What is the Bible's big story?
The Bible is one unfolding story: God makes a very good world, humanity rebels, and God begins a long work of rescue through one family, one nation, and finally one Son, until all things are made new. Every book is a chapter in that single plot.
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Not a summary of these passages: the passages themselves. Read them, then come back to the study below.
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What the Scripture says
It begins with a good creation
The story does not open with a problem to solve but with a gift to enjoy. God creates by His word, calls each day good, and at the end sees 'everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.' Humans are the crown: 'God created man in his own image,' made to know Him and to steward His world.
God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them.So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. There was evening and there was morning, a sixth day.And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
It turns on a rebellion
The first humans were given one boundary, with death attached: 'in the day that you eat of it, you will surely die.' They crossed it. Sin entered through one man, Paul says, 'and death through sin; and so death passed to all men.' Everything that follows in Scripture, the covenants, the sacrifices, the cross itself, is God's answer to this moment.
but you shall not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; for in the day that you eat of it, you will surely die.”But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Therefore as sin entered into the world through one man, and death through sin; and so death passed to all men, because all sinned.Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
It carries a promise through history
Even in the ruins of Eden, God promised that the woman's offspring would bruise the serpent's head. From there the story narrows and widens at once: one couple, then one family in Abraham, then one nation in Israel, then one Son from David's line, and through Him blessing spreading back out to 'all the families of the earth.' The plot is rescue, and the rescuer keeps being promised before He arrives.
I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will bruise your head, and you will bruise his heel.”And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you. All of the families of the earth will be blessed in you.”And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
Jesus claimed the whole story pointed to Him
On the road to Emmaus, the risen Jesus did not pick a proof text or two: 'Beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he explained to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.' Later He said everything written in the law, the prophets, and the psalms concerning Him must be fulfilled. The Bible is not a loose collection; it has a Hero.
Beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he explained to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
He said to them, “This is what I told you, while I was still with you, that all things which are written in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms, concerning me must be fulfilled.”And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
It ends where it began, only better
Revelation closes the loop Eden opened: 'Behold, God's dwelling is with people, and he will dwell with them.' Tears, death, mourning, and pain are removed, and the One on the throne says, 'Behold, I am making all things new.' Creation is not discarded but renewed, and communion with God, lost in a garden, is restored in a city.
I heard a loud voice out of heaven saying, “Behold, God’s dwelling is with people, and he will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
He will wipe away from them every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; neither will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more. The first things have passed away.” He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” He said, “Write, for these words of God are faithful and true.”And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
As you read, you may wonder…
Scripture raises the next question
Studying the Word naturally opens more of it. Follow what you just read: it leads somewhere.
Continue this trail
What went wrong in Eden?→“but you shall not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; for in the day that you eat of it, you will surely die.”But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”Why did God place the tree in the garden at all?→“Yahweh God commanded the man, saying, “You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but you shall not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; for in the day that you eat of it, you will surely die.”And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”Who are the sons of God in Genesis 6?→“God’s sons saw that men’s daughters were beautiful, and they took any that they wanted for themselves as wives.That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.”What does the flood show us about God's judgment and mercy?→“Yahweh saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of man’s heart was continually only evil. Yahweh was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him in his heart.And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.”What happened at Babel?→“They said, “Come, let’s build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top reaches to the sky, and let’s make ourselves a name, lest we be scattered abroad on the surface of the whole earth.”And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.”Explore further
Is the whole Bible about Jesus?→The Word of God trail“Beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he explained to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.”Why is the Bible arranged the way it is?→The Word of God trail“He said to them, “This is what I told you, while I was still with you, that all things which are written in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms, concerning me must be fulfilled.”And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.”Why did God create us?→God the Father trail“neither is he served by men’s hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he himself gives to all life and breath, and all things.Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;”Hold onto these
Verses to meditate on
God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them.So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will bruise your head, and you will bruise his heel.”And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
Beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he explained to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” He said, “Write, for these words of God are faithful and true.”And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
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