From the Beginning to Christ

 After I left that errant house church, I had to relearn pretty much everything I knew about God and the Bible. One of those concepts which amazed me was that the Bible is one long story of redemption. 

This video from The Gospel Project demonstrates this well.

We realize, once the blinders are taken off our spiritual eyes, that Scripture is all about God's awesome plan of salvation. Paul made that clear in 1 Corinthians 15:45 (Bible in Basic English). "And so it is said, 'The first man Adam was a living soul. The last Adam is a life-giving spirit.'"

Reading through Genesis, we see how humanity through Adam fell. God established that the seed of the woman, meaning one of Eve's descendants, would have victory over Satan. This promise was passed down, generation to generation, giving to the children of Abraham hope whenever a boy child was born. As a consequence, we have genealogies in the Bible.

In the Old Testament, Christ was referred to in prophecy as The Branch. One of those prophesies is Jeremiah 33:14 and 15 (BBE). "'See, the days are coming,' says the Lord, 'when I will give effect to the good word which I have said about the people of Israel and the people of Judah. In those days and at that time, I will let a Branch of righteousness come up for David; and he will be a judge in righteousness in the land.'"

Zechariah 3:8 (BBE) also mentions Christ as coming like a servant. "Give ear now, O Joshua, the high priest, you and your friends who are seated before you; for these are men who are a sign: for see, I will let my servant the Branch be seen."

Jesus was the ultimate servant, obeying the Father to the end. Philippians 2:5-8 (BBE) explains, "Let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus, To whom, though himself in the form of God, it did not seem that to take for oneself was to be like God; But he made himself as nothing, taking the form of a servant, being made like men; And being seen in form as a man, he took the lowest place, and let himself be put to death, even the death of the cross."

We who trust in Christ know how the story ends. When everything is given over to our Master, he'll give himself to the Father that all will be in all. We'll have the rest of eternity to enjoy everything that the Father has for us.

If our Lord doesn't return by Saturday, I plan on posting about Israel and a man whose lover runs around with other men.