The Story of God

A Statement from the Artist

In the summer of 2012, the preaching team of Flushing Community Church of the Nazarene crafted a sermon series titled The Story of God. Set over the course of nine weeks, the series journeyed through the overarching story of the Bible from beginning to end. To help communicate this story, I was invited to create artwork that would guide the church along that journey visually. Each of the nine panels that make up this project accompanied one of the sermons and was presented to the congregation with its corresponding message. Like the messages themselves, the panels were designed to piece together, creating one continuous mural that captures God’s story as a whole. Because of this, certain images deliberately point forward to later components or reflect those that appeared earlier.

Since the conclusion of the sermon series in 2012, the completed mural has been on display in the church’s facilities. In that time, many people have viewed the artwork who were not present for the original sermon series. But the mural was not intended to simply illustrate the story as it was preached, but to tell the story itself. With that in mind, this guide has been created to help viewers understand the imagery and draw them deeper into the story. Here you’ll find identification of the images in each panel, a summary of each segment in God’s story, and references to where these appear in the Bible. As you read and examine the art, I hope you not only learn but personally connect with the story in new ways. After all, the story of God is not simply a story to hear, but one into which we are all invited to live.

– Michael DeVuyst

The Dawn of Creation

PANEL 1

God’s story as we know it begins where His creation comes into being. Before time God was, and in His power and wisdom, He made all that was not. This panel highlights that creation. Earth forms the backdrop as it becomes center stage for the story. Both terrestrial elements (sky, land, vegetation, and water) and cosmic elements (sun, moon, and stars) of creation are pictured (Gen 1).

The pinnacle of God’s creation is humankind, male and female, designed in God’s image to live in open relationship with Him (Gen 1:26-30; 2). This is depicted by Adam and Eve standing unashamed in the presence of the lighted figure representing God. That original couple was placed in a garden with free access to the Tree of Life (Gen 2:9, 15-17), the fruit of which would enable them to live forever (Gen 3:22).

Yet the complete goodness of creation came in jeopardy when a serpent entered the garden and tempted humanity to distrust and turn from their Creator (Gen 3). As a result, all of creation fell under a curse from which God would spend the rest of the story working to redeem it. As sin and corruption on the earth grew, God sent a flood to cleanse the earth. He used the obedience of a faithful man, Noah, to preserve human and animal life from the destruction (Gen 6-9). The ark Noah built is depicted in the lower right, with the animals departing back into God’s creation under the appearance of the rainbow. This was a sign given as a promise and reminder of God’s grace to His creation.Path Church is a community of diverse people from all walks of life, who have decided to give Jesus the ultimate power and trust. This means we believe He will help us do what we can’t -forgive, transform, give back and nurture. We invite you to explore any of our recorded services (or stop by to see in person) to see Path's values and approach for yourself.

PANEL 2

The Family of Promise

God’s plan of redemption was set into motion through the calling of one family. God called Abraham (the prominent figure near the panel’s top) to leave all he knew to follow God with the promise that from Abraham would come a great nation and a blessing for the whole world (Gen 12:1-3).

Although his wife Sarah was barren, God promised that Abraham’s descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky (Gen 15:1-6), and even in their old age, the couple received God’s blessing through the birth of their son Isaac (Gen 17:15-21; 21:1-7). God established a covenant with Abraham through the shedding of blood (Gen 15:7-20), depicted by the bloody path seen in the center of the image.

Abraham’s faith was tested at the near-sacrifice of his son and God’s provision of a ram to be sacrificed in Isaac’s place (Gen 22). Here again God’s covenant is confirmed and His ultimate provision for the redemption of creation is foreshadowed. His blessing continued through this family as Isaac’s son Jacob wrestled with God in an encounter that changed his name to Israel and shaped his identity (Gen 32:22-32).

Years later, God preserved Jacob’s family through the providential placement of his favored son Joseph as a leader in Egypt (Gen 37; 39-47). The scene in the lower right corner depicts Joseph (pictured in white) revealing his identity to his eleven brothers who many years before had betrayed him. Yet through his hardships, Joseph affirmed that God remained at work (Gen 45:1-11).

The Calling of a People

PANEL 3

The descendants of Israel dwelt and multiplied in Egypt for over 400 years, even under Egyptian enslavement, represented here by the Egyptian statue (Ex 1). But God heard His people’s cry and set out to deliver them (Ex 2:23-25). To accomplish this, He called Moses to be their leader, depicted here with the staff (through which God provided numerous miracles) and the tablets of the Law (given to govern the relationship God would have with His people).

Moses received this call at the burning bush (Ex 3-4). Within the flames is the Hebrew name by which God revealed Himself (Ex 3:14). The bloody doorframe depicts the sign of the Passover lamb, by which each household of Israel was saved from God’s judgment (Ex 12:1-13).

This served as a gateway to the people’s redemption and God powerfully delivered them by parting the Red Sea and leading them to freedom (Ex 14). The mass exodus through the waters cuts a path through the panel’s center, away from Egypt.

The people then traveled to Mount Sinai, where God met them in a thick cloud, gave them His Law, and began shaping them into a holy nation (Ex 19). After 40 years, leadership was passed to Joshua (depicted here with sword raised, Num 27:12-23), who led the next generation in conquering the land God had promised to Abraham (Josh 1-24).

All of this was made possible by God’s continuing presence, which He made real through the ark of the covenant (Ex 25:10-22). The ark—surrounded by the cloud of God’s glory—connects this panel to the next to show God remained in the nation’s midst, both in the wilderness and in the Promised Land.

PANEL 4

The Rise and Fall of a Kingdom

Once settled into their own land, the people of Israel turned away from God and did what was right in their own eyes (Jg 21:25). They bowed down to idols and fell into the hands of their enemies. In their distress, God raised up judges to deliver His people, though they repeatedly fell back into the same habit of apostasy once the threat had been eliminated (Jg 2:11-23). This period is represented by three of the most well-known judges: Deborah (Jg 4-5), Gideon (Jg 6-8), and Samson (Jg 13-16).

After this, God used Samuel to judge and guide the nation’s return to the Lord. The people demanded that Samuel appoint a king over them and, at God’s direction, he met their request (1 Sam 7-8). Samuel anointed Israel’s first two kings (1 Sam 10:1; 16:13) and he is depicted here pouring out the flask of oil that symbolizes Israel’s transition to a kingdom.

The first three kings, Saul, David, and Solomon (see 1-2 Sam; 1 Kgs 1-11), are the prominent figures on this panel. David was a man after God’s own heart (1 Sam 13:14) who received a divine covenant that an eternal kingdom would be established from his throne (2 Sam 7). Solomon built the Lord’s temple as the central place of worship for the nation (1 Kgs 8:12-61).

Following Solomon’s reign, however, the kingdom divided in two and began once again departing from God (1 Kgs 12). This period is portrayed by the fallen crown, broken scepter, and torn garment bearing the Hebrew names of Israel (on top) and Judah (on bottom), the northern and southern kingdoms.

The Exile of a Nation

PANEL 5

As the period of the divided kingdom continued, God repeatedly sent prophets to urge His people to repent of their evil ways and return to Him (2 Chr 36:14-16; Jer 35:12-17). The cloaked figure represents these prophets collectively. His heavy cloak reminds of the burden these men bore to bring God’s message to the people. His shadowed eyes and dire expression warn of the disaster to come if the people do not heed God’s word, symbolized by the scrolls in the prophet’s hand.

Sadly, the people as a whole did not return to God and, as He warned, first Israel (2 Kgs 17:6-23) then Judah (2 Kgs 25:1-21; 2 Chr 36:17-21) was destroyed. Depicted similarly to the exodus from Egypt in panel 3, the mass of people here moves from the burning remains of Jerusalem to the statue representing Babylon, where they remained in exile for 70 years.

Yet even while away from their own land, there were some who remained faithful to God. Esther’s role as queen (Est 1-10), Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s deliverance in the fiery furnace (Dan 3), and Daniel’s protection in the lions’ den (Dan 6) are all examples of God’s faithfulness to His people and to move His plan of redemption forward.

When the time of exile was fulfilled, God graciously returned a remnant of His people to Judah. There, under godly leadership again, the people began to rebuild, as depicted in the panel’s upper right (Ezra 1-6; Neh 1-6). God’s plans, however, exceeded the rebuilding of a physical kingdom. Through the re-establishment of His people in Jerusalem, God was preparing the way for the King that would bring salvation to all nations (Zech 8-9).

PANEL 6

The Coming of the Christ

The Bible remains silent on God’s activity in the 400 years between the Old and New Testaments. The dark void in the top left corner of this panel points to this silence, though it is abruptly broken by the appearance of the star that heralds the birth of Jesus, the long-awaited King of God’s people (Matt 2:1-2).

While many anticipated the coming of the Messiah, his arrival was not as expected. He was not simply a godly man, but the very Word of God incarnate among his creation (Jn 1). Yet He came as a baby, to Mary and Joseph, a humble couple selected by God, in very humble circumstances, placed at his birth in a feeding box for animals (Lk 1:26-38; 2:1-7; Matt 1:18-25). To show that Jesus’ birth was truly for all people, it was announced first to common shepherds by an angel (Lk 2:8-21).

As a grown man preparing for the work God had sent him to do, Jesus was baptized by John. Here his identity as God’s Son was affirmed and he was anointed by the Holy Spirit (Matt 3:13-17; Mk 1:9-11; Lk 3:1-22; Jn 1:29-34). From his baptism, Jesus was led into the wilderness where he endured temptation from Satan (Matt 4:1-11; Lk 4:1-13). The tempter is depicted here in the same form as the serpent from panel 1 to show how Jesus’ temptation connected him to the entire human race—and by overcoming that temptation, Jesus not only sympathizes with humanity’s weaknesses, but is able to extend grace and deliverance from them (Heb 4:14-16).

The Ministry of the Messiah

PANEL 7

Several important elements characterized Jesus’ ministry. He proclaimed the coming of God’s kingdom as the good news of God’s redemptive plan (Mk 1:14-15) and taught as one who had authority (Matt 7:28-29; Mk 1:21-22). His miracles, such as the healing of a leper (Mk 1:40-45), demonstrated Jesus’ compassion and power for all. The towel and basin point to Jesus’ humble service (Jn 13:1-17; Matt 20:25-28; Phil 2:5-7), while the cup and bread reveal his role as the mediator of a new covenant with God’s people (Lk 22:14-20; Heb 9:11-28; Jer 31:31-34).

This culminated in Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross (Matt 27; Mk 15; Lk 23; Jn 19). All of God’s redemptive work is focused on this point: Jesus provided payment and forgiveness for humanity’s sin; through him, salvation has come, and creation can be reconciled to God (Rom 5:6-11; Col 1:19-23; 1 Pet 3:18).

But death was not the end. Jesus rose from the grave to give eternal life to all who would believe in him (Matt 28:1-10; Mk 16:1-8; Lk 24:1-12; Jn 20:1-10; Rom 6:1-14; 1 Cor 15:1-22). The entrance to the empty tomb mirrors the doorframe of panel 3, as Christ’s resurrection is now the gateway to redemption for all people. All of this fulfills God’s plan throughout His story, as Jesus explained to his followers after his resurrection (Lk 24:25-27, 44-48).

The central image of Jesus connecting panels 6 and 7 (H) engages the viewer with extended hand, offering the same invitation to follow that he did to his first disciples. Like the ark of the covenant that connects panels 3 and 4, Jesus fully manifests the presence and glory of God, and holds the covenant God has made with His people. It is through Jesus alone that we are able to enter into God’s story and experience His gift of salvation (Jn 14:6; Acts 4:12; 1 Tim 2:5).

PANEL 8

The Spread of the Gospel

Following his resurrection, Jesus commissioned his followers to take the good news of redemption into all the world (Matt 28:18-20; Acts 1:6-8), then ascended into heaven with the promise to one day return (Acts 1:9-11). Central to fulfilling this commission was the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus also promised (Jn 14:15-17; 16:5-15; Acts 1:4-5). For this reason, the depiction of the Holy Spirit forms the central image of this panel.

He is represented here by a flaming dove, drawing from the imagery in both Jesus’ baptism (Matt 3:16) and the Spirit’s descent on the disciples at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4), which empowered the twelve apostles (shown top center) to boldly proclaim the gospel (Acts 2-4). From this ministry, the early church was born and God’s story continued to spread.Following his resurrection, Jesus commissioned his followers to take the good news of redemption into all the world (Matt 28:18-20; Acts 1:6-8), then ascended into heaven with the promise to one day return (Acts 1:9-11).

Central to fulfilling this commission was the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus also promised (Jn 14:15-17; 16:5-15; Acts 1:4-5). For this reason, the depiction of the Holy Spirit forms the central image of this panel. Stephen demonstrated God’s grace and power as he recounted the story to the religious leaders who stoned him, making him the first martyr for the gospel (Acts 6:8-7:60).

Philip’s encounter with the Ethiopian Eunuch took the gospel beyond the established borders of God’s people (Acts 8:26-40), while the conversion of Cornelius, a Roman centurion, made clear that redemption was not for the Jewish people alone (Acts 10).

The ministry of Paul (the prominent figure in the lower right) embodied this message. The ship represents the missionary journeys he undertook to build Christ’s church throughout the Gentile world (Acts 13-14; 16-20). Under God’s inspiration, Paul also wrote letters to the believers under his ministry which continue to minister today as books that make up a significant portion of our New Testament.

The Consummation of All Things

PANEL 9

The Bible gives us a glimpse into the consummation of God’s plan at the full establishment of His kingdom. God will again dwell with His people in a new heaven and a new earth, free of sin’s corruption (Rev 21:1-4). Like in panel 1, the new Earth forms the backdrop for God’s ongoing story. The tree of life appears again, along with the river of the water of life (Rev 22:1-5).

This new dwelling place is described as a city of pure gold, like clear glass (Rev 21:10-11, 18). Its gates are each made of a single pearl and its street is pure gold (Rev 21:21). One of these gates (depicted in the upper left) marks the church’s entrance into its eternal home from the story that has come before. The church at this time will be a great multitude from every nation worshipping around God’s throne (Rev 7:9-12).

And at the center is the Triune God. The Father, the lighted figure from panel 1, is seated on the throne (Rev 4:2-3, 9-11).

Jesus, the Son, stands before Him, as the conquering King of kings, crowned with glory and honor (Rev 17:14; Heb 2:9). He holds the rod of iron with which he rules the nations (Rev 19:15; Ps 2:7-9), and the book of life containing the names of all those who have overcome the world by faith in him (1 Jn 5:4-5; Rev 3:5; 20:11-15).

Crushed beneath his foot is the serpent, God’s adversary, who is finally defeated just as God foretold in the garden (Rev 20:7-10; Gen 3:14-15). Surrounding the Father and Son are the seven torches of fire representing the Holy Spirit (Rev 4:5). This picture does not signal the end of God’s story, but the start of a glorious new chapter that will continue for eternity.