Then came the great disaster: The first humans were tempted to disobey God, and it is told about how Satan - in the guise of a serpent - tempted Adam and Eve to sin against God.
The result of this fall was that they lost the close fellowship with Him who was their Creator.
The Bible continues with telling about how God called Abram - later named Abraham - to be the father of the Jews. The rest of the Old Testament (OT) is therefore primarily the history of Israel. Abraham teaches us about how we can walk with God in faith. He was the father of Isaac, which is a foreshadow of Jesus, and he again got Jacob. He got Joseph, and because of him, the Jews lived well in Egypt. But a new king of Egypt looked at the Jews as a threat to the Egyptians, and would prevent them to become more people. He gave the commandment that all newborn Jewish males were to be killed.
It was a difficult time for the Israelites in Egypt, where they were slaves to the Egyptians. But when God's people had lived in Egypt for 430 years, God intervened and brought the people out of Egypt and to the promised land Canaan. God used Moses to do this. God led the people of Israel out of Egypt in a miraculous way, and led them through the desert for 40 years and fed them with manna from heaven. He gave them the Law (the 10 commandments) on Mount Sinai, and the laws of worship in the Tabernacle (tent ).
Because of disobedience the people that
emigrated from Egypt did not travel into the promised land. Neither their leader Moses. Only two
men from the old generation were still with: Joshua and Caleb. And Joshua took
over the job as the people's leader after Moses. A new generation had grown up,
and these have now trained to the task that awaited them: They should possess
the land God had given them!
After many fights and battles, they could finally get into the land of Canaan, but after
After many fights and battles, they could finally get into the land of Canaan, but after
Joshua 's death, it was not long before the people of Israel forgot
their God. Their apostasy led to defeat, and they were again enslaved by
enemies who took their land. This happened again and again.
After the enemy had plagued the people of God for many years, they began to cry out to God for His help. And every time people repented of their apostasy, God sent someone to lead them and delivered them from the enemy! These were called judges, and this period lasted for about 330 years.
This period was followed by a period when Israel had kings who led them. David was the most important king of Israel. The son Solomon became king after David. After Solomon, Israel split into two kingdoms: The kingdom of Judah in the south, where David's descendants reigned, and Israel to the north. Israel now had only bad kings, but Judah was more pious and had good kings.
People's apostasy from God led ultimately to the shared kingdom of Israel and Judah went under. The people of Israel were carried away to Assyria in 721 BC. Judah was attacked by Babylon King several times, and the people carried away to Babylon. In the year 586 BC the temple was burned down and Jerusalem was destroyed.
After the enemy had plagued the people of God for many years, they began to cry out to God for His help. And every time people repented of their apostasy, God sent someone to lead them and delivered them from the enemy! These were called judges, and this period lasted for about 330 years.
This period was followed by a period when Israel had kings who led them. David was the most important king of Israel. The son Solomon became king after David. After Solomon, Israel split into two kingdoms: The kingdom of Judah in the south, where David's descendants reigned, and Israel to the north. Israel now had only bad kings, but Judah was more pious and had good kings.
People's apostasy from God led ultimately to the shared kingdom of Israel and Judah went under. The people of Israel were carried away to Assyria in 721 BC. Judah was attacked by Babylon King several times, and the people carried away to Babylon. In the year 586 BC the temple was burned down and Jerusalem was destroyed.
Also at this time the prophets were the voice of
God to the people. One of them was Jeremiah. He had warned the people about the
judgment of God would come, and said that they would be carried away to
Babylon. He also said that the Babylonian captivity would last 70 years.
All things happened as Jeremiah had said, and
this period is called the Exile period.
Through the prophet Isaiah, God had said that he would use the pagan King Cyrus to rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple. This happened too. Daniel had fasted and prayed that the Jews had to go home after 70 years in exile, and God answered that prayer. In the year 536 BC left approximately 50,000 Jews home to rebuild the Temple. Their leaders were Zerubbabel and the high priest Joshua.
Although the Temple was rebuilt, the people did not obey God's law. But a new group of Jews returned from exile, and among them Ezra, who now took on the task of teaching the people of God's law. When the Jews heard the word of God, it was a revival among them, and they turned to the Lord.
Several years later, even more Jews were getting home, and now the walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt. It was Nehemiah who led this effort.
Although some of the Jews had moved back to Jerusalem and rebuilt the temple and the city, they still had not their own king and were a part of the mighty Persian Empire even for a hundred years.
Alexander the Great, who came from Macedonia near Greece, was the ruler of a great empire that also the Jews were a part of. Now we had all learn to speak Greek.
When Alexander 's vast empire fell apart, the Syrians took over the Israelites land. One Syrian king, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, wanted everyone to worship the god Zeus. He put even a statue of the god in the temple in Jerusalem, and did other terrible things.
All this was too much for the Jews, and five brothers - called Maccabee, took up arms against the mighty Antiochus. They conquered Jerusalem and expelled Zeus, before they built a new altar to the Lord. The Jews were now getting their freedom back. The Jews had their freedom for 75 years, but then were the Jews and Jerusalem a part of the mighty Roman Empire, and so it was in Jesus 's time.
Through the prophet Isaiah, God had said that he would use the pagan King Cyrus to rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple. This happened too. Daniel had fasted and prayed that the Jews had to go home after 70 years in exile, and God answered that prayer. In the year 536 BC left approximately 50,000 Jews home to rebuild the Temple. Their leaders were Zerubbabel and the high priest Joshua.
Although the Temple was rebuilt, the people did not obey God's law. But a new group of Jews returned from exile, and among them Ezra, who now took on the task of teaching the people of God's law. When the Jews heard the word of God, it was a revival among them, and they turned to the Lord.
Several years later, even more Jews were getting home, and now the walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt. It was Nehemiah who led this effort.
Although some of the Jews had moved back to Jerusalem and rebuilt the temple and the city, they still had not their own king and were a part of the mighty Persian Empire even for a hundred years.
Alexander the Great, who came from Macedonia near Greece, was the ruler of a great empire that also the Jews were a part of. Now we had all learn to speak Greek.
When Alexander 's vast empire fell apart, the Syrians took over the Israelites land. One Syrian king, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, wanted everyone to worship the god Zeus. He put even a statue of the god in the temple in Jerusalem, and did other terrible things.
All this was too much for the Jews, and five brothers - called Maccabee, took up arms against the mighty Antiochus. They conquered Jerusalem and expelled Zeus, before they built a new altar to the Lord. The Jews were now getting their freedom back. The Jews had their freedom for 75 years, but then were the Jews and Jerusalem a part of the mighty Roman Empire, and so it was in Jesus 's time.
The
coming of Jesus
When the right time came, God sent his Son, to buy people free from the bondage of sin, so that he could adopt us as his very own children (Galatians 4:4-5). The New Testament (NT) tells about Jesus Christ, his life and ministry, his preaching and teaching, his suffering and death, and finally his triumphant resurrection and ascension. The story is told by four different men and they have told the story in their own way, while they share many of the same events. Among other things, the four Gospels tell about the many miracles he did. He healed the sick, cast out demons and raised the dead. It is also told about how he changed water to wine, made 5 bread and 2 fishes sufficient to feed several thousands, he walked on the water and made the storm calm on the Sea of Galilee .
The word “testament” usually means that someone is dead. Jesus' death and resurrection stands as a highlight and a separator in the Bible: After the disciples found the empty tomb in Jerusalem, separated theirs roads. Some go further and say that Jesus is alive. Other persecute those who believe in the resurrection. The story of Jesus is getting people to make a choise!
Acts tells about the first church, and how the gospel through missionary work of the apostles went out from Jerusalem.
It is the Apostle Peter who is the main character in the first 12 chapter of the book, where the gospel is preached in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria.
When the right time came, God sent his Son, to buy people free from the bondage of sin, so that he could adopt us as his very own children (Galatians 4:4-5). The New Testament (NT) tells about Jesus Christ, his life and ministry, his preaching and teaching, his suffering and death, and finally his triumphant resurrection and ascension. The story is told by four different men and they have told the story in their own way, while they share many of the same events. Among other things, the four Gospels tell about the many miracles he did. He healed the sick, cast out demons and raised the dead. It is also told about how he changed water to wine, made 5 bread and 2 fishes sufficient to feed several thousands, he walked on the water and made the storm calm on the Sea of Galilee .
The word “testament” usually means that someone is dead. Jesus' death and resurrection stands as a highlight and a separator in the Bible: After the disciples found the empty tomb in Jerusalem, separated theirs roads. Some go further and say that Jesus is alive. Other persecute those who believe in the resurrection. The story of Jesus is getting people to make a choise!
Acts tells about the first church, and how the gospel through missionary work of the apostles went out from Jerusalem.
It is the Apostle Peter who is the main character in the first 12 chapter of the book, where the gospel is preached in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria.
Paul is the main-person in the rest of Acts,
from Antioch in Syria Paul went out for their three long missionary journeys,
first to Cyprus and Asia Minor, and later to Europe.
Acts also tells when the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples and gave them power to be witnesses for Jesus, and about the life and growth of the first church in Jerusalem. It was a time of great progress and many mighty miracles, but also with opposition and persecution. Stephen was killed for his Christian faith and was the church's first martyr. The Christians had to flee Jerusalem, which led to the gospel spread to new cities and areas.
Also the story of Paul's dramatic conversion, and later his missionary journeys, is exciting reading, with many miracles and great revivals, but also fierce opposition and persecution.
The last book in the Bible/New Testament is Revelation, a prophetic book written by the apostle John - who is also the author of the Gospel of John and the three Epistles of John. Revelation's theme is the End time and Jesus' return.
Acts also tells when the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples and gave them power to be witnesses for Jesus, and about the life and growth of the first church in Jerusalem. It was a time of great progress and many mighty miracles, but also with opposition and persecution. Stephen was killed for his Christian faith and was the church's first martyr. The Christians had to flee Jerusalem, which led to the gospel spread to new cities and areas.
Also the story of Paul's dramatic conversion, and later his missionary journeys, is exciting reading, with many miracles and great revivals, but also fierce opposition and persecution.
The last book in the Bible/New Testament is Revelation, a prophetic book written by the apostle John - who is also the author of the Gospel of John and the three Epistles of John. Revelation's theme is the End time and Jesus' return.
