This lesson explores the intimate connection between God's Spirit, His Word, and the act of creation. From the beginning, the Spirit of God breathed life into all of creation, sustaining it through His ongoing presence. Through passages like Psalm 33:6-9 and Job 33:4, we see how God's Spirit is both the breath of life and the means by which all creation is sustained. Ultimately, this lesson points toward the eschatological hope of resurrection, where the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead will raise the righteous, renewing all things in the new heavens and new earth.

This chapter review of The Gospel of Christ Crucified: A Theology of Suffering Before Glory delves into the messianic hope as understood in both Jewish and Christian traditions. The chapter explores how the Messiah’s role, rooted in biblical covenants, has been shaped by apocalyptic expectations and fulfilled in Jesus. It examines the distortion of this hope through Hellenistic, Gnostic, and Constantinian influences and critiques modern eschatological interpretations like dispensationalism and inaugurationalism. Ultimately, the chapter reaffirms the centrality of Christ’s return as "the blessed hope" (Titus 2:13) for believers, emphasizing its importance in the church’s proclamation and mission.