A Study in Genesis

Today, we end this season in our series on the book of Genesis. While this is not the end of our series, I want to take a pause and prepare our hearts for the next part which we will pick up in a few weeks. Today, I want to do a recap over the past several posts, and remind each and everyone of us what we have seen. We have seen great faith from individuals like Noah, Abraham, and others; we have seen moments of failure, redemption, and conspiracy. We have seen the roots of ancient hatred, promise of redemption, and the ultimate unquestionable authority that is only reserved for God alone. These past weeks we have learned of Sarah’s faith and her desire for a son, and have seen God’s love and compassion in providing. We have seen the hard truth of mankind’s evil ways, we have seen man shake its fist at God and try to do what they wanted. Ultimately, we have seen God’s actions and intentions be in perfection unison without any fault or error. I want to quickly take us to three moments in this past season that will provide clues of what is coming up. First, let’s go to Genesis 9.

Here we see God give a commandment on how man should live. God’s creation of the nation state is established. God sets up the rule of law to be facilitated over all men. At its core, we see a constitutional governance system put in place. Be monarch, republic, or democratic, the rule of law was to be over the government and the people. The ethnic groups which would naturally facilitate the original states, would have at their core right and wrong and the law provided by God. Some will say Noah hide laws, but I am talking about something more, something rather remarkable. This will be referenced by Joseph in chapter 39. God’s law provided in chapter 9 is immediately refuted by mankind only a few years later when they rebel against what God had ordained and strive for their own will.

The next moment I want to discuss is Abraham’s choosing. It is here in chapter 12 that God sets the stage and puts on notice the physical and the spiritual world of what He is about to do. Out of this childless couple, Abraham and Sarah, God would make a specific nation to which all people would call blessed. We can trace this line to Jesus in Matthew and Luke. The Messiah was coming through these two. Personally, I wondered what the demons and fallen angels must have thought. Imagine late at night, Abraham’s servants all outside the tent, women rushing in and out. Suddenly, outside of the tent fear gripping the forces of darkness as they heard Isaac’s first cry and Sarah’s joy. I wonder if then they realized that out of a little baby, God could do remarkable things. Once again we see a foreshadowing in Genesis of future events. For those who recognize Jesus as the Messiah, we know that the night of His birth (Which I believe was on Feast of Tabernacles) was even more grand then Isaac’s birth.

Finally, we come to our last moment that I want to recap. Ironically, this is one many people fail to recognize and that is Rebekah. While she showed up at the end of the season, her introduction is a rather remarkable moment for us to remember that God has a plan for us. Listening to Eliezer she stepped out in faith and followed, falling in love with Isaac whom she had never met. God protected, guided, and established a love that would symbolize the Son of God and His bride the Church. Yet, this story is not done there. The lesson here is worth mentioning that this is in fact the catalyst of the season for us. God declaring that the forgotten, are not forgotten by Him. We saw this with Hagar and we will see it again with others like Tamar and many more. God is a God of redemption, and love and justice.

What a remarkable season this has been in the book of Genesis. Let’s not forget that we have more to go, but let’s take a moment and reflect on what we have learned so far.

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

JL

Summer prayer fest:

Let’s ask the Lord to provide moments for us to reflect on His word. Summer is closing and yet our time with Him should not. This weeks Bible verse for the Summer Prayer Fest is.

Proverbs 22:17, “Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, And apply your heart to my knoweldge.”