My church has been working through E100 via Compass,
I have been asked to summarise the Bible from Genesis to Revelation in poetic form – below is my attempt
In the beginning God created humans and desired that they live in relationship to him, walking with him day by day
He desired that they obey him and follow his ways, the apple had appeal to Adam and Eve and they lost their way
Cain killed Abel, their descendants lost sight of their God he decided to send a flood to take them out of the way
Noah was a righteous man who listened to God and built an Ark, he and the animals he took were not carried away
Abram was not a halfway man he was prepared to leave his family in Haran, and was prepared to follow God’s way
To go to the Land God would show him, God promised he would make him a great nation, blessed, if he would obey
When he was 99 God called him to walk before him and be blameless and would make a covenant in his mighty way
Abram‘s name was changed to Abraham which means he was to be the father of many nations, because he did obey
Joseph was a young man beloved by his Father Jacob, who made him a multi-coloured coat; it was bright in every way
Joseph got up his Brother’s noses, he had dreams, including one where they would bow before him, they said no way!
They put him down a hole and sold him off to Egyptians, 13 Years later a famine came and Joseph made them pay
They bowed before him and he did help them, because of his great standing with Pharaoh, Joseph was their way
His family and many others moved to Egypt, after 400 years the Egyptians enslaved them Moses was called to obey
He said who me, I can’t speak, find another, but God said you’re the man, Aaron can be your sidekick, don’t sway
So he waved his Rod, it turned to a snake, then there were plagues Pharaoh hardened his heart, you can’t go away
Moses said let my people go, but Pharaoh wouldn’t relent, until the firstborn were killed, then he sent them away
Moses lead them through the Red Sea, God gave them manna and quail to eat, yet all they could do was moan
God called him up the mountain, the Ten Commandments he did receive, these are the laws to follow and own
You shall have no other Gods before me, You shall not make for yourself an idol, but the people did this disown
Whilst he was up on Mt Sinai, the people grew restless and built a golden calf to worship from things they did own
Moses had to intercede for them for God was angry, but they would never see the Promised Land or it take or own
Joshua led the next generation like the Red Sea; the Jordan was separated so they could make the land their own
Courageously Joshua led them to take the land, Jericho was destroyed on the seventh day, and they made it their own
Joshua called them to serve the Lord, but they took on the religions of the Canaanites and they did God disown
The book of Judges covers the time period between Joshua and King Saul when Israel had no king
The Lord wanted his people to follow his instructions through the law and prophets, but they always turned from him.
Because of their disobedience God allowed foreign powers to rule them, of him they had no inkling
They wanted to be like other nations, to worship idols, to have kings who would be their rulers, they turned from him
Eventually God gave them a king; Saul was half-hearted in his worship, so David was anointed king
David grew the nation into a great power, he was whole hearted in his worship, but even he fell, and God spurned him
Solomon’s wisdom gained him great renown, but he worshipped the God’s of his wives and was an unjust King.
After his death Rehoboam and Jeroboam squabbled and they split into North and South, becoming a divided kingdom
The Northern Kings did not do what was right in the Lord’s eyes instead they were unjust and enslaved their people
They did not worship the Lord their God, instead Ahab and Jezebel focused their worship upon Baal
Elijah rose up against them, and said enough! He destroyed the Prophets of Baal at Mt Carmel in front of many people
Jezebel ordered him killed and he ran for 40 days, but God fed him and called him to do for him his all
Amos stood against the Evil Kings and called them to stop their false worship, to be do what was just for their people
Warning them that if they didn’t they would go into exile beyond Damascus, in 722 to Assyria they did fall
The South fluctuated doing what was right, and wrong in the Lord’s eyes, but eventually fell to the Babylonian people
For 70 years they were in captivity, mourning “How can we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land”
Isaiah promised that there would come a time when their mourning would be replaced with Joy
You shall go out with Joy and be led forth with Peace! It took a long time for them to rebuild the land
Ezra helped the remnant to rebuild the temple and Nehemiah rebuilt the wall despite enemies’ ploys
They struggled along under various regimes, and by the time of the Birth of Jesus, Romans ruled the land
The Jews hoped for a Messiah warrior king who would overthrow their enemies, and would them buoy
Jesus was born to Mary and Joseph in a lowly manger in Bethlehem, the circumstances were very poor
Jesus grew in stature and wisdom and in favour with God and Men, at 30 into his earthly ministry was released
Proclaiming “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners, and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed,
To proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour, he preached with signs accompanying, saying blessed are the poor
In spirit for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to them, Jesus turned perceptions around, reaching out to the oppressed
He debated with the Pharisees and Sadducees, who despite their religiosity were oppressing the poor
Jesus chose as disciple’s people from the margins, he knew his mission, he resolutely towards Jerusalem pressed
He knew his earthly end, yet in the Garden he said not by my will but your be done, on the Cross for us he hung
On The third day he rose again, and over 40 days appeared too many, and promised the coming of the Holy Spirit
On the Day of Pentecost, it came like a rushing wind, the Disciples were empowered, in tongues they spoke and sung
The people gathered from many lands, heard them stunned by what they said, Peter stood in the Power of the Spirit
And preached from Joel, 3,000 heard the call, the church grew, Stephen was stoned by the crowd, Saul was among
Later on the Road to Damascus, by a bright light Saul was blinded; God turned him around and filled him with his Spirit
He became Paul, and God unleashed him upon the World, Paul went on three separate missionary journeys
He was strategic in setting up churches in the key cities of the time like Corinth, Ephesus, Philippi and Rome
God used him to plant, teach and equip the churches, even when Paul went on to other places in his journey
He did not forget these churches; his epistles to them form much of the New Testament, and are rich loam
Earthly yet heavenly inspired, profitable for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training on our Christian journey
Paul also inspired, challenged, encouraged, and rebuked those he loved; to his colleagues his help did come
His letters to Timothy provide us with much to encourage our faith, the way we should live out our journey
Paul letters challenge us today, like him will be able to say I no longer live, but Christ lives in me, like him become
John teaches us much about how the word became flesh in John 1 and 1 John 1, God is light; we are to live in light
To have fellowship with one another, and to live righteously, to live in light of Christ laying down his life for us
To not believe everything we hear but to test every spirit, to learn how to determine what is darkness, what is light?
We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit, God is love, and he does live in us
His perfect love casts out all fear, God is approachable, if we ask according to his will, and he will hear us, in us delights
John’s Revelation tells us about the end times, times which we do not know when will happen, but will affect us
Behold I stand at the Door and Knock, will you let me in your lives, will you follow me, read my word it is your light
His desire to redeem creation Genesis 1 restored in Revelation 21, a new heaven, a new creation is what awaits us
Mark Maffey, October 2010 © http://maffster.blogtown.co.nz/