Thematic

Relationships through the Bible

When Alan Dale wrote his book based upon the Old Testament he called it `Winding Quest . He does not say why he choose that title , but it could well be because the stories contained are so often are about a quest for a relationship with God

The Bible , from first page to last , is a book about relationships , those between a creator God and the men and women he created . Hosea 6 v 6 `I want your loyalty , not your sacrifices . I want you to know me , not to

br give me burnt offering ! In Genesis 1 v 26 :-

God said "Let us make man in our image , in our likeness , and let them rule

over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air , over the livestock over all the earth , [ HYPERLINK "http /www .ibs .org /bible /verse /index .php ?q Genesis 1 niv yes submit Loo kup " \l "fen-NIV-26b fen-NIV-26b " \o "Go to " b ] and over all the creatures that move along the ground " 27 So God

created man in his own image , in the image of God he created them male

and female he created them . 28 God blessed them and said to them "Be

fruitful and increase in number fill the earth and subdue it . Rule over the

fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that

moves on the ground " N .I .V

The story of this relationship continues through the various works until the book of Revelation . In Revelation 22 v 3 and 4 we have a picture of the redeemed standing around the throne of God

3 No longer will there be any curse . The throne of God and of the Lamb

will be in the city , and his servants will serve him 4 They will see his face

and his name will be on their foreheads . N .I .V

Over time , like all relationships it changes . Not long after its beginning we find two

individuals so scared of God that they hide from his anger in Genesis 3 v 8 . The couple

are of course turned out of the garden , the relationship damaged . The relationship with

his people worsens and in Genesis 6 we find God in despair :-

5 The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become

on the earth , and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart

was only evil all the time . 6 The LORD regretted that he had made human beings

on the earth , and his heart was deeply troubled .N .I .V

Genesis contains the stories of other individuals through whom the beginnings of

restoration are possible . We have Noah in Genesis 6 - a man whom God found to be

righteous , see Genesis 7 v 1 and in Gen 9 v 11-15 where an eternal covenant is

established between God and his creation . In Genesis 17 , through Abraham , another

Godly man who put his...