5:11
Exile
Exile is one of the core, yet often overlooked, themes underlying the entire biblical storyline. In this video, we'll see how Israel's exile to Babylon is a picture of all humanity's exile from Eden. We are all exiles longing for home, and Jesus is the one to open the way back to our true home and the fullness of relationship with God.
Reflect
Compare the first exile in Genesis 3:9-24 with the next in Genesis 4:6-16, when Cain was exiled east toward Babylon. Take note of repeated ideas and words. Why do you think the land suffered in each situation? Why were the humans driven from their homeland?
Babylon is the place where people chase power to make a name for themselves (Genesis 11:4). But Abram is invited to leave Babylon when God tells him to move to a land he would show him. Read Genesis 12:1-3. What does God promise to do for and through Abram?
Centuries later, Abraham’s family became the people of Israel. They entered the homeland God promised, but they failed to trust God and were exiled. But even in their exile, God made a way for them to return home (see Deuteronomy 30:1-6). What does this say about God’s character and the nature of his promises?
Jesus is the way back home for all humanity. Jesus invites us back into God’s presence and the Eden ideal. Read John 14:1-6 and John 14:16-23. Based on this passage, how does Jesus make a way for us to be at home in God while we live on Earth? How does Jesus make a way for God to be at home within us?
Take time to discuss other themes, questions, or key takeaways from what you learned together.
Downloads
Here are some other resources related to this video that you might find helpful.
Biblical Themes
3:10
The Mountain
Watch a short video that explains what mountains represent in the Bible. Learn the key role mountains play throughout the unified story that leads to Jesus.
6:43
Heaven & Earth
What does the Bible really teach about Heaven, and what is Heaven’s relationship to Earth? In this video, we explore the surprising biblical viewpoint that Heaven and Earth were meant to overlap and how Jesus is on a mission to bring them together once and for all.
5:48
The Messiah
Explore the mysterious promise on page three of the Bible, that a promised deliverer would one day come to confront evil and rescue humanity. We trace this theme through the family of Abraham, the messianic lineage of David, and ultimately to Jesus who defeated evil by letting it defeat him.
5:46
The Covenants
Despite human rebellion, God continues to make covenant promises to restore humanity to the role they were created for: to be partners with God in ruling creation. Though humans repeatedly fail, Jesus fulfills humanity’s side of the partnership, making right the relationship between God and humankind.
6:35
Holiness
God’s holiness presents a paradox to human beings. God is the unique and set-apart Creator of all reality and the author of all goodness. However, that goodness can become dangerous to humans who are morally corrupt. Ultimately, this paradox is resolved by Jesus, who embodies God’s holiness that came to heal his creation.
6:51
Sacrifice and Atonement
God is on a mission to remove evil from his good world, along with all of its corrosive effects. However, he wants to do it in a way that doesn’t involve removing humans. In this video, we trace the theme of God’s “covering” over human evil through animal sacrifices that ultimately point to Jesus and his death and resurrection.
6:00
The Law
What is the importance of the ancient laws in the Hebrew Bible? Are they even relevant for Jesus followers? Explore how much the laws can teach us about God’s character and the significance of Jesus’ ministry on Earth.
4:50
Gospel of the Kingdom
Gospel is a word that means “good news,” but it’s more than that. It’s a royal announcement, and its use in the New Testament points to the radical announcement of God’s Kingdom coming to Earth through Jesus. The Gospel fulfills the promises of the Hebrew Bible, as we see Jesus bring God’s reign and rule in a way no one expected.
6:17
Image of God
What does it mean for humans to be made in God’s image? In the opening pages of Genesis, we see God create humanity as his co-rulers of creation, but things quickly go wrong when humans rebel and forfeit their role. Jesus comes to set right humanity’s rebellion, opening up a new way of being human through his life, death, and resurrection.
6:02
Day of the Lord
Does God still care about the destruction humans have caused in his good world? The story of the Bible shows us how God confronts human evil, as well as the deeper spiritual evil that is at work on Earth. Ultimately, we see how Jesus responds to the problem of evil by allowing his death on the cross.