Golden West Colleges August 20, 2024

Bible Class Bible Survey

Prelim Week 2: The Bible Story Overview

Introduction of Week 2

History is His story! The Bible contains many books with different authors but every

underlying story line points to a unifying theme, that is the authority of God. God rules. He

reigns. God reveals His gracious kingdom to Adam and Eve. Though man chose himself to be

the ruler of his own life, God made the only way for man to be reconciled to Himself through

Jesus Christ. In the end, God will rule the earth through His Son, Jesus. Those who will not

submit to His rule will be judged and those who will trust in Son as their Lord will be blessed

forever. That is the kingdom of God.

The Bible has one story because there is one Author, namely God. Since this Book is

His Word, He has communicated His single will contained in this Sacred Book.

In these lessons, we will study the metanarrative (big or overarching story) structure of

the Bible beginning from Genesis to Revelation. The story of the Bible is Christocentric

(Christ-focused/Christ-centered) in the sense that it focuses ultimately on the

substitutionary sacrifice and atonement of Christ on the cross and His resurrection from

death.

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Lesson 1: Creation

Introduction

• Memorize Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

• Read Psalm 33:6 “By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of
his mouth all their host.”

• God is the sovereign Creator of all things. This is the opening statement of this book, the
Bible. From the human standpoint, we have a beginning. The great Architect, the God

Most High, fashioned the universe and all its systems to work so that life is made possible.

HE CREATED THEM ALL.

• The most fascinating truth of the creation is that God made the whole universe out of
nothing. He alone could make something out of nothing because He is God. This could

also preview to what God will make in the redemption of man.

Discussions

• Creation story in Genesis 1 & 2.

• This creation story was a six literal 24-hour days. God rested in the 7th day (Shabath/
Sabaoth/Saturday).

A. Day 1: Day and Night (Genesis 1:3-5)

• Question: What are the first words uttered by God in the Scriptures?
B. Day 2: Heavens (Genesis 1:6-8)

C. Day 3: Earth, Seas and vegetations (Genesis 1:9-13)

D. Day 4: Sun and the stars (Genesis 1:14-19)

E. Day 5: Sea creatures and birds (Genesis 1:20-23)

F. Day 6: Beasts and Man (Genesis 1:24-31)

• Questions:
- What did God say after He created the male and female?

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 - How did God described the male and the female in Genesis 1:26-27?
Student’s answer must include the truth of man’s moral likeness in God’s

image.
- How would you describe the words of God in Genesis 1:28? Student’s
answer includes the command of God to man to rule over God’s

creation.

Reflection Lessons

1. Man is accountable to God.

2. Man is under God’s rule.

3. Man was given authority to rule God’s creation.

4. Man is an image-bearer of God. He was created according to the image of God.

5. Man must worship God. Man and the whole creation are created. God alone is the Creator.

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Lesson 2: Condemnation/Fall

Introduction

• Read the story of the Fall of man in Genesis 3:1-24.

• The idea of falling is one that most people fear. A man falling from the roof could be a very
devastating incident to him. We hear of politicians falling from grace because of political

scandals and serious offenses. People do not like the idea of falling down from something.

The Bible tells us how man fell down from the loving protection of God to being slaves of

Satan. Man was condemned because he took the domain/rule of darkness over the kingdom

of light. Man sinned and fallen short of the very glory of God. That is sin corrupted

man that resulted to his inability to come to God by his own moral standard.

Discussions

• What happened in the fall of man?

• There are observable lessons we can find in this story.

given the responsibility to create, produce and protect what God has put in the garden.

In our language, he was entrusted with the privilege of “working the garden.” Work is

not a result of the fall. Work is not a sin nor a consequence of sin. It is a blessed gift by

God to man so that he would be able to fulfill his task as a garden-keeper. He is a

provider to his family.

2. God has commanded Adam to obey His word. It was not about the apple. It was not

about Satan and his lies and deception. The fall came because Adam chose not to

believe God and His word. God had warned Adam and Eve not to eat of the fruit of the

tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He may eat every fruit-bearing tree in the

garden but he must trust and obey God with that single tree. Satan came and battle

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 against the Word of God. “Did God really say?” That was and still be the deception of

Satan. Satan is the master of counterfeit. He seeks to destroy what God has created. He

is the father of lies. Sin enters when truth is rejected.

3. The downward spiral of sin in the heart of man. Genesis 3:6 says, “so when the

woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and

that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she

also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.” Sin comes not as a single

violation of God’s command. But it was a cycle of offenses against God. First, sin blurs

the truth. Eve saw that the tree was good for food. God said that the other trees were

good for food. Sin confuses a person to see the truth. Second, sin satisfies self-

pleasure. It was a delight. Third, sin leads to further sin. Eve thought that eating the

fruit would make her wise. That was another deception. “To make one wise” would

refer to what Satan said that they will be like God. Sin would fool the person to be the

“master of his own fate, a captain of his own life.” Fourth, sin affects others. It

endangers the person. It damages relationship. It draws the person away from God and

His truth.

4. Sin brings shame and consequences. Adam and Eve hid themselves from God and

were ashamed with each other because they saw that they were naked. Sin separated

them from God and each other. That is what sin means. It draws us far from God and

from others. It destroys our relationship with God and with people. For example, lying

as a sin is the opposite of being truthful which is the will of God. When we lie, we

choose what God does not approve. When we lie to a person, it creates a wall of

separation that discourages openness and sincerity.

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5. God showed His mercy to humanity. He covered their nakedness. A sacrificial death

was made to cover the shame of Adam and Eve. God brought “garment of skins” as

their clothing. Then God promised that one day He will send a “seed/son” of Eve to

save humankind from sin and Satan. Genesis 3:15 tells us that “he [Christ] shall bruise

your head, and you [Satan] shall bruise his heel."

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Lesson 3: Redemption

Introduction

• Read Genesis 3:15. This is what many would call as the “proto-evangelion” or as the first
gospel. It is when God Himself announced His plan of redeeming mankind back to Himself.

God did not leave man to himself. According to Paul, “when the goodness and loving

kindness of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of works done by us in

righteousness, but according to his own mercy…” (Titus 3:4-5). God came to redeem us.

That is what Paul said.

Discussions

• Throughout the Bible, numerous stories were given by God to highlight His compassionate
heart to save mankind. Beginning from the garden of Eden, God promised that the seed of

the woman will eventually defeat the serpent who is Satan. This Son will suffer as

prophesied (fore-told) but He will came out victorious over sin, death and Satan.

• Let us look at some biblical stories that teach about the redeeming heart of God.
1. Noah and the flood in Genesis 6 - 10. God saved eight (8) individuals during the

global flood.

2. Abraham and the people of Israel in Genesis 12 - 50. God saved Abraham from the

idolatrous country of Ur to become a nation that worships the true God.

3. Moses and the Exodus. God saved Israel from the slavery of Egypt. God punished

Egypt and its idolatry through the Ten Plagues. God brought Israel back to Promised

Land.

4. King David and the promised Seed of David. David was man after God’s own heart

and yet he failed. David foretold about the coming of the greater David who will save

His people from their sin (Matthew 1:21).

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5. The Jewish remnant and the vision of Daniel (Ezra, Nehemiah, Daniel). God saved a

remnant from the exile. There was the vision of Daniel about the Son of Man, the

Messiah, who will rule Israel with righteousness, glory and power (Daniel 7:13-14).

6. Jesus Christ (Gospels). Jesus Christ is the Saviour of the world. He came to save

sinners. His perfect obedience is the basis of the sinner’s acceptance before the holy

God. His perfect death is the sinner’s hope for the forgiveness of his sins. His perfect

resurrection is the sinner’s victory over sin, death and Satan. Acts 4:12 says that

“there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given

among men by which we must be saved.” That name is Jesus Christ.

7. The Apostles, the Early Church and the Great Commission (Book of Acts). The

apostles were chosen to testify (witness) about the life of Christ. They were given the

command to become proclaimers of good news about Jesus Christ and His salvation.

The early church was established as a result of Christ’s saving work. Men and women

came to believe in Jesus Christ and that birthed the churches. The mandate or the

calling of every true church is to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing

them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them

to observe all that I have commanded you…” This is the Great Commission in

Matthew 28:19-20. What a true follower of Christ brings is the gospel of the

kingdom of God in Christ.

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Lesson 4: Consummation/Restoration

Introduction

• Where does history lead us? What will happen in the future? How will I respond with what
God has said about the future events? These are the questions many people ponder. We live

in a world where readiness and security are valued commodities. We want our career to be

permanent. We desire that our families are secured. We would like to invest in a company

that guarantees return of investment. These are realities that happen to all of us. But sadly,

many people would not bother to consider life after this life. The good news is God has given

us His word in order for us to be prepared for our life in eternity. In the letter of John, he said

that “these things were written so that those who believe in Christ will know for sure that

they have eternal life” (paraphrase 1 John 5:13). Those who are ruled by God in Jesus Christ

will live with God in eternal joy. Sadly, those who don’t care about Christ and live for

themselves will face with the holy judgment of God our King.

Discussions

• The Bible is clear in teaching us that there are two destinations of man. Jesus Himself
clearly emphasized these truths in His Sermon on the Mount. “Enter by the narrow gate.

For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it

are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find

it are few” (Matthew 7:13-14). There is the wide gate that leads to damnation. Many people

choose this gate. But there is a narrow way. It is hard way but leads to life. That way Jesus

Christ Himself said that it is He. He is the way. It is hard because Christ breaks human

pride and accomplishment in order for the person to trust wholly to God. Man will not

share the glory of God.

• Jesus, in one of His famous quote, said, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only
Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). This

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 then is the most straightforward declaration of Christ about the two destinations of man.

Those who keep on trusting upon Christ will have eternal life but those who keep on

rejecting Him will perish.

• The question now is this, why would God allow the judgment of those who do not submit
to Him? Why would God allow the salvation of those who believe on Him? Now, here are

the answers.

1. God is our sovereign King. We live, whether you approve or not, under His

sovereignty. He created the whole earth and made natural systems for men and

women to live and flourish. Men who desire to live outside of His realm is like a

fish wanting to live outside of the ocean. So, those who do not submit to His rule

will be punished but those who will humble themselves and joyfully accepts His

reign will be blessed.

2. God is perfectly holy. This means that God is absolutely pure in character and

conduct. He is the standard of righteousness. He is the pursuit of godliness. He is

the rightful way. Any other way is sin and disobedience. God perfectly hates sin

just as He perfectly loves righteousness. Exodus 34:7 tells us that He will by no

means leave the guilty unpunished. In the words of the writer of the Hebrews, “it

is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31). Since

God is utterly holy, then His actions are pure and just. His punishment against a

sinner will ultimately justify His glory. When the Lord deals with sin, His

holiness is magnified and His Kingship is upheld. Therefore, God has to judge sin

because it glorifies His holy name.

3. God is graciously merciful. Mercy came even at the time of human rebellion.

The question of why God saved those who trust His reign? Answer is why not.

That is grace. Salvation came from the goodness of God’s heart. Salvation is

dependent of God’s mercy (Read Romans 9:16 “So then it depends not on human

will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy”). In Paul’s words, “For by grace

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 you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of

God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). God will

ultimately gather His own people and will testify to the whole creations about His

mercy. In other words, when we talk about grace and mercy, we will inevitably

deal with the cross. Grace is given freely. Mercy is justice withhold. At the cross,

Christ became the very punishment of those who received mercy and the very

blessing of those who granted free grace. Those who vow to Christ as their ruling

King receive mercy of pardon and grace of eternal life.

Reflection and Group Report

• The Bible teaches that there will be bodily resurrection of all men and women. Those who
submit to Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour will be resurrected to glory. Those who continue

in rebellion against God will be resurrected to condemnation and will be placed in the lake of

fire called hell. Think about your life. Think about the hope Jesus gives to those who will

trust in Him. Think about the horror of being under the punishment of the most holy and

perfectly righteous God.

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