Story of the BibleStory of the BibleLecture TwoLecture Two

Michael GoheenMichael Goheen

IDIS 102, TWUIDIS 102, TWU

“I can’t understand why you missionaries present the Bible to us in India as another book of religion. It is not a book of religion—and anyway we have plenty of books of religion in India already. We don’t need any more! I find in your Bible a unique interpretation of universal history, the history of the whole creation and the history of the human race. And therefore a unique interpretation of the human person as a responsible actor in history. That is unique. There is nothing else in the whole religious literature of the world to put alongside of it (Badrinath, Hindu Scholar)

Uniqueness of BibleUniqueness of Bible

Scripture as Six Act DramaScripture as Six Act Drama

• Act One: God Establishes His Kingdom (Creation)Act One: God Establishes His Kingdom (Creation)• Act Two: Rebellion in the Kingdom (Fall)Act Two: Rebellion in the Kingdom (Fall)• Act Three: God Chooses Israel (Restoration Initiated)Act Three: God Chooses Israel (Restoration Initiated)• Act Four: The Coming of King Jesus (Restoration Act Four: The Coming of King Jesus (Restoration

Accomplished) Accomplished) • Act Five: Spreading the News of the King (Church’s Act Five: Spreading the News of the King (Church’s

Mission)Mission)• Act Six: Return of the King (Restoration Completed)Act Six: Return of the King (Restoration Completed)

Act One: God Establishes His Act One: God Establishes His Kingdom (Creation)Kingdom (Creation)

• In the beginning, God . . .In the beginning, God . . .

• King’s decree gives form to creationKing’s decree gives form to creation

• Human beings as climax of creationHuman beings as climax of creation– Related to God, each other, non-human creationRelated to God, each other, non-human creation– Joyful taskJoyful task

• Very goodVery good

Act Two: Rebellion in the Act Two: Rebellion in the Kingdom (Fall)Kingdom (Fall)

• ‘‘Don’t eat from the tree’Don’t eat from the tree’

• Treasonous act of rebellionTreasonous act of rebellion

• Poisons:Poisons:– All of human lifeAll of human life– All of creationAll of creation

Act Three: God Chooses Israel Act Three: God Chooses Israel (Restoration Initiated)(Restoration Initiated)

• Blueprint: God’s plan for restoration (Gen. Blueprint: God’s plan for restoration (Gen. 12.1-3)12.1-3)

• Two parts:Two parts:– Make Abraham a great nationMake Abraham a great nation– Bless all nations, creation through themBless all nations, creation through them

Act Three: God Chooses Israel Act Three: God Chooses Israel (Restoration Initiated)(Restoration Initiated)

• Two scenes in Act ThreeTwo scenes in Act Three

• Scene One: God forms a people (Genesis, Scene One: God forms a people (Genesis, Exodus, Numbers)Exodus, Numbers)

• Scene Two: God places them on the land Scene Two: God places them on the land (Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings)(Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings)

Act Three, Scene One: God Act Three, Scene One: God Forms a PeopleForms a People

• Genesis: God’s faithfulness to the early Genesis: God’s faithfulness to the early fathers (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob)fathers (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob)

• Exodus: God forms his peopleExodus: God forms his people– A mighty act of liberationA mighty act of liberation– Israel’s task (Ex. 19.3-6)Israel’s task (Ex. 19.3-6)

• Numbers: God prepares his people for taskNumbers: God prepares his people for task– Boot camp: Learning to trust and obeyBoot camp: Learning to trust and obey– Failure and punishmentFailure and punishment– Next generation ready!Next generation ready!

Act three, scene two: Light on Act three, scene two: Light on the land the land

• Attractive model of God’s creational intentionAttractive model of God’s creational intention• Joshua: God gives them the gift of the landJoshua: God gives them the gift of the land

– God’s giftGod’s gift– Israel’s commitment at ShechemIsrael’s commitment at Shechem

• Judges: Failure to be a lightJudges: Failure to be a light– Succumb to Canaanite idolatrySuccumb to Canaanite idolatry– God’s faithfulness: Raises up delivererGod’s faithfulness: Raises up deliverer– Cry for a kingCry for a king

Act three, scene two: Light on Act three, scene two: Light on the land the land

• Samuel: God gives Israel a kingSamuel: God gives Israel a king– Saul: Wrong kind of kingSaul: Wrong kind of king– David: Right kind of kingDavid: Right kind of king

• Kings: Failure of kings and IsraelKings: Failure of kings and Israel– Solomon’s good start and bad finishSolomon’s good start and bad finish– 39 kings, about 8 faithful!39 kings, about 8 faithful!– Even Elijah and Elisha can’t stop the slideEven Elijah and Elisha can’t stop the slide– Judgment: Scattered and exiledJudgment: Scattered and exiled

Miserable end to Act 3Miserable end to Act 3

• Only two tribes left in exile for 70 yearsOnly two tribes left in exile for 70 years

• The end?The end?

• Ezra-Nehemiah: God returns small group to Ezra-Nehemiah: God returns small group to landland

• Old Testament prophets: HopeOld Testament prophets: Hope

Old Testament ProphetsOld Testament Prophets

• One third of Old TestamentOne third of Old Testament

• Message:Message:– Repent: ‘Return to your task and be faithful’Repent: ‘Return to your task and be faithful’– ‘‘God has not given up on his plan. He will:God has not given up on his plan. He will:

• ‘‘Make this whole world his kingdom again’Make this whole world his kingdom again’

• ‘‘He will do it through a faithful king’He will do it through a faithful king’

• ‘‘He will do it by the power of His Spirit’He will do it by the power of His Spirit’

InterludeInterlude

• Old Testament ends c.400 B.C.Old Testament ends c.400 B.C.

• 400 years until Jesus comes400 years until Jesus comes– Growing fervour for coming kingdomGrowing fervour for coming kingdom– Differing views of king and kingdomDiffering views of king and kingdom– Kingdom story waiting for an endingKingdom story waiting for an ending

Act Four: The Coming of King Act Four: The Coming of King Jesus (Restoration Accomplished)Jesus (Restoration Accomplished)

• Jesus announces the good news of the Jesus announces the good news of the kingdom (Mark 1.15-16)kingdom (Mark 1.15-16)Good news! God is now acting in power and Good news! God is now acting in power and love through me [Jesus] and the Spirit to love through me [Jesus] and the Spirit to restore all the life of humankind and the whole restore all the life of humankind and the whole creation to again live under his gracious, creation to again live under his gracious, peaceful, and just rule.peaceful, and just rule.

• Already here, not yet arrivedAlready here, not yet arrived

Spirit MessiahSpirit Messiah

SinDeathEvil

Satan

Knowledgeof GodLoveJoy

Justice

AGE TO COME

Prophetic ExpectationProphetic Expectation

OLD AGE

Powers of sin death evil Satan

Power of Spirit’s renewingwork

AGE TO COMEOLD AGE

New Testament FulfillmentNew Testament Fulfillment

Jesus makes known kingdom in Jesus makes known kingdom in his lifehis life

• God’s power to heal and restore evident in God’s power to heal and restore evident in his mighty workshis mighty works

• The way of life in the kingdom is evident in The way of life in the kingdom is evident in his lifehis life

• He challenges injustice and becomes a He challenges injustice and becomes a friend to the marginalisedfriend to the marginalised

• His parables explain the kingdomHis parables explain the kingdom• He gathers a communityHe gathers a community• He teaches them how to live like himHe teaches them how to live like him

Jesus accomplishes the kingdom Jesus accomplishes the kingdom in his deathin his death

• Cross: Roman instrument of humiliation and Cross: Roman instrument of humiliation and torture that says “We’re in charge; don’t torture that says “We’re in charge; don’t fool with us!”fool with us!”

• Cross: Failed Messiah?Cross: Failed Messiah?

• No! The power and wisdom and love of God No! The power and wisdom and love of God to defeat sin and accomplish the restoration to defeat sin and accomplish the restoration of God’s good creation! (cf. I Cor 1.18-2.5)of God’s good creation! (cf. I Cor 1.18-2.5)

Resurrection: Jesus inaugurates Resurrection: Jesus inaugurates kingdomkingdom

• Jewish expectation: All raised at end of historyJewish expectation: All raised at end of history

• Jesus: One raised in middle of history—mean?Jesus: One raised in middle of history—mean?

• Firstfruits: Jesus first part of harvestFirstfruits: Jesus first part of harvest

• Rest of harvest: We raised from deadRest of harvest: We raised from dead

Has the end-time kingdom come?Has the end-time kingdom come?

Q: “ Lord, are you at this time going to Q: “ Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1.6)1.6)

A: “No, but you will receive the Holy A: “No, but you will receive the Holy Spirit and be my witnesses until I do Spirit and be my witnesses until I do complete my kingdom restoration.” complete my kingdom restoration.” (Acts 1.7-8 paraphrase)(Acts 1.7-8 paraphrase)

Act Five: Spreading the News of Act Five: Spreading the News of the King: The Church’s Missionthe King: The Church’s Mission

• Expectation of end, yet whole new era Expectation of end, yet whole new era opening up in God’s storyopening up in God’s story

• OurOur place in the story! place in the story!

• ““As the Father has sent me, I am sending As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” (John 20.21)you.” (John 20.21)

• Make known kingdom in life, deeds, and Make known kingdom in life, deeds, and wordswords

Pentecost: God’s people receive Pentecost: God’s people receive the life of the kingdomthe life of the kingdom

• Spirit promised in Old Testament prophets Spirit promised in Old Testament prophets to restore humanity and creationto restore humanity and creation

• God’s people given the SpiritGod’s people given the Spirit

• Foretaste of kingdomForetaste of kingdom

• Previews of kingdomPreviews of kingdom

Church’s TaskChurch’s Task

• Take up Israel’s call to model God’s Take up Israel’s call to model God’s original creational purposesoriginal creational purposes

• Continue the mission of Jesus to make the Continue the mission of Jesus to make the kingdom of God knownkingdom of God known

Act five in rest of New TestamentAct five in rest of New Testament

• Story begins in ActsStory begins in Acts• Moves from Jerusalem throughout Roman Moves from Jerusalem throughout Roman

empireempire• Planting churches to be ‘previews’ of God’s Planting churches to be ‘previews’ of God’s

kingdomkingdom• New Testament: Letters to nurture these New Testament: Letters to nurture these

churches to be faithful ‘previews’churches to be faithful ‘previews’• Book of Acts ends on open note: InvitationBook of Acts ends on open note: Invitation• Continue to ends of earth until Christ’s returnContinue to ends of earth until Christ’s return

The Spirit thrusts God’s people into The Spirit thrusts God’s people into worldwide mission.worldwide mission.

He impels young and old, men and women,He impels young and old, men and women,to go next door and far awayto go next door and far away

into science and art, media and marketplaceinto science and art, media and marketplace

with the good news of God’s grace. . . . (CT, with the good news of God’s grace. . . . (CT, 32)32)

Our place in the storyOur place in the story

Following the apostles, the church is sent– sent with the gospel of the kingdomto make disciples of all nations,to feed the hungry,to proclaim the assurance that in the name of Christthere is forgiveness of sin and new lifefor all who repent and believe– To tell the news that our world belongs to God.In a world estranged from God,where millions face confusing choices,this mission is central to our being,for we announce the one name that saves. (CT, 44)

Our place in the storyOur place in the story

The rule of Jesus Christ covers the whole world.

To follow this Lord is to serve him everywhere,

without fitting in,

as lights in the darkness,

as salt in a spoiling world. (CT, 45)

Our place in the storyOur place in the story

Sacred/Secular DualismSacred/Secular Dualism

SacredPrayerWorshipMinisterMissionaryChurchFamily

SecularMaking loveWatching TVJournalistPoliticianUniversityGovernment

A c t iv it i e s

P ro fe ss io n s

R e a lm s

Clash of KingdomsClash of Kingdoms

Antithesis

Kingdomof God

Kingdom ofdarkness

Creation

Church’s Mission: Living and Church’s Mission: Living and announcing Christ’s rightful claimannouncing Christ’s rightful claim

• Abraham Kuyper: “There is not a square Abraham Kuyper: “There is not a square inch of the entire domain of human life of inch of the entire domain of human life of which Christ the Sovereign does not say which Christ the Sovereign does not say ‘That is mine!’ ”‘That is mine!’ ”

• C.S. Lewis: “C.S. Lewis: “There is no neutral ground in There is no neutral ground in the universe: every square inch, every split the universe: every square inch, every split second, is claimed by God and second, is claimed by God and counterclaimed by Satan.”counterclaimed by Satan.”

Act Six: Return of the King Act Six: Return of the King (Restoration Completed)(Restoration Completed)

• Goal throughout whole story: Restore whole Goal throughout whole story: Restore whole creation and human lifecreation and human life

• Jesus will returnJesus will return

• Dead will be raisedDead will be raised

• Judge sin, Satan, and unrepentant sinnersJudge sin, Satan, and unrepentant sinners

• Restore whole earthRestore whole earth

End of the storyEnd of the story

• Not souls living in spiritualized heaven Not souls living in spiritualized heaven up thereup there

• But resurrected bodies living on new But resurrected bodies living on new earth hereearth here

Mistaken NotionMistaken Notion

Very often people have come to the New Testament with the presumption that ‘going to heaven when you die’ is the implicit point of it all. . . . They acquire that viewpoint from somewhere, but not from the New Testament.

- N. T. Wright

The End of the StoryThe End of the StoryRevelation 21.1-5Revelation 21.1-5

• First heaven/earth (old order of things) First heaven/earth (old order of things) passed awaypassed away

• New Jerusalem comes down out of New Jerusalem comes down out of heavenheaven

• Loud voice: “Now the dwelling of God is Loud voice: “Now the dwelling of God is with men”with men”

• Sin and its effects are removedSin and its effects are removed

• ““I am making everything new”I am making everything new”