The Storyline of the Bible in 4 Minutes

Shai Linne has quickly become my favorite hip hop artist in this new stream of Reformed rap.  One of the things that I particularly like about him is his clear, quick and weighty rhymes.  He is able to turn a phrase quickly and powerfully with the eternal weight of truth behind it.  One such song on his new album Storiez is The Greatest Story Ever Told whereby he walks through the biblical story from Genesis to Revelation in a clear Christological and not less than doxological manner.  It is quite good!

Here is Shai at the 2009 Worship God conference in Maryland (I have included the lyrics also)..

Here are the lyrics:

It’s the greatest story ever told.

A God pursues foes whose hearts turned cold.

The greatest story ever told.

Restoring all that the enemy stole.

The greatest story ever told.

The glory of Christ is the goal, behold.

The greatest story ever told.

It’s the greatest.

Alright check it: let’s go back in time, brethren. Divine lessons always keep your mind guessing. The glory of the Triune God is what I’m stressing. The origin of humankind was fine. Blessings were plenteous. God is amazingly generous. Crazy benefits in a state of innocence. God told the man what he could taste was limited. Not long after came our nemesis in Genesis. He scammed well, man fell, damned to hell. The whole human race—he represented it. Fooled by the serpent, man through his work, woman through birth—even the earth ruled by the curses. But instead of a wake immediately. God said her Seed would be the One to crush the head of the snake. Yo, wait what is this? Whoa, a gracious gift! In Jehovah’s faithfulness He clothed their nakedness. This was so they would know their Savior’s kiss and bliss. But first, many growing pains exist suffering in the worst form, ugly deeds. Eve’s firstborn seed made his brother bleed. Indeed things got progressively worse. Every section of the earth is been affected by the curse. And though God’s judgments against sin were gory, praise the Lord! It’s not the end of the story.

Next scene: man’s sin was extreme. God gets steamed, man gets creamed. The Lord is so Holy that He drowned them in the water. Fire in the valley of slaughter – Sodom and Gomorrah. But at the same time, He’s so gracious and patient that from one man He created a whole nation. Eventually enslaved by the mentally depraved, they cried out to the only One with the strength that He could save. He brought them out with signs and wonders – satisfied their hunger. Then He appeared on Mount Sinai in thunder. Where He laid down the law for God-ruled government. Commonly referred to as the Mosaic covenant. Sin was imputed. So for man to know he’s unrighteous, God instituted animal sacrifices. This was to show our constant need for atonement. And when it came to sin, the Lord would never condone it. And when His people disobeyed and went astray, He raised up prophets and kings to lead them in the way. But they would get foul with their idolatry—wet and wild prophecy—send them into exile. To take their punishment like a grown man. Then with His own hand He placed them back in their homeland. And while in their forefather’s land they dwelt, they awaited the arrival of Emmanuel.

After 400 silent years filled with sighs and tears. In Bethlehem the Messiah appears. God in the flesh—Second Person of the Trinity. At thirty begins His earthly ministry. Baffling cats with accurate, exact facts and back-to-back miraculous acts. A stumbling block to the self righteous. But the humbled—His flock, said “There’s no one else like this.” He came from heaven to awake the numb. Demonstrated His power over nature, son. A foretaste of the Kingdom and the age to come. But the reason He came was to pay the sum for the depths of our wickedness, our wretched sinfulness. Bless His magnificence! He is perfect and innocent. Yet He was wrecked and His death. He predicted it. Next He was stretched, paid a debt that was infinite. He said that He finished it. Resurrected so the elect would be the recipients of its benefits. Through faith and penitence we get to be intimate. His grace is heaven sent, it never diminishes. Now the Holy Spirit indwelling is the evidence for heaven’s future residents who truly represent Jesus, the Author, Producer, Director, and Star of a story that will never, ever end!

(HT: JT)

…

Possibly Related posts:

1. Shai Linne : the atonement
2. The Bible is not a Book of Many Stories but Rather Only One
3. Meditations on Psalm 103
4. Book Review- The Gospel in Genesis
5. The Focus of the Bible

7 Responses to “The Storyline of the Bible in 4 Minutes”

1. papapatriot says:

   November 14, 2009 at 8:46 am

   He preaches the Gospel message better than 95% of the CCM artist and bands.
   Nice find.
2. Brian says:

   November 14, 2009 at 9:09 am

   Very cool! I’m going to show this to my youth group in the morning. Since you’ve given the lyrics, I think I’ll print those out and give those to them as well.
3. Erik says:

   November 14, 2009 at 9:41 am

   Good call Brian. Shai’s other stuff is great too.

   Sadly, you are right papapatriot. You might add pastors in that stat too. And btw, is the patriot a reference to New England?
4. J. Eric says:

   November 14, 2009 at 11:55 am

   Great Song Erik. I played this very song in my High School Sunday School class two weeks ago. It was actually better than my Sunday School lesson! Sorry, but it is the truth! I have been supplementing my Sunday School lessons the last several years with songs from Shai Linne. I played Atonement Q&A for my Pastor a few years ago and after he listened to it, he said that the song was equal to his doctrinal dissertation at his ordination.
5. Erik says:

   November 14, 2009 at 12:44 pm

   The atonement album is fantastic. Where you there? And In Adam all Die.. were great. Love that he samples his favorite preachers on the tracks.
6. papapatriot says:

   November 14, 2009 at 8:47 pm

   Yes I’m a New England Patriot fan since 1979 and a Sox fan too, but these pail compare to the Jesus who is worthy of all praise and honor.
   I have another shai linne video on my website
   http://atlanticbaptist.wordpress.com/2008/11/21/jesus-is-alive-shai-linne/

   I downloaded your message on Lev 24 and was very impressed!
7. Shai Linne | Phil b's blog says:

   November 18, 2009 at 7:23 am

   [...] Shai out here digg_url = 'http://www.christianlifespace.com/2009/11/18/shai-linne/'; digg_title = 'Shai [...]