APPROACHING GENESIS
Genesis 1:1a
In the beginning God…
What are your thoughts as you start reading the book of Genesis?
As a young person growing up, it never occurred to me that some people might actually believe everything happened exactly as reported in Genesis. Like most young people, then as now, I brought my preconceptions to the book. As a child, I had enjoyed reading colorful books about dinosaurs, what they had evolved from, and what they had evolved into. I already “knew” that the timescale involved was millions of years. So, whatever truth Genesis had to impart must be symbolic, or allegorical.
It requires a complete change of worldview to get the best out of Genesis. Although there are many evidences that we can point to, which cannot be understood without Genesis being true, we will not plumb the depths of this portion of inspired Scripture if we remain at the station of requiring “proof” for what we read. Instead, we should approach Genesis with humility, knowing that it is God’s Word, believing that what is written is truth. Rather than bringing our preconceptions to Genesis, we should let Genesis be our preconception, and interpret everything else from that starting point.
Martin Luther put it thus: “When Moses writes that God created heaven and earth and whatever is in them in six days, then let this period continue to have been six days, and do not venture to devise any comment according to which six days were one day. But if you cannot understand how this could have been done in six days, then grant the Holy Spirit the honor of being more learned than you are.”
Lord, give me humility, as I approach Your Word. Help me to submit to what it says, rather than trying to re-interpret it with my opinions. Instead, help me to seek Your opinions at all times. Amen.
What Luther Says. A Practical In-Home Anthology for the Active Christian, compiled by Ewald M. Plass, Concordia, 1959, p. 93 Image: Creative Commons Share Attribution – Share Alike 3.0 Unported, © 1984 Sweet Publishing
Genesis 1:1a
In the beginning God…
What are your thoughts as you start reading the book of Genesis?
As a young person growing up, it never occurred to me that some people might actually believe everything happened exactly as reported in Genesis. Like most young people, then as now, I brought my preconceptions to the book. As a child, I had enjoyed reading colorful books about dinosaurs, what they had evolved from, and what they had evolved into. I already “knew” that the timescale involved was millions of years. So, whatever truth Genesis had to impart must be symbolic, or allegorical.
It requires a complete change of worldview to get the best out of Genesis. Although there are many evidences that we can point to, which cannot be understood without Genesis being true, we will not plumb the depths of this portion of inspired Scripture if we remain at the station of requiring “proof” for what we read. Instead, we should approach Genesis with humility, knowing that it is God’s Word, believing that what is written is truth. Rather than bringing our preconceptions to Genesis, we should let Genesis be our preconception, and interpret everything else from that starting point.
Martin Luther put it thus: “When Moses writes that God created heaven and earth and whatever is in them in six days, then let this period continue to have been six days, and do not venture to devise any comment according to which six days were one day. But if you cannot understand how this could have been done in six days, then grant the Holy Spirit the honor of being more learned than you are.”
Lord, give me humility, as I approach Your Word. Help me to submit to what it says, rather than trying to re-interpret it with my opinions. Instead, help me to seek Your opinions at all times. Amen.
What Luther Says. A Practical In-Home Anthology for the Active Christian, compiled by Ewald M. Plass, Concordia, 1959, p. 93 Image: Creative Commons Share Attribution – Share Alike 3.0 Unported, © 1984 Sweet Publishing
BEFORE THE BEGINNING
Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created�
The first event to happen was Creation. And Creation was a direct act of God.
A children�s story Bible that I was given began with the words �God was lonely, so He decided to make a world.� This is simply not true. God is One God, in three persons eternally. Therefore, there was never a time when God was lonely, and there was never a time when God was not a God of love. The fact that time itself began, when God created, does not mean that He did not exist before there was time. Francis Schaeffer explained it thus:
Something existed before creation and that something was personal and not static; the Father loved the Son; there was a plan; there was communication; and promises were made prior to the creation of the heavens and the earth.
God created the universe for a purpose. While we cannot plumb the depths of every aspect of that purpose, we do receive hints. God�s purposes were designed collectively, by the three persons of the Trinity. The Creation was designed to give glory to Him. And our part in the Creation order is only significant, in that God has chosen to glorify Himself through making humanity, and placing us on this planet, to do His will.
Creation was not a random chance act. Nor was it a mindless act, of an open, hands-off God. The Bible shows us that God is in complete control, and His ultimate purposes for this Creation will not be thwarted, because these things were decided before the beginning.
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we thank You for Your purposes, worked out in the Creation. We bow the knee, and acknowledge You to be the Creator God, apart from whom, and before whom, there is no other. Amen.
Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created�
The first event to happen was Creation. And Creation was a direct act of God.
A children�s story Bible that I was given began with the words �God was lonely, so He decided to make a world.� This is simply not true. God is One God, in three persons eternally. Therefore, there was never a time when God was lonely, and there was never a time when God was not a God of love. The fact that time itself began, when God created, does not mean that He did not exist before there was time. Francis Schaeffer explained it thus:
Something existed before creation and that something was personal and not static; the Father loved the Son; there was a plan; there was communication; and promises were made prior to the creation of the heavens and the earth.
God created the universe for a purpose. While we cannot plumb the depths of every aspect of that purpose, we do receive hints. God�s purposes were designed collectively, by the three persons of the Trinity. The Creation was designed to give glory to Him. And our part in the Creation order is only significant, in that God has chosen to glorify Himself through making humanity, and placing us on this planet, to do His will.
Creation was not a random chance act. Nor was it a mindless act, of an open, hands-off God. The Bible shows us that God is in complete control, and His ultimate purposes for this Creation will not be thwarted, because these things were decided before the beginning.
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we thank You for Your purposes, worked out in the Creation. We bow the knee, and acknowledge You to be the Creator God, apart from whom, and before whom, there is no other. Amen.
HEAVENS, EARTH AND EVERYTHING
Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
What exactly did God create? How much of everything did He create? An impression is sometimes given, by those who want to accept long, deep timescales, that there is much in the universe, which is just going on and on, and has gone on since eternity past.
The Bible states that God created the heavens and the earth. The phrase �heavens and earth� is a special type of Hebrew construction, called a merism. We actually use a similar construction in English.
When I lived in England, we had a house with a small footprint, but three floors. If I lost something, I might say that I had searched the house high and low. In giving that phrase, I did not mean that I had searched the first floor and the third floor, but missed out the second floor. The phrase high and low includes the middle floor. In the same way, the phrase the heavens and the earth includes the highest heaven, and the lowest part of Earth, and everything in between.
The closest English word that we have to this concept is universe. God created the whole universe. He created everything that there is. There is nothing created that was and is not part of what God created. Earth is the planet, on which we stand. Heavens suggests the farthest points into space away from where we are. �Heavens and earth� is a phrase that includes these, and everything else as well.
Lord God, we are amazed when we consider Your greatness as Creator. Everything in the heavens and the earth has come from You, and we are thankful and full of praise.
Kulikovsky, A.S. (2000), Unbinding the Rules: A review of John Sailhamer, Genesis Unbound, Journal of Creation 14(3):35�38 December 2000, < http://creation.com/unbinding-the-rules-review-genesis-unbound-by-john-sailhamer >, retrieved 02/22/2017
Image: Adobe Stock Photos, licensed to author
Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
What exactly did God create? How much of everything did He create? An impression is sometimes given, by those who want to accept long, deep timescales, that there is much in the universe, which is just going on and on, and has gone on since eternity past.
The Bible states that God created the heavens and the earth. The phrase �heavens and earth� is a special type of Hebrew construction, called a merism. We actually use a similar construction in English.
When I lived in England, we had a house with a small footprint, but three floors. If I lost something, I might say that I had searched the house high and low. In giving that phrase, I did not mean that I had searched the first floor and the third floor, but missed out the second floor. The phrase high and low includes the middle floor. In the same way, the phrase the heavens and the earth includes the highest heaven, and the lowest part of Earth, and everything in between.
The closest English word that we have to this concept is universe. God created the whole universe. He created everything that there is. There is nothing created that was and is not part of what God created. Earth is the planet, on which we stand. Heavens suggests the farthest points into space away from where we are. �Heavens and earth� is a phrase that includes these, and everything else as well.
Lord God, we are amazed when we consider Your greatness as Creator. Everything in the heavens and the earth has come from You, and we are thankful and full of praise.
Kulikovsky, A.S. (2000), Unbinding the Rules: A review of John Sailhamer, Genesis Unbound, Journal of Creation 14(3):35�38 December 2000, < http://creation.com/unbinding-the-rules-review-genesis-unbound-by-john-sailhamer >, retrieved 02/22/2017
Image: Adobe Stock Photos, licensed to author
WHEN DID GOD CREATE ANGELS?
Job 38:7
When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
One question that I get asked a lot, after my talks, is �When did God create angels?� It is a fair question. Angels are created beings, so it is fair to ask when God made them. The assumption in many people�s minds is that God must have made them before the Creation Week. However, this idea does not seem tenable. In Colossians 1:16, we read: �For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities � all things were created through him and for him.� The �all things� that were created must include angels, and the strong implication is that all these things, including angels, were created during the creation week.
The problem is that Genesis 1 does not directly mention the creation of angels. However, we get some interesting information in the book of Job. In Job 38:7, we read about the �morning stars� and the �sons of God�. The phrase �morning stars� would appear to refer to angels. God begins this passage, by asking Job �Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?� (Job 38:4). If the angels were made during the creation week, but were able to observe God making the foundation of the earth, this would suggest that God made angels early on Day One!
I am sure that if God wanted us to know the exact hour that angels were made, He would have told us. Nevertheless, it is interesting to note that it is possible to make inferences about the creation week, from what passages other than Genesis 1 say.
Our Father in Heaven, we come before You with awe and wonder. The greatest of Your creatures are just that � created by You. We give You the thanks and the glory for Your wondrous works. Amen.
Job 38:7
When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
One question that I get asked a lot, after my talks, is �When did God create angels?� It is a fair question. Angels are created beings, so it is fair to ask when God made them. The assumption in many people�s minds is that God must have made them before the Creation Week. However, this idea does not seem tenable. In Colossians 1:16, we read: �For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities � all things were created through him and for him.� The �all things� that were created must include angels, and the strong implication is that all these things, including angels, were created during the creation week.
The problem is that Genesis 1 does not directly mention the creation of angels. However, we get some interesting information in the book of Job. In Job 38:7, we read about the �morning stars� and the �sons of God�. The phrase �morning stars� would appear to refer to angels. God begins this passage, by asking Job �Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?� (Job 38:4). If the angels were made during the creation week, but were able to observe God making the foundation of the earth, this would suggest that God made angels early on Day One!
I am sure that if God wanted us to know the exact hour that angels were made, He would have told us. Nevertheless, it is interesting to note that it is possible to make inferences about the creation week, from what passages other than Genesis 1 say.
Our Father in Heaven, we come before You with awe and wonder. The greatest of Your creatures are just that � created by You. We give You the thanks and the glory for Your wondrous works. Amen.
PLEASE VISIT MY WIFES WEBSITE. SHE RUNS "YOUNG LIVING" WHICH PROVIDES ALL NATURAL OILS THAT CAN BE USED INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY INCLUDING A DEFUSER WHICH PUTS AN AMAZING ODOR IN THE AIR. THIS PRODUCT IS SO AMAZING AND KNOW THAT YOU WILL GET YEARS OF ENJOYMENT FROM IT. GOTO HTTP://WWW.YOUNGLIVING.ORG/CDROSES
No comments:
Post a Comment