Transcript Slide 1

The Drama of Scripture
Scriptural Drama – an overview



Act One: Establishes His Kingdom: Creation
Act Two: Rebellion in the Kingdom: Fall
Act Three: The King chooses Israel: Redemption Initiated
 Scene 1: A People for the King
 Scene 2: A Land for His People


Act Four: The Coming of the King: Redemption
Accomplished
Act Five: Spreading the News of the King: The Church’s
Mission
 Scene 1: The Church Begins Its Mission to the Nations
 Scene 2: Our Place in the Story: The Church Continues Its
Mission to the Nations

Act Six: The Return of the King: Redemption Completed
Introductory Remarks…

Genesis 1-2 introduces us to foundational
elements of the biblical story

Genesis 1-2 is about: (1) God; (2) Humanity;
(3) Creation

A straightforward reading of Genesis 1-2
presents creation in six 24 hour days
A straightforward reading of Genesis 1-2
presents creation in six 24 hour days

Not every seriously dedicated Christian
agrees with that…

But, I venture to say that all who believe in
the Bible as truth would agree with
“intelligent design”

Still, it’s the most uncomplicated way to
understand the repeated “evening and
morning” theme

It’s also the most straightforward way to
explain Exodus 20:8-11 and Romans 5:12
Scene 1: God Creates an Ordered
World
Creation Ex Nihilo
Creation Pattern
A.
B.
1.
2.
3.
God Speaks
It happens
God pronounces it good
Scene 1: God Creates an Ordered
World
Forming Commands
#
Day Creation
1 (v3)
1
Light
2 (v6)
2
Sky
3 (v9)
3
Land &
seas
Filling Commands
#
Day Creation
4 (v11) 3
Vegetation
5 (v14) 4 Sun, moon, stars
6 (v20) 5
Birds, fish
7 (v24) 6
Animals
8 (v26)
Humankind
7
God’s rest
Scene 1: God Creates an Ordered
World
“This is truly one of the points
through which logic can barely
wade, whereas faith can swim.”
Scene 1: God Creates an Ordered
World
Creation Mandate (Gen 1:26-31)
What does it mean  created in God’s image?

Reflect -- emphasizes that our nature `is to
mirror that of God

Represent -- emphasizes our task to
represent Him and His truth

Rule -- emphasizes stewardship and authority
What do you know about the
common beliefs in the ancient
world about origins?
The most complete
Mesopotamian account of
creation was known as the
Enuma Elish
Enuma Elish
Enuma Elish
Describes a cosmic conflict between
the leading deities of that region…
The young and daring Marduk kills the
monstrous Tiamat, mother goddess
personifying the primeval ocean.
Tiamat
Marduk
Enuma Elish
The young and daring Marduk kills the
monstrous Tiamat, mother goddess
personifying the primeval ocean.
Using Tiamat’s divided carcass, Marduk creates
heaven and earth.
From the blood of her co-conspirator, Marduk
and his father create humankind to do the hard
labor of the universe.
How does the account of the
Enuma Elish compare to the
Genesis account for beauty and
grandeur?
Moses’ concerns were exclusively
religious. His intent was to proclaim
knowledge of the true God as he
manifested himself in his creative works,
to proclaim a right understanding of
humankind, the world, and history that
knowledge of the true God entails—and to
proclaim the truth concerning these
matters in the face of the false religious
notions dominant throughout the world
of his day.
-John Stek
In the beginning God…
Who is this God?
In the Beginning
by David Goodrich
Yahweh Elohim (Gen. 2:4)
 Significance
of names
 Yahweh: Israel’s Redeemer
 Elohim: World’s Creator
Genesis 1’s Teaching About…
 God
 Humankind
 World
Genesis One’s Teaching: God
 Eternal
 Distinct
from creation
 Sovereign King over creation
 Powerful
 Personal
Genesis One’s Teaching: Humankind
 Creature
 Relationship
with God
 Image
 Similar to God
 Different from God
 Male
and female
 Rule over creation
 Reproduce and fill the earth
Genesis One’s Teaching: Humankind
Male and Female – 2:15-23
Adam



created from dust of the ground
God breathed into him the breathe of life
Eve – made from one of Adam’s ribs
Why did God create her?





Not good for man to be alone
No suitable helper among the animals
God’s established process for reproduction
Just as powerful earthly kings, to indicate
their claim to dominion, erect an image of
themselves in the provinces of their
empire where they do not personally
appear, so man is placed upon earth in
God's image as God's sovereign emblem.
He is really only God's representative,
summoned to maintain and enforce
God's claim to dominion over the earth.
-G. Von Rad
A Biblical Understanding of Humanity
The Lord God
Fellow humans
Self
The World
- work
- politics
- care of the environment, and so on
A catastrophe has occurred.
We are no longer in continuity with
our good beginning. We have been
separated from it by a disaster.
We are also, of course, separated
from our good end. We are, in other
words, in the middle of a mess.
-Eugene Peterson
Introductory Remarks
Why is the world so messed up?
•
Our environment...
•
Our values and morality...
Why am I so messed up?
•
My health problems...
•
My relational problems...
•
My continuing depravity...
attitudes, thoughts, words, actions, etc.,etc.
Scene 1: Encounter with the Enemy - (Gen. 3:1-7)
The Serpent
Serpent =
?
“the great dragon was thrown
down, that ancient serpent, who
is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the
whole world” (Rev 12:9; cf. 20:2)
Scene 2: Consequences of
the Rebellion
 Their
eyes were opened
 They
realized they were naked
 They
made coverings for themselves
 They
hid from the Lord in the trees
 They
felt the need to blame shift
Descriptions of Sin
 Idolatry:
placing anyone/anything before
God
 Autonomy:
making oneself source of
right/wrong, good/bad, true/false
 Covenant
rebellion: refusing allegiance
to rightful King
 Relational
selfishness: making yourself
more important than others
Scene 2: Consequences of the
Rebellion
Judgment: Serpent
 Curses
him to crawl along the ground
 Declares hostility
between serpent & woman
Scene 2: Consequences of the
Rebellion
Judgment: Eve
 Childbirth
pain way up
 Desire to usurp Adam
 Subject to domineering, sinful
leadership of the husband
Scene 2: Consequences of the
Rebellion
Judgment: Adam
 Ground
is cursed
 Work becomes difficult
 Subject to challenges to
his leadership in the marriage
Scene 3: Eviction of the Rebels
Judgment: Adam & Eve
 Expelled
from garden
 Separation from God
 Loss of innocence
 Death
Scene 3: Eviction of the Rebels
Promise  The Serpent Crusher
 Genesis
3:15
 “protoevangelium”
 Central conflict
 Foreshadows the solution to the
central problem in the Bible
 Rom
16:20
Scene 3: Eviction of the Rebels
Provision
 No
immediate death
 Sacrifice for a covering
All spheres of life—marriage and family, work
and worship, school and state,
our play and art—bear the wounds of our
rebellion. Sin is present everywhere—
in pride of race, in arrogance of nations,
in abuse of the weak and helpless,
in disregard for water, air, and soil,
in destruction of living creatures, in slavery,
deceit, terror, and war, in worship of false gods,
and frantic escape from reality.
We have become victims of our own sin.
-Contemporary Testimony, 17
Summary of Act 2
Humanity rebels against God,
plunging creation into chaos.
Scene 1: Before Israel
Genesis 4-50: Prologue to Israel’s Story
 Universal
period (4-11)
 The beginning of civilization
 Three very important events
 Patriarchal
period (12-50)
Scene 1: Before Israel
Genesis 4–11: Universal Period

Cain and Abel (Genesis 4)

The first vivid evidence of the mess we’re in
 Unbelief, rebelliousness, jealousy, rage are
expressed relationally
 4:7 – “sin is crouching at the door; and it’s
desire is for you, but you must master it.”
Scene 1: Before Israel
Genesis 4–11: Universal Period

Cain and Abel (Genesis 4)
“And he died …” (Gen 5  8 times)
repeated confirmation of God’s
promised judgment
Scene 1: Before Israel
Genesis 4–11: Universal Period
 Cain
A
and Abel (Genesis 4)
worldwide flood
Scene 1: Before Israel
Genesis 4–11: Universal Period
 Cain
and Abel (Genesis 4)
 A worldwide
 A forced
flood
diaspora
Scene 2: Formation of a People
Abrahamic Covenant
A.
1.
The Promise (Genesis 12:1-3)
Genesis 12:1-3
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 dishonors you I will curse, and in you
all the families of the earth shall be
blessed."
Scene 2: Formation of a People
A.
Abrahamic Covenant
3 main elements in God’s covenant with
Abraham:
1. A personal relationship
2. Growth of a family into a nation
3. Land of their own
Scene 2: Formation of a People
Abrahamic Covenant
A.
The Promise (Genesis 12:1-3)
1.
b.
Land/Dominion/Geography
To your offspring I give this land,
from the river of Egypt to the great
river, the river Euphrates, 19 the
land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites,
the Kadmonites, 20 the Hittites, the
Perizzites, the Rephaim, 21 the
Amorites, the Canaanites, the
Girgashites and the Jebusites --
Gen 15:18-21
Scene 2: Formation of a People
Abrahamic Covenant
A.
The Promise (Genesis 12:1-3)
1.
b.
Line/Dynasty/Genealogy
Abraham’s Family Tree
Scene 2: Formation of a People
Abrahamic Covenant
A.
The Provision
2.
a.
Isaac  Promised Seed
Sarah your wife shall bear you a
son, and you shall call his name
Isaac. I will establish my covenant
with him as an everlasting
covenant for his offspring after
him. -- Genesis 17:19
Scene 2: Formation of a
People
The Patriarchs
Tracing the Promise  Jacob (Gen 28:3-4)
God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful
and multiply you, that you may become a
company of peoples. 4 May he give the
blessing of Abraham to you and to your
offspring with you, that you may take
possession of the land of your sojournings
that God gave to Abraham!
Scene 2: Formation of a
People
The Patriarchs
Tracing the Promise  Jacob’s 12 Sons
Then Jacob called his sons and said, "Gather
yourselves together, that I may tell you what
shall happen to you in days to come …
Genesis 49:1-27
Jacob and his Descendants
Scene 2: Formation of a
People
The Patriarchs
God’s Providential Care
Human Unfaithfulness
Divine Faithfulness
“As for you, you meant evil
against me, but God meant it
for good” (Gen 50:20)
Exodus: Formation of a
People
Introductory Remarks
 The
exodus event is the defining
act of salvation in the OT
 The
exodus remains the defining
event for the Jewish people to
this day
Exodus: Formation of a
People
God Remembers His Covenant (Exod 1:1 –
4:17)

Israel’s suffering (Exod 1:8–2:25)
Exodus: Formation of a
People
God Remembers His Covenant (Exod 1:1 –
4:17)

Israel’s deliverer (Exod 2:1–4:31)
Moses was from the tribe of Levi... Was saved by
his mother hiding him, and being found, then
raised by the Pharaoh’s daughter... Needed to flee
due to murder... Was a shepherd for 40 years in
Midian... Then called by God to lead his people out
of Egypt... Was at first a reluctant leader... Then
grew to be a great leader.
Exodus: Formation of a
People
God Remembers His Covenant (Exod 1:1 –
4:17)

Israel’s God (Exod 2:24–4:31)
‫אֶ הְ י ֶה‬
“I AM”
Yahweh = “HE IS”
Exodus: Formation of a
People
God Delivers His People (Exod 4:18–15:21)

First Nine Plagues (Exod 7:1–10:29)
These plagues can be seen as repeated
evidences that Israel’s God is superior to the
Egyptian gods…
And, therefore, the Pharaoh would be wise to let
His people go!!
Exodus: Formation of a
Nation
By blood of a lamb...
Passover & Unleavened Bread
Exodus 12:1-28, 43-50
Exodus: Formation of a
Nation
By mighty acts of judgment
Victory Accomplished
Exodus 14:23-28
Exodus: Formation of a
Nation
The first worship song recorded in the Bible
Exodus 15
Exodus: Formation of a
Nation
Miraculous Provisions – Bitter water made sweet
Exodus 15:22-26
Exodus: Formation of a
Nation
Miraculous Provisions -- Manna
Exodus 16:4-5
Exodus: Formation of a
Nation
Miraculous Provisions -- Quail
Exodus 16:11-15
Exodus: Formation of a
Nation
Miraculous Provisions – Water from the rock
Exodus 17:5-7
Exodus: Formation of a
Nation
Miraculous Provisions – Trouncing the Amelakites
Exodus 17:8-13
Israel is Bound to God in
Covenant
Mount Sinai
Mount Sinai (Ex. 19:4)
Remembrances
 You
saw what I did to Egypt
I
carried you on eagle’s wings
I
brought you to myself
 (Implied
– Ex. 3:12 – “I will be with You”)
Mount Sinai (Ex. 19:5-6)
Expectations
 My
treasured possession
Deut 7:7-8
The Lord did not set his affection on you and
choose you because you were more
numerous than other peoples, for you were
the fewest of all peoples. But it was because
the Lord loved you and kept the oath he
swore to your forefathers that he brought
you out with a mighty hand and redeemed
you from the land of slavery, from the power
of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
Mount Sinai (Ex. 19:5-6)
Expectations
 My
treasured possession
 A kingdom
 A holy
of priests
nation
“if you will obey me fully and keep my covenant”
Sinai Covenant
•
Ex. 20: Ten Commandments
– General stipulations
– Israel’s relation to God (1-4)
– Israel’s relation to each other (6-10)
Sinai Covenant
 Ex.
20-23:19 -- Detailed stipulations
The interest of God in the details of His
people’s experience is shown clearly
in the instructions God gives to
regulate and shape every aspect of
their lives under His rule.”
Sinai Covenant
God consecrates his people (24:3-11)
• The Book of the Covenant is sealed with
blood – vv4b-7
• The people were marked by
God -- vs. 8
• The LORD shared a fellowship meal
with the leaders of the Israelites -- 11
Sinai Covenant
God consecrates his people (24:15-18)
•
Following this, Moses went up the on the
mountain and did not return until he had
received instructions concerning the tabernacle
and its furnishings.
•
It took 40 days and nights...
and the people grew impatient!
Sinai Covenant
Covenant Broken & Renewed (32:1–34:35)
Israel’s idolatry
– Golden calf –
– “they sat down to eat and
drink and rose up to play”
– God’s response – 32:7-10
Sinai Covenant
Covenant Broken & Renewed (32:1–34:35)
Moses’ Intercession
– “You must go with us”
– “Show me your glory”
– Name of the Lord
– Moses’ shining face
God Prepares to Indwell Israel
 Instructions
 Israel
 God
40)
for Tabernacle (25-31)
unworthy of God’s presence (32-34)
indwells Israel on basis of love (35-