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Life in the Big Story

Life in the Big Story: your place in God’s unfolding plan – Heidi Johnston (IVP)

Great title – but not for this book! It focuses largely on Deuteronomy (9 of 17 chapters), and also has chapters on the rest of the OT and parts of the New. Written with warmth and humility it aims to help the reader grasp God’s heart for his people in giving the law as well as explore his purposes in the wider Bible story, and in parts does a good job.

But the title suggests far more on the grand narrative of scripture and our place in it. If this is for seekers and believers, as suggested, it makes too many assumptions about the readers’ knowledge. The author clearly understands that we don’t read Deuteronomy as the Israelites did, but some application lacked a New Covenant perspective. Sad, because there’s a good book here trying to get out.