Here’s a fascinating quote from Dr. Steven Mathewson:
Although it is not advisable to reduce the “center” or organizing principle of the Old Testament to one of these themes, it is possible to summarize the storyline of the Bible in one sentence. Here is my suggestion. The Bible is the story of God reestablishing the gift of his presence. The Bible begins and ends in a garden paradise where God dwells with his people. It moves from a potential building site in Genesis 1–2 to a finished city in Revelation 21–22.9 In between, God dwells with his people in various temples: the tabernacle, the Jerusalem temple, Jesus (Immanuel, “God with us,” Matt. 1:23), and the church (Eph. 1:19–22) (The Art of Preaching Old Testament Narrative, 109)
It’s a startling observation. Even if there are multiple ways to summarize the primary theme of the Bible accurately, I think this is one of the good ones.
May we enjoy God’s presence today!