Color Version 100 Bible Stories You Should Know in a Lifetime

Author: Huang Weiwu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-09-01
Features:
1. The Elder of Antiquity Created the Universe
In the beginning, darkness was connected to darkness, chaos to chaos. There was no sky, no earth; no day, no night; no stars, no moon, no sun; no grass, no flowers; no flying birds or upright humans, no insects or beasts or fish. There was no beginning, no end. Everything was in nothingness—this was the state of the world before God created it. One day, the Elder awoke from his sleep and thought, "This universe should not be like this. It is not good." So, the Elder decided to change everything. First, God thought, there should be light to separate from darkness. With a mighty swing of His great hand, which could change everything, a bright light shone through the universe, bringing day and night, dawn and dusk. God then thought, "Now that there is light, there should also be air to separate the heavens from the earth." With another powerful swing of His wise and all-powerful hand, the blue sky and the yellowish earth came into being. God looked at the sky and the earth and was very satisfied. Then He said, "This land should have water to nourish everything." The Elder swung His hand once more, and from then on, there were lands and oceans. God believed that the land should have green grass and flowers, and whether it was grass or flowers, they should have seeds and nuts so that they could multiply endlessly. In six days, God created everything we have today—the seasons, the alternation of warmth and cold, the rivers and lakes on the land, and even the flying birds and walking beasts. After six days, God looked at all He had created and smiled with satisfaction. God yawned and felt tired. He thought, "I should rest for a day." And that is why we have Sunday. Another week began, and God looked at the thriving universe and thought, "This is indeed much better than chaos and darkness." Looking at the flying birds and running beasts, God seemed to think there was still something missing. After some thought, God finally smiled and said, "This beautiful universe should have a ruler, otherwise, how could there be life and vitality?" So, the Elder began His final creation.
2. Joyful Life in Eden
God lifted his wise head and looked afar, where the blue sea stretched endlessly, and nearby were lush green meadows. Fish swam happily in the ocean, while various beasts roamed the grasslands. Flocks of birds spread their gentle wings and soared across the blue skies, singing loud and moving songs of joy. God saw all this and thought, "There is still something missing." He believed that everything should have a ruler, and that ruler was a human. In an instant, the image of the first human formed in God's mind. So, God took a handful of moist, sticky earth—perfect for His great hand—and quickly shaped the first human according to His vision. In today's terms, this was a man, with a tall, strong body and robust muscles capable of overcoming all challenges. God blew a breath into the man, and he began to run on the earth. Seeing the beauty of his running posture, God named him Adam. Adam grew tired and finally fell asleep as night fell. Looking at the man He had created, God realized how lonely Adam was and decided to create a companion for him. While Adam slept, God took a soft rib from his side and, in no time, fashioned another human. Unlike Adam, this person had fair skin and a delicate figure. Without hesitation, God named her Eve. God took Eve's hand and led her to Adam. Adam awoke from his sleep and saw Eve and was overjoyed. Adam realized: "This person named Eve is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh. From now on, I will be united with this 'mother of life' of humankind, and thus, an endless story about humans will be told." Adam's sudden thought was God's will. God created Adam and Eve to bring infinite vitality to this flourishing world. God brought Adam and Eve to another place and said, "Listen, this is the Eden I have created for you. Do you like it?" Adam and Eve looked around at Eden and were amazed. It was a true paradise with flowing springs, blooming flowers, and the ground covered in gold, pearls, and red agate. Tall trees bore red and green fruits. Adam said, "This is a true paradise. Thank you, God." Eve also said, "Yes, God has created such a wonderful place. May God be with us." God replied, "Good. From now on, you will live here, in this magical Eden, to cultivate and guard this paradise." Adam looked up at the ripe red fruit and reached out to pick it, eating it with a sweet sensation while offering another to Eve. Suddenly, God said, "I must tell you that you may eat the fruit from any tree in the garden, but the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, you must never eat." Adam asked in confusion, "Why is that?" God said, "Don't ask why. If you insist on eating it, that will be the day of your death." After speaking, God disappeared mysteriously. Adam took Eve's hand and, under the bright sunlight, a pair of naked, beautiful figures walked across the green grass, playing among the flowers and trees. They appeared by the river, on the mountain peaks, on the waves, or sleeping together in the gentle flowerbeds. In the Eden God had created for them, this little couple lived happily.