There are lots of ways that have been proposed for how we should read the whole storyline of the bible. Some are more convincing than others. But many good ways of thinking about the whole storyline are out there. The best one I know of is as follows:
- Creation
- Sin
- Exile
- Restoration
This is the superstructure to the whole bible. We begin with Creation in Genesis 1 & 2, followed by Sin and Exile in Genesis 3. It is not until Revelation that we end with Restoration. This means, the majority of the bible’s story takes place in Exile and is looking for our restoration.
This superstructure is always in the background of the bible’s story. So, immediately after the Exile in Genesis 3 we are hoping for restoration. Here we are introduced to Abel. He appears righteous and potentially the one we were promised would come and crush the serpent’s head. Sadly, no sooner than he appears in the story he’s dead, which quashes any hope we might have pinned on him. But after him arises Noah who, though the most righteous man on earth at the time, still falls into sin and is evidently not the one we are waiting for either. Thereafter, we are introduced to one potential saviour after another – Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, David and Solomon among others – all set up as potential saviours who will restore us to God, none of whom prove to be the one. The Old Testament is fundamentally the story of the search for a saviour who will bring us out of Exile.
Interestingly, this biblical superstructure also repeats as a fractal narrative throughout the story. So, we are presented with Noah early on and, after the flood, we get a new creation mandate (Creation), Noah nevertheless gets drunk and his children mock him (Sin), he is cursed and his children are scattered in different directions (Exile) after which Abraham is presented as a new potential saviour who will restore matters (Restoration). This fractal narrative, reinforcing the broader superstructure, rolls around again and again.
Interestingly, in Genesis 1-11 we have a global CSER structure (the story of the whole world) which gives way to a national CSER structure by the time we get to Abraham. This national CSER structure becomes the story of Israel: her creation, sin, exile and restoration. By the end of the Old Testament nothing is properly, fully restored and we await yet another potential saviour. After 400 years of silence, we get to the New Testament and are introduced to the final potential saviour, the one who is the real serpent crusher: Jesus Christ.
The New Testament then takes place against the backdrop of a people restored to God. God’s people are no longer in exile. Nevertheless, while the restoration of all things has been inaugurated, it has not yet been fully consummated. The New Testament lives with a tension of both now and not yet. We are no longer exiles, but fully restored sons of God and yet we await the final consummation of the kingdom when Jesus will return to make all things new; a newness that is both here now and not fully realised yet. The story will only end with the fullness of restoration when Jesus comes again; a future glory his people look forward to now even though we experience many of its glorious benefits now.
Keeping the CSER in mind helps us understand where we are at any point when we read the bible’s story.