The last first

Despite Maria's refrain in 'do re me,' the beginning is not always the best place to start. When reading a map we commonly look to our destination first and then plot the route from our start point. So it is with the Bible.

We are fortunate to live AD. We know where God's great salvation plan is heading. He has already plotted the route to redemption. We are just retracing it. With one day until our reading plan begins I therefore thought it worth reminding us of our destination. This is helpful as it makes better sense of some of the landmarks we'll pass and the choices we'll see God made with respect to the route.

Essentially God's great goal can be summed up as "Christ over all." Paul puts this wonderfully in Ephesians 1v3-14. Read it here, noting especially v10.

Scholars have thought much about whether there is a key theme upon which the Bible's storyline can be hung. Paul's words here suggest that ‘the kingdom of God’ - more specifically ‘the reign of God in Christ’ would seem right. This is the goal of history when "the times reach their fulfilment" (v10). Jesus' gospel summary that "the kingdom of God is near" confirms this.

But there are many wonderful truths Paul weaves in. First, the kingdom of God is not simply about rule but about relationships. Its subjects are also adopted (and forgiven) sons. They don't just serve the king, they know him. Here for both ladies and gents, "sons" implies "inheritors." Second, this leads to holiness. Later in the letter we learn this is essentially to "image" God (4v32-5v2). Our destiny is eventually to be like him: to be free from sin, and pleasing to him in every way. Third, this of course means blessing, which is to be granted joy by God. But note this is "every spiritual blessing." There is nothing that might bring joy from God that these sons haven't been given.

Perhaps the most striking detail however, is that the Lord is doing all this that these people might be "for the praise of his glory" (v12,14) and especially of his grace (v6). God's "glory" is the display of his excellence just as the glory of a view is its beauty on show. So God's purpose throughout is that his excellence is displayed. It is this truth, perhaps more than any other, which gives some explanation as to why history unfolds as it does.

We instinctively feel seeking one’s own glory is to rather lack the humility we see in Christ. However, we recognize that it is an injustice for someone's name to be defamed by the press. It is therefore a reflection of the fact that God only does what is right that he seeks his own glory. And we should remember that this is to our benefit.

Before beginning our Bible overview we might therefore attempt to sum up God's great purpose in history as something like this: God's purpose in history is to glorify himself by displaying his character and grace in saving and blessing a people to image him in his world and know him through his Son.

In his excellent Bible overview "Gospel and Kingdom," Graeme Goldsworthy summed up the kingdom of God with the phrase “God’s people in God’s place under God’s rule.” In terms of God’s purpose however we can elaborate on that: God's purpose is to establish a people to live to his praise, enjoying his place, obeying his rule under his ruler. From Eden to Eternity we will see these truths to be dominant. They are truths that mean whatever the New Year brings, it can still deep down be a happy one.

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The Mona Lisa is more than a smile. If you simply look at her, you will of course see her. But you will see more of her if you look at the whole picture. Apparently the background has been painted in such a way that the light draws the eye to her face and the hills are shaped in a way that patterns and so draws out the detail of her shoulders.

Reading the Bible is rather like this. If we read only the New Testament we will see something of Jesus. But God has gone to the trouble of painting the background – of inspiring the Old Testament in such a way that patterns and draws the eye back to Christ. And so by reading the Old Testament we don’t simply learn more of God, we see more of his glory in the face of Christ.

This is why your commitment to read the whole Bible this year is such a worthwhile one. However it is a big one, and you may feel slightly nervous about having made it. Of course big commitments should make us nervous. They should be stretching. But I do want to give a few pointers to help before we begin:

1. Because the Old Testament is generally more inaccessible, all that I write will be based on the Old Testament reading. Obviously the New Testament one no less important, so I hope you will still give it as much attention.
2. It is all too easy to read the Bible like the person driving when they are overtired. They find themselves home but can’t actually remember driving the previous few miles. To maintain focus you may find it helpful to read the text out loud. Often, you hear nuances this way you wouldn’t otherwise pick up. You can actually listen to the readings on the YouVersion App if you are using it. You could also pause to pray home each sub-section of the reading. This forces you to think about what it has actually taught you.
3. If time is short, please skip the notes and just read the Bible itself. It would be ironic and tragic if my attempt to help you into the Old Testament ended up keeping you from actually reading it!
4. If you do read without the notes, the best question to ask of any text to keep you attentive is: “What’s the main point God is making here?” I once read through the whole Bible jotting down an answer to this question in my Bible against each reading. I learnt so much. Other questions you could ask are: “What is this teaching me about God?” “What is this teaching me about God’s purposes?” “What does God intend this passage to be doing in me?” If time is short you could note down some answers to these in the margin of your Bible.
5. To help imbed what you learn, it is very helpful to just recall it and pray it home again as you go to bed. If you can’t remember what you read, skim reading it again in your Bible should (I hope) be enough to bring it all back.

At a technical level, the posts should be emailed to you between 3 and 5am, ready for those early risers. (This is done automatically. I will not be up at that time sending them!) If you find you are not receiving them or they stop coming, please do let me know: jon@gracesussex.com

For now, why not pray this prayer for illumination used by the great reformer John Calvin:

“Almighty and gracious Father! since our whole salvation stands in our knowledge of your Holy Word, strengthen us now by your Holy Spirit that our hearts may be set free from all worldly thoughts and attachments of the flesh, so that we may hear and receive that same Word, and, recognizing your gracious will for us, may love and serve you with earnest delight, praising and glorifying you in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

Yours in Jesus Christ our Lord,

Jon Hobbs

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