God's Dreaming

The Legend

Using the symbols on this legend, you’ll be able to appreciate the story these paintings tell. Some symbols have been used by Indigenous Australians for a long time while others are new.

God’s Dream

Before creation, God had a vision or dream to create a family that He could share His love and glory with.

God Creates

Genesis 1; Colossians 1:15-17; Ephesians 6:12

God used His Word to create two realms: the seen world and the unseen world. The seen world includes the earth, mankind, animals, fish, birds, the sun, moon and all the stars.

The unseen world includes spiritual beings and heavenly creatures. In this unseen world, spiritual beings (angels) who are with God dwell in the Kingdom of Light and spiritual beings who rebel against God (evil angels) dwell in the Kingdom of Darkness, led by Satan.

Rebellion

Revelation 12:9; Genesis 3:1; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 2:1-2

God’s dream was to create a big family through the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, but the serpent Satan had another idea. He tricked Eve into disobeying God. Adam also broke God’s law. As a result they felt shame for the first time.

Because they obeyed Satan instead of God, Satan the Prince of Darkness became the god of this world.

Darkness and Death

Romans 6:23; Hebrews 11:4; Genesis 4:8; 1 John 3:12

Satan began to build his Kingdom of Darkness through Adam and Eve. Their sin, (breaking God’s law) separated them from God and brought death, sickness and hardship into the world.

God’s law requires a punishment for sin. That punishment is death and separation from God’s family in the Kingdom of Light.

Adam and Eve gave birth to Cain and Abel. God visited the two brothers and He respected only Abel’s sacrifice. Cain was jealous, refused to change his heart, and murdered his brother.

The Flood

Genesis 6:5-8; Hebrews 11:7; Genesis 9

Under this Kingdom of Darkness, everybody did evil. God was sorry that he had made mankind so he planned to flood the whole earth. God found one man named Noah who was not evil. God told Noah to build an ark (boat) to save himself and his household from the flood.

Into the boat Noah took two of every kind of animal. When the flood stopped, God told them to multiply and fill the earth. He also gave them the rainbow as a reminder that He would never flood the world again.

The Tower

Genesis 10:32 - 11:9

Sin still lived in people’s hearts so they turned from God. Refusing to fill the earth, they built and gathered around a tower, called ‘Babel’, and again followed their own ways. At this time there was only one language which all o f Noah’s descendants spoke.

God saw the tower and what they were doing in their rebellion. He then gave them all different languages so they could no longer understand each other. By this, he scattered the people to fill the whole earth.

The Scattering

Ephesians 6:12; Luke 4:5-7; John 8:44

As they were scattered, the people took good and bad law (a mixed understanding of how to live). Spiritual beings belonging to the Kingdom of Darkness, which is ruled by Satan, the father of lies, ruled over all the lands.

These spirits were waiting to make covenants (agreements), ceremonies and laws for the family groups as they found their lands and established their nations.

They influenced the people as they developed their own unique culture and spiritual stories. Much of this culture and law is still in place today.

Ungodly Ties

1 Timothy 4:1; 2 Timothy 3:1-5; Job 8:12-15

The spirits helped the people in traditional cultures by teaching them the ways of the land. They also imparted ungodly law, secrets, knowledge and power to lawmen, clevermen and medicine men to gain influence over the people. The people, in turn, relied on these leaders and obeyed the ruling spirits.

Today, Satan uses things like evil music and movies as well as influential people such as politicians, artists, teachers, celebrities and others to promote false beliefs and harmful ways of living. He seeks to control people through fear, lust and deception to keep them from following the true God, who is God of all the earth.

A Chosen People

Genesis 17; Genesis 32:22-32; Exodus 19-20

Once all the people groups were settled in their lands, God visited a man He called Abraham. God promised to make his descendants into a mighty nation that would be God’s special people if Abraham would believe and follow God. God kept his promise with Abraham’s son, Isaac, and grandson, Jacob (who became Israel).

Later God gave good law to Moses, the leader of Israel’s descendants. They put the good law into a special box16 and followed God and His law for a time, but sin was still within the hearts of people so the people of Israel turned their back on God and His good law to go their own way.

The Coming of Jesus

Romans 6:23; John 1:1-14, 3:16; 1 John 3:5; Luke 2-3; Mark 1:9-11

God’s law requires punishment for sin, but God is merciful and He had a plan to get His children into the Kingdom of Light.

God sent His Son, Jesus, to earth to save us from sin and death. Jesus never sinned.

Jesus came as a baby through Mary and God was His father. When Jesus grew up, His cousin, John, baptised Him in the River Jordan. As He came out of the water, the Holy Spirit came down upon Him.

Gift of Life

Matthew 11:5; John 1:12-13, 10:15-18; 1 Peter 2:21-25; 1 John 1:9; Romans 8:11

Jesus healed the sick, raised the dead, and did many other miracles. God’s plan was for His innocent son to take our punishment of death. Jesus agreed and died in our place by being nailed on a cross. Jesus paid the price to free us from punishment so we can become God’s children.

Now, if we accept Jesus’ sacrifice and follow God instead of going our own way, He will forgive our sin, wash away our guilt and shame and give us a new identity as sons and daughters of God.

Jesus was buried and was made alive again by the Holy Spirit. He showed that He had power over life and death, proving that He was God!

The Coming of the Holy Spirit

John 14:15-17,26; John 16:13-14; Matthew 28:19-20; 1 Peter 2:9

After Jesus came back to life He returned to Heaven, to His Father. He sent the Holy Spirit to live in God’s children. Through the Holy Spirit they can defeat the Kingdom of Darkness, live a right life by obeying God and perform miracles like Jesus did. The Holy Spirit is also their teacher, comforter and guide.

With the help of the Holy Spirit, God’s children are building God’s family by telling people the good news about Jesus.

God’s Family

John 1:12

All people are born into a broken world, but God is calling people to leave the old ways and become His children. He has a plan and destiny for each one of us.

People who put their trust in and follow Jesus are those who become the children of God. Baptism is also an expression of the child of God turning from the Kingdom of Darkness to the Kingdom of Light. It is God’s desire and dream for His family to be a loving community.

The Season of Grace

Matthew 13:3-9, 18-23

God is calling and reaching out to all people. Some will not listen, some will change a little; however it is only those who turn to God completely that are free from the Kingdom of Darkness.

He’s calling to you right now. This season of grace will end one day. There will be a day of judgement. Think about this. Whether you decide to follow Jesus or not is the most important decision of your life.

The Judgement

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Matthew 25:31–46; Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 15:3b-4

Jesus will come again as King over all the earth and defeat Satan and his kingdom once and for all.

This will also be a time of separation of those who have made Jesus the Lord or Boss of their life and those who haven’t.

God is a kind judge leading people to change their ways. He is also a God of Justice.

God’s Dream Fulfilled

God’s dream is being fulfilled. You can be a part of it. God’s plan is to bring all people into His family through Jesus.

If you don’t know God, the good news is that He has forgiven all your sin no matter what you have done. Because of this you now have the opportunity to accept His offer to become His son or daughter.

By asking Jesus to be Lord or Boss over your life, He will come and live in you by the power of the Holy Spirit. His Spirit will begin to sing a new song in your life — a song of love, peace and joy.

Your Invitation

It's your choice. If you want to be part of God's Family you can:
• Make a simple prayer to God, inviting Jesus into your life. Ask Him for His Holy Spirit and put him in charge of your life as you turn away from sin and darkness.
• This booklet tells the condensed story of God's love for mankind. The full story is in The Holy Bible. Find a copy and start reading it.
• Look for some Christian friends who are following God. Celebrate life and journey together.
• Share the story of God's family with others. Tell them the good news that God's dream is becoming a reality and that they can be part of it.