God's Big Picture Tracing The Story Line Of The Bible
The Bible is a collection of 66 books divided into two main sections: the Old Testament and the New Testament. Despite being written by different authors over a period of more than 1,500 years, the Bible tells a coherent and unified story of God's plan to redeem humanity. In this article, we will explore the big picture of the Bible and trace its story line from beginning to end.
The Beginning: Creation
The story of the Bible begins with the book of Genesis, which tells us about God's creation of the world and everything in it. According to Genesis, God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh day. He created Adam and Eve, the first human beings, and placed them in the Garden of Eden. However, they disobeyed God by eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and sin entered the world. Sin separated humanity from God, and the rest of the Bible tells the story of how God seeks to reconcile us to Himself.
The Old Testament: God's Covenant with Israel
After the fall of Adam and Eve, God chose a man named Abraham to be the father of a great nation that would be His people. God made a covenant, or a promise, with Abraham that He would bless him and his descendants and make them a great nation. This promise was fulfilled through Abraham's descendants, the Israelites, whom God rescued from slavery in Egypt and led to the Promised Land.
God gave the Israelites laws and commandments to follow, which included the Ten Commandments. Through their obedience to these laws, the Israelites were to be a light to the nations and a witness to God's greatness. However, they continually rebelled against God and worshiped false gods. God sent prophets to warn them of the consequences of their sin and to call them back to Him.
The New Testament: Jesus Christ and the Redemption of Humanity
The New Testament begins with the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who came to earth to save humanity from sin and death. Jesus lived a perfect life, died on the cross for our sins, and rose from the dead on the third day. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus made it possible for us to be reconciled to God and have eternal life.
After Jesus' ascension into heaven, His followers spread the message of the Gospel throughout the world. The New Testament includes letters written by the apostles to various churches, as well as the book of Revelation, which describes the end of the age and the coming of Christ to judge the world.
The End: The Restoration of All Things
The Bible ends with the book of Revelation, which describes the final judgment and the restoration of all things. God will create a new heaven and a new earth, and those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ will live with Him forever. There will be no more sin, suffering, or death, and God will dwell with His people.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Bible tells the story of God's plan to redeem humanity through His Son Jesus Christ. It begins with the creation of the world and the fall of humanity into sin, and it ends with the restoration of all things through Christ. Throughout the Old and New Testaments, God reveals Himself to us and invites us to be reconciled to Him through faith in His Son. The Bible is not just a collection of ancient texts, but it is the living Word of God that speaks to us today.