History is His-Story
Brothers and sisters, the Bible is not a collection of disconnected myths. It is an account of real people, in real places, at specific points in time. When we understand the **Biblical Timeline**, we begin to see that God is a Master Weaver, pulling the threads of human history together to fulfill His redemptive purpose.
As Paul writes in Galatians 4:4, Christ came "in the fullness of the time." This means the timing was not accidental. Today, we will walk through the major epochs of the Bible to see how they all point toward the cross and the final restoration of all things.
I. The Foundations: Creation to the Patriarchs
The timeline begins with the **Creation and the Fall**. Following the flood and the division of nations at Babel, God narrows His focus to one man: **Abraham (approx. 2000 B.C.)**. This is the beginning of the "Covenant People."
During this period, we see the promise of a "Seed" that would bless all nations. The lives of Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph (whom we studied in our series on forgiveness) lay the groundwork for the birth of the nation of Israel.
II. The Formation: Exodus to the Monarchy
The **Exodus (approx. 1446 B.C.)** is the defining moment of the Old Testament. God delivers His people from Egypt and gives them the Law at Sinai. As we have been studying in our children's ministry with the stories of Moses, this period taught Israel that God is both a Deliverer and a Lawgiver.
The Rise and Fall of the Kingdom
- The Judges: A 300-year cycle of rebellion and deliverance.
- The United Kingdom (1050–930 B.C.): The golden age under Saul, David, and Solomon.
- The Divided Kingdom: Israel in the North and Judah in the South, leading to the eventual Exile in Babylon (which provides the context for the prophecy of Daniel).
III. The Fulfillment: The Silent Years and Christ
Between Malachi and Matthew, there are 400 "Silent Years." No prophet spoke, but God was active. He was using the Greek language and Roman roads to prepare the "fullness of time."
The timeline reaches its climax with the **Incarnation, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus**. This is the center point of history. Every event before this was looking forward; every event after this looks back to the finished work of the Ransom at Calvary.
"But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law." (Galatians 4:4-5)
IV. The Mission: The Church and the End of the Age
We currently live in the **Church Age**, which began at Pentecost (Acts 2). Our role in the timeline is the Great Commission—taking the Gospel to León, to Nicaragua, and to the ends of the earth. We wait for the final event on the timeline: the glorious return of our Lord.
Your Place in the Timeline
You are not an accident. You have been placed in this specific point of the biblical timeline for a purpose. As we look back at God’s faithfulness from Abraham to the Apostles, we can have total confidence in our future.
Let us live with the "Original Intent" of Scripture in our hearts, knowing that we are part of a story that ends in victory. The clock is ticking, and the King is coming.