Info:  I would love to create a video series of short 5-10 minute teachings on some observations of God that we maybe don't think about all of the time.  If I ever do that, I think I would make this the first in the series. 

I walked into our kitchen the other day and it looked like an artist's studio.  There were paint brushes scattered around.  There were cups of colored water on the counter.  There was even an easel set up in the middle of the room with a big piece of paper clipped to it with all kinds of color and designs on it.  My kids had been acting like little artists.   

This led to a reflection about God.  I know it's easy to get into discussions, or even heated arguments, about God's sovereignty and power, but do we ever pause to ponder God's creativity?   

God is an artist. 

All the inspiration that has moved men and women throughout the centuries to paint, to sculpt, to draw, or to create comes from the One who is an artist Himself.  Have you ever sat down and just admired God's creation of trees, grass, and sky?  They are beautiful! 

As a child art is fun. 

So, what happens to so many of us as we grow up?  I mean, do you consider art to be fun?  When is the last time you visited an art museum just to enjoy a marvelous masterpiece?  Many of us just don't have time for art.  I mean it takes time and energy to paint a picture.  It takes time and energy to observe and admire good art.  Time is money for us.  We don't have time to stop, observe, and create something.  It's interesting that God made time for something like this.  What's even more interesting is that God took time at the end of His creation to stop His work and take it all in. 

² By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. ³ Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.

I mean God didn't rest on the seventh day because He was tired.  Think about it.  Why did He rest?  He didn't need a break.  He's all powerful.  He could easily outlive and outlast any of us.  God rested for another reason.  He was stopping to admire His artwork.  This was His masterpiece.  He even goes so far as to call earth and His creation good.  Have we ever observed that God stops after each point of creating to look at His creation and call it good?  There's an admiring and pleasure God takes in creating. 

He's an artist. 

Maybe the best thing some of us adults could do is to do/create or pause and observe art.  When I walk into my kitchen next time and see that it has been turned into an Michelangelo's studio, I'm going to jump in and participate.  In a way I'll be doing what God Himself did when He created our world.  Take a moment today and enjoy the art around you.     

PALCON Session #1 (David Graves)

As promised last week, here some notes I took from our first plenary session at PALCON last week.

Session #1
Speaker: David Graves (new General Superintendent)
Scripture: Genesis 12:1-9

Notes:
Verse 1 – God spoke to man (to Abram), God still calls us.
- When did He call you?
- Are we ready to listen to God?
- He wants to bless us, we need to respond to Him. He wants to speak to us right where we are at.

Abram’s call was to give up all and follow God. It was a call to relinquish (2 things related to that):
To give up everything. Mark 8:35
It’s a call to go. Matthew 28:19. It’s not just a lay person’s job to be discipling. Pastor’s must do this. How? Develop friendships with people. Look for people you run into over and over (e.g. barista at a coffee shop).

We need to make sure we are staying connected to Him. How? Listening, talking, growing, learning, and becoming true disciples.

God’s call also includes a tremendous promise:
Verses 2-3 – I will bless you, I will make your name great, I will make you are great nation, I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you.

Verse 4 – Abram’s response (he obeyed).

Noah (Conclusion pointing towards the return of Jesus)

Whenever God does something big in the history of humanity He lets us know about it. He tells us. He may not give us the specific details (e.g., time, date, place), but He warns us that something is going to happen. Take the flood for example; God warned Noah that He was going to flood the earth. He even helped Noah build the ark by giving him the instructions/blueprints for it. The people living around Noah had a chance to believe in Noah and what he was doing and be saved, but they didn’t listen.

There’s another big event in the history of humanity God has warned us about. It’s the return of Christ.

How’s it going to happen?
When’s it going to happen?
Will it be just like the Left Behind series?
Will things get better before He returns?
Will things get worse?
Will there be a World War III or IIII?
Will I fly up to meet Jesus in the clouds or just find myself in His presence?

I’m sure you could add several questions of your own to this list. But, why do we have so many questions? Is it because we want to be prepared and in the know about this big event?

I’ve studied Christ’ return and I have an opinion of how things will happen, but that doesn’t mean I won’t be surprised or that I could be completely wrong. I think we will all be surprised and a little wrong about how it’s all going to go down. Jesus says that He doesn’t even know the time or date of His return, but He is coming back. If He doesn’t and is “ok” with it, we should be too (though that’s hard to do). One thing I do know and am certain of; Jesus is coming back! One thing Christ asks of us is to be watchful and diligent in spreading the Word and Gospel of our savior Jesus to the lost. God’s Word compares the Return of Christ to the days of Noah. During that time people were carrying on with their ordinary lives (marrying, eating, drinking, ignoring God). Nobody stopped to inquire about the giant boat Noah was building…well…when the waters came they became interested, but it was too late. I hope we don’t miss the boat. I hope we are prepared for Christ’s return.

Question:
- What should we be doing to prepare for His return?

Noah (Genesis 6, pt.2)

Noah’s faith in God could have been handed down to him from his parents and his parents’ parents. However, his faith wasn’t synthetic in that he just believed because his parents believed. Noah’s faith was the real deal. How do I know? Because he walked with God and he listened to God. The guy built a boat the size of a football stadium. Did anybody even know what a boat was back then? Noah’s story reminds us of the words of James,

Faith without works is dead.

Imagine if he didn’t build the ark? Imagine if his faith was without works? This guy lived it out. He was real. His relationship with God made him complete and it made a difference in his present life. Reality, in the world and people around Noah was missing Someone. It lacked. It was incomplete; a life lived without God always is. Noah, in his relationship with God, found out who he really was, his purpose we might say. This reality, this absolute truth, was so encompassing to Noah and his life that he didn’t want to walk away. He tasted and saw that the Lord was good.

- How do I live like that?
- How do I walk with God in such a way that I actually hear Him speaking?
- How do I trust God at the level Noah did?
- Is it even possible?

On our own this would be impossible. But when we receive Christ we are adopted into His family. This family (the church universal) is a big help to us. We are also given the Spirit of the Lord, who dwells richly within us. This Spirit acts like a teacher and guide in that He instructs and leads us (we must be willing and submissive of course) in how we should live. When we do something we shouldn’t He tells us about it (sometimes in a gentle way and sometimes in a not so gentle way). He helps us through trials by giving us wisdom and hope. He helps us spiritually discipline ourselves so we can become stronger. He grants us the freedom to choose God’s path. God’s Spirit living within the believer and the believer working with the Spirit is what makes the impossible possible.

The question is not a matter of probability, but a matter of reality. Do you believe you can live a life like Noah? I know he is one of Hall of Faith-famers in Hebrews 11, but reality (God’s Word) teaches that we can be there too! Do you believe that? Noah shows us that it’s about a personal relationship with God. It’s about taking the time to listen and deciding to obey. Noah’s world may be separated from ours by several thousand years, but were the trials he faced really that much different than ours today? Noah lived in the days when God hadn’t poured out His Spirit upon all people, but we do. We can find favor in the eyes of the Lord.

Noah (Genesis 6, pt.1)

This is part 1 to a brief 2-part series on Noah. He was a remarkable man! Part 2 coming next week.

There’s an old gospel song I remember hearing at church that went a little something like this,

Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord
Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord
Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord

I don’t remember much more of the song (is there more to it?), just the nine words sung over and over. I never thought too much or too hard about what the Bible and the song were actually saying/trying to say. What does it mean that Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord? Let’s take a look at what was happening in Noah’s world (the context).

The Context
During the time of Noah mankind had reached the epitome of selfishness. Sin, conceived in the Garden of Eden in the hearts of Adam and Eve, had run its course. People were turning away from a relationship with God to pursue the dark path of narcissism. Kings were abusing their power and sleeping with whomever they wanted. Murder, abuse, greed, and sexual immorality were rampant. Evil desires were the dress code of Noah’s day. Do whatever you want. Genesis 6:5 says,

The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Things were so bad God decided to start over. However, instead of obliterating mankind and starting from scratch, God chose a righteous man named Noah to rebuild/start over with (we owe him a big thank you!). The Scriptures describe Noah as blameless and one who walked with God. The same thing was said of Noah’s ancestor Enoch (Gen 5:24). Despite the wickedness and temptations surrounding him, Noah maintained a relationship with God.

Questions:
- How?
- How could he resist evil?
- How could he walk with God during such a vile time?
- How could he walk with God when it wasn’t popular?
- Why did he stick with God?

Noah (Genesis 6)

Nothing fancy, just curious as to what you think about Noah?
- Who was he?
- How did God use him?
- Was there anything special about him?
- What does the New Testament say about him?
- What did Jesus think of him?

Demon Sex? (Genesis 6)

I know the title is provocative and probably offensive to some of you. But, it’s in reference to the events in Genesis 6. Were the fallen angels (demons) having sex with humans? It’s a serious question to be explored.

Genesis 6 opens with the human race growing and expanding. Still fulfilling God’s mandate to multiply and fill the earth (Gen 1:28). The Sons of God saw how beautiful the daughters of men looked and took wives. Genesis 6:1-2 (NASB) reads

Now it came about, when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose.

So, what’s going on here? Does the phrase Sons of God refer to fallen angels? Was it possible for fallen angels to marry humans? Were demons marrying the daughters of men just to have sex with them? Would God allow such a thing to happen to His beloved creation? Does a fallen angel having sex with humans fit in to the rest of the Bible? Is there another way to interpret this?

When you dive into the culture of this time you discover a gruesome and sickening practice. The Gilgamesh Epic describes kings as having a right to have sex with any bride being married. The husband would have no control over such tyranny. Apparently kings did this as a form of oppression and control. Pretty disgusting isn’t it? This reveals a little of what was taking place in the culture during Genesis. If you apply this horrific practice to Genesis you would see that the Sons of God, which would be kings, were picking and choosing women, brides to be, from across the land to sleep with. This would be detestable to God and surely bring a response like what is given in verse 3 (NASB) of Genesis,

Then the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years."

So, fallen angels weren’t going around having sex with the daughters of men. Surely God would have mentioned them in verse 3 if they were. It was the kings of the land. Who knows how out of control this practice may have grown? Things must have really deteriorated for God to send forth a flood. One commentary I’ve been reading pointed out a rather interesting flow of thought through these beginning chapters of Genesis:

Genesis 3: The fall of mankind
Genesis 4: The fall of the family
Genesis 6: The fall of society

What are your thoughts?

Seth's Family (Genesis 5)

Genesis 5 focuses on Adam’s other son, Seth. Chapter 5 goes through each member of Seth’s family and gives their names and how long they lived (these guys lived for a long time!). There is a bit of a contrast between Cain’s side of the family and Seth’s. Cain’s family tree is without years, only their names are mentioned (read Genesis 4:17-22), so we don’t know how long they lived. Compared to Genesis 5, which tells us how long Seth’s family lived for, Cain’s family comes out looking less significant. There are some interesting people introduced via Seth’s bloodline in chapter 5. We meet Enoch in verse 21. God took Enoch away in verse 24,

And Enoch walked with God; and he was no more, for God took him.

We’re not told anything else. Why did God take Enoch? Where did he go? It’s interesting that Jude 1:14-15 has a direct quote from the apocrypha book of 1 Enoch (written in the time between the Old and New Testaments, possibly the 2nd century BC). Enoch supposedly was taken to heaven and given some prophetic visions. He wrote about his trip and experiences in heaven and put them in his book, 1 Enoch. He talks about the fall of Satan and how the fallen angels (demons) intermingled with humans to create a subhuman race. This is part of the reason, according to the book of Enoch, of why God flooded the earth. There’s definitely some interesting reading in the book of 1 Enoch, but God didn’t see it necessary to include this book as part of our Bible so we don’t have to worry about undiscovered truths. God has given us everything we need to know in our Bible.

If any of you are interested in reading more about 1 Enoch and its history click this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Enoch This site provides some excellent background information.

Questions:
- What are your initial thoughts over Genesis 5?
- What differences do you see between Cain and Seth’s families?
- Is there a difference?
- What are your initial thoughts over Enoch being taken up with God?

Cain’s family (Genesis 4)

We left off last week with Cain being cursed by God and settling in the land of Nod, which is east of Eden. Genesis 4:17-24 tells the story of Cain’s family. Of course Adam and Eve had more children than just Cain and Abel. Apparently it was ok to intermarry; there was no other choice if Adam and Eve were the only human beings created. So, Cain married his sister (4:17, 5:4). Cain’s family has interesting roots and one can trace the development of his family and what they introduce to the world to ancient civilizations and how they developed. Here’s what we learn in Genesis 4 about the development of civilization:

- The introduction of cities: Cain tried building a city and naming it after his son Enoch (v.17). Was he successful? Was he the first to do this?
- The introduction of polygamy (more than one wife): Methushael’s son Lamech took two wives, Adah and Zillah (v.19). Did God approve of this?
- The introduction of domesticating animals for human purposes: Jabal, son of Adah, was the father of a nomadic type of people who lived in tents and raised sheep and goats.
- The introduction of music: Jabal’s brother Jubal was the father of all who play the lyre (stringed instrument used in ancient cultures) and pipe (musical, not for smoking).
- The introduction of metalworking: Zillah’s son Tubal-Cain forged bronze and iron. Were they used to help out with ordinary chores and living or for war?
- The introduction of poetry (?): Lamech writes what appears to be the first poem of our Bible in Genesis 4:23-24. In his poem he boasts about a man who attacked and wounded him and how he killed the young man. Was there some type of war between them or was it murder? The Hebrew word for killed in verse 23 is the same word used to describe what Cain did to Abel back in verse 8 of chapter 4.
- The introduction of life without God: Cain’s descendents seem focused on themselves and their humanistic efforts. There is on mention of glory or worship given to God. It would be nice to say that God was a part of what they did and their daily life, but we can’t. It’s not there. The author of Genesis introduces Cain’s family line and then moves to the more important line of Adam’s family, his son Seth.

What are your thoughts on Genesis 4:17-24?

Cain (Genesis 4)

Genesis 4 is about life outside of the Garden (for a picture of how life looked inside see Genesis 2). Adam and Eve are building their family and bring forth two sons, Cain and Abel. Cain is a farmer and Abel a shepherd. They decide to bring God offerings of their work. Cain brings forth fruit and Abel brings forth fat portions from his flock. God looks with favor upon Abel and his offering, but not on Cain’s. This causes Cain to burn with anger and pout. God shows up on the scene and begins to reason with Cain. God even advises Cain that if he will do what is right he’ll be accepted. But if he saturates in his anger, the desire to sin will overtake him.

Cain ignores God and takes matters into his own hands. “Maybe if Abel is out of the way I won’t have to worry about the competition in pleasing God,” he thinks. So, Cain murders Abel in cold blood. God, like He did with Adam and Eve, seeks Cain (the sinner) out and inquires about his brother. Cain responds that he isn’t in charge of his brother and has no clue where he is. God, being all knowing, confronts Cain and curses him and he becomes a wanderer of the earth.

Reviewing Cain’s actions we see that:
- He became angry (maybe jealous?) because God looked with favor upon his brother’s offering
- He ignored God’s advice
- He devised a plan to murder his brother and followed through with it
- He lied to God to cover up what he had done
- He showed no remorse

Now, what lies behind Cain’s actions is his heart. From the heart the mouth speaks the Scriptures tell us. What else comes from the heart? Our actions. Everything Cain did was a matter of his heart not being right with God (a consequence of the Fall and his own choice). God tried reasoning with Cain to reveal to him this truth in Genesis 4:6-7. But Cain ignored God, which tells us that he didn’t want anything to do with God. A conscious choice made from his heart. Cain’s heart wasn’t open to receiving the Word and as a result, sin consumed and led him off to murder his own flesh and blood.

I dare you to stop and think about the things you do (good and bad). Have you ever done that before? If you do, try and trace them back to their source. If you follow the footprints long enough, you’ll discover that they lead back to your heart.

Questions
- How’s your heart these days?
- Is it open to receiving God’s Word?
- Do you believe our actions come from our heart?
- Why or why not?

Genesis 3 (Wrath against sin)

Is there consequence for sin? According to God’s Word there is! After Adam and Eve give in to the Serpent’s trickery and hogwash that plays on their own desires, something terrible happens. Adam and Eve sinned by eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; a tree declared off limits by God in Genesis 2:17. However, their sin goes deeper than just action, it involved their will/heart. They decided God was wrong and holding something back from them, they decided they knew better than God. They made a conscience decision from the heart to disobey God. The saying the rest is history should be changed to the rest is our history because their sin has damned the human race. Is there hope?

If we didn’t have the New Testament Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) we might consider our situation hopeless and grim. But, God’s gift to us was His Word and that Word (made flesh, John 1:14) helps us see hope in God’s plan of redemption. The New Testament helps in our understanding of the Old Testament, especially here in Genesis 3. We know from the Gospels that God sent Jesus to proclaim the Kingdom of God among us, to show His love to world, and to die for humanity’s sins so a proper relationship could be restored between God and man and man and man. The New Testament actually helps us see God’s plan for the coming Savior in Genesis 3. How?

In verse 15 God talks about woman’s seed and the enmity between this seed and the serpent. The word seed used here is interesting because it is singular and not plural. We can deduce two things from this:

1. All of humanity is at enmity with Satan and his minions. From the first children (Cain & Abel) to everyone born today. John mentions the hatred of Satan towards humans in Revelation 12:17.

2. We can also see a prophecy and a sneak peek at God’s plan of salvation. When the Hebrew people were passing this story on to their families, there would have been some expectation of a coming redeemer, king, or messiah when they heard the word “seed”. The deathblow to Satan and his power over death is mentioned in verse 15, “He shall crush you on the head.” Which is certainly what Christ did when He arose from the grave on the third day. Paul writes of this in Romans 16:20.

Even though Adam and Eve were kicked out of the Garden of Eden for their sin, God still shoveled love and mercy upon them. He could have killed them on the spot for their disobedience, but He didn’t, however He did not stop the natural consequences of sin from taking their toll on their lives and offspring. Even though all of humanity has been kicked out of God’s presence from birth, He has shown us love and mercy in sending us His Son. A gift offered to all willing to receive Him. God demonstrated His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Rom 5:8). Any thoughts?

Snakey Dialogue (Genesis 3)

Adam and Eve hanging out in the Garden of Eden having a good ol' time! Then, out of the lush vegetation…a talking snake slips onto the scene and begins to question them; singling out Eve.

Snake: Hey! What's up Adam and Eve?
Adam & Eve: (Taken back and surprised a little by a talking snake) Huh!
Snake: Hey Eve, what's up?
Eve: Not much, just chillin and enjoying this beautiful day in this beautiful place.
Snake: Really? You and Adam are enjoying it here? Huh. Seems with all the rules and regulations that God has imposed on you that it would feel a bit…umm…restricting. I mean, is God serious about you not eating from any tree here?
Adam: (Contemplating the whole scene and remaining very quiet)
Eve: We can eat from all the trees, well, except the one in the middle of the Garden. God told Adam if he, I mean we, eat from it we'll die. I guess I'm not even supposed to touch it.
Serpent: Really? That's hilarious because there's no way you'll die just from eating fruit from a tree is there?
Eve: (Contemplating)
Adam: (Contemplating with a confused look on his face)
Serpent: You know what I think?
Eve: (Curious) What?
Serpent: I think that when you eat from this tree (stares at it for a moment), you'll become just like God. You'll know good and evil both!
Eve: What's evil?
Adam: (Still quietly contemplating things with a confused look on his face)
Serpent: It's something…uh…well…uhh…well it's something God knows. You mean to tell me he has kept something from you? Shocking! That seems kind of odd that he would keep something from you…doesn't it?
Eve: (Begins staring at the tree) Yeah, it does. I mean this fruit looks very good. I think it could help me learn something new too. (She reaches out and grabs it and pulls it close to her mouth)
Adam: (Still quietly contemplating while Eve hands him a piece of the forbidden fruit)
Serpent: (Grinning from ear to ear) *Do snakes have ears?
Adam & Eve: (Both bite into the juicy fruit (not the gum) of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and begin blushing at the realization they're standing around naked)

What do you think about the serpent of old's (aka the Devil) tactics in tempting man and woman? He's sly isn't he? How would you retell the temptation of Adam and Eve?

Random thoughts on Genesis by teenagers

Last night we continued studying Genesis chapter 2. We've been hanging out there for a while (there's a lot to learn). I let my students share their thoughts last night and here's what they had to say: Hope you enjoy!

Man was first. Woman was second. God created earth.
- Makayla

I learned that God created us in his image so we are important. At first I thought who cares, people are going to hell. But I guess everyone is important and that we should try even though in Bluffton it’s very discouraging. I’m also learning more about myself and how I truly feel about things, but I’m glad we’re doing this because the topics are coming up and I’m trying to really understand things and not just blow them over. Even to change my view to what God wants and I’m trying to change my attitude a little bit.
- Rebecca

Man was first. When man and woman were created they were naked.
- Anonymous

I learned that woman was created by a man’s rib.
- Anonymous

God created dinosaurs. The world hasn’t been around for millions of years.
- Anonymous

I learned a lot of neat things from the Bible. I learned about the creation of man and woman and their fall to the dark side.
- Andrew

I learned in Genesis that Adam and Eve were not ashamed to be there. Genesis is also about how God created earth.
- Anonymous

So far I’ve learned a lot of things that God created that I had no clue he did. I learned more about Adam and Eve that was really cool for to learn about.
- Katie

Woman was made from man and they could eat from any tree except one.
- Anonymous

God created Eve by the pieces of Adam.
- Brandon

God created us in his image. He gave us everything on earth. When he saw that man was lonely, he cared enough to make woman.
Laundry is a result of the Fall.
- Janella

It’s not that I learned anything new, it’s that I enjoyed discussing Genesis with the youth group.
- Anonymous

The world was created in Genesis.
- Brooke

I learned how dinosaurs were created and destroyed.
- Kory

Rest (Genesis 2:1-3)

Well, the past two weeks have been crazy! I apologize for not posting a new post last week. Things have picked up at work, school, and home. Most of you know my wife is pregnant, our first. Well, we find out in a week the sex of our baby. Needless to say we’re excited! We really don’t prefer a boy to a girl or vice versa, we’re just happy to be having a baby! We’re fulfilling God’s mandate in Genesis 1 to be fruitful and multiply.

Genesis 2:1-3 is a continuation of the creation story started in Genesis 1. This passage talks about the completion of God’s work and the rest God takes on the seventh day. Verse 2 reads,

By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.

God’s world was done. Everything was perfect. Everything was in its proper place and performing its proper function. Can you imagine such a world? Then we move from creating and working to rest. Can you imagine God resting? Someone asked once, “Doesn’t He have to like always be doing something?” Well, Scripture would tell us, “no!” God worked hard for six days and then rested. He did nothing! Genesis even goes on to say in verse 3,

God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.

So, we have a day where God is not doing anything and He blesses this day and makes it holy.

Questions to ponder:
- What do you think about God resting?
- Why did He do it?
- If you believe we’re made in His image, what does this teach us about ourselves?
- Does this passage of Scripture bother you? If so, how?
- Do you rest each week?

*I sure could use some rest!

Authorship of Genesis

Who wrote Genesis? Tradition points to Moses. Can we trust tradition? What does Scripture say? In youth group last night we dug into Scripture to see whom it pointed to as the author of Genesis. First, we made some general assumptions about the author. For example:
- He had to have had a lot of alone time with God to really know the entire creation story.
- He had to be well educated. Smart.
- A Hebrew who understood the language and how to write.
- Organized.
- Thoughtful.

We dug into several Old Testament passages (mostly in Exodus) and learned:
*Click on the Scriptures to read them
- Moses was well educated in Egypt and later in the desert by God. (Exodus 2:1-10)
- He was a Hebrew. (Exodus 2)
- He had 40 days alone with God on the mountain. (Exodus 24:12-18)
- God, face to face, spoke to Moses. (Exodus 33:7-11)
- After receiving the Lord’s commands, Moses gave them all to the Israelites. (Exodus 34:32)
- Even Jesus mentions Moses as an author of Old Testament books. (Luke 24:27)
- Paul does the same thing. (Acts 26:22)

So, was Moses the author of Genesis? It seems pretty clear where the tradition comes from and why we have it. What do you think? Could it be possible that Moses had help writing some of the Old Testament books? Could it be possible he had nothing to do with writing any of the Old Testament books? What do you think?

Imago Dei (Part 2)

Being created in God’s image implies:

1. We treat all human beings with respect. If you read further into Genesis (Chap. 6,7,8,9) you would come across a story about a man named Noah. He built the massive wooden boat for all animals and his family to protect them from the flood. During Noah’s time all flesh was corrupt on earth. God wasn’t happy with His creation and was about to destroy everything, but He found an obedient man that He could rebuild humanity through (Noah). After the flood, God told Noah,

“Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed;
for in the image of God has God made man.”

It’s interesting to note God’s reminder to Noah that man still carries the image of God. This should teach us that humanity is priceless to God. Everyone, even terrorists, was made in the image of God. Do you believe that?

2. It also implies that we have a responsibility to take care of God’s planet. He put Adam and Even in the Garden of Eden to cultivate and work it. He asked them to rule over His creation. Do you believe that?

Your thoughts?

Imago Dei (Genesis 1)

The imago Dei is Latin for God’s image. Genesis 1 teaches us that we’re made in God’s image. Genesis 1:26 reads,

“Let us make man/woman in Our image, according to Our likeness.”

This short sentence packs so much truth it’s overwhelming. What does it mean? What does it imply? What does it teach? Did we lose this image during the Fall? The book of Genesis is helpful in that it does offer an explanation of what it means to be made in the image of God. Here’s what it teaches:

1. God only created humans in His image. (Genesis 1:26-27)

2. After creating man/woman in His image, God tells them to rule over the earth, blesses them, tells them to be fruitful and multiply, and to fill the earth and subdue it. (Genesis 1:26-28)

3. If we read a little further into the book of Genesis (Chapter 5) we learn a little bit more about what it means to made in the image of God. We also see that man/woman haven’t lost completely the image of God (in them) during the Fall (Genesis 3). Genesis 5:1-3 reveal that Adam’s own son (Seth) was created in Adam’s image. So, we see a comparison of the divine/human image to the parent/child image.

What does all of this teach us? Here’s a short compilation of what we can deduct from Genesis about being made in God’s image and likeness:
- We are His representatives on earth
- We have a responsibility to rule over the earth
- We were created for relationships
- We can think and reason (can animals do this?)
- We can create (e.g., imagination, new life)

This is all I have time to write now, but we’ll continue this next week and prowl further into the implications of being created in the image of God.

Creation pt. 2 (Genesis 1:20-31)

To pick up where we left off two weeks ago we must read Genesis 1:20-31. Within the walls of this Holy Scripture we discover days five and six of God’s creation. Here’s a breakdown of those days:

Day 5 (vv.20-23)
- All the sea creatures and birds of the sky created
- God blesses them and tells them to, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.”

Day 6 (vv.24-31)
- Creatures of the earth created
- Man & woman created in God’s image and likeness
- God tells man and woman to rule over the fish, birds, and creatures of the earth
- God blessed man and woman and tells them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
- God gives every seed-bearing plant and fruit-bearing tree to humans and the beasts of the earth for food
- God sees everything He has made and is very pleased

It’s interesting to note God response to His creation. From the beginning He finds His creation to be good. From day one to day six we hear the phrase, “God saw that it was good.” What does this teach us? The Hebrew word used for good is tob and it encompasses a variety of meanings. Here are some of those meanings pulled from the Word Study Dictionary of the Old Testament:
- Pleasing, fruitful, morally correct, proper, convenient, abundant, and plentiful

So, we see that God’s creation is perfect in every sense. It doesn’t just look good, it functions good according to its purpose. I have a hard time imagining this because of the way sin has tainted our world. It’s just too overwhelming to think of a world without sin. But that is exactly the way our world was originally created. This just goes to show how messed up and distorted the Fall (Genesis 3) made our world. We see why sin is such a big deal to God.

Questions related to day 6:
- What does it mean to be made in the image and likeness of God?
- How does this make us different from the rest of God’s creation?
- What does it teach us if we are made in God’s image and likeness?

What Genesis is teaching me

If you think creation is beautiful, you should see the Creator! Studying Genesis has been rewarding and challenging. Reading and digging into chapter 1 has revealed several things:

1. Genesis 1 wasn’t written as a scientific document to explain in detail the process of how everything was created.
You can’t accurately use the text to answer questions like, “Did evolution occur?” “Is the Big Bang Theory true?” “Did God create our world in six literal days?” “How old is our world?” These questions go beyond the point of what Genesis is trying to teach. Genesis is a book about beginnings. It’s about our (humans) beginning. We see where we came from, what we’re supposed to be doing, and where we’re going. I don’t think I can argue against or for any of the creation theories anymore using Genesis. Maybe things did evolve over a period of time or maybe they just appeared completely formed. I wasn’t there and can’t propose an precise scientific study of how everything came into existence. However, I still blatantly reject the idea of humans evolving from monkeys on the grounds of Genesis 1:27,

God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.

If we evolved from anything, it was the dust of the ground (Genesis 2:7). I just believe God created it all; how He did it I don’t know. The fact of the matter is, “In the beginning God created.”

2. Man & Woman are the pinnacle of God’s creation.
This is a statement I was a bit skeptical about. I questioned whether or not God really created everything for us. It felt selfish to say He did do it all for us. But, He did. If we weren’t the high point of God’s creation why would Genesis tells us that He created us in His image? Nothing else in creation receives this honor. I think of Jesus’ sacrifice and suffering on the cross, all for us. If we weren’t the high point of God’s creation why would He die for us?

So, this is what I’ve been learning and chewing on for the past month. Care to share your thoughts?

Creation (Genesis 1:1-19)

Last night we began studying creation as recorded in Genesis (1st book of the Bible). Chapter one is packed full of events and happenings, so we didn’t get through the entire chapter, which is ok because we don’t want to rush it and miss something. We did make it to the fourth day. Here’s a systematic unpacking of what we discovered:

Day 1 (vv.1-5)
- God was before everything
- He created the heavens and the earth (earth was formless and empty)
- He created water
- The Spirit of God was hovering over the waters
- God created light, saw it was good and separated it from darkness
- He called light “day” and darkness “night”

Day 2 (vv.6-8)
- God creates the expanse between the waters below and above earth
- God calls the expanse “sky”

Day 3 (vv.9-13)
- Waters gather in one place (the Seas) and dry ground appears
- Land produces vegetation, seed-bearing plants and trees (with fruit)

Day 4 (vv.14-19)
- God creates the lights of the sky; sun, moon, and stars
- They mark the seasons, days, and years
- The sun governs our days and the moon governs our nights

We also sought to find some key words and phrases in Genesis 1:1-19. We looked for things that were repeated a lot. Here’s what we discovered:
- God saw it was good (v.4, 10, 12, 18)
- God created (vv.1-19)
- And God said (v.3, 6, 9, 11, 14)

Question of the night:
- There was light and darkness on the first day, but there was nothing created to emit the light (e.g., sun, stars). Where did the light come from? How could there be light without the sun and stars? Is this passage even talking about physical light? Or is it something else?