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God did bless the building of this temple. His approval was evident. “When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. The priests could not enter the temple of the Lord because the glory of the Lord filled it. When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the Lord above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying, ‘He is good; his love endures forever’” (2 Chronicles 7:1–3) Yes, I agree there are good points in this book but I have some real concerns, sincere questions, about a few things that are written in “The Garden, the Curtain and the Cross.” In my humble opinion, parents and teachers should think through these things before reading it to children and be ready to explain. There are passages that could be confusing to both children and adults without discussion and reading the relevant scriptures. I humbly offer some food for thought, things that perhaps should be contemplated and discerned. A six-session Sunday School resource with age-differentiated lesson plans for 3-5s, 5-8s, and 8-12s Featuring age-differentiated lesson plans for 3-5s, 5-8s, and 8-12s, this flexible resource will work for any size of kids' group and is easy to use for any leader. Can be used for holiday clubs, after school clubs and Sunday School groups in the run up to Easter or over the summer. At first I didn't think I'd get along with it as the Eden story is introduced in quite a literal fashion (As in, "a long time ago, on this earth, there was a garden...") but I suppose for a children's book, that's OK, even if most Christians I know would probably believe in the Genesis account as symbolic and a "why" rather than a "how" story.
I am a father of four kids eight and under. So I read to them a lot. As far as religious kids' books, I like books that tell the old, old story well in a way that is both age appropriate and compelling. The Garden, the Curtain, and the Cross is a great book. It gives kids age five to eight (my test group) a big picture sense of why Jesus died and rose again. Author Carl Laberton tells a story which is accessible for my kids and true to scripture. His story is beautifully illustrated by Catalina Echeverri's stunning illustrations. On the first day I got this book, I already read it several times with my kids. It opened up a great conversation with my eight year old about what the Bible tells about sin and we loved talking about what was happening in the pictures. My wonderful daughter (age 3) has for a long time struggled with what Jesus was put through - spat upon, tortured and ridiculed. When she read this again with her God Mother I heard her say 'it's okay - it was always in the plan'. The way the story is relayed offered a wonderful assurance for her and I do believe that she now understands that this sacrifice made by God of His son was ok - in the plan - and allowed life and life in abundance.The text of the book tells the meta-narrative of the Bible by focusing on (as the title indicates) the Garden of Eden, God's presence in the temple of ancient Israel, and God's presence through Jesus. Sin is clearly defined and the purpose of Christ's death on the cross is explained. My kids and I really enjoyed this book. It is extremely creative and effective in it's use of storytelling, humor, and repetition. Especially my four year old (who loves songs) was already saying with me on our second reading, "Because of your sin, you can't come in." So, it was very easy after we finished reading it to have a discussion about sin and our need for Jesus's perfection. The stunning illustrations are by Catalina Echeverri, author and illustrator of several bestselling children's books, including all the books in the 'Tales that Tell the Truth' series from The Good Book Company. This bestselling book is written by Carl Laferton, who is also the author of God's Big Promises Bible Storybook, and serves as series editor of the God's Word for You series.
Children's Christian books/Bible books might seem easy (it's just the usual stories, right?) but they're actually very difficult to get right. Do you make God cuddly or powerful? How much blood and gore do you include? And, crucially, how much do they make the gospel message a "hard sell"? It is a very simple re-telling of the story of creation, the curtain in the temple, and the cross but is done in a way that is very clear and covers many plot points in the one story of redemption. As I stated, it is basic, short Biblical theology. The book perfectly brings down the concept of creation, fall redemption to a level children can understand. Laferton begins in the Garden with a perfect creation where, “There was nothing bad, ever. There was no one sad, ever.” Yet, sin came in and destroyed all of this. Now things were bad and people were sad. From that scene we are taken into the Temple where God Himself dwelt, but separated from man by a large curtain. Yet, God would become a man and die for our sins. The curtain separating man and God would be torn in two thus beginning God’s redemption of this world leading us to an eternal kingdom where “There was nothing bad, ever. There was no one sad, ever.” God’s creation will be restored and our relationship with Him forever settled. The first few panels set up the central conflict. Adam and Eve live in perfection in the Garden. (Sidenote: they are illustrated with tribal tattoos and drawings which is just lovely and thought-provoking.) But then they do a terrible thing. They decided they didn’t want to do what God said. They decided they wanted a world without God in charge. This, Laferton writes, is called “sin.” And because of that sin, the people could not live with God in the garden any longer. Together with The Garden, The Curtain and The Cross storybook, these full colour, full size illustrations allow you to read the story while showing the pictures on screen.The book is a great read and a great conversation starter with your children. It is the gospel clear and simple. My kids loved and so will yours. God did not initiate a request for a temple to house Himself but David wanted to build one; David had it in his heart. God said, “Are you the one to build me a house to dwell in? I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt to this day.” (2 Samuel 7, 1 Chronicles) yr old: I liked the book. My favorite picture is when God makes Adam and Eve. He made the animals and everything! I want to read this book all the time! And whenever somebody asks me for a practical example of those four guidelines, I inevitably point them toward Tales that Tell the Truth. There are currently ten books in the series (the latest upcoming June 2020) along with a variety of supplemental materials like coloring books that accompany each volume. The series has a variety of authors with illustrator Catalina Echeverri providing a cohesive stylistic design.
The illustrations in this book are stunning. They're beautifully nuanced, colorful, detailed, and full of life. These six Sunday School lessons, based on the bestselling storybook The Garden, the Curtain and the Cross, take kids on a journey through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, thrilling them with God's loving determination for his people to enjoy life with him.The Garden, the Curtain and the Cross is basic, short Biblical theology geared toward young children but captivating enough for older children as well. I loved the way my four year was fascinated with the illustrations and even keep pace with the story itself. My eight year old was engaged with the details of the Temple and the curtain. It was a great learning tool, especially helpful right before Easter.
I’ve read a lot of children’s Bible storybooks. I’ve never read one that put the curtain of the Holy of Holies into central focus. And yet, it’s that veil that serves as a visual metaphor for the separation between God and humanity due to sin. As such, it’s the perfect visual focus point for an illustrated children’s bible story book. This was an incredible read. The Bible condensed into a children's book. I read this with my children and it had me in tears. The story is so well told about the significance of the garden, the curtain and the cross that I felt overwhelmingly loved by our Father and the sacrifice made by Jesus. I felt it helped me and my children understand that the Father is always and only ever a loving Father to us.Gloria Furman's endorsement of this book sums up my feeling too, "I am so excited about this book! It is colorful, engaging, and creative, and that's just the icing on the cake! Our children receive invitations to participate in many different stories, stories of who they are, their purpose, and what God is like. The Garden, the Curtain and the Crossis a brilliant re-telling of the one story that rules all other stories. I cannot commend this book highly enough. Read it to your children, give it to your neighbors, and talk about what it means to live in light of the fact that the curtain has been torn." The Garden, the Curtain, and the Cross is a sweeping epic that details God’s relationship with humankind. From the Garden to the Cross—and the Curtain that separated the two—Carl Laferton takes readers on a journey through history to show how a broken relationship was restored.
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