The story began long before Jesus was born in Bethlehem. It begins even before the events of the book of Genesis. The Bible tells us that the Son of God is eternal, not only in the future but also in the past.
The Word of God proclaims, “He [Jesus] indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you” (1 Pet. 1:20 (NKJV). God the Father designated God the Son to be the one and only sacrifice for sin from before the beginning of time.
God created the heavens and the earth. The condition of the earth in the first verses of the Bible describes a dark and lifeless earth covered by water. We are not sure of any events before this time and why the earth was dark waters.
Hovering over the dark waters was the Spirit of God ready to execute the declared word of God the Father. The Son of God was present in the creation as the Apostle John confirmed in John 1:1-3 (NKJV), “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. / He was in the beginning with God. / All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.”
God speaks into the darkness for there to be light. And the light came forth dispelling the darkness bringing forth the first day.
God spoke the atmosphere into existence on the second day. This expanse separated the waters of the earth from the waters above the earth.
Land was created on the third day along with plant life on the earth.
The fourth day, God organized the light by creating the Sun, moon, and stars. They would structure day and night, seasons, and times. Men would navigate the world by their consistent positions on the backdrop of the sky.
By the spoken word of God on the fifth day, the sky was filled with birds and the waters were filled with swimming, living creatures.
On the final sixth day of creation, God created beast and creeping things of the earth. All things had been created in preparation for the crown of His creation—man. On this same day God created man from the dust of the earth and breathed life into him. Man became a living soul. God took a rib from the man and made woman. This was the first family on earth. They would be the foundation of every tribe, people, and nation. He told them to multiply and subdue the earth.
God put Adam and Eve in a garden where everything they needed was supplied. They could eat anything but one forbidden fruit. This fruit grew on the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The partaking of this fruit would bring death.
Satan entered the garden in the form of a serpent and beguiled Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit. She ate it and carried some to Adam, who also ate it. Then their eyes were opened to sin and the domination of sin entered their hearts. Now they had the knowledge of good and evil but lacked the spiritual strength to always refuse evil and choose the good. Sin began its destructive force leading to death. Life on earth became a difficult existence.
As generations of men were born, so they eventually died. Men had been created in the image of God. As God was the Great Creator, so man had the intelligence and capacity to be creative. Men invented new things and new methods. However, he was also capable of devising evil things for evil purposes.
The situation became so evil and destructive that God brought a great flood upon the earth to destroy all flesh. Noah was chosen to start a new beginning on the earth. He was commanded to build an ark to save his family and pairs of animals to begin this fresh start. They were commanded to multiply and replenish the earth. The journey of man begins again.
Many years after the flood, God continues His plan by separating out one man by the name of Abram. His name would later be changed to Abraham. God promises to bless him and multiply his descendants into a great nation. Also, through Abraham all nations of the earth would be blessed.
Strangely, Abraham and his wife Sarah are very old when this promise is given, and they have no children. God reinvigorates their bodies and Isaac is born. Isaac in time has two sons, Esau and Jacob. Through a course of events Jacob, the younger brother, receives the birthright and blessing usually given to the oldest. He becomes the heir to God’s plan and God changes his name to Israel. Jacob had twelve sons who became twelve tribes bearing their names. These twelve tribes eventually multiply into a great nation called Israel.
Jacob has a favored son by the name of Joseph. The brothers of Joseph become jealous and sell him into slavery. He is carried to Egypt and sold. Joseph is treated wrongfully in Egypt but has the favor of God. Despite being a slave and wrongfully thrown into prison, God promotes him to be prime minister of Egypt when he interprets two dreams of Pharoah the king.
During a time of famine, Joseph is reunited with his family and all the family of Jacob move to Egypt. This family remains in Egypt for over four hundred years. They increase in number to a great nation but are made slaves by the Egyptians.
Even though four hundred years pass, God does not forget His promises. God remembers His covenant with Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. He called Moses to be the deliverer of his people. Through ten plagues, God by Moses brings Israel out of Egypt and slavery. They crossed over the Red Sea when God parted the waters and destroyed the Egyptian army when the waters returned to their depths.
When the people were at Mount Sinai, God gave Moses the Law which would establish the rules for living and the method of worship for His people. They also received God’s plan for the Tabernacle (portable temple) and made it according to God’s plan. After forty years of desert living, God brought the people of Israel to the land of Canaan which was promised to Abraham’s descendants. Moses died before Israel crossed into the Promise Land. Joshua led the people in victory over the inhabitants of Canaan and divided the land among the tribes.
The people lived in the land but were disobedient and inconsistent in their worship of God. They sinned and turned to idol worship, not keeping the commandments of the Lord. When they were disobedient, God would allow their enemies to prevail against them. Then they would cry out to God and He would send a deliverer to save them from their enemies.
The people finally requested a king. The Prophet Samuel listened to God and the voice of the people. He anointed Saul as their king. Saul did not obey God and was replaced by David. David was the greatest king of Israel because he greatly loved God though he was not perfect. God promised him a son who would reign forever.
King Solomon, the son of David, built the first temple in Jerusalem.
Time passed and Israel had many kings with most turning away from God. Two generations after David, his kingdom was divided between Israel, the northern kingdom and Judah, the southern kingdom. David was of the tribe of Judah.
God sent many prophets to correct His people and call them to repentance. The situation became so terrible that God allowed His people to be carried away captive to foreign lands. Israel was overtaken and carried away by Assyria. Judah was carried away to Babylon. The first temple in Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians. After seventy years, a remnant of Judah was allowed to come back to Canaan. They built a second temple and began life again worshipping God.
The story of the Bible skips over about four hundred years from the Old Testament to the New Testament. When the story picks back up, the Roman Empire was ruling Palestine. The Israelites (Jews) were living under the oppression of their Roman overlords. They were worshipping God in their second temple that had been renovated and enlarged by King Herod. Their prophets of old had prophesied of a coming Messiah (an Anointed One) who would deliver His people.
Into this world and in this time, God sent His Son Jesus. The people had God’s Law, yet it had been corrupted by the religious leaders. The Law told people how to live righteous, but it did not give them the power to live righteous.
The story of the history of God working through His people through these many years was God setting the stage for His destined plan. His plan from before the beginning of time was to send His Eternal Son into the world as a man to redeem mankind.
God sent His angel Gabriel to a virgin girl named Mary who was engaged to Joseph. The angel told Mary she was going to have a Son who would be called Jesus. He would be great and be declared the Son of the Highest. He would receive the throne of His ancestral father David and His kingdom would never end.
It would be a miraculous conception as God would be His Father and Mary would be his earthly mother though she was a virgin. He would be all of God in the flesh of man.
Jesus grew up in the simple village home of his earthly stepfather Joseph and His mother, Mary. He learned the builders trade of Joseph, lived, and worked in Nazareth until he was thirty years old. He left Nazareth following the plan of God. He was first baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River and then proceeded to the Judean desert where He stayed for forty days and was tempted by the devil.
Jesus’s ministry began in Galilee. He called twelve apostles whom He trained. Jesus did many wonderful miracles of healing, multiplying bread, resurrecting the dead, and casting out demons. He preached about the kingdom of God. Not everyone loved Him or believed Him. Many of the religious Jewish leaders were opposed to him. After three years of ministry, He was arrested, tried, falsely accused, beaten, and crucified. Jesus was crucified for the sins of the world. Though He lived a sinless life, yet He died as a sinner paying the ultimate sacrifice for mankind.
Man lost his dominion of the earth when he sinned in the Garden of Eden. Sin reigned wild in the hearts and lives of men. Man lost his power with God and the dominion of the earth. So, this reclamation of earth’s dominion had to be gained back by a man. This is why God had to send His Son into the world as a man. Sin’s price of redemption is death. Jesus Christ came as a man to pay the price of redemption as the sinless sacrifice for all of mankind.
The most wonderful thing happened after Jesus was laid in the tomb after His crucifixion. On the third day He arose from the grave victorious over death, hell, and the grave.
He remained for forty days appearing to His disciples. Over five hundred people saw Him on one occasion after He was resurrected. He ascended from earth to heaven in full sight of His disciples.
Ten days later, His disciples were baptized in the Holy Spirit in the upper room where they were gathered. Jesus fulfilled His promise that His disciples would be filled with the same power that He had. They began to do the same things He did such as preaching the Gospel, healing the sick, performing miracles, and even raising the dead.
Now the story continues of God’s work on the earth, and we are in that continuing story. Our decision, commitment, and obedience are to believe in Jesus and to cooperate with God’s plan. The only other possible course of the human journey is the way of most people and that is to live a selfish and sinful life without God.
Personal Note:
Many years ago, I surrendered my life to the redemptive plan of God through Jesus Christ. When I heard the good news of God’s love and Jesus’ sacrifice, I believed and accepted Jesus as my Savior and Lord. I surrendered my life to His plan and purpose. As I journeyed with Jesus, I prayed for His power to reside in me through the working of the Holy Spirit. Though I am not perfect, I am on the journey of following Jesus!
If you are not surrendered and living in the ways of Christ, there is another, better plan. I invite you to join in the journey of surrender that leads to victory and everlasting life in Christ Jesus.
Pray this prayer:
Lord, I know Jesus Christ is the Son of the Living God; that He was crucified and resurrected. I know He died on the cross so that my sins can be washed away, as if I had never sinned. Lord, I surrender to You and submit myself to Your will and purpose. I ask You to fill me with the Holy Spirit so I can live victoriously and effectively in this life. Thank you for His resurrection power living in me. In Jesus name, Amen.
Yours on the Journey,
Harry L. Whitt
Pathway Journey 