A Commentary for Children?? Author Nancy Ganz Explains

Nancy Ganz has written a commentary series for children on the first four books of the Bible. Shepherd Press’ blog recently shared a four part interview with Nancy about her books. I plan on reviewing the first book in the near future, but thought I’d share excerpts from this interview series for my readers.

The commentaries were birthed out of a Sunday School curriculum that Ganz developed. They are written in a clear easy style that children can comprehend. The books look like they would make the perfect material for Family Bible Time, or as others call it, Family Worship.

I’m selectively choosing some answers and questions from the original four part interview. I encourage you to read the entire interview as it is both a blessing to read as well as an insight into the perspective of these books.

Jay Younts (Shepherd Press) – Nancy, as a follow up – tell us when you actually decided to write these commentaries.

Nancy Ganz – I decided to write this book when I was sitting in the National Arts Centre Theatre in the capital of Canada. The National Ballet Company of Canada was performing The Nutcracker and I was thinking, “The world takes a silly little story like this and tells it to the children so beautifully and meaningfully that they remember it for the rest of their lives. The church takes the most beautiful and meaningful story ever told–the salvation of God’s people–and somehow turns the most exciting events and amazing facts in all human history into unimaginably boring lessons. How is this possible?” It was that thought in that moment which motivated me to write this book in this way.

JY – I have always appreciated your title for the series – Herein Is Love. Would you tell our readers why you chose to emphasize love in the title?

NG – Each of the commentaries is part of the “HEREIN IS LOVE” series, because God’s LOVE shines forth in every book of the Bible, in every chapter of every book of the Bible! This is part of a New Testament quote: “Herein is love; not that we loved God, but that He loved us – and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (I John 4:10). That has to be one of the most important verses in the entire Bible.

JY – …what is the value of children being familiar with the book of Leviticus?

NG – The book of Leviticus is essential to understanding the New Testament. How can you understand what John the Baptist means when he says about Jesus: “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” if you don’t understand the place of the sacrificial lamb in the 0ld Testament? God was impressing upon us the severity of our sin and our need of a Savior by the continual shedding of blood, morning and evening, day after day, year after year. Sometimes I feel sick just thinking about all the bloodshed. Good. That is what I am supposed to feel. Sin is sickening and the price it required was much more than the blood of innocent animals. It required the blood of the Holy Son of God.

Why did God give us the book of Leviticus? He wanted to impress something awful upon us. And He wanted us to recognize the Lamb of God and His Sacrifice, when He laid down His life upon the cross for us. This wasn’t an accident. It didn’t just happen. God was showing us the blueprints of His Great Plan (in books like Leviticus) many hundreds of years before Jesus Christ even entered this world.

JY: We tend to look at the first books of the Bible as dry academic history. By contrast, your prose in retelling these stories is both lively and conversational. Why is this important for children?

NG: God imparts biblical history to us, not in a dry academic way, but through the exciting lives of real people. God’s truth is revealed to us in a very stimulating way–in peoples’ stories. There are some dry facts communicated too (such as long lists of numbers in the book called Numbers) but this never lasts very long. One time in Russia, my husband and I were having a tour of the Jewish Ghetto that was liquidated in WWII. The historian was imparting to us historical facts: lists of the numbers of people exterminated in different places and the dates when the massacres took place. At the end of the tour I asked the man to recount for us his personal story of that terrible time. At first he refused, saying it was unimportant. I contradicted him and said his personal memories were of utmost importance to me and to the world. I do not remember a single statistic that he told us, but I remember his story almost word for word. That is how God has imparted historical information to us–in the midst of exciting stories. This is not just important for children. It is important for all of us!

Here are links to the entire interview: part 1, part 2, part 3 and part 4. I recommend these books and encourage everyone to take advantage of a special offer from Shepherd Press.

UPDATE: Special Offer from Shepherd Press – From now through Wednesday March 10, use coupon code FRGANZ4 to get the set of all 4 children’s commentaries for $29.95, a savings of $16 off the normal set price, and $23 off the price of each book individually. More details about this discount is available below.

The sale will run today through Wednesday, March 10th. The code is FRGANZ4.

Using the coupon code from the Fundamentally Reformed Blog, purchase the Herein is Love Set for only $29.95!

You may need to be logged in to the website for the coupon code to work.

To enter the coupon code, add the Herein is Love Set to your shopping cart. Click “View Cart” on the right side of your screen. At the bottom of the shopping cart page is a field titled “Redeem a discount coupon.” Enter the coupon code there and click “Submit”. Then proceed with the checkout process.

This is a limited time offer. The coupon code may be used once per customer. Up to three sets may be purchased at the discounted price.

Music Mondays: “Our Great God” by Fernando Ortega and Mac Powell

Music Monday posts highlight the music which touched my heart on Sunday. I pray the message of these songs will help us all to live in the spirit of Worship all week long.

Today’s song is one I’ve enjoyed for quite some time now, since I first heard it in church maybe a year or so ago. It speaks of who God is, and calls all of creation to praise His name. I pray it will encourage you this week in your walk with our great God.

Our Great God

Words & Music by Fernando Ortega & Mac Powell

Eternal God, unchanging, mysterious and unknown
Your boundless love, unfailing, in grace and mercy shown
Bright seraphim in ceaseless flight around Your glorious throne
They raise their voices day and night in praise to You alone

Chorus:
Hallelujah! Glory be to our Great God!
Hallelujah! Glory be to our Great God!

Lord, we are weak and frail, helpless in the storm
Surround us with Your angels, hold us in Your arms
Our cold and ruthless enemy, his pleasure is our harm
Rise up, O Lord and he will flee before our Sovereign God

Let every creature in the sea and every flying bird
Let every mountain, every field and valley of the earth
Let all the moons and all the stars in all the universe
Sing praises to the Living God who rules them by His Word

 ©2002 Word Music.

You can listen to the entire song by watching this video clip. The song is also available for a free listen at rhapsody.com. Sheet music can be previewed (and purchased) easily at this link, and a guitar sheet is available for free here (.pdf).

Music Mondays: “Jesus, Thank You” by Pat Sczebel

Music Monday posts highlight the music which touched my heart on Sunday. I pray the message of these songs will help us all to live in the spirit of Worship all week long.

This Sunday one song in particular blessed my heart. The words “Once Your enemy, now seated at Your table” always send chills down my spine as I think about how glorious it is that God saves us sinners who were His enemies. He saves us and also bestows on us incredible honors and blessings.

I found myself also thinking of Mephibosheth, a potential rival to David’s throne, who was welcomed to his table in a place of honor. Mephibosheth’s own servant had left him alone and vulnerable.   He was lame. A normal king would have killed him to ensure his place as king. But David, prefiguring Jesus, accepted him into his house, and set him at his table. The same has been done for me by my Lord Jesus. (The story can be found in 2 Samuel 9).

Enjoy the words of this song today as you seek to worship Christ throughout the work week.

Jesus, Thank You

Words and music by Pat Sczebel

The mystery of the cross I cannot comprehend
The agonies of Calvary
You the perfect Holy One, crushed Your Son
Who drank the bitter cup reserved for me

Your blood has washed away my sin
Jesus, thank You
The Father’s wrath completely satisfied
Jesus, thank You
Once Your enemy, now seated at Your table
Jesus, thank You

By Your perfect sacrifice I’ve been brought near
Your enemy You’ve made Your friend
Pouring out the riches of Your glorious grace
Your mercy and Your kindness know no end

Lover of my soul
I want to live for You

 © 2003 Integrity’s Hosanna! Music (ASCAP)/Sovereign Grace Worship (ASCAP).

Listen to a sample of this song, or hear the whole thing for free on rhapsody.com. You can download guitar sheets or a simple score of the song for free. You can purchase an mp3 download of the song, or purchase either of these albums which include the song: Worship God Live, and Cover the Earth.

“My Heart’s Desire” by David Jeremiah

This is a simply written, heartfelt devotional book. In My Heart’s Desire: Living Every Moment in the Wonder of Worship, David Jeremiah draws you in to the pictures he paints in the book. You find yourself in Heaven’s throne room, weeping and then rejoicing with John as the Lamb is found worthy to open the book. The awe and wonder which this book inspires is aimed to incite you to greater heights of worship. Indeed all of life is to be lived as a worshiper of Christ.

For those looking for light yet devotional reading, this book will do nicely. It’s not all that profound, but the message is straightforward. And yes, its convicting. May your heart for Christ be strengthened as you read this book.

This book is available for purchase at the following sites: Amazon.com or direct from Thomas Nelson.

About Book Briefs: Book Briefs are book notes, or short-form book reviews. They are my informed evaluation of a book, but stop short of being a full-length book review.

Music Mondays: “How Deep” by Stephen Altrogge

I recommend many modern hymns & contemporary songs for corporate worship. While the old hymns are certainly grand, the new songs God is giving to the church, are worthy of respect too.

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I plan on highlighting some more praise music again.   Every Monday, I will try to post on one of the songs we sang in church the day before.   It’s so easy to leave the spirit of worship at the church on Sunday, and endure the week without it.   Hopefully these posts will help keep us in the spirit of worship all week long.

Today’s song is “How Deep” by Stephen Altrogge (son of Mark Altrogge, whose music I’ve previously highlighted).   Songs like this one, cause us to contemplate more deeply just how great it is that Jesus suffered and died in our place.   The song encourages a genuine heart-felt and knowledgable pouring out of thanks and love to our Savior.   It is a wonderful worship song.

How Deep
Stephen Altrogge

You were broken that I might be healed
You were cast off that I might draw near
You were thirsty that I might come drink
Cried out in anguish that I might sing

How deep is Your love
How high and how wide is Your mercy
How deep is Your grace
Our hearts overflow with praise to You

You knew darkness that I might know light
Wept great tears that mine might be dried
Stripped of glory that I might be clothed
Crushed by Your Father to call me Your own

(repeat chorus)

Words and Music by Stephen Altrogge  ©2006 Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI). Sovereign Grace Music, a division of Sovereign Grace Ministries.

You can see a guitar sheet  with words and chords of the song here.   Or you can download a free copy of the basic piano score (lead sheet), or guitar sheet (as well as purchase a fuller piano score) here.   You can hear a sample of the song for free here.   And I’d encourage you to buy the cd it is on: Valley of Vision.