Gen. 2:9
The description of this incredible gift – a home in Eden – begins here. We learn that it had all variety of trees. The sights and tastes were so incredible, and incredibly diverse! Plants covered the earth from the third day of Creation. But, this region – where it was we’ll get to with the next verse – had special significance. Two special trees were preset. They were the tree of life, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
These were specific trees. People often make the mistake of trying to make this an allegory. That is the very problem other creation accounts have. They are so fanciful, whereas this is simple and straightforward. It is a true account of our beginning. However, one can see a special purpose in the mention of these trees, which God inspired Moses to write so we could learn something about God’s love.
See, as noted, God had already offered grace to man. That free gift was life in Eden, perhaps with man conscious of where he had been formed, perhaps not. That part isn’t important. What is important is that Adam and Eve were untested. They had not yet brought sin into the world. They had a choice, though.
Had they obeyed God, and only eaten of the tree of life, they would have had no problem. They could have lived forever. However, instead, they chose to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This shows several things.
First, we see that there was a choice between systems. God’s system was entirely by grace. Had man stayed with that system, he could have remained in Eden.
However, man chose to do it his own way. The wonderful mercy of God then allowed the man to be restored, but there was an awful price that would be paid.
This is what happened in the beginning, but it is also a picture of our status. When we are born, we have a choice – whether or not to accept God’s grace. We must accept it to be reconciled to Him, because of our sin nature. It is that sin nature that makes us sin. When we accept that grace, He places us in a wonderful place. No, He doesn’t take us to Heaven right away. But, He does place us in a position of being able to fellowship with Him while we are alive here – He came that we might have life, and have it more abundantly. (John 10:10) This is also called positional sanctification.
Because of our sin nature, we mess up even after we’re saved. However, God’s grace and mercy continues, even then. We are never kicked out of His family. In the same way, God didn’t forget Adam and Eve and start over. They were still His children. They were simply the first example of what Jesus told of in the parable of the Prodigal Son.
However, we do lose blessings and rewards. Our fellowship with God isn’t as close, until the wrong is made right. And yet, the wrong is made right only through God’s grace. It is only when we repent and accept His forgiveness that fellowship can be restored. We can’t do it on our own. This will be discussed more when chapter 3 is explored.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Gen. 2:8
The Lord planted a garden in Eden. We don’t know exactly how, except that it was fully grown. It has become another name for Paradise, but all Earth was like this then. So, why this special place?
First, God wanted to give mankind a home base. Hence, He put the man in the garden. He knew that a place for comfort and security would be important. Eden, then, was man’s first home. It was a place where – as children were born, grew up, and had their own families – they could leave and come home to whenever they wanted.
As Christians, our home is in Heaven; we are travelers in this world, on our way to what comes afterward, which depends on where we put our trust while alive here. In Heaven, there won’t be any pain, suffering, or anything else bad. God won’t allow any of that stuff to hurt us.
Will people leave New Jerusalem – Heaven on Earth as shown in Revelation 21-22 – and explore? I don’t know. It will probably be so different that human words would not be able to describe how incredible it is, and how unlike our existence today.
Second, it wasn’t just a home, it was a place God could show His grace. Notice that He put the man there, which seems to imply Adam was made somewhere close by. God had established linear time with the foundation of the world. He was further putting things in order by having an established place for people to be. They could go anywhere, but oh, what an incredible place that was which God had given them.
Just think what that may have been like, when God placed man there. Presuming Adam was not created there, this means God made him somewhere nearby, and placed him in the most incredible place, filled with all sorts of wonders. We don’t know how. Perhaps as the first theophany – God taking on human form before the Incarnation as Jesus Christ – He walked with the man, or He carried him. Whoever, whatever it was, imagine the thrill of knowing that God had not only breathed life into him, but had placed him in Paradise. What heights of love, that God would do this for man. Man had done nothing to earn or deserve it – He was simply placed there. What great love God had for this most special of all creations!
First, God wanted to give mankind a home base. Hence, He put the man in the garden. He knew that a place for comfort and security would be important. Eden, then, was man’s first home. It was a place where – as children were born, grew up, and had their own families – they could leave and come home to whenever they wanted.
As Christians, our home is in Heaven; we are travelers in this world, on our way to what comes afterward, which depends on where we put our trust while alive here. In Heaven, there won’t be any pain, suffering, or anything else bad. God won’t allow any of that stuff to hurt us.
Will people leave New Jerusalem – Heaven on Earth as shown in Revelation 21-22 – and explore? I don’t know. It will probably be so different that human words would not be able to describe how incredible it is, and how unlike our existence today.
Second, it wasn’t just a home, it was a place God could show His grace. Notice that He put the man there, which seems to imply Adam was made somewhere close by. God had established linear time with the foundation of the world. He was further putting things in order by having an established place for people to be. They could go anywhere, but oh, what an incredible place that was which God had given them.
Just think what that may have been like, when God placed man there. Presuming Adam was not created there, this means God made him somewhere nearby, and placed him in the most incredible place, filled with all sorts of wonders. We don’t know how. Perhaps as the first theophany – God taking on human form before the Incarnation as Jesus Christ – He walked with the man, or He carried him. Whoever, whatever it was, imagine the thrill of knowing that God had not only breathed life into him, but had placed him in Paradise. What heights of love, that God would do this for man. Man had done nothing to earn or deserve it – He was simply placed there. What great love God had for this most special of all creations!
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Gen. 2:7
Dust of the ground
It’s interesting that the word “dust” is used. Did you know that when you have to dust a room, much of that is dead skin or hair? Of course, pollutants and other things can come in from outside with the windows open. But, some of that is still be dead skin.
Of course, we are much more than dead skin. We have amazing DNA, which is so complex that it could never have come about by chance. Remember, genes are never added; it’s always the same number. They’ll change over time, but the number will never expand. God made each person special. And, when people rebelled against Him, He knew just what to do. The first Adam was made a living soul, but the second Adam was made a quickening spirit. That means a Spirit that is not only alive, but continues to make all things new. Because that last Adam, Jesus Christ, makes that change to anyone who is in Christ, and continues working in them.
Breath of life…A living soul
We must have Christ make us new, because we are dead in our sins. However, that was not the case with Adam and Eve before they sinned.
Man being made a living soul doesn’t just mean that he was alive. Everything living is alive. However, the type of soul was special. This was a soul which had spiritual life. Because man was alive spiritually, he could fellowship with God. That’s what the breath of life was all about. It is a different Hebrew term, according to Strong’s concordance, than is used in Genesis 6:17. That term simply refers to the breathing of all creatures, and can be related to wind. However, this breath of life relates to that living soul which man became. If God had not wanted man to be special, He would have simply said “let there be man” and that was it.
That living soul could fellowship with God because God had breathed into the man the breath of life. When man brought sin into the world, he brought death because of it. (Rom. 5:12) This was a separation from God. When a person trusts Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, though, they get quickened. They are made alive. In a way, it’s as if God performs mouth to mouth on our souls. That quickening Spirit – which makes us alive – resuscitates us. He restores life to us. In the same way that God breathed life into the first man, he gives us Spiritual life now, whenever we seek Him.
While we might fail to make use of that life, we can never lose that life. To do that, we would have to totally reverse the process. That would be like when George Bailey, in “It’s A Wonderful Life,” wishes he’d never been born. One might be able to imagine the effects. But, a person can never be unborn. Nor can a person ever have that new birth in Christ taken away.
It’s interesting that the word “dust” is used. Did you know that when you have to dust a room, much of that is dead skin or hair? Of course, pollutants and other things can come in from outside with the windows open. But, some of that is still be dead skin.
Of course, we are much more than dead skin. We have amazing DNA, which is so complex that it could never have come about by chance. Remember, genes are never added; it’s always the same number. They’ll change over time, but the number will never expand. God made each person special. And, when people rebelled against Him, He knew just what to do. The first Adam was made a living soul, but the second Adam was made a quickening spirit. That means a Spirit that is not only alive, but continues to make all things new. Because that last Adam, Jesus Christ, makes that change to anyone who is in Christ, and continues working in them.
Breath of life…A living soul
We must have Christ make us new, because we are dead in our sins. However, that was not the case with Adam and Eve before they sinned.
Man being made a living soul doesn’t just mean that he was alive. Everything living is alive. However, the type of soul was special. This was a soul which had spiritual life. Because man was alive spiritually, he could fellowship with God. That’s what the breath of life was all about. It is a different Hebrew term, according to Strong’s concordance, than is used in Genesis 6:17. That term simply refers to the breathing of all creatures, and can be related to wind. However, this breath of life relates to that living soul which man became. If God had not wanted man to be special, He would have simply said “let there be man” and that was it.
That living soul could fellowship with God because God had breathed into the man the breath of life. When man brought sin into the world, he brought death because of it. (Rom. 5:12) This was a separation from God. When a person trusts Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, though, they get quickened. They are made alive. In a way, it’s as if God performs mouth to mouth on our souls. That quickening Spirit – which makes us alive – resuscitates us. He restores life to us. In the same way that God breathed life into the first man, he gives us Spiritual life now, whenever we seek Him.
While we might fail to make use of that life, we can never lose that life. To do that, we would have to totally reverse the process. That would be like when George Bailey, in “It’s A Wonderful Life,” wishes he’d never been born. One might be able to imagine the effects. But, a person can never be unborn. Nor can a person ever have that new birth in Christ taken away.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Gen. 2:6
Gen. 2:6
There went up a mist
After considering several commentaries, there are two main possibilities here.
1. This mist could have simply fallen as rain later. Notice that this is just the way clouds form; there is dew, that dew evaporates into the atmosphere, and so on. This could be God’s way of explaining how rain occurs. In other words, what is meant here is that it had not rained on the earth, but a mist went up from the ground, so it soon would. Or,
2. It could haven a supernatural mist, which changed when man brought sin into the world. God’s ways are incredible, after all.
I believe God could have used just this dew and mist to water the plants. However, option #1 is equally valid. The Bible doesn’t state clearly that there was no rain till the Flood of Noah. This is another area where we see through a glass darkly.
The important part, however, is coming. It shows God made man special. It shows consistency with chapter 1, also. We will see more specifically how He made all those creatures on the sixth day of Creation.
There went up a mist
After considering several commentaries, there are two main possibilities here.
1. This mist could have simply fallen as rain later. Notice that this is just the way clouds form; there is dew, that dew evaporates into the atmosphere, and so on. This could be God’s way of explaining how rain occurs. In other words, what is meant here is that it had not rained on the earth, but a mist went up from the ground, so it soon would. Or,
2. It could haven a supernatural mist, which changed when man brought sin into the world. God’s ways are incredible, after all.
I believe God could have used just this dew and mist to water the plants. However, option #1 is equally valid. The Bible doesn’t state clearly that there was no rain till the Flood of Noah. This is another area where we see through a glass darkly.
The important part, however, is coming. It shows God made man special. It shows consistency with chapter 1, also. We will see more specifically how He made all those creatures on the sixth day of Creation.
Gen. 2:5
Gen. 2:5
Before it was in the earth…before it grew
God created the plants of the earth, in all their variety, totally mature. There was no need to create seeds, and then wait for things to grow. He had everything available for them, however, just as He provides for all of us.
In the discussion of the third day, it was noted the plants were made before the sun. Here, we learn they were created before it had rained, too. Whether it ever rained before the Flood is less certain, but these plants certainly thrived without it. They also survived without anyone cultivating it. And, everything was in place for them to spread their seeds and expand all over the earth.
It’s stunning – yet expected – that people have become so prideful that they try to regulate where seeds can grow, and insist on farmers not using seeds from nature, but only seeds produced by some company. God provided fruits, vegetables, and other foods from the foundation of the world, and mankind insists on trying to control it.
Not a man to till the ground
Not only was there no rain, just a mist from the earth, there was nobody to till the ground at first.
It’s little wonder that Jesus spoke of Creation that even Solomon in all his glory wasn’t like one of these. Seeds could go anywhere, blow anywhere, and be placed where God wanted. B birds could be fed on them, yet there would be plenty left over for the next generation of plants. This was a perfectly designed system. And yet, mankind in his fallen state has ruined it on more than one occasion. Man-made famines have occurred in history, killing millions of people in some cases. Greed, wickedness, and selfishness have caused countless problems.
Of course, God wanted man to till the ground. He set it up that way so mankind could revel in God’s awesome creation. Just as I wept tears of joy at seeing another world through the Mars rover, God knew someone who was close to land might find it easier to commune with Him, as such a person would see the splendor of His creation more consistently. The men and women on the farm could enjoy the spectacle of nature. They could consider God’s great provision in the former and latter rains. There is a reason that rural communities, quite often, are more conservative and down-to-earth. Sin means that they aren’t perfect, either. But, they do appreciate much more of Creation because they are closer to God and all that He has done. They don’t experience – and thus don’t get caught up in - all the manmade things one sees in the big cities.
Before it was in the earth…before it grew
God created the plants of the earth, in all their variety, totally mature. There was no need to create seeds, and then wait for things to grow. He had everything available for them, however, just as He provides for all of us.
In the discussion of the third day, it was noted the plants were made before the sun. Here, we learn they were created before it had rained, too. Whether it ever rained before the Flood is less certain, but these plants certainly thrived without it. They also survived without anyone cultivating it. And, everything was in place for them to spread their seeds and expand all over the earth.
It’s stunning – yet expected – that people have become so prideful that they try to regulate where seeds can grow, and insist on farmers not using seeds from nature, but only seeds produced by some company. God provided fruits, vegetables, and other foods from the foundation of the world, and mankind insists on trying to control it.
Not a man to till the ground
Not only was there no rain, just a mist from the earth, there was nobody to till the ground at first.
It’s little wonder that Jesus spoke of Creation that even Solomon in all his glory wasn’t like one of these. Seeds could go anywhere, blow anywhere, and be placed where God wanted. B birds could be fed on them, yet there would be plenty left over for the next generation of plants. This was a perfectly designed system. And yet, mankind in his fallen state has ruined it on more than one occasion. Man-made famines have occurred in history, killing millions of people in some cases. Greed, wickedness, and selfishness have caused countless problems.
Of course, God wanted man to till the ground. He set it up that way so mankind could revel in God’s awesome creation. Just as I wept tears of joy at seeing another world through the Mars rover, God knew someone who was close to land might find it easier to commune with Him, as such a person would see the splendor of His creation more consistently. The men and women on the farm could enjoy the spectacle of nature. They could consider God’s great provision in the former and latter rains. There is a reason that rural communities, quite often, are more conservative and down-to-earth. Sin means that they aren’t perfect, either. But, they do appreciate much more of Creation because they are closer to God and all that He has done. They don’t experience – and thus don’t get caught up in - all the manmade things one sees in the big cities.
Gen. 2:4
Gen. 2:4
The generations of
Because this phrase is used often in Genesis, some have speculated that Moses borrowed from Noah, Abraham, and others. However, any internal textual evidence - like the dividing of parts of Genesis by the words “the generations of” - is almost certainly there as a method that the Spirit used to set landmarks, to help readers.
This is especially likely when one considers that chapter and verse headings are not inspired. Each book of the Bible was divided into chapters in the 1200s. These chapters were divided into verses in the 1500s. Before that, people needed some kind of marking to show them when a section of material, or an important point, was being made.
This is the purpose of this phrase. Each occurrence lets one understand that a section of Genesis, dealing with some of the patriarchs, is starting. It can mean the same thing if this phrase, in Genesis 2:4, is being used to indicate that the telling of the “generations of the Heavens and the earth” is ending, with more specifics to come.
The notion that anyone before or after Moses assisted in the writing also goes against common sense. Moses may have written the Torah over decades, given the time spent in the wilderness. People change styles bit by bit, and may write differently depending on their feelings that day.
Finally, even if Moses used a list of names, this does not mean someone earlier “wrote” parts of it. It just means that he incorporated these lists in ways that only the Spirit could instruct him. God, after all, did not dictate his Word, word for word. He supernaturally used human writers to write what He wanted, while still somehow allowing each to retain his individual style.
In the day
This doesn’t mean a literal day. “Day” is used here to refer to a time, just as the end is often referred to as “the day of the Lord.”
God
Another of God’s names is used here, just as we see new names for the Lord at other times through the Bible – Jehovah Jireh, for instance, meaning “God will provide.”
This shows the many aspects of God, and the many hats He wears. He is the Almighty, the Creator, our Provider, the Godhead, and so on. So many different ways exist to describe Him, because of His all-powerful nature. One can’t be satisfied just giving Him a name like “the Creator,” He does so much more than that.
Those who think this is a change don’t understand just how incredible He is. One explanation of the Godhead which has often been used, as mentioned earlier, is how a man can be a father, a son, and a brother at the same time. If this same man has several jobs – like Bo Jackson did back in the 1980s – one might say he is a power hitter, an outfielder, a powerful running back, an incredible athlete, and so on. A person can have many, many different descriptions given to him.
So it is with God. Moses, inspired by the Holy Spirit, wanted a way to describe God which was different than he’d used earlier, because he felt another way was better. This way points to God as the great “I AM,” the eternally existing one.
The generations of
Because this phrase is used often in Genesis, some have speculated that Moses borrowed from Noah, Abraham, and others. However, any internal textual evidence - like the dividing of parts of Genesis by the words “the generations of” - is almost certainly there as a method that the Spirit used to set landmarks, to help readers.
This is especially likely when one considers that chapter and verse headings are not inspired. Each book of the Bible was divided into chapters in the 1200s. These chapters were divided into verses in the 1500s. Before that, people needed some kind of marking to show them when a section of material, or an important point, was being made.
This is the purpose of this phrase. Each occurrence lets one understand that a section of Genesis, dealing with some of the patriarchs, is starting. It can mean the same thing if this phrase, in Genesis 2:4, is being used to indicate that the telling of the “generations of the Heavens and the earth” is ending, with more specifics to come.
The notion that anyone before or after Moses assisted in the writing also goes against common sense. Moses may have written the Torah over decades, given the time spent in the wilderness. People change styles bit by bit, and may write differently depending on their feelings that day.
Finally, even if Moses used a list of names, this does not mean someone earlier “wrote” parts of it. It just means that he incorporated these lists in ways that only the Spirit could instruct him. God, after all, did not dictate his Word, word for word. He supernaturally used human writers to write what He wanted, while still somehow allowing each to retain his individual style.
In the day
This doesn’t mean a literal day. “Day” is used here to refer to a time, just as the end is often referred to as “the day of the Lord.”
God
Another of God’s names is used here, just as we see new names for the Lord at other times through the Bible – Jehovah Jireh, for instance, meaning “God will provide.”
This shows the many aspects of God, and the many hats He wears. He is the Almighty, the Creator, our Provider, the Godhead, and so on. So many different ways exist to describe Him, because of His all-powerful nature. One can’t be satisfied just giving Him a name like “the Creator,” He does so much more than that.
Those who think this is a change don’t understand just how incredible He is. One explanation of the Godhead which has often been used, as mentioned earlier, is how a man can be a father, a son, and a brother at the same time. If this same man has several jobs – like Bo Jackson did back in the 1980s – one might say he is a power hitter, an outfielder, a powerful running back, an incredible athlete, and so on. A person can have many, many different descriptions given to him.
So it is with God. Moses, inspired by the Holy Spirit, wanted a way to describe God which was different than he’d used earlier, because he felt another way was better. This way points to God as the great “I AM,” the eternally existing one.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Seventh Day - Genesis 2:1-3
Gen. 2:1-3
The Sabbath was set aside to allow people to have that quiet time which he knew w4e’d need to fellowship with Him. As Jesus says, the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. (Mark 2:27) the legalist views of what people can and can’t do on the Sabbath must be given with grace, or they are not of God. Remember, He desires mercy, and not sacrifice. (Hos. 6:6, et. al.) For instance, one can certainly drive in an emergency.
We see here that God rested, though. Why? He could have kept going. For that matter, he could have created everything in an instance.
Stability: Mankind was created to fellowship with God. A biological clock of sorts was placed in people that required a period of rest. When governments have sought to abolish the 7-day week, their attempts have failed miserably. The Soviet Union abandoned their attempt after just one year. People were totally overworked; the time is needed for people to rest. Jesus Himself says that the Sabbath was made for man. It provides people with the opportunity to relax, fellowshipping with God without the bother of having to work, as if it were a normal work day. It allows for a stable cycle in peoples’ minds.
Certainty: Every civilization has some idea of a seven-day week. That stable cycle is ingrained, something Soviet officials couldn’t grasp in trying to abandon it. Yet, it’s more than just a cycle. It allows certainty to exist. If God had not emphatically ceased from His creation, one would never know when something new would appear. Instead, as Solomon writes in Ecclesiastes, “There is no new thing new under the sun.” (Ecc. 1:9)
Now, of course, professional baseball, computers, candy canes, and many other things were waiting to be invented. But, this verse means that any different thing is just a combination of things which had existed since the dawn of time, or at the latest since man introduced sin into the world. Professional baseball is just a combination of two things – people being paid to work and playing as a form of entertainment. Computers are simply combinations of existing materials, put together in a certain way, which people can use for good or for evil. Candy canes are combinations of things which had existed. Someone developed that combination of flavors and shapes to tell about Jesus – who, as noted, was slain from the foundation of the world - during a holiday – a type of day which already existed, even though the particular holiday didn’t when Solomon wrote.
God’s rest from His work, then, created certainty which allowed mankind to flourish. And yet, there were so many combinations within the things and concepts that creation within those things would seem infinite.
This, in turn, can lead us back to all of Creation. All the stuff that is new since Solomon’s time is just combinations of stuff which was there in his day - silicon for computer chips, fiber optic communication, etc. - albeit mostly undiscovered. In the same way, all the creatures we now have are just combinations of creatures which were there at the dawn of time, just in different forms.
The Sabbath was set aside to allow people to have that quiet time which he knew w4e’d need to fellowship with Him. As Jesus says, the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. (Mark 2:27) the legalist views of what people can and can’t do on the Sabbath must be given with grace, or they are not of God. Remember, He desires mercy, and not sacrifice. (Hos. 6:6, et. al.) For instance, one can certainly drive in an emergency.
We see here that God rested, though. Why? He could have kept going. For that matter, he could have created everything in an instance.
Stability: Mankind was created to fellowship with God. A biological clock of sorts was placed in people that required a period of rest. When governments have sought to abolish the 7-day week, their attempts have failed miserably. The Soviet Union abandoned their attempt after just one year. People were totally overworked; the time is needed for people to rest. Jesus Himself says that the Sabbath was made for man. It provides people with the opportunity to relax, fellowshipping with God without the bother of having to work, as if it were a normal work day. It allows for a stable cycle in peoples’ minds.
Certainty: Every civilization has some idea of a seven-day week. That stable cycle is ingrained, something Soviet officials couldn’t grasp in trying to abandon it. Yet, it’s more than just a cycle. It allows certainty to exist. If God had not emphatically ceased from His creation, one would never know when something new would appear. Instead, as Solomon writes in Ecclesiastes, “There is no new thing new under the sun.” (Ecc. 1:9)
Now, of course, professional baseball, computers, candy canes, and many other things were waiting to be invented. But, this verse means that any different thing is just a combination of things which had existed since the dawn of time, or at the latest since man introduced sin into the world. Professional baseball is just a combination of two things – people being paid to work and playing as a form of entertainment. Computers are simply combinations of existing materials, put together in a certain way, which people can use for good or for evil. Candy canes are combinations of things which had existed. Someone developed that combination of flavors and shapes to tell about Jesus – who, as noted, was slain from the foundation of the world - during a holiday – a type of day which already existed, even though the particular holiday didn’t when Solomon wrote.
God’s rest from His work, then, created certainty which allowed mankind to flourish. And yet, there were so many combinations within the things and concepts that creation within those things would seem infinite.
This, in turn, can lead us back to all of Creation. All the stuff that is new since Solomon’s time is just combinations of stuff which was there in his day - silicon for computer chips, fiber optic communication, etc. - albeit mostly undiscovered. In the same way, all the creatures we now have are just combinations of creatures which were there at the dawn of time, just in different forms.
Genesis 1:27-28
Gen. 1:27 – Male and female
As noted, this is the general explanation, for which the specifics will be given later. This says nothing about creating them together, any more than the sentence “The plane has stopovers in Cleveland and Atlanta” indicates that the stopoves are at the same time.
Let me use an illustration. "I had a sandwich, fries, and a brownie for lunch, then after lunch I did some work. My sandwich had meat and cheese on it."
When did I have the sandwich? For lunch, of course. Is it out of order? No, I'm detailing what I did, then going back and adding extra detail into one portion of my day.
Going back to the sandwich illustration...
"Ihad a sandwich and fries for lunch...my sandwich had meat and cheese." I might continue, "It was a philly steak and cheese sandwich. Oh, while I was there, I ran into an old buddy from high school. We chatted about our school's recent state title - he'd been to the championship game! What a game it was! We both had to get back to work, but after we left the Philly steak place, we decided to continue our conversation in the bakery where he works, nd he bought me a brownie."
At first, i don't even mention what kind of meat, or that I had run into my old friend, much less our conversation about the title game. yet later on in my story, I go back and describe our entire conversation.
In the same way, God created Adam and Eve, and then goes back and gives every detail. Just like the way we talk sometimes. In part one, you may have thought the brownie was purchased in the same place as the Philly steak and cheese sandwich, but that's just the way we talk - it was in a totally different place.
Gen. 1:28 – Replenish the earth, and subdue it
This is not replenishing as we use that term today, when we say to put back things that have been taken out. Rather, it means to put them in the first time. Mankind was told to be fruitful and multiply so people could spread over the entire planet, and so they could work to establish that dominion which god had given them over everything. Because, while god had given it to them, they had not yet claimed it. Instead of claiming it God’s way, of course, they instead fell from grace. Before that sad story, though, comes chapter two, when this sixth day and the perfect earth are explained in more detail.
As noted, this is the general explanation, for which the specifics will be given later. This says nothing about creating them together, any more than the sentence “The plane has stopovers in Cleveland and Atlanta” indicates that the stopoves are at the same time.
Let me use an illustration. "I had a sandwich, fries, and a brownie for lunch, then after lunch I did some work. My sandwich had meat and cheese on it."
When did I have the sandwich? For lunch, of course. Is it out of order? No, I'm detailing what I did, then going back and adding extra detail into one portion of my day.
Going back to the sandwich illustration...
"Ihad a sandwich and fries for lunch...my sandwich had meat and cheese." I might continue, "It was a philly steak and cheese sandwich. Oh, while I was there, I ran into an old buddy from high school. We chatted about our school's recent state title - he'd been to the championship game! What a game it was! We both had to get back to work, but after we left the Philly steak place, we decided to continue our conversation in the bakery where he works, nd he bought me a brownie."
At first, i don't even mention what kind of meat, or that I had run into my old friend, much less our conversation about the title game. yet later on in my story, I go back and describe our entire conversation.
In the same way, God created Adam and Eve, and then goes back and gives every detail. Just like the way we talk sometimes. In part one, you may have thought the brownie was purchased in the same place as the Philly steak and cheese sandwich, but that's just the way we talk - it was in a totally different place.
Gen. 1:28 – Replenish the earth, and subdue it
This is not replenishing as we use that term today, when we say to put back things that have been taken out. Rather, it means to put them in the first time. Mankind was told to be fruitful and multiply so people could spread over the entire planet, and so they could work to establish that dominion which god had given them over everything. Because, while god had given it to them, they had not yet claimed it. Instead of claiming it God’s way, of course, they instead fell from grace. Before that sad story, though, comes chapter two, when this sixth day and the perfect earth are explained in more detail.
Genesis 1:26
Gen. 1:26 – In our image
Again, we see the Godhead expressed. This doesn’t mean that God literally has a nose, eyes, and so on. Instead, it refers to the inner person. The body, soul, and spirit is similar to the three parts that make up the Godhead. Until the Fall, there was perfection.
Let them have dominion
This perfection led to mankind being able to rule wisely and completely over all the other creatures. People have dominion because they are more able to plan, more able to build, more able to think complex thoughts, by far than any other creature.
However, whereas now, people are known to do things for evil to animals, then their dominion was a perfectly wise one. Mankind could do all the wonderful things that he can do with animals – train them, allow them to assist him, and so on. Once the Fall came, people kept that dominion, because it still involved order, but God added to it that animals would be eaten, just as they ate each other.
Mankind’s dominion, then, does not come only because people are smarter. It comes about from a sensible order that God created – a hierarchy among His creation. Because god knew that man was going to Fall, He allowed it because, in his sovereignty, He knew people could use this dominion for wonderful things, if they chose. For instance, our ability to train dogs to help the blind is wholly because of that dominion. The animals, too, were happy servants of man – and still are, when people treat them properly. There was likely no stubbornness among them, but instead they worked in man’s best interests.
Take, for example, the story of Balaam and his donkey, starting in Numbers 22:5. God placed in that donkey the desire to help Balaam, acting in his best interest so Balaam wouldn’t run afoul of God’s angel which was ahead of him. God even caused the creature to explain this to Balaam. Whether animals could speak before the Fall is doubtful. However, the important thing is, this may have been a small picture of what it was like before, when peace ruled the earth, and animals always worked in man’s best interests.
Again, we see the Godhead expressed. This doesn’t mean that God literally has a nose, eyes, and so on. Instead, it refers to the inner person. The body, soul, and spirit is similar to the three parts that make up the Godhead. Until the Fall, there was perfection.
Let them have dominion
This perfection led to mankind being able to rule wisely and completely over all the other creatures. People have dominion because they are more able to plan, more able to build, more able to think complex thoughts, by far than any other creature.
However, whereas now, people are known to do things for evil to animals, then their dominion was a perfectly wise one. Mankind could do all the wonderful things that he can do with animals – train them, allow them to assist him, and so on. Once the Fall came, people kept that dominion, because it still involved order, but God added to it that animals would be eaten, just as they ate each other.
Mankind’s dominion, then, does not come only because people are smarter. It comes about from a sensible order that God created – a hierarchy among His creation. Because god knew that man was going to Fall, He allowed it because, in his sovereignty, He knew people could use this dominion for wonderful things, if they chose. For instance, our ability to train dogs to help the blind is wholly because of that dominion. The animals, too, were happy servants of man – and still are, when people treat them properly. There was likely no stubbornness among them, but instead they worked in man’s best interests.
Take, for example, the story of Balaam and his donkey, starting in Numbers 22:5. God placed in that donkey the desire to help Balaam, acting in his best interest so Balaam wouldn’t run afoul of God’s angel which was ahead of him. God even caused the creature to explain this to Balaam. Whether animals could speak before the Fall is doubtful. However, the important thing is, this may have been a small picture of what it was like before, when peace ruled the earth, and animals always worked in man’s best interests.
Day Six - Genesis 1:24-31
Those animals needed something to eat, though, and therefore they were created after the plants. As said, God is a God of order and logic.
This section is consistent with chapter 2, because it doesn’t say that God created man and woman at the same time. It only says that He created them. Chapter 2 of Genesis goes into more specifics than chapter 1. Here, we see the incredibly diverse nature of Creation, as we realize the awesome Creator that God is. He molded so many fascinating creatures, creatures that sing His praise by their design.
There are numerous cases, which other writers explain much more thoroughly, where they could not have come about by chance. Take the caterpillar, for instance. The first ones had to get the transformation to butterflies right immediately. They couldn’t make a mistake, get close, but not be able to do it. It had to be built in. Same with the birds which fly many thousands of miles in a season. They couldn’t just go halfway and then fail; It had to be right the first time.
Proof of this is found in what scientists have learned about so-called “prehistoric” creatures. For a deeper analysis, I again recommend Gary Parker’s “Creation: The Facts of Life.” However, here is a short sampling of what scientists have found:
Dinosaurs ate the same plants w4e see today;
Fossils of some things have been found to be the same as those which are living now – this includes animals as well as plants;
Blood cells from dinosaurs have been found, cells which would not have lasted millions of years;
The carbon-14 found in fossils must be only a few thousand years old; and,
Adam and Eve could have had every type of genetic variation within them, and it would have been enough to produce every type of variation we see in the world today.
Before the Fall, everything was perfect. The incredible diversity among the animals after their kinds would produce many wonderful creatures. The wolf, coyote, and the many breeds of dog we see could come from one couple, because of the change that would occur over time as each species mated. The many species of cat would develop. The insect world would grow. And, before the Fall, there were no mutations. Mutations have never been shown to produce beneficial things, only harmful ones. That didn’t matter. The incredible number of creatures that could result naturally lent itself to singing the praises of God and His great love and majesty.
When sin came into the world, of course, these creatures started eating each other. God had established a manner in which different creatures would become predators and different ones prey. However, it is still an orderly system that allows a lot of fabulous creatures within that system. And, it is a system established by God from the foundation of the world. Schools of fish and birds in their nests have something in common with the most advanced of creatures – mankind. That something is a desire for community. Some people with autism spectrum conditions seem much more satisfied by nature. The reason is probably because the certain aspects of nature’s communities are much more consistent and out in the open than the hidden body language and social cues of human ones.
Part of that, of course, is because mankind’s communities are so burdened by sin at times. However, it wasn’t always this way, as we shall see.
This section is consistent with chapter 2, because it doesn’t say that God created man and woman at the same time. It only says that He created them. Chapter 2 of Genesis goes into more specifics than chapter 1. Here, we see the incredibly diverse nature of Creation, as we realize the awesome Creator that God is. He molded so many fascinating creatures, creatures that sing His praise by their design.
There are numerous cases, which other writers explain much more thoroughly, where they could not have come about by chance. Take the caterpillar, for instance. The first ones had to get the transformation to butterflies right immediately. They couldn’t make a mistake, get close, but not be able to do it. It had to be built in. Same with the birds which fly many thousands of miles in a season. They couldn’t just go halfway and then fail; It had to be right the first time.
Proof of this is found in what scientists have learned about so-called “prehistoric” creatures. For a deeper analysis, I again recommend Gary Parker’s “Creation: The Facts of Life.” However, here is a short sampling of what scientists have found:
Dinosaurs ate the same plants w4e see today;
Fossils of some things have been found to be the same as those which are living now – this includes animals as well as plants;
Blood cells from dinosaurs have been found, cells which would not have lasted millions of years;
The carbon-14 found in fossils must be only a few thousand years old; and,
Adam and Eve could have had every type of genetic variation within them, and it would have been enough to produce every type of variation we see in the world today.
Before the Fall, everything was perfect. The incredible diversity among the animals after their kinds would produce many wonderful creatures. The wolf, coyote, and the many breeds of dog we see could come from one couple, because of the change that would occur over time as each species mated. The many species of cat would develop. The insect world would grow. And, before the Fall, there were no mutations. Mutations have never been shown to produce beneficial things, only harmful ones. That didn’t matter. The incredible number of creatures that could result naturally lent itself to singing the praises of God and His great love and majesty.
When sin came into the world, of course, these creatures started eating each other. God had established a manner in which different creatures would become predators and different ones prey. However, it is still an orderly system that allows a lot of fabulous creatures within that system. And, it is a system established by God from the foundation of the world. Schools of fish and birds in their nests have something in common with the most advanced of creatures – mankind. That something is a desire for community. Some people with autism spectrum conditions seem much more satisfied by nature. The reason is probably because the certain aspects of nature’s communities are much more consistent and out in the open than the hidden body language and social cues of human ones.
Part of that, of course, is because mankind’s communities are so burdened by sin at times. However, it wasn’t always this way, as we shall see.
Day Five - Genesis 1:20-23
God not only wanted His creation to cover the universe, He wanted it to abound here on Earth. Just as He would soon send creatures cascading over the land, here He creates them to inhabit many parts of the sea and air.
The richness in diversity of this creation is incredible. Scientists are consistently going deeper into the oceans, and discovering more and more unique creatures. God loves diversity. That’s why He created genetics, and DNA.
The Bible says each creature was made after its kind. Kinds have incredible diversity, as each kind has a different number of genes. The diversity is among the genes that each has. Mathematically, there are an enormous number of possible differences just within these genes – color, shape, size, and so on. Gary Parker, in his excellent book “Creation: The Facts of Life,” explains this well. Creatures can’t just gain or lose genes; there will be changes, but they will always have the same number of genes.
God loves diversity, but He also loves the order and routine which this fabulous ecosystem provides. This is a great object lesson for mankind, as well. As we will see later, God wants people to love each other, to care about each other, to put others before themselves, and so on. He allows us great diversity in the way we live, but there will be consequences if we sin. That is unavoidable. A world of cause and effect was created, and its first signs are here. The plants, originally, provided all the food that was needed, from berries and herbs and things to tiny plankton to whatever else might be used. If an animal ate too much, it meant not enough for some other animal.
The richness in diversity of this creation is incredible. Scientists are consistently going deeper into the oceans, and discovering more and more unique creatures. God loves diversity. That’s why He created genetics, and DNA.
The Bible says each creature was made after its kind. Kinds have incredible diversity, as each kind has a different number of genes. The diversity is among the genes that each has. Mathematically, there are an enormous number of possible differences just within these genes – color, shape, size, and so on. Gary Parker, in his excellent book “Creation: The Facts of Life,” explains this well. Creatures can’t just gain or lose genes; there will be changes, but they will always have the same number of genes.
God loves diversity, but He also loves the order and routine which this fabulous ecosystem provides. This is a great object lesson for mankind, as well. As we will see later, God wants people to love each other, to care about each other, to put others before themselves, and so on. He allows us great diversity in the way we live, but there will be consequences if we sin. That is unavoidable. A world of cause and effect was created, and its first signs are here. The plants, originally, provided all the food that was needed, from berries and herbs and things to tiny plankton to whatever else might be used. If an animal ate too much, it meant not enough for some other animal.
Day Four - Gen. 1:14-19
Day Four
Gen. 1:14-19
On the fourth day, God made the sun, moon, and stars.
Notice that He is said to have made them for times, seasons, days, and years. God had a specific purpose in mind when He established the rotation of the earth and its revolution around the sun, and the moon around the earth. There was no need for that invisible force we call gravity to hold things together before, but now that He made these, He had it planned so that everything would work together perfectly.
If the earth were tilted just a little more toward or away from the sun, life could not exist. If the earth were just a little closer to the sun, it would be way too hot; just a little further, it would be way too cold. Also, if the moon were just a little bigger or closer, tides would be so violent life might not be sustainable; and yet if it were a little further away, or smaller, the tides which keep water from becoming too stagnant wouldn’t exist. Everything works together so beautifully, so perfectly, that the odds of all of it coming together are astronomically small.
Donald B. DeYoung, in a couple books on astronomy and the Bible, explores this and other issues in a very understandable way. To summarize one point, when God stretched out this great expanse, He could have set the light from stars in a way that would let us see many more stars than we could ever imagine. In other words, He may not have only started light coming from those stars at the moment of Creation. Instead, God may have stretched out the light so that it was only a short distance from our planet. Another option is that the speed of light was faster back then. The rest is rather complex for this work, so for more in depth study, I highly recommend DeYoung’s work. But, I do want to add one other technical note, as far as science is concerned.
Astronomers have found that a sort of hum is observable in space, using the most modern technology. Job 38:7 speaks of the morning stars “singing together.” Now, it could be that this was simply a poetic way of saying that all of God’s Creation sings His praises. However, I don’t think so. I think the Spirit-led author of Job used it as poetry, but that God inspired that phrase to be used because of the low hum emitted by the Universe. Just like us, the writer saw through a glass darkly. So, there were certainly things he didn’t totally understand.
He knew, however, that God’s amazing creation was present throughout the universe. And, God knew one day, we would come to recognize that “low hum,” and those who believed would glorify Him for His mighty works when it was discovered. What an incredible, powerful, and mighty God we serve!
From the scientific, and back to the poetic, realm, the vast distances also demonstrate God’s incredible power and might. The distance between worlds, as mentioned before in relation to Mars, is amazing enough. The speed that traffic on a city street goes, it would require half a year of constant driving to reach the moon. Our own sun would require two long lifetimes. The distances are phenomenal, the void in between fathomless.
And yet, the One who made it all displays that and then some – all the stars in space – for sinners like us. This, too, is part of what I mean when I say that He loves to show off His handiwork. Not just to show it off. But, so we can get a glimpse of how awesome He is, how incredibly loving, and how able to help us with anything we need.
It’s all so incredible to consider. It can even be eerie, to fathom no sound able to be heard, because there is no air for it to travel through. The firing of rocket engines, the pounding of astronaut boots as they walk in space or on the moon. Even the sound of an explosion would be absent.
And yet, God hears, even if our ears cannot hear. And, He understands, and loves, and works His wonders in such mighty ways that we can only dream. For He knows, the whole universe is in His hands.
And, with no light, no way to see on the dark side of the moon, nothing to run into but tiny dust specks, and not even those for billions of miles at times
Yet there is. For our Heavenly Father is there, in all those empty reaches of space and of our own, less expansive hearts, working, tirelessly moving in our lives, to draw us closer to Him, to cover those empty, empty times, those times when there is no encouragement, nothing but despair and loneliness, with the three most fabulous things imaginable. To fill our hearts as He fills the emptiness of space with his presence, and to satisfy our hearts, with those three simple words. I love you.
Had he not let us know He made this vast expanse, it would have been more difficult to understand that He could fill all those gaps. But, he did. And, He can.
Gen. 1:14-19
On the fourth day, God made the sun, moon, and stars.
Notice that He is said to have made them for times, seasons, days, and years. God had a specific purpose in mind when He established the rotation of the earth and its revolution around the sun, and the moon around the earth. There was no need for that invisible force we call gravity to hold things together before, but now that He made these, He had it planned so that everything would work together perfectly.
If the earth were tilted just a little more toward or away from the sun, life could not exist. If the earth were just a little closer to the sun, it would be way too hot; just a little further, it would be way too cold. Also, if the moon were just a little bigger or closer, tides would be so violent life might not be sustainable; and yet if it were a little further away, or smaller, the tides which keep water from becoming too stagnant wouldn’t exist. Everything works together so beautifully, so perfectly, that the odds of all of it coming together are astronomically small.
Donald B. DeYoung, in a couple books on astronomy and the Bible, explores this and other issues in a very understandable way. To summarize one point, when God stretched out this great expanse, He could have set the light from stars in a way that would let us see many more stars than we could ever imagine. In other words, He may not have only started light coming from those stars at the moment of Creation. Instead, God may have stretched out the light so that it was only a short distance from our planet. Another option is that the speed of light was faster back then. The rest is rather complex for this work, so for more in depth study, I highly recommend DeYoung’s work. But, I do want to add one other technical note, as far as science is concerned.
Astronomers have found that a sort of hum is observable in space, using the most modern technology. Job 38:7 speaks of the morning stars “singing together.” Now, it could be that this was simply a poetic way of saying that all of God’s Creation sings His praises. However, I don’t think so. I think the Spirit-led author of Job used it as poetry, but that God inspired that phrase to be used because of the low hum emitted by the Universe. Just like us, the writer saw through a glass darkly. So, there were certainly things he didn’t totally understand.
He knew, however, that God’s amazing creation was present throughout the universe. And, God knew one day, we would come to recognize that “low hum,” and those who believed would glorify Him for His mighty works when it was discovered. What an incredible, powerful, and mighty God we serve!
From the scientific, and back to the poetic, realm, the vast distances also demonstrate God’s incredible power and might. The distance between worlds, as mentioned before in relation to Mars, is amazing enough. The speed that traffic on a city street goes, it would require half a year of constant driving to reach the moon. Our own sun would require two long lifetimes. The distances are phenomenal, the void in between fathomless.
And yet, the One who made it all displays that and then some – all the stars in space – for sinners like us. This, too, is part of what I mean when I say that He loves to show off His handiwork. Not just to show it off. But, so we can get a glimpse of how awesome He is, how incredibly loving, and how able to help us with anything we need.
It’s all so incredible to consider. It can even be eerie, to fathom no sound able to be heard, because there is no air for it to travel through. The firing of rocket engines, the pounding of astronaut boots as they walk in space or on the moon. Even the sound of an explosion would be absent.
And yet, God hears, even if our ears cannot hear. And, He understands, and loves, and works His wonders in such mighty ways that we can only dream. For He knows, the whole universe is in His hands.
And, with no light, no way to see on the dark side of the moon, nothing to run into but tiny dust specks, and not even those for billions of miles at times
Yet there is. For our Heavenly Father is there, in all those empty reaches of space and of our own, less expansive hearts, working, tirelessly moving in our lives, to draw us closer to Him, to cover those empty, empty times, those times when there is no encouragement, nothing but despair and loneliness, with the three most fabulous things imaginable. To fill our hearts as He fills the emptiness of space with his presence, and to satisfy our hearts, with those three simple words. I love you.
Had he not let us know He made this vast expanse, it would have been more difficult to understand that He could fill all those gaps. But, he did. And, He can.
Day Three - Genesis 1:9-13
Day Three
Gen. 1:9-13
Here, we see the creation of the third day, and notice a few interesting things.
First, God has a purpose for every creature. The ecosystem is very complex, because of an intelligent Creator who loves to display His craft. In fact, this is the beginning of His plan to occupy this whole world with His creatures. God won’t spare any detail when it comes to fashioning a home that is full of life.
On this day, He made the first living things – plants. Specifically, He caused land to be separated from the water, and grass, trees, herbs, and every other plant to form. These plants have been functioning the same way since the third day of Creation! It’s been an unbroken cycle. Mankind might try to wreck it through manmade famines caused by evil tyrants. Or, chance might happen to slow it down via natural disasters. Still, it remains with us from the foundation of the world. People, in their arrogance, can try to control it, but God has established that seedtime and harvest, among other things, will not cease, till the end of the world.
The other thing to notice here is that the plants were made before the sun. Sunlight is necessary in normal conditions to grow plants. But, God can suspend physics any time He wants. As the Creator, He can say “Peace, be still” and a storm will stop. This applies to the storms of life, as well as the storms of our weather. Of course, many times, He will help us to get through the storm some other way, but, the important thing is, He controls things. And, His light was enough for these plants for the day before He made the sun.
In turn, this speaks to His provision for us when there seems to be no other way, too. Certainly, the first plants were only without the sun for one day. Incredibly dark, dreary days which provide clouds, but no rain, cause plants to go a day with almost no light today. But, God didn’t leave them totally without light. His light gave them all they needed. In the same way, God provides us with what we need, when we need it, as long as we trust in Him; even when it seems impossible to people.
Gen. 1:9-13
Here, we see the creation of the third day, and notice a few interesting things.
First, God has a purpose for every creature. The ecosystem is very complex, because of an intelligent Creator who loves to display His craft. In fact, this is the beginning of His plan to occupy this whole world with His creatures. God won’t spare any detail when it comes to fashioning a home that is full of life.
On this day, He made the first living things – plants. Specifically, He caused land to be separated from the water, and grass, trees, herbs, and every other plant to form. These plants have been functioning the same way since the third day of Creation! It’s been an unbroken cycle. Mankind might try to wreck it through manmade famines caused by evil tyrants. Or, chance might happen to slow it down via natural disasters. Still, it remains with us from the foundation of the world. People, in their arrogance, can try to control it, but God has established that seedtime and harvest, among other things, will not cease, till the end of the world.
The other thing to notice here is that the plants were made before the sun. Sunlight is necessary in normal conditions to grow plants. But, God can suspend physics any time He wants. As the Creator, He can say “Peace, be still” and a storm will stop. This applies to the storms of life, as well as the storms of our weather. Of course, many times, He will help us to get through the storm some other way, but, the important thing is, He controls things. And, His light was enough for these plants for the day before He made the sun.
In turn, this speaks to His provision for us when there seems to be no other way, too. Certainly, the first plants were only without the sun for one day. Incredibly dark, dreary days which provide clouds, but no rain, cause plants to go a day with almost no light today. But, God didn’t leave them totally without light. His light gave them all they needed. In the same way, God provides us with what we need, when we need it, as long as we trust in Him; even when it seems impossible to people.
Day Two - Genesis 1:6-8
Day Two
Gen. 1:6-8:
Firmament: Here, God created the atmosphere, and stretched it out so life could be sustained. That’s why the word literally means “expanse.” This is the unending beauty, the fabulousness with which the sky stretches up into infinity.
Infinity forever like His grace, like His mercy.
For the same sky that we view, clothed in blue, is illuminated all around thanks to a great force at work in the center of our solar system. It stretches beyond the clouds, beyond the imaginable. Atoms and electrons spread to unimagined thinness and heights, yet are held together by that invisible force called gravity that which we rely on by faith, unthinking, to hold us down, to keep us from flying into space. God holds it together, just as He wants to be in the center of our lives, guiding us.
What we more technically call the atmosphere starts not at some point where we see blue, but as the very tips of our feet. Indeed, what little boy or girl has not gleefully sat on Daddy's shoulders and felt so excited at being "way up there." They know the truth the “sky,” that firmament God created, starts at the ground. When they sit on Daddy's shoulders, to them they are in the clouds.
It could only be because of gravity that this atmosphere this "sky" exists. And it can only be through faith that we can exist, perched on our Heavenly Father's shoulders. Even as infants we are in it. Maybe not very far up, but that's okay, because it's the very nature of God. He stretched the sky down to the ground, just as He reached down to us in our sinful state. To allow for us to fellowship with Him through prayer and His Word if we only have faith in Christ, just as we have faith in that invisible thing called gravity to hold that sky down to the ground, and keep these thin molecules from spiraling upward out of our reach, thus taking all the breath, all the life, out of us.
The Bible says He divided the waters from the waters. The many clouds above us contain immense amounts of rain. God organized the clouds in the way He did to provide rain when he saw fit.
There is a further explanation of how waters may have been divided, which has been deduced in the last century. The ultraviolet rays from the sun are strong enough that – though we receive only a fraction of them – they cause decay. While the sun gives us vitamin D, too much exposure to it causes manifold problems. Mankind could never live for centuries under present conditions.
However, if there was a canopy of water less than a foot thick surrounding the earth, the earth and all on it would be shielded from harmful rays. It would be warmer than it is today, yet it would also be cool enough to sustain life easily. In other words, it would be like a giant rainforest. This is exactly what scientists say the world was like, but they fail to understand that it was like that mere thousands of years ago, not millions. This is why people were able to live to the ages of the antediluvian patriarchs. The Great Flood of Noah, then, was caused not only by the “waters of the deep” opening up, but also by the pouring down of water from that canopy onto the earth. And, as you can tell from reading, life spans got much shorter, very quickly, after the Flood.
It is possible, of course, that by Heaven, the Spirit-inspired author meant the solar system, or even the physical universe. Whether it was created on day One or here, though, one thing is certain. God saw that it was good. There was a splendor, a majesty, that can’t be described.
The closest I can imagine, perhaps, may be the scenes streaming back at me on TV from the Mars rover years ago.
To be able to gaze at real, live footage, from a totally different world, in which the sky, the ground, everything was so distinct from my own Earth, gave me goose bumps. I wept tears of joy at the beauty of it, and at the fact that the Lord was showing to us just one little piece of His amazing Creation. Somehow, it was far more than still pictures would have been. Even if there was no physical life, it was so unique, so fabulous, that words escape me, even now, as I ponder the immense distance, and the fact God is so powerful as to have done all that, and yet so loving as to concern Himself with each of us.
Gen. 1:6-8:
Firmament: Here, God created the atmosphere, and stretched it out so life could be sustained. That’s why the word literally means “expanse.” This is the unending beauty, the fabulousness with which the sky stretches up into infinity.
Infinity forever like His grace, like His mercy.
For the same sky that we view, clothed in blue, is illuminated all around thanks to a great force at work in the center of our solar system. It stretches beyond the clouds, beyond the imaginable. Atoms and electrons spread to unimagined thinness and heights, yet are held together by that invisible force called gravity that which we rely on by faith, unthinking, to hold us down, to keep us from flying into space. God holds it together, just as He wants to be in the center of our lives, guiding us.
What we more technically call the atmosphere starts not at some point where we see blue, but as the very tips of our feet. Indeed, what little boy or girl has not gleefully sat on Daddy's shoulders and felt so excited at being "way up there." They know the truth the “sky,” that firmament God created, starts at the ground. When they sit on Daddy's shoulders, to them they are in the clouds.
It could only be because of gravity that this atmosphere this "sky" exists. And it can only be through faith that we can exist, perched on our Heavenly Father's shoulders. Even as infants we are in it. Maybe not very far up, but that's okay, because it's the very nature of God. He stretched the sky down to the ground, just as He reached down to us in our sinful state. To allow for us to fellowship with Him through prayer and His Word if we only have faith in Christ, just as we have faith in that invisible thing called gravity to hold that sky down to the ground, and keep these thin molecules from spiraling upward out of our reach, thus taking all the breath, all the life, out of us.
The Bible says He divided the waters from the waters. The many clouds above us contain immense amounts of rain. God organized the clouds in the way He did to provide rain when he saw fit.
There is a further explanation of how waters may have been divided, which has been deduced in the last century. The ultraviolet rays from the sun are strong enough that – though we receive only a fraction of them – they cause decay. While the sun gives us vitamin D, too much exposure to it causes manifold problems. Mankind could never live for centuries under present conditions.
However, if there was a canopy of water less than a foot thick surrounding the earth, the earth and all on it would be shielded from harmful rays. It would be warmer than it is today, yet it would also be cool enough to sustain life easily. In other words, it would be like a giant rainforest. This is exactly what scientists say the world was like, but they fail to understand that it was like that mere thousands of years ago, not millions. This is why people were able to live to the ages of the antediluvian patriarchs. The Great Flood of Noah, then, was caused not only by the “waters of the deep” opening up, but also by the pouring down of water from that canopy onto the earth. And, as you can tell from reading, life spans got much shorter, very quickly, after the Flood.
It is possible, of course, that by Heaven, the Spirit-inspired author meant the solar system, or even the physical universe. Whether it was created on day One or here, though, one thing is certain. God saw that it was good. There was a splendor, a majesty, that can’t be described.
The closest I can imagine, perhaps, may be the scenes streaming back at me on TV from the Mars rover years ago.
To be able to gaze at real, live footage, from a totally different world, in which the sky, the ground, everything was so distinct from my own Earth, gave me goose bumps. I wept tears of joy at the beauty of it, and at the fact that the Lord was showing to us just one little piece of His amazing Creation. Somehow, it was far more than still pictures would have been. Even if there was no physical life, it was so unique, so fabulous, that words escape me, even now, as I ponder the immense distance, and the fact God is so powerful as to have done all that, and yet so loving as to concern Himself with each of us.
Day One: Genesis 1:3-5
Day One
Gen. 1:3-5:
And God said: Many verses tell of how powerful the word of God is. His power is such that He speaks, and what He says happens. God can’t lie. (Titus 1:2) Therefore, what He says must come to pass. Here, we see the first sign of that.
It also shows that God loves to speak. He loves to communicate with His creation, and longs to fellowship with each of us. It’s certainly understandable when some neurological problem causes one to be unable to communicate well. However, communication was created to allow us to get along with others, as well as for God to communicate with us. Even among the heathen, Paul says, after the Fall, God didn't leave Himself without witness; even though they didn’t have His word. He was still good to them, and provided rain, food, and so on. (Acts 14:17)
Consider all the different ways God could have created the world. He could have just started a process, and let it continue. Some scientists claim the Big Bang was like this, but this so takes away from the loving involvement of God in His work. He could have formed everything wordlessly, but then how would we know anything about Him? The distant or absent person is not going to be able to have a true impact, because they will never be known to those they are trying to help. Only through a relationship can we really have meaningful growth in anything. An absentee business owner, of course, may be successful of he or she has a good manager for the affairs of the business. However, then it is the manager who becomes the face of the business in the public’s eye, not the owner.
In the same way, God is not absent or distant. He is involved in every minute detail. His face, his handiwork, is visible to all who those to see it. He tells this molecule to do something, and it does it. He tells this seed to fall, and up springs a tree. The fact that He spoke, from the very beginning of Creation, shows how involved He is with everything. This involvement has always been a part of who God is.
Let there be light: Those who complain that the sun wasn’t created till day four miss several important facts. First, the sun is only a star that creates light through chemical processes, just as many other stars do. However, more importantly, this was not just a light created through chemical means. This is a different word than the “light” used in Gen. 1:16 to describe the sun and the moon. Strong’s concordance records that it can mean lights in Heaven, but it can also be used for other “lights,” including the light of life and the light of prosperity.
It was good: There are numerous reasons God could see that it was good. The distinction between day and night, causing a natural time for work and one for rest, is one of them. The feeling that light creates is another one.
Consider a spring day, with sunlight flooding a home. It is not just a bunch of rays that provide warmth. It is so much more than mere science can describe. It raises hopes, and allows life to function. The idea of a night lasting for months, as in the Arctic in winter, is depressing to most people. Yes, artificial light allows one to function at night, but that fact itself proves the point. If there was no artificial light, that life and activity which modern people engage in at night can’t occur anywhere.
Not only that, but light comforts. The beauty reminds one of all that is good, for Christians it can remind us of all that Christ has done. Because Jesus, the light of the world (John 8:12, et. al.), conquered death, and rose from the dead on a spring day 2000 years ago. Death was swallowed up in victory! He had conquered the darkness that surrounded us, just as when light floods a dark room.
Jesus is God, of course; without Him was not anything made that was made. (John 1:3) He had a part is creating that light, speaking it into existence, because part of His plan was to divide the light from the darkness. If we simply put our trust in Christ, we can cast all our cares on Him, and let Him guide us in life. Christ said, "It is finished" on the cross, and so the battle has already been won. Those dark recesses of our fears have been vanquished. For if you have Christ in you, you are in the light.
The light He created at this time was real, and also foretells the goodness that He would bring us, and how He could sweep away the darkness that is in our minds and in our lives at times. Thus, He separated the light from the darkness.
The first day: I don’t know if the radiance from God shone on the world while it spun like our sun does. I only know that Rev. 22:5 says that in the New Earth, there will be no need for a candle, or for the sun, because God will be the light. But, we don’t have to know exactly how it worked. As with other things, God will reveal them in His time, that being when we, who see through a glass darkly now, will see Him face to face.
However, we do know it was a literal, 24-hour day.
First, numerous peoples, besides the Hebrews, considered the day to begin in the evening, as if the darkness had come before the light. John Gill covers these more specifically in his commentary on Genesis 1:5. Also, every human society has a seven-day week. This is completely arbitrary, as opposed to the month, which is based on the moon, or the day, which is based on the earth’s spinning on its axis. More will be mentioned on this when we consider Genesis 2:2-3.
This raises the question, in some minds, about where God was when He was doing this. The answer? The physical world is not all that there is. There are more than three dimensions. Time is considered its own dimension by many. Some scientists believe there may be even more dimensions that we can’t understand. The important thing is, God did not have to be in a physical place the way we perceive it. The Spiritual realm is different, and connected in ways which we, as mere mortals, can’t comprehend. It would be like trying to explain to an insect the joy of creating a fantastic work of art.
Gen. 1:3-5:
And God said: Many verses tell of how powerful the word of God is. His power is such that He speaks, and what He says happens. God can’t lie. (Titus 1:2) Therefore, what He says must come to pass. Here, we see the first sign of that.
It also shows that God loves to speak. He loves to communicate with His creation, and longs to fellowship with each of us. It’s certainly understandable when some neurological problem causes one to be unable to communicate well. However, communication was created to allow us to get along with others, as well as for God to communicate with us. Even among the heathen, Paul says, after the Fall, God didn't leave Himself without witness; even though they didn’t have His word. He was still good to them, and provided rain, food, and so on. (Acts 14:17)
Consider all the different ways God could have created the world. He could have just started a process, and let it continue. Some scientists claim the Big Bang was like this, but this so takes away from the loving involvement of God in His work. He could have formed everything wordlessly, but then how would we know anything about Him? The distant or absent person is not going to be able to have a true impact, because they will never be known to those they are trying to help. Only through a relationship can we really have meaningful growth in anything. An absentee business owner, of course, may be successful of he or she has a good manager for the affairs of the business. However, then it is the manager who becomes the face of the business in the public’s eye, not the owner.
In the same way, God is not absent or distant. He is involved in every minute detail. His face, his handiwork, is visible to all who those to see it. He tells this molecule to do something, and it does it. He tells this seed to fall, and up springs a tree. The fact that He spoke, from the very beginning of Creation, shows how involved He is with everything. This involvement has always been a part of who God is.
Let there be light: Those who complain that the sun wasn’t created till day four miss several important facts. First, the sun is only a star that creates light through chemical processes, just as many other stars do. However, more importantly, this was not just a light created through chemical means. This is a different word than the “light” used in Gen. 1:16 to describe the sun and the moon. Strong’s concordance records that it can mean lights in Heaven, but it can also be used for other “lights,” including the light of life and the light of prosperity.
It was good: There are numerous reasons God could see that it was good. The distinction between day and night, causing a natural time for work and one for rest, is one of them. The feeling that light creates is another one.
Consider a spring day, with sunlight flooding a home. It is not just a bunch of rays that provide warmth. It is so much more than mere science can describe. It raises hopes, and allows life to function. The idea of a night lasting for months, as in the Arctic in winter, is depressing to most people. Yes, artificial light allows one to function at night, but that fact itself proves the point. If there was no artificial light, that life and activity which modern people engage in at night can’t occur anywhere.
Not only that, but light comforts. The beauty reminds one of all that is good, for Christians it can remind us of all that Christ has done. Because Jesus, the light of the world (John 8:12, et. al.), conquered death, and rose from the dead on a spring day 2000 years ago. Death was swallowed up in victory! He had conquered the darkness that surrounded us, just as when light floods a dark room.
Jesus is God, of course; without Him was not anything made that was made. (John 1:3) He had a part is creating that light, speaking it into existence, because part of His plan was to divide the light from the darkness. If we simply put our trust in Christ, we can cast all our cares on Him, and let Him guide us in life. Christ said, "It is finished" on the cross, and so the battle has already been won. Those dark recesses of our fears have been vanquished. For if you have Christ in you, you are in the light.
The light He created at this time was real, and also foretells the goodness that He would bring us, and how He could sweep away the darkness that is in our minds and in our lives at times. Thus, He separated the light from the darkness.
The first day: I don’t know if the radiance from God shone on the world while it spun like our sun does. I only know that Rev. 22:5 says that in the New Earth, there will be no need for a candle, or for the sun, because God will be the light. But, we don’t have to know exactly how it worked. As with other things, God will reveal them in His time, that being when we, who see through a glass darkly now, will see Him face to face.
However, we do know it was a literal, 24-hour day.
First, numerous peoples, besides the Hebrews, considered the day to begin in the evening, as if the darkness had come before the light. John Gill covers these more specifically in his commentary on Genesis 1:5. Also, every human society has a seven-day week. This is completely arbitrary, as opposed to the month, which is based on the moon, or the day, which is based on the earth’s spinning on its axis. More will be mentioned on this when we consider Genesis 2:2-3.
This raises the question, in some minds, about where God was when He was doing this. The answer? The physical world is not all that there is. There are more than three dimensions. Time is considered its own dimension by many. Some scientists believe there may be even more dimensions that we can’t understand. The important thing is, God did not have to be in a physical place the way we perceive it. The Spiritual realm is different, and connected in ways which we, as mere mortals, can’t comprehend. It would be like trying to explain to an insect the joy of creating a fantastic work of art.
Genesis 1:2
Gen. 1:2
Without form and void: Here, the lifelessness before Creation is emphasized. Elsewhere, the Bible talks of God quickening things. That means that He makes them alive. He loves to make all things new; indeed, His mercies to us are new every morning. (Lam. 3:22-23) Whether we choose to accept them or not, they are there for us.
This shows the glory of God as a Creator, one who takes great joy in His creation. As people, we may get joy out of writing something, or out of teaching someone a skill. However, this pales in comparison to the joy God feels over His creation. God is love. And, He has a special love for everyone. It hurts and disappoints Him so much when we fail to do what He calls us to do.
Here, however, we see the world before any of that creation has occurred. It is a mass of chaos. God is in the business of making order out of chaos.
He does this in many ways. In the solar system, for instance, the planets were formed to move around the sun in predictable obits, instead of zigging and zagging everywhere. This is done through gravity. Here on earth, He creates families. Where people refuse to act as parents should, His Spirit moves others to intercede and be the emotional father or mother that child needs. He creates governments, yet assures people that obedience to His laws is the most important thing to Him, and that He will be with those who must live with ungodly rulers. There are two notable examples in the Book of Daniel alone – Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who were saved from the fiery furnace after they wouldn’t bow to the emperor, and Daniel, who was saved from the mouths of lions after he prayed to God in defiance of the ruler’s orders. There are many other ways in which God creates order out of chaos, so things will run smoothly.
Here, we see Him making order out of the chaos of a lifeless, formless world. He does this by His Spirit moving over the face of it. The Holy Spirit is shown as Creator here, as He is in Job 26:13, just as God the Son is shown in John 1:3, Colossians 1:16-17, and Hebrews 1:3, and as God the Father is shown in many places.
Without form and void: Here, the lifelessness before Creation is emphasized. Elsewhere, the Bible talks of God quickening things. That means that He makes them alive. He loves to make all things new; indeed, His mercies to us are new every morning. (Lam. 3:22-23) Whether we choose to accept them or not, they are there for us.
This shows the glory of God as a Creator, one who takes great joy in His creation. As people, we may get joy out of writing something, or out of teaching someone a skill. However, this pales in comparison to the joy God feels over His creation. God is love. And, He has a special love for everyone. It hurts and disappoints Him so much when we fail to do what He calls us to do.
Here, however, we see the world before any of that creation has occurred. It is a mass of chaos. God is in the business of making order out of chaos.
He does this in many ways. In the solar system, for instance, the planets were formed to move around the sun in predictable obits, instead of zigging and zagging everywhere. This is done through gravity. Here on earth, He creates families. Where people refuse to act as parents should, His Spirit moves others to intercede and be the emotional father or mother that child needs. He creates governments, yet assures people that obedience to His laws is the most important thing to Him, and that He will be with those who must live with ungodly rulers. There are two notable examples in the Book of Daniel alone – Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who were saved from the fiery furnace after they wouldn’t bow to the emperor, and Daniel, who was saved from the mouths of lions after he prayed to God in defiance of the ruler’s orders. There are many other ways in which God creates order out of chaos, so things will run smoothly.
Here, we see Him making order out of the chaos of a lifeless, formless world. He does this by His Spirit moving over the face of it. The Holy Spirit is shown as Creator here, as He is in Job 26:13, just as God the Son is shown in John 1:3, Colossians 1:16-17, and Hebrews 1:3, and as God the Father is shown in many places.
Genesis 1:1
Genesis 1
Gen. 1:1
In the beginning: Children often love to hear the story of their birth. A favorite pastime of some is learning about their ancestry. This world, too, had a beginning. It was not eternally pre-existing. But, God was. God created it with a special purpose in mind.
God: This is the Almighty. He is present everywhere, all-knowing, and all-powerful. An example of His power is here, as in this chapter, we see Him merely speaking, and the world comes into existence. As noted above, this is in sharp contrast to creation stories of other people groups. While they involve the creativity of man, here, we see something simple and wonderful. And, it begins with the Lord choosing to create a perfect world.
The word used often early in Genesis for “God” is “Elohim.” This refers to the Godhead. The Father, Son, and Spirit were all involved in Creation. Jesus states “I and my Father are one.” (John 10:30) it does not mean there are several gods. It only means that He shows Himself in different ways. A man can be a father, a son, and a brother at the same time, but he interacts with members of his family differently. An egg consists of three parts – the yoke, albumin, and shell. They are all “egg,” though. H2O, the formula most know as “water,” exists, at the same time in different places, as a solid, liquid, and gas. These help us to understand the Godhead a little. However, there are many things – like this - where we see through a glass darkly. We can’t understand the many wonders of God; nor should we. We are mere people, and He is so much greater than we are.
It is especially worth noting that He created the Heavens and the earth perfect. He did so with a specific purpose. He knew what choices people would make. But, He gave mankind freedom, so we would not be mindless robots, with no freedom. God gave us freedom, in His love and mercy, so we wouldn’t be forced to serve Him. He gave us freedom to serve Him, if we want to do so. We are free to reject Him, but that has consequences, which He clearly explains. He tells us everything we need to know when we need to know it. It is one aspect of a loving father.
God did not want anyone to be separated from Him forever, for He is willing that none perish, but that all come to repentance. (1 Peter 3:9). So, He had a plan. He Himself would become the ultimate sacrifice. God the Son came to this world as the Lamb of God, which was slain from the foundation of the world. (1 Peter 1:20, et. al.)
At this foundation, when God created the Heavens and the earth, the plan of salvation was already in place. God has never been caught off guard. He has perfect foreknowledge of what will happen. And, He won’t allow anything to happen that goes against His perfect plan to redeem mankind.
So it was that all was created, but we are not told everything right away. Instead, God presents the first two chapters in a way that lets us see something wonderful.
The first two chapters of Genesis show us the world the way it was meant to be, before people chose to sin. It was perfect. There was no pain, no suffering, and no disease. Yes, He created bacteria that cause it now, but at the time of creation, it may have been meant to provide helpful things, just as there are creatures now in relationships where they help each other (symbiotic) now in this world.
The first two chapters of the Bible and the last two chapters describe a world without sin. That’s how God wanted it to be, with no pain or suffering. And yet, He knew that He had to give people freedom.
Still, there is also one common theme. That theme is God’s love, grace, and mercy despite the wickedness of the world.
We will look at that in detail later. For now, let’s continue looking at that perfect world which God created.
Gen. 1:1
In the beginning: Children often love to hear the story of their birth. A favorite pastime of some is learning about their ancestry. This world, too, had a beginning. It was not eternally pre-existing. But, God was. God created it with a special purpose in mind.
God: This is the Almighty. He is present everywhere, all-knowing, and all-powerful. An example of His power is here, as in this chapter, we see Him merely speaking, and the world comes into existence. As noted above, this is in sharp contrast to creation stories of other people groups. While they involve the creativity of man, here, we see something simple and wonderful. And, it begins with the Lord choosing to create a perfect world.
The word used often early in Genesis for “God” is “Elohim.” This refers to the Godhead. The Father, Son, and Spirit were all involved in Creation. Jesus states “I and my Father are one.” (John 10:30) it does not mean there are several gods. It only means that He shows Himself in different ways. A man can be a father, a son, and a brother at the same time, but he interacts with members of his family differently. An egg consists of three parts – the yoke, albumin, and shell. They are all “egg,” though. H2O, the formula most know as “water,” exists, at the same time in different places, as a solid, liquid, and gas. These help us to understand the Godhead a little. However, there are many things – like this - where we see through a glass darkly. We can’t understand the many wonders of God; nor should we. We are mere people, and He is so much greater than we are.
It is especially worth noting that He created the Heavens and the earth perfect. He did so with a specific purpose. He knew what choices people would make. But, He gave mankind freedom, so we would not be mindless robots, with no freedom. God gave us freedom, in His love and mercy, so we wouldn’t be forced to serve Him. He gave us freedom to serve Him, if we want to do so. We are free to reject Him, but that has consequences, which He clearly explains. He tells us everything we need to know when we need to know it. It is one aspect of a loving father.
God did not want anyone to be separated from Him forever, for He is willing that none perish, but that all come to repentance. (1 Peter 3:9). So, He had a plan. He Himself would become the ultimate sacrifice. God the Son came to this world as the Lamb of God, which was slain from the foundation of the world. (1 Peter 1:20, et. al.)
At this foundation, when God created the Heavens and the earth, the plan of salvation was already in place. God has never been caught off guard. He has perfect foreknowledge of what will happen. And, He won’t allow anything to happen that goes against His perfect plan to redeem mankind.
So it was that all was created, but we are not told everything right away. Instead, God presents the first two chapters in a way that lets us see something wonderful.
The first two chapters of Genesis show us the world the way it was meant to be, before people chose to sin. It was perfect. There was no pain, no suffering, and no disease. Yes, He created bacteria that cause it now, but at the time of creation, it may have been meant to provide helpful things, just as there are creatures now in relationships where they help each other (symbiotic) now in this world.
The first two chapters of the Bible and the last two chapters describe a world without sin. That’s how God wanted it to be, with no pain or suffering. And yet, He knew that He had to give people freedom.
Still, there is also one common theme. That theme is God’s love, grace, and mercy despite the wickedness of the world.
We will look at that in detail later. For now, let’s continue looking at that perfect world which God created.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Introduction to self, the Bible, and to Genesis
Introduction
How does a simple man, with a mere Master of Ministry, attempt to comment on God’s Word? It is simple. Born again by the grace of God, I’ve got His Spirit inside me, as we see in various Scripture verses. It is done by one who trusts in the Lord, and what He did for me because I believed on His name. (John 1:12) I put my faith in what He did for me on the cross, that He took the punishment for all my sin, died, was buried, and rose again the third day. (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)
Of course, I don’t have perfect knowledge – like Paul, I see “through a glass darkly,” (1 Cor. 13:12). I will explain what can be explained, and speculate where only that can be done. At times, this tome will become poetic, philosophical, or instructional. It will not cover every verse, but it will cover what makes enough of an impression on me that I feel it’s important to write it down.
My fervent prayer is that it be a blessing and draw the reader closer to God, who so loved each of us – you – that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)
Introduction to the Bible
Many modern people try to cast doubt on the Bible. However, the Bible is to be taken by faith. Of course, we don’t have time machines. However, what we can do is live by the same faith by which we breathe and live. It is the same faith by which we sit in chairs without holding on for dear life. Indeed, it’s the faith that what is under the floor – which we can’t see – will hold us up, instead of breaking and making us fall through.
If we did not have the faith that a chair would support us, we could not relax in it. If you were offered a chair, as a guest, and refused, that host would not accept the fact that you had never tested it. In the same way, we are guests. God has graciously given us this life, and we should put our faith in that which God has provided – namely, His Word. It was not written by men, but “Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” (2 Peter 1:21)
People refuse to have faith in God’s Word for several reasons.
A. They refuse to trust in God’s Word because they have been taught wrong. All humans are capable of error. There are many verses which talk of the danger of false teachers. The Bible itself should be our only authority;
B. They wish to follow their own ways, to which the Scripture applies that, “professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.” (Romans 1:22) Also, God made the “foolish things” of this world to confound the wise.” (1 Cor. 1:27);
C. They wish to avoid being confronted with their sin. This is an error because they will be confronted eventually, for in the end, every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord. (Php. 2:10-11) They may feel they can gain more on earth, but “what doth it profit a man, to gain the world, and lose his own soul?”(Mark 8:36) It is best to confess and forsake sin now, and turn to Christ as Savior, before it is too late. And, we don’t know what tomorrow will bring, for any of us. Jesus came that we might have life – in Heaven – but also that we might have it more abundantly – here while we live. (John 10:10)
Introduction to Genesis
Moses is the writer of “the law,” which means the first five books of the Bible. We must never make the mistake in thinking that the ancients were all illiterate cavemen. People lived in caves during the Ice Age following the Great Flood of Noah, it’s true. Lack of sunlight and improper diet led to things like rickets. This caused features of what modern science mistakenly thinks are Neanderthals. However, these people had the intelligence to read, to write, and even to work with iron, as Tubal-Cain did. (Gen. 4:22) It’s an error of false pride on the part of modern man to think that those in that time period couldn’t have read or written. And, growing up in Pharoah’s court, Moses would clearly have been very literate.
Genesis is written to explain the world’s beginnings. It does so in simple fashion, compared with the often fanciful writings of other ancient works. Such works can have similar themes, of course, such as the myriad Flood accounts of different civilizations. But, they have been corrupted by man’s ideas. The original, true story of Cretion is found here. God gives clear, concise explanations for how the world was made, how sin entered, and how He began the process of redeeming mankind by calling forth a people, from whom the Savior would later come
How does a simple man, with a mere Master of Ministry, attempt to comment on God’s Word? It is simple. Born again by the grace of God, I’ve got His Spirit inside me, as we see in various Scripture verses. It is done by one who trusts in the Lord, and what He did for me because I believed on His name. (John 1:12) I put my faith in what He did for me on the cross, that He took the punishment for all my sin, died, was buried, and rose again the third day. (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)
Of course, I don’t have perfect knowledge – like Paul, I see “through a glass darkly,” (1 Cor. 13:12). I will explain what can be explained, and speculate where only that can be done. At times, this tome will become poetic, philosophical, or instructional. It will not cover every verse, but it will cover what makes enough of an impression on me that I feel it’s important to write it down.
My fervent prayer is that it be a blessing and draw the reader closer to God, who so loved each of us – you – that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)
Introduction to the Bible
Many modern people try to cast doubt on the Bible. However, the Bible is to be taken by faith. Of course, we don’t have time machines. However, what we can do is live by the same faith by which we breathe and live. It is the same faith by which we sit in chairs without holding on for dear life. Indeed, it’s the faith that what is under the floor – which we can’t see – will hold us up, instead of breaking and making us fall through.
If we did not have the faith that a chair would support us, we could not relax in it. If you were offered a chair, as a guest, and refused, that host would not accept the fact that you had never tested it. In the same way, we are guests. God has graciously given us this life, and we should put our faith in that which God has provided – namely, His Word. It was not written by men, but “Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” (2 Peter 1:21)
People refuse to have faith in God’s Word for several reasons.
A. They refuse to trust in God’s Word because they have been taught wrong. All humans are capable of error. There are many verses which talk of the danger of false teachers. The Bible itself should be our only authority;
B. They wish to follow their own ways, to which the Scripture applies that, “professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.” (Romans 1:22) Also, God made the “foolish things” of this world to confound the wise.” (1 Cor. 1:27);
C. They wish to avoid being confronted with their sin. This is an error because they will be confronted eventually, for in the end, every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord. (Php. 2:10-11) They may feel they can gain more on earth, but “what doth it profit a man, to gain the world, and lose his own soul?”(Mark 8:36) It is best to confess and forsake sin now, and turn to Christ as Savior, before it is too late. And, we don’t know what tomorrow will bring, for any of us. Jesus came that we might have life – in Heaven – but also that we might have it more abundantly – here while we live. (John 10:10)
Introduction to Genesis
Moses is the writer of “the law,” which means the first five books of the Bible. We must never make the mistake in thinking that the ancients were all illiterate cavemen. People lived in caves during the Ice Age following the Great Flood of Noah, it’s true. Lack of sunlight and improper diet led to things like rickets. This caused features of what modern science mistakenly thinks are Neanderthals. However, these people had the intelligence to read, to write, and even to work with iron, as Tubal-Cain did. (Gen. 4:22) It’s an error of false pride on the part of modern man to think that those in that time period couldn’t have read or written. And, growing up in Pharoah’s court, Moses would clearly have been very literate.
Genesis is written to explain the world’s beginnings. It does so in simple fashion, compared with the often fanciful writings of other ancient works. Such works can have similar themes, of course, such as the myriad Flood accounts of different civilizations. But, they have been corrupted by man’s ideas. The original, true story of Cretion is found here. God gives clear, concise explanations for how the world was made, how sin entered, and how He began the process of redeeming mankind by calling forth a people, from whom the Savior would later come
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