The Story of God and His People

Genesis 1:1-4

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.

3 Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good. Then he separated the light from the darkness.

Genesis 1:26-27, 31

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.

So God created man in his own image,

    in the image of God he created him;

    male and female he created them.

And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good

Genesis 2:16-17

And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

Genesis 3:4-6

But (later on) the serpent said to the woman, “You won’t die!” 5 “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.”

6 The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband (Adam), who was with her, and he ate it, too.

Romans 1:22-25

Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. 23 And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles. 24 So God (gave them over to the darkness) allowing them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things. 25 They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise!

Genesis 6:5

The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Genesis 12:1-3

(Even still, Long after this) The Lord had said to (a man called) Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. 3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” (Your name will now be called Abraham)

1 Chronicles 1:34

Abraham had a son named Isaac. And Isaac had a son named Israel.

Micah 6:4

For I (the Lord) brought Israel out of Egypt

    and redeemed you from slavery.

    I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to help you.

Psalm 78:10-11

But (even then) you did not keep God's covenant, you refused to walk according to his law. You forgot his works and the wonders that he had shown you.

Psalm 106:35-36

You mixed with the nations

    and adopted their evil ways.

36 You worshipped their idols,

    and it became your downfall.

Romans 3:9, 10-18, 23

What then? Are the sons of Israel any better off?[b] No, not at all. For all of us are in sin,

10“None is righteous, no, not one;

11     no one understands;

    no one seeks for God.

12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;

    no one does good,

    not even one.”

13 “Their throat is an open grave;

    they use their tongues to deceive.”

“The poison of snakes is under their lips.”

14     “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”

17 and the way of peace they have not known.”

18     “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Jeremiah 31:31-34

But behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new promise with you. This covenant will not be like the one I made with your ancestors when I took them by the hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant, though I loved them as a husband loves his wife,” says the Lord.

33 “But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel after those days,” says the Lord. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. For everyone, from the least to the greatest… says the Lord. “And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.”

Ezekiel 36:26-27

And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a soft heart. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my words and be careful to obey my commands.

Isaiah 7:14

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel (which means God is with us)

Isaiah 9:2,6

(Yes) The people who walk in darkness

    will see a great light.

For those who live in a land of deep darkness,

    a light will shine…

For to us a child is born,

    to us a son is given;

and the government shall be upon his shoulder,

    and his name shall be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

John 1:1-4, 14

For In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him.4 In him was life,[a] and the life was the light of men.

And this Word (Jesus Christ) became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 3:19-20

(Yes) God’s light came into the world, but people (still) loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. 20 All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed.

Isaiah 53:3-6

(The Light of God) was despised and rejected[a] by men;

    a man of sorrows,[b] and acquainted with[c] grief;[d]

and as one from whom men hide their faces[e]

    he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4 Surely he has borne our griefs

    and carried our sorrows;

yet we esteemed him stricken,

    smitten by God, and afflicted.

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions;

    he was crushed for our iniquities;

upon him was the punishment that brought us peace,

    and by his wounds we are healed.

6 All we like sheep have gone astray;

    we have turned—every one—to his own way;

and the Lord has laid on him

    the sins of us all.

John 19:30

(On the cross when the time had come) Jesus said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Matthew 28:1-2, 5-6

Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb (of Jesus). 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it.

But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here, for he has risen, as he said.

1 John 5:12

(And) Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

Ephesians 2:1, 3-5

Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins.

All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else. But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)

2 Corinthians 5:17-20

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. 19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”

Matthew 28:18-20

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[b] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Acts 1:9-11

And when Jesus had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

Acts 9:31

So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.

Revelation 19:11-16

(But a day is coming)…When I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war. 12 His eyes were like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him that no one understood except himself. 13 He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed him on white horses. 15 From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress. 16 On his robe at his thigh[a] was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords.

Revelation 17:14

His enemies will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.”

Revelation 20:10a, 14a

and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire, Then Death itself and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire

Revelation 21:1, 3-7

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

And the one sitting on the throne said, “(Come and see), I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” 6 And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. 7 All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.”