SAFARI THROUGH THE SCRIPTURES: Genesis 1-11 Genesis (Greek word for “Beginnings”) Creation (6000B.C.) to Israel in Egypt (1450B.C.) The Bible is the greatest work of literature, history and theology ever written. God has revealed Himself in the historic affairs of mankind and the Bible is the inerrant record of that revelation. When illumined by the Holy Spirit who authored it, these 66 books help us understand our past, our present and give us hope for the future. It is the story of God’s redemptive acts for His elect people. It was written over a span of 1500 years, by over 40 very diverse authors, with one consistent message – Jesus Christ and Him crucified. The Old Testament’s 39 books (17 History, 5 poetry, and 17 prophecies) lay the foundation for the New Testament. The History gives the entire story of the Hebrew people from their beginnings in Genesis to the prophet Malachi. The Poetry focuses on our relationship with God and others. The Prophetical books contain messages of condemnation for sin and consolation (future hope in spite of present judgment). Genesis spans more time than all of the rest of the Bible put together. It provides the foundation for the whole Bible in its history and theology. It gives us the beginning of all things, except God: the universe, the human race, sin, death, judgment, salvation, marriage and family, government, the Hebrew race. It is neatly divided into two sections: Four Events (creation, fall, flood, Tower of Babel; chapters 1-11) and Four People (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph; chapters 12-50). In the first eleven chapters of Genesis we have the Beginnings of the Human Race in four events: I. The STORY - 1. Creation, 1-2 Out of nothing God created the heavens and the earth and everything in them, in six 24 hour days (so the language indicates). On the 6th day He created the best thing when He created man and woman to bear His image, and put them in the Garden of Eden where they named the animals and worked. Chapter 2 puts the zoom lens on day six. 2. Fall, 3:1-4:15 This explains how out of a holy God and a perfect couple can come such evil and death. Man rebelled against the holy God and brought sin upon not only Adam but upon the whole human race. Satan enters the picture in the first temptation, deceives Eve and brings all three under God’s curse. 3. Flood, 4:16-9:29 Once out of Eden the children of the first couple increase in sin until God says He’s had enough and decides to destroy the world, except for one man and his family who finds grace in the eyes of the Lord. God instructs Noah to build a large boat where he and his family and at least two of all the animals can be safe. The rainbow is God’s promise that He will never do that again, not with water anyway. 4. Tower of Babel, 10-11 In sin again, mankind with his false religion tries to build a tower to heaven and God judges them by striking them with different languages. They scatter throughout the whole earth making the nations. II. The SAVIOR in These Events in Genesis 1-11 1. Christ is the creator, according to John 1:1-3, 14. The word for God in Gen.1:1 is plural, referring to the Trinity. We also see this expressed in Gen.1:26, “Let Us make man in Our image…” The creator of the universe was the Word who was made flesh and lived among us. His name is Jesus Christ. 2. Christ is the second Man, the head of a new creation, according to 1Cor.15:47-49. The first man failed, but the Second One didn’t. He batted 1,000 for us in the game of life. He bowled 300 and therefore we are acceptable to the perfectly holy God. We have born the image of the dusty man Adam; we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man Christ. And in the heavenly body we will live forever. 3. Christ is the virgin born Victor over Satan (3:15 & Rev.20:2). Interesting twist in 3:15 because everywhere else in the Bible a person is called the seed of the man. It is the man who plants the seen in the woman to create a new person. But because Mary had known no man, her Child is called here by God, “the seed of the woman.” Amazing prophecy here. 4. Christ is pictured in the killing of the animal to obtain the skins to cover the nakedness and shame of Adam and Eve, and the acceptable blood-sacrifice of Abel. From this time on Christ would be pictured by blood sacrifice. Throughout the rest of the Old Testament believers offered blood sacrifices to atone for their sins but they were only pictures of the blood of Christ which alone can remit the sins of mankind (Hebrews 9:26-28). 5. Christ was innocently killed by His human brothers, as was Abel. 6. Christ is our Ark of safety protecting us from God’s judgment. He is the one door. “As the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” (Mt.24:37) 7. Christ is the judge of all mankind (Jn. 5:27, The Father has given Me authority to execute judgment.) III. The SIGNIFICANCE of These Events 1. Creation A. God made us. This gives significance to everything, especially to man who is the pinnacle of His creation, and it gives man responsibility. He made me and I belong to Him, therefore I am accountable to Him for the way I live my life. He’s the creator, judge, before all things and above all things. He revealed Himself and had that recorded that we might know everything we need to know about Him and everything He requires of us. B. The Sabbath was established before sin and the Law, and is therefore relevant. All cultures accept and live by a weekly division of time, because it comes from creation. Years may differ, but not the week. In Nepal right now it is 2071 BS. But it’s also Sunday; same day of the week as here. I have found great relief and rest in observing one day a week when I do not work. C. Man is special, has a unique role in all of creation, which is to bear the image of the invisible God and to rule over all His creation. 2. The Fall – this explains how, starting with a good God and sinless people, we could have such suffering and evil in this world, and why every person is born with a bent toward sin. In Adam we became sinners. We inherit a sin nature at birth. “Through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned (in Adam). For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners…” (Rm.5:12,19). What happened to him happened to all those who were in him, and that is all of us except Christ who had no human father because He was the seed of the woman. Adam was our appointed representative. His failure became our failure. Because we are in Adam, in the flesh, we all need to be saved and that includes a change of nature. 3. The Flood – God is a holy God who judges sinners. He’s nobody to mess with. He’s going to destroy the world again – with fire next time. “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.” (2 Pet.3:10) He is also a God of grace and hope. He has a remnant upon whom He bestows grace and gives hope for all mankind. It was true in Noah’s day and it is true in ours. 4. Babel – This explains the existence of the nations of the world with different languages. The curse of Babel, of different languages, has divided the world since this event, but the work of Christ on the cross and the Spirit brings the unity of God into the family of God (Eph.2:11-19; Acts 2:4-11). It also explains the existence of false religions. This Tower of Babel was a ziggurat that was to have, like other ones in the ancient world, a temple on the top where God would be found and pleased with human sacrifices. This is man’s attempt to reach God by his own efforts. Babylon is the mother of all harlot religions. Man’s religions will always end in failure. God will see to that. We can’t get to God, but He can get to us. Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. He is ever near to hear those who call upon Him.
Posted on: Sun, 18 May 2014 22:40:48 +0000
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