Bible History Overview Prepared by Kelly Boyd Bee

Bible History Overview Prepared by Kelly Boyd

Bee. P SLo. Wly, Ja. Ke Ca. RRie. S Co. Coa! If we remove the vowels, the capitalized consonants form the first letter of each period of Bible history.

B eginnings P atriarchs S lavery L aw W anderings J udges K ings C R R S C C aptivity eturn estoration ilence hrist onsummation Bee. P SLo. Wly, Ja. Ke Ca. RRie. S Co. Coa!

�How to Make the Summary Sentence Work for You! ◦ First, think of the picture. The summary sentence will come to your mind immediately. ◦ Second, take each word in your mind and remove the vowels. Now, with the consonants, recall the basic Bible History Periods that begin with those letters. ◦ Work at it! Memory work is just that: work! But think of the benefits. You’ll always have the Big Picture of Bible history at your command. Bee. P SLo. Wly, Ja. Ke Ca. RRie. S Co. Coa!

The Fall of Mankind Genesis 3 In God’s covenant with Adam and Eve, the universal choice between good and evil is seen very clearly. Adam’s choice (and ours) is simply, “Will I choose to obey or disobey God? ”

The Fall of Mankind Genesis 3 Man has but one command to follow. This seems simple enough, but Satan has other plans. Satan, as a serpent (Rev. 12: 9) tempts Eve. She yields; shares the fruit with Adam, who joined in sin; and now their covenant with God is broken.

The Fall of Mankind Genesis 3 Satan’s Strategy 1) “The Cravings of Sinful Men” – isn’t it amazing how easily the tempter can get us to covet the one thing we don’t have, and basically, don’t need? They didn’t need it, but desired it precisely because it was forbidden!

The Fall of Mankind Genesis 3 Satan’s Strategy 2) “The Lust of His Eyes” – this temptation has to do with sensual pleasure. Satan did all that he could to make the fruit pleasing to her eyes. Verse 6 tells us that she was convinced.

The Fall of Mankind Genesis 3 Satan’s Strategy 3) “The Boasting of What He Has and Does” – Satan convinces Eve that she will be like God, knowing good and evil. Notice the similarities in Gen. 3: 6 & 1 Jo. 2: 16

�The Results of Adam’s Sin ◦ Self-conscience v. 7 ◦ Shame vs. 8, 10 ◦ Fear v. 10 ◦ Blame vs. 12, 13 ◦ Pain in childbirth v. 16 ◦ Ground is cursed v. 17 ◦ Banished from Garden of Eden v. 23 ◦ Death vs. 2: 17, 3: 19 it is true that they didn’t drop dead immediately, but… The Fall of Mankind

�A Word About Original Sin ◦ Many churches baptize infants because they believe that they are born with Adam’s sin, and thus his guilt. The practice of infant baptism is unknown in scripture, however, and Jesus tells us that we must become like little children to be saved. See Matthew 19: 14 and others. I encourage you to study this subject for yourself, and send me any questions you may have. mailto: legaleze@ptd. net The Fall of Mankind

Cain and Abel Genesis 4 In this chapter we see the power that sin can come to have in a person’s life.

�The Story ◦ Cain and Abel each bring an offering to the Lord. Abel’s is brought in faith (Hebrews 11: 4) but John tells us that Cain’s heart was evil (1 John 3: 12). ◦ Perhaps God didn’t accept Cain’s offering because his attitude was wrong. The passage suggests this, with Cain’s resulting jealousy and murder of his brother. Cain may not have realized that God is as concerned with the heart as He is with actions. Cain and Abel

�The Story ◦ The real point of the story is the effect of sin in a person’s life. Cain faces the universal choice, and chooses evil. So…God instructs him to do what is right and repent. But would he? No way! Instead, he lures Abel into the field and murders him. The key verse here is verse 7: Cain and Abel

“If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door, and it’s desire is to have you, but you must master it. ” (4: 7) Boy, how we can relate to that verse! Peter says it this way: “Your enemy the devil prowls about like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith. ” 1 Peter 5: 8, 9 Cain and Abel

�Future Generations ◦ The tragic result is that sin leads to more sin, and generations to come are affected. We will soon see the destruction of mankind because of it. �Slavery to Sin ◦ Resistance to Satan is impossible for those who reject the saving power of Jesus Christ. “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. ” Romans 6: 23 Cain and Abel

�Genesis 6 -9 ◦ “The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of his heart was only evil all the time. The Lord was grieved that He had made man on the earth, and His heart was filled with pain. ◦ So the Lord said , “I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth – men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground and birds of the air – for I am grieved that I have made them. ” But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. Genesis 6: 5 -8 The Flood

�Genesis 6 -9 ◦ Notice another result of sin – it brings suffering not only to the guilty but the innocent as well. Not only were wicked adults destroyed by the flood, but also innocent babies and children perished. ◦ God himself was “filled with pain” as a result of the peoples’ sin. It definitely hurts God when we sin. Paul tells us, “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit. ” Eph. 4: 30 & Is. 63: 10 ◦ So even today our lifestyle choices touch God deeply. The Flood

�Genesis 6 -9 ◦ Noah was a man that “walked with God” (6: 9) This is the same distinction given to Enoch (5: 22). This is another important concept introduced in Genesis 1 -11, the idea of walking with God, or “living by the Spirit” as Paul puts it in Galatians 5: 16. We will follow this concept throughout scripture. Basically a person that walks with God is one that chooses* to obey God, and rich blessings result, now and forever. The Flood

�Genesis 6 -9 ◦ “Then the Lord shut him in” (7: 16). Up until this moment escape was still possible for the wicked, but now, it’s too late. God’s judgment is upon them! Jesus uses the account of the flood to remind us that His return will come unexpectedly. Matthew 24: 36 -41 ◦ Noah, like Adam, received a covenant from God. A covenant is a legal agreement between two parties. As you read these chapters note the word “covenant” each time it appears. The rainbow was a sign of this covenant that reminds God and us that He will never again destroy the world with a flood. The Flood

�Genesis 6 -9 ◦ After spending a year in the ark, Noah and his family finally depart, and soon thereafter build an altar to the Lord. This altar represents his worship, and his love and appreciation of God’s grace. ◦ The global flood is denied by evolutionary geologists today, but nicely accounts for many of the geologic features we observe on earth. The Flood (next)

�The word “choose” implies that doing right is simple, but that is misleading at best. For one who does not know Christ, there really is no choice, according to Romans 6. The only choice that can save us is to choose Jesus, and He will set us free from the law of sin and death. Ro. 8: 2 So let us not preach personal morality to the unsaved, but rather show them Jesus! The Power to Choose (next)

�Genesis 11: 1 -9 ◦ God had told Noah to “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth”, (9: 1), but instead, they decided they didn’t want that (11: 4). Their pride also is clearly shown in wanting to build a tower to make a name for themselves (11: 4). ◦ God’s method of judgment is less violent than in the days of Noah. He simply confuses their language, defeats their pride, and forces them to scatter. Men will never prevail against God! The Tower of Babel

�Genesis 1 -11 sets the foundation for the rest of the Bible. The “big picture” of these chapters is that men have gone from being “very good” in the eyes of God to being “very wicked” in His sight. �These chapters teach us so much about sin and how it affects mankind. We must be convinced that: Conclusion

�Sin is real �Sin is Powerful �Sin has Frightening Results �Men daily make the choice between Good and Evil �We are inclined to choose Evil �Sin desires to have us, but we must master it (Gen. 4: 7) �Through Jesus we can have victory over sin Conclusion

�For Next Week: ◦ Read Genesis 11: 27 to 25: 10 See You Next Week!