#130 A Sum of Genesis

Armadillos

The Creation

"In the beginning," God created and the Word was with God. I make no apologies for what I now believe. Upon a simple reading of the Genesis narrative, and without the mental gymnastics, which are never a necessity to those of us who are simple, there is the historical narration. It makes use of and defines days. It is not wrapped in so great a mystery, and it is not written as a science journal. It is God's word to us, and in every way, as men are even now finding out, it can be used to test against our own lives. The call in recent centuries to equate science with evolution has left many under the assumption that Creationist do not believe in micro evolution, which they do, and has also led to the more dangerous assumption that macro evolution is proven. I have watched several debates, including the Bill Nye and Ken Hamm debate, and others that end in statements of faith from both sides. The sad thing is, I was willing to believe in macro evolution when I was younger, because it was professed as fact. Its funny, people often tell me they don't want to hear about my faith, but I have been hearing about theirs for years. I have found too many problems in believing the secular models and propaganda of the time. I hope you will look into it for yourself, and not be afraid to ask the questions. I was afraid of sounding like a fool, and committing intellectual suicide. There was the fear of the rolling eyes and the snickers, the bold claims and blanket statements of "this is a fact", "its proven", "the Bible is old." Everyone knows we evolved, right? There is a danger in this, that is unavoidable, because what you choose to believe without investigating is your religion. Your faith is in those who have made observances and placed their interpretation upon them. As long as you indoctrinate yourself with the works of those who agree and are like minded then your faith goes unchallenged. I am not a preacher, a scientist or even that smart, but I beg and plead with you, please challenge yourself. 

Answers in Genesis

Dr. Stanford

Made in the image of God

The Fall

We move from the creation narrative to the fall of man kind. Man is given free agency in the garden, but told not to eat of a particular tree. He disobeys the command of God at the beckoning of the serpent.  He is told that he will not die and as with all partial truths or twisted theologies, there is a certain truth to the statement, but it does not take into account the counsel of God. All of creation fell into death, and sin took hold of the free will that men had, and still now so proudly proclaim. A delusional race we are, still clinging to the serpents decree, "you see we're ok, we can fix this, there is no God, there is no ultimate good or moral guideline. There is only you and I and what we set our minds to build." Scripture contests the theology of man, and says, And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.…Ephesians 2:1&2. God's word also declares that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Yet, from the beginning, He puts out this hope. He is prepared, as any good designer would be. He has a plan laid out to His glory and that of the detriment of His own Son. The LORD God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, Cursed are you more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; On your belly you will go, And dust you will eat All the days of your life; 15And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel."Genesis 3:14&15 

And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. 11They also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven." Acts 1:10&11

Justice

We have a small and immediate perception of the word justice. This world was already judged at the fall. "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18"He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.19"This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.… John 3:17-19

God sees the world in its sin, taken up in all manners of violence, and He being just sends the water of His wrath. Yet, He being gracious gives instruction to build the ark, the ship that will hold eight people alive. The ship that will symbolize His ultimate redemption. For it is in Christ we enter into the arms of God's forgiveness. It is through His blood that our sins are atoned, and still all will not choose to enter. 

The Covenant

God calls out Abraham from amongst his home and his people. He is called out to be the father of nations. Abram is the father of Isaac and Ishmael. He is the progenitor of God's sovereignty, and the recipient of the promise. A promise, that he will obtain by faith, as one who does not live in possession of the promised land, nor sees the vastness of his offspring. 12 The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.

2 “I will make you into a great nation,

and I will bless you;

I will make your name great,

and you will be a blessing.[a]

3 I will bless those who bless you,

and whoever curses you I will curse;

and all peoples on earth

will be blessed through you.”[b] Genesis 12:1-3

Redemption

After the stories of the patriarchs and the covenant, comes the narrative of Joseph. He is his father's favored son, the son of Rachel, and hated by his brothers. They despise him almost to the point of murder, sell him and then fake his death. He becomes a mighty man in the place of his captivity, and is there able to forgive and sustain the tribes. 

Gallinule