The final two chapters set the stage for the sequel book of “Exodus.” First, as we read Jacob’s final blessings we begin to see the twelve sons as the twelve tribes. This is how we will meet them in the book of Exodus. (Note that there are technically 13 tribes at this point, since Joseph has two sons that are included with their uncles. But the tribe of Levi becomes the tribe of priests who do not possess their own land, but become associated with temple worship.) Second, Joseph’s final words anticipate a future deliverance from God which he calls a “visitation” (Gen 50:24-26). He foresees a day in which God will need to personally show up and act for the salvation of his people. And though this day was far off for Joseph, he lived with hope in that future deliverance. This sets the stage for the second book of the Bible, Exodus which is, essentially, about a “visitation” from God.
Reflect: The completion of God’s work of salvation often feels a long way off, but hope in future deliverance is the fuel for the Christian life. Let’s pray that God will continue to use this study of “redemptive history” to stir our imaginations and fuel our hope. Connect: The author of Hebrews finds Joseph’s display of faith to be particularly encouraging. Hebrews 11:1-2, 22 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation… By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones. The book of Genesis has a lot of bleak stories in it. From the first sin, the first murder and heinous acts of corruption, we have seen humanity at its worst. The fulfillment to the promise of redemption made to Abraham has seemed to be (from a human vantage point) quite precarious. But God has proved to be faithful through very harrowing passages. As the book draws to a close the abundant blessing of God is on full display. There is a moment of peace. The family of Israel is settled, Jacob and Joseph are reunited, and Joseph prospers in his work. This is a good moment to reflect on the ways God has blessed us.
Reflect: Consider the various ways in which God’s blessing has been evident in your life. This does not mean we should expect a life of ease, but even in the midst of great hardship there are many things we can be thankful for. Connect: Thankfulness is particularly important for people who live on the other side of the cross. And God wants Christian community to be a place where we inspire one another to greater thankfulness. How can you share some aspects of your thankful list (above) with others? Colossians 3:15-16 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. While the presence of Joseph will ultimately mean salvation (from famine) for his brothers and their family, it also brings them into confrontation with the one whom they betrayed and sold into slavery years earlier. The story plays out at a fairly slow rate at this section and allows the drama to build. Joseph tests them. I don’t believe that he is torturing them, but offering them an opportunity for growth and for relational redemption. At the climactic moment, Judah offers his life in the place of Benjamin for the sake of his father’s heart. “Now therefore, please let your servant (Judah) remain instead of the boy.” Joseph is moved to tears by this encounter, and extends extraordinary mercy to his former oppressors. In both instances (Judah and Joseph) mercy leads to fullness of life.
Reflect: What broken relationships cast shadows over your life? How might the Lord be leading you to extend mercy in the midst of them? Connect: The theme of forgiveness finds its greatest and most expansive form in the NT as a reflection of the mercy of God revealed in Christ. Colossians 3:12-14 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. I have intentionally used the language of Christology ("humiliation" and "exaltation") to describe Joseph. As we saw yesterday, his life had a painful downward bent to it. Sold into slavery, falsely imprisoned, forgotten in prison, he went down… down… down. But God is at work and redemption is at hand. In this series of chapters, we see Joseph going, up…up…up. He is in the upward side of the J-curve. (Again, I am not suggesting that Joseph knew about who Jesus would be, or that we should overlook his unique historical contribution, but this is the pattern of how God’s works redemption in the Bible.) We also want to notice that when he is exalted to the second highest position of power in Egypt, it has the effect of offering a form of salvation to both his family and to the Egyptians. Joseph’s God-given insight and natural wisdom cause him to save grain in the years of plenty that will feed people in the years of famine. This offers the Egyptian people an escape from famine. But it also becomes the means by which the people of Israel find relief. Their circumstances were so dire that they journeyed to Egypt “that we may live and not die” (Gen 42:2). When they arrive, God has already gone before them and prepared their salvation through the life and ministry of Joseph.
Reflect: In what ways in God calling you to be a channel of blessing to others? Like Joseph (and Jesus), this could prove to be a costly endeavor for you. Connect: Ministry brings life to others, but often means suffering for the “minister.” But good news, God wins in the end. 2 Cor. 4:11-12 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you. Chapter 37 begins a new section in which we follow the life of Joseph. He will essentially be the main character for the remainder of the book. While Joseph is not a perfect character (the way he tells his dreams to his family seems to smack of pride), he is one of the more admirable ones that we meet in this book. His life is certainly exemplary in comparison to Judah (and this terrible incident with Tamar) as well as the other brothers who sell him into slavery out of jealousy. His life follows a pattern of setbacks and triumphs. But through it all, God is at work to protect the people of Israel and reveal himself. Over the years, the similarities between Joseph and Jesus have often been pointed out. We don’t want to go so far in the comparison that we lose sight of Joseph as a real historical figure, but a comparison illustrates the way in which salvation is worked out in the Bible. Joseph is extraordinarily gifted, he suffers for righteous reasons, and after suffering (and in some ways because of his suffering) he is able to save his people from death. This sort of "down-then-up" story line is what author Paul Miller calls “The J-Curve.” In the J-curve, God’s plan of redemption unites us to Jesus Christ as we share in his sorrows and in his victory. As we leave Joseph at the end of chapter 39, he is in a desperate place – alone, forgotten, imprisoned in a foreign land. But God is at work, and the upward sweep of redemption is on the way.
Reflect: Sometimes we suffer because of our own foolish mistakes, and sometimes we suffer as people who are righteous. Where have you, like Joseph, experienced suffering that you did not deserve? Connect: The Apostle Paul was no stranger to difficulties, in fact they defined his life. He believed that God was at work through his pain and that all of his hardship was part of God’s redemptive plan, bound up with the humiliation and exaltation of Jesus. Phil 3:8-11 For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him… that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. The chapters for this day illustrate an important point regarding Biblical history. While we often come to stories in the Bible expecting clear moral tales that have good guys and bad guys and easy lessons – most often that is not what we find. If salvation was a matter of human effort than we would benefit from a series of “morality plays” that show us how to be good people. But salvation is by grace, and the real world is messy. Sin affects all people and our human experience “East of Eden” is often sad, brutal and complicated. So it is with the story often titled, “the Defiling of Dinah.” It is all pretty terrible. Jacob’s daughter was raped by a neighboring tribal group and her brothers exact a gruesome revenge. All of this leaves Jacob and his family in a vulnerable place. Jacob responds by committing himself more deeply to God by removing all of the remaining idols from among his people (Gen 35:34). As the story progresses we see God at work to protect his people and keep his covenant promise that he would fight for them (Gen 35:5). And yet, we know from the story of Dinah that he does not protect us from all harm. And while the return to Bethel offers a reminder of God’s commitment to Jacob and his people, the story continues with a tragic note (Rebecca dies in childbirth), and an ominous note (the lineage of the Edommites is traced, reminding us of Israel’s enduring enemy.) This story is not really about the strength, power, or virtue of the leading characters, but rather it is about God’s faithfulness and his power to keep his end of the covenant agreement. In the midst of sorrow, we see God’s powerful presence working toward a long term redemption.
Reflect: Life is full of sorrows and there are often no easy answers to resolve the mysterious and painful presence of evil in the world. But the living God has revealed himself through Jesus Christ, a human being who was “a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.” What sorrows can you hold before the understanding knowledge of Jesus? Connect: The prophet Isaiah showed that the Messiah would enter into our suffering. Isaiah 53:3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. As we saw last week, Jacob was not a very admirable person. He tricked his father and brother and received the inheritance through deception. And yet, God chose to love him. This is good news for all sinners - God loves us in our brokenness and accepts us as we are. But the story of Jacob shows us that the love of God also works to transform us. Because of his feud with Esau, Jacob had to flee to Rebecca’s family. There he falls in love, works hard to earn the right to marry the girl of his dreams… and then he is deceived by his uncle Laban. This is a messy story and one can’t help but feel sorry for Leah, the unloved wife of Jacob. But for Jacob the setbacks continue. Even though his work as a shepherd is blessed with physical abundance, his uncle again deceives him and steals from his flock. Jacob “the deceiver” is getting a taste of his own medicine. When the pressure from Laban gets to be too much, Jacob decides to take his family back to his homeland, setting up a tense reunion with Esau in which Jacob was “greatly afraid and distressed.” But before his encounter with Esau, Jacob has a strange wrestling match with a supernatural opponent. In the face of adversity he hangs on to the angel – essentially, hanging on to God – until he extracts a blessing. Jacob receives not only a blessing, but a new name – Israel. And from Esau he receives unexpected grace. From now on, Israel will walk with a limp – a reminder of his struggle with God. But he returns home a different person, humbled and contrite. God has been at work through these difficulties.
Reflect: In what ways has God used adversity in your life to shape and change you? How might he be doing that now? Connect: Many Biblical authors show that God uses difficulties to transform us. James 1:2-4 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. The next section of chapters will cover the next generation, and be defined by conflict between two of Abraham’s grandchildren – Jacob and Esau. Though he is the younger son, Jacob will be the one through whom the blessing of Abraham is transmitted. He will eventually be renamed Israel and his twelve sons will become (roughly) the twelve tribes of Israel. On one level, the point of Jacob’s life is that God chose to bless him because of his sovereign choice and because of his grace. Jacob is not a particularly likeable character. At a human level, he deceives his father, manipulates is brother, and cheats his way to the all-important blessing. God’s sovereign choice in salvation is to bless people who do not deserve it. On the other hand, Esau is also responsible for the fate that befalls him (Heb 12:16). First of all, he despised his inheritance and sold it for a bowl of soup. Second, he married into the surrounding nations by taking “Hittite wives” (Gen 26:34-36, Gen 27:46) which threatened to introduce religious compromise.
Connect and Reflect: When we see God choosing Jacob we see undeserved grace (Rom 9:10-13). When we see God rejecting Esau we see warnings about how unbelief in the promises of God causes us to value the wrong things (Heb 12:15-17). How has God acted with sovereign grace in your life to give you what you don't deserve? Romans 9:10-13 And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, 11 though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls— she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” Hebrews 12:15-16 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God… that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. 2We continue to follow the story of God’s blessing as it moves down to the next generation. Isaac’s quest to find a wife is important because it is necessary to continue the lineage of blessing. The story about the camels being watered (Gen 24) is not a divine blueprint for finding a spouse. Rather, it shows God’s divine intervention to safeguard the promised lineage of Abraham through his descendants. (There was danger in this situation, because if Isaac had taken a wife from the surrounding nations, it would threaten to introduce the pagan practices of the surrounding cultures.) In this section there are several clear links between Abraham and Isaac. On one hand, we see a positive transmission from father to son: God reaffirms his commitment to bless Isaac in the same manner that he promised to bless his father Abraham (Gen 26:1-5). On the other hand, we see a negative transmission from father to son: Isaac gives in to unbelief and dodges the responsibility to protect his wife by claiming that she is his sister. Just like his dad did. This is a near fatal error because it threatens the lineage of promise. Once again, God has to intervene on behalf of his chosen people to protect them by using a (seemingly) pagan king to protect Rebecca.
Reflect: In what ways have the positive and negative aspects of your parents’ life been transmitted to your life? Connect: The consequences of our parents’ actions can have a lasting impact on our lives – for good or for ill. In the NT, Paul showed how the faith of Timothy’s ancestors was instrumental in shaping him for good. How can you leave a spiritual legacy of faith – either through parenting or mentoring? 2 Timothy 1:5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. So, this is a confusing section. God asks Abraham to journey to the top of Mount Moriah and offer his son as a sacrifice. For readers who are already steeped in Biblical literature, this is confusing because God says specifically that he abhors human sacrifice. While this practice was not uncommon in the ancient world, it would come to represent the very worst tendencies of the pagan cultures that surrounded Israel. (See King Ahaz and his compromise in II Kings 16:3.) But the story is also confusing on another level and must have been bewildering to Abraham. After all, Isaac is the child of promise. The middle section of Genesis all hinges around the promise to bless Abraham (and eventually the nations) through a human lineage – even as Abraham and Sarah remained childless. And now that the child of promise has finally appeared, Abraham is told to offer him up. Here are some things that we do know. God brings Abraham to the brink of doing something terrible to his son, and in so doing reveals several key truths.
Reflect: Abraham’s dilemma has traditionally been interpreted with a “metaphorical” parallel. Following this approach, when has God called you to a place of decision where you have been asked to hold your greatest treasure (your “Isaac”) before him with open hands? How might he be doing that now? Connect: In this experience, Abraham got to see a firsthand view of God’s ultimate sacrifice as he offered his only Son as a substitute for our sin. Jesus willingly embraced this plan for our salvation. It was God and not Abraham who would have to follow through on the sacrifice of his own son for the salvation of the world. John 3:16-17 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” We start this section by reading about a specific promise to Abraham concerning his son. The general promise to bless Abraham’s descendants are now given a timetable, “next year” a son will be born to Sarah and Abraham. The message is given by three strangers who we later see are representatives of the living God. (Gen 18:13 and Heb 13:2) This is hard for Sarah to believe and we won’t see the actual birth of Isaac until a few chapters later. However, the three visitors were passing through on a mission from God. Through them, God will check in on the neighboring cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and evaluate their wickedness. As the story shifts to Sodom we see Abraham take the role of redemptive mediator in an argument with God. We see the deep corruption of Sodom as they threaten to rape God’s messengers. We even see Lot’s callous and cowardly response to this threat as he offers his daughters up to the mob. There is not much in this place that would warrant God’s continued patience, but he intervenes to graciously spare Lot and his family. Sodom is destroyed, and while it seems that Abraham’s prayer was the only thing that spared Lot’s family, even Abraham doesn’t come out looking great. He melts under the pressure and pretends his wife is his sister to avoid a confrontation with Abimelech. Another example of the cowardly sacrifice of female honor. How can God ever work with these people?
Reflect: In his best moment, Abraham is a model of charity as he pleads for mercy on neighboring Sodom. Do we ask for God to show mercy on those around us? Connect: In Luke 10:1-22, Jesus warns of a coming judgment on the cities in Galilee. He sends out his disciples to offer redemption, but warns it will be worse on the Day of Judgment for those who reject the Gospel of Jesus Christ than for Sodom. God’s judgment is a serious threat and calls for serious repentance. Luke 10:1, 8-12 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go… "Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. 9 Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’ I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town." While Abraham is sometimes a model of great faith, he did doubt and he did some stupid things. At the root of this whole drama is Abraham’s practical problem. The promises of redemption are tied to Abraham’s descendants, but Abraham has not been able to have children and he and his wife are quite old. To ensure his commitment to his promises, God makes a covenant with Abraham (Genesis 15) which will extend to his children. The form of this covenant would have been familiar with Abraham and people of his time, but walking through dead animal pieces seems strange to modern people. The impact of this covenant ceremony was meant to show that the weaker party (in this case Abraham) would experience the same type of cutting apart if he broke the terms of the covenant. This would have been an effective ceremony for ancient “Emperors” to use so as to ensure the loyalty of their subjects. But in a surprise twist, it is not Abraham who walks between the slain animals, but in a vision God himself move through the pieces in the form of a smoking firepot. Even at the start of redemptive history God showed that he would take the failures of his people upon himself. This covenant of grace would shape the entire rest of the Bible. It is further expanded in chapter 17 and circumcision is given as a sign to mark all the male members of the covenant community. God will continue to deal graciously with Abraham and his descendants in spite of their weaknesses. This is great news, because sandwiched right between these two great, covenant making chapters… Abraham does something really stupid. Rather than trust God, he takes action into his own hands, and tries to produce an heir through his wife’s servant (with her encouragement.) This may have been normal in the ancient world, but it is outside God’s plan for family life and covenant fulfilment… and it creates a world hurt for everyone involved.
Reflect: Where are your tempted to take matters into your own hands and go outside of God’s commands for your life? Where are do you struggle to trust God’s purposes as you face disappointment in life? (As childless Abraham did.) Connect: Jeremiah is an Old Testament prophet who showed how God would work to bring a New Covenant. This is a continuance of the same covenant of grace given through Abraham, but when it is fulfilled in Christ, it will lead to the transformation of the hearts of God’s people. Jeremiah 31:33-37 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. Chapter 12, represents a huge change in the plot of redemptive history. While mercy had been previously displayed and redemption had been hinted at, this is the first clear mention of how God will do it. He is going to bring redemption through a particular human family – Abraham* and his descendants. Now, it will become painfully clear in the following chapters that Abraham is both admirable and sinful. He trusts God and becomes an example of true faith. But he struggles in mighty ways. His children and grandchildren are often petty and corrupt. In other words, the redemption that comes through Abraham will have to be “by grace.” Abraham does not earn it.
But what does this redemption look like? God will have a special relationship with Abraham. This will be played out in four tangible ways: (1) his family will be a great nation and his name will be great, (2) God will align with him as an ally and fight against his enemies, (3) he will have a special land to possess, and (4) “in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” This fourth promises is a direct answer to the problems seen at the end of the last chapter. God will call a special people to himself and he will use them to be his instruments on earth. From this point forward, the story of the Old Testament will follow the people who are the descendants of Abraham, their entire existence defined by this promise. Redemption will be a group activity. Notice also how this plan for redemption occurs against the backdrop of ongoing conflict (chapter 12-13). Reflect: How do you see redemption being worked out in the midst of conflict in your life? Connect: In his letter to the Galatians, Paul describes how faith in Christ can connect all people to the promises of blessing that were first made to Abraham. If we are “in-Christ” by faith, then we receive the blessings due to Jesus – the true heir of Abraham. Gal 3:27-29 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise. *Abraham’s name is initially “Abram, until God changes it in Genesis 17:4, but for simplicity sake, we will refer to him throughout by the later name, following the pattern of Scripture itself (see Romans 4:3). Chapter 10 starts with a list of descendants of Noah which serve to show how this reboot of humanity expanded out to fill the surrounding regions. Practically speaking, it served a role in explaining the world that the people of Israel would come to live in. Chapter 11 gives us a very interesting “backstory.” Since, the descendants of Noah are listed as having their own languages, it seems clear that the story of Babel does not follow the development of these nations, but in must have happened at some point during the genealogies of chapter 10. The role of the Tower of Babel account is very important in the larger story of redemptive history. It shows us that humanity is still defined by its central ambition to exalt themselves rather than submit to God’s rule. The tower that they build will reach to heaven – a clear sign of self-promotion. At the same time, they seek to build a great city to avoid having to spread out – the very thing that Adam & Eve were charged to do in the garden. But the tower project is not successful. God confuses their language and they are scattered. As we prepare to move into a clearly new section of the book in the next chapter, we are left with several questions: How will anything good come from this mess of humanity? If humans are divided by family ties and linguistic skills how will they ever learn to get along? How will redemption enter into this dismal scene? Enter Abraham.
Reflect: What are ways that you see humans separated by their language and cultural differences? Connect: In Romans 3, Paul shows that all humanity – including people from every family on the earth – is redeemed the same way, by faith in Christ. Romans 3:22-24 For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus… Well, I told you it would be bad. What a mess we see on earth as the story of Noah unfolds. “The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (v.6:5) Then, God comes down and expresses himself in very relatable, human terms, saying, “I am sorry that I have made them.” So, he decides to clear it away and start over. Well, not entirely over. God is going to reboot the human race through a man named Noah and his family. Noah is a model of upright conduct and trusts God enough to build a giant boat in the middle of the desert. Then God allows Noah to be a successful steward of the creation – just as humans were designed to do from the beginning. In this story we see that God takes sin seriously. But God is also committed to redemption. The ark carries his chosen people through the waters of judgment and the world will be renewed. However, even as the waters are subsiding it becomes clear that redemption will require something more. Noah gets drunk and his family lineage is continued in an act of disgrace. God promises never to destroy the world with water again, but if the reboot is going to work, we need more than just a fresh start. Humanity needs lasting forgiveness and radical transformation.
Reflect: How do you see evidence for the fall in the actions of humans around you and in your own heart? Connect: In the New Testament, Peter compared God’s salvation in the ark to the salvation that believes have in Christ. As the ark brought Noah and his family through the waters of judgment, baptism connects us to Jesus, who brings his people through the judgment of God through his victory over death. I Peter 3:20-22 …God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God… In the narrative flow of the Bible, we move very quickly towards the introduction of a major problem. Adam and Eve are tempted, they give in, they sin, and they are expelled from the garden. It may seem too severe, but their actions were significantly harmful. In some sense, eating the fruit changed them. “Their eyes were opened.” (3:7) The relationship with their creator was altered. In their rebellion they stopped trusting in God and rejected his right to rule over them. Once we step outside of a relationship in which God is supreme and where we live dependently as his created beings - then everything gets turned upside down. At the same time, we see God’s first act of grace. Adam and Eve do not die immediately, but it appears that an animal is killed in their place. They are clothed with animal skins and expelled from the garden. Their relationship with the created world is now cursed, and they cannot access the fruit of the Tree of Life – death will find them. But God also promises that one day a seed from the woman will crush the head of the tempting serpent. (3:15) In the following chapters, we see what life is like “East of Eden.” It is not a pretty picture. Brother kills brother, and violent boasting becomes the order of the day. It is going to be a mess.
Reflect: How do we face temptations that are similar to that faced by Adam and Eve? In particular, how might we be tempted to pursue knowledge apart from God, or to disbelieve God’s description of what is dangerous and what is good? Connect: Romans 1-3 describes humanity after the fall, where we all live, “East of Eden.” Romans 3:9-12 For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” The Bible starts with two chapters that describe the story of creation. This is not only the beginning of the Bible; it is a description of the beginning of the entire universe. In these two chapters we learn important things. First, we learn about God. God is eternal, all powerful, and outside of the creation. Second, we learn that the world we live in is a world that has been ordered by God’s creative powers. It was created “good” and has a clear order to it. Finally, we learn that humans are meant to have a special role in the created world and a special relationship with God. All human beings are made “in God’s image.” Even after the disastrous effects of the fall (which we will read about next), humans are still special and each person has dignity and value. Finally, we see that while humans were created in God’s image and were called “very good”, they have capacity for making terrible choices. The first humans are placed in a garden and directed to enlarge their family and cultivate the earth. (Presumably, they would extend the borders of the Garden in Eden across the earth.) However, there was also a limit placed upon them – they must not move outside of their subordinate role toward God by eating from one particular tree.
Reflect: How do you see the “goodness” of the created world as you look out your window, or as you consider the world around you? Connect: In the NT, John described a new beginning through the arrival of Jesus – the eternal Son of God in human flesh. John 1:1-4, 14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. |
Archives
April 2021
CategoriesAuthorThis blog is part of the ministry of City Reformed Presbyterian Church. Unless otherwise noted, the entries are written by Matt Koerber. This is part of a project that our church is doing as we read through the narrative sections of Scripture between early January and Easter 2020. New entries will be scheduled to drop automatically at 5:00 am on the scheduled day. |