the greatest story ever told - our daily bread...

CONTENTSThe Plot . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2The King’s Vision. . . . . . . 2The Gift Of Freedom . . . 5A Paradise Lost. . . . . . . . 9The Family Moves South . . . . . . . . . 13Across The River . . . . . 18The Collapse . . . . . . . . 22The Appearance Of A Great Teacher . . . . . . 24Death On A Holiday. . . 26Unexpected Results . . . 27Life-Changing News . . . 28The Fulfillment Of The King’s Vision. . . . . . 31Where Do You Find That In The Bible? . . . . . 32

THE GREATESTSTORY EVERTOLD

TThe world is full of stories.But there is one thatdeserves to be told more

than the rest. It’s a timelessstory of love and intrigue foundin a collection of 66 writingsknown around the world as theOld and New Testaments.

Yet, because the sections ofthis book do not always readlike a continuing story, itsunfolding drama is often missed.

What follows is a retelling of that story. The imaginationwe’ve used along the way ismeant to reflect conditions that are consistent with what we know about the people,places, and events of the mostpublished and timeless book in the world—the Bible.

Martin R. De Haan II

Managing Editor: David Sper Cover Photo:Terry BidgoodScripture quotations are from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by ThomasNelson, Inc. Used by permission.All rights reserved.© 1999,2004 RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, Michigan Printed in USA

© RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.

THE PLOT

AAgreat king appearsfrom a mysteriouspast to expand his

kingdom and to share hisvision for a free world wherecitizens willingly share hislife and values.

When members of thenew world rebel against him,the king shows his patience.Instead of forcibly restoringorder, he begins a longprocess of developing arelationship with those whoare willing to trust him.

The king’s heart is seen most clearly when he disguises himself as a servant and, at greatpersonal cost, goes to therescue of those who havefallen under the control of an evil rebel leader.

Although the king secures the ultimate safetyand happiness of his citizens, the battle for their hearts and minds goes on.

THE KING’SVISION

LLong ago, beforedinosaurs roamed

the earth, and beforelakes of oil pooled belowthe 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 evertold. All we know about him began when heappeared with a vision for a free world that would share his life andhappiness. What follows is his story—and ours.

BY HIS WORDSThe king’s first act was to make a place for his plan to unfold. With powerno one can explain, he gave a command and theuniverse exploded intoexistence. Later, as anewborn planet cooledunder the cover of water

2© RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.

and darkness, the king said,“Let there be light,” and thedarkness ranfrom him.1

While mostof the cosmosremainedbarren andempty, theking reacheddown and lifted vast islandsfrom the deep waters thatcovered his chosen planet.Then he transformed the dryground into a paradise ofrain forests and grasslands.He made high mountains,

deep valleys, and whitesandy beaches. He designedenvironments of enormouscomplexity. With unending

attention to detail, the kingfilled the earth with color,

texture,sound, andfragrance. Byeverything hemade, heshowed thebreadth of hispersonality

and greatness.With endless wisdom

and insight he filled the air,land, and oceans with livingcreatures of every shapeand kind. From camels to chimpanzees, frommicroscopic insects to giantredwood forests, the kingdesigned an endless varietyof plants and animals.

In all that he did, theking showed his ability tomake something out ofnothing and to bring orderout of chaos. By theimmensity and complexityof his universe, he showedthat nothing is too large ortoo small to escape hisattention or concern.

3

The king was greatenough to be

concerned about the smallest of details.


IN HIS LIKENESSTo put the finishing touchon all he had made, theking reached down and took a handful of clay.Under his gaze the lump ofearth took shape. Then theking breathed his likenessinto the form, and it became a man.2

As the man’s eyesopened, the mist and softlight of first dawn filled himwith wonder. Everythingwas new. The air was clean.The colors and fragranceswere fresh and gentle.

As he walked among the trees, the king’s likenesssensed that all eyes were on him. He caught the gazeof a white-tailed deer thatstopped grazing to look up.He reached out to stroke thecoat of a wolf that came togreet him. He laughed as alamb pushed the wolf asideand rubbed its head againsthis leg.

As the man becamefamiliar with the garden, he

grew in his admiration forthe wisdom and creativity of the king. There seemed to be no end to the king’simagination and goodness.

“All of these are mine,” the king said. “I’mentrusting them to you.3

Care for them and you willsee how I’ve cared for you.”

BY HIS LOVEFor a while, the caretakerbasked in the solitude of his work. At some point,however, he became awareof an emptiness withinhimself. Even though heenjoyed regular visits with the king and wassurrounded by friendly birds and animals, he hadno one like himself to share

4

“Care for them and you will seehow I’ve cared

for you.”


the emotions of discoveryand wonder.4

The king understood thecaretaker’s loneliness. Butinstead of taking anotherhandful of earth, he put hislikeness to sleep, removedsomething from around theman’s heart, and from itformed a second likeness.5

When the caretakerwoke and saw what the king had given him, hesmiled. The second likeness smiled back. Theywere alike, but they weredifferent. They laughed attheir ability to see what theother overlooked. Beforelong they were enjoyingtogether the work the kinghad given them to do.

These were good days for the first couple.They had a wonderfulrelationship with the kingand with each other. Onbalmy evenings they allwalked together among thetrees the king had placedunder their care.6

THE GIFT OFFREEDOM

TThe king had done so much for thecouple. Everything

in their garden home was a gift from him. But it wasthe king himself who wontheir hearts. He was full of surprises, but he didn’t hide how he felt aboutthem. His love and respectfor the caretakers wasobvious.

Even though the king could have controlledtheir every thought andaction, he was wise. At great risk, he gave them thegift of choice. He even gavethe caretakers enough spaceto walk away from him ifthey wanted to. He knewthat if they couldn’t leavehim, neither could theychoose to stay. Withoutfreedom of choice andexpression, the king’s vision for a free world could not be realized.


THE TEST OF TRUSTTo give the caretakersfreedom, the king plantedtwo trees in the center of thegarden. One he called thetree of life. The other hedescribed as the tree of theknowledge of good and evil.A central garden path forkedat the trees and went off intwo different directions.

Accordingto the king, the couplecould eat of all of the treesof the garden,with oneexception. Ifthey ate of the tree of theknowledge of good and evil, they would die.7

The caretakersunderstood that the kingwas giving them a choice.But they weren’t sure whatthe king meant by death. Hehad given them so much toenjoy. Why would he putanything off limits?

THE LOSS OFINNOCENCEThe man and woman wereabout to meet someone whohad more problems with theking’s rules than they did.Up until now, they didn’tknow the king had anyenemies.

The one who was aboutto walk into their lives hadnot always been a rebel. In

another timeand place, hetoo had beenentrusted withhonor andprivilege. Inthe service ofthe king he

was known by the names of “Light Bearer” and “Sonof the Morning.”8

At some point, however, Light Bearerbecame inflated with self-importance. Convinced thathe deserved everything hehad been given, he wantedwhat the king had withheld.Light Bearer began to


imagine what it would belike to rule rather than toserve. He became intriguedwith the thought of forminghis own kingdom. When he finally decided to leave,he didn’t go quietly. Heconvinced one-third of allthe king’s servants to joinhim.9 That was when LightBearer became known as“the prince of darkness.”

In the days that followed,the rebel and his followerswandered the universelooking for a place to call

their own. Along the way,they heard about the king’scaretakers and the gardenhome he had given them.

With a plan as dark as

the night sky, the rebelentered the garden indisguise. With a charm that concealed his motives,he drew the woman into aconversation.

THE TURNINGPOINTWith a well-timed question,the rebel set his trap. “Iswhat I’ve heard true? Hasthe king denied you accessto every part of your ownhome?” At first the womandefended the king.10 Butthen, as she looked at thecreature, she found herselfhaving thoughts that hadnever occurred to her. “Why would the king say no to us about anything?What doesn’t he want us to know?”

The questions keptcoming. Was the kingholding out on them? Didhe warn them about thepath marked by the tree offorbidden knowledge onlybecause he didn’t want

7

With a plan as dark as the

night sky, the rebelentered the garden

in disguise.


them to know as much as he did?

Having doubts abouttheir creator was a newexperience for the woman.She had often talked withher partner about thewisdom of the king.Together they wonderedwhere he had come fromand how he could know so much about everything.Their own relationship haddeepened as the king sharedmore of himself with them.

Now, however, all thatthey had learned didn’tseem to be enough. What happened next was a turning point theywould never forget.

The woman started down the forbidden pathand motioned for herpartner to follow.

For a moment, the first caretaker paused. Heremembered hearing theking describe what wouldhappen if they ever took this path. He remembered

hearing both love andconcern in the king’s voice.

The man could hear his heart pounding. He feltcaught and torn between his partner, the king, and his own curiosity.

As the couple starteddown the path together, it was as if they had taken a powerful drug. Theirminds were altered. Theirinnocence was gone. Theyfelt exposed and vulnerable.With the tree of theknowledge of good and evilbehind them, they grabbedleaves from the garden andsewed them together tocover themselves.11

8

The woman started down

the forbidden pathand motioned for her partner

to follow.


A PARADISE LOST

IIn their loss of innocence,the caretakers changedin ways they could not

have anticipated. For thefirst time they didn’t want to see the king. Suddenlythey felt a need to coverthemselves and hide. Neverbefore had they blamedeach other for anything. Inthe hours that followed, theylearned the meaning of fear.

When the king found thecouple, he gently pressedthem for answers.12 Whywere they hiding? Who toldthem they needed to coverthemselves? Had they takenthe path he told them toavoid? The caretakers werecaught. But they were notready to accept responsibilityfor what they had done. Theman blamed the woman. Thewoman blamed the rebel.13

And though the rebel didn’tspeak, there was contemptfor the king in his eyes.

The caretakers wereconfused and frightened. Afew hours earlier they hadenjoyed affection for eachother and the king. Nowthey were afraid.

Although the king wantedto forgive the couple for theirfailure to trust him, he didn’tignore the results of theirchoices. He could not allowthem to remain in their

garden home.14 If he gavethem access to the tree oflife now, they would reversethe aging and dying processthat had already begun.With unlimited time andfreedom, the caretakers

9

The caretakers were caught.

But they were notready to acceptresponsibility for what they

had done.


could become increasinglyself-absorbed and alienatednot only from the king butfrom each other as well. So that they would not live forever in their alteredstates, the king removedthem from the garden.

Outside the garden, theking continued to providefor the couple. But therelationship had changed.The caretakers no longertrusted the king as theyonce had.

THE LEGACY OF A CHOICEEven though the king stayed close to the firstfamily, trouble stalked them. As the caretakers tried to rebuild their livesoutside the garden, theirfirstborn son broke theirhearts. In a moment ofanger, he resisted the gentlecounsel of the king. Then ina fit of blind rage, he killedhis younger brother.15

Their lives would never

be the same again. Therewas no turning back. Theknowledge of good and evilhad become more than amysterious tree of freedom.It had become a legacy ofregret and loss.

The son became afugitive. Unable to live with his parents’ grief, hebecame a rootless wanderer.Always on the move, neverat rest, he could not escapethe memory of what he had done, and who he had become.16

In time, more sons anddaughters were born to thefirst couple. Children of thecaretakers multiplied withan ever-diminishingknowledge of the king.

Around watering holes and campfires, oldermembers of the family toldstories about the great king.But most of the childrenwere more interested in thepresent than the past. Thewillingness of each newgeneration to live and die


without regard for the kingbecame as repetitive as therising and setting of the sun.

Even after a catastrophicflood wiped out most of theearth’s caretakers,17 thechildren of the survivorscontinued to declare theirright of self-rule.Those who weretrue to the kingremained few in number andinconsistent incharacter.18

As the king’scitizens driftedfrom his valuesand vision, hislikeness in thembecame moredifficult to see. The strongoppressed the weak. Familydisputes increased. Badblood caused familymembers to put distancebetween themselves.

Leaders became alarmed.To reverse the trends thatwere driving them apart, thefamily needed a plan that

would pull them together.A vision emerged. The

family would build a city bigenough to keep the childrenfrom moving away. With acity center that touched the clouds, all who saw itwould be proud of their

achievement.19

Everyone whowalked its streets would beinspired by theendless prideand possibilitiesof humancooperation.

But thebuilders hadforgotten thevision of the

king.20 As a new day broke, there was confusionon the construction site.Communication wasdisrupted. Members of the same family could talkamong themselves, but theycouldn’t understand anyonefrom another clan. Withinhours, all work on the great


city came to a standstill.Before long, caravans kickedup dust in all directions aseach language group wentlooking for a place to calltheir own.21

THE KING’S PLANEven with the loss of theirown dream, most of thefamily didn’t recall the visionof the king. They talkedabout what had gone wrongand why they weren’t able tolive together in peace. Butthey didn’t have a place intheir heart for a free worldwhere everyone shared thevalues of the great king andhelped one another the wayhe cared for them.

So the king took a newapproach. He introducedhimself to a 75-year-oldcaretaker and made aproposal: “Leave your home and follow me. I’ll 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 wifehad lived for many yearswithout being able to have a child. Both had long sincegiven up hope of having ason or daughter of their own. Their childlessness must have been a painfulsubject—especially since the caretaker’s name meant“exalted father.”

So they waited. But foralmost 25 years the couple’spromised offspring nevercame. The king eventuallyrepeated his assurance tothe caretaker that throughhis children the world

12

The king repeated his

assurance to thecaretaker that

through his children the worldwould find hope.


would find hope. He evengave the old man a newname that meant “father of many.”23

Then, when the man was 100 years old and hiswife was 90, the impossiblehappened. The old womangave birth to a son. Hisbirth was so amazing andbrought them so much joy that his name, which meant “laughter,” was a perfect fit.24

THE KING’S FAMILYWithin two generations the family had become aclan of 12 sons, their wives,and many children. Eventhough they were still asmall family by comparisonto the families of othercaretakers, the children of a “childless old couple” hadbecome a family of destiny.In the years that followed,the king unfolded his planto use this chosen family to reveal himself to all thefamilies of the earth.

THE FAMILYMOVES SOUTH

TThe early years of the family were fairly normal.

Other than some familyarguments and fights withthe neighbors, the mostsignificant event occurredwhen about 70 members of the clan left home and traveled south lookingfor food during a severedrought.25

Because the great kingworked behind the scenes to prepare the way for them, the family foundrefuge and favor amongsouthern neighbors. Theprince of the south not only gave them food butland to plant their owncrops in the rich soil of a fertile river delta. Eventhough this southern refugewas not home, the familyfound conditions on thedelta comfortable. Therethey built homes, raised


their children, andharvested their crops.

Within a fewgenerations, however, the family’s growth andever-increasing numbersfrightened the neighbors.26

The prince who had done so much for them had long since passed from thescene. New leaders wereconcerned that they wouldbe overrun and dominatedby the family that had found refuge within theirborders. So while leaders of the south still had theupper hand,they pressedthe family intoforced labor.By the crackand sting ofthe whip,tough fieldbosses madethem work long hours under a hot sun makingbricks for southern buildingprojects.27

Under growing

oppression, the familybegan to groan. Where was the king? He had made promises to theirfathers. Why wasn’t hekeeping them? Rising withthe dust and smoke of thebrickyards, their cries grewlouder and louder. Wherewas the king? Why had he left them alone?28

A RELATIVE TO THE RESCUEThe questions stoppedwhen a stranger walked intothe brickyards. His voice

was not that of a southernneighbor.There was no whip in hishand. And hisstory soundedfamiliar tosome of the

older members of the family. According to the stranger,

he was a child of the family.For 40 years he had lived asa fugitive on the other side


of the wilderness to the east.Then one day while lookingafter his father-in-law’ssheep, the relative hadheard the voice of the king.The king said he had heardthe family’s cries and wassending the relative to leadthem out of slavery andback to a “promised land.”29

All eyes were on thestranger. Who did thisvisitor from nowhere thinkhe was? Was he mad? Orhad he really heard from the great king?

The family’s questionswere answered when therelative showed thempowerful signs that provedthe king had sent him.30

To the disappointment of everyone, however, thefirst efforts of their newleader only made mattersworse.When the relativeappeared before the princeof the south, and when hequoted the great king assaying, “Let my people go,”their problems multiplied.

The prince was furious and made life even more miserable for thefamily.31

In the dark days thatfollowed, the prince of thesouth got more than hebargained for. The great king unleashed a series ofnational disasters on theprince of the south and his people. He sent plaguesof flies, lice, and frogs. Hepolluted the national watersupply and sent devastatingstorms and darkness.32

Then the king planned a final act that would breakthe will of the prince. Tokeep the family safe, theking told them to kill a lamb and put its blood onthe two sides and upperdoor frames of their homes.That night a spirit of death moved through the land. Wails of anguishcould be heard in everyneighborhood as thefamilies of the south learned they had lost


their firstborn sons. But the spirit of death passedover and did not touch thehomes with the blood onthe door frames.33

As their neighborsgrieved, the family gathered some belongingsand quickly walked out ofthe brickyards. When theprince regrouped and senthis armies after them, theking used his power to open up a path through alarge body of water. Onlywhen the family was safelyon the other side did herelease the waters to stoptheir pursuers.34

The family was deliveredin such a dramatic way thatword of the great king’spower soon spread throughthe entire region. Aroundwatering holes in thedaytime and around firesburning late into the night,the neighbors wondered outloud what would happennext with the king and hisfamily.

A TIME FORLEARNINGIn the days that followed,the family found themselveswith new problems. After adreamlike deliverance, theywoke to find themselves in a barren, no-man’s land.Before long, the childrenwere hungry. Argumentsbroke out all over the camp.Mothers’ faces turned palewith fear. Men yelled at oneanother in frustration. Noone could live for long in aplace like this. They had notbrought enough food, water,or clothing. A quick retreatback to the prince of thesouth seemed the only wayto save the children.35

Once more, however, thegreat king showed that hehad not forgotten his family.In this forsaken place wherefood could not be boughtand where water could notbe found, the king showedhis ability to provide for hispeople. In ways they couldnever have imagined, he


gave them the food andwater they needed.36

Later, at the foot of amountain that burned inthe king’s presence andshook at the sound of hisvoice, he taught the familyhow to live with oneanother and with him.37

The family soon learnedthat the king was a masterteacher who used visualdrama to make a point. One often-repeated lessonstirred up many emotions.The king required the headof each household to bring a carefully selected animal to a pre-appointed place of sacrifice. Depending on what the family couldafford, the owner of a lamb,goat, or bird placed hishands on the innocentcreature’s head andadmitted his own wrongs. Then, in the king’s 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 hewant them to die? What had the animals done todeserve this? How couldthis be fair? While parentscouldn’t answer all thequestions, one thing wasclear: The king wanted them to know that wrongchoices were matters of lifeand death. He wanted hisfamily to be thoughtfulabout what their firstparents had learned underthe tree of the knowledge of good and evil.39

The family learned thesame lesson again on the

17

As innocent animals died, thechildren asked

questions.


threshold of their newhomeland. Scouts were sent ahead to check out the land. But when theyreturned they brought backa frightening report. Inaddition to finding plenty of food and water, they had seen strong warlords in the land.40

The faces of the familyturned pale. Eyes wet withemotion glared at theirleader. What had he gottenwrong this time? What wasthe king doing? Had thefamily walked all this wayunder a hot sun only to dieat the hands of a powerfulenemy?

They had to think aboutthe children. They couldn’traise them in a war zone. At moments like this, theywished they had never leftthe prince of the south.Under his fist and whip,they at least knew what to expect.

ACROSS THERIVER

TThe king didn’t forcethe family to do whatthey weren’t ready to

do. Instead of pushing hischosen people across theriver and through the deepvalley that lay betweenthem and their promisedland, he put them into aholding pattern. For 40years he provided for them in a barren, hot, and windswept land. In hisshadow, they wandered likea flock of sheep until thegeneration that didn’t wantto enter the land lay buriedin the desert sand.41

Then, once again, theking asked his family tofollow him across the river.When they arrived at thewater’s edge, the valley was swollen with springfloodwaters. Even thoughthey were now close enough to see the hills oftheir future home across


the valley, it was clear thatanyone who ventured outinto those rushing waterswould be swept away.

At the threshold of theirnew home, the king showedhis people they could trusthim. Just as he had onceparted the waters to rescuethem from the prince of the south, the king heldback the waters to remindthe family of his ability tolead and provide for them.By the king’s power, thewhole family walked to their new homeland on dry ground.42

Yet, across the river,many of the old problemsremained. There were stillpowerful warlords to befaced. The houses the kingpromised were alreadyoccupied, and the presentowners were ready to fightto protect their property.

The king, however, was determined to evict the present occupants.According to him, they were

living on his land, ruiningthe environment, harmingone another, and refusing toacknowledge him as king.43

The days that followedwere some of the best thefamily had ever known.Even though the king askedthem to fight for their newhomes, he showed them his ability to assure theoutcome. In powerful waysthe children could not haveanticipated, he gave themhouses they did not buildand harvests of crops theydidn’t plant. The king’s planwas unfolding. His peoplewere now in a position tohelp the neighbors see whatthe great king could do foranyone who would trusthim.44

The family’s new homeoffered more than a goodquality of life. It also offereda strategic location fromwhich to spread the king’svision. He placed them on a landbridge between three continents. The new


homeland’s western border lay on the shores of a great sea. Its mainroads were some of themost important commercialand military routes in thewhole region. News ofevents that happened in thehomeland quickly traveledalong these trade routes inall directions of thecompass.

In this newneighborhood, the king taught the family toremember him in everythingthey did. He taught them towork hard and to rest onevery seventh day. Heshowed them how to trusthim for the early and later

rains that were so necessaryfor a good harvest. Formany years, the king taughtthe family to depend on himas their provider andprotector.

During this period offamily history, a patternemerged. When the king’scitizens trusted him, askedfor his help, and lived as hetold them to, they enjoyedpeace and protection fromtheir neighbors. But whenthey forgot about the king, became a law tothemselves, and did whatwas right in their own eyes,they eventually foundthemselves overrun byenemies and grieving theloss of fathers and sons.45

A DESIRE TO BE LIKE THE NEIGHBORS In spite of everything theking had done for hischosen family, they keptforgetting that he had doneanything at all for them.

20

The new home was at the

crossroads of the world.


During one such lapse ofmemory, the family madeone of their worst mistakes.They asked the king to givethem the kind of humanleadership their neighborshad.46

The family did more than ask for a strong human leader. Theydismissed the king’s warning that such a rulerwould levy heavy taxes, use them to further his ownambitions, and draft theirchildren into his armies to fight his wars.

But once again the king’s response to thefamily’s request showed his commitment to a freeworld. He gave his citizenswhat they asked for. Hechose one of their own sons to wear the crown and even assured them that if they and their kingremained faithful to him, he would continue to takecare of them.47

A POWER THATCORRUPTEDThe family’s mistake soonbecame apparent. Overtime, even the best of theirmonarchs was corrupted bypower. Good leaders wentbad, and bad rulers gotworse. Leaders, who couldhave used their influence tohelp the family remain trueto the great king, insteadexploited the throne to buildmonuments and memorialsfor themselves.

With the corruption of the kings, so went thepeople. Lawlessness andviolence increased. Theking’s vision for a free world,where everyone helped oneanother the way he caredfor them, was ignored andforgotten.48

A SERIES OFMESSENGERSEven though the familyforgot the king, he didn’tforget them. When theywandered from him, he


called them back.49 Throughmessengers who spoke onhis behalf, he pleaded withhis people to remember whathe was planning for them.He had not lost his vision forthe future. Regardless of theirreluctance to trust him, hewas still planning to send aleader and a deliverer whowould be known as “thegreat king among us.”

But the king’s peopledidn’t want to hear about “a future day.” They werelooking for immediate relief.If the king wouldn’t helpthem on their terms, thenthey would look for otherleaders who would.

The king’smessageremained the same. Hewould send hisdeliverer, andwhen the kinghimself livedamong hispeople there would bepeace on earth. People of

every family and nation onearth would respect andcare for one another.50

But because the familywas focused on presentpains and problems, themessage fell on deaf ears.Family leaders used theirpower to silence the king’smessengers.

THE COLLAPSE

EEventually, the king’s patience was exhausted. If

he didn’t intervene, moretime would allow the familyto multiply the violence anddamage they were alreadyinflicting on one another.

So with a deepgroan, the king took down thefences ofprotection he had builtaround them.With great

sorrow, he allowed hiscitizens’ military defenses


to be broken down byarmies from the east. Sonsof the family died in battle.Survivors of the family were stripped of dignity anddriven out of their promisedland. Many miles away,with the sounds of a foreignlanguage in their ears, andwith the weight of anotherking’s laws and decrees ontheir shoulders, the familywiped their tears.51

THE RETURNAfter 70 years of exile, thefamily’s conquerors weredefeated by another ruler. Anew day dawned. Exiles ofwar were allowed to returnto their homeland.52 As theyreturned, the king himselfsent messengers to assurehis people that he had never stopped caring forthem. These messengerspromised that the king stillhad a vision of peace andprosperity—not only forthem but for all the familiesof the earth.

For a while, members ofthe family were filled withhope. They dreamed of atime when weapons wouldbe recycled into farmingtools. They rememberedthat the great king hadtalked of a day when evennature would be at peacewith itself. In that day ofrest, the wolf would nolonger stalk the lamb.53

THE SILENCEBut as time went on, thefamily’s heart once againgrew cold. Memories faded.And then the voice of thegreat king went silent for400 years.54 The hope of anew day seemed lost in aseries of endless nights.

23

As time went on, the family’s

heart once againgrew cold.


THE APPEARANCEOF A GREATTEACHER

TThe cry of a newbornbroke the silence.History changed with

the announcement of abirth. An old man lookedinto the face of a baby andsaid, “Now I can die inpeace. I have seen with myown eyes what all of my lifeI have waited for.”55

Nearby, an elderlywoman, who for many years had given herself tothe service of the great king,told all who would listenthat she too had lived longenough to see the future.56

Once again, the chosen family was filledwith hope—but nothinghappened. The winds ofchange did not blow asexpected. The child whocreated such a commotionwith his birth grew up inobscurity. While otherchildren worked to make

a name for themselves, tookwives, and began havingsons and daughters of theirown, he seemed content tolearn the trade of his fatheron the backroads of one ofthe smallest towns in theland.57

But when no one waslooking, this young manfrom nowhere stepped outof the shadows to become the talk of the neighbors.Without any formal training, this teacher began challenging the mosteducated men of the family.He said and did things noone had ever said or donebefore. He spoke knowinglyabout the great king and did powerful things thatcaused large crowds tofollow him.58 He openedeyes that couldn’t see andears that couldn’t hear. He walked on water, sentdemons running, quietedviolent storms, and calleddead people out of theirgraves.


Even though there was nothing about theteacher’s appearance that distinguished him, hewasn’t like other teachers of the family. He befriendedpublic enemies. He ate anddrank with some of the most disreputable people of the land.59 He changedthe hearts of social outcasts, the bodies oflepers, and the minds of the oppressed.60

He was a man ofunequaled power andauthority. Yet he carried his power with gentleness.61

Even as spiritual leaders ofthe family reeled with envy

and disbelief, he drewcrowds of common peopleas he honored women andheld their children.62

With eyes for people no one else saw, the teacheroffered invitations to a greatbanquet where the list ofhonored guests wouldinclude anyone who was willing to come.63

To the concern andalarm of other familyleaders, the teacher’s crowds grew larger andlouder.64 They came to theone who asked for the trustof all those who were tiredof living the way they were.He promised them rest fortheir hearts and minds.

Then in an amazingseries of comparisons, heclaimed to be the door, thewater, and the bread theyhad been looking for. Hetold them that if they trustedhim, he would show themthe way back to the tree oflife and the paradise thatwas lost.

25

Even though he grew up

in obscurity, he was destined for greatness.


DEATH ON AHOLIDAY

IIn the hours leading upto an important holiday,family leaders became

alarmed. Sensing the loss of their own influence, theywere afraid that the teacherwould use the crowds whohad gathered for the annual“sacrifice of the lamb” as an occasion to take overleadership of the family.

Believing they had to act quickly, enemies of the teacher made a boldmove.65 Family leadersorganized a crowd of theirfriends and filed a legalcomplaint with governmentofficials. Risking the angerof the teacher’s followers,they accused him ofdisturbing the peace anddishonoring the name of the great king.66 Withinhours they pressured localbureaucrats to give in totheir demands. A weak-willed but powerful judge

had the teacher beaten and turned over toexecutioners.67 Along withtwo common criminals, themost loving teacher thefamily had ever seen wasnailed to a tree like apredator on a fencepost.68

As his mother and friendscried, soldiers swaggered.Family leaders huddled with a sense of relief.Strangers who walkednearby on a public roadstared. A few hours later, his body was buried quicklyin a borrowed tomb on theeve of “the sacrifice of thelamb” holiday.

26

The most lovingteacher the familyhad ever seen wasnailed to a tree like

a predator on a fencepost.


UNEXPECTEDRESULTS

TThe teacher’s followerscouldn’t make sense ofwhat happened. One

minute they were listeningto the wisest, most lovingman they had ever seen.The next minute he wassubjected to an unfair trial,declared unfit to live, andsentenced to die. Now hewas gone. The teacher’s life and visionfor the futureseemed to endas quickly ashe had come.

After 3 days of living in the shadows,the teacher’sfriends saw the unexpectedhappen again. Their moodsuddenly changed. First agroup of women reportedthat the tomb where theteacher had been buriedwas empty.69 One womanclaimed that she saw him

alive and spoke with him.Soon whole groups of menand women announced thatthey too had seen him.70

The friends’ liveschanged dramatically. In the days and years thatfollowed, many of themwere killed for refusing to deny their story. Theircourage convinced many of their neighbors to believethat the friends were telling the truth.

In whisperedconversationsand behindclosed doors,enemies of theteacher tried tofigure out howto offset thereports of the

friends. They knew thatpeople lie to save their lives, not to lose them. Theyknew that some even die forwhat they believe to be thetruth. But they would soonfind out that the followers ofthe teacher would suffer for


more than a belief. Theywould die for their claimthat they had seen theteacher—alive and well—after his death.

The teacher had one more surprise for his friends. As they stoodtalking with him on top of a hill, he defied gravityand rose weightlessly from the ground until hedisappeared in the clouds.71

As the friends stoodspeechless,looking into the air, twomessengersappeared tothem and said,“As you haveseen him go, so he willreturn.”72 Later, the friendsremembered that theteacher himself had toldthem that he would returnfor them at a time they didnot expect.73

Yet he also promised that he would never leavethem. He assured them that

even when they could nolonger see him, his spiritwould always be withthem.74

LIFE-CHANGINGNEWS

DDuring the public lifeof the teacher, some

believed he wouldfollow the pattern of otherfalse hopes. They predictedthat once he was exposed

as an impostor,his friendswould disband,sadder butwiser for theexperience.

The opposite happened.After the teacher’sdeparture, the movementrapidly grew in numbersand intensity. As wordspread through the region,many became convincedthat they had been visitedby more than a teacher.From the movement’s point


of view, every indicationwas that the great kinghimself had visited hispeople.75

Many found theexplanation not onlycompelling but life-changing. The story wastold in public arenas,marketplaces, and familygatherings. In city streetsand countrysides, youngand old alike heard that the king’s death on a treewas directly related to the two trees he himself had planted in the center of the first garden of thecaretakers.

In the beginning ofcaretaker history, the kinghad pointed to one of thosetwo trees and said, “The onewho eats of the tree of theknowledge of good and evilwill die.”76

When the first couple ate of that tree, they diedspiritually and began to diephysically. With spiritualseparation and mortality

came a separation from the king.77

Now, however, a thirdtree stood between the first two. The tree on whichthe king died became themeans by which he paid for the caretakers’ decisionto eat of the forbiddentree.78

Finally, the king’s plancould be told. All along, hehad planned to fulfill hisvision and protect hiscitizens by personally andvoluntarily paying the price

29

All along, he had planned to

fulfill his vision andprotect his citizensby personally andvoluntarily payingthe price of their

freedom.


of their freedom.79 All along,he had been planning tosacrifice himself for thosewho were destined to die for eating from the tree ofthe knowledge of good andevil.

Within a short time, the king’s friends weretraveling the world,spreading among people of all nations the news of another tree—a tree of rescue that was used in paying the price for thecaretakers’ wrong choices.This message was foreveryone. The great kingwas offering citizenship and family privileges toanyone who would accepthis offer.80

Until he returns, the realm of his kingdomexists in the hearts of allwho acknowledge him asking and trust his offer offorgiveness and everlastinglife.

The king’s story is a story of love and mercy.

No one returns to paradiseon his own merit. All returnonly by being like one of the two criminals who diedon either side of the king.One mocked the king for

not being able to savehimself. The otheracknowledged his ownwrongs and said to the king, “Remember me when you come into yourkingdom.” In response to asimple request of faith, theking said, “Today you willbe with me in paradise.”81

30

The king’s story is a story of

love and mercy.No one returns to paradise on his own merit.


THE FULFILLMENTOF THE KING’SVISION

IIn some ways, the king’s story ends whereit began. What started

with a paradise lost endswith a paradise found.According to the king’s own predictions, the rebel and all ofhis followerswill be defeatedand removedfrom theearth.82

Through a series ofcatastrophicendtime events, the king will break the will of hisenemies in much the sameway he broke the grip of theprince of the south. Then,finally, with the defeat of all enemies, the king willreturn to live among hispeople forever.83

For now, no one canimagine what the king has

in store for those who have trusted him in this life. In many ways hisfuture, like his past, isshrouded in mystery.

What we do know is that the king promised thatthe time of his return wouldbe a surprise. We also know that up until now the king’s ideas have always

been wise and good. Weknow that hehas given usreason to trusthim with ourlives, with ourfears, and withthe rest of the

story as it unfolds. This is our story. It

reminds us who we are,where we’ve come from,and where we’re going. It helps us to see thechoices that are ours in the free world of the king.


WHERE DO YOUFIND THAT INTHE BIBLE?

WWe have usedsome creativelicense in retelling

the greatest story ever told.But we have tried to tieeverything to the intent and ideas of the events and principles of the Bible’s own storyline.

The following biblicalreferences correspond to the superscript numeralsthat 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.6–8; 18. Gen. 9:18–10:32; 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. 7:14–10:29; 33. Ex.11–12:30; 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. 1:1–6:7; 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. Acts1:9; 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. 19:19–20:3; 83. Rev. 21–22.


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