Rationale and Biblical Foundation
God loves people. In the beginning God created a universe to display his greatness. Then he created people to share and revel in it. When those people sinned, the intimacy they shared with God was forever broken. But God had an even bigger plan to show off even more greatness so people could share and revel in even more of it…if they would trust him.
When God created people, he said, “Be fruitful and multiply” (Gen 1:28). This imperative instituted families and stirred in them the desire to go into all the world exploring, creating and delighting in the Creator together. However, because of sin, families were also broken and children would grow up not having known of the original intimacy their parents had with the Creator. Parents would then have to pass on this firsthand knowledge which would become second hand and so on.
Even though the relationship people had with God was broken, God was still working and present and very active. His aim was and is to mend what was broken, to heal what was wounded and to restore what was ruined. He chose throughout history to speak and to share promises of redemption. Whenever he spoke or demonstrated his power it was intended to be shared. In fact, how could such powerful demonstrations not be made known? Inevitably, stories would be written and told in community and within families. Significant rituals and marker events would be instituted as powerful reminders of God’s faithfulness. People would hear portions of God’s greatness and glory again and again even though it could no longer be seen in all its fullness here on Earth.
