The Bible is a book that gives an explanation of how the universe was created. It also offers a way that people can live their lives by its moral code.
It seems that the bible follows certain characters over many generations. In this sense it seems that each section has its own central character. However, I believe these characters are the minor characters to the actual protagonist; which is God himself and his arc.
I believe the Bible is actually a book about how the creator of the universe transforms himself into a God worthy of worship. The underlying message is about how God grows and develops into something more than a creator and ruler.
The Old Testament contains what I would describe as a ruthless, vengeful, and self-centred God. He demands worship from his creation; and after he creates everything and everyone, God exists on the outside of his creation, not a part of it.
He does interfere by sending in his staff — in the form of angels and spirit, to do his bidding. He endorses murder, genocide, slavery, and other atrocities. God in this story is a creator, conqueror, and dictator. If you’re not with him then you’re against him, and you will be punished for it. He also has no qualms about making you suffer just to test your devotion to him.
Then one day, God changes. This is the New Testament. This happens when he becomes the father; this is where God starts a new arc. The holy trinity is the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit.
God is now having a human experience as a father; but also as a human on earth through his son.
In this part of the story God learns compassion, forgiveness, tolerance, to ‘turn the other cheek’, and most importantly the ability to sacrifice; which he does through sacrificing himself (through his son), by pain and death via crucifixion.
This is very different from the original God, who promoted conquest and was dictatorial. He would never have sacrificed himself. He would prefer to see the whole world drowned in a global flood. However, this all changes when he becomes a father, becomes human, and has a human experience, and learns what it is to sacrifice.
God’s arc ends with him having the capacity of both versions of himself — the old and new — the combination of both values. To be strong, powerful, and to conquer; but to also be soft, meek, and self-sacrificing. God used to demand sacrifice and now he has become self-sacrificing for his creation.
This arc perhaps matches the one that we can all take. We can see it often in young men — they can often be aggressive, celebrate strength, conquest and winning. Then they mature and grow, they master themselves and will often become fathers themselves, where they must learn tolerance and self-sacrifice. A well-rounded person will have both traits of God, but balanced, and in doing so will align with God or become somewhat like God.
The Bible is a story of a creator, who rules without compassion and then transforms himself to become a God worthy of worship and emulation. And in doing so he shows us how to better live our lives; because if it’s good enough for God, it just might be good enough for us.
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