ability to
make something out of
nothing and to bring order
out of chaos. By the
immensity and complexity
of his universe, he showed
that nothing is too large or
too small to escape his
attention or concern.
3
The king was great
enough to be
concerned about
the smallest
of details.
IN HIS LIKENESS
To put the finishing touch
on all he had made, the
king reached down and
took a handful of clay.
Under his gaze the lump of
earth took shape. Then the
king breathed his likeness
into the form, and it
became a man.
2
As the mans eyes
opened, the mist and soft
light of first dawn filled him
with wonder. Everything
was new. The air was clean.
The colors and fragrances
were fresh and gentle.
As he walked among
the trees, the kings likeness
sensed that all eyes were
on him. He caught the gaze
of a white-tailed deer that
stopped grazing to look up.
He reached out to stroke the
coat of a wolf that came to
greet him. He laughed as a
lamb pushed the wolf aside
and rubbed its head against
his leg.
As the man became
familiar with the garden, he
grew in his admiration for
the wisdom and creativity
of the king. There seemed
to be no end to the kings
imagination and goodness.
All of these are
mine, the king said. Im
entrusting them to you.
3
Care for them and you will
see how Ive cared for you.
BY HIS LOVE
For a while, the caretaker
basked in the solitude of
his work. At some point,
however, he became aware
of an emptiness within
himself. Even though he
enjoyed regular visits
with the king and was
surrounded by friendly
birds and animals, he had
no one like himself to share
4
Care for them
and you will see
how Ive cared
for you.
the emotions of discovery
and wonder.
4
The king understood the
caretakers loneliness. But
instead of taking another
handful of earth, he put his
likeness to sleep, removed
something from around the
mans heart, and from it
formed a second likeness.
5
When the caretaker
woke and saw what the
king had given him, he
smiled. The second
likeness smiled back. They
were alike, but they were
different. They laughed at
their ability to see what the
other overlooked. Before
long they were enjoying
together the work the king
had given them to do.
These were good
days for the first couple.
They had a wonderful
relationship with the king
and with each other. On
balmy evenings they all
walked together among the
trees the king had placed
under their care.
6
THE GIFT OF
FREEDOM
T
T
he king had done
so much for the
couple. Everything
in their garden home was
a gift from him. But it was
the king himself who won
their hearts. He was full
of surprises, but he didnt
hide how he felt about
them. His love and respect
for the caretakers was
obvious.
Even though the
king could have controlled
their every thought and
action, he was wise. At
great risk, he gave them the
gift of choice. He even gave
the caretakers enough space
to walk away from him if
they wanted to. He knew
that if they couldnt leave
him, neither could they
choose to stay. Without
freedom of choice and
expression, the kings
vision for a free world
could not be realized.
5
THE TEST
OF TRUST
To give the caretakers
freedom, the king planted
two trees in the center of the
garden. One he called the
tree of life. The other he
described as the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil.
A central garden path forked
at the trees and went off in
two different directions.
According
to the king,
the couple
could eat of
all of the trees
of the garden,
with one
exception. If
they ate of the tree of the
knowledge of good and
evil, they would die.
7
The caretakers
understood that the king
was giving them a choice.
But they werent sure what
the king meant by death. He
had given them so much to
enjoy. Why would he put
anything off limits?
THE LOSS OF
INNOCENCE
The man and woman were
about to meet someone who
had more problems with the
kings rules than they did.
Up until now, they didnt
know the king had any
enemies.
The one who was about
to walk into their lives had
not always been a rebel. In
another time
and place, he
too had been
entrusted with
honor and
privilege. In
the service of
the king he
was known by the names
of Light Bearer and Son
of the Morning.
8
At some point,
however, Light Bearer
became inflated with self-
importance. Convinced that
he deserved everything he
had been given, he wanted
what the king had withheld.
Light Bearer began to
6
imagine what it would be
like to rule rather than to
serve. He became intrigued
with the thought of forming
his own kingdom. When
he finally decided to leave,
he didnt go quietly. He
convinced one-third of all
the kings servants to join
him.
9
That was when Light
Bearer became known as
the prince of darkness.
In the days that followed,
the rebel and his followers
wandered the universe
looking for a place to call
their own. Along the way,
they heard about the kings
caretakers and the garden
home he had given them.
With a plan as dark as
the night sky, the rebel
entered the garden in
disguise. With a charm
that concealed his motives,
he drew the woman into a
conversation.
THE TURNING
POINT
With a well-timed question,
the rebel set his trap. Is
what Ive heard true? Has
the king denied you access
to every part of your own
home? At first the woman
defended the king.
10
But
then, as she looked at the
creature, she found herself
having thoughts that had
never occurred to her.
Why would the king say
no to us about anything?
What doesnt he want
us to know?
The questions kept
coming. Was the king
holding out on them? Did
he warn them about the
path marked by the tree of
forbidden knowledge only
because he didnt want
7
With a plan
as dark as the
night sky, the rebel
entered the garden
in disguise.
them to know as much
as he did?
Having doubts about
their creator was a new
experience for the woman.
She had often talked with
her partner about the
wisdom of the king.
Together they wondered
where he had come from
and how he could know
so much about everything.
Their own relationship had
deepened as the king shared
more of himself with them.
Now, however, all that
they had learned didnt
seem to be enough.
What happened next
was a turning point they
would never forget.
The woman started
down the forbidden path
and motioned for her
partner to follow.
For a moment, the
first caretaker paused. He
remembered hearing the
king describe what would
happen if they ever took
this path. He remembered
hearing both love and
concern in the kings voice.
The man could hear
his heart pounding. He felt
caught and torn between
his partner, the king, and
his own curiosity.
As the couple started
down the path together,
it was as if they had taken
a powerful drug. Their
minds were altered. Their
innocence was gone. They
felt exposed and vulnerable.
With the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil
behind them, they grabbed
leaves from the garden and
sewed them together to
cover themselves.
11
8
The woman
started down
the forbidden path
and motioned
for her partner
to follow.
A PARADISE
LOST
I
I
n their loss of innocence,
the caretakers changed
in ways they could not
have anticipated. For the
first time they didnt want
to see the king. Suddenly
they felt a need to cover
themselves and hide. Never
before had they blamed
each other for anything. In
the hours that followed, they
learned the meaning of fear.
When the king found the
couple, he gently pressed
them for answers.
12
Why
were they hiding? Who told
them they needed to cover
themselves? Had they taken
the path he told them to
avoid? The caretakers were
caught. But they were not
ready to accept responsibility
for what they had done. The
man blamed the woman. The
woman blamed the rebel.
13
And though the rebel didnt
speak, there was contempt
for the king in his eyes.
The caretakers were
confused and frightened. A
few hours earlier they had
enjoyed affection for each
other and the king. Now
they were afraid.
Although the king wanted
to forgive the couple for their
failure to trust him, he didnt
ignore the results of their
choices. He could not allow
them to remain in their
garden home.
14
If he gave
them access to the tree of
life now, they would reverse
the aging and dying process
that had already begun.
With unlimited time and
freedom, the caretakers
9
The caretakers
were caught.
But they were not
ready to accept
responsibility
for what they
had done.
could become increasingly
self-absorbed and alienated
not only from the king but
from each other as well.
So that they would not
live forever in their altered
states, the king removed
them from the garden.
Outside the garden, the
king continued to provide
for the couple. But the
relationship had changed.
The caretakers no longer
trusted the king as they
once had.
THE LEGACY OF
A CHOICE
Even though the king
stayed close to the first
family, trouble stalked
them. As the caretakers
tried to rebuild their lives
outside the garden, their
firstborn son broke their
hearts. In a moment of
anger, he resisted the gentle
counsel of the king. Then in
a fit of blind rage, he killed
his younger brother.
15
Their lives would never
be the same again. There
was no turning back. The
had become more than a
mysterious tree of freedom.
It had become a legacy of
regret and loss.
The son became a
fugitive. Unable to live
with his parents grief, he
became a rootless wanderer.
Always on the move, never
at rest, he could not escape
the memory of what he
had done, and who he
had become.
16
In time, more sons and
daughters were born to the
first couple. Children of the
caretakers multiplied with
an ever-diminishing
knowledge of the king.
Around watering
holes and campfires, older
members of the family told
stories about the great king.
But most of the children
were more interested in the
present than the past. The
willingness of each new
generation to live and die
10
without regard for the king
became as repetitive as the
rising and setting of the sun.
Even after a catastrophic
flood wiped out most of the
earths caretakers,
17
the
children of the survivors
continued to declare their
right of self-rule.
Those who were
true to the king
remained few
in number and
inconsistent in
character.
18
As the kings
citizens drifted
from his values
and vision, his
likeness in them
became more
difficult to see. The strong
oppressed the weak. Family
disputes increased. Bad
blood caused family
members to put distance
between themselves.
Leaders became alarmed.
To reverse the trends that
were driving them apart, the
family needed a plan that
would pull them together.
A vision emerged. The
family would build a city big
enough to keep the children
from moving away. With a
city center that touched
the clouds, all who saw it
would be proud of their
achievement.
19
Everyone who
walked its
streets would be
inspired by the
endless pride
and possibilities
of human
cooperation.
But the
builders had
forgotten the
vision of the
king.
20
As a new day
broke, there was confusion
on the construction site.
Communication was
disrupted. Members of
the same family could talk
among themselves, but they
couldnt understand anyone
from another clan. Within
hours, all work on the great
11
city came to a standstill.
Before long, caravans kicked
up dust in all directions as
each language group went
looking for a place to call
their own.
21
THE KINGS PLAN
Even with the loss of their
own dream, most of the
family didnt recall the vision
of the king. They talked
about what had gone wrong
and why they werent able to
live together in peace. But
they didnt have a place in
their heart for a free world
where everyone shared the
values of the great king and
helped one another the way
he cared for them.
So the king took a new
approach. He introduced
himself to a 75-year-old
caretaker and made a
proposal: Leave your
home and follow me. Ill
give you a new homeland,
many children, and a
legacy of my love for all
the families of the earth.
22
The old man and his wife
had lived for many years
without being able to have
a child. Both had long since
given up hope of having a
son or daughter of their
own. Their childlessness
must have been a painful
subjectespecially since
the caretakers name meant
exalted father.
So they waited. But for
almost 25 years the couples
promised offspring never
came. The king eventually
repeated his assurance to
the caretaker that through
his children the world
12
The king
repeated his
assurance to the
caretaker that
through his
children the world
would find hope.
would find hope. He even
gave the old man a new
name that meant father
of many.
23
Then, when the man
was 100 years old and his
wife was 90, the impossible
happened. The old woman
gave birth to a son. His
birth was so amazing and
brought them so much
joy that his name, which
meant laughter, was
a perfect fit.
24
THE KINGS FAMILY
Within two generations
the family had become a
clan of 12 sons, their wives,
and many children. Even
though they were still a
small family by comparison
to the families of other
caretakers, the children of
a childless old couple had
become a family of destiny.
In the years that followed,
the king unfolded his plan
to use this chosen family
to reveal himself to all the
families of the earth.
THE FAMILY
MOVES SOUTH
T
T
he early years
of the family
were fairly normal.
Other than some family
arguments and fights with
the neighbors, the most
significant event occurred
when about 70 members
of the clan left home
and traveled south looking
for food during a severe
drought.
25
Because the great king
worked behind the scenes
to prepare the way for
them, the family found
refuge and favor among
southern neighbors. The
prince of the south not
only gave them food but
land to plant their own
crops in the rich soil of
a fertile river delta. Even
though this southern refuge
was not home, the family
found conditions on the
delta comfortable. There
they built homes, raised
13
their children, and
harvested their crops.
Within a few
generations, however,
the familys growth and
ever-increasing numbers
frightened the neighbors.
26
The prince who had done
so much for them had
long since passed from the
scene. New leaders were
concerned that they would
be overrun and dominated
by the family that had
found refuge within their
borders. So while leaders
of the south still had the
upper hand,
they pressed
the family into
forced labor.
By the crack
and sting of
the whip,
tough field
bosses made
them work long hours
under a hot sun making
bricks for southern building
projects.
27
Under growing
oppression, the family
began to groan. Where
was the king? He had
made promises to their
fathers. Why wasnt he
keeping them? Rising with
the dust and smoke of the
brickyards, their cries grew
louder and louder. Where
was the king? Why had
he left them alone?
28
A RELATIVE
TO THE RESCUE
The questions stopped
when a stranger walked into
the brickyards. His voice
was not that
of a southern
neighbor.
There was
no whip in his
hand. And his
story sounded
familiar to
some of the
older members of the family.
According to the stranger,
he was a child of the family.
For 40 years he had lived as
a fugitive on the other side
14
of the wilderness to the east.
Then one day while looking
after his father-in-laws
sheep, the relative had
heard the voice of the king.
The king said he had heard
the familys cries and was
sending the relative to lead
them out of slavery and
back to a promised land.
29
All eyes were on the
stranger. Who did this
visitor from nowhere think
he was? Was he mad? Or
had he really heard from
the great king?
The familys questions
were answered when the
relative showed them
powerful signs that proved
the king had sent him.
30
To the disappointment
of everyone, however, the
first efforts of their new
leader only made matters
worse. When the relative
appeared before the prince
of the south, and when he
quoted the great king as
saying, Let my people go,
their problems multiplied.
The prince was furious
and made life even
more miserable for the
family.
31
In the dark days that
followed, the prince of the
south got more than he
bargained for. The great
king unleashed a series of
national disasters on the
prince of the south and
his people. He sent plagues
of flies, lice, and frogs. He
polluted the national water
supply and sent devastating
storms and darkness.
32
Then the king planned
a final act that would break
the will of the prince. To
keep the family safe, the
king told them to kill a
lamb and put its blood on
the two sides and upper
door frames of their homes.
That night a spirit of
death moved through
the land. Wails of anguish
could be heard in every
neighborhood as the
families of the south
learned they had lost
15
their firstborn sons. But
the spirit of death passed
over and did not touch the
homes with the blood on
the door frames.
33
As their neighbors
grieved, the family
gathered some belongings
and quickly walked out of
the brickyards. When the
prince regrouped and sent
his armies after them, the
king used his power to
open up a path through a
large body of water. Only
when the family was safely
on the other side did he
release the waters to stop
their pursuers.
34
The family was delivered
in such a dramatic way that
word of the great kings
power soon spread through
the entire region. Around
watering holes in the
daytime and around fires
burning late into the night,
the neighbors wondered out
loud what would happen
next with the king and his
family.
A TIME FOR
LEARNING
In the days that followed,
the family found themselves
with new problems. After a
dreamlike deliverance, they
woke to find themselves in
a barren, no-mans land.
Before long, the children
were hungry. Arguments
broke out all over the camp.
Mothers faces turned pale
with fear. Men yelled at one
another in frustration. No
one could live for long in a
place like this. They had not
brought enough food, water,
or clothing. A quick retreat
back to the prince of the
south seemed the only way
to save the children.
35
Once more, however, the
great king showed that he
had not forgotten his family.
In this forsaken place where
food could not be bought
and where water could not
be found, the king showed
his ability to provide for his
people. In ways they could
never have imagined, he
16
gave them the food and
water they needed.
36
Later, at the foot of a
mountain that burned in
the kings presence and
shook at the sound of his
voice, he taught the family
how to live with one
another and with him.
37
The family soon learned
that the king was a master
teacher who used visual
drama to make a point.
One often-repeated lesson
stirred up many emotions.
The king required the head
of each household to bring
a carefully selected animal
to a pre-appointed place
of sacrifice. Depending
on what the family could
afford, the owner of a lamb,
goat, or bird placed his
hands on the innocent
creatures head and
admitted his own
wrongs. Then, in the
kings presence, the offerer
killed the animal with
his own hands.
38
As members of the
family watched the
sacrifice, the children
asked a lot of questions.
If the king created the
animals, why would he
want them to die? What
had the animals done to
deserve this? How could
this be fair? While parents
couldnt answer all the
questions, one thing was
clear: The king wanted
them to know that wrong
choices were matters of life
and death. He wanted his
family to be thoughtful
about what their first
parents had learned under
the tree of the knowledge
of good and evil.
39
The family learned the
same lesson again on the
17
As innocent
animals died, the
children asked
questions.
threshold of their new
homeland. Scouts were
sent ahead to check out
the land. But when they
returned they brought back
a frightening report. In
addition to finding plenty
of food and water, they
had seen strong warlords
in the land.
40
The faces of the family
turned pale. Eyes wet with
emotion glared at their
leader. What had he gotten
wrong this time? What was
the king doing? Had the
family walked all this way
under a hot sun only to die
at the hands of a powerful
enemy?
They had to think about
the children. They couldnt
raise them in a war zone.
At moments like this, they
wished they had never left
the prince of the south.
Under his fist and whip,
they at least knew what
to expect.
ACROSS THE
RIVER
T
T
he king didnt force
the family to do what
they werent ready to
do. Instead of pushing his
chosen people across the
river and through the deep
valley that lay between
them and their promised
land, he put them into a
holding pattern. For 40
years he provided for
them in a barren, hot,
and windswept land. In his
shadow, they wandered like
a flock of sheep until the
generation that didnt want
to enter the land lay buried
in the desert sand.
41
Then, once again, the
king asked his family to
follow him across the river.
When they arrived at the
waters edge, the valley
was swollen with spring
floodwaters. Even though
they were now close
enough to see the hills of
their future home across
18
the valley, it was clear that
anyone who ventured out
into those rushing waters
would be swept away.
At the threshold of their
new home, the king showed
his people they could trust
him. Just as he had once
parted the waters to rescue
them from the prince of
the south, the king held
back the waters to remind
the family of his ability to
lead and provide for them.
By the kings power, the
whole family walked to
their new homeland on
dry ground.
42
Yet, across the river,
many of the old problems
remained. There were still
powerful warlords to be
faced. The houses the king
promised were already
occupied, and the present
owners were ready to fight
to protect their property.
The king, however,
was determined to evict
the present occupants.
According to him, they were
living on his land, ruining
the environment, harming
one another, and refusing to
acknowledge him as king.
43
The days that followed
were some of the best the
family had ever known.
Even though the king asked
them to fight for their new
homes, he showed them
his ability to assure the
outcome. In powerful ways
the children could not have
anticipated, he gave them
houses they did not build
and harvests of crops they
didnt plant. The kings plan
was unfolding. His people
were now in a position to
help the neighbors see what
the great king could do for
anyone who would trust
him.
44
The familys new home
offered more than a good
quality of life. It also offered
a strategic location from
which to spread the kings
vision. He placed them on
a landbridge between
three continents. The new
19
homelands western
border lay on the shores
of a great sea. Its main
roads were some of the
most important commercial
and military routes in the
whole region. News of
events that happened in the
homeland quickly traveled
along these trade routes in
all directions of the
compass.
In this new
neighborhood, the
king taught the family to
remember him in everything
they did. He taught them to
work hard and to rest on
every seventh day. He
showed them how to trust
him for the early and later
rains that were so necessary
for a good harvest. For
many years, the king taught
the family to depend on him
as their provider and
protector.
During this period of
family history, a pattern
emerged. When the kings
citizens trusted him, asked
for his help, and lived as he
told them to, they enjoyed
peace and protection from
their neighbors. But when
they forgot about the
king, became a law to
themselves, and did what
was right in their own eyes,
they eventually found
themselves overrun by
enemies and grieving the
loss of fathers and sons.
45
A DESIRE
TO BE LIKE
THE NEIGHBORS
In spite of everything the
king had done for his
chosen family, they kept
forgetting that he had done
anything at all for them.
20
The new home
was at the
crossroads of
the world.
During one such lapse of
memory, the family made
one of their worst mistakes.
They asked the king to give
them the kind of human
leadership their neighbors
had.
46
The family did more
than ask for a strong
human leader. They
dismissed the kings
warning that such a ruler
would levy heavy taxes,
use them to further his own
ambitions, and draft their
children into his armies
to fight his wars.
But once again the
kings response to the
familys request showed
his commitment to a free
world. He gave his citizens
what they asked for. He
chose one of their own
sons to wear the crown
and even assured them
that if they and their king
remained faithful to him,
he would continue to take
care of them.
47
A POWER THAT
CORRUPTED
The familys mistake soon
became apparent. Over
time, even the best of their
monarchs was corrupted by
power. Good leaders went
bad, and bad rulers got
worse. Leaders, who could
have used their influence to
help the family remain true
to the great king, instead
exploited the throne to build
monuments and memorials
for themselves.
With the corruption
of the kings, so went the
people. Lawlessness and
violence increased. The
kings vision for a free world,
where everyone helped one
another the way he cared
for them, was ignored and
forgotten.
48
A SERIES OF
MESSENGERS
Even though the family
forgot the king, he didnt
forget them. When they
wandered from him, he
21
called them back.
49
Through
messengers who spoke on
his behalf, he pleaded with
his people to remember what
he was planning for them.
He had not lost his vision for
the future. Regardless of their
reluctance to trust him, he
was still planning to send a
leader and a deliverer who
would be known as the
great king among us.
But the kings people
didnt want to hear about
a future day. They were
looking for immediate relief.
If the king wouldnt help
them on their terms, then
they would look for other
leaders who would.
The kings
message
remained
the same. He
would send his
deliverer, and
when the king
himself lived
among his
people there would be
peace on earth. People of
every family and nation on
earth would respect and
care for one another.
50
But because the family
was focused on present
pains and problems, the
message fell on deaf ears.
Family leaders used their
power to silence the kings
messengers.
THE COLLAPSE
E
E
ventually, the
kings patience
was exhausted. If
he didnt intervene, more
time would allow the family
to multiply the violence and
damage they were already
inflicting on one another.
So with a deep
groan, the
king took
down the
fences of
protection
he had built
around them.
With great
sorrow, he allowed his
citizens military defenses
22
to be broken down by
armies from the east. Sons
of the family died in battle.
Survivors of the family
were stripped of dignity and
driven out of their promised
land. Many miles away,
with the sounds of a foreign
language in their ears, and
with the weight of another
kings laws and decrees on
their shoulders, the family
wiped their tears.
51
THE RETURN
After 70 years of exile, the
familys conquerors were
defeated by another ruler. A
new day dawned. Exiles of
war were allowed to return
to their homeland.
52
As they
returned, the king himself
sent messengers to assure
his people that he had
never stopped caring for
them. These messengers
promised that the king still
had a vision of peace and
prosperitynot only for
them but for all the families
of the earth.
For a while, members of
the family were filled with
hope. They dreamed of a
time when weapons would
be recycled into farming
tools. They remembered
that the great king had
talked of a day when even
nature would be at peace
with itself. In that day of
rest, the wolf would no
longer stalk the lamb.
53
THE SILENCE
But as time went on, the
familys heart once again
grew cold. Memories faded.
And then the voice of the
great king went silent for
400 years.
54
The hope of a
new day seemed lost in a
series of endless nights.
23
As time went
on, the familys
heart once again
grew cold.
THE APPEARANCE
OF A GREAT
TEACHER
T
T
he cry of a newborn
broke the silence.
History changed with
the announcement of a
birth. An old man looked
into the face of a baby and
said, Now I can die in
peace. I have seen with my
own eyes what all of my life
I have waited for.
55
Nearby, an elderly
woman, who for many
years had given herself to
the service of the great king,
told all who would listen
that she too had lived long
enough to see the future.
56
Once again, the
chosen family was filled
with hopebut nothing
happened. The winds of
change did not blow as
expected. The child who
created such a commotion
with his birth grew up in
obscurity. While other
children worked to make
a name for themselves, took
wives, and began having
sons and daughters of their
own, he seemed content to
learn the trade of his father
on the backroads of one of
the smallest towns in the
land.
57
But when no one was
looking, this young man
from nowhere stepped out
of the shadows to become
the talk of the neighbors.
Without any formal
training, this teacher
began challenging the most
educated men of the family.
He said and did things no
one had ever said or done
before. He spoke knowingly
about the great king and
did powerful things that
caused large crowds to
follow him.
58
He opened
eyes that couldnt see and
ears that couldnt hear.
He walked on water, sent
demons running, quieted
violent storms, and called
dead people out of their
graves.
24
Even though there
was nothing about the
teachers appearance
that distinguished him, he
wasnt like other teachers
of the family. He befriended
public enemies. He ate and
drank with some of the
most disreputable people
of the land.
59
He changed
the hearts of social
outcasts, the bodies of
lepers, and the minds
of the oppressed.
60
He was a man of
unequaled power and
authority. Yet he carried
his power with gentleness.
61
Even as spiritual leaders of
the family reeled with envy
and disbelief, he drew
crowds of common people
as he honored women and
held their children.
62
With eyes for people
no one else saw, the teacher
offered invitations to a great
banquet where the list of
honored guests would
include anyone who
was willing to come.
63
To the concern and
alarm of other family
leaders, the teachers
crowds grew larger and
louder.
64
They came to the
one who asked for the trust
of all those who were tired
of living the way they were.
He promised them rest for
their hearts and minds.
Then in an amazing
series of comparisons, he
claimed to be the door, the
water, and the bread they
had been looking for. He
told them that if they trusted
him, he would show them
the way back to the tree of
life and the paradise that
was lost.
25
Even though
he grew up
in obscurity, he
was destined
for greatness.
DEATH ON A
HOLIDAY
I
I
n the hours leading up
to an important holiday,
family leaders became
alarmed. Sensing the loss
of their own influence, they
were afraid that the teacher
would use the crowds who
had gathered for the annual
sacrifice of the lamb as
an occasion to take over
leadership of the family.
Believing they had to
act quickly, enemies of
the teacher made a bold
move.
65
Family leaders
organized a crowd of their
friends and filed a legal
complaint with government
officials. Risking the anger
of the teachers followers,
they accused him of
disturbing the peace and
dishonoring the name of
the great king.
66
Within
hours they pressured local
bureaucrats to give in to
their demands. A weak-
willed but powerful judge
had the teacher beaten
and turned over to
executioners.
67
Along with
two common criminals, the
most loving teacher the
family had ever seen was
nailed to a tree like a
predator on a fencepost.
68
As his mother and friends
cried, soldiers swaggered.
Family leaders huddled
with a sense of relief.
Strangers who walked
nearby on a public road
stared. A few hours later,
his body was buried quickly
in a borrowed tomb on the
eve of the sacrifice of the
lamb holiday.
26
The most loving
teacher the family
had ever seen was
nailed to a tree like
a predator on a
fencepost.
UNEXPECTED
RESULTS
T
T
he teachers followers
couldnt make sense of
what happened. One
minute they were listening
to the wisest, most loving
man they had ever seen.
The next minute he was
subjected to an unfair trial,
declared unfit to live, and
sentenced to die. Now he
was gone. The teachers
life and vision
for the future
seemed to end
as quickly as
he had come.
After 3
days of living
in the shadows,
the teachers
friends saw the unexpected
happen again. Their mood
suddenly changed. First a
group of women reported
that the tomb where the
teacher had been buried
was empty.
69
One woman
claimed that she saw him
alive and spoke with him.
Soon whole groups of men
and women announced that
they too had seen him.
70
The friends lives
changed dramatically. In
the days and years that
followed, many of them
were killed for refusing
to deny their story. Their
courage convinced many
of their neighbors to believe
that the friends were telling
the truth.
In whispered
conversations
and behind
closed doors,
enemies of the
teacher tried to
figure out how
to offset the
reports of the
friends. They knew that
people lie to save their
lives, not to lose them. They
knew that some even die for
what they believe to be the
truth. But they would soon
find out that the followers of
the teacher would suffer for
27
more than a belief. They
would die for their claim
that they had seen the
teacheralive and well
after his death.
The teacher had
one more surprise for
his friends. As they stood
talking with him on top
of a hill, he defied gravity
and rose weightlessly
from the ground until he
disappeared in the clouds.
71
As the friends stood
speechless,
looking into
the air, two
messengers
appeared to
them and said,
As you have
seen him go, so he will
return.
72
Later, the friends
remembered that the
teacher himself had told
them that he would return
for them at a time they did
not expect.
73
Yet he also promised
that he would never leave
them. He assured them that
even when they could no
longer see him, his spirit
would always be with
them.
74
LIFE-CHANGING
NEWS
D
D
uring the public life
of the teacher, some
believed he would
follow the pattern of other
false hopes. They predicted
that once he was exposed
as an impostor,
his friends
would
disband,
sadder but
wiser for the
experience.
The opposite happened.
After the teachers
departure, the movement
rapidly grew in numbers
and intensity. As word
spread through the region,
many became convinced
that they had been visited
by more than a teacher.
From the movements point
28
of view, every indication
was that the great king
himself had visited his
people.
75
Many found the
explanation not only
compelling but life-
changing. The story was
told in public arenas,
marketplaces, and family
gatherings. In city streets
and countrysides, young
and old alike heard that
the kings death on a tree
was directly related to
the two trees he himself
had planted in the center
of the first garden of the
caretakers.
In the beginning of
caretaker history, the king
had pointed to one of those
two trees and said, The one
who eats of the tree of the
will die.
76
When the first couple
ate of that tree, they died
spiritually and began to die
physically. With spiritual
separation and mortality
came a separation from
the king.
77
Now, however, a third
tree stood between the
first two. The tree on which
the king died became the
means by which he paid
for the caretakers decision
to eat of the forbidden
tree.
78
Finally, the kings plan
could be told. All along, he
had planned to fulfill his
vision and protect his
citizens by personally and
voluntarily paying the price
29
All along, he
had planned to
fulfill his vision and
protect his citizens
by personally and
voluntarily paying
the price of their
freedom.
of their freedom.
79
All along,
he had been planning to
sacrifice himself for those
who were destined to die
for eating from the tree of
the knowledge of good and
evil.
Within a short time,
the kings friends were
traveling the world,
spreading among people
of all nations the news
of another treea tree
of rescue that was used
in paying the price for the
caretakers wrong choices.
This message was for
everyone. The great king
was offering citizenship
and family privileges to
anyone who would accept
his offer.
80
Until he returns,
the realm of his kingdom
exists in the hearts of all
who acknowledge him as
king and trust his offer of
forgiveness and everlasting
life.
The kings story is a
story of love and mercy.
No one returns to paradise
on his own merit. All return
only by being like one of
the two criminals who died
on either side of the king.
One mocked the king for
not being able to save
himself. The other
acknowledged his own
wrongs and said to the
king, Remember me
when you come into your
kingdom. In response to a
simple request of faith, the
king said, Today you will
be with me in paradise.
81
30
The kings story
is a story of
love and mercy.
No one returns
to paradise on
his own merit.
THE FULFILLMENT
OF THE KINGS
VISION
I
I
n some ways, the
kings story ends where
it began. What started
with a paradise lost ends
with a paradise found.
According to the kings
own predictions, the
rebel and all of
his followers
will be defeated
and removed
from the
earth.
82
Through
a series of
catastrophic
endtime events, the king
will break the will of his
enemies in much the same
way he broke the grip of the
prince of the south. Then,
finally, with the defeat of
all enemies, the king will
return to live among his
people forever.
83
For now, no one can
imagine what the king has
in store for those who
have trusted him in this
life. In many ways his
future, like his past, is
shrouded in mystery.
What we do know is
that the king promised that
the time of his return would
be a surprise. We also
know that up until now
the kings ideas have always
been wise
and good. We
know that he
has given us
reason to trust
him with our
lives, with our
fears, and with
the rest of the
story as it unfolds.
This is our story. It
reminds us who we are,
where weve come from,
and where were going.
It helps us to see the
choices that are ours
in the free world of the
king.
31
WHERE DO YOU
FIND THAT IN
THE BIBLE?
W
W
e have used
some creative
license in retelling
the greatest story ever told.
But we have tried to tie
everything to the intent
and ideas of the events
and principles of the
Bibles own storyline.
The following biblical
references correspond to
the superscript numerals
that appear in the text:
1. Gen. 1:3; 2. Gen. 2:7;
3. Gen. 2:15; 4. Gen. 2:18-20;
5. Gen. 2:21-22; 6. Gen. 3:8a;
7. Gen. 2:16-17; 8. Isa. 14:12;
9. Rev. 12:4; 10. Gen. 3:2;
11. Gen. 3:7; 12. Gen. 3:11;
13. Gen. 3:12-13; 14. Gen.
3:22-24; 15. Gen. 4:8;
16. Gen. 4:13-14; 17. Gen.
68; 18. Gen. 9:1810:32;
19. Gen. 11:3-4; 20. Gen.
9:1; 11:4; 21. Gen. 11:5-9;
22. Gen. 12:1-3; 23. Gen.
17:1-8; 24. Gen. 21:1-6;
25. Gen. 41:56; 42:1-2; 46:27;
26. Ex. 1:7-10; 27. Ex. 1:14;
28. Ex. 2:23; 29. Ex. 3:1-10;
30. Ex. 4:1-9,29-31; 31. Ex. 5;
32. Ex. 7:1410:29; 33. Ex.
1112:30; 34. Ex. 14; 35. Ex.
16:1-3; 36. Ex. 16:4; 17:6; 37.
Ex. 20:1-18; 38. Lev. 4:27-35;
39. Lev. 1:16:7; 40. Num. 13;
41. Num. 14:29-35; 42. Josh.
3:14-17; 43. Dt. 9:1-6;
44. Gen. 12:3; 45. Jud.;
46. 1 Sam. 8:1-8; 47. 1 Sam.
12:12-15; 48. 2 Ki. 17:7-12;
49. 2 Ki. 17:13; 50. Isa. 2:1-5;
51. 2 Ki. 25:8-12; 52. Ezra
Neh.; 53. Isa. 11:6; 54. Mal.
4:6; 55. Lk. 2:25-32; 56. Lk.
2:36-38; 57. Lk. 2:39; Jn. 1:46;
58. Lk. 4:40-42; Jn. 7:31;
59. Lk. 15:1-2; 60. Lk. 4:16-
40; 61. Mt. 12:15-21; 62. Mk.
10:13-16; 63. Lk. 14:12-24;
64. Lk. 12:1; Mk. 3:20-21;
65. Lk. 22:47-54; 66. Lk. 23:1-
5; 67. Jn. 19:1-16; 68. Lk.
23:33; 69. Lk. 24:1-9,22-24;
70. 1 Cor. 15:3-8; 71. Acts
1:9; 72. Acts 1:10-11; 73. Mt.
24:44; 74. Mt. 28:20; 75. Jn.
1:1-14; 76. Gen. 2:16-17;
77. Gen. 3:22-24; 78. 1 Pet.
2:24; 79. Heb. 9:19-28;
80. Acts 11:18; 81. Lk. 23:39-
43; 82. Rev. 19:1920:3;
83. Rev. 2122.
32
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