DAY 6: GOD CREATES MAN (ADAM AND EVE)
DAY 7: THE FIRST SABBATH
PREHISTORIC TIMES (STONE AGE):
--THE FALL (ADAM AND EVE SIN)
--BECAUSE OF THEIR SINS THEY LOSE THE PARADISE OF EDEN.
--THE CHILDREN OF ADAM AND EVE, CAIN AND ABEL ARE BORN
--CAIN KILLS ABEL
--THE DESCENDANTS OF ADAM AND EVE BEGIN TO MULTIPLY. THEY BECOME MORE AND MORE SINFUL. ONLY ONE RIGHTEOUS MAN REMAINS. HIS NAME IS NOAH.
--GOD COMMANDS NOAH TO BUILD AN ARK
--THE GREAT FLOOD.
--THE FLOOD SUBSIDES.
--NOAH PLANTS THE FIRST VINEYARD.
--THE DESCENDANTS OF NOAH SPREAD ACROSS THE EARTH AND ARE THE FOUNDERS OF EARLY CIVILISATIONS.
--PEOPLE BUILD A MIGHTY TOWER OF BABEL.GOD PUNISHES THEIR VANITY BY CAUSING THEM TO SPEAK IN LANGUAGES FOREIGN TO EACH OTHER.
-- PEOPLE CONTINUED TO SIN AND TURN AWAY FROM GOD. THEY BECAME MORE AND MORE SINFUL. BUT GOD NEVER STOPS LOVING MANKIND. IN THE FULNESS OF TIME GOD BEGAN TO REALISE HIS PLAN FOR THE SALVATION OF MANKIND. HE WOULD ULTIMATELY SEND HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON TO SAVE US FROM OUR SINS AND BRING US SALVATION...
ANCIENT TIMES (2000 BC - 1 B.C.):
--GOD FORMS A COVENANT WITH ABRAHAM, A RIGHTEOUS MAN, THAT HE WOULD BE THE FATHER OF A GREAT AND HOLY NATION.
--ABRAHAM'S SON ISSAC IS BORN
--ISSAC HAS TWO SONS - JACOB AND ESSAU.
--JACOB HAS 12 SONS FROM WHOM FORM THE 12 TRIBES OF ISRAEL.
--GOD GIVES JACOB THE NAME 'ISRAEL' FOR HIS COURAGE AND PERSEVERENCE.
--JACOB AND HIS SONS TRAVEL TO EGYPT TO ESCAPE THE FAMINE.
--THE ISRAELITES PROSPER IN EGYPT UNDER JOSEPH, JACOB'S SON WHO IS MADE PRIME MINISTER IN EGYPT, SECOND ONLY TO PHAROAH.
--A NEW PHAROAH ARISES WHO MAKES THE ISRAELITES INTO SLAVES.
--MOSES IS BORN
--GOD CALLS MOSES TO LEAD THE ISRAELITES OUT OF SLAVERY.
--MOSES DEMANDS THAT PHAROAH OBEY GOD AND FREE THE ISRAELITES FROM SLAVERY. BUT PHAROAH DOES NOT OBEY GOD. INSTEAD HE AND HIS PEOPLE WORSHIP IDOLS INSTEAD OF THE ONE TRUE GOD. HE REFUSES TO LET GOD'S PEOPLE GO.
--GOD SENDS FORTH PLAGUES UPON EGYPT TO PUNISH PHAROAH BUT HE HARDENS HIS HEART AND REFUSES TO LET THE PEOPLE GO.
--THE FIRST PASSOVER
--GOD SENDS A FINAL PLAGUE UPON THE FIRSTBORN OF THE EGYPTIANS. PHAROAH THEN OBEYS GOD FOR A WHILE AND LETS THE ISRAELITES LEAVE. BUT LATER HE PURSUES THEM.
--THE ISRAELITES LEAVE EGYPT THROUGH GOD'S MIRACLE OF THE PARTING OF THE RED SEA.
--GOD GIVES MOSES THE TEN COMMANDMENTS ON MOUNT SINAI. MOSES, WITH GOD'S HELP WRITES THE ANCIENT LAWS FOR GOD'S PEOPLE.
--THE ISRAELITES SIN BEFORE GOD AND ARE MADE TO WANDER FOR 40 YEARS IN THE DESSERT.
--GOD ASKS JOSHUA TO LEAD HIS PEOPLE
--THE ISRAELITES ENTER THE LAND GOD PROMISED THEM.
--THE NEIGHBOURS OF ISRAEL ARE A SINFUL PEOPLE AND REFUSE TO FOLLOW GOD BUT WORSHIP IDOLS. THEY OFTEN ATTACK THE ISRAELITES OR TRY TO ENTICE THEM TO PRACTICE IDOLATRY AND TO COMMIT SIN.
--THE TIME OF THE JUDGES
--THE PROPHET SAMUEL IS BORN
--SAMUEL APPOINTS SAUL KING OF ISRAEL
--WHEN SAUL SINS GOD ASKS SAMUEL TO ANNOINT DAVID.
--DAVID DEFEATS GOLIATH
--DAVID BECOMES KING
--DAVID'S SON SOLOMON, RENOUNED FOR HIS WISDOM BECOMES KING AFTER HIM.
--SOLOMON BUILDS A TEMPLE DEDICATED TO THE LORD.
--AFTER SOLOMON DIES, HIS KINGDOM BREAKS UP INTO TWO NATIONS, ISRAEL AND JUDAH. THE PEOPLE BEGIN TO SIN AND TURN AWAY FROM THE LORD. THEY WORSHIP IDOLS. EVEN THEIR LEADERS AND KINGS NOR LONGER OBEY THE LORD.
--GOD SENDS FORTH PROPHETS TO LEAD THE PEOPLE BACK UNTO HIM.
--GOD WORKS THROUGH THE PROPHET ELIJAH WHO PERFORMS MANY MIRACLES. ELIJAH PROVES THAT THE PRIEST OF BAAL ARE WORSHIPERS OF A FALSE IDOL ARE TURNS MANY PEOPLE BACK TO THE LORD.
--ELIJAH'S FOLLOWER ELISHA BECOMES PROPHET IN ISRAEL.
--NAAMAN, LEADER OF THE SYRIAN ARMY AND A RIGTEOUS MAN COMES TO MEET THE PROPHET ELISHA TO BE HEALED OF HIS LEPROSY. WHEN HE IS HEALED, HE COMES TO BELIEVE IN THE ONE TRUE GOD.
--GOD SENDS THE PROPHET JONAH TO WARN THE PEOPLE OF NINEVAH IN ASSYRIA TO TURN FROM THEIR EVIL WAYS. THEY REPENT AND FOLLOW THE LORD.
--ISAIAH PROPHESIES THE COMING OF THE MESSIAH
--DANIEL BEGINS TO PROPHESY FOR THE LORD.
--AS PUNISHMENT FOR THEIR SINS AND CORRUPTION GOD DELIVERS THE JEWS INTO THE HANDS OF THE BABYLONIANS WHO SEND THEM OFF INTO EXILE, SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE BABYLONIAN EMPIRE. THE JEWS REPENT AND FOLLOW THE LORD. THE PEOPLE OF GOD CONTINUE TO GROW DESPITE EXILE.
--KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR OF BABYLON BUILDS A STATUE OF GOLD AND ASKS ALL THE PEOPLE TO WORSHIP IT UPON PAIN OF DEATH. BUT THE PROPHET DANIEL AND HIS CLOSE FRIENDS REFUSE. IN HIS ANGER THE KING THROWS THEM INTO A FIERY FURNACE. BUT THEY PRAY TO GOD AND GOD WORKS A MIRACLE TO SAVE THEM. WHEN THE KING LEARNS THAT THEY HAVE SURVIVED THE FIERY FURNACE, COMPLETELY UNHARMED, HE MAKES A DECREE THAT THROUGHOUT THE BABYLONIAN EMPIRE, THE FOLLOWERS OF GOD SHALL NO LONGER BE PERSECUTED OF FORCED TO WORSHIP IDOLS.
--WHEN KING BELSHAZZAR, OF BABYLON MOCKS GOD, A WRITING APPEARS ON THE WALLS OF HIS PALACE. ONLY DANIEL COULD INTERPRET THE WRITING AND THIS WRITING PROPHECIED KING BELSHAZZAR'S DOOM. THAT NIGHT HE WAS DEFEATED AND KILLED.
--THE JEWS ARE ALLOWED TO RETURN TO THEIR HOMELAND. THEY BEGIN CONSTRUCTING A NEW TEMPLE TO THE LORD.
--ESTHER, A JEWISH WOMAN, BECOMES QUEEN IN PERSIA.
--OTHER PROPHETS CONTINUE TO CALL THE PEOPLE BACK TO THE LORD.
--THE PEOPLE AWAIT THE COMING OF THE MESSIAH
THE NEW TESTAMENT PERIOD (1ST CENTURY A.D.):
--THE ANGEL GABRIEL ANNOUNCES TO THE VIRGIN MARY THAT SHE IS TO BEAR A CHILD, WHO IS THE MESSIAH, THE SON OF GOD.
--JESUS CHRIST, OUR SAVIOUR IS BORN IN BETHLEHEM.
--THE CHILD JESUS, AGE 12, IS FOUND TEACHING IN THE TEMPLE. HE THEN RETURNS TO HIS PARENTS AND IS OBEDIENT TO THEM.
--JESUS GROWS IN WISDOM AND IN STATURE.
--JOHN THE BAPTIST PREPARES THE WAY OF THE LORD, BY CALLING THE PEOPLE TO REPENTANCE AND BAPTISING THEM.
--AT AGE THIRTY, JESUS BEGINS TO PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL. HE PROCLAIMS TO THEM, "THE TIME IS FULFILLED AND THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND. REPENT AND BELIEVE IN THE GOSPEL." HE HEALS THE SICK, BRINGS SIGHT TO THE BLIND, CURES THE LAME, AND CARRIES OUT THE WORK OF HIS FATHER. HE EVEN RAISES THE DEAD SO THAT PEOPLE MAY COME TO BELIEVE. HE PERFORMS MANY SIGNS AND MIRACLES SO THAT MANY COME TO BELIEVE IN HIM AND HAVE FAITH. HE ALSO TEACHES HIS APOSTLES TO CARRY ON HIS REDEMPTIVE WORK WHEN HE RETURNS TO THE FATHER. JESUS' ERNEST DESIRE IS TO GATHER ALL PEOPLE UNTO HIM SO THAT HE CAN SAVE THEM FROM DEATH AND BRING THEM TO LIFE IN HEAVEN WITH HIM FOREVER.
-- BUT THE MESSAIH MUST SUFFER AND DIE IN ORDER TO SAVE THE WORLD FROM SIN AND LEAD THEM TO EVERLASTING LIFE. JESUS THUS UNDERGOES HIS PASSION AND DEATH ON THE CROSS.
--THREE DAYS LATER JESUS RISES FROM THE DEAD IN FULFILLMENT OF THE SCRIPTURES.
--JESUS APPEARS TO HIS APOSTLES TO GIVE THEM FAITH AND STRENGTH TO CARRY ON HIS SAVING WORK ON EARTH. HE THEN ASCENDS INTO HEAVEN.
--JESUS HAD PROMISED HIS DISCIPLES THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT WOULD COME UPON THEM. ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST IT DESCENDED UPON THE APOSTLES WITH THE SOUND LIKE THE RUSH OF A MIGHTY WIND. IT FILLED ALL OF THE BELIEVERS AND THEY BEGAN TO SPEAK IN FOREIGN LANGUAGES AS THE SPIRIT GAVE THEM ABILITY.
--FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, WHO GAVE THEM COURAGE AND STRENGTH, THE DISCIPLES WENT OUT AND BEGAN TO GAIN FOLLOWERS - IN THOSE DAYS THOUSANDS WERE ADDED TO THEIR NUMBER EVERY DAY.
--SAUL WHO HAD BEEN PERSECUTING THE EARLY CHRISTIANS, WAS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING FROM THE LORD. THE LORD ASKED HIM, "SAUL, WHY DO YOU PERSECUTE ME?" SAUL REPENTED AND BECAME A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST. HIS NAME WAS CHANGED TO PAUL.
--PAUL BECAME ONE OF THE GREATEST APOSTLES. HE PREACHED AND CONVERTED MANY THROUGHOUT THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION. HE SUFFERED MANY HARDSHIPS BUT PERSEVERED WITH THE HELP OF CHRIST. GUIDED BY THE SPIRIT AND THE OTHER APOSTLES, HE WROTE MANY LETTER TO THE EARLY CHRISTIANS EXPLAINING THE FAITH TO THEM AND CALLING THEM TO REPENTANCE. HE WAS ARRESTED IN ROME WHERE HE WAS LATER MARTYRED.
-- PETER( WHO WAS THE FIRST POPE), THE APOSTLES, AND THE EARLY CHURCH FATHERS, FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, CONTINUED TO PREACH THE GOSPEL. GUIDED BY THE SPIRIT, THEY WROTE SEVERAL LETTERS AND BOOKS TO THE CHURCH EXPLAINING THE DOCTRINE OF FAITH. THEY LED THE EARLY CATHOLIC CHURCH AND IT CONTINUED TO EXPAND AND SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
--TOWARDS THE END OF THE 1ST CENTURY, JOHN RECEIVED THE REVELATION. HE SAW A GLIMPSE OF THE MAJESTY OF HEAVEN WITH ALL ITS SPLENDOR. HE ALSO SAW A VISION OF THINGS TO COME, ALL OF WHICH HE WROTE IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION.
--THE CATHOLIC CHURCH CONTINUES TO GROW, WITH THE GRACE AND LOVE OF GOD, AND SHE CONTINUES TO SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, SHARING THE LOVE OF CHRIST AND CALLING ALL PEOPLE TO GOD OUR SAVIOUR.