When ten of Jacob's sons went to buy food in Egypt, they came face to face with the brother they had betrayed and sold as a slave many years earlier. Although they did not recognize him, their encounter with Joseph would bring them face to face with the sin they had committed against him. Joseph set up a test which would give his brothers the chance to demonstrate that they were now willing to come clean and be transformed into the people God intended to use for his saving purposes.

When Pharaoh had a couple of disturbing dreams, Joseph was summoned to explain to him the divine message. Disaster was on the way, and someone wise and discerning would be needed to make a plan for survival. When Pharaoh promoted Joseph into leadership, not only did Joseph himself finally receive vindication, but the entire world would also be given hope for surviving the looming disaster.

It is easy to lose faith when troubles abound. Yet Joseph continues to demonstrate faithfulness to God and hope in him even in the deep pit. He knows that power belongs to God, and so do plans and dream interpretations. In a rare instance, he defends himself and proclaims his innocence. But he has not forgotten his dreams, and he receives assurance as he sees his interpretations of dreams come to fruition. But once more, hope of freedom is deferred.

Although Joseph was sold into slavery in Egypt, his chosen status had not been forfeited. God was with Joseph and would ensure that God's plans for Joseph would succeed. But there would be yet another test that Joseph would need to pass first in order for the blessing of God to flourish through his life.

Judah succeeded in getting rid of his brother, Joseph, by convincing his other brothers to sell Joseph into slavery. But Judah's next plot failed when he broke his promise to his twice-widowed daughter-in-law, Tamar, and she tricked him to get from him the justice she sought. In the providence of God, the wickedness of sinful humanity is not only repaid justly; it also offers redemption to those same wicked sinners whose sins have been found out.

Christians know that the story of Jesus ends with his death and resurrection. But how that story fits into the larger biblical story—even Jesus's disciples had difficulty understanding how it all went together. The burden of the New Testament is to explore this puzzle, giving followers of Jesus the inspiration they need to spread the good news of Jesus to all the world.

Jesus of Nazareth's life was cut short when he was executed by Roman crucifixion. But the Christian faith is built on the claim that the cross of Jesus, far from being a tragic defeat, was a momentous victory. To see this victory of Christ on the cross, we need to see it as the climax to the entire biblical story.

When Jesus began his public ministry, he proclaimed the arrival of the kingdom of God. What then would he say about who could be a citizen of the kingdom? By exposing the heart conditions that contradict kingdom values, Jesus shows that it is impossible to find the life of the kingdom apart from a devoted discipleship to him and his way.

God's plan to save his creation is carried out through a covenant he makes with his chosen people.

The biblical story begins by describing the creation of the world as the formation of a temple in which God would dwell in the midst of his creation. He entered into a covenant with human beings, made in his image, giving them dominion over his kingdom on earth. But when Adam broke the covenant, the effect on all creation was catastrophic. Still, God remained true to the covenant, promising salvation to the world he had made for his glory.