THE BIBLE- THE STORY OF GOD AND OF MAN

       The Bible- the Story of God and of Man                         

The Holy Bible is a story about God and about us. Since God knows the end from the beginning and is in total control, everything is already History to God. The Bible is His Story, about God and what His plans are for us! The Bible reveals everything that we need to know about God and His plan for us. Man is the central character in the Bible. Like every story, the Bible tells us how everything began and how everything will end.

The Bible can be described in one sentence as ‘God’s dealing with man’s generation, degeneration, and regeneration’. From the books of Genesis to Revelation, the Bible reveals God’s dealing with mankind for only 7000 years. From Adam and Eve to us, nearly 6000 years have transpired, and another 1000 years are coming when Jesus Christ will reign supreme on earth Re20:6. After that, God has another plan not yet revealed- the DEEP THINGS for all those that love Him, for the eons of time to come in the endless eternity forever Re1:6. 

The apostle Paul was the 1st person given to know the ‘revelation of the mystery (of God) kept secret since the world began’ Ro16:25. Paul said ‘But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, THE THINGS WHICH GOD HATH PREPARED FOR THEM THAT LOVE HIM. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the DEEP THINGS OF GOD’ 1Co2:9.10. God revealed to Paul what awaits those who truly love Him. God has many things to reveal, some very difficult to understand, but made clear by His Spirit to bless all those who really love Him.

We will now look into the story of God and how it relates to us today, those who are living in this terminal generation of a coming worldwide economic collapse, nuclear holocausts, great natural disasters, widespread droughts, famines and pestilence before Jesus returns to establish His millennial kingdom to bring forth ‘righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost’ on earth Ro14:17. We will look at who God is, what happened in time, and God’s Endtime plan for us.

God is Eternal- Without Beginning or Ending

The Bible reveals that God is eternal, a self-existing Being, without beginning or ending, who is, was, and who will always be Re1:4. God created all things Jn1:2, and is in control of everything– the heavens, the earth, and the universe. All things exist for His glory, honor, power, and for His pleasure Re4:11. God is Almighty, All-knowing, and Everywhere- Omnipotent, Omniscient, and Omnipresent. God is Love, Good, Holy, Just, Merciful, and a Miracle Maker– our Saviour, Baptizer, Deliverer, Healer, our Helper. God is also a Jealous God, a God of judgment and wrath! 

The Bible’s Two Beginnings- the Very Beginning and the Near Beginning

There are two beginnings in the Bible- the VERY BEGINNING Jn1:1, and the NEAR BEGINNING Ge1:1; not of God, but of time and of creation. God always was. By revelation of the Holy Spirit, the apostle John wrote ‘In the beginning was the WORD, and the WORD was with God, and the WORD WAS GOD. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made’ Jn1:1-3. This was the VERY BEGINNING, when only the WORD and GOD existed; before time and anything was, before the WORD created everything; before the creation of the universe and the angels. 

Then there is the NEAR BEGINNING Ge1:1; the beginning of creation, when God created the heavens, earth, and man. While some scientists place the age of the universe at 14 billion years and the earth at 4.5 billion years, there are a few who subscribe to a ‘young earth theory’ that the earth was created in six literal days, and is no older than 6000 years old. From scientific methods and archaeological digs, planet earth may have been here very long, though Adam and Eve came upon the scene just 6000 years ago. There may have been past civilizations, but all the characters in the Bible are the descendants of Adam and Eve.  

Two Historical Great Falls of Mankind

Most everyone knows the story of what happened in the Garden of Eden, how Adam and Eve being tempted by the serpent Ge3:1, fell into sin and brought death into the world. This is the 1st great fall of mankind whereby man was now destined for death and hell! Ro5:12 states ‘by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned’. Heb9:27 declares ‘..it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment’. God knowing everything, not only knew that Adam and Eve would sin, but He had to come to earth as Jesus Christ to die for our sins, to save us from hell and eternal damnation. Ro5:8,9 tell ‘But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him’.

This was all in God’s plan; to come to earth to reveal Himself, to be an example for us, and to shed His own blood to die to save us from our sins. Jn3:16,17 state ‘For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved’. The 2nd great fall of mankind occurred about 1300 years after the 1st fall, when God destroyed everyone on the earth with a terrible flood because of great wickedness Ge6:5, except for Noah and his family. A 3rd great fall of mankind is expected soon as prophesied by the apostle Peter 2Pe3:10!

God’s Intervention- To Redeem Fallen Man

God came to earth in the person of Jesus Christ to save and to restore us. Jesus came to do the will of the Father and to finish His work Jn4:34. Jesus came to redeem us from sin, sickness, death and hell. Jesus came to save us from our sins Mt1:21; to save sinners 1Ti1:15. Jesus came to ‘destroy the works of the devil’ 1Jn3:8. Jesus was made a sacrifice for sin He9:26; ‘the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world’ Jn1:29. By His suffering, death and resurrection, Jesus fulfilled God’s plan and purpose for mankind.

Jesus came to establish the kingdom of God on earth Mk1:15. Jesus came that we may have life, and have it more abundantly Jn10:10. Jesus came to abolish death 2Ti1:10. ‘Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ’ Jn1:17; and His truth shall make us free Jn8:32,36. Jesus came to give us eternal life Jn3:15. Jesus said ‘No man cometh to the Father, but by me’ Jn14:6. As believers and followers, we are complete in Jesus Christ. Jesus is our Saviour, Baptizer, Healer, Deliverer, Provider, our Glory, and our God! Life is all about Jesus, what He has already done for us!

Jesus Christ- The Great God and Our Saviour

The Bible called Jesus ‘..the Great God and Our Saviour Jesus Christ’ Tit2:13. God was manifested in the flesh in the person of Jesus Christ. The apostle John wrote ‘the WORD WAS GOD.. and the WORD was made flesh and dwelt among us’ Jn1:1,14. In Re19:13 Jesus is called ‘the WORD OF GOD’. Jesus is ‘Emmanuel.. GOD WITH US’ Mt1:23. JESUS means ‘he shall save his people from their sins’ Mt1:21.

Jesus is the only person that foretold of His own brutal death and be raised up alive again on the third day Mt16:21. The apostle Paul stated ‘(Jesus) who being in the FORM OF GOD, thought it not robbery to be EQUAL WITH GOD: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross’ Php2:6,7.

Paul said Jesus is ‘the IMAGE OF THE INVISIBLE GOD.. For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him’ Co1:15,16. Jesus is ‘..the KING ETERNAL, IMMORTAL, INVISIBLE, the ONLY WISE GOD, be honour and glory for ever and ever’ 1Ti1:17.

Isaiah, 700 years before Jesus, wrote ‘For unto us a child is born, unto us a SON is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his NAME shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, THE MIGHTY GOD, THE EVERLASTING FATHER, The Prince of Peace’ Is9:6. Paul continued saying Jesus is ‘the brightness of (God’s) glory, and the express image of (God’s) person, and upholding all things by the word of his power..’ Heb1:3. Paul said there is no glory of God brighter than Jesus Himself, and no greater expression of God’s image than Jesus Christ! The simple reason is that Jesus Christ is the Great God! 

This is the ‘mystery of Christ’ Ep3:4 regarding Jesus and the Father. Jesus said ‘I and my Father are one’ Jn10:30. Jesus declared ‘..ye believe in God, BELIEVE ALSO IN ME.. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth YE KNOW HIM, AND HAVE SEEN HIM’ Jn14:1,7. Jesus put Himself equal with the Father, telling His disciples to also believe in Him. Jesus said if you know Him, you should have known the Father also. And by seeing Him, you have seen the Father. All the attributes used above to describe Jesus, refers to Him as GOD– the WORD OF GOD, GOD WITH US, THE FORM OF GOD, EQUAL WITH GOD, THE IMAGE OF THE INVISIBLE GOD, THE KING ETERNAL, IMMORTAL, INVISIBLE, THE ONLY WISE GOD, THE MIGHTY GOD, THE EVERLASTING FATHER, etc..

Satan’s Role in God’s Plan of Life

The Bible tells that we have an adversary that seeks to ‘to steal, and to kill, and to destroy’ Jn10:10, to take everyone into eternal damnation. The apostle Peter wrote ‘Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the Devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour’ 1Pe 5:8. This adversary is known by several names– Lucifer Is14:12, the great dragon, the serpent, the Devil, and Satan Re12:9. Satan can also transform himself into an ‘angel of light’ 2Co11:14. Satan was in the garden of Eden with Adam and Eve, causing them to sin by deceiving them to eat of the forbidden fruit Ge2:17. Lucifer was once a supreme leader ‘the anointed cherub that covereth‘ Ez28:14, leading the heavenly host in worship to God Almighty, but Lucifer and a third of the angels rebelled and were cast down to earth Re12:4.

Jesus said ‘I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven’ Lk10:18. God not only knew that Satan would cause Adam and Eve to fall, but also that He had to come to earth as  Jesus to die for our sins to save us. However, consider this: If Adam and Eve did not sin, we would not have a need for a Saviour. Jesus would not have had to come, and there would not be a need for a Bible to learn about God, Jesus Christ, and God’s plan for us. But all of this happened because Satan, a fallen angel, was used to bring forth God’s plan and purpose to earth. Since the beginning of mankind, God has used Satan to test every living person whether we will either choose God or the Devil, good or evil, eternal life or death, heaven or hell! (See Jesus’ temptation in the Wilderness Mt4:1-11.)

God’s Endgame of Life- Why is it Important to Us?

Once born, everyone must participate in God’s Endgame of Life. Also, unless one is taken out alive in the Rapture Jn14:3, the only way out of God’s game is physical death. He9:27 states ‘And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment’. Of the billions of people living since Adam and Eve, everyone is a participant in God’s Endgame of Life. Everyone is thrust into God’s Endgame of Life, and must play by the rules of this game. No one is exempt, and even nations are also unwitting players in God’s Endgame, especially in these last days.

From the beginning of time, God knew that man would degenerate into gross wickedness, immorality, greed, violence, and corruption, and that we would need a Saviour to save us from hell. Thus, in God’s Endgame of Life, while we are yet living, we must decide where we want to spend eternity, in heaven or in hell, the Lake of Fire; heaven if we accept Jesus Christ as our Saviour, or hell, if we reject Him! John the Baptist warned ‘He that believeth on the Son hath EVERLASTING LIFE: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the WRATH OF GOD abideth on him’ Jn3:36. Paul wrote ‘the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord’ Ro6:23; ‘For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved’ Ro10:13.

The 3rd great fall of mankind will soon culminate in cataclysmic judgments, chaos, and a great war when Jesus shall wrest the kingdoms of this world from Satan and his minions Re11:15. Jesus will then establish His millennial kingdom here on earth. This is God’s Endgame of Life and we are all players in this game!

The Holy Spirit Role in Fulfilling God’s Plan

The Holy Spirit aka the Holy Ghost has a great role in the last days. It is to prepare believers for the coming Rapture, by perfecting them and conforming them to the image of Christ Ep4:13, 2Co3:18. God sent Jesus Christ to save us from our sins. Then after Jesus returned to heaven, He sent the Holy Spirit to complete God’s plan for us! Jesus said ‘My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work’ Jn4:34. Since the work was not yet finished on earth, Jesus came back to earth in the person of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said ‘I will not leave you comfortless, I WILL COME TO YOU’ Jn14:18; ‘..It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the COMFORTER will not come unto you; but if I depart, I WILL SEND HIM UNTO YOU’ Jn16:7. Jesus came to us in the person of the Holy Spirit, just as God came to us in the person of Jesus! After being raised from the dead, Jesus ‘was made a quickening Spirit’ 1Co15:45. Jesus said ‘..as the Father raiseth up the dead; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will’ Jn5:21.

The Comforter is the Holy Ghost Jn14:26..‘the Spirit of Truth’ Jn15:26. As we approach the end of God’s 6000-year plan for mankind since Adam and Eve, the Holy Spirit now abides in all those who are baptized with the Holy Ghost Jn1:33, to finish God’s work on earth. Before leaving his disciples, Jesus said ‘ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence; ..ye shall receive Power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea.. and unto the uttermost part of the earth’ Ac1:5,8. After being raised from the dead, Jesus ‘was made a quickening Spirit’ 1Co15:45. Jesus said ‘..as the Father raiseth up the dead; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will’ Jn5:21. Paul wrote ‘But if the Spirit of (God) that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, (God) that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you’ Ro8:11. The Holy Spirit’s job is to quicken our mortal bodies to meet Jesus in the air and to take us to heaven in the Rapture 1Th4:16,17.

God’s Eternal Purpose in Christ Jesus Our Lord- SONSHIP

God has an eternal purpose in Christ Jesus Ep3:11- SONSHIP! God came to earth so that He could have more sons and daughters like Jesus Christ. By His coming, Jesus left us an example to follow Him. Paul wrote ‘it became God.. in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation (Jesus) perfect through sufferings’ Heb2:10; ’for whom God did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conform- ed to the IMAGE OF HIS SON, that (JESUS) might be the firstborn of many brethren. Moreover whom God did predestinate, them he also called.. he justified, them he also GLORIFIED’ Ro8:29,30. Paul said God will ‘change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body’ Php 3:21.

It was God’s desire before world began to have more sons and daughters like Jesus Christ Ep1:4,5. Thus, Jesus had to come to earth to reveal Himself. God jumpstarted His plan when Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, and now after 6000 years, God’s plan for man is nearly completed. John wrote ‘Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us that we should be called the SONS of GOD.. when (Jesus) shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as he is pure’ 1Jn3:1-3. Jesus then said ‘He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son’ Re21:7. The Bible is the Story of God and of Man– what God wants to do for and in us. God wants to make us like Jesus Christ Ro8:29, to glorify us Ro8:17, 2Co3:18 and give us everything that He has Re21:7!