CSB Tony Evans Study Bible: Advancing God’s Kingdom Agenda

By Tony Evans and CSB Bibles by Holman

The CSB Tony Evans Study Bible includes extensive study notes, commentary, sermons, and writings crafted and curated by Dr. Tony Evans. Including over 150 videos via QR code, these features are strategically placed alongside the biblical text to explain God’s Word in a fresh way, guiding readers into a deeper understanding of Scripture. With tools for application, this Bible is designed to inspire readers to live and share the values of the kingdom of God. 

FEATURES:

• Study notes crafted from Tony Evans sermons and writings 
• More than 150 videos of sermons, devotionals, and teaching from Dr. Evans accessible via QR codes
• 40 inspirational articles
• 50 “Kingdom Living Lessons”
• 60 “Questions & Answers”
• 140 “Hope Words”
• Special back matter section with key definitions, theological and doctrinal charts, and other study helps
• Page-edge cross-reference system
• Elegant two-color design
• Two-column format
• Black-letter text
• 9.75-point type size 
• Topical subject headings 
• Smyth-sewn binding with ribbon marker 
• Concordance
• Bible reading plan
• Presentation page and special introductory front matter
• Full-color maps

Dr. Tony Evans is one of the most influential church leaders of our time and has been faithful in his proclamation of the gospel for over fifty years. He serves as senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, Texas, and is the founder of The Urban Alternative, a ministry that promotes a kingdom-agenda philosophy designed to enable people to live all of life under the rule of God.

The CSB Tony Evans Study Bible features the highly readable, highly reliable text of the Christian Standard Bible® (CSB). The CSB stays as literal as possible to the Bible’s original meaning without sacrificing clarity, making it easier to engage with Scripture’s life-transforming message and to share it with others.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BH Publishing Group
• Release date: Nov 1, 2019
• ISBN: 9781433606939

Tony Evans

Dr. Tony Evans is founder and senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, founder and president of The Urban Alternative, and author of The Power of God’s Names, Victory in Spiritual Warfare, and many other books. Dr. Evans is the first African American to earn a doctorate of theology from Dallas Theological Seminary, as well as the first African American to author both a study Bible and full Bible commentary. His radio broadcast, The Alternative with Dr. Tony Evans, can be heard on more than 2,000 US outlets daily and in more than 130 countries. Learn more at TonyEvans.org.

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CSB Tony Evans Study Bible

Copyright © 2019 by Holman Bible Publishers

Nashville, Tennessee. All Rights Reserved.

Christian Standard Bible®

Copyright © 2017

by Holman Bible Publishers.

The text of the Christian Standard Bible may be quoted in any form (written, visual, electronic, or audio) up to and inclusive of one thousand (1,000) verses without the written permission of the publisher, provided that the verses quoted do not account for more than 50 percent of the work in which they are quoted, and provided that a complete book of the Bible is not quoted. Requests for permission are to be directed to and approved in writing by Holman Bible Publishers, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, Tennessee 37234.

When the Christian Standard Bible is quoted, one of the following credit lines must appear on the copyright page or title page of the work:

Scripture quotations marked CSB have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

The interior of the CSB Tony Evans Study Bible was designed and typeset by 2k/denmark, using Bible Serif created by 2k/denmark, Højbjerg, Denmark. Proofreading was provided by Peachtree Publishing Services, Peachtree City, Georgia.

Printed in Korea

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SWP

Tony Evans study

Dr. Tony Evans

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Welcome

How to Use This Study

Welcome to the Kingdom

How to Study the Bible

Introduction to the Christian Standard Bible

Abbreviations in CSB Bibles

Old Testament

Genesis

Exodus

Leviticus

Numbers

Deuteronomy

Joshua

Judges

Ruth

1 Samuel

2 Samuel

1 Kings

2 Kings

1 Chronicles

2 Chronicles

Ezra

Nehemiah

Esther

Job

Psalms

Proverbs

Ecclesiastes

Song of Songs

Isaiah

Jeremiah

Lamentations

Ezekiel

Daniel

Hosea

Joel

Amos

Obadiah

Jonah

Micah

Nahum

Habakkuk

Zephaniah

Haggai

Zechariah

Malachi

New Testament

Matthew

Mark

Luke

John

Acts

Romans

1 Corinthians

2 Corinthians

Galatians

Ephesians

Philippians

Colossians

1 Thessalonians

2 Thessalonians

1 Timothy

2 Timothy

Titus

Philemon

Hebrews

James

1 Peter

2 Peter

1 John

2 John

3 John

Jude

Revelation

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL

Definitions of Key Terms and Doctrines

Topical Index of the Kingdom

General Topical Index

Theology Overview

Attributes of the Triune God

Bibliology

Names of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit

Doctrinal Outline of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit

Kingdom Life

Spiritual Warfare

Harmony of the Gospels

The Ten Commandments

Doctrines Related to the Parables of our Lord

Doctrinal Emphases in the Miracles of our Lord

Bible Reading Plans

Table of Weights and Measures

CSB Concordance

Study Bible Features

KINGDOM LIVING LESSONS

KINGDOM

Keeping Lord with God

They Will Rule

The Covenants of the Kingdom

Seeking First the Kingdom

The Greatest Commands

Advancing God’s Kingdom

Citizens of God’s Kingdom

God’s Comprehensive Rule

Operating Under the Rule of the King

The Golden Era of Jesus Christ

PERSONAL

When You Feel Stuck

All of Life According to the Kingdom Agenda

Hearing God’s Wisdom

Fearing God

Embracing the Unusual

Do What You Know Now

There Is Safety in Surrender

The Great Prescription

Waging Victorious Warfare

The Key to a Kingdom Mind

FAMILY

A Photograph of God

The Role of Helper

Families Rule on God’s Behalf

The Family Blessing

A Parent’s Task to Teach

Training Your Child According to His or Her Bent

Marriage Is a Covenant

God, Our Heavenly Father

The Sacrifice of Love

A Wife’s Trust Is in The Lord

CHURCH

The Agenda of the Church

The Purpose of the Church

Accessing Heavenly Authority

The Power of Unity

The Church’s Mission

The Body of Christ

We Are the House of God

Upon This Rock

The Household of God

Christ’s Millennial Reign

COMMUNITY

A One-World Government

A Culture’s Independence from God

Keeping Chaos out of the Culture

Empowering the Culture through Education

Our Shifting Culture

The Role of Christians in Culture

Biblical Justice and the Poor

Who Is Your Neighbor?

God’s Rule in Culture

Good Works and God’s Glory

HOPE WORDS

Faith is our positive response to what God has already provided.

God showed Abraham the ram when Abraham did what God had said.

God can use the mess you are in to bring you to the place of your destiny.

God’s calling on your life is bigger than what you can see.

Just because you can’t see the way doesn’t mean that God doesn’t have the way.

When your level of complaining is at an all-time high, it could mean that your level of praise is at an all-time low.

Faith is about believing that the One you believe in is believable.

Illegitimate fear will always interrupt faith.

When you allow God to lead you through a trial, you get to see him for yourself.

In God’s kingdom, the way up the ladder is down it.

God doesn’t need a lot to do a lot. All David had was five stones. And all David used was one.

You get sight in the spiritual realm when you exercise faith in the physical realm.

You will know God is showing up when he shows up in a way that you can’t explain.

Don’t worry that you may pray poorly. Worry if you don’t pray at all.

Heaven rules in spite of the situation you face. The problem is not yours. The battle is the Lord’s.

Deliverance is not freedom. Deliverance is the opportunity to pursue freedom.

Nothing comes to you that does not pass through God’s fingers first.

It’s easy to praise God in the sunshine, but your breakthrough comes when you praise him in the dark.

When God is silent, he is not still. He does some of his best work in the dark.

There are two answers to every question—God’s answer and everyone else’s. And when those two disagree, everyone else is wrong.

It could be that you don’t have an answer, but God does.

God is often closest when he seems the furthest away.

When God delays, he always delays for a greater purpose.

Sometimes God lets you hit rock bottom so that you will discover that he is the Rock at the bottom.

Your commitment in the dark is the key to your victory in the light.

Nature preaches a sermon of God’s glory.

Faith is acting like something is so even when it is not so, in order that it might be so simply because God said so.

Keep your eye on the Shepherd, and you will make it through the valley.

Truth is fundamentally God-based knowledge.

You can’t have part-time faith and expect full-time victory.

You may not be in an ideal situation, but you have an ideal God.

Don’t worry about locating your purpose if you are seeking after God because your purpose will locate you.

The chaos around you shouldn’t override the calm within you.

The level of your worry reflects the size of your faith.

Sometimes God allows something in your life that only he can fix so that you will get to see that he is the One who can fix it.

Hope is confident expectation that God is going to do what he says he will do.

When it’s not fair, it doesn’t mean God’s not there. Trust him. He has a purpose in the pain.

Let God rule your world if you want him to rock your world.

Justice is getting what you deserve. Mercy is not getting what you deserve.

You were made on purpose for a purpose.

God can accomplish in a moment what would take years on your own. Seek him and his path. Watch him open the doors to your destiny.

A person who is serious about fulfilling his purpose will learn to view all of life through the grid of God’s intentions.

Wisdom is the willingness and ability to apply spiritual truths to life’s realities.

God has your tomorrow covered even though you haven’t been there yet. He’s got the plan.

The only way you will be able to see life with clear vision is when you view all of life from a kingdom perspective.

Time doesn’t heal. God heals, in time.

Start where you are. Do what you can. Then watch God open up the doors.

Peace is not the absence of fear; it is the presence of God.

You cannot expect to have peace around you if you do not have peace within you.

Prayer is relational communication with God.

Sometimes we step out in faith but then let circumstances pull us under.

Never let who you are get in the way of who God is.

As long as you are too attached to your past, you negate what God wants to do in your future. Learn from yesterday; don’t live in it.

It’s one thing to say that God can make a way. It’s another thing to see him make a way.

If you want to run your own world, go make one. God is in charge of this one.

Don’t focus on the size of your problem. Focus on the size of your God.

You were made to reflect God’s glory. Shine.

Truth is the standard to which all other things must conform because truth is reality in its original form.

If you can’t change it and God has allowed it, then find out how to prosper in it.

The kingdom agenda is the visible manifestation of God’s comprehensive rule over every area of life.

God is more interested in devotion than duty.

Be careful never to be doing so much for God that you miss him in the process.

When it is out of control, it is simply out of your control.

Faith is the means to access all that God has stored up for you in his grace.

Some of our prayers for direction go unanswered because God sees we are not doing anything with what we already know.

You will rarely see what God is willing to do in secret until he sees what you are willing to do in public.

You can find no rest in life until you find rest in God.

Faith doesn’t make sense. It makes miracles.

I can’t say it will never rain if you follow Jesus. But I can say that if you keep your eyes on him, he will cover you when the storms hit.

God can turn your ordinary into extraordinary.

Jesus is not looking for fans. He is looking for followers.

God will meet you where you are in order to take you where he wants you to be.

Don’t forget that God is calling us to put into practice on Monday the truth that we said amen to on Sunday.

When you don’t surrender to Christ, you surrender to chaos.

Forgiveness is not pretending like it didn’t happen or didn’t hurt. That’s lying. Forgiveness is a decision to release a debt regardless of how you feel.

Life isn’t about what you accumulate this side of eternity. It’s about what you accumulate for eternity.

Jesus is not looking for fans. He is looking for followers.

Knowing about Christ is no substitute for knowing Christ.

If you are living outside of God’s purpose, you are living outside of God’s power.

God is looking for servants, not celebrities.

Spiritual intimacy with God expands spiritual capacity.

Trials are unavoidable, but that doesn’t mean that they have to be unprofitable.

The essence of heaven is the uninterrupted knowledge of God.

God calls us to go against the grain when the grain is going against God. Be in the world, not of the world.

Your future doesn’t have to be determined by your failures.

The quickest way for God to get you where he wants you is for him to be able to use you where he has you.

Brokenness is often the road to breakthrough.

Sometimes God rescues us from things. Sometimes he rescues us out of things. And sometimes he changes us in things. Let him choose. He knows best.

You may run out of a lot of things in life, but you will never run out of God’s love.

In order to transform what you do, you must first transform how you think.

The more you become a slave to Jesus, the freer you become as a person.

God is greater than your struggle.

You won’t discover that Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you have.

Transformation is the demonstration that the information has taken root.

If all you see is what you see, you will never see all there is to be seen.

God never said that the kingdom life would be easy. He just said that it would be worth it.

God responds when you walk by faith, not when you talk by faith.

God can take the good, the bad, and the ugly and create a masterpiece called your destiny.

God knows how to teach us to pray. He puts us in situations where prayer is our only option.

Peace does not mean that you will not have problems. Peace means that your problems will not have you.

While other people may walk on you, Jesus will walk with you.

The way to access the power of our blessings is through a biblical understanding and application of grace through faith.

Freedom means being released from illegitimate restrictions.

You were saved to serve.

Where you stand must be determined by where you’re seated.

Grace is all that God has done and will do because of what Jesus Christ did.

If Jesus is your foundation, you’ll be able to withstand the storm.

Stop focusing on what you can’t do. Start focusing on what God can do.

Standing firm in the armor of God doesn’t stop the spiritual warfare from raging. It stops it from defeating you.

We don’t wrestle against flesh and blood. The people are real. The problems are real. They are just not the root problem.

If God is powerful enough to get you to heaven, then he is powerful enough to sustain you on earth.

Unity does not mean uniformity. It means oneness of purpose.

It’s hard to see your future when you are staring at your past.

You cannot dwell on both the things of God and the lies of Satan.

God longs to be more than just theology on a shelf. He wants to be real to you right now.

You are exactly who God intended you to be.

It is not information about Jesus that will deliver you. It is Jesus who will deliver you.

The job of parenting is to extend the kingdom of God into the next generation.

We are not called to adapt the Bible to our lives, but to adapt our lives to the Bible.

Speak God’s Word into your circumstances rather than speaking your circumstances into God’s Word.

God wants to develop our maturity before bringing us into our destiny.

The opposite of faith is not doubt; the opposite of faith is disobedience.

No matter the situation, your Savior is bigger and stronger. Keep your eyes on him.

Always remember that in our changing seasons of life, we have a changeless God.

Your greatest lessons in faith are often learned in the dark.

Behind every physical disturbance, setback, ailment, or issue that we face lies a spiritual root.

God is not as interested in your amen as he is in your action.

The purpose of trials is to see if you believe what you say you believe.

Freedom does not mean getting to do whatever you want to do. Freedom means getting to do what you ought to do.

As you become a blessing to others, you set yourself up to be blessed.

Greatness is maximizing your potential for the glory of God and the good of others.

Satan wants to keep you looking back so that he can keep you from moving forward.

God’s timing is always perfect. Trust his delays.

A ship belongs in the water, but the water doesn’t belong in the ship. You are to be in the world, but the world should not be in you.

Faith involves your feet, not just your feelings.

God is inviting you to participate with him in the drama of the ages.

You can overcome because he overcame.

When the devil reminds you of your past, remind him of his future.

When God writes your name in the book of life, he does so in ink—not pencil.

INSPIRATIONAL ARTICLES

Faith Works

Where God Becomes Real to You Again

The Majesty of You

God Does Some of His Best Work in the Dark

Glory

Getting Back What You Have Lost

Experiencing God Fully

You Don’t Walk This Road Alone

Give, Save, Spend

Bringing Justice to the Bruised Reeds

God’s Eternal Drama

In All Things

God Is in Charge

God Holds the Victory

Walk by Faith; Don’t Just Talk by Faith

The God of Second Chances

Turning Things Around

Who’s In Charge?

Faith Is Always an Action

When God Doesn’t Make Sense

When You Hit Rock Bottom

Tearing Down Partitions

It’s Time for a Resurrection

He Is for You

You Can Overcome

I Pledge Allegiance to the King

Against All Hope

The New Way

God Is Real

More than You Can Bear

Treasures in Darkness

The Real Enemy

Keep Your Eyes on the Prize

God’s Kingdom Agenda

Well-Dressed for Warfare

God Has a Plan for You

Winning at Scrabble

The Greatest Truth

Be Strong in the Lord

There Is Still Time

VIDEO DEVOTIONALS

Super Game Sunday

Detours And Delays

Live Horizontally

God Is Up To Something Great

Finding Meaning In Detours

I Have A Plan For You

Comfort In The Valley

Orchestrated Events

There’s Still Power In The Dream

Doubt

Divine Intervention

Beauty In The Detour

Waiting Well

Humpty Dumpty

Divorce

The Cross

First

Natural Disaster

Why We Should Pray Always

What God Calls Great

Jesus Through The Bible

Followers Not Fans

The Mercies of God

Uniting The Body Of Christ

Horizontal Jesus

Alignment

Push Play And Believe

Rings

Emotional Strongholds

Popcorn

Forgiveness

Jesus Christ

Addiction

Kingdom Men Needed

From Earth to Heaven

Q&A WITH TONY

Genesis 2:15

Genesis 4:1

Exodus 4:1

Exodus 17:14

Exodus 18:12

Exodus 34:22

Deuteronomy 6:1

Deuteronomy 31:1

1 Samuel 14:1

Psalms 99:1

Psalms 126:1

Psalms 128:1

Psalms 146:1

Proverbs 19:1

Isaiah 55:1

Ezekiel 20:32

Daniel 10:1

Malachi 3:13

Matthew 4:1

Matthew 7:1

Matthew 25:31

Luke 4:1

Luke 5:12

Acts 2:1

Acts 2:37

Acts 8:9

Acts 13:13

Acts 16:35

Acts 18:18

Acts 20:17

Romans 8:1

1 Corinthians 7:17

1 Corinthians 13:1

1 Corinthians 15:29

2 Corinthians 6:14

Galatians 3:7

Galatians 4:8

Ephesians 1:3

Ephesians 2:16

Ephesians 2:21

Ephesians 3:14

Ephesians 4:7

Ephesians 5:6

Philippians 2:12

Colossians 3:1

1 Thessalonians 2:1

1 Thessalonians 4:13

1 Timothy 4:6

2 Timothy 2:1

Titus 2:9

Hebrews 4:1

Hebrews 4:14

James 2:1

James 5:7

1 John 3:11

1 John 4:7

Revelation 2:8

Revelation 5:8

Revelation 22:18

APPLICATION QUESTIONS

Genesis 1:26

Exodus 3:1

Exodus 20:1

Deuteronomy 6:4

2 Chronicles 15:10

Psalms 1:1

Psalms 119:1

Psalms 129:1

Proverbs 1:8

Proverbs 4:1

Proverbs 16:1

Proverbs 22:17

Ecclesiastes 5:1

Daniel 7:1

Micah 7:1

Matthew 5:1

Matthew 5:33

Matthew 6:19

Matthew 6:22

Matthew 16:13

Matthew 22:34

Matthew 28:16

Mark 1:21

Mark 8:31

Mark 12:18

Luke 16:14

Luke 19:11

Luke 22:47

John 18:12

John 18:19

Acts 4:32

Romans 8:18

Romans 11:33

Romans 13:11

1 Corinthians 3:1

1 Corinthians 11:1

1 Corinthians 12:1

1 Corinthians 15:50

2 Corinthians 1:3

Galatians 2:1

Ephesians 2:1

Ephesians 2:19

Ephesians 4:17

Ephesians 5:22

Ephesians 6:5

Colossians 1:15

Colossians 4:1

1 Timothy 6:11

2 Timothy 3:10

Hebrews 10:1

James 1:9

James 4:13

1 Peter 3:1

BOOK EXPOSITION VIDEOS

Judges

Ephesians

Dr. Tony Evans

Dr. Tony Evans is the founder and senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, is founder and president of The Urban Alternative, served as chaplain of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks and the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, and is author of over one hundred books, booklets, and Bible studies. The first African American to earn a doctorate of theology from Dallas Theological Seminary, he has been named one of the 12 Most Effective Preachers in the English-Speaking World by Baylor University.

Dr. Evans holds the honor of writing and publishing the first full-Bible commentary and study Bible by an African American. His radio broadcast, The Alternative with Dr. Tony Evans, can be heard on more than 1,300 US outlets daily and in more than 130 countries.

Dr. Evans launched the Tony Evans Training Center in 2017, an online learning platform providing quality seminary-style courses for a fraction of the cost to any person in any place. The goal is to increase biblical literacy and to advance God’s kingdom agenda not only among lay people but also among those Christian leaders who cannot afford or find the time for formal ongoing education.

For more information, visit TonyEvans.org.

Acknowledgments

A work of this magnitude requires an enormously committed support system. The Tony Evans Study Bible (and its companion The Tony Evans Bible Commentary) has been years in the making. It is for this reason I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to all who enabled this project to reach its completion.

First of all, I want to thank the B&H Publishing family for their hard work. This includes Trevin Wax who oversaw the publishing of this work. I am also grateful for the investment of time and energy given by the managing editor, Chris Cowan, with whom I spent countless hours critiquing, constructing, and reviewing the content of my exposition of every paragraph of God’s Holy Word. Thanks also to B&H’s editorial and production team, including J. D. Green, Lloyd Mullens, Garry Fulton, Dustin Curtis, and Bethany McShurley for the wonderful and professional way they put this project together. And I want to thank Jeremy Howard for his vision as we started this project nearly a decade ago and his involvement in helping establish the Study Bible features.

I'm grateful to my good friend Greg Thornton and Moody Publishers for their willingness to allow me to draw on and tweak some previously published content. A special thanks goes to my good friend Phil Rawley for his hard work and tremendous contribution with regard to certain elements of content. Thanks also go to Jeff Godby and 2k/denmark for their design and typesetting expertise.

I am also very grateful to my longtime executive assistant, Mrs. Sylvia Stewart, for the endless time and effort she put into keeping up with all the administrative duties connected with this project amidst all her other responsibilities. Finally, my appreciation goes to Mrs. Heather Hair, who helped to strategize, organize, and manage all the moving parts of this work during this multi-year process in an efficient and excellent way.

Introduction

This study Bible is based on a simple yet profound biblical worldview: the glory of God through the advancement of his kingdom. This is the unifying theme of Scripture, from Genesis through Revelation. The concept of God’s kingdom is what ties all of the Bible together. When this central point of connectivity is lost to the reader, it is easy for Scripture to seem like a series of disconnected stories, events, personalities, and doctrines that do not strategically and thematically connect to one another.

The word kingdom means rule or authority. When linked to God, it refers to the rule of God in both heaven and earth encompassing both eternity and time. It is therefore comprehensive in nature. This kingdom is composed of a ruler (God), subjects (angels and people), a realm (creation), and regulations (laws).

The Bible unfolds how God’s kingdom operates in the affairs of the world and how God receives glory through his kingdom rule, even when that rule is being opposed by both angels and human beings. While God’s kingdom rule takes various forms with varying laws through varying administrations (i.e., dispensations), it nonetheless maintains its central goal of bringing God glory whether through blessing or judgment.

The kingdom agenda, then, is the visible manifestation of the comprehensive rule of God over every area of life. God’s kingdom agenda is carried out through four covenantal spheres: the individual, the family, the church, and the government (i.e., nations). A covenant is a divinely created relational bond through which God administrates his kingdom program. It establishes a legal relationship in the spiritual realm that is to be lived out in the physical realm. To operate and function underneath the umbrella of God’s kingdom covenants and guidelines is to position the specific covenantal relationship (i.e., individual, family, church, government) to experience God’s greatest involvement and benefits within that covenantal sphere. Conversely, to operate outside of and in opposition to God’s kingdom covenant is to experience the negative consequences of not being aligned and covenantally covered.

This study Bible is designed to reflect this kingdom perspective. My goal is that it will serve as a valuable study resource for serious students of the Bible by combining exegesis, exposition, and exhortation that creates a relevant kingdom mindset.

As you use this study Bible, remember:

Study the Scriptures with a view to meeting with God, not just learning about him.

Study the Scriptures by routinely asking, What should I do in light of what I have learned?

Study the Scriptures in their context in order to be accurate in your understanding of what the biblical authors are saying.

Study the Scriptures in prayer and in dependency on the Holy Spirit to open up your mind and heart to the meaning and contemporary relevancy and application of the text.

Study the Scripture with a kingdom mindset, seeking to identify God’s rule over every area of life.

While nothing can be added to or subtracted from God’s inerrant Word, it is my sincere hope that the notes and features in this study Bible will aid you in your understanding and application of the Bible to your life. For additional exposition and application of the Scriptures, see also The Tony Evans Bible Commentary: Advancing God’s Kingdom Agenda. Most importantly, it is my prayer that your reading, studying, and obedience to the written Word will lead you into a deeper, more intimate relationship with the living Word, Jesus Christ, as kingdom disciples as you live all of life under his kingdom rule.

HOW TO USE THIS STUDY BIBLE

Throughout The Tony Evans Study Bible, there are various features designed to enhance your reading experience. Whether you have questions about a passage, are seeking additional inspiration, or desire a deeper understanding through serious study, these resources will help you.

Study Notes – These notes provide my exegesis, exposition, and exhortation to help you understand and apply a given passage. Words in bold are directly from the Scripture text.

Kingdom Living Lessons – Practical lessons regarding your ability to live your life according to God’s kingdom agenda, the visible manifestation of the comprehensive rule of God over every area of your life. These are divided into five categories: Kingdom, Personal, Family, Church, and Community.

Kingdom:This category considers the theology of the kingdom. Throughout the Bible, God reveals how he advances his kingdom, his all-encompassing dominion over all that he created.

Personal:God’s Word was written to equip you for every good work. It is sufficient for preparing you for life in his kingdom, both here on earth and in heaven. The personal sphere of God’s kingdom agenda focuses on your self-management and how you use your time, talents, and treasures as his kingdom disciple.

Family :God created the family to be the foundation of civilization. As the family goes, so goes the culture. These lessons focus on strengthening family relationships based on biblical principles.

Church :The church exists as God’s central governing mechanism through which he enacts his heavenly intervention on earth. I seek to provide you with a spiritual framework for the purpose and power of the church.

Community :Christians are to function as kingdom citizens by personally modeling while also influencing government to maintain a safe, just, righteous, and compassionately-responsible society where freedom flourishes.

Hope Words – Brief insights inspired by Scripture to empower and encourage you.

Inspirational Articles – Heart-felt articles providing you with knowledge and inspiration as you strive to understand and apply the biblical text in a deeper way.

Video Devotionals – Brief videos on various topics, which you can access on your mobile device using the provided QR code. Some are devotional, others are segments from sermons. Each video is designed to enhance your study experience by helping you dive deeper on a topic or providing you with encouragement in your study.

Q&A with Tony Evans

My answers to a variety of questions, including questions about my own life and ministry, how to understand various biblical texts and theological issues, and how to apply God’s kingdom agenda in your daily life.

Bible Book Introductions – Each book of the Bible includes an introduction that discusses matters of authorship, historical background, and purpose. Each is accompanied by a video that you can access on your mobile device using the provided QR code. In these videos, I expound briefly on the biblical book’s message and key themes.

Application Questions – Questions to help you engage the biblical text and apply God’s Word to every area of your life.

Side-margin Cross References – Other Bible passages that are related to the text on which you are focusing.

WELCOME TO THE KINGDOM

Cradled within the depths that define our humanity lies an unyielding fascination with kingdom. No matter what color, creed, or culture we examine, we find with even the most cursory glance into the accounts passed down by either pen or by tongue something intertwined with kingdom. Whether it be the great kings and rulers of Scripture such as David or Solomon, or whether it be Caesar, Alexander the Great, Charlemagne, Tutankhamun, and the like, these lives somehow captivate us, intriguing our imaginations.

Even rulers who did not hold the official title of king have left their legacies, for good or for bad, to enthrall us. There is Napoleon, the dominator of continental Europe, who possessed a formidable intellect and superior military mind. There is Khan, the evil and brutal ruler, who conquered most of the world during his time. There are the Pharaohs, most of whom possessed strength and skill to such a degree that for many centuries they progressed their nation beyond the others in academics, engineering, medicine, and writing. Then there are also the Monarchs spanning over sixteen hundred years of history, in one form or fashion, beginning humbly as the Angles, moving to Aengla Land, and eventually becoming what we know today as England.

Stories of conquerors, conquests, rebellions, and conspiracy mesmerize us. We tell them to our children in fairy tales riddled with kings, queens, princes, princesses and kingdoms. We read about them in history books, mythology, fables, legends, and fiction. We flock to movies to watch the rise or fall of power connected to a kingdom in epic adventures. Inevitably, we portray the king, or the prince, as reputedly handsome—when he is a good king. We portray him as sinister and ugly when he is bad.

Queens and princesses play a role in our fascination as well. From Cinderella to Nefertiti to Elizabeth I, we hold in highest regard that special strength of a woman who both utilizes and maintains her nobility in the face of constant and devastating betrayal and opposition in order to produce a greater good for her kingdom and her subjects.

The life of a king or a queen is often envied. Yet, that envy is naïve. Any true historian knows the utter fragility that comes with absolute power. As the playwright Shakespeare once wrote, Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown. Kings, queens, and rulers frequently function in a culture of conflict, and even violence. Those around them might swear an oath of total allegiance while they simultaneously plot their destruction, or even their death.

As a result, history reminds us again and again, through what may seem like the same story just set on a different stage, that kings and rulers often resort to brute force and extreme taxation to protect their own personal interests and power. While uprisers such as the Scottish William Wallace (best known for being portrayed in the film Braveheart) could wind up hung and quartered in a meat factory, it wasn’t only the uprisers who needed to fear the virtual paranoid wrath that sometimes appeared in a king. No one was safe when it came to the possibility of usurping his role, as we see with poisoning of family members and even the gruesome, bloody beheading of wives with Henry VIII.

Nowhere in any story of a king or in any story of a kingdom do we read about the ruler himself sacrificing his own greatest treasure simply for the benefit of others. Sure sacrifices were made. Lives were lost. But this always happened toward the aim of preserving power, rather than yielding it—that is, except for one instance. The true King of the Bible gave up his own Son, Jesus Christ, in order that those who believe on him—his death, burial, and resurrection—would be restored to the place of both fellowship and dominion with their king, something they had lost in the battle in the garden.

The Unusual Kingdom

It is not unusual that this unusual action occurred by this very unusual king because his is an even more unusual kingdom. Jesus spoke of it plainly when he told Pilate that the ways of his kingdom do not reflect the ways of the kingdoms on earth, My kingdom is not of this world. He said, If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight, so that I wouldn’t be handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here (John 18:36).

When his followers asked him to tell them who is the greatest in this very unusual kingdom, Jesus pulled a child close and replied, Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child—this one is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven (Matt 18:4). Then rather than requiring the pomp and circumstance typical of a king, he instructed his subjects on how he would like to be approached as their Ruler and Lord: And whoever welcomes one child like this in my name welcomes me (18:5).

This is a kingdom without borders, and a kingdom without time. To try and apply the rules, precepts, and writs of this world to this very unearthly kingdom would be similar to giving a football linebacker a horse and a polo stick and instructing him to get on with it and play. Neither the rules of this earth nor its tools govern the rules of God’s kingdom. As King, he determines the way it is both to operate and function.

In his kingdom, neither race nor gender delineate inequality. In his kingdom, power goes to the weak who recognize their weakness and humbly look to him. Forgiveness reigns preeminently, and the amount of money matters less than the heart that offers it, as we see in the case of the widow and her gift (Luke 21:1-4). Significance, in this unusual kingdom, is connected to service. Hope comes through helping others who may need it as well.

That is not to say there are no battles to fight or wars to win in this kingdom, or that this is a kingdom of rainbows, waterfalls, and unending bliss. There is a vile enemy still lurking and still seeking to dethrone the King because his kingdom is the greatest of all. Its origin lies in eternity past, and it will last forever.

In fact, before there ever was an earth at all, there was a kingdom. It existed solely in the heavenlies, and it was a place of glory, majesty, and beauty. Yet treason was committed in an attempt to steal the seat of power, and those caught in an attempt to lay siege to the throne were repudiated—kicked down into darkness, which would later be sculpted and called Earth. Satan, the leader of this primeval rebellion, now uses charm, deception, distraction, temptation, lust, pride, apathy, and evil to try and establish a rival kingdom whose subjects aim to defeat the subjects of the one, true King.

In the chancery known as the Holy Spirit, the story of this unique kingdom has been preserved for us, its subjects—followers of the Lord Jesus Christ—in what we call the Bible. Throughout Scripture, chroniclers—inspired by the Spirit—recorded, encouraged, equipped, lamented, and presented the history, rules, redemption, and purpose of our King and his kingdom. Unfortunately, today, many of us are living as followers of a King whom we also seek to dethrone, though perhaps not outrightly, through subtle ways of complacency, autonomy, independence, or just simply through a lack of a connection to him, his Word, and his covenants. As a result, we experience what anyone in any kingdom living apart from the rules of the King would. In our personal lives, homes, churches, communities, and our nation, we feel the chaos that comes from rebellion.

This is because in a kingdom, life is to be lived under the rule and authority of the King. The blessings of the covenantal charter of our King in his Word, imbued with the authority he gives us through his covenants, along with his promises and loyal love, come when we live all of our life under God. It comes when we live our lives on target with his goals and purposes as a kingdom disciple.

The unifying central theme throughout the Bible is the glory of God and the advancement of his kingdom. The conjoining thread from Genesis to Revelation—from beginning to end—is focused on one thing: God’s glory through advancing his kingdom.

When you do not have that theme, the Bible becomes disconnected stories that are great for inspiration but seem to be unrelated in purpose and direction. The Bible exists to share God’s movement in history toward the establishment and expansion of his kingdom. Understanding this theme increases the relevancy of this ancient book to your day-to-day living, because the kingdom is not only then, it is now.

Throughout the Bible, the kingdom of God is his rule, his plan, his program. God’s kingdom is all-embracing. It covers everything in the universe. In fact, we can define the kingdom as God’s comprehensive rule over all creation. It is the rule of God (theocracy) and not the rule of man (homocracy) that is paramount.

Now if God’s kingdom is comprehensive, so is his kingdom agenda. The kingdom agenda, then, may be defined as the visible demonstration of the comprehensive rule of God over every area of life. The Greek word the Bible uses for kingdom is basileia, which basically means rule or authority. Included in this definition is the concept of power. So when we talk about a kingdom, we’re talking first about a king or a ruler. We are talking about someone who is in charge. Since there is a ruler, there also have to be rulees, or kingdom subjects. In addition, a kingdom includes a realm—that is, a domain over which the king rules. Finally, if you’re going to have a ruler, rulees, and a realm, you also need kingdom regulations, guidelines that govern the relationship between the ruler and the subjects. These are necessary so that the rulees will know whether they are doing what the ruler wants.

God’s kingdom operates through his covenant. A covenant is a divinely created relational bond through which God reveals himself and administers his kingdom program. The four biblical covenantal spheres through which the kingdom operates are the individual, family, church, and community (or government).

Individual: The individual realm refers to each of us singularly as his kingdom disciple. A kingdom disciple can be defined as a believer in Christ who takes part in the spiritual developmental process of progressively learning to live all of life under the lordship of Jesus Christ. The goal of a kingdom disciple is to have a transformed life that transfers the values of the kingdom of God so that they replicate themselves in the lives of others. The result of such replication is God’s exercising his rule from heaven to history through his kingdom disciples. Discipleship is the missing key to a life of authority under God. But surrender to Christ’s lordship and obedience to his rule of love are the grooves and edges which make up that key, which (when used rightly) will unlock the power to bring heaven to bear on earth.

Family: The family realm refers to familial units, both immediate and extended. This can also include variations on family due to death or adoption. The foundation of a family involves a husband and wife. A kingdom marriage is defined as a covenantal union between a man and a woman who commit themselves to function in unison under divine authority in order to replicate God’s image and expand his rule in the world through both their individual and joint callings. Kingdom parenting can be defined as the responsibility to intentionally oversee the generational transfer of a comprehensive Christian worldview so that children learn to consistently live all of life under God’s divine authority.

Church: The local church is the context and environment God has created to transform Christians into what we were created and redeemed to be: fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. It is the spiritually redeemed body of believers that are to legislate the values of the kingdom of God from heaven to earth. A kingdom church can be defined as a group of believers who covenant together to disciple its members in order to model and transfer heaven’s values in history. Discipleship is that process of the local church that seeks to bring believers from spiritual infancy to spiritual maturity so that they are then able to repeat that process with someone else.

Community: The community includes the multiple layers of society through which God works to establish order and ensure the freedoms and rights of all are carried out. This is obtained through biblical justice, which can be defined as the equitable and impartial application of the rule of God’s moral law in society. Whether exercising itself through economic, political, social, or criminal justice, the one constant is the understanding and application of God’s moral law within the social realm. It is the division of the sacred and the secular that has led to the cultural disintegration we are now experiencing (2 Chr 15:3-6). It was never the Creator’s desire to have such a separation exist in his world. From Genesis to Revelation, it is inextricably clear that the spiritual and the social are always to be integrated if life is to be lived the way God intended.

The more these four covenantal spheres are properly connected to God and each other, the more ordered society will be. The less they are connected, the more conflict and chaos will occur.

It is my desire and prayer that this study Bible be used by God to guide, equip, strengthen, inspire, and inform you of all you need to fully experience both his power and his peace as you live under his rule. May it also awaken an even greater desire to discover more about our Lord himself as you explore his kingdom, anytime and anywhere.

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KINGDOM AGENDA SERMONS

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KINGDOM LIFE SERMONS

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KINGDOM FAMILY SERMONS

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KINGDOM SOCIETY SERMONS

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HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE

The Bible is a book unlike any other book. It is, in fact, a whole library of books, all bound together in one volume. These individual books were written by many different authors over an extended period of time. What makes the Bible so unique, though, is that its many human authors were all inspired by its one divine author—God himself! The Greek word Paul uses for inspired by God means God-breathed. These words that carry God’s breath are words that can change and transform our lives. Paul reminds us that all of Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness (2 Tim 3:16).

If we want to understand who God is, what his purposes are, and how he has made himself known to the human race, we cannot afford to ignore the Bible. Whenever you purchase a complicated gadget it is usually accompanied by a set of instructions—a manufacturer’s handbook. Without this handbook you’ll find yourself having to guess at how it works. In a sense, the Bible is the manufacturer’s handbook for life. The one who created us has plans and purposes for us. If we don’t know the content of his manufacturer’s handbook, we won’t know his plans and purposes, nor will we know how to live as he intends.

Still, many people put little effort into reading the Bible. Sometimes the problem is just laziness or a wrong set of priorities. But that isn’t the only reason. The Bible can be a difficult book to understand. While its most important teachings are understandable by a child, there is much in the pages of Scripture that is not easy to grasp without some extra effort and help.

That’s where a study Bible comes in handy. It will provide you with some background material and theological explanation that will bring biblical truths into sharper focus. But don’t count on the study Bible to do all the work for you. If you want to get the most out of the Scripture you need to learn to read it for yourself and learn to interpret it by giving careful focus to the passage you are reading and by comparing what you learn there with the rest of what the Bible teaches.

What follows are some things you can do to help you get the most out of your biblical study.

Read Carefully

Though the Bible is an exciting book, you can’t read it in the same way you’d read a thrilling novel. If you race through the pages you will miss much of what it has to offer. Good Bible reading begins with reading slowly and carefully, and it is a good idea to have a pen and paper handy to jot down the things you observe. Or maybe you’ll want to write in the margins of your Bible. Mark down the things that inspire, challenge, or puzzle you. If there is a key verse or key idea you discover, you might want to underline it. You can make a study Bible your own by recording in it the things you are learning from it.

As you read, pay close attention to words like if, then, and therefore, which will help you understand the relationships between the concepts it teaches. These little words may reveal requirements and expectations that you need to keep in mind. Many of the Bible’s promises, for example, are conditional. There are things you are expected to do if that promise is to become real in your life. And in the New Testament letters, the word therefore is often a signal that what went before is the doctrinal basis on which a truth can be embraced and applied.

Read and read again. You might even try reading aloud as a way of forcing yourself to slow down and take in every thought. Above all, don’t be in a hurry. Read slowly and think about what each sentence and paragraph means. Don’t just hunt for an inspiring nugget of truth. Let every sentence speak to you!

Ask Questions

One of the common characteristics of children is that they are almost insatiably curious. They ask lots of questions, which can sometimes become exhausting for their parents. But it is the way they learn new things. One of the problems with adults is that they often stop asking questions as they grow older. So be more like a curious child as you read the Bible. Don’t assume you already know what it says. Keep your curiosity high and keep your heart and mind open. One great way to do this is by cross-examining the passage you are reading in order to make sure you are noticing all it has to say. See if you can answer these questions: who, what, where, when, why, and how? Exploring the answers to these questions will open new depths of understanding.

Pay Attention to the Context

Paying attention to context is extremely important if you want to accurately understand what the Bible is saying. Some people just search its pages for an individual verse that speaks to their need of the moment, without paying much attention to the verses that surround it. Reading this way is like treating the Bible as a fortune cookie or as a collection of inspirational memes. As you read the Bible, sometimes a verse will stand out and engage your heart in a very personal way. But when that happens, it’s important to see how that verse relates to the verses around it. If you don’t pay attention to the context, you are in danger of trying to make the Bible say something that it doesn’t actually say.

Every verse of the Bible is part of a chapter, and every chapter is part of a book, and every book of the Bible is part of one larger God-inspired message that unfolds across its pages. Many people don’t realize that the Bible wasn’t originally written in chapters and verses. Each book was one continuous text contained in a scroll, and it was not until the late Middle Ages that someone came up with the idea of dividing it into chapters and verses to make it more convenient for readers and as a tool for helping people locate specific passages they wanted to remember. You should keep that in mind before pulling a verse out of its context and applying it to your life.

As you read, pay attention to the immediate context of the neighboring verses and try to understand the main point that the biblical writer is making. Ask yourself how it fits in the context of the entire book. You should notice if the passage you are reading is part of a larger story or a larger argument and who is speaking or being spoken to. There are, for example, places in the Bible that contain the words of Satan or of a godless leader, and we don’t want to treat those in the same way we’d treat the words of Jesus!

As we study the Bible, it is important to keep our focus upon the main points and the most important teachings, and not allow ourselves to be sidetracked too much by secondary issues. Make sure you understand the big picture through your telescope before you pull out your microscope to examine the details! The Bible isn’t a puzzle book or a coded message, so don’t look for complicated symbols and secret meanings. Ask yourself what it meant to the original readers and how that applies to you today.

Be Ready to Obey

Applying what we read in the Bible to our daily lives is the highest purpose of Bible study. We don’t study it so that we can win theological arguments or impress people with our knowledge. We read it so that God can use it to transform our lives. Therefore, we should read the Bible with humility and an open heart, being ready to be challenged and changed by God’s Word. We should read it with an open mind, not assuming we already know what it means. The more you read the Bible, the more new and fresh truths you will discover in its pages. It is inexhaustible.

The Bible speaks with God’s own authority, so the proper response to such authority is obedience. James 1:23 tells us that the Bible is a mirror in which we can catch an honest glimpse of ourselves. As you read, you can perceive where you are falling short, where you are making improper compromises, where you are following your own desires instead of God’s best, and where you are placing your cultural prejudices over God’s truth. So, as you read Scripture, hear—and then obey.

Pray

Since the Bible is a spiritual book, it must be approached spiritually. You approach studying the Bible spiritually by bathing your study in prayer. In this way, the Holy Spirit can illuminate your mind regarding the meaning and application of its truth to your life (1 Cor 2:9-16; Eph 6:18).

The Big Story and All the Little Ones

The Bible is filled with history, biographies, miracles, prophecies, songs, poems, letters, and practical teaching. Each element deserves your time and attention, and each book contains wisdom and guidance for your life. But as you read and study, you should never lose sight of the big over-arching story of the Bible, which is the story of God’s redemptive love and his desire to be present with his people. It is a story about a King who will go to any lengths to invite his people into relationship with him and to join him in advancing his kingdom agenda in history.

The Old Testament tells the story of how that relationship grew and changed over time. It focuses upon the story of Israel, a people specially chosen by God to establish and advance his kingdom for his glory. He worked with his people in different ways through each of the covenants he made with them. The New Testament contains the fulfillment of these promises and covenants in the person of Jesus Christ, who is God in the flesh.

The Bible tells a story with a big narrative arc, and that arc points toward God’s increasingly intimate dealings with his people. That’s why it is important to pay attention to where you are in the big story as you read through the Bible.

The Pentateuch (Genesis–Deuteronomy) tells of the creation of the universe, the fall of humanity, the calling of Abraham to be the father of a chosen people, God’s deliverance of his people from slavery through Moses, and the giving of the law as a sign of the covenant God made with his people. These five books are the foundation for everything that follows in the establishing and expansion of God’s kingdom.

The Historical Books (Joshua–Esther) record the many victories and failures of Israel. It is often not a pretty story! The historical books record the conquest of the land God had promised, the era of the judges, the rise of the monarchy, and the constant struggles against the temptations toward idolatry and immorality. They also tell of how Israel underwent a civil war and was divided into a northern kingdom (Israel) and a southern kingdom (Judah). This led to destruction and exile. The last few books reveal what happened when the Israelites finally emerged from exile.

The Poetical Books (Job–Song) were written at various times during the history of Israel, though the lion’s share were penned during the high points of the monarchy under David and Solomon, who are traditionally considered to be the authors of much that is in these books. Job struggles with the question of why there is suffering in the lives of good people. Psalms is a book of songs, praises, and prayers. Proverbs offers bite-sized nuggets of wisdom for living, Ecclesiastes centers on the meaning of a truly good and purposeful life. The Song of Songs reflects upon human and divine love. Since poetry is less straightforward than prose, these books take a different path to revealing important truths about God and our walk with him.

The Prophetic Books (Isaiah–Malachi) record the stories and messages of the men God raised up to challenge Israel for its unfaithfulness, injustice, and hypocrisy. The prophets challenged the status quo and pointed toward the future with hope. They gestured toward a time when God will powerfully intervene in history and make himself known. Included in these books are prophecies of the coming Messiah, as well as the coming realization of the kingdom of God upon the earth.

The Gospels (Matthew–John) give us four different, but complementary, perspectives on the life of Jesus. We see in them the story of the one who embodies the kingdom of God and who offers a path to salvation based upon his love, his sacrifice, and his grace. The Gospels also record Jesus’s kingdom teaching and the preparing of his disciples for the establishment of the church.

Acts is the story of the early church, focusing especially on the ministries of Peter and Paul. It shows how the power of the Holy Spirit was unleashed upon God’s people so that they could bear witness to the truth—by miracles, healings, and especially by the powerful proclamation of the good news of Jesus Christ and his kingdom program.

The Epistles (Romans–Jude) are a collection of letters that the apostle Paul and other early church leaders wrote to inspire, instruct, and encourage the church—as well as to challenge false teachings that were beginning to creep into the early congregations. These letters give us a picture of the early Christian communities and offer practical advice about living the life of faith.

Revelation is the last book of the New Testament, and the last book of the Bible. Unquestionably the most complex and difficult biblical book to interpret, it has spawned a variety of different interpretations. But the central message is clear: A day is coming when God will defeat all the powers of darkness and establish his eternal worldwide kingdom with his people. This is the great and grand hope of Revelation.

As you read and study each book of the Bible, remember that the big story is one of God’s love and redemption, and his desire to dwell with and in his people. The King is establishing a kingdom where he can rule in every heart, and where his grace will be the basis for relationship. Every page of the Bible is, in some way, pointing toward this ultimate hope.

Follow this link for videos of Tony Evans leading you on an overview of the Old Testament.

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INTRODUCTION TO THE CHRISTIAN STANDARD BIBLE

The Bible is God’s revelation to humanity. It is our only source for completely reliable information about God, what happens when we die, and where history is headed. The Bible reveals these things because it is God’s inspired Word,