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There is a central theme that runs through the entire Bible. It is more than just a battle between good and evil, more than a story about the redemption of mankind, and more than a guide for how to live your best life. At the core of Scripture, we find the God of all creation giving humanity a choice — the choice between life and death.
Genesis 2:8–9
8 And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9 And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
Genesis 2:16–17
16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
From the very beginning, God offered mankind this same choice. In the Garden of Eden stood two trees — the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. God permitted man to eat freely of the tree of life, but warned him not to eat from the other. From the start, the Lord set before us a choice between life and death.
Deuteronomy 30:19
19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
In the Old Testament, God once again placed the same choice before His people. Time and again, throughout the Law and the Prophets, we hear the same call: Obey and live, or rebel and die. The goodness of God is beyond measure — He provides all we need for life, and in His presence are pleasures forevermore. Yet every time the choice has been given, humanity has chosen death.
Psalm 78:31–32
31 The wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel. 32 For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works.
Romans 3:23
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Romans 5:12
12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
You would think that after thousands of years, mankind would finally choose life. Yet in every generation, none have chosen rightly — except for one Man. And we crucified Him.
Truly, death reigns in the heart of man. We will not choose to live, and we will not allow others to choose life either.
Death Is Not an Escape
But who really wants to live forever? What would eternal life be like when this world is full of pain, sorrow, and exhaustion? Many people, growing weary of life, look to death as a kind of friend — a release from suffering.
That’s why so many choose the pleasures of sin now. The world says, “Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.” If death is the end, then why withhold anything from ourselves?
1 Corinthians 15:19
19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
If death is final, then even faith is pointless. Some preach a Jesus who exists only to make this life better — a fix for our problems, a path to “living your best life now.” But Scripture says that if this life is all there is, we are the most miserable of all people.
If this world is as good as it gets, then there is no real hope at all.
Jesus never promised us an easy life. In fact, He said, “In this world you will have tribulation.” The Bible does not hide this truth — it tells us plainly. But it also tells us something far greater.
The Resurrection — God’s Answer to Death
The end of your life isn’t the end of your life.
Hebrews 9:27
27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
Hosea 6:6
6 For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
God told Adam and Eve that if they sinned, they would die. And they did. But while God was not pleased with their sin, He hated their sentence of death even more. It was righteous justice — and God is just — but He would rather have mercy on the sinner.
So God began to make a way for them to live even after death. They would suffer the consequence of their actions, but that would not be the end for them.
Every prophecy from Genesis to Revelation tells the same story of redemption. It begins with our fall and ends with our resurrection to new life. That is what the gospel is about — the story of a God in love with His creation, and how love through suffering conquers even death.
The Gospel Told in Creation
God doesn’t just deal with things as they happen — He declares the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10). In fact, He told the gospel in the very first verses of Genesis. If you are a believer, you will recognize what follows.
Genesis 1:1
1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
One might read that as a mere historical statement, but when we compare spiritual things with spiritual (1 Corinthians 2:13), we see a pattern. In your beginning, God created you. He knew you before you were born.
Genesis 1:2
2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
Before knowing Christ, your life was without form — empty, aimless, and covered in the darkness of sin. Yet the Spirit of God moved to reach you.
Genesis 1:3
3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
God spoke to your heart: “Live, and not die.” He who is light (1 John 1:5) revealed Himself to you.
Genesis 1:4
4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
He separated you from the darkness of sin. The Spirit of His Son entered your heart, and God saw that through Jesus, you were made right before Him.
Genesis 1:5
5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
You became a new creation — born again. You are no longer just the dead flesh with its sinful desires; you are alive in Christ. Though the flesh still struggles, the Son rises and His light is still in you.
Many do not realize that the very first verses of the Bible form a kind of prophecy. They speak of death and resurrection — of your death to sin and new life in Christ. God planned your salvation from the beginning.
The Resurrection and the Judgment
Acts 17:31
31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
God has set a time when He will raise both sinners and saints from the dead. He proved it by raising Jesus first. On that day He will judge the world in righteousness — separating the forgiven from the condemned. Once again, He will divide the light from the darkness.
Those made righteous through His Son will shine like the stars, placed forever in His light. Those who reject Jesus will remain in darkness, for their hearts loved darkness rather than light.
Until that day, God is calling as many as will come to the light. He gives warning that the day is approaching. End-time prophecy is not merely about signs and dates; it is a warning to the lost, an encouragement to the saved, and a witness revealing the heart of God to all.
As we continue our studies, we will explore how to understand prophecy — what has been fulfilled, what is unfolding now, and what is yet to come. My prayer is that as you continue, you will draw nearer to the Lord, who is Himself both the Life and the Resurrection.
Continue To Unit 6:2 – The Resurrection of Our Bodies OR
Return To Christianity 101 Unit 6 – The Resurrection & the Big Picture