Genesis 31 is a very "messy" chapter. If you ever wanted proof that the heroes of the Bible weren't perfect, there is plenty of that proof here. Jacob deceives Laban. Rachel steals his idols and lies about it. Genesis 31 does very little to convince me that I would want to spend any time with Jacob or his family. In some ways, the chapter sounds more like a modern day reality TV show than a passage of Scripture.
One might despair for encouraging truths in this chapter but I do see at least one. Genesis 31 certainly teaches that God watches over those who belong to Him. This idea is found most clearly in verse 42. There, Jacob says that if God had not been with him, Laban would have robbed him blind. He would have worked twenty years like a slave with no reward. But, of course, that didn't happen. Up to very last minute (verse 24), God was working to protect and to bless Jacob.
If we were in God's shoes, Jacob might seem like one man we wouldn't care to protect that much. His life is certainly full of "moral challenges." We might think let him take his lumps and learn his lessons. And certainly God does allow some of that (see yesterday's post about Jacob's first wedding). But in the end, God will not allow Jacob to suffer injustice. He works for the good of Jacob because Jacob was chosen by grace not merit.
I guess there times when I wonder why God doesn't say "Enough!" to me. I wonder why He puts up with me as long as He does still pouring out His blessing into my life. But then I remember that I am chosen by grace not merit. And being chosen by grace through the work of Jesus, God blesses and protects even when I don't deserve it.
Every Letter, Every Pen Stroke (Matthew 5:18)
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
What Goes Around Comes Around (Genesis 29-30)
If ever there was an illustration of why to follow the Biblical maxim: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you," it is found here in Genesis 29-30. We know how Jacob has treated Esau. Jacob has used deception to rob his brother of his blessing rather than trusting God to provide it. Jacob (in concert with his mother) took advantage of his father's weak eye sight to deceive and to trick.
Now, in Genesis 29-30, Jacob has the very same thing done to him. Don't miss the obvious here. The deception that Jacob foisted upon his father, Laban now foists upon him. One might wonder how such a thing could happen. How could one marry the wrong woman and only discover the mistake after the wedding night? Our society's guess would be that alcohol was involved, but that wasn't necessary here. Brides in Jacob's day were covered from head to toe on their wedding day with a veil around their faces. And even on the wedding night, modesty was preserved according to Middle Eastern custom. In the relative dark of a tent, it would have been difficult for Jacob to realize what was happening, especially if the bride was an accomplice.
Whatever the explanation of the deception, one certainly believes that Jacob got what he deserved. In Jacob's deception, the youngest was elevated above the eldest. Now, the eldest (Leah) is elevated above the youngest (Rachel). God has reversed the trick on him.
It is interesting also to note how Leah is described in this passage. She is said to have "weak eyes." Scholars aren't sure what this means. Most think, the phrase was probably a euphemism meaning she was "ugly to the bone." Whatever the phrase's meaning, Leah's condition is not an insignificant detail. Think about it. The one (Jacob) who deceived one with weak eyes (Isaac) now is deceived into receiving one with weak eyes (Leah). At every turn here, the justice is complete.
I think it was on Hollywood Squares that Peter Marshall used to say: "Turn about is fair play." That lesson is certainly learned here. Genesis 29-30 gives us a good reminder: "Do unto others or God may see that the same is done unto you."
Now, in Genesis 29-30, Jacob has the very same thing done to him. Don't miss the obvious here. The deception that Jacob foisted upon his father, Laban now foists upon him. One might wonder how such a thing could happen. How could one marry the wrong woman and only discover the mistake after the wedding night? Our society's guess would be that alcohol was involved, but that wasn't necessary here. Brides in Jacob's day were covered from head to toe on their wedding day with a veil around their faces. And even on the wedding night, modesty was preserved according to Middle Eastern custom. In the relative dark of a tent, it would have been difficult for Jacob to realize what was happening, especially if the bride was an accomplice.
Whatever the explanation of the deception, one certainly believes that Jacob got what he deserved. In Jacob's deception, the youngest was elevated above the eldest. Now, the eldest (Leah) is elevated above the youngest (Rachel). God has reversed the trick on him.
It is interesting also to note how Leah is described in this passage. She is said to have "weak eyes." Scholars aren't sure what this means. Most think, the phrase was probably a euphemism meaning she was "ugly to the bone." Whatever the phrase's meaning, Leah's condition is not an insignificant detail. Think about it. The one (Jacob) who deceived one with weak eyes (Isaac) now is deceived into receiving one with weak eyes (Leah). At every turn here, the justice is complete.
I think it was on Hollywood Squares that Peter Marshall used to say: "Turn about is fair play." That lesson is certainly learned here. Genesis 29-30 gives us a good reminder: "Do unto others or God may see that the same is done unto you."
Thursday, January 8, 2009
A Heart for People (Genesis 18-19)
There is a lot that could be said about today's chapters. I suppose one temptation is to focus on the comparison between Sodom and Gomorrah's sins and those of our own generation. Reading chapter 19, one is tempted to wonder how long it will be before our Western society slides to the depravity of those two ancient cities. One thinks we are not far away.
But rather than writing about judgment, I want to write about mercy, particularly the mercy of Abraham. In chapter 18, Abraham receives an unusual visit from the Lord. God comes in the form of a man to visit. On the one hand, this visit is a visit meant to announce blessing. God comes to tell Abraham that within a year he will have a son. On the other hand, this visit is a visit meant to announce judgment. The Lord decides in chapter 18 that he must tell Abraham about the destruction that he is going to bring on Sodom and Gomorrah.
If you were Abraham, how would you react to this news? Putting ourselves in his shoes, I think the response of many of us would be twofold. Certainly a part of us would be concerned for the relatives the we had in the city. We would want our nephew Lot and his family to be safe. Our first thoughts would be about their escape. But honestly another part of us might relish the coming destruction. Knowing Sodom to be a wicked place, we might cheer what God was going to do. We might ask for a ringside seat to see the destruction of those pagans in the valley. This is especially true because Sodom and Gomorrah had already been a source of some difficulty for Abraham. He had already had to bail out the kings of that place in a time when they were attacked. These kings had been less than grateful, continuing in their pagan and evil ways. Abraham might have been tempted to not shed many tears for these cities.
But Abraham's response is not what ours might be. Instead of gloating or rejoicing, Abraham pleads for mercy. Boldly, he approaches God asking for a reprieve for the city. If there are fifty or forty-five, or forty, etc, then don't destroy the city Lord. Now, some might suggest that Abraham's plea is really a plea for the righteous. But it is more than that. After all, his plea is not that the fifty or forty five righteous would escape. His plea is that the whole city would be spared. He ultimately intercedes for the sinner as well as the saint.
I think many Christians are ready to draw lines between Sodom and our own society. And in some ways, that exercise might be justified. But if we do that, should we do that to condemn or should we do that to pray? We need to instill the same heart for people that Abraham had because ultimately God's heart is for mercy too.
But rather than writing about judgment, I want to write about mercy, particularly the mercy of Abraham. In chapter 18, Abraham receives an unusual visit from the Lord. God comes in the form of a man to visit. On the one hand, this visit is a visit meant to announce blessing. God comes to tell Abraham that within a year he will have a son. On the other hand, this visit is a visit meant to announce judgment. The Lord decides in chapter 18 that he must tell Abraham about the destruction that he is going to bring on Sodom and Gomorrah.
If you were Abraham, how would you react to this news? Putting ourselves in his shoes, I think the response of many of us would be twofold. Certainly a part of us would be concerned for the relatives the we had in the city. We would want our nephew Lot and his family to be safe. Our first thoughts would be about their escape. But honestly another part of us might relish the coming destruction. Knowing Sodom to be a wicked place, we might cheer what God was going to do. We might ask for a ringside seat to see the destruction of those pagans in the valley. This is especially true because Sodom and Gomorrah had already been a source of some difficulty for Abraham. He had already had to bail out the kings of that place in a time when they were attacked. These kings had been less than grateful, continuing in their pagan and evil ways. Abraham might have been tempted to not shed many tears for these cities.
But Abraham's response is not what ours might be. Instead of gloating or rejoicing, Abraham pleads for mercy. Boldly, he approaches God asking for a reprieve for the city. If there are fifty or forty-five, or forty, etc, then don't destroy the city Lord. Now, some might suggest that Abraham's plea is really a plea for the righteous. But it is more than that. After all, his plea is not that the fifty or forty five righteous would escape. His plea is that the whole city would be spared. He ultimately intercedes for the sinner as well as the saint.
I think many Christians are ready to draw lines between Sodom and our own society. And in some ways, that exercise might be justified. But if we do that, should we do that to condemn or should we do that to pray? We need to instill the same heart for people that Abraham had because ultimately God's heart is for mercy too.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
It's All in the Timing (Genesis 15-17)
What is the key to good comedy? Any comedian will tell you it is all about timing. Athletes will tell you that the key to their profession is timing too. If a quarterback wants to complete his pass to a receiver, his timing has to be right. If a baseball player wants to hit the ball well, he better not be even a fraction of a second late. If we thought about it, we could list endeavor after endeavor that has to do with timing.
Genesis 16 reminds us that success in life has to do with timing too. In Genesis 15, God has given Abraham a promise that he will have descendants like the stars in the sky or the sands on the seashore. Yet, some decade later, he and Sarah are still waiting. The promise has not been fulfilled. So, Sarah gets an idea. Let's make alternate arrangement for having children. No, Sarah's not talking adoption. She's talking fornication. Sarah wants Abraham to sleep with Hagar, her servant, so that the child can come through her. In the ancient world this might have been an accepted practice. In God's world, it was not. But Abraham and Sarah aren't getting any younger. Time is running out. And so not able to wait for God's timing, Abraham and Sarah create their own.
Not surprisingly, the results are bad. The good relationship that Sarah and Hagar had is ruined. Abraham, who had been running his household well, loses control, abdicating leadership of the family to Sarah. The attempt to speed God's timing is a decided disaster.
This is a lesson that we need to remember today. For it seems to me that many of our modern sins are sins of timing. Sexual immorality is that type of sin. God says that sex is good in marriage. But we can't wait to find someone to make a commitment to, so we seek physical affection in our timing rather than waiting for God's gracious gift of a husband or a wife. Greed is that type of sin too. Don't wait until you can pay for it. Buy it now on credit without the money. Much of our problem is not that we desire the wrong things. It is all about our timing being off.
Timing is everything. We need to learn to be patient and to wait upon God for His blessings rather than trying to quickly grab them for ourselves.
Genesis 16 reminds us that success in life has to do with timing too. In Genesis 15, God has given Abraham a promise that he will have descendants like the stars in the sky or the sands on the seashore. Yet, some decade later, he and Sarah are still waiting. The promise has not been fulfilled. So, Sarah gets an idea. Let's make alternate arrangement for having children. No, Sarah's not talking adoption. She's talking fornication. Sarah wants Abraham to sleep with Hagar, her servant, so that the child can come through her. In the ancient world this might have been an accepted practice. In God's world, it was not. But Abraham and Sarah aren't getting any younger. Time is running out. And so not able to wait for God's timing, Abraham and Sarah create their own.
Not surprisingly, the results are bad. The good relationship that Sarah and Hagar had is ruined. Abraham, who had been running his household well, loses control, abdicating leadership of the family to Sarah. The attempt to speed God's timing is a decided disaster.
This is a lesson that we need to remember today. For it seems to me that many of our modern sins are sins of timing. Sexual immorality is that type of sin. God says that sex is good in marriage. But we can't wait to find someone to make a commitment to, so we seek physical affection in our timing rather than waiting for God's gracious gift of a husband or a wife. Greed is that type of sin too. Don't wait until you can pay for it. Buy it now on credit without the money. Much of our problem is not that we desire the wrong things. It is all about our timing being off.
Timing is everything. We need to learn to be patient and to wait upon God for His blessings rather than trying to quickly grab them for ourselves.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Faith (Genesis 12-14)
When I think of examples of faith in the Bible, the first name that comes to my mind is Abraham. Paul uses Abraham as an example of faith in Romans. Abraham also appears in Hebrews 11, that chapter some have designated "the faith hall of fame."
Genesis 12 gives us a good example of what faith is all about. In Genesis 12, Abraham (still Abram here) is called to leave "his country, his people, and his father's household." Note how each phrase of that quote gets more specific and personal. Abraham is leaving his nation behind, then his ethnic group, then his own family. In the ancient world that was a dangerous thing to do. There were no police forces in Abraham time. There was no unemployment insurance or Social Security for retirement. How did one stay safe in a dangerous world? How was one prepared for calamitous times? One stayed close to home. Following God's directive entailed a high degree of risk.
Accepting this risk would have been hard for Abraham as he did not know where he was going. The Lord tells Abraham to go to the "land I will show you." Abraham was not provided with travel brochures. He was not told what the features of the land would be or even if it was a decent place to live. He was just told to go. And not knowing where he was going, Abraham went.
Of course, when Abraham arrived, he found that the land was not exactly empty. There were powerful people there who were not ready to be dispossessed from their land. Their culture was pagan; their societies ungodly. Abraham had to realize that he and his family might have to endure a long time before they saw God's promise fulfilled.
Abraham's story tells us what faith is all about. Faith is taking risk at God's directive. It is moving forward with God when one doesn't always know the outcome. It is continuing to trust the promises of God and obey even when there are problems.
Chapter 12 calls me (and all who read it) to ask, "Where am I exercising faith?" I like to talk about being a person of faith, but where am I being faithful like Abraham? Where am I taking risks for God at His command? Where am I moving forward, trusting God for the outcome? Where am I being faithful even with problems?
As I read Genesis 12, I have admiration for Abraham. I also wonder how he was able to do it. How could he trust God so dramatically? I think the answer is in verses 2-3. There, the Lord gives some great promises to Abraham. And he trusted those promises. This is a reminder of what ultimately faith is all about. Faith is not ultimately about belief in a system or doctrine or a creed. It is about belief in God as revealed in His Son Jesus. Our faith is not in a religion. It is in a personal God. That is why Abraham could do what he did: he trusted and loved a personal God believing that he would keep all of His promises.
I hope all of us listen for God's call to us. And when we hear it, I hope we respond like Abram.
Genesis 12 gives us a good example of what faith is all about. In Genesis 12, Abraham (still Abram here) is called to leave "his country, his people, and his father's household." Note how each phrase of that quote gets more specific and personal. Abraham is leaving his nation behind, then his ethnic group, then his own family. In the ancient world that was a dangerous thing to do. There were no police forces in Abraham time. There was no unemployment insurance or Social Security for retirement. How did one stay safe in a dangerous world? How was one prepared for calamitous times? One stayed close to home. Following God's directive entailed a high degree of risk.
Accepting this risk would have been hard for Abraham as he did not know where he was going. The Lord tells Abraham to go to the "land I will show you." Abraham was not provided with travel brochures. He was not told what the features of the land would be or even if it was a decent place to live. He was just told to go. And not knowing where he was going, Abraham went.
Of course, when Abraham arrived, he found that the land was not exactly empty. There were powerful people there who were not ready to be dispossessed from their land. Their culture was pagan; their societies ungodly. Abraham had to realize that he and his family might have to endure a long time before they saw God's promise fulfilled.
Abraham's story tells us what faith is all about. Faith is taking risk at God's directive. It is moving forward with God when one doesn't always know the outcome. It is continuing to trust the promises of God and obey even when there are problems.
Chapter 12 calls me (and all who read it) to ask, "Where am I exercising faith?" I like to talk about being a person of faith, but where am I being faithful like Abraham? Where am I taking risks for God at His command? Where am I moving forward, trusting God for the outcome? Where am I being faithful even with problems?
As I read Genesis 12, I have admiration for Abraham. I also wonder how he was able to do it. How could he trust God so dramatically? I think the answer is in verses 2-3. There, the Lord gives some great promises to Abraham. And he trusted those promises. This is a reminder of what ultimately faith is all about. Faith is not ultimately about belief in a system or doctrine or a creed. It is about belief in God as revealed in His Son Jesus. Our faith is not in a religion. It is in a personal God. That is why Abraham could do what he did: he trusted and loved a personal God believing that he would keep all of His promises.
I hope all of us listen for God's call to us. And when we hear it, I hope we respond like Abram.
Monday, January 5, 2009
God's Sense of Humor (Genesis 10-11)
In Genesis 11, we learn that God has a sense of humor. In verse 4, we are told that the people of the earth wanted to build a tower that would reach to the heavens. In verse 5, we are told the the Lord "came down" to see the city and the tower. In Hebrew, the word translated "come down" was often used for the act of coming off a mountain. The idea is that this "gigantic" tower of man was so small that the Lord could not see it without stooping.
I think Genesis 11 reminds us of the greatness and grandeur of God. It shows us that our greatest efforts are feeble compared to the Lord's work. Let's be thankful that we serve a great and mighty God.
I think Genesis 11 reminds us of the greatness and grandeur of God. It shows us that our greatest efforts are feeble compared to the Lord's work. Let's be thankful that we serve a great and mighty God.
Oprimist or Pessimist? (Genesis 5-6)
So which are you? An optimist or a pessimist? Here is an easy way to find out.
If you know your Bible trivia, you know who the oldest man ever was: Methuselah. Genesis 5:27 tells us that Methuselah lived 969 years and then he died. Now, let's do some math.
Methuselah was 187 years old when he gave birth to Lamech (5:25). (I thought I was old becoming a father at 37).
Lamech was 182 years old when Noah was born (5:28-29). That means Methuselah was 369 (187+182=369) when Noah was born.
Genesis 7:7 will tell us that Noah was 600 years old when the flood hit the earth. So how old was Methuselah when the flood came? 369-900=969. So, Methuselah died in the year of the flood.
Are you an optimist or a pessimist? I guess the optimist says that Methuselah died in the year of the flood because God wanted to spare an old man judgment. In other words, Methuselah died the year of the flood but before the flood actually came. The pessimist says that Methuselah died in the flood. After being given nearly a millennium to repent, he still had not made his peace with God.
My guess is that Methuselah died in the flood so I suppose I am a pessimist. (But Tammy could have told you that). I think Genesis 6 teaches us that we can live for centuries but it is not much of a life if we don't get right with God.
If you know your Bible trivia, you know who the oldest man ever was: Methuselah. Genesis 5:27 tells us that Methuselah lived 969 years and then he died. Now, let's do some math.
Methuselah was 187 years old when he gave birth to Lamech (5:25). (I thought I was old becoming a father at 37).
Lamech was 182 years old when Noah was born (5:28-29). That means Methuselah was 369 (187+182=369) when Noah was born.
Genesis 7:7 will tell us that Noah was 600 years old when the flood hit the earth. So how old was Methuselah when the flood came? 369-900=969. So, Methuselah died in the year of the flood.
Are you an optimist or a pessimist? I guess the optimist says that Methuselah died in the year of the flood because God wanted to spare an old man judgment. In other words, Methuselah died the year of the flood but before the flood actually came. The pessimist says that Methuselah died in the flood. After being given nearly a millennium to repent, he still had not made his peace with God.
My guess is that Methuselah died in the flood so I suppose I am a pessimist. (But Tammy could have told you that). I think Genesis 6 teaches us that we can live for centuries but it is not much of a life if we don't get right with God.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Legalism (Genesis 3-4)
Trivia time. Where is the first example of legalism in the Bible found? You guessed it. Genesis 3. Verse 3 to be specific. We are all familiar with this passage. The serpent comes and leads Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit. Through his cunning and guile, he convinces Eve that God is not trustworthy and that there is great pleasure to be found in that apple or kumquat or whatever it was. What often goes unnoticed is Eve's comment in verse 3. In conversing with the serpent, Eve says that she and Adam were not to eat from the tree or touch its fruit.
As you probably realize, this was an expansion of God's command. God said don't eat the fruit. He didn't say don't touch the tree. Where did Eve get this idea from? My best guess- she got the idea from Adam. Genesis tells us that he was the one who received God's command about the tree. Loving this woman God had put by his side, Adam didn't want to see her get in trouble. So, how to make sure she stayed away from the fruit? Add a rule. Not only don't you eat the fruit. You don't even touch it.
God's people have long thought that adding to God's rules was an effective sin deterrent. The Pharisees thought this. Many of Paul's opponents thought this. And many Christians today think this. I grew up in a tradition that seemed to think adding to God's rules was a good way to stop sin. ("Don't drink. Don't dance. Don't listen to rock and roll). Genesis 3 teaches us early on that more rules don't help us keep the right rules. More effective is truly knowing God. If Eve had been insightful enough to trust God's character and intentions, she would have never had that piece of fruit.
As you probably realize, this was an expansion of God's command. God said don't eat the fruit. He didn't say don't touch the tree. Where did Eve get this idea from? My best guess- she got the idea from Adam. Genesis tells us that he was the one who received God's command about the tree. Loving this woman God had put by his side, Adam didn't want to see her get in trouble. So, how to make sure she stayed away from the fruit? Add a rule. Not only don't you eat the fruit. You don't even touch it.
God's people have long thought that adding to God's rules was an effective sin deterrent. The Pharisees thought this. Many of Paul's opponents thought this. And many Christians today think this. I grew up in a tradition that seemed to think adding to God's rules was a good way to stop sin. ("Don't drink. Don't dance. Don't listen to rock and roll). Genesis 3 teaches us early on that more rules don't help us keep the right rules. More effective is truly knowing God. If Eve had been insightful enough to trust God's character and intentions, she would have never had that piece of fruit.
A New Year Begins... (Genesis 1-2)
...and already I am late on posts. But this year I am going to make a concerted effort to make comments (however brief) on our OT readings.
And so we start in the beginning with Genesis 1-2. There is a temptation to take these chapters as merely a straight account of Creation. In other words, we come to these chapters expecting to learn only how God created. To us, Genesis 1-2 is sort of a play by play account of the beginning. But in reality, these chapters are more than that. While I do still hold to a 6 day creation, I know that Genesis 1 has a lot more to teach us than that evolution is "wrong."
Think of Genesis 1 from an Israelites' perspective. Genesis was written by Moses as he was inspired by God. This probably happened as Moses shared time with God on Mount Sinai. So, Israel likely received Genesis as she was journeying to the Promised Land. With that fact in mind, Genesis 1 had to hold a great deal of interest for Israel. The account of God's creation of Eden had to powerfully remind them of their own journey to the Promised Land. In the account of Creation, Israelites would not have only seen a play by play account. They would have seen lessons about to thrive in their own Paradise.
The lesson they found in Genesis 1 is that there are blessings in the boundaries. Do not miss Genesis 1:2. That verse says that the earth was formless and empty. Thus, the rest of the chapter becomes an account of how God rectified that situation. In the first 3 days of Creation, God builds boundaries. On the first day, God creates the boundary between dark and light. On the second day, God creates sky, the boundaries between the waters above and the waters below (up until the Flood the world was apparently surrounded by a canopy of water). On the third day, God separates the land and the seas, putting each in its proper place. He also creates vegetation according to its kinds. In the opening three days of creation, the emphasis is clearly on bringing form to boundaries.
On the last three days of creation, God fills the boundaries. On day four, the sun and moon are placed in the sky. On the fifth day, the sky is filled with birds and the seas with fish. And on the sixth day, the land is filled with animals and the pinnacle of God's creation: humanity. All this rectifies the emptiness of verse 2. Now, not only are there boundaries but those boundaries are filled with wonderful and marvelous creatures.
The message here is unmistakable. Clearly, Genesis 1 teaches us that there is blessing in God's boundaries. Without the boundaries, there can be no holding of the blessings. If Israel was to enjoy the bounty of the Promised Land, they would have to accept the bounds of God's Law. Without submission to His commands, there could be no enjoyment of the blessings God planned to give. And for those of us who follow Jesus, the lesson is the same. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we need to be obedient to God's Word. For it is in obedience that we know the fullness of God's blessing. Those who don't follow Jesus think that God';s boundaries are meant to take our fun and kill our happiness. But Scripture starts with a very different lesson. It is only in the boundaries of God that the fullness of blessing is found.
And so we start in the beginning with Genesis 1-2. There is a temptation to take these chapters as merely a straight account of Creation. In other words, we come to these chapters expecting to learn only how God created. To us, Genesis 1-2 is sort of a play by play account of the beginning. But in reality, these chapters are more than that. While I do still hold to a 6 day creation, I know that Genesis 1 has a lot more to teach us than that evolution is "wrong."
Think of Genesis 1 from an Israelites' perspective. Genesis was written by Moses as he was inspired by God. This probably happened as Moses shared time with God on Mount Sinai. So, Israel likely received Genesis as she was journeying to the Promised Land. With that fact in mind, Genesis 1 had to hold a great deal of interest for Israel. The account of God's creation of Eden had to powerfully remind them of their own journey to the Promised Land. In the account of Creation, Israelites would not have only seen a play by play account. They would have seen lessons about to thrive in their own Paradise.
The lesson they found in Genesis 1 is that there are blessings in the boundaries. Do not miss Genesis 1:2. That verse says that the earth was formless and empty. Thus, the rest of the chapter becomes an account of how God rectified that situation. In the first 3 days of Creation, God builds boundaries. On the first day, God creates the boundary between dark and light. On the second day, God creates sky, the boundaries between the waters above and the waters below (up until the Flood the world was apparently surrounded by a canopy of water). On the third day, God separates the land and the seas, putting each in its proper place. He also creates vegetation according to its kinds. In the opening three days of creation, the emphasis is clearly on bringing form to boundaries.
On the last three days of creation, God fills the boundaries. On day four, the sun and moon are placed in the sky. On the fifth day, the sky is filled with birds and the seas with fish. And on the sixth day, the land is filled with animals and the pinnacle of God's creation: humanity. All this rectifies the emptiness of verse 2. Now, not only are there boundaries but those boundaries are filled with wonderful and marvelous creatures.
The message here is unmistakable. Clearly, Genesis 1 teaches us that there is blessing in God's boundaries. Without the boundaries, there can be no holding of the blessings. If Israel was to enjoy the bounty of the Promised Land, they would have to accept the bounds of God's Law. Without submission to His commands, there could be no enjoyment of the blessings God planned to give. And for those of us who follow Jesus, the lesson is the same. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we need to be obedient to God's Word. For it is in obedience that we know the fullness of God's blessing. Those who don't follow Jesus think that God';s boundaries are meant to take our fun and kill our happiness. But Scripture starts with a very different lesson. It is only in the boundaries of God that the fullness of blessing is found.
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