1.3.16
The "good news" or gospel of Jesus is recorded in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John; but this good news is the answer and response to the bad news which happened at the beginning of mankind. In Genesis chapter three we read the story of how mankind fell into sin. God created a world which was in harmony with itself and his creation was in harmony with him. But man disobeyed his commandment and the consequences were catastrophic. In Genesis 3:13 we read God's question to Eve, a question that is in fact for all of us: "What have you done?" I picture God in his all knowing state as the father he is, scolding his child who has done something wrong. God already knows the wrong that has been committed, the question is really for the benefit of the child. The children fail to answer correctly. Neither Adam or Eve takes responsibility for their actions. They shift blame and point fingers. God gives judgement for their actions in verse fourteen, "Because of this thing you have done..." he proceeds before casting the man and woman from paradise.
But in this moment of judgement, while God curses man, woman and serpent for their actions, God gives a seed of hope. In verse fifteen we read that God tells the serpent that he will put an enmity between the serpent and mankind. This hope, this adversary will one day crush the serpent.
This seed of hope is reaffirmed when many generations later God makes another vow with one of Eve's descendants, Abraham, to whom he promises to make a great nation from the family Abraham will give birth to one day. God promises that he will bless Abraham and his family so that they will in turn be a blessing to the world. Specifically, God promises a singular person in his family that will bring peace and bless the entire world.
Abraham finally has a child and his family grows. Through a series of situations controlled by God, the family of Abraham was moved to Egypt and later enslaved. After many generations, God sends a leader in the form of Moses to take the people out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. When he establishes the new country, God tells them many rules to live by. The summary of his rules can be found in Leviticus 11:45, "Be holy for I am holy." God is holy, and he asked for his followers to live a life reflective of this fact. He gave the people of Israel laws and rules to help them, but they refused to follow them and rebelled.
In Zechariah 7 we find that God is lamenting the fact the his people, the Jews, had "turned their hearts to flint and would not listen to the words of God. Since they would not listen to him, he no longer listed to them. In his just holiness, God caused the people of Israel to be scattered. While they were in their rebellion, and suffering judgement, God still shared mercy with them. In Jeremiah 33:8, God promised to "cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me.” God has always been shown mercy and grace when his people will repent and return to Him.
God's mercy included the sending of his son. God shared this promise through his prophet Isaiah. In Isaiah chapter 9 we read that to us "a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever." This son, this king, was Jesus. He is the Good News in answer to and in rebuttal to the bad news of sin.
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