Tracing God's Story: An Introduction to Biblical Theology

by Jon Nielson

An Accessible Guide to Biblical Theology by Pastor Jon Nielson

The Bible is comprised of 66 distinct books by 40 different authors—yet it tells one story. How do the events from the beginning of creation to the foundation of the church weave into one cohesive narrative? Through the study of biblical theology, we can gain a better understanding of how the Bible presents a clear and consistent storyline of the creator God and his redemptive work in the world.

Part of the Theology Basics series, Tracing God’s Story makes biblical theology clear, meaningful, and practical for those looking for a highly accessible guide to studying God’s word. Author and pastor Jon Nielson covers a wide range of stories from Genesis to Revelation, offering a big-picture application, verse-by-verse analysis, and a suggested memory verse for each Scripture passage. Ultimately readers will be encouraged to passionately study God’s great story until the day they join in the final chapter. 

Clear Language and Easy-to-Follow  Ideal for new Christians, students, or anyone wanting a highly accessible guide to biblical theology; perfect for individual or group study  Each Scripture passage is accompanied by a big-picture application, verse-by-verse analysis, and a suggested memory verse  Part of the Theology Basics  A collection of books and study guides to introduce students to systematic theology, biblical theology, and biblical interpretation  Companion Workbook and Video Series Sold  Invites further interaction with the text to integrate study with application

Genres: Theology

384 pages, Hardcover

Published August 13, 2024

About the author

Jon Nielson has worked as director of training for the Charles Simeon Trust, an organization that provides training in biblical exposition. He is currently college pastor at College Church in Wheaton, Illinois, and is author of Bible Study: A Student's Guide.

Reviews

[Dr. David Steele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tracing God’s Story by Jon Nielson is a helpful introduction to biblical theology that reaches across a diversity of interest levels and educational backgrounds. The book is basic enough for newcomers to biblical theology but contains enough detail to please more seasoned students.

Nielson’s work is arranged in eight scenes, including:

God’s Creation and a Crisis

God’s Promise of a People

God’s People Grow

God’s Kingdom - Rise and Fall

God’s People - Captive and Coming Home

God’s Salvation

God’s Church

God’s Eternity

Tracing God’s Story presents the big story of redemptive history which begins with creation and culminates with a New Heaven and New Earth. Each section contains two chapters respectively that invite readers to read significant portions of Scripture with broad descriptions of the narrative, a helpful review section, and a challenge to pray through the material presented. The author is careful to keep the focus on the Lord Jesus Christ - from creation to the cross, culminating in eternity future.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

First sentence: Biblical theology is a discipline that seeks to discover theology (truth about God and his work) through the gradual and progressive revelation of his saving plan in the story of the Bible. This is often done by tracing certain themes or ideas through Scripture from beginning to end--Genesis to Revelation. The core conviction of those who practice the discipline of biblical theology is that the Bible is a unified work--a book inspired by one divine author (God) and given to human beings to help them understand his broad saving plan, which ultimately was accomplished through the death and resurrection of his Son, Jesus Christ.

Tracing God's Story is one of three books in an introductory theology series. Two have been published so far. The first book, Knowing God's Truth, I reviewed last month. It was an introduction to systematic theology. Though written by the same author, the approach, of course, is different.

The book "traces" the big picture story of the Bible in eight scenes:
1) God's creation and a crisis
2) God's promise of a people
3) God's people grow
4) God's kingdom--rise and fall
5) God's people--captive and coming home
6) God's salvation
7) God's church
8) God's eternity

The tracing centers on redemption and salvation. It neither follows the structure of Genesis through Revelation nor a chronological approach. It is a blended approach.

There are suggested memory verses for all sixteen chapters. Each chapter is broken into smaller sections or chunks.

There are also suggested readings for each section of each chapter. These readings reminded me of the old school reading guides found in The Student Bible (and the like). It does not assign readers chapters from every book of the Bible. But it does at least assign chapters from all the major genres.

The narrative style is accessible, well thought out, clear.

I do think Tracing God's Story would be a good choice for curriculum.

How does it compare to Knowing God's Truth???? Honestly, I like Knowing God's Truth better. Not necessarily because I love systematic theology more than biblical theology, but perhaps because I am personally already so familiar with the story of the Bible--reading it cover to cover--that I got less out of it. I do think it would still be great for almost every reader. The goal is not necessarily to have readers read every chapter of every book of the Bible in order to grasp the big picture. It picks a few chapters here and there from all the major categories and then summarizes how they fit together. Of course, it encourages readers to go back and read more, more, more. Perhaps this is enough so readers can taste and see. Whenever I see reading plans that pick and choose which chapters from individual books to read, I always can't help thinking but you're missing out on this and this and this and this and this and what about that how can you skip that. But again, I think this is a me problem.

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

How can you get a big-picture look at the Bible? In Tracing God’s Story, Jon Nielson provides an insightful introduction to biblical theology, making it accessible and engaging for readers at all levels. The book emphasizes the importance of personal study and reading of the Bible, encouraging you to dive deep into the text and discover its rich layers of meaning.


Events and Themes

Nielson masterfully helps you see the big picture of Scripture as a developing storyline, centered around the gospel. He invites you to see yourself within God’s great narrative, highlighting how various accounts weave together to reveal profound truths about his character and plan for humanity.

Chapters are thoughtfully divided into different scenes, guiding you through significant events and themes. Each section highlights important facts to notice in the text, providing steps and implications that deepen understanding. He provides takeaway lessons that resonate with contemporary life, making the ancient texts feel relevant and applicable.


Explanations and Connections

I was particularly pleased to see how Nielson navigates the split of the nation and the exile period. This era has always been one of the most challenging aspects of Israel’s history for me to grasp, but this book clarified and brought the narrative together. The explanations and connections from Nielson helped me fill in my missing gaps.

The sections between the crucifixion and the beginning of the Church were especially compelling. I found myself caught up in the excitement of what it means to be a New Testament believer, with Nielson's insights shedding light on the significance of new life in Christ.


God's Unfolding Story

Towards the end of the book, I was most impressed by Neilson's ability to use the entire Bible to pull you into the future, not just through the lens of Revelation but also by revisiting passages in Isaiah and Daniel. This holistic approach gave me a deeper appreciation for the continuity of Scripture and its ultimate fulfillment in Christ.

Tracing God’s Story is a valuable resource for anyone looking to understand the overarching narrative of the Bible and their place within it. I benefit from this book as a preacher and teacher, but also as a simple student of God's word. Nielson’s engaging style and thoughtful approach make this book a satisfying and refreshing read for both newcomers and seasoned believers seeking to enrich their understanding of God's unfolding story.


I received a media copy of Tracing God's Story and this is my honest review.

[Panda Incognito · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book introduces readers to biblical theology, showing them how they can read the Bible as a single, unified story that centers around the person and work of Jesus Christ. Author Jon Nielson guides readers through the Bible in a thoughtful, well-organized way, covering essential themes and details from the Bible through the structure of the following scenes:

God’s Creation and a Crisis
God’s Promise of a People
God’s People Grow
God’s Kingdom - Rise and Fall
God’s People - Captive and Coming Home
God’s Salvation
God’s Church
God’s Eternity

Instead of trying to go through the entirety of the Bible in chronological order, Nielson focuses on core parts of the story, and will reference other parts of the Bible at thematically appropriate times. For example, instead of just concluding the book with a study of Revelation, he also writes about prophecies from Daniel and Isaiah in the section about eternity.

The author's deep understanding of Scripture shines through this book, and his wide-ranging understanding of the big picture will help readers better understand the scope of the Bible and how it all fits together into God's redemptive story.

This book is very well-organized, with clear subject headings and clear markers for when someone should stop and read a particular Bible passage. The book also includes suggested memory verses, includes a review summary at the end of each chapter, and includes prayer prompts. The writing style is very straightforward and accessible, and the author explains things clearly to people who may not be very familiar with Christianity at all, while also encouraging longtime Christians into a deeper understanding of the Bible. Some books on this topic are very academic and dense, but this one is accessible to general audiences.

This book will be wonderful for new believers and Christians who haven't yet experienced this type of teaching, and it is a helpful review guide for people who are already well-grounded in understanding the Bible this way. This is great for self-paced individual reading, structured church classes, and family devotions with older kids and teens, and I highly recommend it.

I received a free copy from the publisher through Amazon Vine, and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Pat Phelps · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Tracing God's Story: An Introduction to Biblical Theology” by Jon Nielsen is a very useful book. This is a companion book to Nielsen’s book “Knowing God's Truth: An Introduction to Systematic Theology”. I would highly recommend both of these books.

Nielsen’s book on biblical theology is designed to help introduce the Bible reader to a beginner level understanding of Biblical interpretation of the scriptures. The author moves through the Bible beginning at Genesis and ending at the book of the Revelation, with points for study in every chapter. Again, this at a beginner level and is probably not for more advanced theologians.

If you have not read biblical theology or systematic theology before these books would be for you. I would begin with Nielsen’s systematic theology and finish with the biblical theology. Either way, I would recommend both books for any beginner.

“Take Up and Read” - Saint Augustine

[Arnold Keifer Navey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did not care for this volume as much as the other

[Benjamin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I guess I'm the odd man out. The publishers got several people well-known in the Reformed world to blurb this book. One typical comment (from Brian Cosby) is that the author "presents a clear, coherent, and compelling account of the metanarrative of redemptive history." It is clear. It is coherent, but I didn't find it compelling. Since I teach biblical theology and have done so for many years, I read a book like this to see if I can recommend it to my students, or perhaps use it as a textbook. I can't. These are my complaints. First, the book says virtually nothing about the role of the Law of Moses in biblical theology. Given that that issue is one of the most debated topics in biblical theology, it is a major gap in Nielson's treatment. In addition, there is no discussion of the role of the wisdom literature/poetic books in biblical theology, another major gap. Third, the treatment of New Testament material mostly devolves into a brief introduction and survey of the book under consideration, without an effective tie-in to the "metanarrative of redemptive history." Fourth, given that Nielson is a minister in the PCA, and is thus committed to the Westminster standards, I was deeply disappointed to see him dismiss the idea of the continuing Christian sabbath with no discussion. Again, the Sabbath is a significant element in redemptive history. For him to have given it the treatment that you regularly see among New Covenant theologians was frustrating.