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The Most Significant People, Places, and Events in the Bible

ZONDERVAN

QUICKVIEW SUMMARY OF THE BIBLE

Creation, Fall, Promise (Genesis, Job)

The Bible is not written in the chronological style of many modern-day history books, so attempting to read it as such will be frustrating. The books of the Protestant Bible are arranged by subject, but if reassembled in chronological order, they disclose the progressive revelation of God, specifically the creation of humanity, our "fall" from a state of perfection, and the promise of God to send a Savior. The charts over the next few pages depict the key themes you'll find as the chronological story line of the Bible progresses.

Genesis and Job, the earliest story lines, reveal the power of God in his majesty and creation. Although sin enters the world through the first man and woman's disobedience and the lies of a serpent (Satan), God chooses a people to call his own and promises that salvation will one day come.

Shortly after Adam and Eve's first sin, God says to the serpent: "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel" (Genesis 3:15). This verse conveys the "curse," or the story of humanity's fall from a state of grace.

Genesis 3:15 also contains God's ultimate promise, that one of Adam and Eve's own offspring will "crush [the] head" of the serpent (Satan). Christians will later interpret this as a messianic prophecy, foretelling the coming of Jesus, the Messiah and Savior, who would reverse the catastrophic effects of the fall.

What we learn about God and his plan

God is eternal and the Creator. Sin enters the world, but God begins to make his name great.

A People Set Free (Exodus–Deuteronomy)

The book of Genesis ends with Jacob—the heir of God's promises to Adam, Eve, and Abraham—and his sons resettling in Egypt. The first chapter of Exodus skips ahead 400 years, where we discover that the Hebrew people are now enslaved by the Egyptians. Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy tell the story of God rescuing his people from slavery and their beginnings as a nation.

As is fitting with the Bible's overarching narrative, God is not only interested in giving his people physical freedom from their oppressors and a land of their own, but he is also interested in a relationship with them. Exodus 6:7 reveals his heart: "I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God." The Bible is the story of God's efforts to repair humanity's broken relationship with him, something that was damaged when Adam and Eve sinned in the garden.

These four books further introduce God's character. We discover his power through the plagues and miracles, learn of his jealousy revealed in his insistence that his people worship no other gods, and discover through the giving of the law what a relationship between God and humans looks like.

While viewing the Bible as a whole, we also see God making the concepts of sin and holiness more tangible. These themes will eventually reveal the need for a perfect sacrifice, the death of a Savior, to allow true freedom between God and his people.

What we learn about God and his plan

God is holy and expects his people to be set apart from the world. Sin must be paid for by a blood sacrifice.

Embracing God's Promise (Joshua–Ruth)

At the conclusion of the book of Deuteronomy, the people of God wait at the threshold of the Promised Land. The books of Joshua, Judges, and Ruth record some of the early history of the people of Israel. After taking the land, they try to find their identity as God's "holy nation" (Exodus 19:6). From the opening battles of Jericho and Ai, the Israelites struggle to fully obey God, but they always find his blessing when they do. In Judges, a cycle begins to take shape as the people move in and out of obedience and sin.

While the Promised Land is a tangible gift, it is also symbolic of God's greater plan. God is moving his people toward a place where they can truly rest in his presence. In this overarching story of the Bible, God moves a people who wander as slaves in exile toward a place where they can encounter the fullness of joy at God's right hand (Psalm 16:11).

Through Joshua (the Hebrew name for Jesus), and ultimately through the reconciling work of Jesus Christ on the cross, people receive spiritual rest as they enter a restored relationship with God: "For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God ... Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience" (Hebrews 4:8–9, 11).

What we learn about God and his plan

The people experience the consequences of sin. God delivers them so that they will serve him. The people repent and then fall back into sin.

Kingdom in Tension (History and Prophets)

For approximately 400 years, the Israelites live under tension created by a monarchy that the people choose over following God's plan. At times the tension is politically driven. Even when God's people live under one king in a unified kingdom, tensions arise between the different tribes and leaders. Israel's first king, Saul, attempts to kill his successor, David. Later, when David becomes king, his own son Absalom challenges his leadership. Even Solomon, who rules during a time of peace and great prosperity, encounters threats from his brother Adonijah and another key leader, Jeroboam. After Solomon's reign, the kingdom divides into the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. These two nations wage war against each other, as well as against nations beyond their borders such as Assyria, Egypt, and Babylon.

Spiritual tensions exist when the nations vacillate between faithfully following God and rebelling against him. God allows wars and political turmoil to occur and raises prophets such as Hosea and Amos to call people to repentance. Hosea describes God's thoughts: "Will not Assyria rule over them because they refuse to repent?" (Hosea 11:5). During this time, God often uses conquering nations to drive the heart of his people back to him. Yet through it all, God remains longsuffering for his people, promising: "I will heal their waywardness and love them freely" (Hosea 14:4).

What we learn about God and his plan

God is more concerned with the state of his people's hearts than the state of their earthly kingdom. He promises a king that will come and bring ultimate peace.

Exile and Restoration (History and Prophets)

The books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther trace the story of the Israelites living in exile, after the fall of both kingdoms. Biblical history from this time focuses on the people from the southern kingdom (Judah). The historical record of the northern kingdom of Israel is lost after it is conquered by the Assyrians in 722 BC.

Though the majority of God's people are in captivity, a small remnant remains in the ruins of Canaan. Under leaders like Ezra and Nehemiah, God slowly leads his people from exile back to the Promised Land to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple. He desires to restore his dwelling place among the Israelites.

In the books of Daniel, Joel, Obadiah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, God continuously raises up prophets to deliver his words of comfort and conviction to the Israelites in captivity and to those rebuilding the temple and city walls. God patiently urges his people to repent. He reminds them that he desires restoration with his creation despite their past disobedience. Though God is holy and just in his nature, he is also "gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love" (Joel 2:13).

As the Israelites begin rebuilding the Promised Land, the prophets relate God's plan of ultimate restoration. They foretell the coming Messiah, or Savior, explaining that he will restore God's kingdom along with all of creation, reclaiming hearts for him.

What we learn about God and his plan

God will discipline his children for their sin but also graciously restore them. A fresh start is coming.

Promise Fulfilled: Jesus

Jesus, the Son of God, comes into the world thousands of years after God's first promise to send a Savior. When the first man and woman sin in the garden of Eden, they immediately destroy their connection to God, to one another, and to the created world around them. However, at the same moment that sin enters the world, the great promise of God enters the world, too.

Immediately after Adam and Eve sin, God says to Satan, our enemy (1 Peter 5:8): "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel" (Genesis 3:15). This verse contains both the "curse," or the story of humanity's fall from a state of grace, and God's great promise to send one who is greater than Satan. The Promised One who is greater than Satan is God's Son, Jesus. When God sends him into the world and he dies on the cross for our sins, he crushes the power of Satan to destroy our lives.

When the Son of God becomes a "son of man," born in a humble manger in the obscure town of Bethlehem, he begins the fulfillment of prophecies spanning hundreds of years before his birth. Ultimately, it is through Jesus' blood and his sacrificial death on the cross that "death has been swallowed up in victory" (1 Corinthians 15:54; Isaiah 25:8), providing for forgiveness of our sins and a way back to God.

What we learn about God and his plan

God offers a final and perfect solution for sin.

New Life to the World

The New Testament books of Acts–Revelation record the history of the early church, instructions on living as a citizen of the kingdom of God, and a vision of the new heavens and earth. The kingdom of God is a spiritual reality where God's presence dwells among his people. When asked about his kingdom, Jesus replies, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place" (John 18:36). For now, the kingdom of God continues in the power and life of his people, the church, but the kingdom will not be fully realized until Jesus comes to earth a second time to usher in a new world.

The apostle Paul urges believers in Corinth to preach God's message of reconciliation—God's desire to restore humanity to right relationship with him, one another, and creation (2 Corinthians 5:17–21). Reconciliation is based on the good news that Jesus has conquered sin and death, removing the "wall of hostility" that sin had created between God and us. Jesus brings us near to God once again (Ephesians 2:13–14).

In Revelation, John describes the new world as a place where God's people will live without pain, suffering, or death. God "will wipe every tear from their eyes" (Revelation 21:4). Human beings will once again live in close relationship with our Creator in a world better than the one Adam and Eve knew in the garden of Eden.

What we learn about God and his plan

God unites people from every tribe and tongue to be part of his church. At the end of time, God will restore the world to its perfect, sinless state.

Words of the Bible

Studying a list of the most frequently used words in different portions of Scripture highlights themes found within each of the Bible's sections. While story lines, settings, and people change as we read the Bible, one message remains constant: God lovingly reaches out to his people. The image below outlines the most frequently used words within each biblical section and will give you insights into each biblical section.

In the Pentateuch, we read about Moses leading the Israelites to the Promised Land. These books focus on sacrifices and holy festivals and remind God's people to depend on him.

In the Historical Books, the Israelites learn about life under an earthly king, while the temple is built as the central place of worship to their heavenly King.

The Wisdom Books outline the importance of being in right relationship with God. He seeks worshipers who long for righteousness with "a contrite heart" in place of empty sacrifices (Psalm 51:17).

The Major and Minor Prophets remind the Israelites of their covenant with God. God speaks to his people through prophets who recount the people's disobedience and disregard for his ways while faithfully urging them to return to him wholeheartedly.

The Gospels and the book of Acts introduce the life and saving work of Jesus, the Son of God. They focus on proclaiming God's kingdom come to earth and the mission of his church.

The Epistles, written to the early church, outline themes of grace and faith at work in God's people, who were commissioned with proclaiming the gospel, or good news, of Jesus the Savior.

Finally, the book of Revelation contains prophecies about the end of the world as we know it, providing a vision of a new heaven and a new earth under God's good reign.

QUICKGLANCE BIBLE CHARACTERS

First Fathers: Creation to Flood

Shortly after being cast out of the garden, Adam and Eve lose their first two children. God condemns their son Cain to a life of wandering after he murders his brother, Abel, out of jealousy (Genesis 4:14–15). Then Adam and Eve have another son, Seth. It was during his life and the life of his son Enosh that people "began to call on the name of the Lord" (Genesis 4:25–26).

From the time of the creation of the world to the great worldwide flood, the Bible records ten generations. The Bible records very few details other than the names and ages of the next four generations after Seth, but there are some interesting glimpses provided about the lives of Enoch (seventh generation), Methuselah (eighth generation), Lamech (ninth generation), and Noah and his sons (tenth and eleventh generations).

During that time, people live longer than they do today and have children at older ages. For example, the Bible records the child-bearing age to be between 65 and 187 years old. Enoch lives 365 years. The Bible says of him: "Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away" (Genesis 5:24), suggesting that Enoch does not experience physical death.

Enoch's son Methuselah becomes the oldest person on record, living 969 years. Methuselah's son Lamech is the father of Noah, the man God chooses to save at the time of the great flood. When Noah is born, his father names him Noah, which sounds like the Hebrew word for "comfort," and says of him, "He will comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the Lord has cursed" (Genesis 5:29).

By the time Noah becomes a man, the world is completely corrupt and God has decided to destroy it. God instructs Noah, a righteous man, to build an ark of cypress wood. God tells Noah to take himself, his family, and two of every type of animal onto the ark in order to save them from the catastrophic flood that God is sending (Genesis 6:14–20).

Abraham

Abraham is often referred to as the "father of the faith," while the New Testament points to Abraham as an example of being justified by faith, not works: "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness" (Romans 4:3; Genesis 15:6). Abraham's faith works itself out in his life. His faith is made evident in his deeds. James writes: Abraham's "faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did" (James 2:22).

Abraham's journey requires great faith along the way. God first calls Abraham to leave his home country without telling him where he's supposed to go (Hebrews 11:8). God promises to bless him, to make his name great, and that the world will be blessed through his descendants (Genesis 12:1–3).

God then leads Abraham to the Promised Land. While there, Abraham builds an altar and calls on God. Abraham understands that following the living God is a relationship that involves both speaking and listening.

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Excerpted from The Most Significant People, Places, and Events in the Bible by Christopher D. Hudson. Copyright © 2015 Christopher D. Hudson. Excerpted by permission of ZONDERVAN.
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