by S. G. DeGraaf
Promise and Deliverance I: From Creation To The Conquest Of Canaan
PDF (pdf file 14 meg)
Promise and Deliverance II: The failure of Israel's Theocracy
PDF (pdf file 17 meg)
Promise and Deliverance III: Christ's Ministry and Death
PDF (pdf file 15 meg)
Promise and Deliverance IV (Christ and the Church)
PDF (pdf file 10 meg)
It can be difficult to find a quality narrative Bible curriculum for teens and adults. The four volume Promise and Deliverance series by S.G. De Graaf, first published years ago, is still among the best. Many years ago Christianity Today called it “A landmark in interpreting the simple stories of the Bible” and that assessment is as valid as ever.
For years the author, Reverend De Graaf, led a weekly class for those who taught Bible to children, both at Sunday schools and at day schools. This book is the fruit of repeatedly answering the question, “How do we tell this Bible story?” and is helpful for teachers of little ones, for teens to study on their own, and also for anyone else who wishes to study the Bible.
So what is so special about the Promise and Deliverance series? It focuses on the meaning of each story and on how to understand and share it. In the introduction to the first volume, the author reminds us that the purpose of telling a story is to make it come alive for the hearer, but also warns us about letting the main point get lost in details. Since God wrote the Bible in order that we might believe, not merely to entertain us, this should never be forgotten.
In each story God reveals himself in a particular way, and the important thing is to try to understand what God intends to reveal to us in that specific story. And, no, it is usually not a moral lesson. Instead, it is usually something about who God is and about how he makes and keeps his covenant with us. He is the main character, says De Graaf, and we must not make the mistake of focusing on human actions instead of on God.
These concepts are fundamental to each of the more than 200 Bible narratives. Each narrative, based on a specific Bible passage, is prefaced with a short section that outlines the main goals of the story. The main thought is summarized in a single sentence, and the actual story follows. Each narrative not only describes the Bible events but also interprets them, applying them to our lives today. Thus Promise and Deliverance can also serve as a devotional.
Description by at The Curriculum Choice