From Creation to the Cross: Understanding the First Half of the Bible

by Albert H. Baylis

Most Christians don't quite know what to do with the first half of the Bible. Some are fascinated by the historical sweep of the Old Testament. Others are blessed by its poetry. Still others focus on its prophecies. But what are the heart and soul of the Old Testament? In From Creation to the Cross, Al Baylis is a guide who shares with us his love for, and profound understanding of, the Old Testament. He walks us through the Old Testament, pointing out along the way perspectives and insights that leave us with a new, personal understanding of these thirty-nine books -- and more importantly, of the God of the Old Testament, who lovingly prepared the way before sending his Son. As Bruce Wilkinson puts it in the Foreword, 'I could almost picture (Baylis) as a seasoned rabbi surrounded by a huddle of eager listeners. He doesn't simply teach the Old Testament; it's as if he personally reminisces through it.' From Creation to the Cross is one of those rare books that speaks to a wide range of readers, from high school students to homemakers to college professors. This revised and expanded edition of On the Way to Jesus makes this unique and highly readable approach to the first half of the Bible available once again. It is ideally suited for use in Bible study groups.

Genres: Theology, Christian, Biblical Studies, Reference, Old Testament, Nonfiction, Biblical

791 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 19, 1996

Reviews

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very helpful in giving a good overview of the OT! Very readable.

[Courtney Huskisson · Rating 3 out of 5]

For many kids who grew up learning the Bible in disjunctive stories with seemingly no relation, this is a needed biblical theology. Bayles not only walks through the entire complete story of the Hebrew Bible (OT) but points out the real bridges to the NT, and specifically to Jesus. I appreciate any work in this category since a large majority of Christians miss out on the full story of the Bible by steering away from the OT. This book also stretches across a range of academics. For those not looking for an in-depth academic study, Bayles' writing is contemporary and comprehensible. However, for those looking for something with more meat, there is plenty of material in side information as well as large bibliographies at the end of each chapter.

In regards to the flow of the book, I really enjoyed the first half of the book. The biblical story was weaved well in parts 1-3 as Bayles moved from Genesis-2 Kings. It was easy to see how though there are several authors, there is really one Author of the story. I particularly liked where he grounded the whole foundation in Genesis; not as a scientific explanation of the world, but as it was meant to be--a personal introduction to Yahweh. However, towards the end of part three and moving towards the end of the book I felt like there was a major breakdown. This may primarily had to do with the fact that I prefer the Hebrew order of the Hebrew Bible (OT) over the English order. For the sake of his reader, Bayles moves forward with the English order and I feel like a lot is lost there. Not only that, but when it comes to the prophets, he didn't even follow the English order but went on a more geographical and chronological route. This caused the Book of the Twelve to be seriously torn apart. Because of these choices I feel like Bayles lost the momentum of the story--suddenly we were caught up in the historicity of the prophets and lost the significance of what they were actually pointing to. I really feel like the Hebrew Bible offers a significant plot arch that causes the NT to come into explosive power where the book of Matthew opens up. For this I was disappointed with the ending.

Overall, each chapter had an even amount of exegesis with literary and historical observations as well as a link to Christ as the fulfillment of the OT. I would recommend this (at least the first half) to someone looking to understand their Bible in a more complete way.

[Leanne Humphrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Want to have a better understanding of the Old Testament in a readable, enjoyable format? Dr. Baylis has the gift of writing in a way that reads more like a novel than a history textbook. Thrilled to read a book that walks through the Old Testament and makes sense of everything and how it keeps pointing to Jesus Christ. Sometimes it seems that the God of the OT is somehow different than the God of the New Testament. But this book helps us understand how purity and justice work together with a God who loves and is so willing to forgive whether it’s Israel turning back to Him or for us when we ask for forgiveness from our sins and turn to Christ.

[D. Ferguson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read a few Bible survey books and this is the only one I’ve ever read that was actually interesting reading. This book is very interesting reading and hard to put down. Baylis not only does a great job summarizing the message of each book of the Bible, he includes practical application so the book also has devotional value. I highly recommend it.

[Drew Fajen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like Dr Baylis. He’s a personal friend of mine and member of the church I’m the youth minister at so reviewing his book feels really weird. I started reading his book along with my read through the Hebrew Scriptures when I graduated in 2014. I enjoy his dry sense of humor and his relatable language. He is a scholar that doesn’t force you to be one to read his work. The only reason I’m not giving him a full five stars is that, like other reviewers, the way he broke the book up historically and divided chapters by phases of history. This is different than the sections the Hebrew Bible or the English Bible use so it is difficult to use alongside a reading plan other than his. If you choose to follow along though, there’s a depth of wisdom and love for God and God’s Word that really inspires and keeps you going through some challenging stories and long genealogies.

[Joy Steele · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars!!

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Christ is predicted throughout the Scriptures, but he is not necessarily directly predicted in all the Scriptures. Nor is he hidden there in some mystical or allegorical way. All of these lines of promise and great themes of the Old Testament ultimately meet in Christ."

Albert Baylis presents detailed scholarship with an accessible, layman-friendly tone. He reviews each book of the Old Testament, discussing genre, historical-cultural background, and relevant archaeological data. His emphasis on the New Testament completion of the Old Testament is thoroughgoing without being radical or overzealous. On the whole, this is a fine introduction to and overview of the Old Testament story.

[Bryan Atkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insightful overview of the Old Testament with helpful charts and historical context. The book is dated now, and I can't say the cultural references helped or that they seemed appropriate in the attempt to make the Bible more clear. Reads like somewhat scattered notes on each book although those notes do seem well researched and useful.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my school books ...

[Jonathan]

None

[Dan42guy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read parts of it

[Ginger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not an easy read, but worth it! We took two years in our women's bible study to go through it bit by bit.

[Victoria Schlie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great reference for understanding the connectedness of the old and new testaments.

[Michele Herrera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good text, informative, clear.