There is a third struggle that runs throughout Scripture: the struggle of God to provide redemption and salvation for man. As seen in the first two struggles above, both man and Satan have fought against God and His plan of salvation from the beginning.

* Satan seeks to hurt God, to cut His heart in order to get back at God for having judged and condemned him.

* Man seeks to gain recognition and to exalt himself, to gain his independence and self- sufficiency~ thus he ignores, rejects, and denies God. If he professes God at all, man claims to be religious and righteous, good enough to be accepted by God and good enough never to be rejected by God. Man rejects the death of Christ for his sins, rejects any need for the cross. Man fights against God's plan of redemption.

Consequently, from the very beginning of history, God has had to struggle to provide redemption and salvation for man. This struggle is seen in the seed of the woman, who is the Savior of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ. God promised to send the promised seed to Adam and Eve in Genesis, and He has struggled throughout the centuries to send His Son so that He could provide redemption and salvation for man.

The struggle of redemption and salvation is seen by studying how Christ is the theme of the Bible, the underlying subject of every book of the Bible. Example after example can be found in each book: just one example is listed here to demonstrate the point. Christ is the focus of the Scripture, of every book of the Bible. The excellent commentator, Norman Geisler, has worded it well: Christ is within…

..Genesis: "The seed of the woman" (Genesis 3:15)
..Exodus: "The Passover Lamb" (Exodus 12:3)
..Leviticus: "The Atoning Sacrifice" (Leviticus 17:11)
..Numbers: The Smitten Rock" (Numbers 20:8, 11 )
..Deuteronomy: "The Faithful Prophet" (Deuteronomy 18:18)
..Joshua: "The Captain of the Lord's Host" (Joshua 5: 15)
..Judges: "The Divine Deliverer" (Judges 2: 18)
..Ruth: "The Kinsman Redeemer" (Ruth 3:12)
..I Samuel: "The Anointed One" who is coming (I Samuel 2: 10)
..2 Samuel: "The Son ofDavid" who is to sit upon the throne (2 Samuel 7: 13-14)
..I & 2 Kings: "The Coming King"
..I & 2 Chronicles: "The Builder of the Temple" (1 Chronicles 28:20)
..Ezra: "The Restorer of the Temple" (Ezra 6: 14-15)
..Nehemiah: "The Restorer of the Nation" (Nehemiah 6: 15)  
..Esther: "The Preserver of the Nation" (Esther 4: 14)
..Job: "The Living Redeemer" (Job 19:25)
..Psalms: "The Praise of Israel" (Psalm 150:6)
..Proverbs: "The Wisdom of God" (Proverbs 8:22-23)
..Ecclesiastes: "The Great Teacher" (Ecclesiastes 12: 11)
..Song of Solomon: "The Fairest ofTen Thousand" (Song of Solomon 5:10)
..Isaiah: "The Suffering Servant" (Isaiah 53: 11 )
..Jeremiah: "The Maker of the New Covenant" (Jeremiah 31:31)
..Lamentations: "The Man of Sorrows" (Lamentations 3:28-30)
..Ezekiel: "The Glory ofGod" (Ezekiel 43:2)
..Daniel: "The Coming Messiah" (Daniel 9:25)
..Hosea: "The Lover of the Unfaithful" (Hosea 3:1)
..Joel: "The Hope of Israel" (Joel 3:16)
..Amos: "The Husbandman" (Amos 9:13)
..Obadiah: "The Savior" (Obadiah 21)
..Jonah: "The Resurrected One" (Jonah 2:10)
..Micah: "The Ruler in Israel" (Micah 5:2)
.Nahum: "The Avenger" (Nahum 2:1)
..Habakkuk: "The Holy God" (Habakkuk 1:13)
..Zephaniah: "The King of Israel" (Zephaniah 3:15)
..Haggai: "The Desire of Nations" (Haggai 2:7)
..Zechariah: "The Righteous Branch" (Zechariah 3:8)
..Malachi: "The Sun of Righteousness" (Malachi 4:2)
..Matthew: "The King of the Jews" (Matthew 2:2)
..Mark: "The Servant of the Lord" (Mark 10:45)
..Luke: "The Son of Man" (Luke 19: 10)
..John: "The Son of God" (John 1:1)
..Acts: "The Ascended Lord" (Acts I: 10)
..Romans: "The Believer's Righteousness" (Romans 1:17)
..I Corinthians: "The Believer's Sanctification" (I Corinthians 1:30)
..2 Corinthians: "The Believer's Sufficiency" (2 Corinthians 12:9)
..Galatians: "The Believer's Liberty" (Galations 2:4)
..Ephesians: "The Exalted Head of the Church" (Epheisans 1:22)
..Philippians: "The Christian's Joy" (Philippians 1:26)
..Colossians: "The Fullness of Deity" (Colossians 2:9)
..I Thessalonians: "The Believer's Comfort" (I Thessalonians 4:16,17)
..2 Thessalonians: "The Believer's Glory" (2 Thessalonians 1:12)
..I Timothy: "The Christian's Preserver" (I Timothy 4:10)
..2 Timothy: "The Christian's Rewarder" (2 Timothy 4:8)
..Titus: "The Blessed Hope" (Titus 2:13)
..Philemon: "The Substitute" (Philemon 17)
..Hebrews: "The High Priest" (Hebrews 4: 15)
..James: "The Giver of Wisdom" (James. 1:5)
..I Peter: "The Rock" (I Peter 2:6)
..2 Peter: "The Precious Promise" (2 Peter 1:4)
..I John: "The Life" (I John.)
..2 John: "The Truth" (2 John.)
..3 John: "The Way" (3 John.)
..Jude: "The Advocate" (Jude)
..Revelation: "The King of Kings and Lord of Lords" (Revelation 19:16)

Reproduced with permission.