salvation history

Salvation History

SalvationHistory

What is Salvation History? (I)

The Sacrifice of Isaac by Caravaggio

What is Salvation History? (I) (1)

What is Salvation History? (I)

Salvation history is the

progressive unfolding of God’s plan to

save the human race from sin

and death after the Fall. This

plan gives true meaning to

the entire history of the world.

KEY DEFINITION

What is Salvation History? (I) (2)

What are the stages of salvation history?

Crossing the Red Sea by Cosimo Rosselli

What are the stages of salvation history? (1)

What are the stages of salvation history?After the Fall, human beings lost their friendship with God and suffered from sin and death.

Through a series of covenants, related in the Old Testament, God gradually re-established a bond with humanity, promised many blessings and a future salvation.


What are the stages of salvation history?

DATE PATRIARCH or PROPHET

GOD’SPROMISE

Early Noah The preservation of the world

c. 2000 BC Abraham

The establishment of a chosen people

c. 1300 BC Moses

The permanent gift of a law and a land

c. 1000 BC David

The founding of an everlasting kingdom

c. 900 – 400 BC Prophets The coming of a

final salvation

c. 20 AD John the Baptist

The coming of the saviour or Messiah


The deeper reason for God's promises

The Transfiguration by Fra Angelico

The deeper reason for God’s promises (1)

The deeper reason for God's promisesThe deeper reason for each of these divine promises was to prefigure and prepare the way for the coming of Jesus Christ; the Messiah who would bring a full and final salvation to Israel and to the whole world.


The deeper reason for God's promises

“Everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and said to them,

“Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.”

Luke 24:44-47


God’s covenant with Noah

The Flood by Michelangelo

God’s covenant with Noah (1)


The human race became more wicked and violent following the Fall, but one man, Noah, won God's favour. God told Noah to build an ark to save his family and preserve certain animals from a flood that was to punish and cleanse the world.



After the flood, God established a covenant with Noah. He promised to preserve life until the end of time, giving us the opportunity to be saved.God’s promise to Noah was perfectly fulfilled in Christ who remains with us “to the end of time” Mt 28:20 NJB. Noah’s ark prefigures the Church of Christ that carries the faithful to salvation.


God’s covenant with Abraham

God’s covenant with Abraham (1)

God’s covenant with Abraham God called Abraham to leave his own country. He promised to give him a land, to make him a nation and to bless the whole world through him.

Abraham had faith in these promises. He became the father of the Jewish people and settled in the Promised Land.



God’s promise to Abraham was perfectly fulfilled in Christ.

Through him, God has established a redeemed nation, the Church, given us an everlasting homeland, heaven, and blessed all peoples.



Angel

Abraham

Abraham attempts to

sacrifice his son Isaac in

obedience to God’s command but is restrained

by an angel. Due to

Abraham’s faith, God made a

covenant with him.

Isaac represents the innocent

Christ.

The ram also represents Christ. Like the ram, Jesus is the sacrificial victim provided not by man but by God

himself.


SummaryQuestions

to reinforcekey points

Discussionquestions

Practicalactivities

Presentation Part II

Summary Activities I

Please select an activity or go immediately to part II of the presentation

Summary Activities I

Summary

Activities Menu Presentation Part II

• Salvation history is the unfolding of God’s plan to save the human race from sin and death after the Fall. This plan gives true meaning to the entire history of the world.

• God made a series of covenants and/or promises to Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, the prophets and John the Baptist. The deeper reason for each of these divine promises was to prefigure and prepare the way for the coming of Jesus Christ.

• God promised Noah to preserve life until the end of time. He promised Abraham a land, to make him a nation and to bless the whole world through him.

Summary I

Questions to reinforce key points

The preservation of the worldThe establishment of a chosen

peopleThe permanent gift of a law and a

landThe founding of an everlasting

kingdomThe coming of a final salvation

The coming of the Messiah

What are the main promises that God makes in salvation history?


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answers

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Questions to reinforce key points I

Discussion questions


• Discuss some of the ways in which the Old Testament prepares for the coming of Christ.

• Read Genesis 12:1-3; 17:1-9; 22:1-18 and discuss why Abraham is so important in salvation history.

Select one or more of the following:

Discussion questions I

Practical activities


• Read the story of Noah, Genesis 6:1-9:17.

• Read about the covenant with Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3; 17:1-9; 22:1-18.

• Read the Compendium of the Catechism questions 6-9.


Practical activities I

What is Salvation History? (II)

What is Salvation History? (II)

What was God’s covenant through Moses?

Moses by Guido Reni

What was God’s covenant through Moses? (1)


Abraham’s son Isaac was the father of Jacob whose twelve sons became the fathers of the twelve tribes of Israel. It was from this line that Jesus Christ, the saviour of the world, was finally born.



The eleven sons of Jacob followed Joseph, their brother, into Egypt at a time of famine. The Israelites remained in Egypt and grew greatly in number. As a consequence, centuries later, the Egyptians saw them as a threat and began to use them as slaves.



God raised up a leader, Moses, by whom he freed the people of Israel from slavery, gave them his law and brought them to the Promised Land.


This picture shows Israel crossing the Red Sea. This event marked Israel’s final escape from the pursuit of

Pharaoh and slavery in Egypt. It signifies liberation from sin and the birth of the people of Israel as God’s chosen people.The crossing of the Red Sea

also prefigures the liberation brought by Jesus Christ and symbolises, in particular, the

sacrament of Baptism.

Moses

Miriam Pharaoh’s horses and

chariots



What was God’s covenant through Moses?God’s work through Moses was perfectly fulfilled by Jesus, who freed us from the slavery of sin and gave the new law of grace.

Jesus founded his Church, the new Israel, on twelve apostles (prefigured by the twelve tribes of Israel) to bring us to our Promised Land of heaven.


What was God’s covenant with David?

David and Goliath by Caravaggio

What was God’s covenant with David? (1)

What was God’s covenant with David?The Israelites conquered their Promised Land but broke the commandments, falling into sin and crises. They became jealous of the nations around them and demanded the judge Samuel to give them a king.

After the unfaithfulness of Saul, the first king of Israel, God chose David as king. God promised David that one of his descendents would be established as king forever.


What was God’s covenant with David?

God’s promise to David was perfectly fulfilled in Jesus Christ, the Son of David and King of the New Israel, whose reign will never end.


What did the prophets promise?

The prophet Elijah (top right) witnessed to Christ at the

Transfiguration as he did during his prophetic mission on earth.

What did the prophets promise? (1)

What did the prophets promise?David’s son Solomon built the Temple but broke the commandments. His successors divided his kingdom between north and south.

In subsequent centuries the northern kingdom was destroyed. Finally, in 597 BC, Jerusalem and the southern kingdom were captured by the Babylonians who deported many of its people to Babylon.


What did the prophets promise? Throughout this period, God sent prophets such as Elijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel.

These prophets called the people to repentance, justice and peace. They also prophesised a future salvation, a new and everlasting covenant, a Messiah or ‘Christ’, and a ‘suffering servant’, who would bear the sins of many.


What did the prophets promise?

God’s promise of salvation, made through his prophets, was perfectly fulfilled in the Passion, death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.


Who did John the Baptist herald?

The Baptism of Christ by Piero della Francesca

Who did John the Baptist herald? (1)

Who did John the Baptist herald?Although the people returned from Babylon, there was no new king. They remained at the mercy of the Persians, the Greeks and finally the Romans.

Finally, a last prophet appeared known as John the Baptist. He called the people to repentance and to prepare for the imminent coming of the Messiah.


Who did John the Baptist herald?

God’s promise, made through John the Baptist, of the coming of the Christ was perfectly fulfilled when John saw Jesus himself and declared of him:

“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

Jn 1:29


SummaryQuestions

to reinforcekey points

Discussionquestions

Practicalactivities

Summary Activities IIPlease select an activity or go immediately

to the concluding prayer

Concluding Prayer

Summary Activities II

Summary

Activities Menu

• God raised up a leader, Moses, by whom he freed the people of Israel from slavery, gave them his law and brought them to the Promised Land.

• God promised King David to establish one of his descendents as king forever.

• God foretold through his prophets a future salvation, an everlasting covenant, a Messiah or ‘Christ’ and a ‘suffering servant’ who would bear the sins of many.

• God’s promise of the coming of the Christ was perfectly fulfilled when John the Baptist declared Jesus to be the “Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

Concluding Prayer

Summary II

Questions to reinforce key points

Noah

Abraham

Moses

David

The prophets

John the Baptist

Who are the main characters associated with the stages of salvation history?

Activities Menu Concluding Prayer

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answers

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Questions to reinforce key points II

Discussion questions

Activities Menu

• With reference to 2 Samuel 7 discuss the significance of Jesus’ title ‘Son of David’.

• Discuss why John the Baptist is sometimes referred to as the last of the prophets.


Concluding Prayer

Discussion questions II

Practical activities

Activities Menu

• Read about God’s covenant through Moses in Exodus 6; 19-20; 24.

• Read about God’s covenant with David in 2 Samuel 7.

• Read one or more of the prophecies in Isaiah 53; Ezekiel 36; Jeremiah 32:36-42.

• Read the account of John the Baptist’s encounter with Jesus in one of the four gospels.


Concluding Prayer

Practical activities II

Final Prayer

Psalm 111 I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation. Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who have pleasure in them. Full of honour and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures for ever. He has caused his wonderful works to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and merciful. He provides food for those who fear him; he is ever mindful of his covenant. He has shown his people the power of his works, in giving them the heritage of the nations. The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy, they are established for ever and ever, to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness. He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant for ever. Holy and terrible is his name! The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who practise it. His praise endures for ever!

Amen.

Final Prayer

salvation history

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