His story. Not ours, nor theirs.

Last year, as I was reading through the Bible, the Lord reminded me of the importance of slowing down and seeing the scriptures for what they truly are. I wrote about it in this article: [Pressing Into God, Not Just MOG](https://mapstage.blogspot.com/2024/11/pressing-into-god-not-just-mog.html).  

This year, as I continue applying that principle, something else is becoming clear—something that might just be my focus for the year. I’m beginning to see, in a deeper way, that the scriptures are not about me. They are all about Him.  

Now, I’ve said the phrase "history is His story" before, but I’m realizing I hadn’t fully grasped its weight. It's easy to read the Bible as if it's just a record of the patriarchs, the priests, the prophets, and the people in between. You go through Bereishit (Genesis), and it feels like it’s the story of Adam, Chava (Eve), Qayin (Cain), Hevel (Abel), Noach (Noah), Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov, and the rest. But it’s not.  

Think about it—if you were to write the story of any man on earth, maybe your own father, would you be able to squeeze his birth, life, impact, and death into just a few pages? There are so many things the Bible doesn’t tell us about these people. Did Adam take baths? Did he have breakfast, lunch, and supper? What tools did he use to tend the garden? We don’t know, and the reason is simple: this is not their story. It’s God’s story—and the parts they played in it.  

In fact, most of the key figures in the Bible are actually pictures of who God is and what He is doing.  

Take Adam and Chava, for example—a picture of a God who desires partnership and friendship with humanity (Genesis 1:26-28).  

Avraham? A picture of a father willing to sacrifice his beloved son for the sake of many. "Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Yitzchak—and go to the land of Moriah. Offer him there as a burnt offering on a mountain (find out which mountain this was and you'll be shocked) I will show you." (Genesis 22:2).  

Moshe? A picture of a child born during a massacre (Exodus 1:22), hidden for years (Exodus 2:2), leaving for a long period, only to return and rescue his people (Exodus 3:10). Sound familiar?  

And then there's Yehoshua (Joshua). This one has me excited right now! We recently finished reading the book of Yehoshua, and wow! That book is not about Yehoshua—it’s about Yeshua! The name Yehoshua means God saves (Numbers 13:16), and its root is the same as Yeshua (Jesus). Yehoshua is a picture of Yeshua— YHWH who saves.

Through Yehoshua, we see a servant (Moshe’s aide) who becomes a leader, guiding his people to possess the promises of God. The entire book of Yehoshua isn’t about the man himself, nor is it about the Israelites—it’s a prophetic picture pointing to the God who saves. And who does He save? Only those who fully obey Him. "Whoever rebels against your word and does not obey it, whatever you may command them, will be put to death. Only be strong and courageous!" (Joshua 1:18). That’s exactly what the Israelites told Yehoshua, and those who held onto that confession enjoyed the fruit of their obedience.  

The more I slow down and see the scriptures for what they are, the more I realize—they’re not about men (then or now). They’re about the God who partners with men who are willing and obedient.  

Which brings me to a personal question: In God’s story, what’s my part? Am I adding value, or am I just a distraction?  

And for those who already know their part in God’s story—are you staying faithful to the script, or have you started making unauthorized edits?  

Here’s what I firmly believe: God’s ultimate plan is to partner with people to rescue more people.  

That’s how names made it into His story—Adam, Noach, Avraham, Moshe, Yehoshua, the prophets, the kings, the outcasts, the sinners, the seemingly unimportant boys and girls in history. God partnered with them, and that's why they were included. The genealogies aren’t just random names; they are a record of men and women whom God worked through (Matthew 1:1-17). He partnered with Miryam (Mary) as a seed carrier and Yosef as a stepfather (Luke 1:26-38). He partnered with prophets as mouthpieces, actors, and poets. He partnered with kings, shepherds, fishermen, tax collectors, and even former persecutors (1 Corinthians 1:26-29).

And He is still partnering with people today.  

Remember when He asked, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" (Isaiah 6:8). I strongly believe He is still asking that question. God is still recruiting partners. So before you partner with a missioner, minister, or that ministry partner with God.

So, are you a partner, or are you still on the fence? And if you are His partner, how are you using your time, talents, and treasures to advance His story?