Creation (Genesis 1-2)

Today we began our journey through the Bible with reading Genesis 1 and 2.  What an adventure we have begun!  I hope you are as excited as I am.

Because there are so many truths and jewels to extract from every chapter of God's precious, holy Word, and we have limited time on Sunday mornings to discuss them, I have created this blog as a way of guiding you through your readings to gain as much as possible.  I am by no means an authority on Scripture, but I will ask God each time to do what only He can do in imparting wisdom and knowledge to each of you.

"Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law."  Psalm 119:18

So are you READY?  Here we go!

Genesis 1 and 2 cover the same story--the story of Creation.  However, they share this story in two very different ways.  Genesis 1 is the account of what God did on each day of Creation.  It is a list of what He created each day--kind of like God's version of bullet points.  Genesis 2 is the detailed account of Day 6 of Creation, describing beautifully how God created man and woman and brought all the animals for Adam to name them.  To me, Genesis 2 is like God saying, "Now this part of Creation in which I formed and breathed life into you is so beautiful, I want you to know the whole story."

As you read through Genesis 1, take note of the first three words in verses 3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24 and 26.  In fact, I suggest you underline them.  Any time God repeats Himself like that in Scripture, there is usually a reason and we should take note of it.  He is emphasizing the fact that His spoken word is so powerful, it can create.  Stop and think about that for a moment.  Really let that sink in.  Do you know anyone in all of history besides God who could speak something into existence?  That is power like none other!

"For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it stood firm."  Psalm 33:9

Beginning with the third day, we see that when God examines what He created, He declares it "good."  As He finishes Creation with His crowing glory of man and woman, he looks over all of it and declares it, "very good."  Perfection.  Could a holy God do anything less?  Absolutely not.

When God creates sea creatures, flying birds, land animals and humans, we read for the first time in Creation that He "blessed them and said, 'be fruitful and multiply.'"  God tells the creatures to fill the earth, but man is the only one whom He tells to subdue it.  God has clearly placed man as the ruler of His creation:  "You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet." (Psalm 8:6)  That is quite a responsibility, don't you agree?  It is like a mother leaving her precious child with a babysitter and trusting her to care for her child the way she would.

As we move into Genesis 2, notice with fresh awe what God did on the seventh day.  We pass over verses 2 and 3 (and many others on the same subject throughout Scripture) all to easily.  Our generation of Christians has really dropped the ball on this one, I'm sad to say.  "So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy."  HOLY.  Not just a day to take off and do as you please, or get everything done that's still on your "to do" list.  HOLY.  What does that word imply to you?

Webster's Dictionary defines "holy" as "exalted or worthy of complete devotion...; devoted entirely to the deity or the work of the deity; having a divine quality; ...sacred."  Does that describe your Sunday each week?  Accoring to God, it should.  He rested and set an example for us to follow.  Rest and worship--that is the intent of our Sabbath day.

13"If you keep your feet from
         breaking the Sabbath
     and from doing as you
         please on my holy day,
     if you call the Sabbath a
         delight
     and the LORD's holy day
         honorable,
     and if you honor it by not
         going your own way
     and not doing as you
         please or speaking idle
         words,
14then you will find your joy
         in the LORD,
     and I will cause you to
         ride on the heights of
         the land
     and to feast on the
         inheritance of your
         father Jacob."
            The mouth of the LORD
                             has spoken.
(Isaiah 58:13-14)

Dearest sister, if you are not currently experiencing the joy described in verse 14, you may be ignoring God's command in verse 13 (or another one).  What I have continually done since I was a teenager is to seek God's discernment as to what sin and rebellion in my heart needs to be plucked out by God, like a gardener pulling weeds (unfortunately, there has been much to pluck).  This is what we call sanctification, or God's refining fire, and it can be quite painful at the time.  Death hurts, especially death of our human desires and selfish ambitions.  But the fruit and harvest it produces is such a blessing and reward!  There is no joy and peace like that which floods your soul when you die to self and live for God.  Sanctification is a continual process that only ends when our faith becomes sight and we behold Him face-to-face in glory.

Next, in Genesis 2 we read the beautiful description of God creating man.  Notice the difference in the way He creates man from the way He created everything else.  So far God has spoken everything into existence.  Not with man.  With man, God gets His hands dirty.  He gets personally involved, intimately connected to His creation.  "Then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature." (Gen. 2:7)  When God created man, He touched him.  He breathed His own breath into him.  Dear one, you are breathing the very breath of God!

Even more glorious is that God placed His own image upon us.  In Genesis 1 we read that all of the vegetation and animals were created "according to their kinds."  But in Genesis 1:27, we learn that we were created in God's image--according to God (HIS kind).  Remember that truth every time you look at someone you love...or someone difficult to love.  He or she bears the very image of a holy God (whether or not they bear it well, and we all do so imperfectly).  Amazing.

In verse 4 of Genesis 2, we begin to get all the details of Creation.  For those of you weird folks like me who love to know this kind of stuff, when you see the words "LORD God" (and that is capital LORD in the Old Testament), you can know that the original Hebrew words are "Jehovah Elohim."  Jehovah is the Hebrew word that means God is a covenant-making and covenant-keeping God, and Elohim refers to Him as creator.  In Genesis 1 He is introduced to us as Elohim--our Creator, and in Genesis 2 (the first time we read the word "LORD") He is introduced to us as Jehovah--our covenant God.

Notice that God seems to get His hands dirty again on man's behalf in verse 8.  We read that God planted a garden.  Whether He did it physically or just speaking it there is not clear from this verse, but I love to imagine God as a gardener (an image used for Him in other places of Scripture) planting the first garden for His new companions to enjoy.  Verse 9 gives us some incredibly important information--"In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowlege of good and evil."  You will read more about those tomorrow.

You can even find the general location of the Garden of Eden!  Did you realize that as you read verses 10-14?  Look at a map in the back of your Bible, or even a current world map.  Two of those rivers are still known today and can be located on any map of the Middle East.

In verses 16-17 we find God's first command to Adam.  See if you can find it.  Unfortunately, in the next chapter we will watch as the first man and woman break that command.  Just think, if they had kept it, there would be no need for the 10 Commandments.  But God knew...  That's why Jesus was part of the plan before Creation.

As a married woman I absolutely love verses 18-25.  God knew man needed a suitable helper, and only one would do.  Men can love being with the animals, in the fields, and with their "band of brothers," but there is only one who can be his partner in life--woman.  Is it not absolutely beautiful that God made woman from man?  It is such a picture of how intimately we are connected to our spouses!  And as Ephesians 5 tells us, this is meant to be a picture of the intimate connection of Christ and His Bride--the Church.  It also gives us much insight into the pain and shattering of life that comes from divorce and pre-marital sex.  When two are joined together, they are intended to remain that way.

One of the most beautiful parts of this passage to me is verse 22.  We see God being Eve's Father in this marriage ceremony in the garden.  "...and He brought her to the man", just like a daddy walking his daughter down the aisle.   The Heavenly Father gave the first bride away.  Beautiful.

Genesis 2 closes with a stark reminder of the difference between these first two chapters of God's Word with the rest of Scripture until we get to the end of Revelation.  "...and they felt no shame." (Gen. 2:25)  Enjoy the moment...it won't last long.  There is only one way this is true again before Christ returns:  when a person turns in faith, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to the cross of Christ, believing that Jesus' sacrifice is for the removal of all their sin and laying down their lives so that He might live in them. 

"Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death."  (Romans 8:1-2)

Ponder the truths you read about today, and ask God what they mean for your life and your walk with Him.