Understanding the Whole Bible and reading the Old Testament
The Bible can seem overwhelming, especially the Old Testament. So much is unfamiliar: ancient rites and rituals, tribal culture and kingdom states, blood sacrifices and ancient covenants.
However, the Bible is driven by one huge plot line. The saving God is at work to bring humanity back into friendship with him and overthrow the rule and power of sin. In all the details a saving God is revealed.
To see this there are three parts:
Two key passages are explored to show these crucial themes. These themes will unlock the plotline of the whole Bible - the Kingdom of God.
A one page PDF showing the theme of the Kingdom of God across the whole Bible.
A PDF share of the timeline (chronology) of the Bible to see how the Old Testament unfolds.
First, the two key passages to understand the theme of whole Bible - the Kingdom of God: Genesis 12:1-3 and 2 Samuel 7.
Genesis 12:1-3
Genesis chapters 1-2 show God’s greatness and goodness as the Creator. And they reveal his loving rule over humanity. God was with his people, Adam and Eve in the garden. They were in his presence and living under his rule. But they rebel against his rule when they reject his command and eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Genesis 3-11, in summary, shows the calamitous effects of human rebellion and wickedness. Genesis 12 is a great turning point.
Genesis 12 lays out God’s great plan of salvation for the world. Here is the passage:
1 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you.
2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonours you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
The Lord God knows Abram and promises him
A place - a land, verse 1
A people - his descendants will be a great nation, verse 2
A great name - verse 2
His rule - I will bless those who bless you, verse 3.
This sets up the pattern for the whole Bible. Yes, the whole Bible. God is bringing about a place for people to be with him. He will create and bring his people to that place. They will have his blessing and live under his rule. God will bring the Kingdom of God. The Lord God is going to do that through Abram and his descendants (the Israelities).
But, don’t miss God’s great purpose in this. His goal is that through these promises he will bless all the families of the earth. This plan isn’t just for Abraham and the Israelites. It is a plan for the whole world. This is God’s great plan to overturn sin, wickedness and the curse, bringing salvation to the world.
On the link One page on the big theme of the Bible you can see this laid out for the whole Bible. You might like to print it out.
2 Samuel 7
As the plot unfolds throughout the Old Testament, the nation of Israel grows to be a great nation of 12 tribes. They settle in the land of Canaan, according to the promises of God. But we see that there is still something missing. The Israelites are not truly living under God’s rule.
God’s great plan to bring this about is through a saving ruler - the Messiah. This introduces the idea of kingship to the Israelites (althought the Lord, God, was always meant to be there king). A key character comes onto the scene - David. David is the type of the great King, the suffering king, the serving king through whom God will rescue his people and rule over them. The Lord God makes a promise to David that will bring about the fulfillment of Genesis 12. Here is part of God’s promise to David through the prophet Nathan.
2 Samuel chapter 7 verse 12 to 16
12 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, 15 but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. 16 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’”
There is so much to discover here and worth reflecting on. But for the moment, notice that it is through a descendent of David, his offspring, God will ‘build a house for my name’. And that this king, in David’s line, will rule forever by the decree of God, ‘I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever’. The promise is so critical it is repeated in verse 16. God will be at work in and through David’s descendants. One of them will establish and rule a kingdom that lasts forever. A forever king is promised and he will bring the Kingdom of God.
From this point forward in the Old Testament a significant focus of the plot is the search for the true King, the forever King. This forever King is the Messiah (Hebrew language) or the Christ (Greek language).
More and more promises build on this in the Old Testament. See, for instance, Isaiah 9. Or Ezekial 38.
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the greatness of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
will accomplish this.
However, it’s not until the New Testament that we meet the forever king. It’s when Jesus arrives on the scene.
In Luke and Matthew Jesus is introduced as the descendent of David (the Christ), shown in the very first chapters. In Mark and John, Jesus is also revealed to be the Christ (Messiah). Take for instance the turning point of Mark. In Chapter 8 Jesus asks, ‘Who do you say I am’. Peter replies, ‘You are the Christ.’ At this point, Jesus announces he will go to the Cross to die - as the saving Christ.
The great promises given to Abraham, narrow down to a messianic king. It is the forever King who fulfils them. He brings God’s rule through the Holy Spirit and his word, God’s place (new creation) and the blessing of salvation) And thus, Paul can write in 2 Corinthians 1:20
For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through him the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God.
Themes in the whole Bible
Here are two PDF documents to help you explore and understand the whole Bible. They don’t cover every detail but that’s not their goal. It’s to help you get a big picture.
One page on the big theme of the Bible: The Kingdom of God.
God is bringing about his kingdom. His place is for his people to be with him and under his loving rule through Jesus.
We can explore this theme in the Bible through: God’s people, God’s place, God’s rule and blessing.Download the one page PDF summarising the whole Bible.
If you’d like to read more on this I’d recommend: God’s Big Picture by Vaughan Roberts, According to Plan by Graeme Goldsworthy or Gospel and Kingdom by Graeme Goldsworthy
Timeline for the whole Bible
This is three pages with a timeline of the events in the Bible and then a really short summary of the books or groups of books of the Bible with the timing along the side.
Taking this further
I’m very thankful for the way God has used men like Graeme Goldsworthy and now Vaughan Roberts to open up God’s word to us.
Online:
I can recommend the online video series God’s Big Picture by Vaughan Roberts.
Books:
God’ Big Picture by Vaughan Roberts
Gospel & Kingdom by Graeme Goldsworthy
According to Plan by Graeme Goldsworthy