What is the Story of the Bible?

The Bible is an intimidating book to say the least. Filled with sixty-six pieces of various types of writings written by about forty men spanning nearly fifteen-hundred years, understanding the one overarching story can be quite difficult.

When seeking to better understand the story of Bible, it helps to know the central message as well as the basic outline of the scriptures:

The Central Message

The central message of the Bible is the glorification of God the Father through the redemption (or reconciliation) of His people (and all things) by the mediation of God the Son through the power of God the Holy Spirit.

The Old Testament | Promises Made

I. God creates

• God creates humanity in His image to be:
  1. a reflection of Him
  2. a steward of that which He has given them
  3. in perfect harmonious relation with Him (Gen 1 & 2)

• Man rebels and seeks joy in something other than God, ultimately enticed by the idea of becoming like God; as a result, humanity is separated from God’s holy presence because of their selfish desires (Gen 3)
  • God promises a Redeemer; a prophecy of Jesus (Gen 3:15)

II. God calls

• God calls Abram to leave his home; promises to make him a great nation and bless all the families of the earth through him (Gen 12)
• God affirms promises, and makes a covenant with Abram [Abrahamic Covenant] (Gen 15)
• God makes a covenant with Abraham, calling him and his descendants to an act of physical cleanliness, symbolic of the eternal spiritual cleanliness that God will give them [Covenant of Circumcision] (Gen 17)
  • God chooses the family/bloodline through which the Redeemer will be born (Gen 22:14‐19)

III. God preserves

• God preserves the nation of Israel; gives them the Law [Mosaic Covenant] (Ex 19‐24)
  • God sustains the family/bloodline through which the Redeemer will come

IV. God appoints

• God appoints David as king of Israel; makes a covenant with David to establish a king and kingdom through his descendants forever [Davidic Covenant] (2 Sam 7:8‐17)
  • God affirms promises made, the evidence of Him doing so, and declares a coming and everlasting kingdom

The New Testament | Promises Kept

I. God appoints

• God appoints the Son to be the Redeemer, King of His people, and takes on human flesh (Is 9:6 & 7, 53:12, John 1:11‐14, Phil 2)

II. God preserves

• God preserves the credibility of His Name through the Redeemer, Jesus, by having Jesus:
  • Go out of His homeland and be the ultimate stranger, taking on God’s greater plan, as Abram was called to [shadow of Abrahamic Covenant] (John 1, Phil 2)
  • Live not only a physically clean life but also a spiritually clean life [shadow of Covenant of Circumcision] (Heb 4:15)
  • Keep the law [shadow of Mosaic Covenant]
  • Usher in His kingdom here and now [shadow of Davidic Covenant] (Luke 4)

III. God calls

• God calls His people to Himself, to the praise of His grace extended in Jesus (Rom 8, Eph 1, Col 3)

IV. God [re]creates

• God [re]creates His people into new creations; creates and establishes His kingdom/church spiritually; creates an identity for His people; creates a mission for His people (Matt 28, Luke 4, 2 Cor 5)