The story of the Bible: From Creation to New Creation Basic Bible Competency - Toolkit [1] TGC Workshop 2014 Continue in what you have learned and become convinced of because you know those from whom you learned it and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ. (2 Timothy 3:14-15) [1] What is the Bible? [2] How is it put together? 66 books - 39 in the Old Testament, 27 in the New Testament 7 different Biblical genres - The Pentateuch/Law of Moses (Genesis to Deuteronomy) - The History books (Joshua to Esther) - The Wisdom Literature (Job - Song of Songs) - The Prophets (Isaiah to Malachi) - The Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) and Acts - The Letters (Romans - Jude) - The Apocalyptic Literature (Revelation) [3] How can we summarise its message? God s Plan PROMISE FULFILMENT OT NT Creation - Genesis 1 and 2 God created the heavens and the earth. He created Adam and Eve in His own image. He created a special place for them to live - the Garden of Eden. He blessed them. God s people, living in God s place and enjoying God s blessing The Fall - Genesis 3 Adam and Eve both rebelled against God s rule. God punished them - they were banished from His presence that very day (= spiritual death) - they later died and returned to the dust (= physical death) But even in the context of judgment God made a promise God s promise after the Fall Genesis 3:15 Adam and Eve Cain and Abel Seth Noah and the Flood the Tower of Babel Rebellion and sin were the ever-present problems - they all died and returned to the dust, just as God had said. 1
Abraham God called Abraham to live in the land He would show him. He then made some promises to him (v2a) God s promises to Abraham Genesis 12:1-7 (v7a) (v3b) Abraham Isaac Jacob Joseph and His brothers the 12 tribes of Israel All of them inherited the promises God made to Abraham. Moses The Israelites were slaves in Egypt and treated harshly by the Egyptians. God raised up a leader to rescue them = a mediator between God and the Israelites. The plagues the Passover the Exodus the crossing of the Red Sea Moses brought the people to Mount Sinai but met with God alone on the mountain. Rebellion and sin were still major problems so they people could not enter God s presence. God gave Moses the Ten Commandments and also the instructions for setting up the Tabernacle. The sacrificial system was set up as the temporary solution to the problem of sin. Joshua Judges Samuel Saul Joshua took the Israelites into the Promised Land. Judges were raised up to save them when they rebelled. Samuel anointed Saul as the first King over Israel - but Saul sinned and was rejected by God. Samuel then anointed David instead. David The shepherd King; he wrote most of the Psalms but his character was deeply flawed. God made promises to him as well (v9) (v10) God s promises to David 2 Samuel 7:8-13 (v11a) (v11b) (v12) (v13) Triumphs = defeated Goliath, brought the Ark to Jerusalem, defeated God s enemies, brought peace to Israel Disasters = his adultery with Bathsheba and murder of Uriah (her husband) Solomon Succeeded David as King and built the Temple - wrote most of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and probably Song of Solomon. He married foreign women and led the people into idolatry. His son succeeded him as King but during his reign the Kingdom divided into two. Division of the Kingdom The Northern Kingdom = Israel, consisted of ten tribes 19 kings but none of them from David s line They all did evil in the eyes of the Lord 2
Prophets included Elijah, Elisha, Amos and Hosea - who warned of God s judgment The people failed to repent and were exiled to Assyria in 722BC They inter-married with other nations and were later known as the Samaritans The Southern Kingdom = Judah (Judah and Benjamin) 20 kings all of them from David s line Only a few encouraged the people to walk in God s ways Prophets included Zephaniah, Isaiah and Jeremiah - who also warned of God s judgment The people failed to repent and were exiled to Babylon in 586BC The Exile in Babylon Jeremiah and Ezekiel continued to prophesy about a return to the land - and new promises emerged (v31) I will make a new covenant with Israel and with Judah Jeremiah 31:31-34 (v33a) I will put my law in their minds and in their hearts (v33b) I will be their God and they will be my people (v34) I will forgive their wickedness & remember their sins no more God s promises to His people in exile (v24) I will bring you back into your own land (v25) I will sprinkle clean water on you and you will be clean Ezekiel 36:24-28 (v26) I will give you a new heart (v27) I will put my Spirit in you and move you to keep my laws (v28) You will be my people and I will be your God The return from exile Ezra Nehemiah The people returned to the land. Ezra restored the Temple in Jerusalem. Nehemiah rebuilt the walls around Jerusalem. Haggai and Zechariah prophesied and warned the people of judgment if they disobeyed God. Malachi prophesied that God would send a messenger who would prepare the way for God s King = the Messiah. 500 years of silence John the Baptist John the Baptist told people to get ready for the coming of the Lord. He introduced a baptism of repentance as preparation for His coming. JESUS The gospels focus on His identity and His mission. He is the Messiah, the Christ, the Holy One of God, the Son of Abraham, the Son of David and Son of Man. He came to preach the good news and call people to repentance (Matthew 4:17) He came to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45) He came to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19:10) He came not to condemn the world but to save it (John 3:17) He made it clear to His disciples that His death was central to His mission Mark 8:31 Mark 9:31 Mark 10:33-34 The Son of Man must suffer and be rejected, He must be killed and after three days rise again. The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, who will kill Him and after three days He will rise. The Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and teachers of the Law, they will condemn Him to death and hand Him over to the Gentiles, who will mock Him and spit on Him, flog Him and kill Him. Three days later He will rise. 3
The cross was God s permanent solution to the problem of sin - and made the sacrificial system redundant. After the resurrection, Jesus told them that the whole of Scripture pointed forward to Him. Luke 24:25-27 Luke 24:44-47 How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory? And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms. Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And so repentance for the forgiveness of sins must now be preached in His name to all nations. Pentecost In Acts 2 the Apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit and equipped to preach the gospel to all nations. The church begins in Jerusalem and spreads to Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth. The Church, the Last Days, the Age of the Spirit The Apostles wrote letters to churches and individuals encouraging them to trust in Jesus and wait for His coming. The Second Coming Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead - Revelation 20:11-15. Those whose names are written in the book of life, whose sins have been forgiven, will enjoy eternal life forever. Those whose names are not will be punished for their sins and thrown into the lake of sulphur (the second death). The New Creation All God s people from every tribe and nation will enjoy eternal life in the New Creation. Revelation 21:1-4 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Look! God s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. God s people, living in God s place and enjoying God s blessing. - this is Eden restored, but it is better than Eden! - there is no more sin and no more death. - Jesus is there and He will reign forever! God is a promise-making and promise-keeping God. All of His promises are fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us give thanks and respond in repentance and faith Trusting in His death and looking forward to all that is yet to come. Bible Overview Resources [1] According to Plan - Graham Goldsworthy (IVP) [2] God s Big Picture - Vaughan Roberts (IVP) [3] The King, the Snake and the Promise - enhanced CD with songs and work sheets (EMU Music) [4] The Jesus Story Book Bible - Sally Lloyd Jones (Zondervan) 4 Carrie Sandom June 2014
The Story of the Bible: From Creation to New Creation The Pentateuch (Law of Moses) The History books The Wisdom Literature and Psalms JOB? PSALMS PROVERBS ECCLESIASTES SONG OF SONGS GENESIS EXODUS LEVITICUS NUMBERS DEUTERONOMY JOSHUA JUDGES RUTH 1 SAMUEL 2 SAMUEL 1 KINGS 1 CHRONICLES 2 KINGS 2 CHRONICLES CREATION ISRAEL = Northern Kingdom [Ten Tribes] JUDAH = Southern Kingdom [Two Tribes] FALL FLOOD Noah ABRAHAM - c1900 BC Isaac, Jacob, Joseph MOSES - c1300 BC Passover, Exodus, Law JOSHUA Conquest JUDGES Samson SAMUEL Saul DAVID - c1000 BC Triumphs & disasters SOLOMON Temple DIVISION OF THE KINGDOM 922 BC
The Prophets (4 major and 12 minor) The Gospels and Acts The Letters Apocalyptic Literature (Revelation) ZEPHANIAH OBADIAH? JOEL? HABAKKUK? ISAIAH JEREMIAH LAMENTATIONS EZEKIEL DANIEL HAGGAI ZECHARIAH MALACHI HEBREWS JAMES 1 PETER 2 PETER 1 JOHN 2 JOHN 3 JOHN JUDE REVELATION AMOS HOSEA JONAH MICAH NAHUM ESTHER EZRA NEHEMIAH MATTHEW MARK LUKE JOHN ACTS ROMANS 1 CORINTHIANS 2 CORINTHIANS GALATIANS EPHESIANS PHILIPPIANS COLOSSIANS 1 THESSALONIANS 2 THESSALONIANS PHILEMON 1 TIMOTHY 2 TIMOTHY TITUS NEW CREATION Exiled to Assyria 722BC Exiled to Babylon 586BC RETURN 538BC ESTHER EZRA 458BC NEHEMIAH 445BC 500 YEARS OF SILENCE JOHN THE BAPTIST JESUS PENTECOST THE CHURCH THE LAST DAYS THE AGE OF THE SPIRIT SECOND COMING