The Old Testament archives the beginning of God’s work to redeem God’s people. From the very beginning, God had a plan that no enmity or enemy could stop.

Narrative of the Bible

• The Bible is not a disconnected series of self-help tales.
• God’s Word outlines God’s work to redeem God’s people.
• To summarize the Bible’s narrative, remember these four words: creation, corruption, crucifixion, and commission.

Creation

Deuteronomy 4:32-40

• Creation
  • All things were made by God and for God (Gen. 1:1; Col. 1:16).
  • In God’s good design, He created a place for His people to enjoy His presence.
• Fall
  • Sin entered the world when, instead of wanting to be like God, Mankind wanted to be God (Gen. 3:5).
  • The Fall happened because Mankind wanted to take God’s place but concluded with a promise that God would take Mankind’s place (Gen. 3:15, 21).
• Flood
  • As sin reached a chaotic level, God’s wrath reversed the environments and covered the inhabitants.
  • God’s wrath came upon every person or a vessel meant to protect those marked by faith.
• Covenant
  • With nations scattered, God blessed Abraham so that someone from his family would bless and reunite all peoples.
  • God took unrighteous Abraham and credited him righteous on the basis of his faith – not his works.
  • The only son was willing to be sacrificed in obedience to his father.
• Placement
  • Joseph accepted his role to suffer unfairly for the redemption of those undeserving.
  • God brought the nation of Israel and placed them in the greatest nation on earth to reveal Himself to them.
• Exodus
  • Through the plagues, God humiliated every god the Egyptians revered.
  • The sacrificial lamb took God’s wrath for the people so they could finally be free.
• Commandments
  • God did not provide commandments in order to be redeemed but because they were redeemed.
  • The Law showed that no one could keep it perfectly, yet it provided the ideal order the world needed desperately.
• Wanderings
  • The people’s disobedience kept them wandering for years, unable to reach the Promised Land.
  • No matter how consistent their rebellion, God maintained His presence on the sacrifice of substitutes.

Corruption

• Canaan
  • God led His people to His place to enjoy His presence.
  • The awe of blessings got replaced by the danger of entitlement.
• Cycle
  • God’s people got stuck in a cycle of sin with a constant need for a redeemer.
  • When everyone does what is right in their own eyes, a culture deteriorates thoroughly.
• Rejection
  • Discontent with the kingship of God, the people preferred to be like neighboring nations and follow flawed kings.
  • Whatever the people relied on other than God, He would use that exact thing to humble them.
• Kingdom
  • No matter how impressive the feats, every king also portrayed disappointing frailties.
  • God promised that one from David’s lineage would become king and reign forever.
• Division
  • The nation descended into chaos as God’s people tweaked religious devotion to satisfy personal desires.
  • The remaining prophets warned God’s people to return to God’s ways or experience God’s punishment.
• Exile
  • God allowed pagan nations to defeat His own because, even if His enemies were worse, God’s people knew better.
  • The exile forced God’s people to learn how to follow Him in a land that did not.
• Return
  • After a lifetime in exile, a remnant returns to rebuild what sin had broken.
  • While the people wondered if God had abandoned them, prophets urged them to wait for the help on His way.