In Scripture, more than a record of and reflection on past events, but a process under God's control which has as its goal the eventual fulfilment of his purposes and through which he makes himself known. The goal of history is realised in Jesus Christ, through whom the age of salvation is inaugurated. Both the OT and NT point to the importance of faith rooted in historical events.
God is active in history
God's control over historical events
Daniel 2:21; Acts 17:26 See also Genesis 45:5–8; 1 Kings 12:15 parallel 2 Chronicles 10:15; Daniel 4:25, Daniel 7:25; Amos 9:7
He changes the times and seasons; He removes kings and establishes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.
From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands.
God's saving purposes worked out through history
Ephesians 1:11 See also Isaiah 14:24–27, Isaiah 37:26, Isaiah 41:4, Isaiah 46:10–11; Acts 1:7, Acts 2:23
In Him we were also chosen as God’s own, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything by the counsel of His will,
God is known through his people's history
God is known to his people
Isaiah 46:9 See also Exodus 10:2; Deuteronomy 4:32–35; Psalm 77:11–15; Isaiah 43:10–13, Isaiah 44:6–8; Micah 6:5
Remember what happened long ago, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me.
God is revealed to the nations
Psalm 126:2 See also 1 Kings 8:56–60
Then our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with shouts of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.”
The Israelites were called to remember their history
The past was recalled in festivals
Leviticus 23:42–43; Deuteronomy 16:1–6
The past was recounted to successive generations
Psalm 78:2–7 See also Deuteronomy 32:7–9; Judges 6:13; Psalm 44:1–3
I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the beginning, that we have heard and known and our fathers have relayed to us. We will not hide them from their children but will declare to the next generation the praises of the LORD and His might and the wonders He has performed. For He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers to teach to their children, that the coming generation would know them— even children yet to be born— to arise and tell their own children that they should put their confidence in God, not forgetting His works, but keeping His commandments.
Jesus Christ as the centre of the history of salvation
He is its beginning and end
Revelation 22:13 See also Revelation 1:8, Revelation 1:17, Revelation 2:8
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”
God's saving purposes in history fulfilled in Jesus Christ
Ephesians 1:9–10 See also Romans 5:6; Galatians 4:4; Colossians 1:17
And He has made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to bring all things in heaven and on earth together in Christ.
Jesus Christ inaugurates God's new age
Colossians 1:18 See also Daniel 7:13–14; Mark 1:15; Matthew 12:28 parallel Luke 11:20; Ephesians 2:7
And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and firstborn from among the dead, so that in all things He may have preeminence.
The Christian faith is based on the historical facts of salvation
Testimony passed on by eye-witnesses
Luke 1:1–4 See also Hebrews 2:3; 1 Peter 5:1; 2 Peter 1:16; 1 John 1:1–3
Many have undertaken to compose an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by the initial eyewitnesses and servants of the word. Therefore, having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
Remembering Jesus Christ's death
1 Corinthians 11:23–25 parallel Luke 22:19–20
For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
Jesus Christ's resurrection as historical fact
Acts 1:3 See also Luke 24:1–3, Luke 24:39; John 20:27; 1 Corinthians 15:3–8
After His suffering, He presented Himself to them with many convincing proofs that He was alive. He appeared to them over a span of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.
Historical references in the NT
Luke 1:1–2; Matthew 2:1; Luke 3:1–2; Matthew 14:3–4 parallel Mark 6:17–18; Acts 5:37
Landmarks in salvation history
The creation
The fall
The call of Abraham
The exodus from Egypt
The birth of Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ's death and resurrection
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.