The God’s Big Picture Bible overview course traces the story of the whole Bible from Genesis to Revelation to see how it all fits together, telling of God’s wonderful plan to save the world through Jesus Christ.

Watch God’s Big Picture introduction video

Unit 1: The Pattern of the Kingdom

God’s people, in God’s place, under his rule and blessing––that’s how it all starts…

The Bible isn’t just a random collection of books, but one connected story and it is vital to understand it in that context. This first video explains that the Bible has one author: God, one subject: Jesus Christ and one overarching theme: God’s plan to save the world through his son Jesus Christ.

We begin to look at this unfolding story in Genesis, the first book of the Bible, which sets up the pattern of God’s kingdom that we will trace through the rest of the units. We see that in God’s perfect created order, God’s People, Adam, and Eve, live in God’s Place, the Garden of Eden, and enjoy his Rule and Blessing. In this creation the relationships between God & man, man & woman and mankind & creation are perfect, just as they were supposed to be. But it doesn’t last long . . .

• How many Bibles do you have at home?
• Why do you think the Bible is the world’s best-selling book?
• Would you say that you know much about the Bible?Do you think that the Bible is relevant today?
• Do you agree that the Bible is written by one author and that it is fully human and fully divine? Why or why not?Do you think that Jesus was a Plan B? Why or why not?

Your teacher will give you a copy of this handout, but you can also find a copy of it here.

This has an outline of the video that you are about to watch. You might want or take some notes on this as the video is playing.

Watch video: The pattern of the kingdom.

DISCUSS

In your groups, discuss and complete the questions on the handout and we will then discus this together.

1. The pattern of the kingdom (Creation and the Garden of Eden: Genesis 1-2)

Read Genesis 1:1-25

• What are the repeated words and phrases?
• What do we learn about God? (How God made the world, what God made and God the Creator?)
• What do these verses tell us about God’s creation?
• What are we told about human beings?
• What made the seventh day different from the previous six?

Read Genesis 2:4-25

• What is the relationship between?
  • God and humans?
  • Man and woman?
  • Human beings and creation?

Reflection questions:

• How does the teaching of Genesis 1-2 differ from other worldviews in society?
• How does it challenge your thinking and behaviour?
• What could you do this week to enjoy God as the creator and enjoy rest with him?