The Big Picture of the Bible in 5 Easy Steps

An person carefully assembles a colorful jigsaw puzzle, illustrating focus and patience through the intricate task.

Have you ever started a puzzle without looking at the picture on the box? It’s much harder to figure out where the pieces go when you don’t know what the final image is supposed to look like. Reading the Bible can feel the same way if we don’t understand its big picture. But when you know the overall story, everything starts to make sense.

The Bible is one big story about God’s love and His plan to save the world through Jesus. Let’s break it down into five easy steps so you can see how all the pieces fit together.

Step 1: Creation

The story begins with God creating the world and everything in it. In just six days, God made the sun, moon, stars, animals, plants, and people. He looked at everything He made and said it was very good (Genesis 1:31).

Why This Matters:

God made the world perfect, and He created people to have a special relationship with Him. Adam and Eve, the first people, lived in a beautiful garden called Eden and walked with God.

Activity:

Draw a picture of something God created that you think is amazing, like a sunset, an animal, or a flower. Write "God made this" on your drawing.

Step 2: The Fall

Everything was perfect—until Adam and Eve disobeyed God. They ate from the one tree God told them not to, and sin entered the world (Genesis 3). Sin is anything we do, say, or think that goes against God’s ways. Because of sin, Adam and Eve had to leave the garden, and their relationship with God was broken.

Why This Matters:

Sin separates us from God, but He didn’t stop loving us. Right away, God promised to send someone who would defeat sin and fix everything that was broken (Genesis 3:15).

Activity:

Write down one way you’ve seen brokenness in the world, like people being unkind or something unfair happening. Then write, "God promises to fix this."

Step 3: God’s Rescue Plan

Even though people kept sinning, God had a plan to rescue us. He chose a man named Abraham and promised that through his family, He would bless the whole world (Genesis 12:2-3). Abraham’s family grew into a great nation called Israel, and God gave them His laws to show them how to live. But the people kept disobeying. Over and over, God sent prophets to Call Israel back to Himself and remind them of His promise to send a Savior. These prophets pointed to Jesus, who would come to rescue the world from sin.

Why This Matters:

God’s rescue plan shows how patient and loving He is. He didn’t give up on us, even when we messed up again and again.

Activity:

Look up Isaiah 9:6 (NIV) with your family. It’s a prophecy about Jesus. Write or draw what this verse teaches us about who Jesus is.

Step 4: Jesus Saves Us

At just the right time, God sent His Son, Jesus, to the world. Jesus lived a perfect life and taught people about God’s kingdom. Then He died on the cross to take the punishment for our sins. Three days later, He rose from the dead, proving that He had defeated sin and death (Luke 24:6-7).

Why This Matters:

Because of Jesus, we can have our sins forgiven and be part of God’s family forever. When we trust in Him, our broken relationship with God is fixed.

Activity:

Write a thank-you note to Jesus for what He did for you. You can start with, "Dear Jesus, thank You for..."

Step 5: New Creation

The Bible ends with a picture of what’s coming. One day, Jesus will return, and God will make everything new. There will be no more pain, sadness, or sin. God’s people will live with Him forever in a perfect world (Revelation 21:4-5).

Why This Matters:

God’s story isn’t over yet! We can live with hope, knowing that the best is yet to come. God invites us to be part of His story by sharing His love and truth with others.

Activity:

Draw a picture of what you think heaven might look like based on Revelation 21:4. Talk with your family about what excites you most about God’s promise of a new creation.

Discussion Questions:

1. Which part of the Bible’s big story is your favorite, and why?

2. How does knowing the big picture of the Bible help you understand God’s love better?

3. What’s one thing you can do this week to be part of God’s story?

A young girl engrossed in her Bible sits on the floor of a cozy library, surrounded by shelves filled with colorful books.

Call to Action:

The Bible is the greatest story ever told. It's God's story and you’re invited to be part of it. This week, read one of the stories we talked about in this post, like Jesus’ resurrection (Luke 24:1-12) or God’s promise to Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3). Ask God to help you see how you fit into His big picture.

For more kid-friendly Bible lessons, check out Bible App for Kids. Remember, God’s story is all about His love for you!