WALK THRU THE BIBLE (Session 2)

WALK THRU THE BIBLE COURSE (2)

OLD TESTAMENT ERAS & TELL-TALE TIME-LINE

           

This is the second installment of our Course. An overview: The `17 Historical Books of the Old Testament order the sequence of the biblical eras thus: Creation-Patriarchs-Exodus-Conquest-Judges-Kingdom-Prophets-Exile-Return-Judaism (Legalism)

           

What are "events" familiar to you in the following Eras?

I. CREATION ERA (Genesis 1-11)

A.  What are the major events in the Creation Era?

1.   Creation of the world (Gen. 1:1 - 2:3)             

2.   Creation of Humanity (2: 4-25)                       

3.   The Fall of Humanity  (3: 1-24)                      

4.   Brothers Cain and Abel (4: 1-26)                   

5. Genealogy: Adam to Noah (Gen. 5: 1-32)

6. Story of Noah (Gen. 6:1 - 10:32)

7. The Tower of Babel (Gen. 11: 1-9)

 

B. MAIN THEMES IN CREATION ERA.

1. God created the world and made Man in "his own image," giving him "free will." God's

original plan was for man to worship God and serve one another in community. They will have stewardship of God's creation.

2. Man sinned and destroyed God's original purpose. Because of sin, relationships were broken: (a) God and humanity; (b) Male and Female; (c) Brother and Brother; (d) Heavenly and Earthly (Gen. 6: 1-4); Nations and Nations (e.g. Babel, Gen. 11: 1-9).

           

3. The Flood was God's first attempt at renewing "Creation 1" by destroying the faithless and starting anew with Noah and his family. The "rainbow" became the sign of God's covenant with Noah. There was relative peace for a while, but then as people increased, human pride reared again its ugly head when they began to "build a tower that reaches to heavens" (Gen. 11). God frustrated their plans by confusing their language. This was the first "dispersion" as people were scattered over the face of the earth.

           

4. The Sequence that keeps repeating in Creation Era is this: (a) Generation-Degeneration--Regeneration; (b) Formation-Disintegration-Restoration.

C. DIVINE DRAMA: GOD’S PLAN OF HUMAN SALVATION           

1. God created us that we may honor God and live harmoniously in community.

(Genesis 1:27-31; Ephesians 1:9-10; Revelations 4:11)

2.  Man sinned and destroyed relationships. (Genesis 2:8-10; Isaiah 59:2; Romans 3:23)

3. Christ came to heal broken relationships. (John 3:16; John 10:10)

4. We are children of  God by receiving Christ. (John 1:12)

4. The mission is of the Church is to continue the mission of Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:19-20)

Question: "The mission of the Church is restore all people to unity with God and each other, in Christ. (BCP, 855).What is the mission of your church? How do you live out that mission?