The Bible is a Progressive Revelation

Understanding the Bible can be a daunting task, but it all begins with acknowledging God’s sovereignty. It’s important to trust that God means what He says and to allow Him to be Who He is. Unfortunately, man-made traditions and theology can cause confusion and division, especially when mixing law and grace, Israel and the Body of Christ, or the gospel of the kingdom and the gospel of grace.

The Bible is a progressive revelation, and it’s important to understand that God’s plan of salvation wasn’t revealed all at once to Adam and Eve, Abraham, Moses, David, Isaiah, Daniel, or the apostle Peter. While God remains the same and unchanging, the instructions He gave throughout Biblical history for salvation and doctrine have evolved significantly.

To aid your study of the Bible, we highly recommend using our Bible timeline. By understanding the time element of events, you can gain greater insight and clarity into God’s plan of salvation and the teachings of the Bible. Remember, the Bible is a progressive revelation, so maintain a literal approach and ask the Holy Spirit for discernment as you dive deeper into the Word of God.

You can download a pdf of our Bible Timeline here.

The Beginning

Genesis 1 – Genesis 11
2000-year time period
View Timeline #’s 1 – 7

For the first 2000 years of human history, God dealt directly with all of mankind, and everyone spoke one language (Genesis 11:1). During this time, there was no law or instructions for worshiping God, and it was based on man’s conscience and what God had instructed Adam and Eve, Cain, and Abel. When a person committed a sin, they were to bring God a blood sacrifice by faith, and it would be their faith in what God told them to do that would save them, just like faith alone in the cross saves us today.

The Call of Abraham: God Creates a People for Himself

Genesis 12:1-3 Date: 2000 B.C. – 37 AD
View Timeline #8

God then chose just one man, Abraham, out of millions to start a new race of people for himself, the Israelites, the nation of Israel, and the Jewish people (Deuteronomy 7:6-9; 32:8-9). God would deal directly with the Jews for the next 2000 years, with only a few (nine) exceptions. This division between Jews and Gentiles left the Gentile world without hope and no access to Israel’s God (Ephesians 2:11–12).

The Lord’s Earthly Ministry: Israel’s Promised Messiah is Preaching the gospel of the kingdom

Three Years: 26 – 27 to 29 – 30 AD
View Timeline #’s 13, 14, 15

Many believe that Christianity begins with the first chapter of Matthew, but this is not the case. This period is a continuation of God’s dealings with Israel and is based on the Old Testament covenants and promises. Christ appeared, as foretold by the angel in Luke 1, to fulfill the promise made to the nation of Israel (Genesis 12:1–3), which were promises made to Israel, not the Gentile world.

The Crucifixion: The Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ

29-30 AD
View Timeline #14
Isaiah 53:4; Matthew 20:18-19; Luke 24:6-7; Acts 2:23

Understanding that God’s work for us is based on the finished work of the cross is crucial to everything we do as believers. The Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the culmination of all that God does. There had to be the shedding of blood because that’s the way God wanted it (without the shedding of blood there can be no remission; Hebrews 9:22) and it could only be the divine blood of His only Son, Jesus Christ, that could pay the sin debt of ALL mankind. God knew what had to be done to reconcile fallen man back to Himself, and that was through the sacrificial death of Himself on our behalf. Amen and all the glory to God.

The Call of Paul: God’s Apostle to Gentiles & the Gospel of Grace

37 – 64/65 AD
Acts 9:15; Act 20:24; Ephesians 3:1-11
View Timeline #’s 19, 20

Following Stephen’s stoning in Acts 8, God made another change by calling Saul, now known as the apostle Paul, as God’s chosen apostle for the Gentiles (Acts 9:15; Acts 20:24; Galatians 1:11–12). The ascended and glorified Lord Jesus would reveal to Paul a new message of salvation for both Jews and Gentiles apart from the Mosaic Law and temple worship. God’s grace has been pouring out on all of mankind for the last 1900 years or more. The only way to salvation is by faith alone in the finished work of the cross alone, which is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

The Rapture: The Church Meets the Lord in the Clouds

1 Corinthians 15:51-53; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-7
View Timeline #22

Next on God’s prophetic timeline is the rapture of the church, which is his body, the body of Christ. Once the last Gentile is saved and in the body of Christ, the trumpet will sound, and all who have died in Christ will be raised first, immediately followed by those in the body of Christ who are alive, to meet the Lord in the clouds in our glorious immortal bodies and be with the Lord forever.

The Seven Years of Jacob’s Trouble

First seal Revelation 6:1; 2 Thessalonians 2:8,9; Daniel 9:27
View Timeline #23

After the body of Christ is removed from the earth and in glory with the Lord, God will again turn his attention back to his chosen people and bring to a culmination the full 490 years prophesied by Daniel in chapter 9. This period is known as “The Seven Years of Jacob’s Trouble.”

The Millennial Kingdom: A Thousand Years with Jesus, Satan’s Release and the Battle of Armageddon

Revelation 20:1-10
View Timeline #24

The Millennial Kingdom is a 1000-year period in which Jesus will reign on earth as King of kings from Jerusalem on David’s throne. Israel will be the top nation among all nations. Fulfilling the Abrahamic covenant, Jesus made Himself with Abraham in Genesis 12. During this time, Satan will be bound and unable to deceive the nations. But at the end of the 1000 years, Satan will be set free and will lead one last rebellion against God. This rebellion will end in the Battle of Armageddon, where the Lord Jesus, the King of kings, will destroy and crush Satan’s armies. Satan will be tossed into the lake of fire where the antichrist and the false prophet have been for 1000 years.

The Great White Throne Judgment

Revelation 20:11-15
View Timeline #26

Following the Battle of Armageddon, the Great White Throne Judgment will take place, in which all the unsaved will be resurrected bodily from hell and face their Creator, the Righteous Judge (Romans 2:16), the Lord Jesus, and will be judged according to their works. Those whose names are not found in the book of life will be cast into the lake of fire.

Eternity with God

View Timeline #27

The word of God explains eternity best. Those who believe in Jesus Christ will spend eternity with Him in a new heaven and a new earth (Revelation 21:1-4).

‘For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.’

I Thessalonians 4:14-18

‘Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.’

Revelation 21:1-3

‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”’

Revelation 21:4

‘Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”’

Revelation 21:5

‘And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. ‘

Revelation 21:6