In between the
bookends is the history of the human race that disobeyed God repeatedly:
- Adam and Eve disobey God and are cast out of Paradise and God’s presence and death (meaning separation) enters creation, because of their disobedience which the Bible refers to as sin. (See Genesis, chapter 3)
- The flood during the time of Noah that destroys the rest of mankind, because “their every thought was only evil continually.” (See Genesis chapter 6, verses 5-7)
- The Tower of Babel, where unbelieving mankind is judged once again, but this time God sets aside all of mankind in their disobedience and unbelief and holds them responsible for their choice to remain separated from Him. These people are referred to as the Gentiles in the Bible. (See Genesis chapter 11, verses 1-9 and Romans chapter 1, verses 18-32 which described why God made this decision.)
- Out of unbelieving mankind, God chooses a man named Abram, who believed the promises God made to him and becomes the Father of the Jewish people through his son Isaac, who are God’s Chosen people. (See Genesis chapter 12, verses 1-4)
- The remainder of the portion of the Bible referred to as the Old Testament is a record of continued failure and disobedience, but God had promised a Redeemer and would keep His promise.
- In the New Testament Gospel books, God presents the Jews His Son, Jesus, but they reject Him and are set aside like the Gentiles had been at the Tower of Babel. (See Romans chapter 12, verses 13-24)
- God out of His great love, mercy and grace offers forgiveness to all through Jesus. (See Romans chapter 12, verses 25-32)
The overall lesson to be learned from the Biblical
account is our personal inability to please God through our lives and the
choices we make. And in the midst of all of the failures of mankind, God
promises a way to restore what we’ve lost through our sin.
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