Even though Adam never met Abraham, Moses never met David, and Jeremiah never met John, they are all inextricably linked. Though the Bible is a compilation of 66 separate books, it tells but one story. The personalities of the Bible and the books that tell us of them are all connected as integral parts of God’s plan for the redemption and salvation of mankind. That, really, is the theme of all scripture: the salvation of mankind from the guilt of sin, through Jesus Christ to the glory of God. This one story that weaves its way through scripture is called the “Scheme of Redemption.”
To study the Scheme of Redemption is to study topics ranging from the problem of sin to the person of Jesus. It is to study God’s “eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Eph. 3:11). This eternal purpose is what the New Testament sometimes calls “the mystery” (Rom. 16:25; Eph. 1:9; 3:3-9; Col. 1:26; 1 Tim. 3:16). It involves a study of such vital topics as atonement, justification, regeneration, and the resurrection. To understand the Scheme of Redemption is to understand the historical role of Abraham and the Jewish people. It is to understand the Law of Moses and its attendant sacrificial system. To study this lofty topic will take you through a study of Messianic prophecy, the incarnation of Jesus, and his death, resurrection, and enthronement. To understand the Scheme of Redemption is to understand the role of the church in the past, the present, and the future. Finally, God’s plan for the salvation man climaxes in the second coming of Christ, final judgment, and the eternal realm.
If you spend enough time contemplating these sublime subjects, you’ll eventually find yourself extolling the majesty of God like Paul did in Romans 11:33-36,
Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the lord, or who became his counselor? or who has first given to him that it might be paid back to him again? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.