The Bible's Big-Picture StorySample

STAGE 3: RELATIONSHIP BROKEN. People choose separation.

So, here’s the thing about relationship; true relationship takes vulnerability. Love doesn’t insist on its own way, but it offers free will and choice to both parties.

When God created us, He created us in a love relationship, in His very image with the potential to grow in His character. The book of Genesis describes the land we were created to flourish in as a garden. In this garden, choice is symbolised as two trees; the first was called ‘The tree of life,’ and choosing that relationship literally brought us life. The second tree was called ‘The tree of the Knowledge of good and evil,’ that choice brought separation and death.  

There were angels present in the garden, too, helping us and in relationship with God. One of the angels, Satan (aka: ‘Lucifer,’ ‘the enemy,’ ‘Father of Lies,’ ‘the Devil’), wanted to be even more magnificent and powerful than God made him. In making those choices, he broke the relationship and became an enemy to God and all people.

His desire was to hurt God by hurting those He loved, so he tempted us to choose as he had done. We chose… the Father of Lies instead of the Father of Light, destroying relationship with God.  That choice (aka: ‘the fall’) gave power to Satan bringing destruction because he is continually and consistently against us—he came to steal, rob and destroy.  

Even Jesus, like the first man Adam, faced temptation from Satan, who tried to whisper lies into the very heart of Jesus. But we watch in amazement as Jesus consistently chooses relationship with God, our Heavenly Father, over a partnership with Satan.

This is a hard story to read, to understand and know that as people we made, and still make today, choices that bring separation with God. The exciting news is that the story doesn’t end there… God also chose! 

God could have chosen to destroy us (as demonstrated in the Flood), to ignore our plight (as the Tower of Babel), but instead He chose to redeem and restore relationship with us. The next stages of the Bible’s big picture show us how He plans to do that.  

The Bible continually points us back to a restorative story of being reunited with God and of having the possibility of choosing the opposite of evil—goodness, love, mercy, forgiveness and grace and most of all, everlasting life in abundance. He gave us the opportunity of a fresh start—to choose life over death, and amazingly He offers this again, and again and again to every single person. 

An invitation to interact with God and His life-giving Word:

Perhaps read those Bible verses again. God believes that relationship with you is worth everything. Allow time for that to settle in your heart.  Ponder…

Part of your interaction may look like visualising it with words, images, poetry, song, movement or quiet meditation… remember freedom reigns. Enjoy!