Act One: God Establishes His Kingdom: Creation
Act one begins with Genesis. In Genesis we are taught many things about God, humankind, and the world in which we live. In Genesis 1, we learn that God is eternal, all powerful, and is distinct from creation. Modern worldviews of that day believed that there were multiple gods. For example, people believed in the god of fertility, god of the land, sun god, moon god, etc. However, Genesis shows that God is the only creator and there is none like Him. He created the universe and sovereignly rules over it as King. He does not rule heavy fisted, but wants to be in relationship with His creation and His people. The God described in the Bible is a personal God who delights in His creation.
Genesis 1 explains the big picture of the world and gives the framework for the place of humans in the cosmos. When God created the world, He gave it the shape, form, and structure during the first three days. For the next three days, God filled the world. God saw what He created and it was considered very good. The diversity in the world shows in part to God’s creativity and also testifies to a creator.
With humankind, Genesis shows that we are created male and female and are the apex of God’s creation. Humans were created in the image of God. To be created in the image of God means we are similar to God but also different. To be created in the image of God does not mean that we are equal to God in any way. We are made to be in relationship and community with fellow image bearers and to God. God intended our relationship to Him to be one that was perfect and did not lack anything. We were created to know God and enjoy Him as the creator of the universe by giving Him glory for all that He has done. Genesis 2 shows that work was a good activity since it was done pre-fall. Finally, we were also created to be stewards of the “garden” (world) and to governor over creation.
Act Two: Rebellion in the Kingdom: Fall
The transition point for act two is the result of a decision that was made by the first humans on the earth. God’s structure for the world included limits and boundaries for how humans were supposed to live. Adam and Eve disobeyed one of these commandments in the garden which resulted in a broken relationship with God. The serpent came along in the garden and phrased a question to Adam and Eve which then brought doubt to God’s word and what He said. The serpent then distorted what was said, and twisted words around to deceive Adam and Eve. This brought further doubt on what God had said. This caused them to question God’s character. Questions were raised such as, “Does God really know what is best for me?” One thing led to another and their imagination of what they thought was best got the better of them and caused them to disobey.
The core of Adam and Eve’s sin was autonomy. Autonomy has plagued creation ever since Adam and Eve disobeyed. Humankind now wants to make up for themselves what is right or wrong, good or bad, and true or false. We want to be apart from God’s ruling and set the standards. We set standards which we think are wise and best for us. However, real wisdom comes from a fear of the Lord. Adam and Eve’s choice to not follow God’s rules is a clear example of autonomy at work. Their sin and choice to disobey God has many implications. Adam and Eve rebelled against God’s authority. Their covenant rebellion by sinning, against all that God intended creation to be, was a straight out revolt against God. Even more, Adam and Eve placed something in front of God, which is idolatry.
The consequences of Adam and Eve’s sin are many fold. For one, they were not alienated from God and banished from the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve’s relationship between themselves was also broken and all non-human creation was cursed. Even the ground itself was cursed. Death was a very real issue now, along with pain from childbearing. The consequences of sin bears many effects on humans. As seen in the picture below that is in DS, sin effects out relationship with God, with other humans, the world, and our own self understanding. Sin impacts every aspect of our life and distorts the image of how it really should be. The Garden of Eden was the perfect example of how our relationships should be; perfect harmony with God. Sin comes in many forms: greed, lying, stealing, cheating, killing, etc. Our own sin has brought sickness and pain into the world in which God created. From this point onwards, a very real battle exists for Satan trying to take a hold of our souls and lead us away from God.
Act Three: The King Chooses Israel: Redemption Initiated
Life continues for Adam and Eve’s family. Their family grows in numbers and eventually splits off into different areas of the country. People begin to have specialized jobs and towns are formed. Sin continues to spread and grow. Despite this, God is still faithful to His creation and wants to restore it back to what it once was. Unfortunately, very few people had faith in God anymore and all went about doing their own thing with no regard for God. Humankind’s life of sin got so bad, that at one point only Noah and his family still were following the true God. God decided to judge the earth by sending a great flood that would wipe out all the evil that existed. God set aside Noah and directed him to build an ark to save his family and all animal life. After the flood, God made a covenant with Noah and his family. God promised, in Genesis 9, to never again destroy the earth. God also blesses Noah’s family, and as a result they were fruitful and multiplied over the earth.
Sadly, God’s fresh start with Noah did not eliminate the problem of sin. In Genesis 11 we read that the people wanted to make a name for themselves. The people’s hearts and motives were not in the right place. Babel represented a communal attempt by Adam’s race to wrest human autonomy from God once more. The people started building the Tower of Babel and God stepped in and confused their language. As a result, people spread throughout the world and clumped together by common languages.
God’s plans now shift from trying to restore all nations at once to just blessing one man, Abram, by whom a nation, God’s people, would be formed. Through Abraham, God plans to reverse the curse of sin and redeem the world. God makes a covenant with Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3 which says:
“The LORD had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.
2 I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.””
In essence, God establishes the Abrahamic Covenant so that Abraham’s lineage, God’s chosen people, would be blessed and then be a blessing to others. Genesis 25-35 tells the story of how God fulfills the covenant to Abraham through his descendants. God reestablishes the Abrahamic covenant with each of Abraham’s descendents. There is a lot of conflict along the way between: Jacob and Issac, Jacob and Esau, Jacob and Laban, Esau’s wives, and also Issac and Rebekah. Throughout the narrative, many times different wives were barren. The point of this narrative is that God is faithful to the promise he made to Abraham, in spite of human infidelity and sin. God is powerful to provide and to work through sinful humanity to accomplish His purposes.
The story of God’s redemption and the Abrahamic Covenant shifts to Jacob’s son, Joseph. Joseph was sold into slavery and became a great ruler for Pharaoh who was king of Egypt. During this time, there was a great famine and Joseph’s brothers went to Egypt in search of food. Joseph and his brothers reconciled with each other and the whole family moved to Goshen to be with Joseph. At this point in time, God’s chosen people have grown into a formidable nation. The story of God’s redemption continues in Exodus. Pharaoh oppresses God’s chosen people during this time. God hears their suffering and oppression and raises up Moses to deliver the people. God’s basis for redeeming His people is the Abrahamic covenant. God’s people still do not have land of their own. Israel’s ultimate vocation and job is found in Exodus 19:1-6. Israel is called to be a kingdom of priests (to mediate between YHWH and the nations) and to be a holy nation. They are called to obey God fully and to keep His covenant so that they will be a blessing to others; Israel is God’s treasured possession.
After God delivers the people from Pharaoh, the exodus journey for land of their own begins. God gives them the Ten Commandments and comes to dwell with his people. The law was given as general stipulations between God and to others. God gives the people instructions for the tabernacle in Exodus 25-31. God then dwells in the tabernacle on the basis of love for His people. The book of Leviticus gives guidelines for sacrifices, offerings, and ceremonial law in regards to the tabernacle. Leviticus is all about living with a holy God and repairing a broken covenant and how to maintain a relationship with God.
Israel then enters into a cycle of disobedience and wandering in the desert. The book of Numbers relates the story of Israel’s journey from Mount Sinai to the plains of Moab on the border of Canaan. The book of Deuteronomy is about the second giving of the law since a whole new generation exists now that does not know God. The people are finally on the borders of the Promised Land and Moses gives sermons to Israel. The book of Joshua and after is about which way the people will choose. Disbelief and disobedience brings death, destruction and a curse, but belief and obedience brings life, prosperity and blessing. Israel’s success in battle depends on the presence of the Lord. The land is a gift from God and is a partial fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant. Even though God has been faithful to His promise to Abraham, Israel has not. Israel has turned to worshiping the gods of the land and as a result, God hands them over to raiders who plundered their land. God then raises up judges to save them from the raiders. This cycle of disobeying God’s law continues for some time. Each time God hands Israel over to their enemies until they cry out to God for deliverance. God hears their cry and sends a judge to save them, but once the judge dies, Israel falls back into idolatry.
One of these judges, Samuel, was charged by the people to anoint a king for Israel. Saul was anointed king over Israel and was successful until he started taking things into his own hands and disobeyed God. As a result, David eventually becomes king. God establishes a covenant with David in 2 Samuel 7:9-16. God promises to make David’s name great, to provide rest from enemies, to give him a permanent dynasty, appoint a place for God’s people, and finally establish God’s house through his offspring. This covenant reflects back to the Abrahamic covenant. The descendants of David will rule over an everlasting kingdom. Israel’s hope for redemption is now tied to David’s lineage, to a promised Messiah.
David’s son, Solomon, became king after David’s death and asked God for wisdom to rule. God grants his request and he builds a temple for God in Jerusalem. Even though Solomon expands the boundaries of Israel, he fails to stay faithful to God. God then sends prophets to remind the king and the people about their covenant obligations to God. The people fail to obey God and the kingdom of Israel is divided. King Jeroboam led Israel, the northern kingdom, to worship two golden calves, and as a result Israel was conquered by Assyria in 722BC. The southern kingdom, Judah, was led by king Rehoboam. He foolishly led the people with a heavy hand and as a result they were exiled to Babylon in 587/6 BC.
During what seemed to be the peak in Israel’s history during the reign of Solomon, life for the Israelites takes a downward spiral. Israel rebelled against the covenant and the leaders disobeyed God and rejected the prophets that came warning them. The message of the pre-exilic prophets was: You have broken the covenant with YHWH, repent from your idolatry. If you fail to repent, judgment will come. And finally, the prophets said a future restoration was still in store for the people. The restoration would be ushered in by the Messiah, it would be the work of the Spirit, and would bring in a future world kingdom in the end times. The messiah would bring salvation and judgment on all people and fulfill the covenant that was established.
In 539 BC, Cyrus allows Israel to return to the land. Not all of Israel returns at once, because they were content and had settled in to this new land. As a result, Israel returns in three stages. First, Zerubbabel returns in 516BC and builds the temple, then Ezra instructs the people in the law during the second stage. The people confess their sins and the covenant with God is renewed. Nehemiah, who would later become governor of Jerusalem, returns in the third stage and rebuilds the walls of the city in 445/4BC.
Act three concludes with Israel being partially restored. The Israelites are still living under foreign rule and have many questions about the future restoration. Will God follow through with His promise to David? When will God’s promised shepherd-king come? How would God fulfill the covenants to David and Abraham? Where is the promised Messiah?
Interlude: A Kingdom Story Waiting for an Ending: The Intertestamental Period
The Intertestamental period, is a period of 400 years of Israel’s history between Malachi and Matthew. During this period, the Jewish synagogue system was constructed. The synagogue’s purpose was to maintain their cultural and religious distinctiveness. Israel was being ruled by many different empires, and they did not want to lose their identity. The synagogue was the center of everything Jewish and was a social center, courthouse, place of Sabbath worship, prayer, and study of the scriptures. Israel needed to hold on to their way of life since many different nations, first Rome, then Persia, and finally Greece, ruled over Israel. The Jewish people hoped in the age to come, in which God would intervene to cleanse and renew His creation. The people wondered when the message of the prophets would come to fulfillment. They wanted God to judge the nations and deliver them from their enemies. The Pharisees, Essenes, Sadducess, Priests, and Zealots all had a different idea of how God was going to restore His people and fulfill his promises. The Intertestamental period, is a period of waiting for the coming Messiah.
Act Four: The Coming of the King: Redemption Accomplished
Act four starts into what is commonly known as the New Testament. The much awaited Messiah, Jesus, finally comes, but not as expected and not recognized right away. Matthew 1 tells us the lineage from Abraham to David to the birth of Jesus. Jesus fulfills all of the prophesies in the Old Testament and is the Messiah that would come from King David’s line; which fulfills the covenant. Jesus’s “inauguration” day as king, came when He was baptized in the desert by John the Baptist. At this point, Jesus was anointed by God and God identifies Jesus as His son. This is the start of Jesus’s public ministry of making the kingdom of God known to the people. As stated earlier, Jesus did not come as the Jewish people expected Him to come. Jesus did not come as a militant or political leader, but rather as a humble servant.
Jesus’s ministry was clearly the outworking from a connection to God. Jesus was fully God and also fully man. He received His power and authority from the Father, the Holy Spirit, and by prayer. Jesus’s main message was that the kingdom of God had come and that the people should repent and believe (See Mark 1:14-15). Jesus also performs many miracles of healing the sick and casting out daemons. As a result, Jesus often drew thousands of people to come and hear Him. He often taught these people with parables about the kingdom. Jesus slowly gains a following, along with the disciples with whom He has been training. Jesus’s ideas are so radical to the people that He arouses much opposition to His message. The leaders of the Law try to trap Jesus and find fault with Him.
Throughout the Gospels we see that Jesus, the Messiah, choices to be with the poor, the sinners, and the outcasts of society. His message about the kingdom is exemplified with how He lived His life. The kingdom of God is for all people, not just Jews. The Apostle Paul puts it this way in Galatians 3:26-29, “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
Jesus teaches the people about the kingdom of God in parables and corrects many of their misconceived ideas. For example, the kingdom does not come in immediate and irresistible power but rather with humility and weakness. Final judgment also does not come right away and the kingdom is not just Jewish or reserved for those who are wealthy and religious. Finally, the full revelation of the kingdom is at a later date to allow many people to enter into it.
Jesus symbolically enters into Jerusalem on a donkey during the Passover. The Davidic King that was promised is finally coming to Jerusalem! While here, Jesus judges the temple and then celebrates the last supper with His disciples. Jesus symbolizes His death in the bread and wine as His body and His blood. The Passover week was symbolic in the fact that it was when the people celebrated God’s deliverance from Egypt and hope for a new exodus. What Jesus was saying at the last supper, was that by His death comes deliverance. After the last supper, Jesus was arrested and tried before a Jewish council. The charges against Him were blasphemy against the temple and against God. The people found Him guilty and He was then crucified.
The story does not stop at Jesus’s death on the cross. Three days later, Jesus was resurrected from the dead by God. Jesus’s resurrection is God’s “Yes!” to all that Jesus said and did. Everything He taught, claimed, and represented with symbolic actions were not confirmed by God. His resurrection is mankind’s vindication. Jesus conquers sin, death, and Satan.
Act Five: Spreading the News of the King: The Church’s Mission
Jesus stays for a time and goes from place to place appearing to different people. He then leaves the disciples with a very important mission to go into the world, make disciples, and continue the work in which He started, preaching the good news of Jesus to all nations. A helper, the Holy Spirit, was also given to believers at Pentecost. Jesus’s mission continues in the church as the exalted Messiah. Jesus says in John 14:6 “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
The mission of the church in Act five continues to this present day. Our lives are wrapped up in this narrative of God’s redeeming work. The Bible is a story of redemption which is progressive in its outworking, restorative in nature, and comprehensive in scope. Believers today are awaiting Christ’s return and final renewal of creation. Until that day comes, we are tasked to proclaim the gospel to all nations, all tribes, and to the ends of the earth. Christians are called to be stewards of resources and further God’s kingdom now. Ultimately, everything we say and do should be honoring and worshiping our risen awesome and wonderful God.
Act Six: The Return of the King: Redemption Completed
Though we do not know exactly how Jesus is going to return, we do know several key aspects. As Dr. Liebengood has said from the start of my Biblical Literature class, “Eshatology is protology recapitulated.” In other words, the future is a remaking of the beginning. Jesus returns and the final judgment of the world begins. This judgment is not annihilation of the world but rather restoration of the entire world. A new and renewed heavens and earth will be formed. The restoration is for the whole human life and the whole creation. Relationship with God, with fellow humans, ourselves, and the world will all be renewed. Sin’s destruction on life will be completely healed and the picture of life with God, in which the serpent twisted in the Garden of Eden, will be restored to its original state.
The Bible is so packed and God is so awesome that these short couple pages do not give God’s redemptive story much credit. God is so good and His plans are beyond our understanding! Act six ends with a marvelous picture given in Revelation 21:1-8, reproduced here:
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, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live 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.”
He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
