Sentence 4

Do you remember how we condensed the entire Bible into 20 sentences? Well here is sentence four expanded. After expanding on sentence four you will find the seventh thing that I am thankful for this month.

The big picture of the Bible can be understood in terms of five Christ-centered divisions: anticipation (Genesis – Malachi), manifestation (Matthew – John), proclamation (Acts), explanation (Romans – Jude), and consummation (Revelation).

The entire Bible—including those books written before His birth—is all about Jesus!

• Anticipation(Genesis – Malachi): The entire Old Testament is the anticipation of the coming of Jesus Christ. It has been said, “If you sat down and read through the entire Old Testament, a recurring theme would come to the surface—‘Someone’s coming… Someone’s coming… Someone’s coming…’” The Old Testament contains prophecies only He will fulfill and problems only He will fix. It speaks of people who prefigure His coming and pictures that foreshadow His work. The Old Testament anticipates Jesus!
• Manifestation (Matthew – John): The One who was anticipated throughout the Old Testament is manifested in the Gospels. “Someone’s coming… Someone’s coming… Someone’s coming… He’s here!” A reading of the Gospels quickly shows that these record the birth, life, teaching, miracles, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Gospels manifest Jesus!
• Proclamation (Acts): The One who was anticipated throughout the Old Testament and manifested in the Gospels is proclaimed in the book of Acts. This book traces the growth of the early church and the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ from the city of Jerusalem in Acts 1-7, to the surrounding regions of Judea and Samaria in Acts 8-12, and ultimately to Gentile cities like Lystra, Philippi, Thessalonica, Athens, Greece, Ephesus, and Rome in Acts 13-28. In the book of Acts the early church proclaims Jesus!
• Explanation (Romans – Jude): The One who was anticipated throughout the Old Testament, manifested in the Gospels, and proclaimed in the book of Acts is explained in the epistles, Romans to Jude. These books (properly understood as letters, or to use the fancy word, epistles) were written to both churches and individuals, addressing pertinent needs, problems, and questions. But, from a big-picture perspective, these explain who Jesus Christ is, what He accomplished (especially on the cross), and how His followers should live in light of those truths. The epistles explain the person and work of Jesus!
• Consummation (Revelation): Finally, the One who was anticipated throughout the Old Testament, manifested in the Gospels, proclaimed in the book of Acts, and explained in the epistles, is the One in whom all of God’s purposes for history will be consummated. To consummate means, “to finish.” What God started in Genesis He will finish in the book of Revelation. As it is written, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.” (Revelation 11:15) The Lord Jesus will return; the wicked will be judged, and the righteous will be blessed forevermore. The book of Revelation consummates all of history in Jesus!

Day 7- In-Laws. I am so thankful for the example they have been for Caleb and the love that they have for the Lord, each other and everyone around them.