Historical Overview 1
6 ALL OF MANKIND JUDGED
God permits man to descend into evil, but He will eventually deal with all mankind. In Genesis 4-10 we find the background that led to the great Flood, which occurred because of God’s displeasure with mankind’s disobedience (Gen 6:1-13). God will again deal with all mankind when Jesus Christ returns at the Second Advent, after the seven-year period of Tribulation. He will then separate the remainder of mankind into the "sheep (Believers)," and the "goats (unbelievers)" (Matt 25:31-46).
7 BABYLON.
After the Flood the earth was repopulated, but soon people began again to turn in the wrong direction -away from God. In Babylon, they constructed the Tower of Babel (Gen 11), which was indicative of their attempt to save themselves. They thought that if they could build a tower high enough, they could escape God’s wrath (such as that of the Flood) by ascending to heaven and putting themselves on a level with God.
The foundation they built the tower upon was a religion known as "humanism," which supposes that man can save himself through religious and/or economic means. Beliefs such as this are the basis of all the world’s religious systems. Only Christianity realizes that man can’t save himself, therefore man needs a Savior.
Some humanistic attitudes are displayed in the Bible by those who stand in opposition to the Living God. These attitudes were found in the Babylon of the past (Isa 47) and Tyre (Ezek 26-27), just to name two such examples that remain with us today. This is found in the world’s religions which believe that man ascends to godhood in stages and thus saves himself. During the Tribulation, God will destroy the Babylonian organizations that have been created (Rev 17-18).
8 ISRAEL
After dispersing the people from Babel and distributing various languages to the nations, the Lord called Abraham to be the founder of a new nation, Israel (Gen 12). Through the miraculous conception of his son, Isaac, and then his grandson, Jacob, the promise made to Abraham about the Messiah was continued (Gen 22:1-18; 28:14). The people of Israel were eventually removed from their land and dispersed throughout the world for their idolatrous practices, but the Lord’s promises remained. Israel will be supernaturally regathered after the Tribulation and blessed with the Millennial Kingdom (Matt 24:29-31).
9 THE ADVENTS OF JESUS CHRIST
The First Advent of Jesus Christ took place at the perfect time in God’s plan for history (1 Tim 2:6). The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John relate the wonderful history of Jesus’ birth, ministry, death, burial, and resurrection. Jesus Christ was clearly the "Suffering Servant" so beautifully foretold in Isaiah 53.
The Second Advent of Jesus Christ will take place after the Tribulation, when Christ actually sets foot on the earth again and conquers His enemies (Zech 14:1-8; Rev 19:1119), thus ushering in the Millennial Kingdom. This time He will come as the "Conquering King."
10 OPPOSING MINISTRIES
The Gospels also beautifully portray the public ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John). Christ’s ministry was one of service to others (Matt 20:28). This is in clear contrast to the ministry of the Antichrist (also known as the "man of lawlessness") who will have a "ministry" of self-service, seeking to draw all attention and worship to himself (2 Thess 2:1-12; Rev 6-16).
11 THE CHURCH
After the Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus Christ to the right hand of God the Father, the Church was "called out" to spread the good news of forgiveness of sins through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ (Acts of the Apostles). The Church bears the responsibility for "making disciples of all the nations" (Matt 28:1820), until she is "called" up for the marriage to her Lord the Bridegroom (1 Thess 4:1318; 1 Cor 15:50-58; Rev 19:7-10).
SUMMARY
When we pay attention to the sequence of the events just described, we see a marvelous pattern emerge. It is the unfolding and then the folding up of human history. It is illustrated by the following chart, "Overview of the Bible." Match the numbers together and you will see the overview of God’s plan.
1. Creation of the original heavens and earth. Gen 1:1; 2 Pet 3:6 1. Creation of a new heaven and earth. Rev 21-22
2. Satan’s first rebellion. Isa 14:12-14; Eze 28 2. Satan’s final rebellion. Rev 20: 710
3. Earth prepared for man. Gen 1:2-2:3 3. Earth perfected for man. Isa 60-66
4. The Headship of the First Adam. Gen 2:4-25 4. The Headship of the Last Adam. Rev 20:4
5. Man subjected to Satan. Gen 3 5. Satan subjected to Christ. Rev 20:1-3
6. All of mankind judged. Gen 4-10 6. All of mankind judged. Matt 25:31-46
7. Construction of the Tower of Babel. Gen 11 7. Destruction of Babylonian organizations. Rev 17-18
8. Israel called as a nation. Gen 12 8. Israel regathered as a nation. Matt 24:29-31
9. First Advent of Jesus Christ. Matt, Mark, Luke, John 9. Second Advent of Jesus Christ. Rev 19:11-19
10. Ministry of Jesus Christ. Matt, Mark, Luke, John 10 Ministry of the Antichrist. 2 Thess 2:1-12; Rev 6-16
11. Church called out. Acts 11 Church called up. 1 Thess 4:13-18; 1 Cor 15:50-58 (Adapted from J. Edwin Hartill, Principles of Biblical Hermeneutics, pg. 9)
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Historical Overview
The beauty of God’s Word is in part due to its internal consistency, even though it was written by so many different authors over such a long period of time. History looks at events which happened in the past. Paying attention to the sequence of the events outlined below, we see a marvelous motion through the unfolding, and then the folding up of human history. By looking at these major events, we can clearly trace the introduction and conclusion to such a marvelous story. Also, we gain some clear insights into a question philosophers have been asking for centuries: "Why are we here?"
The following overview is designed to be just that, an overview. We will spend the rest of our lives filling in the details. For now, let us learn from the major historical points that God has placed in front of us. Later in this lesson, we’ll see an excellent overview of God’s wonderfully consistent plan.
1 CREATION
In the beginning of the Bible, Genesis documents the original creation of the heavens and earth (Gen 1:1; 2 Pet 3:6). At the end of the Book in Revelation, the original creation is destroyed, making way for the creation of a "New Heaven and New Earth" (Rev 21-22).
2 SATAN’S REBELLION
Sometime before the creation of man, Satan rebelled against God, seeking to challenge Him (Isa 14:12-14; Ezek 28). The topic of this first rebellion is intricately woven throughout the Scriptures; and the ramifications of this conflict are not easily understood. What is easily understood is that a war goes on between God and Satan that has been going on since before man’s creation (Rev 12). Satan’s final rebellion will occur after the 1,000 year reign of Jesus Christ on earth, just before the creation of the new heaven and earth (Rev 20:7-10).
3 EARTH AND MAN
God prepared the earth to be inhabited by man (Gen 1:2-2:3: as a footnote, the words "formless" [Hebrew TOHU] and "void" [Hebrew BOHU] mean, "uninhabitable," and, "void of population," respectively). The problem is that there was an invader, Satan, who continually sought to challenge God. When the Lord imprisons Satan for the duration of the Millennial Kingdom (1,000 year reign of Jesus Christ, see Rev 20:1-3), He will then perfect earth for man (Isa 6066).
4 THE FIRST AND LAST ADAM
The first man, Adam, was designed to be the head over all creation (Gen 1:28; 2:4-25). He was placed in the Garden of Eden to cultivate and keep it. The "last" Adam, the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor 15:45), will establish a literal physical Headship for 1,000 years (Rev 20:4). He is "last" in the sense that there are no more men who will come into existence as a perfect being.
5 MAN’S BATTLE WITH SATAN
When Adam "fell" in the Garden of Eden, he became subject to Satan -the "ruler of this world" (Gen 3; John 12:31; 16:11). God will later subject Satan to Christ just before the Millennial Kingdom begins (Rev 20:1-3).
Continue …………….
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