As I was thinking about this blog entry, a quote came to mind that I simultaneously read on Tim Keel's blog. Spooky. From the Princess Bride, "Let me e'splain...no, there iz too much: let me...sum up."
I wrote a post a couple of weeks ago that envisioned Scripture as a six-act play. (Missing Pages) Here is a recap of how that play might look:
* Act One is the creation.
* Act Two is human rebellion against God.
* Act Three is God's creation of a holy people through Abraham as his witness in the world.
* Act Four is the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
* Act Five, Scene One, is the
* Acts of the Early Church. Act Five, Scene Two, is being written right now.
* Act Six is not written but we have enough notes.
Act One
God created the heavens and earth (i.e., "All that is.”) God created humanity. God intended for Adam and Eve to expand and fill the earth. He intended for them to be in communion with Him and co-creators with him.
Act Two
The Serpent cast an illusion that God was cruel. This led Adam and Eve into a delusion that they were deprived. Adam and Eve sheepishly deflect blame and are sent east of Eden. Going east symbolized regression into chaos. God intended for them to be in communion with God as co-creators.
Adam and Eve's oldest son Cain has only token regard for God. He did not bring his first fruits to God as a sacrifice. Moreover, having taken the role of a farmer, he may have been more interested in settling down than filling the earth. Cain becomes jealous of Abel's acceptance by God. Cain kills Abel. Cain has no remorse when confronted. God exiles him to the east, to the land of Nod, the "land of wandering." Cain starts a family and builds a city in a vain effort to give purpose to his absurd existence. Soon violence escalates, and the earth is not filled.
Humanity degenerates to the point where Noah's family is considered the only righteous family left. God destroys rebellious humanity in a flood. Once again, God gives the instructions to multiply and fill the earth.
Noah's youngest son Ham does something dishonorable to Noah, and his descendants are cursed for it. One of these descendants was Nimrod, a mighty and predatory warrior who went east and was responsible for the city civilizations on the plains of Shinar. Just like Cain, these cursed descendants attempt to build illusory civilizations that will give purpose to their existence apart from God. They even scheme to build a temple up to the heavens and dethrone God. God confuses and scatters them. Now, rather than being united in one illusion, they splinter into factions and develop their own illusions. We noted the word "church" comes from the Greek ecclesia, which means the gathered. Babel was a church (gathering) against God. God broke the Church up into many smaller churches spread across the known world.
Genesis 10 tells us of seventy nations when Genesis 10 was written. Seventy signified a large complete number. The "earth" is filled, but humanity rebelled against God. God disrupted the plan for unified opposition, but rebellion is still the hallmark of the countless tribes and nations. God has spread people across the earth, but they are not in relationship with God. God has been framed as a tyrant that should be dethroned and marginalized.
How will God expose the illusions and free people from their delusions?
Act Three - Coming Soon
Index on the Illusion posts so far.
Soon Forgotten
Rolling to My Death in Kansas… Or Not
Will the Real Illusion Please Stand Up?
The First Illusion
And God Created the Serpent
Grand Illusion
Cain's Choice
Cain's Journey Into Darkness
Cain's New World
Cain's Cancer and Radical Therapy
Starting Over
Cain Returns
Church of Babel
[Index]
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