In The Beginning

Beginnings!

In The Beginning!- Part 1

Reading: Genesis 1v1-2

When you start reading the Book of Genesis,…it gives you the beginnings of God’s work here on earth.

It also tells us of the beginnings of the Doctrine of God,…something that was completely different to the religion of the pagan nations which existed during the time of Moses.

It is also tells us about the beginnings of the doctrine of creation which was something completely different to the methodological (pagan) creation stories during the time Moses was writing this.

It also tells us about the beginnings of the doctrine of man,…and it tells us that we were wonderfully and magnificently made by an awesome God.

It also tells us of the beginnings of the doctrine of salvation,…because it there in the Garden of Eden that God begins to save His people,…its there where the first animal was killed to make a covering for Adam and Eve,…its there that the first blood sacrifice was made to cover man’s sinfulness.

In other words,…what we know about God and creation and ourselves, about salvation,...- it all begins in Genesis.

Its here in Genesis that the theological pillars are erected and upon which everything else in the Bible rests.

Genesis even refers to Jesus the Messiah who would save the world from its sin.

…so the importance of Genesis can hardly be overstated,…for here it all begins.

Its here where we read about how God calls Abraham from the country of Iraq to the promised land.

Its here we read about God’s covenant with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph in Egypt.

Its here where God puts into action a plan to save the people He had created,…because their sinfulness had separated them from God.

Its here where God declares war on sin and satan.

Now,…just some background information as well.

Its widely accepted that Genesis 1-11 covers primeval history,…in other words,…the early history of the Earth,…and then chapters 12-50 cover the patriarchal history,...in other words,…the history of Israel’s founding Fathers.

…and the primeval history covers five different stories of man’s sin.

…and each story covers four major themes,...namely sin,…then God announcing the penalty for that sin,…then God bringing His grace into the situation to ease the misery of sin,…and then God punishing sin.

…and here’s where we learn about God’s amazing grace,…because in every story there is a tremendous increase of sin resulting in punishment,…but there’s always more grace,…more grace.

For example,…Adam and Eve sinned,…but because of God’s grace He withholds the death penalty.

Cain is banished from his family,…but because of God’s grace,…He puts a mark of protection on him.

The flood comes,…but God graciously preserves the human race through Noah.

…and God’s grace continues to increase during the history of the Fathers of Israel.

Abraham received God’s gracious promise,...that through him all the peoples of the world will be blessed.

…and despite the sins of the Fathers of the nation of Israel,…God’s promise stands.

In other words,…God’s grace is poured out again and again,…and more and more,…as His people sin more and more!

…and so Genesis is about God’s grace.

…and God describes for us in the New Testament what He has done for us and is still doing for us in Romans 5v20, “God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful kindness [grace] became more abundant.” (NLT).

…and you know what it tells me about God?,…that as I continue to sin,…God continues to breathe His grace into my life!

May I then say,…this is the soul-medicine we need in our lives,…that as I continue to sin,…God continues to breathe His grace into my life,…day after day after day!

It was grace from the beginning,…and it will always be grace.

Question is, “Have you experienced His grace in your life as yet?”

Listen to what God says about that in Ephesians 2v8-9, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast” (NIV).

“Aren’t you glad about that?”

“Shouldn’t we be more thankful for God’s grace in our lives?”

Genesis also speaks of God’s faithfulness over and over again in the lives of the Fathers of the nation of Israel.

God even remains faithful to the people of the promise thousands of years later,…even though the people’s sinfulness become a threat to the fulfillment of that promise.

…and you know what that means?,…that God remains faithful to His own promises even though sin itself threatens to derail His plans.

This is the way God has always been,…and this is the way He still is today.

Listen to How God explains that for us in 2 Timothy 2v13, “If we are unfaithful, he [God] remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself.” (NLT).