What if you could find one book that was an action, adventure, history, mystery, and romance in one? What if it also contained wisdom, poetry, and prophecy? This book has been written, and all of these are contained in the pages of Scripture. The Holy Bible is the greatest-selling book of all time with over five billion copies sold, and for good reason.
Not only is it divinely inspired, but it was penned over a span of at least 1500 years by around 40 different human authors! The one book we call the Bible consists of 66 smaller books written by around 40 different human authors from various occupations. Yet, there is still one main message of the Bible that God has revealed to us in the pages of Scripture.
What is the Bible About?
Considering the duration over which it was penned and the sheer multitude of writers, it is truly a miracle that this collection of ancient writings tells one cohesive story. God’s plan of redemption for a fallen world, through His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, is what the Bible is truly all about.
Knowing the main message of the Bible helps us make sense of every story, proverb, poem, and prophecy we read. It was the Old Testament Scriptures that Jesus referred to in the Gospel of Luke when He appeared to the men on the road to Emmaus after His resurrection. As He explained the passages to them, He showed how the promises and prophecies all pointed to Him!
Then beginning with Moses and with all the Prophets, He explained to them the things written about Himself in all the Scriptures. (Luke 24:27, NASB95)
Key Themes of the Bible
Throughout these genres, we see four main themes repeated as the story progresses:
1. Creation
2. Fall
3. Redemption
4. Restoration
These themes play out repeatedly throughout the narrative. We start to see the pattern immediately in Genesis as it opens with creation, quickly followed by the fall of man into sin, and ultimately given the hope of redemption through a promised Messiah.
From Genesis to the final book of Revelation, God used people, places, ideas, and situations to foreshadow this plan of salvation and point to an ultimate victory and restoration when Christ returns to make all things new!
Types and Shadows of Christ
Because Jesus is the Hero of the book and the fulfillment of God’s promises of this restoration, the entire Bible points us to Jesus. It has been said that Christ is anticipated in the Old Testament, revealed in the Gospels, proclaimed in the book of Acts, explained in the Epistles, and returns in triumph in the book of Revelation. Throughout the text, types and shadows point to Jesus starting with how God chose the nation of Israel as His people through which He would send the promised Messiah and reveal Himself to the world. Other nations would see how God supernaturally blessed, protected, and provided for them as they worshiped Him, and they would know He was the one true God. The Old Testament details the history of the Jewish people through Abraham’s descendants. The promises and covenants God made with them ultimately led to His plan of salvation for all of us through Christ.
The Old Testament narratives are filled with symbolic references to Jesus. It is important to read the Scriptures with this Christo-centric lens to ascertain the full meaning of the text. For example, the elaborate description of the temple and the Old Testament sacrificial system all pointed to Jesus, the Lamb of God, who was the only fully sufficient sacrifice for our sins. Ultimately, the Old Testament altar points to the New Testament cross.
What is the Bible All About?
One of the keys to understanding the Bible is to realize that God has used many physical pictures of reality to point us to spiritual truths. As we read about Israel, we see repeated patterns of rebellion and disobedience, resulting in cycles of discipline, followed by repentance, forgiveness, and restoration. This foreshadows our own story and shows us how we fit into God’s plan. As fallen humans, we are all guilty of sin and have been separated from God. Yet His promises apply not only to Israel but to us, too, when we receive them by faith and also become God’s children as seen here:
Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” (Galatians 3:7-8, ESV)
Focusing on The Main Message of the Bible
The more we read and study God’s Word with this Christ-centered view, the more we see the repeated themes, elaborate connections, fascinating patterns, and symbolic images that all serve a purpose to advance the main message of the Bible. It’s like a treasure hunt and revealed mystery in one! As you seek God expectantly and diligently in His Word, He reveals more and more truth over time. The more He reveals, the more your faith in Him and love for Him will grow as you see just how you fit into His marvelous plan!
Want to learn more about how the main message of the Bible gives meaning and purpose to every aspect of our lives? Check out my Amazon Best-Seller “Why the Bible Makes Life Make Sense: Pursuing a Purposeful Life with a Biblical Perspective.”
Recommended Reading for The Main Message of the Bible
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