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A Passion for God

God’ss Word

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The Tapestry of God’s Word
Now that we’ve had a brief survey of the structure of the Bible and its timeline, we
are now ready to put some flesh on the skeleton. There are a number of major
themes (or “threads”) that resonate through the pages of God’s Word. These
threads are the subject of this lesson.

Unity in Diversity
There is a marvelous sense of order to the Bible. But this order becomes obvious
only as we begin to look at how the individual parts of the Bible are tied together
by a common purpose. As with a fine tapestry, it is advisable to take a step back to
look at the entire mural before you begin to examine the warp and woof of its
individual threads. You will find that if you put too fine a microscope on God’s
Word, you can miss much of its beauty and meaning.
For what you find as you step back to embrace the entire biblical vista is that the
Bible is a work of remarkable unity. Though made up of 66 component books, it
is in fact one singular Book. The Bible is a book of unity within diversity.
In the words of William Gladstone in the last century:
“One controlling, guiding, unifying mind must have been operative through
all the weary ages to produce out of such composite elements a result so won-
derfully unique, uplifting, and unfathomable as the Bible; and that mind in
the nature of things could not have been human.”1
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The unity of the Bible is all the more astounding in that it was compiled over a
period of some 1,600 years. Imagine a group of 40 craftsmen, scattered over six-
teen centuries, weaving a single tapestry that, at its completion, proves to be a
thing of both unsurpassed beauty and unmistakeable unity. Add to this the fact
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that the craftsmen who started at the beginning had no idea of what the end pic-
ture would look like, and any observer would conclude that there had to be one
single mastercraftsman directing the work.
Arthur Pink describes the unity of the Bible in this way:

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“The manner in which the Bible has been produced argues against its unity.
The Bible was penned on two continents, written in three languages, and its
composition and compilation extended through the slow progress of sixteen
centuries. The various parts of the bible were written at different times and
under the most varying circumstances. Parts of it were written in tents, deserts,
cities, palaces and dungeons, some parts in times of imminent danger and
others in seasons of ecstatic joy. Among its writers were judges, kings, priests,
prophets, patriarchs, prime ministers, herdsmen, scribes, soldiers, physicians,
and fishermen. Yet despite these varying circumstances, conditions, and work-
men, the Bible is one Book; behind its many parts there is an unmistakable
organic unity. It contains one system of doctrine, one code of ethics, one plan
of salvation, and one rule of faith.”2
There is an undeniable harmony woven through Scripture, from the first verse of
Genesis to the last verse of Revelation. Where one craftsman leaves off a thread,
another takes it up, embellishing it and adding further to the emerging picture.
The Bible begins with the creation of the world (Genesis 1), and ends in a new
order of creation (Revelation 21:1). The Bible begins in a Garden (Genesis 2:8-
15) and ends in a City (Revelation 21:2-27). It starts with the fall of man (Gen-
esis 3:1-7) and finishes with the total restoration of mankind (Revelation 21:3-
5). It begins with a lamb sacrificed (Genesis 4:2-4) and ends with the Lamb
sacrificed for all (Revelation 5). It opens with a promise (Genesis 3:15) and
closes with the promise fulfilled (Revelation 12:9-10; 20:1-3,7-10).

The Major Threads of God’s Word

Let’s take a look at the major threads that interweave God’s Word. The Bible
often uses allegories to illustrate spiritual truths. In order to help us understand
the Bible, we’re going to have a look at an allegory drawn from the Old Testa-
ment, from the instructions that God gave for the weaving of the material for the
tabernacle and the priestly garments.

Read Exodus 26:1,7; 28:5; 39:3

These verses describe the threads used in the tapestries of the tabernacle and the
priestly garments. Fine white linen was used, together with threads of blue, purple,
scarlet and pure gold. Black goats’ hair was also used for certain parts of the tab-
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ernacle. These six colors also symbolize the essential threads of God’s Word:

White - the holiness of God

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Blue - the sovereignty of God

Purple - the supremacy of Christ
Black - the frailty of man
Scarlet - the unfolding plan of redemption
Gold - the ultimate purpose of God

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So let’s take a brief look at these six themes:

The white background
White in Scripture invariably represents holiness (read Revelation 19:8). The
holiness of God is not so much a thread that runs through scripture as much as it
is a backdrop against which the whole drama of Scripture is played.
As we have already seen, the Bible can be divided into two clear sections – the Old
and New Testaments – and each highlights God’s holiness in a different way:
Ü The Old Testament, where holiness was circumscribed by law
Ü The New Testament, where holiness is circumscribed by grace
As we shall see as we continue our studies, law and grace are the two dynamics
against which God’s plan of salvation is displayed.
The blue thread
Throughout Scripture, the color blue consistently represents heaven and, in par-
ticular, the throne of God (note Exodus 24:10; Ezekiel 1:26; 10:1). Through
each book of the Bible runs the blue thread of God’s overriding sovereign will.
God has not left man to his own devices, but has intervened frequently and deci-
sively in human history. The Bible is the story of heaven touching earth. It is the
story of God’s will being done on earth as it is in heaven.
For examples of the blue thread, read the following passages:

Read Psalm 47:8

Read Psalm 93:1-4
Read Revelation 19:6
The purple thread
Purple in Scripture represents majesty and royalty (note Judges 8:26; Esther
8:15; Mark 15:17-20). One major thread, running through both the Old and the
New Testaments, is the supremacy of Christ.
For examples of the purple thread, read the following passages:

Read Daniel 7:13-14

Read Ephesians 1:20-22
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Read Philippians 2:9-11

Read Colossians 1:15-18
The black thread
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Black in Scripture represents the darkness of sin, death and separation from God
(note Matthew 8:12; Jude 13). One of the most remarkable characteristics of the
Bible, compared with most other literature of the period, is that it doesn’t glorify
man’s deeds nor does it gloss over human frailties. It constantly contrasts the sin
and frailty of man’s best efforts against the pure standard of God’s holiness.

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A.W. Tozer describes the purpose of Scripture succinctly:

“The Holy Scriptures tell us what we could never learn any other way: they
tell us what we are, who we are, how we got here, why we are here and what
we are required to do while we remain here.”3
For examples of the black thread, read the following passages:

Read Psalm 103:13-16

Read Isaiah 40:6-8
Read Romans 1:18-32
Read Romans 3:23

The scarlet thread

The scarlet thread that runs through both the Old and the New Testaments is a
theme of redemption. From the time of Adam’s fall, right up to the ultimate sac-
rifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, there has been a requirement for the shedding
of blood in order to receiving forgiveness and rightstanding with God (read He-
brews 9:22). From the fall of man and the first promise of redemption in Genesis
(Genesis 3:15) right through to the coming of Christ himself, we find God’s plan
of redemption unfolding, building line upon line, revelation upon revelation, until
the full picture emerges in the person of Jesus.
For examples of the scarlet thread, read the following passages:

Read Isaiah 53:3-7

Read Ephesians 1:7
Read 1 Peter 1:18-19
Read Revelation 19:13
The gold thread
Just as the craftsmen at the time of the Exodus hammered out fine sheets of gold,
then sliced them into threads to be woven into the curtain which isolated the
Holiest of All, so woven through Scripture is a thread of pure gold. That gold
thread is the defining purpose of God. Even in the book of Genesis we begin to see
the thread of God’s ultimate purpose, a thread which sees its consummation in
the book of Revelation. That purpose is expressed ultimately in the City of God.
This is a city filled with the redeemed of God (Hebrews 12:22), through whom
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God’s glory will be revealed to the whole world.

For examples of the gold thread, read the following passages:

Read Habakkuk 2:14

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Read Hebrews 11:8-10,16

Read Hebrews 13:14
As we move through the Bible, observing how these threads are woven together,
an image begins to appear upon the tapestry - an image sharp and clear.

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The Emerging Image

Read John 5:37-40
Jesus spoke boldly when describing his role in God’s plan of salvation. In this
verse, he describes his relationship with Scripture. He didn’t just claim to be a
great teacher of Scripture, or even to fulfil the prophecies of Scripture, although
both are true. No, Jesus claimed to be the core subject of Scripture itself.

Read John 5:46-47

Read Matthew 26:53-54
Read Luke 24:25-27
Read Luke 24:44
Like an image that has been there all along but only obvious after someone points
the image out to you, so Jesus emerges, once seen, as a bold and clear image
embroidered within the rich tapestry of Scripture.
Take a look at the picture below and test your perceptive skills by trying to find
the image of Jesus contained within it. Look carefully. Don’t worry if you don’t
see it at first: be persistent. The moment you see his face, your eyes can never
miss seeing him again.
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There is a story behind this picture. It is said that a photographer was so captivated by the scene of melting
snow, with black earth showing through, that he took this picture of it. Deeply troubled spiritually at the time,
he was amazed, when he developed the photo, to see in it the face of Jesus, full of tenderness and love,
and he became a Christian. It may take you a long time to see his face, but be assured that it is there. It will
suddenly become visible, and once seen, it dominates the picture and you’ll wonder how it was ever pos-
sible to miss him.

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This exercise in perception skills reveals extraordinary insight into the nature
and process of revelation. A person simply cannot see until suddenly the issue
clarifies. Then it is difficult to understand how you couldn’t have seen it before.
This is the way that the picture of Christ emerges in the Old Testament. The mo-
ment you see him there, he is like the face in the snow, watching with such kind-
ness and patience, waiting for you to discover what’s been there all along.

According to Scripture
Read 1 Corinthians 15:1-8
This is passage outlines the most fundamental tenets of the Christian faith - the
death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. But note how Paul does
not just allude to the testimonies of the eyewitnesses to these events. He also
draws upon the authority of the Old Testament Scripture to prove that what hap-
pened to Christ was pre-planned by God.
In verses 3-4, Paul writes:
“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died
for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised
on the third day according to the Scriptures...”
This phrase “according to the Scriptures” flavors the whole of New Testament
teaching, causing the New Testament to be interwoven with Old Testament quo-
tations. Read the following passages and note how the first century Christians
artfully showed how the Old Testament Scripture pointed to Christ:

Acts 2:22-36
Acts 8:32-35
Acts 17:2-4
Acts 28:23-24
The depth of Old Testament allusion to Christ cannot be overemphasized. It fla-
vors every section of Old Testament.

Read Luke 24:13-27

On the road to Emmaus, after his resurrection, Jesus expounded about himself
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from the Scripture. He used the Old Testament to show how everything that had
been predicted revolved around his death, burial and resurrection.

Read Luke 24:44-47

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Even in the gospel accounts, Jesus constantly referred to himself from within the
context of Old Testament prophecy.

Read Luke 4:16-21

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Jesus had the audacity to declare that Scripture not only pointed toward himself,
but in fact was fulfilled in himself.

Read Matthew 5:17

The Old Testament Scripture was fulfilled in Jesus because of the close identifi-
cation between the person of Jesus and the Scripture. Both are called “the Word
of God.”

The Living Word

Read 1 John 1:1
Jesus is described as “the Word become flesh” (John 1:14). That Word is a Per-
son of the Godhead, eternally co-existent with the Father (John 1:1; Philippians
2:6). The Bible is the written form of the Word of God, but Jesus is the embodi-
ment of God’s Word - the Word of God lived out. The written Word (the Bible)
and the living Word (the Lord Jesus) are in agreement.
Take as an example a wife, separated temporarily from her husband by his busi-
ness travels. Each few days he writes a letter to her, telling her of his undying love
for her and reminding her again of their plans for when he returns. The wife
treasures those letters, poring over every word, because they represent the heart
of the writer, her beloved. Then comes the wonderful day when her husband re-
turns. She goes to the airport to greet him.
What does she do now with his letters? They are still wonderful. They still fully
represent the heart of her husband. But the nature of their value has now changed.
Her husband and his letters are in agreement, but she now has her husband with
her. Her husband is his letters personified. He is the word become flesh.
When Jesus came into the world, he declared that all Scripture (not just some of
it) speaks of him. By this he did not mean that every single chapter and verse
speaks directly of him, but rather that the sum total of all Scripture - the entire
tapestry of God’s Word - is talking of him. He is not always the subject of Scrip-
ture, but he is forever the object of Scripture - the goal toward which all Scripture
is moving.

Read John 14:6

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There are many examples of Jesus describing himself using this format, “I am...”
This verse is probably the most famous. Here Jesus describes himself as “the
way, the truth and the life.” Let’s take a quick look at each of these self-descrip-
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tions and see how they apply to the description of Jesus as “the Word of God.”
I am the way
Jesus declared that he is the way - not just a teacher of the way, but the way itself.
This term - “the way” - was generally applied to the covenant of Moses

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(Deuteronomy 10:12-13). By declaring himself the way, Jesus was referring to

himself as the fulfilment of the Old Covenant and the basis of a New Covenant
with the God. The way to God, as prescribed in the Old Testament, was now per-
sonified in Jesus.
I am the truth
Again, Jesus declared himself to be the truth - not just a teacher of the truth, but
the truth itself. Throughout Scripture, the term “truth” was reserved for God’s
Word (Psalm 119:43; John 17:17), yet Jesus applies the term to himself. The
truth of God’s Word was now personified in Jesus (John 1:14,17).
I am the life
Once again, Jesus called himself the life - not just the giver of life, but the life
itself (John 11:25). Jesus described himself as the source of life itself, a term
which had previously been used to refer to the Scriptures (note John 5:39-40).

Read John 6:63,68

Until we recognize Jesus as the personification of the written Word, the written
Word will not become a living thing to us. It will be a story without a plot, a book
without a theme. Without Jesus, the written Word is lifeless.

A Revelation on the Mountain

Let’s take a look at just one example of how the threads of Old and New Testa-
ment are woven together in a tapestry which reveals the image of Christ.

Read Matthew 17:1-5

When Jesus was transfigured on the mountain, an extraordinary event, quite sepa-
rate from the actual transfiguration of Jesus himself, took place. Two famous
characters from the Old Testament – Moses and Elijah – appeared in glory on
either side of the Lord Jesus.
Unless we understand the Old Testament, however, the significance of this event
will be lost on us. Why Moses and Elijah? Why not Abraham and David? Why not
Isaiah and Daniel? It takes insight into the Old Testament to fully appreciate the
importance of these two characters to the Jews of Jesus’ day.
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Firstly, Moses and Elijah represented two of the most dramatic interventions of
God’s power in Israel’s history. Moses led the people of Israel out of Egypt with
great signs and wonders, passing through the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21-31) and
escaping to the base of Mount Sinai, where God descended in a cloud of glory to
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confirm his covenant with Israel (Exodus 19-20) . Many hundreds of years later,
Elijah announced a drought against Israel for its violation of its covenant with
God (1 Kings 17), then later met with the prophets of Baal in a dramatic encoun-
ter which resulted in fire coming down from heaven to consume Elijah’s sacrifice
as a proof of the reality of God’s covenant with Israel (1 Kings 18).
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Secondly, both Moses and Elijah had experienced a mountaintop encounter with
God. Both encounters were on Mount Sinai, otherwise called Mount Horeb, and
both encounters had a corresponding event on the mount of transfiguraton.

Read Exodus 24:15-18

Read 1 Kings 19:8-15
In Moses’ encounter with God on the mountain, a cloud of God’s glory enveloped
him. And in Elijah’s encounter with God on the mountain, a quiet commanding
voice spoke to him. On the mount of transfiguration, God spoke to the three dis-
ciples out of the enveloping cloud of his glorious presence. Coincidence?
More important, however, than any of these Old Testament parallels, is the sig-
nificance of Moses and Elijah themselves. They were the two most significant
players in Old Testament continuity. Moses represented the Law, and Elijah was
the greatest of the Prophets. This phrase – “the Law and the Prophets” – was
often used as a synonym for Scripture.

Read Matthew 5:17

Read Matthew 7:12
Read Matthew 11:13
Read Matthew 22:40
The Law and the Prophets symbolized the Old Testament itself. The Law was the
foundation of the covenant that Israel had with God. The Prophets were the mouth-
pieces of God, speaking into Israel’s apostasy and guiding them back onto the
right path of the covenant. The words of the Law were the general, categorical
instructions of the covenant. The words of the Prophets were the specific,
contextualized instructions of the covenant. When Moses and Elijah appeared
with Jesus on the mountain, the significance of this event was certainly not lost
on Peter, James and John. This was the ultimate confirmation that Jesus was the
fulfilment of all that the Old Testament had predicted. It was as if the entire tap-
estry of God’s Word, every thread of the Law and the Prophets, had come to its
culmination in the transfiguration of Jesus.
Now note the response of Peter to this event. He knew that the whole of the Old
Testament was wrapped up in what was occurring before his very eyes. And so he
offered up a quick suggestion:
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“Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters –
one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”
Peter was drawing upon Old Testament symbology, when he suggested that they
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erect shelters for Jesus, Moses and Elijah. The word “shelters” is perhaps a poor
translation by the NIV version of the Bible. We could easily think that Peter sim-
ply wanted Jesus, Moses and Elijah to have a temporary resting place, perhaps as
shelter from the sun or the rain. The Greek word that Peter uses is best translated
“tabernacle” or “tent shrine.” Peter, as a Jew, wanted to enshrine the event in Old
Testament terms.
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Note that it was “as the men (Moses and Elijah) were leaving Jesus” (Luke 9:33)
that Peter put forward his suggestion. He wanted to keep them there. Tabernacles
were built in the Old Testament to contain the glory of God. Thus Peter’s intent
was to “house” the glory of Moses, the glory of Elijah and the glory of Jesus so
that the transfiguration glory he was witnessing could be contained and preserved
for others to see. Peter probably envisioned streams of Jewish pilgrims scaling
the mountain to see Jesus, together with Moses and Elijah. Or at the very least,
he would tell the crowd gathered at the base of the mountain what had happened
and they would make the pilgrimage to the mountain peak. Imagine Peter’s shock
when Jesus ordered the three disciples not to tell anyone about the transfigura-
tion event until after he had been raised from the dead (Matthew 17:9).
But God’s response to this half-baked plan (Luke’s account says that Peter “did
not know what he was saying” – see Luke 9:33) was very revealing. The cloud of
God’s glory surrounded them and they heard the voice of God give them very
explicit instructions:
“This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”
So powerful was this encounter with God that when Peter later recalled it, he
makes no mention of the appearance of Moses and Elijah. He mentions only with
great awe the “majesty” of Jesus and the voice that spoke to them from “the Ma-
jestic Glory.”

Read 2 Peter 1:16-18

The voice of God made three clear statements, which form the basis of the whole
of the New Testament:
Ü “This is my Son, whom I love” - The New Testament is founded upon
a revelation of the person and authority of the Lord Jesus Christ as God’s
Son.
Ü “With him I am well pleased” - There are two times where God de-
clares that he is pleased with his Son: at the baptism of Jesus (Matthew
3:17) and here on the mount of transfiguration. The essence of the new
covenant is that we are accepted by God in Christ. In other words, 1) since
God is pleased with his Son and 2) since we are, in covenant terms, now
totally identified with his Son (the meaning of “in Christ”), therefore 3)
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God’s pleasure toward Christ now overflows to us. The New Testament
describes how this covenantal premise works.
Ü “Listen to him” - Right throughout the Old Testament, God spoke
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through many different people. But now, his voice is found in Christ.

Read Hebrews 1:1-3

These three verses summarize the entire Old Testament and New Testament in
one broad sweep which culminates in the person of Christ. Note that this passage

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says that now God “has spoken to us by his Son” and that this same Son is now
“sustaining all things by his powerful word.”

Getting the Point

Read again John 5:37-40
The religious people of Jesus’ day were renowned for their intensive study of
God’s Word. They pored over every verse and debated the meaning of a single
word. Yet they ended up missing the point. What a shame it would be for us to fall
into the same trap of studying the Scripture but missing the point of Scripture.
Concerning the Pharisees’ meticulous study Jesus said:
“These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me
to have life.”
The purpose of studying Scripture, therefore, must be to “come to [Jesus] to have
life.” As we read the Bible, the Holy Spirit breathes upon the Word he originally
inspired and through that Word reveals the person and character of Jesus Christ.

Read John 16:13-15

This passage describes the Holy Spirit’s principal ministry. The Spirit of God and
the Word of God are in partnership to reveal Christ to you. Their combined pur-
pose is to cause you to “fix [your] eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of [your]
faith” (Hebrews 12:2).

In Summary
The study of God’s Word reveals a rich tapestry of interwoven themes. These
themes all ultimately point toward the coming of Christ himself, who is the focal
point of the Word of God. Like a compass needle pointing toward true north, the
Scripture unerringly points toward the Lord Jesus. The Old Testament looks for-
ward to him and the New Testament testifies to him. He is the one around whom
the entire Word of God is woven. Every theme in Scripture finds its culmination
in him. Every hope finds its fulfilment in him.
Throughout the Online Bible College course, we will be exploring the threads of
God’s Word, tracing them to their origin and following them through to their
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culmination in Christ. We hope that you have begun to realize, like never before,
just how much more there is to be discovered about the Lord in his Word - the
unsearchable riches of Christ that are locked within its pages.
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1
William Ewart Gladstone (1809-1898), quoted in Draper’s Quotations for the Christian World, excerpted from
Compton’s Interactive Bible NIV.
2
Arthur W. Pink, The Divine Inspiration of the Bible (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1976), p. 65.
3
A.W. Tozer (1897-1963), quoted in Draper’s Quotations for the Christian World, excerpted from Compton’s Interactive
Bible NIV.

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