One thread through the whole Bible
In "The Bible: one story of redemption" you walked through the Bible section by section. Here we follow one thread through all of it, and see where it ends. Jesus told two travelers that all of it, "Moses and all the Prophets", speaks of Him (). The thread that holds it together is hope: in a world that turned from God and is full of sin, suffering and death, God promises to rescue, and He keeps the promise.
Where the thread ends
The Bible ends with a final event that answers its first chapters. Sin is defeated, Satan is destroyed, death is destroyed, and God and His people live together in a renewed world. Notice how the last pages mirror the first.
Deceives humanity
The devil is thrown down for good ()
Enters the world
Death itself is destroyed (, )
He walks with them in the garden, then they hide
He lives with them and wipes away every tear ()
The way is closed ()
It stands open for all nations ()
It falls on the ground and on people
"There will be no curse any more" ()
The good news is not only that you can be forgiven, but that the whole world is being rescued and made new, and that you are invited to know God and live with Him in it.
The claim at the center
The Bible's answer to a world of sin, evil and death is a person. Jesus Christ has defeated sin, Satan and death by His cross and resurrection, and He will make all things new. We believe this is true, and the rest of this guide asks you to weigh the evidence for it.
Why this matters
A single thread means each part of the Bible can be read in light of the whole. It also means the Bible's hope is not an idea but a promise with a plot: it names the problem (sin, evil and death), the rescuer (Jesus) and the ending (life with God), and it invites you to read the whole story for yourself.
Further watching: BibleProject (bibleproject.com) makes free animated videos that trace themes like this one, including heaven and earth, from Genesis to Revelation. They are a good way to see the thread for yourself.
Every thread of the Bible is gathered into one Person. God's plan is to unite all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth (). Jesus is the center, the fulfillment and the Lord of the whole story.
From Genesis to Revelation the Bible follows one promise: God will rescue a broken world. The rescuer is Jesus, and the story ends with God living with His people.
Why the next step followsAt the heart of that rescue is one question: how can sin be forgiven?Sin, forgiveness and the Lamb →What do you hope for most when you think about the end of the story, for the world and for you? What would it take for that hope to be well-founded?