When we think of encouragement from God’s Word, often certain verses or relatively small passages come to mind. How about approaching God’s Word from an at-glance perspective? How might our faith be strengthened?
A basic outline of the Bible is as follows…
• Creation
• Fall
• Covenant (Israel)
• Redemption
• Church
• Restoration
Starting at the Beginning—Creation
Sometimes the challenges in life might prompt us to ask, “why does God let this happen?” It may even seem that God doesn’t care or that He is distant. How do we find encouragement from the Book of Genesis and the original creation?
Well, it helps to remember that God’s intent was all good. In fact, nothing was corrupted when everything was first created. However, He gave us free will. Humans had the freedom to choose either good or evil.
Then Came the Fall.
No—we’re not talking about the season here.
Unfortunately, the ones He created messed up. That mistake Christians call sin then passed on from generation to generation.
At one point, things got so bad that God had to wipe out the human race in a flood and start over.
I’ve heard some say that God was cruel to do that. What they don’t tell you in regard to the context is that the Nephilim were on the earth in those days. The human race was corrupted from the Sons of God mating with the “daughters of men.” In other words, according to many scholars, evil angelic beings took the form of flesh and had sexual relations with human women. Then came the giants who were "mighty men of renown."
He gave the human race another chance. He started over and gave the same instructions to Noah’s family as He did Adam and Eve—be fruitful and multiply…fill the earth.
Once again, God’s original plan was good. Humans corrupted that plan.
God's Covenant with His People--Israel
In the Old Testament, you find the story of Abraham and the promise He made to Him, the story of Moses and the deliverance of His people, passages about sacrifices, the promise to David and succeeding generations, etc.
Despite the fall of humankind, God began a process of restoration starting with the covenants.
The sacrificial system God established with His people, the nation of Israel, pointed forward to the sacrifice Jesus made for us at the cross.
What might sound discouraging is the fact that animals had to be sacrificed, and that sacrifice had to occur at all in order to atone for sin. We must remember God’s provision and His grace when dealing with sin. In other words, no one will ever measure up to God’s holy standard, but because of God’s provision of His own Son as a sacrifice and His grace, our sins are forgiven. We just need to receive that gift.
Redemption
Speaking of Jesus’ sacrifice, that is where redemption comes in for us. The animal sacrifices were no longer needed. Jesus redeemed or bought us back by His blood. As a result, God offers the gift of salvation to us.
The Church and its Mission
Following Jesus’ resurrection, the instruction to His followers was to spread the Good News of salvation everywhere including to the uttermost parts of the earth. People who have come to know Christ and continue to receive the gift of salvation today make up the church. The mission of the church remains the same—to continue spreading the message of the Gospel until the Lord returns.
Restoration
In the end, God’s plan is to restore His creation to the originally intended state. There’s a lot to fix, however. Jesus’ return will establish His kingdom on the earth as well as His peace. Revelation 21:1-5 is a beautiful picture of this:
"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new."
The passages regarding the return of Christ as in Revelation 21 give us hope. The trials and tribulations we experience in this life and see going on in this world will give way to a new and perfect heaven and earth.