The Beginning

Photo by: James Douglas

Have you every wondered if the Old Testament has meaning or purpose for today’s Believers? For many years I avoided reading the Old Testament, thinking it was not prevalent for today, and even when I tried to read the Old Testament I couldn’t understand it. Plus, when I read certain books or scriptures in the New Testament I had trouble understanding the content. I soon discovered years later that I needed to cross-reference the Old Testament with the New Testament for clarity, and verse verus. I allowed satan’s lie of wrong teaching to keep me from understanding the Word. When I surrendered my old mindset, and asked God for help in understanding the Old Testament, that’s when I learned Gods Word to be a “love letter” to His children. A “love letter” revealing His love, longsuffering, mercy and grace along with prophectic writings that are greatly needed in understanding happenings in the world; and most importantly, we learn of God’s character, plan and purpose for mankind. Because I wasted so many years of not understanding our Creator’s will and love for His creation, I have made it a goal to make sure I communicate to all the necessity of reading the Old Testament, especially since the Old Testament is full of many hidden treasures! I would like to take us on a journey through the Bible, starting from the Beginning – Genesis. Let’s begin!

Reading Assignment: Genesis Chapters 1 and 2

History

Genesis is written by Moses as inspired by God. This book is also called “the Book of Beginnings” and consists of 50 chapters. Genesis records Creation, our Origin, Generations of family, and our purpose. It is written in 2 parts with 8 areas of topics; the first part, chapters 1 through 11 records a detailed account of creation and our Creator; Part 2, chapters 12-50, records the Patriarchs and lives of their families.

Creation and Our Origin

Genesis 1:1 is a powerful statement which when cross-referenced with John 1:1 reveals to the reader our Creator. For example Genesis 1:1 reads “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Whereas John 1:1 reads “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” And Malachi 2:10 reads, “Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us?……” We read here the Old Testament is God’s Word concealed and the New Testament is God’s Word revealed! So, what is being revealed? God is the Word and the Word was with God and the Word is Jesus – Jesus is God and God is Jesus. When studying the Bible, Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of God, reveals to the Believer “hidden treasures” (meaning) as He believes they are ready to spiritually digest the deep things of God. Also, please note, anyone reading the Word of God in the natural (unsaved), will never understand the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishness to them (1 Corinthians 2:4). God’s Word is spiritually discerned through the teaching of Holy Spirit not man’s intellect!

In Genesis 1:1 and John 1:1 God is announcing Himself as the Creator of everything in the universe. Are you still wondering how you were created, let’s look at John 1:3 which reads “all things were made by Him (Jesus); and without Him was not any thing made that was made. In Him was life; and the life was the light of men.” And Romans 1:1-20 reveals to us that we are all created with the knowledge that God exists and God is Creator of everything including humans.

Eight times in Genesis chapter 1 we read God spoke “Let there be...” and whatever followed God’s statement was created, it manifested in the physical realm. For example Genesis 1:3 God said, “Let there be light: and there was light.” Isaiah 55:11 tells us that whatever “words” proceeded from God’s mouth shall not return to Him void, but it shall accomplish what He pleases and will prosper; Psalms 29:4 says “the voice of the Lord is powerful..” Psalms 33:6 we read “By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.” God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh day.

Creation in Six Days

Day One, God created – light
Day Two, God Created – Heavens
Day Three, God Created – the sea, dry land, and plants
Day Four, God Created – the sun, moon, and stars
Day Five, God Created – the fish and the birds
Day Six, God Created – animals and man
Day Seven, God rested

It is Good

Another point of interest found in Genesis chapter 1 is the phrase “that it is was good…” God blessed whatever He created, including animal life and humans! Every human born has the spoken blessing of being called “good” by Father God. So, the next time you look in a mirror, tell yourself, “God says I am good, and I choose to believe His report – “I am good!” I believe if more people knew this and believed it to be true in their hearts, there would be very few people living in the spirit of rejection. We are created in the image and glory of God – we are very precious to God (1 Cor. 11:7).

Creation of Man and Woman and Their Purpose

Genesis 1:26-27 was God’s final creation – man and woman. He said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.” And in verse 29 He blessed man and woman to be fruitful, to multiply and to replenish the earth, and to subdue it: and to have dominion over the earth. Notice the change in God’s directive! Instead of “let there be…” God now says “let us make…” Man and woman, were fashioned by the hands of our Heavenly Father. Adam was made first and he was made from the dust of the ground. God then breathed the breath of life into Adam and he became a living soul. The “breath of life” is God’s spirit that was breathed into Adam! God planted a garden east of Eden and placed man in His garden to keep it and to manage animal life. Man’s first job assignment and God’s mandate for man to have dominion over the earth, which was to have authority over God’s creative order!

In Genesis 2:18-22 we read God saying “it is not good for man to live alone, I will make for him a help meet!” We now read God putting Adam into a deep sleep and taking a rib from his side, He made woman.

As we revisit Genesis 1:26-27, we understand these two verses as revealing man and woman’s purpose. We were created to rule over God’s created order. God spoke and blessed man to have dominion to rule over the fowls of the air, beast life, sea life, and plant life – not humans. God gave man the works of His creative order to rule over on His behalf. Once again we were not created to rule over each other, we were to rule over God’s created order.

Conclusion

Friends, the world and everything in this world was created by God for His pleasure. God created the universe in six (6) days and rested on the seventh (7th) day. Man’s purpose is to enjoy God’s creation and to rule over His created order. Men and women are created in the image and glory of God. We were blessed to be fruitful, to multiply and to replenish the earth.

Reflection

You are precious to God! Before God created man and placed them in the garden of Eden, He already had provisions made ready to sustain them. God provided their food and water! God still provides for His children today!

Next lesson: “The Fall”