Table of Contents
stories by
Elsie E. Egermeier
story revision by
Arlene S. Hall
Warner Press, Anderson, Indiana, USA
A Complete Narration from Genesis to Revelation for Young and Old
2007 by Warner Press Inc Anderson, Indiana 46012
All Rights Reserved. Published 2007
All Rights Reserved
Hardcover ISBN: 0-87162-006-5
Softcover ISBN:0-87162-229-7
Published by Warner Press Inc 1201 East 5 th Street Anderson, IN 46012
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any otherexcept for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.
A Warner Press Publication
Printed in Singapore
Preface
At its heart, the Bible is a story of how God has dealt with his people and revealed himself to them across the centuries. It tells the story of how God sent his only son to show us what he is like. Jesus Christ lived, died and rose again so we could live forever with him in heaven. The simple stories repeated in this book cover the full range of Bible history. Together, they provide an overall picture of the big story that the Bible as a whole tells.
When Elsie E. Egermeier first wrote these Bible stories she made this statement of purpose: In the writing of the Bible Story Book the author has endeavored to familiarize herself with the viewpoint of children and to adapt her language accordingly. With vivid recollections of the capacity of the child mind to grasp and retain Scripture truths, she has labored prayerfully and conscientiously to present these stories in such a simple, direct manner that her youthful readers will have no difficulty in comprehending their teaching.
This new edition includes revised Questions and Answers, along with a new format for the Index that makes finding specific stories or scripture passages easier. A table of Helpful Bible Information is a useful resource for those who desire additional study. The addition of full-color story titles and headings on each page also make the book more appealing. This new edition of the Bible Story Book, however, does not depart from the books original nature or purpose and the much-favored briefer stories of the previous edition have been retained.
Arlene S. Hall, who wrote the 1963 story revisions, is a graduate of Scarritt College for Christian Workers and the author of a number of books for children and childrens workers.
The publishers join with Dr. Egermeier in her prayer that He who said, Suffer the children to come to me, may in this book find a way to draw them to Himself.
Stories of the Old Testament
in Six Parts
The Patriarchs
Genesis; Job
How the World Was Made
Genesis 1:12:24
Long, long ago there was no world at all. There was no sun to shine, no stars to twinkle, no moonbeams to play through the night shadows. But even then there was God, for he has always been the same unchanging God.
Then, at the beginning of time, God made the world. At first water covered everything, and darkness was everywhere. What a strange, unfriendly world this must have been! But God planned to make it beautiful, so he said, Let there be light. He called the light Day and the darkness he called Night. This was the first day of time.
On the second day God made the beautiful blue sky and placed in it clouds to carry the moisture. He called the sky Heaven.
The third day God said, Let the waters be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear. He called the waters Seas and the dry land Earth. The whole earth was bareno grasses, flowers or trees. So God caused a carpet of grass to grow and beautiful flowers to spring up from the earth. He made the trees and plants. God knew his work was good.
But God had more plans for his world. On the fourth day he made the sun, the moon and the stars. The sun was to rule the day and the moon, the night.
Next God began to create living creatures. He made all kinds of fish to swim about in the seas and birds of every description to fly in the sky. The fifth day passed, and the world had become a better place.
It was on the sixth day that God said, Let the earth bring forth living creatures. Living things appeared in the woods, on the plains, in the air and sea.
Still this was a strange world, for there were no people in it. There was not a home anywherenot a man, woman or little child. What a very strange world indeed! But God had not yet finished creating his wonderful world. He planned to have the people live on the earth, enjoy its beauties and take care of it. They would know who had made all these things. More than that, they would be able to love and worship him.
So it was that God made the first man. Out of the dust of the earth he made the body, then he breathed into that body the breath of life. Man became a living soul.
God called the first man Adam. Adam was to name the birds and animals. It was his work to rule over all other living creatures.
Now Adam needed a helper. God said, It is not good that man should be alone. I will make him a helpmeet. God made Adam a wife and Adam loved her deeply. He called his wife Eve.
When the sixth day ended God had made the world and placed everything in it just as he had planned. On the seventh day God rested.
The First Home
Genesis 2:83:24
Adam and Eve were very happy in their garden home. God had given them good things to enjoy, and they knew nothing about evil and wrongdoing. God walked and talked with them in the cool evenings.
In this garden God planted a wonderful tree called the tree of life. Whoever ate the fruit of this tree would live forever. Another tree was called the tree of knowledge of good and evil. God said, You may eat the fruit of every tree in the garden except from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat of this tree, you shall surely die.
One day the serpent asked Eve, Will God let you eat the fruit of every tree in this garden?
We may eat of every tree except one, Eve answered. God told us not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, lest we die.
You will not die, the serpent replied. God knows that if you eat fruit from this tree you will become as wise as God to know good and evil. That is why he has forbidden you to eat it.
Eve looked at the fruit. If it would really make her wise like God, she wanted to taste it. Reaching out her hand, she picked the fruit, ate it and gave some to Adam. He, too, ate the fruit.
At once Adam and Eve knew they had disobeyed God. Fear filled their hearts. How afraid they were to meet God! They had never been afraid before, but now they tried to find a hiding place among the beautiful trees in the garden. Their hearts had become wicked.
