The Book of Us by Tim Mulgrew

About the Book:

It’s amazing what else the Bible tells us. Once we move past the history, the science, the origins of mankind and his fall…

The things we typically study in the Bible are all dealt with in the first book, Genesis. But what lies beyond that is an amazing collection of our human-ness. The ingredients that make us up and how we misuse them.

Our Bible shows us we are “fearfully and wonderfully made” and that we are made “in the image of God” but we take these amazing tools and use them for our own purposes.
Our Bible has so much more for us, but we must move beyond milk and desire solid food. We must see ourselves in scripture in order to be able to use it in our daily life.

Our human nature has become our excuse – if we could understand it and learn to control it – imagine how our life could be… actually walking with God, actually going where He wants.
An alcoholic must first admit he has a problem before the problem can be fixed. But next, he has to decide if he actually wants the problem fixed. When we make ourselves into the god of our own little world…behold, we have our reward. How worthless is that reward compared to what God has for us.
The message is beyond salvation, it’s about what comes next once we are saved from our sin. The message is about how we will live our eternal life, starting today.

My Review:

The Bible is an instruction book for humans who want to live a more successful life, Mulgrew says. We can gain insights into human nature by reading it. He argues for its divine authorship as a message of God to humans. “Everything we need to know about life is contained in this operator's manual.” (p.55)

He explains what the Bible is, how it came to be, how reliable it is, and how it applies to us. He explores each the books in the Old Testament as they reveal how God relates to people. An example is Esther, demonstrating “how God is in control in all nations, not just Israel.” (p. 87) Ezekiel emphasizes taking responsibility for our actions. (p. 94) Mulgrew encourages us to see repeating human behavior patterns, such as Zephaniah revealing the danger of complacency. (p. 105) Mulgrew goes through New Testament books as well, through Revelation which he says makes it “perfectly clear what will happen to us based on the choice we make.” (p. 138)

Some of his ideas are surprising. For example, we might think we must forgive everyone. He notes, “Many passages show that we should not freely forgive those who have knowingly sinned against us but have not shown any remorse.” (p. 67) I found some of his arguments for scientific and archaeological evidence to be a bit incomplete. An example is Jonah being swallowed by a whale. He says a study of the Hebrew word used gives us an understanding of what was meant but does not tell us what that understanding is. (p. 31).

This is a good book for people rather unfamiliar with the Bible and the insights it provides. It is not a technical book, nor does it provide rigorous arguments. Reading this book will help to generally understand how we were created, why things are the way they are, our responsibility, and what will ultimately happen to mankind.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

About the Author:

Tim Mulgrew is a Bible teacher and author who is passionate about helping people understand how Scripture applies to everyday life. After a successful career in business, finance and tax consulting, Tim retired, sold his company and relocated from California to West Virginia, where he and his wife Dawn live on a 275-acre wooded farm raising chickens and goats and enjoying time with their large blended family. For twenty-five years, Tim has taught Bible studies focusing on practical, relatable insights that help readers understand Scripture in clear, everyday language. His writing explores the tension between human nature and God’s design, encouraging believers to deepen their faith and walk more closely with God. Along with writing and publishing books, Tim is working on his ministry, Enjoy Scripture. He says, “Relevance to our life is key to enjoying what we read.” 

Westbow Press, 154 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Jones Literary. My comments are an independent review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)