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The Paradise King: The Tragic History and Spectacular Future of Everything According to Jesus of Nazareth
"The depth of research, generosity of spirit, and brilliance of biblical imagination make this remarkable book one of my favorite reads of a lifetime. I confess I need to see Jesus more alive and present. Blaine brings the presence of Jesus through the stories of the Hebrew Bible with such a vivid, lush, and compelling craft that as each chapter ended, I couldn’t stop."—Dan B. Allender, Ph.D. Professor of Counseling Psychology and Founding President, The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology
The Bible is a piercing drama, a tale of prophets and wandering spirits, heroic mothers and flashing swords, cosmic mountains and dry, shadowy Sheol. It is a true story that defines the nature and purpose of reality, and its claims are astonishing.
But few modern readers experience the Bible that way.
In this groundbreaking book, celebrated storyteller Blaine Eldredge draws upon years of research to illuminate the story of the Bible through the lives of six kingly characters. From Adam to Jesus, Eldredge combines thrilling retellings of famous stories with cutting-edge scholarship and robust theology to explore topics such as the Bible’s picture of evil, its sophisticated supernatural worldview, and its complex picture of the human condition.
The result is a stunning portrait of Jesus of Nazareth, the king and God and sacrifice who conquered death and overthrew the spiritual powers of this world and whose offer remains open to Follow me, come home to reality, and heal your humanity.
The Bible is a piercing drama, a tale of prophets and wandering spirits, heroic mothers and flashing swords, cosmic mountains and dry, shadowy Sheol. It is a true story that defines the nature and purpose of reality, and its claims are astonishing.
But few modern readers experience the Bible that way.
In this groundbreaking book, celebrated storyteller Blaine Eldredge draws upon years of research to illuminate the story of the Bible through the lives of six kingly characters. From Adam to Jesus, Eldredge combines thrilling retellings of famous stories with cutting-edge scholarship and robust theology to explore topics such as the Bible’s picture of evil, its sophisticated supernatural worldview, and its complex picture of the human condition.
The result is a stunning portrait of Jesus of Nazareth, the king and God and sacrifice who conquered death and overthrew the spiritual powers of this world and whose offer remains open to Follow me, come home to reality, and heal your humanity.
256 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 30, 2023
128 people are currently reading
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 109 reviews
November 2, 2023
So often I come to Christian books with an agenda or some belief that my reading will press out once for all that sin which so easily entangles and usher in some great holiness: if I read *this* I will overcome…, I will finally be able to…, I will just taste of….
I came to Blaine Eldredge’s book intent on reencountering God so that I might rejuvenate a faith which has grown in complacency through the daily coming and going, the endless to and fro, the serfdom of comfort. Quickly I realized that Eldredge could provide no such thing. His book is no cure-all—it is not the antidote to the world, the flesh, and the devil. Eldredge’s writing will probably not stand the tests of time: he merely retells another’s story; he enjoins his storytelling to a style which is unique and untested; and he says nothing which has not already been said elsewhere (by perhaps greater men). You should buy this book, however, because it is *good*.
Likely you, Comment Reader, are already familiar with the stories you will read in Eldredge’s book. They are not new. You likely already have them on your shelf. But those stories are hard to engage because of their familiarity. They are impossibly dense because of our impossibly dense mental baggage associated with them: we remember Old Mrs. Frandle with her double-knit sweater vest recalling the David and Goliath story in a classroom not unlike the 8-hour torture cells of our childhood weekdays. She wasn’t interesting. “David won the battle because he was the only person to use a slingshot or some such thing—that was why he rejected the armor.” Despite all Old Mrs. Frandle’s sincerity, we missed *encounter* with the Bible through her. We grew accustomed to Wholly boring Writ. Eldredge doesn’t make scripture interesting with new-fangled devices. Eldredge is instead interested in scripture and tells us what is interesting to him. This is undoubtedly more effective and better. To read this book is to encounter one who has read these stories and wasn’t bored, invigorating the stories for us along the way.
Eldredge is persuasive and clear; his words clearly emanate from an awake imagination; but his style—the frequent transition from narrative to history to footnote to third-person dialogue to first-person recollection—is genre defying. It is a style which I have not encountered before. Its oscillatory effect is not bad, as it directly contributes to the reader experience. Eldredge is attempting (and succeeding) to weave a literary fabric. He is not positing a thesis with supports and anecdotes. This is not his father’s work and this is not your father’s Christian book on the shelf. It is something unique. Novelty can be an easy entrapment and is frequently synonymous with heresy; however, this singleness of style smells not of the masturbatory tendencies of society, rather it seems to blossom directly from Eldredge’s encounter with the very stories which he retells (…and to my point about heresy… it is not there. Those who seek to find it will create it to attack. But as a confessionally orthodox and catholic Christian, I find no qualms and no stench of pseudodoxos). The style has its faults at times—mostly reader confusion. But it also has its benefits. It is personal. It is meet and right. In a hundred years, this shall not be the style of choice. Though for now, we can enjoy it here in Eldredge’s work.
For many years I have read theological commentaries and listened to podcasts elucidating literary minutiae found in scripture. It has been hard to, however, do anything with that knowledge. It doesn’t need application to be worthwhile (Protestant preaching seems to whore after “application”), but it felt like it was merely amassed. This is the beauty of Eldredge. He is not telling you how to read scripture, he is reading scripture. Imagine going to the Art Institute of Chicago to hear someone talk about what went into a good painting and then leaving without having looked at any art. Or alternatively imagine looking at good paintings without every understanding the context for the art. Both would be poor ways to engage the Midwest’s great art museum. So much of our Biblical engagement falls into one of these modes of engaging scripture: commentaries and theology become context without art, reading plans become art without context. Eldredge though stands apart from these two. He is no art historian explaining the features of the Baroque period. He, too, is no artist painting the great Story of Salvation. He is merely a student of both. And a student capable of communicating what he has learned. Eldredge read the same books I did, but he was molded by them and changed by them. He walked into the museum and examined the art. He saw what there was to behold. And then he brings that back to us, here. Eldredge stands for us as an example of one who has heard the Word of God, who was read the commentaries, and has plucked the fruit of the two’s consummation.
Eldredge’s book won’t end your addiction. It won’t heal your ailments. It won’t bring peace to an ailing heart. Books don’t do that. But God does. And this book testifies to the beauty of God’s story. It accentuates a biblical archetype that is striking. In so doing it brings us face-to-face with God: it brings us to Christ himself, naked and bleeding upon the cross; to Christ the king, enthroned, ushering us to be obedient in his kingdom; to that tree of life, with its fruit in all seasons. Eldredge writes as one who as tasted and seen. He is not a guide so much as a fellow traveler.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I came to Blaine Eldredge’s book intent on reencountering God so that I might rejuvenate a faith which has grown in complacency through the daily coming and going, the endless to and fro, the serfdom of comfort. Quickly I realized that Eldredge could provide no such thing. His book is no cure-all—it is not the antidote to the world, the flesh, and the devil. Eldredge’s writing will probably not stand the tests of time: he merely retells another’s story; he enjoins his storytelling to a style which is unique and untested; and he says nothing which has not already been said elsewhere (by perhaps greater men). You should buy this book, however, because it is *good*.
Likely you, Comment Reader, are already familiar with the stories you will read in Eldredge’s book. They are not new. You likely already have them on your shelf. But those stories are hard to engage because of their familiarity. They are impossibly dense because of our impossibly dense mental baggage associated with them: we remember Old Mrs. Frandle with her double-knit sweater vest recalling the David and Goliath story in a classroom not unlike the 8-hour torture cells of our childhood weekdays. She wasn’t interesting. “David won the battle because he was the only person to use a slingshot or some such thing—that was why he rejected the armor.” Despite all Old Mrs. Frandle’s sincerity, we missed *encounter* with the Bible through her. We grew accustomed to Wholly boring Writ. Eldredge doesn’t make scripture interesting with new-fangled devices. Eldredge is instead interested in scripture and tells us what is interesting to him. This is undoubtedly more effective and better. To read this book is to encounter one who has read these stories and wasn’t bored, invigorating the stories for us along the way.
Eldredge is persuasive and clear; his words clearly emanate from an awake imagination; but his style—the frequent transition from narrative to history to footnote to third-person dialogue to first-person recollection—is genre defying. It is a style which I have not encountered before. Its oscillatory effect is not bad, as it directly contributes to the reader experience. Eldredge is attempting (and succeeding) to weave a literary fabric. He is not positing a thesis with supports and anecdotes. This is not his father’s work and this is not your father’s Christian book on the shelf. It is something unique. Novelty can be an easy entrapment and is frequently synonymous with heresy; however, this singleness of style smells not of the masturbatory tendencies of society, rather it seems to blossom directly from Eldredge’s encounter with the very stories which he retells (…and to my point about heresy… it is not there. Those who seek to find it will create it to attack. But as a confessionally orthodox and catholic Christian, I find no qualms and no stench of pseudodoxos). The style has its faults at times—mostly reader confusion. But it also has its benefits. It is personal. It is meet and right. In a hundred years, this shall not be the style of choice. Though for now, we can enjoy it here in Eldredge’s work.
For many years I have read theological commentaries and listened to podcasts elucidating literary minutiae found in scripture. It has been hard to, however, do anything with that knowledge. It doesn’t need application to be worthwhile (Protestant preaching seems to whore after “application”), but it felt like it was merely amassed. This is the beauty of Eldredge. He is not telling you how to read scripture, he is reading scripture. Imagine going to the Art Institute of Chicago to hear someone talk about what went into a good painting and then leaving without having looked at any art. Or alternatively imagine looking at good paintings without every understanding the context for the art. Both would be poor ways to engage the Midwest’s great art museum. So much of our Biblical engagement falls into one of these modes of engaging scripture: commentaries and theology become context without art, reading plans become art without context. Eldredge though stands apart from these two. He is no art historian explaining the features of the Baroque period. He, too, is no artist painting the great Story of Salvation. He is merely a student of both. And a student capable of communicating what he has learned. Eldredge read the same books I did, but he was molded by them and changed by them. He walked into the museum and examined the art. He saw what there was to behold. And then he brings that back to us, here. Eldredge stands for us as an example of one who has heard the Word of God, who was read the commentaries, and has plucked the fruit of the two’s consummation.
Eldredge’s book won’t end your addiction. It won’t heal your ailments. It won’t bring peace to an ailing heart. Books don’t do that. But God does. And this book testifies to the beauty of God’s story. It accentuates a biblical archetype that is striking. In so doing it brings us face-to-face with God: it brings us to Christ himself, naked and bleeding upon the cross; to Christ the king, enthroned, ushering us to be obedient in his kingdom; to that tree of life, with its fruit in all seasons. Eldredge writes as one who as tasted and seen. He is not a guide so much as a fellow traveler.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 3, 2023
Reading scripture requires Spirit-led imagination. Without it, you’ll only skim the surface. In The Paradise King, Blaine Eldrege humbly lends you his imagination, informed by years of intense scholarship, to plunge you into the depths of the story of God. It’s not without risk, bringing imagination to such an important book, but there are few I’d trust as much to lead the journey.
Whisked along through the history of the world, I saw and felt that it was my story. Through one portrait after another, I knew the hopes and fears of history’s greatest characters, and I felt their deep need for a savior. I saw Eden alive before me. I wandered and fought with the powerful nomad, Abram. I stood knee deep in the sea with Moses, pondering the way forward. With David, I chose mercy. With Josiah, I felt the weight of idols and met them in battle. Finally, I saw Jesus, standing in each of their footprints, redeeming their steps, gently cleansing the world and reversing the tide of history. I saw the fire in His eyes and that it was love.
Having drunk so deeply of the story of God and communed with its characters, I can genuinely say I am not the same. How could I be? The Paradise King is a great treasure, I have purchased copies for all my friends, and I will revisit it often.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Whisked along through the history of the world, I saw and felt that it was my story. Through one portrait after another, I knew the hopes and fears of history’s greatest characters, and I felt their deep need for a savior. I saw Eden alive before me. I wandered and fought with the powerful nomad, Abram. I stood knee deep in the sea with Moses, pondering the way forward. With David, I chose mercy. With Josiah, I felt the weight of idols and met them in battle. Finally, I saw Jesus, standing in each of their footprints, redeeming their steps, gently cleansing the world and reversing the tide of history. I saw the fire in His eyes and that it was love.
Having drunk so deeply of the story of God and communed with its characters, I can genuinely say I am not the same. How could I be? The Paradise King is a great treasure, I have purchased copies for all my friends, and I will revisit it often.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 13, 2024
I knew within a few pages of beginning that this could be a book with potential to help enchant the dormant coals of my biblical imagination. By its end, I had indeed found it to be a full-hearted gesture towards the baptized storytelling I believe so crucial in fronting the anxious and vain distractions of our age. Truly a wonderful read.
Yet I confess that I had I read the book twice in order to fully sort out my own responses to it, as well as to clarify how I might potentially recommend it to friends and future parishioners as someone who is thoroughly on board with Eldredge’s project to re-enchant the biblical story. On one hand, The Paradise King is so engrossing that I initially feared that the un-careful reader might be tempted to internalize it as Scriptural canon rather than narrative midrash. On the other, I struggled initially to accept its vernacular style as consonant with the re-enchantment project — as I detail below, I ultimately had to conclude that this was mostly a fault of my own.
Eldredge is a wonderfully evocative storyteller with a real genius for discerning what might be going on between the lines of a given story (his research only enhances this fact); many of the scenes he conjures are, truly, pure magic. Where I struggled at points was in the seeming discontinuity between the high elevation of his storytelling and the rather low elevation of his language, as he often employs a vernacular syntax to stories that I would prefer to be retold in a mythic high fashion. In the ended, I don’t think this can be construed as a knock on the book, though, for my own preference is almost solely a product of reading too much Tolkien, and to read Eldredge charitably requires me to admit my own deficiency in being able to receive high drama told in the vernacular. To do otherwise would be to miss the forest for the trees, and Eldredge’s forest is certainly cousin to and a gesture towards the same broad goals of re-enchantment pursued by folks like the good Professor.
As such, Eldredge’s work is a one of translation, of making the joys of narrative typology accessible and immersive in such a way that readers will be driven back to Scripture with eyes better trained to receive its glories and the King to whom it testifies.
Yet I confess that I had I read the book twice in order to fully sort out my own responses to it, as well as to clarify how I might potentially recommend it to friends and future parishioners as someone who is thoroughly on board with Eldredge’s project to re-enchant the biblical story. On one hand, The Paradise King is so engrossing that I initially feared that the un-careful reader might be tempted to internalize it as Scriptural canon rather than narrative midrash. On the other, I struggled initially to accept its vernacular style as consonant with the re-enchantment project — as I detail below, I ultimately had to conclude that this was mostly a fault of my own.
Eldredge is a wonderfully evocative storyteller with a real genius for discerning what might be going on between the lines of a given story (his research only enhances this fact); many of the scenes he conjures are, truly, pure magic. Where I struggled at points was in the seeming discontinuity between the high elevation of his storytelling and the rather low elevation of his language, as he often employs a vernacular syntax to stories that I would prefer to be retold in a mythic high fashion. In the ended, I don’t think this can be construed as a knock on the book, though, for my own preference is almost solely a product of reading too much Tolkien, and to read Eldredge charitably requires me to admit my own deficiency in being able to receive high drama told in the vernacular. To do otherwise would be to miss the forest for the trees, and Eldredge’s forest is certainly cousin to and a gesture towards the same broad goals of re-enchantment pursued by folks like the good Professor.
As such, Eldredge’s work is a one of translation, of making the joys of narrative typology accessible and immersive in such a way that readers will be driven back to Scripture with eyes better trained to receive its glories and the King to whom it testifies.
February 18, 2024
I have just finished.
And let me say it again, this book is breathtaking.
There were many, many moments in which I truly had to catch my breath.
That is no exaggeration.
I read over a 100 books a year. I do not tell you this to brag, but only so you will understand the meaning when I say I have never read a book like this one.
It is the Bible and the Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings and Beowulf and The Chronicles of Narnia and every glorious story that makes you glad to live in the knowledge of the King of Kings and the knowledge that there is so much more than we can see with our eyes though our eyes are always stretching out to see things as they really are.
If you are bored with life and a staid religion, this book just might make you want to reach into the sky and climb inside.
And abide in the Vine. And drink deeply the wine of his love and joy and kindness.
If the dry crusty bread of theological precision has stolen the wonder and joy of following Jesus, I strongly recommend this work.
If you have tasted the bitterness of death…the death of a spouse…a child…*your* child…the child you impatiently wait to hold again or maybe for the first time, this piece of writing may hold for you a balm of comfort in the promise of the Paradise King.
I have never read a book like this.
I don’t think I’m exaggerating.
I think it’s the honest truth.
Often I have told people I don’t believe in “must read” books. I still believe this.
I do.
But…
I have never read anything like this book before.
And let me say it again, this book is breathtaking.
There were many, many moments in which I truly had to catch my breath.
That is no exaggeration.
I read over a 100 books a year. I do not tell you this to brag, but only so you will understand the meaning when I say I have never read a book like this one.
It is the Bible and the Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings and Beowulf and The Chronicles of Narnia and every glorious story that makes you glad to live in the knowledge of the King of Kings and the knowledge that there is so much more than we can see with our eyes though our eyes are always stretching out to see things as they really are.
If you are bored with life and a staid religion, this book just might make you want to reach into the sky and climb inside.
And abide in the Vine. And drink deeply the wine of his love and joy and kindness.
If the dry crusty bread of theological precision has stolen the wonder and joy of following Jesus, I strongly recommend this work.
If you have tasted the bitterness of death…the death of a spouse…a child…*your* child…the child you impatiently wait to hold again or maybe for the first time, this piece of writing may hold for you a balm of comfort in the promise of the Paradise King.
I have never read a book like this.
I don’t think I’m exaggerating.
I think it’s the honest truth.
Often I have told people I don’t believe in “must read” books. I still believe this.
I do.
But…
I have never read anything like this book before.
November 3, 2023
This book does more than bring the Bible to life. It turns it into an epic fantasy story that happens to be TRUE.
Part story, part biblical commentary, part historical commentary, part poetry. Completely Beautiful. It's unlike any book I've read before. I am left in awe and inspired in a thousand ways. I can't wait to more deeply explore the many appendices and references made throughout the book.
And I can't wait for Blaine's second book.
P.S. I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
P.P.S But I can't wait to purchase a hard copy and hold this piece of art in my hands.
Part story, part biblical commentary, part historical commentary, part poetry. Completely Beautiful. It's unlike any book I've read before. I am left in awe and inspired in a thousand ways. I can't wait to more deeply explore the many appendices and references made throughout the book.
And I can't wait for Blaine's second book.
P.S. I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
P.P.S But I can't wait to purchase a hard copy and hold this piece of art in my hands.
May 18, 2025
TLDR: If you’re the type of person who cries at The Chosen and has a Goodreads account, you’ll probably want to read this
I don’t know if Blaine Eldredge is a theologian or historian—I’m not sure all of his citations or connections or assumptions hold up—but he is without a doubt a poet.
There are so many blessings to growing up in the church, but I fear one of the challenges is that often your knowledge of Scripture is reduced to the flannelgraphs of old. When I read the Last Supper, I see Jesus and the disciples and the table on a green felt board. There is a little loaf of bread on the table and a little cup of wine (grape juice??). It’s even MORE so with the Old Testament!! We don’t have a flannelgraph Josiah or Shaphan. There isn’t a good way to tell children of how deeply Israel has fallen or the true evil, darkness, torment of the temples to the pagan gods—you can’t have those made out of felt or put into a nice Sunday School song. But to understand the Biblical arc, you have to understand the lowest points, and I think Eldredge’s prose builds a setting, casts the extras, frames the camera, adds the score, and truly allows you to PICTURE the stories of the Bible in a rich and visceral way. I have never been scared or creeped out reading a Bible story, until now, but there’s a lot in there to be creeped out by!! And maybe if I wasn’t, I wasn’t really getting it.
This is the best portrait of the harrowing of Hell, the best painting of the stories of the Old Testament, the clearest image of the second coming, I’ve ever read. And I don’t think their accuracy is critical to them being edifying. What I DO think is critical: I love Jesus more after reading it; this is first time I have cried with joy realizing that moment in the air with the Bridegroom and the saints is GUARANTEED; I have an increased hunger for Scripture, for the Word, for knowledge of who God is!!
Each time I picked this book up I prayed that the Lord would use what I read to edify me and that if something was not of God, could my eyes just skim right past it?? And I think with that sort of posture and asking the Holy Spirit to help discern, this book can be one of the richest things you read all year.
(If you do end up reading it, I wanna talk about it w someone!!!!! Lmk!!!!!)
I don’t know if Blaine Eldredge is a theologian or historian—I’m not sure all of his citations or connections or assumptions hold up—but he is without a doubt a poet.
There are so many blessings to growing up in the church, but I fear one of the challenges is that often your knowledge of Scripture is reduced to the flannelgraphs of old. When I read the Last Supper, I see Jesus and the disciples and the table on a green felt board. There is a little loaf of bread on the table and a little cup of wine (grape juice??). It’s even MORE so with the Old Testament!! We don’t have a flannelgraph Josiah or Shaphan. There isn’t a good way to tell children of how deeply Israel has fallen or the true evil, darkness, torment of the temples to the pagan gods—you can’t have those made out of felt or put into a nice Sunday School song. But to understand the Biblical arc, you have to understand the lowest points, and I think Eldredge’s prose builds a setting, casts the extras, frames the camera, adds the score, and truly allows you to PICTURE the stories of the Bible in a rich and visceral way. I have never been scared or creeped out reading a Bible story, until now, but there’s a lot in there to be creeped out by!! And maybe if I wasn’t, I wasn’t really getting it.
This is the best portrait of the harrowing of Hell, the best painting of the stories of the Old Testament, the clearest image of the second coming, I’ve ever read. And I don’t think their accuracy is critical to them being edifying. What I DO think is critical: I love Jesus more after reading it; this is first time I have cried with joy realizing that moment in the air with the Bridegroom and the saints is GUARANTEED; I have an increased hunger for Scripture, for the Word, for knowledge of who God is!!
Each time I picked this book up I prayed that the Lord would use what I read to edify me and that if something was not of God, could my eyes just skim right past it?? And I think with that sort of posture and asking the Holy Spirit to help discern, this book can be one of the richest things you read all year.
(If you do end up reading it, I wanna talk about it w someone!!!!! Lmk!!!!!)
March 23, 2024
A beautiful, beautiful book. Can’t wait to read it again.
November 2, 2023
I suspect this has been a passion project of Eldredge's as evidenced by the tremendous detailed research into so many different aspects of the Bible. I'd be surprised if any reader isn't wowed by its quality and depth and there is much to learn from it.
Similarly, Eldredge has applied his imagination to the various stories and this brings a new freshness and wonder to them.
For much of the book, I wasn't sure how to place it. Is it fiction, non-fiction, an academic thesis or something else? Finally, I settled in my own mind as it being a narrative non-fiction piece of work that reveals the great love of our triune God. Accordingly, I'm not sure, it's a book for everybody. I'd even say that it's not really my preferred form of reading a story. The many footnotes soon became a distraction for me. Yes, the footnotes are fabulously informative but they kept taking me out of the story. I found it a book I'd prefer to study that simply read. And perhaps that's what it requires because to fully understand Jesus we do indeed need to spend lots of time with Him, talking and listening, and learning.
I found this a good way to cover some of the Old Testament. Eldredge brought elements of it alive that I hadn't previously experienced. His summaries of long periods of time are also great to read.
I missed some of the romance of the Biblical story. To my mind, the Bible is the most wonderful romance ever told and being in communion with Jesus is the greatest romance we'll ever experience. And I didn't get this from this book. Yes, I understand why David is not everybody's favourite but he was a wonderful lover as evidenced by his Psalms and we didn't get that. His poetry, songs and depth of affection for Jonathan, for example, reflect a man who has a very big heart. Certainly, he has his flaws as we all do but he is also has some tremendous strengths and we can learn much from both. And Jesus' tenderness throughout the Gospels is unique and once again, I didn't experience that while reading this excellent book.
All great stories will effect readers differently depending on our own experiences and states of our own hearts. This is a very good work and makes we want to pursue The Paradise King with even greater abandon, which in my mind makes this a very worthwhile and engaging read.
I feel very fortunate having received an early ebook version of the book direct from Blaine Eldredge. However, this has had no bearing on my review.
Similarly, Eldredge has applied his imagination to the various stories and this brings a new freshness and wonder to them.
For much of the book, I wasn't sure how to place it. Is it fiction, non-fiction, an academic thesis or something else? Finally, I settled in my own mind as it being a narrative non-fiction piece of work that reveals the great love of our triune God. Accordingly, I'm not sure, it's a book for everybody. I'd even say that it's not really my preferred form of reading a story. The many footnotes soon became a distraction for me. Yes, the footnotes are fabulously informative but they kept taking me out of the story. I found it a book I'd prefer to study that simply read. And perhaps that's what it requires because to fully understand Jesus we do indeed need to spend lots of time with Him, talking and listening, and learning.
I found this a good way to cover some of the Old Testament. Eldredge brought elements of it alive that I hadn't previously experienced. His summaries of long periods of time are also great to read.
I missed some of the romance of the Biblical story. To my mind, the Bible is the most wonderful romance ever told and being in communion with Jesus is the greatest romance we'll ever experience. And I didn't get this from this book. Yes, I understand why David is not everybody's favourite but he was a wonderful lover as evidenced by his Psalms and we didn't get that. His poetry, songs and depth of affection for Jonathan, for example, reflect a man who has a very big heart. Certainly, he has his flaws as we all do but he is also has some tremendous strengths and we can learn much from both. And Jesus' tenderness throughout the Gospels is unique and once again, I didn't experience that while reading this excellent book.
All great stories will effect readers differently depending on our own experiences and states of our own hearts. This is a very good work and makes we want to pursue The Paradise King with even greater abandon, which in my mind makes this a very worthwhile and engaging read.
I feel very fortunate having received an early ebook version of the book direct from Blaine Eldredge. However, this has had no bearing on my review.
January 27, 2024
The fruit of a baptized imagination that has been fermented in Scripture and mixed with the sweet spices of the Spirit. No, it’s not the nectar of the gods…it’s better. Strong wine and deep laughter, burning tears and beating hearts. What a book. I felt like I was sitting around a campfire with the saints. A must read.
January 19, 2024
Absolutely spectacular. If we all read the Bible with this level of divine imagination on a regular basis, we might actually begin to fathom the true depth and beauty of Scripture.
November 1, 2023
I just finished The Paradise King and it was a rich feast of theology, history, and imagination. If you want to see the Jesus of the biblical narrative more vividly and perhaps experience the reality and goodness of God more deeply, this book needs to be on your list. It’s a dance between faithful intellectual rigor and the playfulness of a true poet’s imagination. My first instinct upon closing the book is to read it again, much more slowly—and there are few books that elicit this reaction from me. Those who are familiar with Blaine Eldredge through his podcasts and other writings will already know he is brilliant. What comes through in this work is not just that, but the fact that his brilliance may only be exceeded by his love. His love for the kings from the biblical narrative which he illuminates in this work (though not always at first), his love for the texture and beauty of life, his love for the people around him. The book drips with his love for Jesus. Even his love for his readers is evident in choice moments in which he vulnerably and generously includes his own experiences of discovering and rediscovering Jesus in the depths of his own pain and disillusionment, and in the humble and practical clarion call in the last chapter to join him in following The Paradise King, until that day when the paradise we were all made for returns to earth. I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 2, 2023
It has been said that every generation loses the gospel, and that every generation is charged with recovering its power. Blaine Eldredge has taken this seemingly insurmountable task and delivered with a book that is masterful and beautiful in its conveyance of the through line that stretches from Genesis 1:1 to the closing "Amen" of Revelation. If the bible is one unified story that leads to Jesus, The Paradise King is a faithful guide taking the reader through the tragic history of a selection of Old Testament kings, each who point uniquely and imperfectly toward the hope that all mankind and creation itself are waiting for in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. Eldredge brings the cultural and historical context of each tale, something typically only found in long form academic volumes in the libraries of theologians and Hebrew scholars to the reader in a way that is accessible and beautiful. The depth of research and historical data in the footnotes are an incredible invitation for readers to continue in the intrigue of this book's offering, but they do not detract from the heart of the text. I wept as I read the final pages and encountered Jesus deeply and authentically. I found myself longing genuinely for the coming kingdom that is promised in The Bible, and filled with a legitimate sense of the reality of such a future. This is an important book.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 26, 2025
Love the historical perspective of this book. Really opens your eyes to how the ancient world viewed the spiritual realm. Love how the author chose certain Biblical figures to tell these stories. Feels like “The Chosen” in book form for the Old Testament. Great read!
June 14, 2024
I have mixed feelings about this book. One one hand, it's beautiful and so much research has gone into it--it makes the biblical characters it focuses on so much more compelling and believable, like people we would meet today.
However, I'm not a huge fan of the writing style. It's very clunky at times and not very rhythmic. Some theological points brought up in the book are a bit iffy (but at least not salvific ones).
I do seem to be the minority here though, so take my review with a grain of salt.
However, I'm not a huge fan of the writing style. It's very clunky at times and not very rhythmic. Some theological points brought up in the book are a bit iffy (but at least not salvific ones).
I do seem to be the minority here though, so take my review with a grain of salt.
November 2, 2023
Blaine takes the stories from the Bible and brings them to life with depth and meaning.
This book will inspire you to read the Word in a different way. Thinking deeply about the characters emotions, thoughts and feelings.
It was a very enjoyable read!
(I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.)
This book will inspire you to read the Word in a different way. Thinking deeply about the characters emotions, thoughts and feelings.
It was a very enjoyable read!
(I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.)
November 24, 2024
Favorite book of the year! If you’ve ever asked yourself why stories of Harry Potter or Luke Skywalker are more entertaining than the creator of all stories, this book is for you.
May 19, 2025
(4.6): a GREAT book
I haven’t been this captivated by the stories in scripture in a while.
From a theological standpoint im unsure. It feels like the same risk you take when watching The Chosen. You have to put a lot of trust in the authors imagination, and thus his research as he paints more broad picture of scripture than ive seen before, with images that will stick in your mind.
I love the depictions of Moses and David. I’ve definitely had a pretty narrow view of both men, and it was so refreshing to take a deeper dive into their complexities and how they point to Jesus.
The last few chapters are by far the best, and really should be read in one sitting. They paint a beautiful picture of Jesus returning, and I need to consider the joy of that coming moment more.
Read this book if you want to read scripture in a fresh way and fall more in love with Jesus.
I haven’t been this captivated by the stories in scripture in a while.
From a theological standpoint im unsure. It feels like the same risk you take when watching The Chosen. You have to put a lot of trust in the authors imagination, and thus his research as he paints more broad picture of scripture than ive seen before, with images that will stick in your mind.
I love the depictions of Moses and David. I’ve definitely had a pretty narrow view of both men, and it was so refreshing to take a deeper dive into their complexities and how they point to Jesus.
The last few chapters are by far the best, and really should be read in one sitting. They paint a beautiful picture of Jesus returning, and I need to consider the joy of that coming moment more.
Read this book if you want to read scripture in a fresh way and fall more in love with Jesus.
July 2, 2024
Beautiful. Read this book if you want to restore the joy of your salvation. Just a simple quote from the end:
“I say it again: God did not make the universe to die. He
made it to increase. We are the creation of infinite love,
made for hard work and passion and pleasure, made to
share in the very life of the Triune God, and we have only
begun to taste what our hearts and hands are for. One man
only, the God Man, Jesus himself, God himself, whose two
natures mingle without confusion, without disparity, shows
God's uncovered plan for the future.”
“I say it again: God did not make the universe to die. He
made it to increase. We are the creation of infinite love,
made for hard work and passion and pleasure, made to
share in the very life of the Triune God, and we have only
begun to taste what our hearts and hands are for. One man
only, the God Man, Jesus himself, God himself, whose two
natures mingle without confusion, without disparity, shows
God's uncovered plan for the future.”
April 19, 2025
Ten stars. Stayed up late on Good Friday to finish this remarkable book. A blending of significant Biblical narratives, mind-blowing historical and cultural context, confluence of the supernatural and material worlds, profound metaphors, and vivid imagination expressed in delicious prose—all to give an overwhelmingly marvelous portrait of Jesus and what He means to our past, present, and future.
Before getting to the Messiah, the spotlight lands on Adam, Abraham, Moses, David, and Josiah (woot! I have long loved the story of Josiah!).
This is a deeply creative work, not a systematic theology textbook. But READ ALL THE FOOTNOTES. Though you can skip the footnotes on the footnotes (!).
Is this a novel? No, but parts read like a novel. Maybe call it creative nonfiction?
It’s so good, friends. Do your mind and heart a favor and read it ASAP.
PS. It contains the best case I’ve ever read for Jesus being a man full of humor and wit.
Before getting to the Messiah, the spotlight lands on Adam, Abraham, Moses, David, and Josiah (woot! I have long loved the story of Josiah!).
This is a deeply creative work, not a systematic theology textbook. But READ ALL THE FOOTNOTES. Though you can skip the footnotes on the footnotes (!).
Is this a novel? No, but parts read like a novel. Maybe call it creative nonfiction?
It’s so good, friends. Do your mind and heart a favor and read it ASAP.
PS. It contains the best case I’ve ever read for Jesus being a man full of humor and wit.
April 13, 2025
This book illuminates Scripture in a new light unlike any other literature I’ve read. It does not compromise or make light of God’s Word in any sense, but offers an insightful and compelling narrative bringing it to life and making you feel as if you’re in the middle of the history. If you ever wondered what it would be like to have a front-row seat to David’s band of outlaws, the devastating effects of the 10 plagues in Egypt, or the dark, yet hopeful day of the crucifixion, this book is for you.
May 10, 2024
I really, really love this book. If I ever find myself feeling disconnected with goodness or beauty or truth, I will hopefully reread it. It’s a rich amalgamation of history and poetry, theology and narrative imagination. At one point pondering the nature and ancient understandings of Eden, the next sitting on the shores of the Sea of Galilee feeling its breeze with my feet in the water, it is moving to the spirit and mind and body.
October 3, 2025
Absolutely beautiful book about God’s history with humanity and His plan for eternity. This book is filled with creative, well-researched narratives of key biblical figures leading up to Jesus, giving rich color to stories many of us have heard for so many years. It felt like reading a blend of fantasy, academia, and theology… all pointing to the good and redemptive God who saves His people from the shadowlands of sin and death. I recommend this book, including the footnotes.
May 20, 2024
A beautifully written, wonderful encapsulation of the biblical text. Followers of Jesus in western cultures get bogged down and desensitized to scripture, often lost in the weeds and missing the greater story that God is trying to tell. This book recaptures the epic narrative and reminds us that the story is good and headed towards redemption and restoration.
March 23, 2025
Do your self a favor and pace yourself- savor the writing, the prose, and style of Blaine Eldredge. He is a mix of mystic, philosopher, and scholar that is a force for the Kingdom of God. It took awhile for me to settle into his writing style, but once I did there was much to gain. This book brings wisdom and beauty to the story of God. What a treasure.
April 8, 2025
Easily one of the most compelling books on faith that I have read in a while. It is both encouraging and challenging. I think for me it was just helpful to read through and be steeped in the stories he chooses to write on. It’s brilliantly researched too, so that’s nice!
December 12, 2025
The biblical authors had an enchanted worldview, which is to say they had a biblical worldview. As we read our modern translations there are many enchantments that would have been obvious to ancient readers, but are invisible to our own. Blaine Eldredge helps us see the scriptures through ancient eyes. This book was an answer to my prayer, “Lord, enchant my worldview”.
November 27, 2023
Thank you Blaine for making the words on paper in my Bible come to life! I could “see” and “feel” the stories in a fresh, exhilarating way!
December 7, 2023
this book genuinely embodies the true, good, and beautiful. the prose is gripping and lovely, theology is solid and presented in simple yet mysterious terms. i understand Jesus so much better after reading this and thus understand my self better as well. the conclusion had me in tears. while this book talks about so many sad things it is truly a story of joy which was from the beginning and will never cease. i would recommend this to anyone and everyone.
December 30, 2023
This is without a doubt one of the greatest books I have ever read. It has changed my life. Do yourself a favor and read it. Please.
January 3, 2024
Read it. Just do it. Theologically brilliant. And tells a beautiful story too. Don’t worry about parsing it out too much. We can spend the rest of our lives doing that. But read it.
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