The Bible

1
The Bible

• Its Subject and Purpose

2
Jesus Christ as the Subject

• Jesus Christ as the Creator
• Elohim is one of the Hebrew words for God.
• Elohim is plural so when it is used it speaks of
  all three members of the Godhead
• God, the Father, the Author of the plan
• God, the Son, the Executor of the plan
• God, the Holy Spirit, the Revealer of and
  Restorer to the plan.
• It is not until the New Testament that it is
  revealed clearly that all things were made by
  Christ. (John 13)

3
Jesus Christ as the Subject

• Colossians 116, 17,
• By Him were all things created, that are in
  heaven, and that are in earth, visible and
  invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions,
  or principalities, or powers all things were
  created by him, and for him and he is before all
  things and by him all things consist.

4
Jesus Christ as the Subject

• Jesus Christ as the Creator
• the perfection's of the universe reflect His
  handiwork.

5
Jesus Christ as the Subject

• Jesus Christ as the Creator
• Jesus Christ as the supreme ruler of the world

6
Jesus Christ as the Subject

• Jesus Christ as the supreme ruler of the world
• While Scripture attributes supreme sovereignty to
  God, the Father, it is clear that it is His
  purpose that Christ should rule the world. (Psalm
  28-9)
• It is the purpose of God that every tongue shall
  confess that Christ is Lord and every knee will
  bow.
• The history of man, although it records his
  rebellion against God, (Psalm 21-2)
• reveals that Christ is awaiting the day when His
  full sovereignty is expressed over the entire
  world. (Psalm 1101)

Romans 1411
Philippians 29-11
Isaiah 4523
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Jesus Christ as the Subject

• Jesus Christ as the supreme ruler of the world
• The day will come when Christ will be Lord of
  all, sin will be judged, and the sovereignty of
  Christ revealed. (Revelation 1915-16)
• God has permitted earthly rulers to occupy their
  thrones. Great nations have risen and fallen
  such as
• but the final kingdom will be the kingdom from
  heaven over which Christ will rule. (Daniel
  713-14)
• Not only is Christ the King over the nations, but
  He will reign on the throne of David as the Son
  of David and especially will be the King of
  Israel. (Luke 131-33)
• This will become evident when He returns in His
  second advent to establish His millennial kingdom
  and will reign over the entire world including
  the kingdom of Israel.

Rome
Egypt
Assyria
Babylon
Medo-Persia
Greece
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Jesus Christ as the Subject

• Jesus Christ as the supreme ruler of the world
• His sovereignty is also expressed in His
  relationship to the church of which He is the
  head. (Ephesians 122-23)
• As the supreme sovereign over the world, over
  Israel, and over the church, (Ephesians 120-21)
• Christ is the supreme judge of all men.
• John 527
• Isaiah 96-7
• Psalm 721-2, 8, 11

9
Jesus Christ as the Subject

• Jesus Christ as the Creator
• Jesus Christ as the supreme ruler of the world
• Jesus Christ as the Incarnate Word

10
Jesus Christ as the Subject

• Jesus Christ as the Incarnate Word
• Jesus Christ is revealed as the Incarnate Word
• Jesus Christ is the physical embodiment of what
  God is.
• Jesus Christ is a revelation of the nature and
  being of God.
• In Christ are revealed all the attributes that
  belong to God
• Jesus Christ is the Word, the expression of what
  God is. (John11)

His wisdom
His power
His holiness
His love
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Jesus Christ as the Subject

• Jesus Christ as the Incarnate Word
• HEBREWS 13
• "BEING THE BRIGHTNESS OF HIS GLORY, AND THE
  EXPRESS IMAGE OF HIS PERSON, AND UPHOLDING ALL
  THINGS BY THE WORD OF HIS POWER, WHEN HE HAD BY
  HIMSELF PURGED OUR SINS, SAT DOWN ON THE RIGHT
  HAND OF THE MAJESTY ON HIGH."

12
Jesus Christ as the Subject

• Jesus Christ as the Creator
• Jesus Christ as the supreme ruler of the world
• Jesus Christ as the Incarnate Word
• Jesus Christ as Savior

13
Jesus Christ as the Subject

• Jesus Christ as Savior
• Christ is the promised seed who would conquer
  Satan. (Genesis 315)
• In the Old Testament, Christ is pictured as the
  servant of Jehovah who would bear the sins of the
  whole world. (Isaiah
  534-6 John 129)
• As a sacrifice for sin, He was to die on the
  cross and suffer the judgment of the sin of the
  whole world.
• As Savior He is not only the sacrifice for sin
  but also our High Priest. (Hebrews 725-27)

1 Corinthians 153-4
2 Corinthians 519-21
1 Peter 118-19
Revelation 15
1 John 22
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Jesus Christ as the Subject

• Jesus Christ as Savior
• From Genesis to Revelation, Jesus Christ is
  presented supremely as the only Savior.
• Acts 412
• "And there is salvation in no one else for
  there is no other name under heaven that has been
  given among men, by which we must be saved."
  (NAS)

15
Jesus Christ as the Subject

• Jesus Christ as the Creator
• Jesus Christ as the supreme ruler of the world
• Jesus Christ as the Incarnate Word
• Jesus Christ as Savior

16
History of Man

• Scripture as a whole unfolds God's plan and
  purpose for the human race.
• God's sovereign purposes for the nations of the
  world are majestically unfolded in the history of
  the race.
• The immediate descendents of Adam and Eve are
  blotted out in the flood in the time of Noah.
• Genesis 10 records the descendants of Noah as
  they formed the three major divisions of the
  human race.
• The descendants of Noah also failed and were
  judged at the Tower of Babel
• God selected Abraham to fulfill His purpose of
  revealing Himself through the people of Israel.
• Beginning in Genesis 12, a dominant theme of the
  Bible is the emergence and history of the nation
  of Israel.
• Most of the Old Testament is occupied with this
  fairly small nation in relation to the mass of
  Gentiles around it.

17
History of Man

• This culminates in the New Testament in the
  coming of Jesus Christ who supremely fulfilled
  the promise given originally to Abraham that
  through his seed all nations of the world would
  be blessed.
• In the New Testament, another major division of
  humanity emerges
• The church, the body of Christ, comprising of
  both Jew and Gentile who believe in Jesus Christ
  as their Savior.
• Thus the New Testament in the Acts and the
  Epistles is occupied with Gods dealings with the
  church.
• The Book of Revelation is the grand climax to it
  all.

18
History of Man

• The succession of great empires
• Egypt and Assyria
• Babylon
• Medo-Persia
• Greece
• Rome
• is climaxed by the kingdom which comes from
  heaven at the second coming of Christ.
• Jew and Gentile alike are found in the millennial
  kingdom

19
History of Man

• While the subject of Scripture centers in Jesus
  Christ and relates the history of the world to
  Gods purpose to glorify Himself, the major
  movements of God can be seen in the demonstration
  of
• His sovereignty in relation to the nations,
• His faithfulness in relation to Israel,
• His grace in relation to the church.
• The consummation of it all is found in the
• new heavens,
• the new earth,
• and the new Jerusalem

20
Purpose of the Bible

• God created for the purpose of glorifying
  Himself through the manifestation of the
  unity of His attributes

21
Purpose of the Bible

• For this one purpose
• the material universe was designed,
• angels were created,
• man was created
• sin was permitted
• redemption was provided

22
Purpose of the Bible

• For God to manifest His glory is in keeping with
  His infinite perfections.
• When man attempts to glorify himself, it is
  always questionable because man is so imperfect.
  
• For God to manifest His glory is to express and
  reveal truth which has infinite blessing for the
  creature.
• He is worthy of infinite glory

23
Purpose of the Bible

• The revelation of God to His creatures
• has provided them with a worthy object for love
  and devotion,
• has given them ground for faith and peace of
  mind,
• has given man assurance of salvation in time and
  eternity
• Since the Bible is Gods message to man,
  its supreme purpose is His supreme purpose
• that He may be glorified

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Purpose of the Bible

• Angels and men, the material universe and every
  creature, are all created for His glory.
• (Colossians 116 Psalm 191)
• The nation Israel is for the glory of God.
• Salvation is unto the glory of God, (Romans 923)
• even as it will be a manifestation of the grace
  of God, (Ephesians 27)
• and is now a manifestation of the wisdom of
  God. (Ephesians 310)

Isaiah 601
Isaiah 4325
Isaiah 437
Isaiah 4321
Jeremiah 1311
Isaiah 603
Isaiah 6021
Isaiah 623
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Purpose of the Bible

• All service should be unto the glory of God.
• The Bible itself is Gods instrument by which He
  prepares the man of God unto every good work.
  (2 Timothy 316-17)
• The Christians new passion is that God may be
  glorified. (Romans 52)
• Even the believers death is said to be to this
  one end. (John 2119 Philippians 120)
• The saved one is appointed to share in the glory
  of Christ. (John 1722 Colossians 34)

Matthew 516
John 158
1 Corinthians 1031
1 Peter 411, 14
1 Peter 212
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Purpose of the Bible

• The Bible differs in its subject and purpose from
  any other book in the world.
• The Bible stands supreme as reflecting
• the place of man and his opportunity of
  salvation,
• the supreme character and work of Jesus Christ as
  the only Savior,
• and gives in detail the infinite glories that
  belong to God Himself.
• It is the one book that reveals the Creator to
  the creature and discloses the plan by which man
  can be reconciled and be in eternal fellowship
  with the eternal God.

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Subject and Purpose of the Bible

• What evidence if found that Christ participated
  in creation?
• In his gospel, the apostle John, while
  introducing the world to the Word, says of
  this Word in chapter one, verse 3, All things
  came into being by Him, and apart from Him
  nothing came into being that has come into
  being. The Him in this verse is referring to
  the Word, and in verse 14 of chapter one John
  says of this Him, And the Word became flesh,
  and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory,
  glory as of the only begotten from the Father,
  full of grace and truth. The only begotten
  from the Father is of course Jesus Christ.

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Subject and Purpose of the Bible

• What evidence if found that Christ participated
  in creation?
• Paul, writing to the Colossians, speaks of His,
  God, the Fathers, beloved Son in verse 14 of
  chapter 1, and then in verse 16 he writes this,
  For by Him all things were created, both in
  the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible,
  whether thrones or dominions or rulers or
  authorities-- all things have been created by
  Him and for Him.
• 2. In what sense is Christ the supreme ruler of
  the world and how is it expressed?
• Because He is the Creator, Jesus Christ also
  has the place of being the supreme ruler of the
  universe.
• Rom. 1411 Isa. 4523 Phil. 29-11 Eph.
  120-23

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Subject and Purpose of the Bible

• 3. Explain how Christ is the supreme revelation
  of God.
• Jesus Christ is revealed as the Incarnate Word,
  the physical embodiment of what God is, and a
  revelation of the nature and being of God. In
  Christ are revealed all the attributes that
  belong to God, especially His wisdom, power,
  holiness, and love.
• 4. Trace the line of Scripture dealing with
  Christ as Savior, including the mention of some
  New Testament passages.
• Christ is the promised seed who would conquer
  Satan. Christ is pictured as the servant of
  Jehovah who would bear the sins of the whole
  world.
• John 129

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Subject and Purpose of the Bible

• 4. Trace the line of Scripture dealing with
  Christ as Savior, including the mention of some
  New Testament passages.
• As a sacrifice for sin, He was to die on the
  cross and suffer the judgment of the sin of the
  whole world.
• 1 Corinthians 153-4 2 Corinthians 519-21
• 1 Peter 118-19 1 John 22
• As Savior He is not only the sacrifice for sin
  but also our High Priest. Hebrews 725-27

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Subject and Purpose of the Bible

• 5. What does the Bible record concerning the
  history of man in Genesis 1-11?
• The creation of man, the descendents of Adam
  and Eve are blotted out in the flood in the time
  of Noah, the three major division of the human
  race formed by the descendants of Noah, and
  finally, the judgment to the descendants of Noah
  at the Tower of Babel.
• 6. For what purpose did God select Abraham?
• God selected Abraham to fulfill His purpose of
  revealing Himself through the people of Israel.

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Subject and Purpose of the Bible

• 7. How does the history of Israel culminate not
  end, but climax in Christ?
• The history of Israel comes to a climax in the
  New Testament in the coming of Jesus Christ who
  supremely fulfilled the promise given originally
  to Abraham that through his seed all nations of
  the world would be blessed.
• 8. What new purpose is revealed in the New
  Testament?
• The church as the body of Christ, comprising
  both Jew and Gentiles who believe in Jesus
  Christ as their Savior.

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Subject and Purpose of the Bible

• 9. What great nations characterize history?
• The succession of great empires beginning
  with Egypt and Assyria and continuing with
  Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome is
  climaxed by the kingdom which comes from heaven
  at the second coming of Christ.
• 10. Distinguish the purposes of God as they
  relate to the nations, Israel, and the church.
• The history of man will climax when the kingdom
  which comes from heaven at the second coming of
  Christ. Jew and Gentile alike are found in the
  millennial kingdom, with Israel finding its
  fulfillment in possessing the land under its
  Messiah King and the nations of the world
  enjoying also the blessings of the millennial
  kingdom.

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Subject and Purpose of the Bible

• 11. In what respects does the Bible reveal the
  glory of God as its supreme purpose?
• Since the Bible is Gods message to man, its
  supreme purpose is His supreme purpose which
  is, that He may be glorified.
• Colossians 116
• For by Him all things were created, both in
  the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible,
  whether thrones or dominions or rulers or
  authorities-- all things have been created by
  Him and for Him. (NASB)