Light of the Word: How Knowing the History of the Bible Illuminates Our Faith

by Susan C. Lim

Publisher:

IVP Academic

, 2023

Overview

While Christians generally acknowledge that the Bible is God's Word, many of us lack robust confidence in the reality of its trustworthiness. We may not be sure if we really believe what we read. But the more we understand how Scripture came to be, the more we discover its power and truth.

Historian Susan Lim unpacks how the history of the Bible bolsters our faith and anchors us through the changing tides of time. The story of Scripture, while messy and complicated at times, is also the story of how God shepherded his people throughout the centuries in and through these writings. Lim explains how Christians came to accept certain documents as inspired and not others, and how the books we now call the Bible came to be assembled and canonized as authoritative. The same Spirit of God who oversaw the writing of Scripture continues to be at work actively in us in our receiving and reading of it, to grow us in faith and maturity.

Those of us who confess that Jesus is Lord can also confess with confidence that Scripture is God's Word. As the church through the ages has received and passed down the sacred Scriptures, so too can we receive for ourselves the living Word that God still speaks through today.

Key Features

• Explores how the books we now call the Bible came to be assembled and canonized as authoritative
• Explains how Christians came to accept certain documents as inspired and not others
• Unpacks how the history of the Bible bolsters our faith and anchors us through the changing tides of time

Contents

• Introduction: Loving God's Word
• 1. The Scriptures and Salvation
• 2. Old Testament Tradition
• 3. A Timeline of the Old Testament
• 4. A Closeup of the Old Testament
• 5. Reading Esther: A Case Study
• 6. Disputed Books of the Old Testament
• 7. The OT Fakes
• 8. Miracles
• 9. A Closeup of the New Testament
• 10. “Ins” and “Outs” of the New Testament
• 11. Compiling the New Testament
• 12. The Church Fathers
• 13. Completing the Canon
• 14. Answering Challenges to Scripture
• 15. Build on Rock

Praise for the Print Edition

Being in a Bible study with Susan and her family for the last five years, I have witnessed firsthand Susan’s passion for the Scriptures and the powerful and gracious work God has done in her life through the Scriptures. My confidence in Scripture has been strengthened and my heart has been refreshed by reading Light of the Word, and I believe this book will serve you well, no matter where you are in your faith journey. It is a book I will come back to again as a trusted resource.

—Eric Geiger, senior pastor of Mariners Church

In our age, it is not unusual to hear baseless criticism of the Bible’s authenticity, accuracy, and historical viability. Many Christians don't have access to resources to combat these attacks. Susan Lim gifts us with an accessible, rich, and personal account of discovering (or rediscovering!) the truth that the Bible is in fact the Word of God. Read, learn, and recommit yourself to saturating yourself in Scripture!

—Kyle Strobel, professor of spiritual theology and formation at Biola University’s Talbot School of Theology

As both a Christian and a pastor, I know the essentiality and importance of having confidence in the fact that our Bibles are truly the Word of God. Having spent many years teaching the Bible and calling others to trust it explicitly, I’m especially thankful for this new and thoughtful book by Susan Lim on this crucial topic of the trustworthiness of Scripture. Looking at the Bible through the historical lens, Susan substantiates over and over again that all Scripture is indeed God-breathed. This book will be high on my recommended reading list.

—Brian Brodersen, pastor of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa and author of Spiritual Warfare: Fighting the Good Fight of Faith

Product Details

• Title: Light of the Word: How Knowing the History of the Bible Illuminates Our Faith
• Author: Susan C. Lim
• Publisher: IVP Academic
• Print Publication Date: 2023
• Logos Release Date: 2023
• Pages: 240
• Era: era:contemporary
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Reader Edition
• Subject: History
• ISBNs: 9781514006955, 1514006952
• Resource ID: LLS:LGHTWRDHWLLRFTH
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Metadata Last Updated: 2023-12-05T19:51:39Z

About Susan C. Lim

Susan C. Lim (PhD, UCLA) is a historian and writer. She has been a professor of history at Biola University in La Mirada, California, and is a speaker at conferences, churches, and retreats. She loves to share God's Word and serve at her home church, Mariners Church in Irvine, California. She resides in Southern California with her husband, Brian, and their two children.