THE CIRCLE OF REDEMPTION

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• THE PLAN - God, in His omniscience and foreknowledge, graciously planned for man’s redemption by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the price for our sins … before the foundation of the world.

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• THE FALL - Tempted by the serpent (Satan), Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s command not to eat the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This act of disobedience introduced sin and death into the world. God also responded with ...

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• THE PROMISE - God triggered His plan of redemption ... a way to restore all mankind to fellowship with Him ... by way of His initial judgment against Satan. This judgment set in motion a perpetual conflict … enmity … between the seed of the serpent (Satan) and the seed of the woman who is to be realized in the person of Jesus Christ.

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• THE FLOOD - Wickedness was so pervasive throughout the world God could not allow it to go unpunished. This wickedness was abetted by the “sons of God” … fallen angels … who interfered in the affairs of mankind, but God took steps to eliminate their evil influence and began anew with Noah and his family.

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• THE NATION - God chose one man, Abram (Abraham), to further His redemptive plan. It is through Abraham, the father of faith, that all families of the earth would be blessed. The nation Israel would be born through Abraham’s descendants-Isaac, Jacob, Jacob’s twelve sons, and David. Christ is descendant from this nation.

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• THE PROPHECY - Daniel, while captive in Babylon, was given a prophecy (the 70 Weeks of Daniel) which identifies how God will deal with the nation Israel going forward. More importantly, this prophecy specifies the timing of the Messiah's birth and death, as well as some of the future events which will occur in the last days.

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• THE MESSIAH - The LORD GOD sent the angel Gabriel to make a one-time announcement that would shake the religious and spiritual foundations of the people of Israel and the Gentile powers of the world forever. Jesus Christ, the seed of the woman (Genesis 3:15) … the Son of God … would be divinely born of the Holy Spirit through the virgin Mary in fulfillment of prophecy (Isaiah 7:14). His reign and kingdom will last forever as promised to David (2 Samuel 7:16), from whom He is a direct descendant (Matthew 1 and Luke 3).

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• THE CHURCH - Jesus Christ, knowing the resistance from the Jewish leaders would not lead to ushering in the kingdom, announced the creation of His Church … the ecclesia … which would continue His work of calling men to repent and be ushered into His kingdom.

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• THE FUTURE - The Rapture of the Church and the Tribulation Period are consecutive future events which will occur after the Church age. The Rapture of the Church is eagerly anticipated by Christians because it results in a reunion with Christ in heaven. The Tribulation Period, on the other hand, will be a terrible time of judgment for those who are left behind (the unsaved). It immediately follows the Rapture and is characterized by the manifestation of God’s wrath on the world for unrepentant sins. Hope does remain during this terrible time because God also graciously points the way to Jesus Christ and salvation for Jews and Gentiles.

 

• THE KINGDOM - Also know as the Millennial Reign of Christ, this is the 1,000-year period when Christ sits on the throne as ruler over all the nations of the earth. It will be a joyous time of worship, righteousness, prosperity, long life, restoration, equity, and no temptation from Satan. The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord.