30 Prophesies: One Story BOOK REVIEW

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

What a wonderful resource to have and great timing with our recently reviewed Easter Storybook.  Bible prophecy is powerful and what better way to introduce it to your littles than by reading them 30 Prophecies: One Story (How God's Word Points to Jesus) by Paul Reynolds, illustrated by Sarah Douglas, and published by Christian Focus Publications.  I received a hardback copy of this 100-page book.  It has a sturdy binding and nice heavy-duty semi-gloss pages.

She LOVES to read!!

There is an introduction that describes what it must have been like when Jesus met up with Cleopas and his friend on their walk to Emmaus.  It also covers the format for each story.  Each story covers just 2 pages.  The format for each story is as follows (from page 13 in the book)

• Prophet/Dates - Who was God's messenger, taking the prophecy to the people, and when did it happen?
• Prophecy Made & Prophecy Fulfilled - Direct quotes from the Bible of the prophecy itself and its fulfillment.
• Then and There - What the prophecy meant to the original hearers
• Prophecy Fulfilled - How Jesus fulfills the prophecy
• Scarlet Thread - How does this prophecy fit in with what God is saying about His 'One Story'? The story of how He is saving people from satan and keeping them safe to be with Him forever?
• Application - So you've learned about the prophecy, the fulfillment, and how it ties into God's 'One Story' ... but what does that mean for you?
• Prayer - sample prayer in response to what you have read/learned.

It is written for a read-to-me age of 5-11 and a read-to-myself age of 6-12.  Little Bug is 7 and was able to read it pretty well and because she knows pretty much all the stories in the Bible she was not shocked by any of the content.  There are a few stories (like one of her favorites-I don't know why- about King Herod and the death of the firstborn sons) that you might want to skip for your young child.  As a whole though, these stories are absolutely wonderful to have in your child's tool chest of Bible knowledge.  I really like how it breaks it down into the above sections and helps the reader to decipher what they are reading and what it really means.  There are said to be 353 prophecies of Jesus in the Bible and the author says he has chosen just 30 of those.

Timeline from 2000 BC to 0 AD

There is also a timeline of the biblical authors of each of the books covered in the stories that spans from 2000 BC to 0 AD.  It is broken down by authors and the chapters from the book where they are found.  The prophecies are also broken down into three sections that include:

• From the Fall to King David
• Major and Minor Prophets
• Prophecies Made by Jesus about Himself

Table of contents

It is more of a teaching book rather than an enjoyable story format, but that being said, what a wonderful resource to pair with a related Bible story from your child's favorite Bible storybook.  It can really help the older ones to break the stories down and gain deeper insight into what the story is really trying to convey and how it all works together in the big picture.  Little Bug just read this at bedtime with her daddy for their nighttime story reading.  I will be continuing to use the resource in our ongoing Bible study lessons during homeschool time.  I think it is even great for my high school student who could use some clarity at times with subjects such as Bible prophecy.

I think my favorite part is the Scarlet Thread sections.  What a wonderful thing to have in each story.  I appreciate the thought and insight put into these sections that get our kids to really see the purpose of what is happening.  That and the fact that each story is only 2 pages which keeps you from getting too bogged down into the story or missing the simple point of what is being said and conveyed in God's word. I keep calling them stories but they are truly short excerpts, prophecy statements, that are broken down for the reader to understand what is being said.

10 Key Memory Verses

Character Profiles on Bible study story authors

The last chapter, Chapter 30, is an epilogue that Jesus will come again.  The book concludes with 10 key memory verses about Messianic prophecy, Character Profiles (of the authors of the books of the Bible covered and listed in the timeline), and Prophecies broken down into sections with related scripture references.  The sections include the following:

• Prophecies about Jesus' Birth
• Prophecies about Jesus' Death
• Prophecies about Jesus' Resurrection
• Prophecies about Jesus' Betrayal and Rejection
• Prophecies about What Jesus Did
• Prophecies about Who Jesus Is

We give 30 Prophecies: One Story two thumbs up.  It will be a treasured resource book in my arsenal for Bible study.  You can connect with Christian Focus on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, and YOUTUBE.  Please also be sure to click on the graphic link below to see what my fellow Crew members have to say about this Bible prophecy resource and the two other books reviewed Psalms for my Day and Not If, But When (Preparing our Children for Worldly Images).