The Overall Story of the Bible

1. The Overall Story of the Bible Introduction

2. The Bible has had an amazing influence. • A prime influence on Western Civilization • Millions across the world say they have had their lives changed through believing this book • This has happened for centuries by all sorts of people

3. The Bible has an amazing composition. • Written over 1600 years • Written by over 40 authors • Written on 3 continents: Asia, Africa, Europe • And it all fits together coherently!

4. The Bible says it reveals what we need to know. • Who God is • God’s good intent for the world • What’s gone wrong with us and our world • How our lives and world can be restored through God

5. The Bible reveals these things through telling a big, overall story. • Though containing many teachings and smaller stories, an overall story emerges that gives the big picture of how God is redeeming humanity. • Knowing this overall story helps us make better sense of the Bible’s parts too. (Analogy of a novel)

6. How We Will Proceed • Will briefly summarize the “plot” of the Bible’s story • Will present this plot in three parts that represent the beginning, middle and end of the story • For each part, we will explore a set-up, conflict/problem, and solution

7. Background on How the Bible Is Organized • Historical Books Genesis through Esther • Poetic Books Job through Song of Songs • Prophetic Books Isaiah through Malachi Old TestamentNew Testament • Historical Books Matthew through Acts • Epistles/Letters Romans through Jude • Prophetic Book Revelation Ancient Time to ~400 BC ~0 AD to ~100 AD

8. Part 1The Beginning

9. The Story Set-up:God Creates a Good World • God creates the universe and people • God tells man how to live • Everything is in harmony with itself and God • Life is beautiful and people can live forever as long as they follow God Genesis 1 & 2

10. B) The Conflict / Problem:People Rebel and Throw the World Into Disarray • The first people choose to disobey God • They experience shame, guilt and fear for the first time • As a result, God says life will now be full of pain, futility, conflict, and death • People are cast out of God’s presence on earth Genesis 3

11. B) The Conflict / Problem • Within one generation, we have the first murder—brother kills brother Genesis 4

12. B) The Conflict / Problem • As people multiply, violence and corruption spreads across the world Genesis 5 - 6:5

13. B) The Conflict / Problem • God grieves over how bad things get. He sends a worldwide flood to destroy all but the family of Noah and one pair of each animal who can repopulate the earth. Genesis 6:6-9

14. B) The Conflict / Problem • Noah’s descendents ignore God and seek to build a city and tower to their own greatness. Genesis 11:1-4

15. B) The Conflict / Problem • God breaks them up by separating them into different languages and nations across the world. Genesis 10; 11:5-11

16. B) The Conflict / Problem • In summary, people have turned away from God, messed up their lives and the world, and they keep doing this over and over.

17. B) The Conflict / Problem • Puzzle: How can a world of corrupt people in separate nations be turned back to God and experience life as God originally intended?

18. C) The Solution - First Phase:God’s Chooses Abraham and Some of His Descendents • God talks to a man Abraham. God says he will bless Abraham, make of him a great nation, and through him all nations will be blessed. Genesis 12-20 (~2,000 BC)

19. C) The Solution, First Phase • Though imperfect, Abraham believes God and follows him, even though he and his wife are very old and have no son. Genesis 12 - 20

20. C) The Solution, First Phase • After 25 years of waiting, God gives Abraham and his wife a son, Isaac, who will inherit God’s promises. Genesis 21 - 24 (Job is set sometime around this time period)

21. C) The Solution, First Phase • When he grows up, Isaac has twin sons. God chooses the younger twin, Jacob, to inherit his promises. Genesis 25 - 27

22. C) The Solution, First Phase • Jacob is a schemer, but God changes him, and changes his name to Israel. Genesis 28-35:15

23. C) The Solution, First Phase • Israel has 12 sons. One son, Joseph, trusts in and obeys God. But the other brothers are jealous of Joseph and sell him into slavery. Genesis 35:16-38

24. C) The Solution, First Phase • Through amazing circumstances, Joseph becomes prime minister of Egypt, and the rest of the family comes to join him. Genesis 39-50

25. C) The Solution, First Phase • Puzzle: How can God bless all nations and restore the world through these people?

26. Part 2The Middle

27. The Second Part Set-up:God Establishes Israel AsHis Chosen Nation • Many years later, Israel’s descendents have grown to hundreds of thousands, but they are now all Egyptian slaves. Exodus 1 (~1,500 BC)

28. A) The Second Part Set-up • God raises up a man, Moses, to lead them out of Egypt. Exodus 2 – 7:13

29. A) The Second Part Set-up • After a series of 10 divinely caused plagues, the Egyptian king agrees to let Moses and the Israelites leave miraculously. Exodus 7:14 - 18

30. A) The Second Part Set-up • Once they are out of Egypt, God gives Moses and the Israelites 10 commandments and other laws to follow, saying they will be blessed if they obey, but cursed if they disobey. Exodus 19 – Numbers 12

31. B) The 2nd Part Conflict / Problem:The Israelites Usually Don’t Trust in God • The rescued Israelites keep rebelling against God. So God says He will not permit them to enter their promised land. They have to travel in the wilderness until their generation dies out. Numbers 14 - 36

32. B) The Conflict / Problem • After 40 years, God renews his covenant with the next generation of Israelites. Then Moses’ successor, Joshua, leads them into the promised land. Deuteronomy 1 - Joshua 24

33. B) The Conflict / Problem • However, the very next generation turns to worshipping other gods. Judges 1 - 2

34. B) The Conflict / Problem • For the next 300 years, the Israelites follow a pattern: They face a foe, they call out to God, God sends someone to help them, but once their problem is solved, they turn away from God again. Judges 3 - 1 Samuel 7 (~1,400 – 1,100 BC)

35. B) The Conflict / Problem • The Israelites ask God for a king, and after warning them about how kings act, God chooses Saul to be their first king. 1 Samuel 8 - 10

36. B) The Conflict / Problem • Saul begins well, but he starts disobeying God and God tells Saul (through a prophet) he will replace him. 1 Samuel 11 - 15

37. B) The Conflict / Problem • God chooses David to be the next king, David obeys and trusts in God, and Israel prospers. 1 Samuel 16 - II Samuel 10; 1 Chronicles 11 - 20 (David wrote many of the Psalms) (~1,000 BC)

38. B) The Conflict / Problem • God promises David that a dynasty and a kingdom will come from him that will last forever. (Puzzle: how can this be?) 2 Samuel 7; 1 Chronicles 17

39. B) The Conflict / Problem • When David gets older though, he commits adultery and murder, and he and his kingdom starts to deteriorate. 2 Samuel 11-23; 1 Chronicles 21

40. B) The Conflict / Problem • David’s son Solomon becomes king next, and he rules wisely. But eventually he worships other Gods. God says he will remove most of Israel from his dynasty because of this. 1 Kings 1 - 11; 2 Chronicles 1 - 9 (Solomon many of the Proverbs, plus likely Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs)

41. B) The Conflict / Problem • After Solomon dies, Israel splits into two kingdoms. The Northern Kingdom—”Israel” - Ruled by many dynasties of kings • The Southern Kingdom—”Judah” • Always ruled by a descendant of David • and Solomon I Kings 11 - 12; 2 Chronicles 10 - 11

42. B) The Conflict / Problem • For the next few hundred years, Israel’s kings and people keep disobeying God. After sending many warnings through prophets, God has the northern kingdom overrun by Assyrians in 722 BC. Most are shipped away, never to return. I Kings 13 - 2 Kings 17 Hosea, Amos, Jonah

43. B) The Conflict / Problem • During this same time period, a few kings and people in Judah trust in God, but most don’t. After many warnings, in 586 BC, after Israel’s fall, God has Judah conquered also. However, God promises he will bring a remnant back to their land. I Kings 13 - 2 Kings 25; 2 Chronicles 10 - 36:21 Isaiah, Jeremiah, Joel , Habakkuk , Micah,Zephaniah

44. B) The Conflict / Problem • The Judeans (i.e., “Jews”) live in exile in Babylon. But 70 years later, the Persian king who conquered Babylon says Jews can return to their land and rebuild their capital and temple. 2 Chronicles 36:22 - Ezra 1 Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel

45. B) The Conflict / Problem • These returning Jews are the first generation to permanently forsake worshipping other gods, and they show concern to obey God. • However, they soon start growing cooler toward God. Ezra 2 - Esther 10 Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi (Old Testament ends ~400 BC)

46. B) The Conflict / Problem • Summary Puzzle: With how they have done, how will God “bless all nations” through descendents of Abraham?

47. C) The Solution, Phase 2:God Promises to Send a Savior • In addition to warnings, through prophets, God gives the Israelites promises he will raise up from them a deliverer who will establish a wonderful eternal, worldwide kingdom—one filled with people who trust in Him. Isaiah 40 - 66, Micah 4 - 5:15, Zephaniah 3:9-20, Zechariah 9:9 - 14, Malachi 4

48. C) The Solution, Phase 2 • Puzzle: How can someone sent to the Jews save the world and change people’s hearts?

49. Part 3The End

50. The Final Part Set-up:God Sends Jesus to Save the World • 400 years after the Old Testament ends, Jesus is born. His birth’s details fit the ancient prophecies of the promised one. • Examples: • A descendant of Abraham, • Israel, and David • Born in the small town of • Bethlehem. Matthew 1 - 2; Luke 1 - 2 (~ 0 AD)