The first thing needed in order to understand the Bible is to understand what the Bible is all about. This is achieved by reading the first and last three chapters of the Bible as we saw last week.
In Genesis chapters 1 – 2, we see God creating a perfect and sinless creation, and then entrusting its management to a perfect and sinless Man with whom He enjoyed great fellowship.
In Genesis chapter 3, things changed for bad. The Devil tempted Man and Man fell. By Adam’s disobedience in eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, sin entered the world. The entry of sin resulted in three sorrows: a separation between God and Man, the fall of the creation, and all the suffering in the earth. However, because God is so good and He is a restorer, He came up with a restoration plan. He revealed it when He said to the serpent that deceived the woman that, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel” (Genesis 3:15).
In the last three chapters of the Bible (Revelation 20-22), we see the completion of God’s restoration plan. The serpent (Satan) is “cast into the lake of fire and brimstone . . . to be tormented day and night forever and ever” (Revelation 20:10). Then we see a renewed heaven and earth, “for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away” (Revelation 21:1). We also see God once again dwelling on earth and fellowshipping with Man for whose sin Jesus bruised (disarmed, brought to nothing) the head (authority) of the serpent (Satan): “Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them” (Revelation 21:2-3). As for the suffering that came into the earth by reason of the disobedience of Man, it too shall be no more. For “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4).
The time of the completion of God’s restoration plan is at hand. Jesus, the Last Adam, because He obeyed the Father, is coming back to restore what the first Adam lost. He will then dwell with us forever if He finds us playing our part of loving Him, (because He died for our sins), by obeying His commandments. He is right now telling us: “I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work” (Revelation 22:12). Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie” (Revelation 22:14-15). Amen.
This understanding of what the Bible is all about is in my opinion the first thing that we need in order to understand the Bible. Next week we shall see the second thing that we need in order to understand the Bible.
God bless you.