I was sick with the stomach flu yesterday, so I missed a day of reading the One-Year Bible. By God’s grace, I was able to catch up this morning. Here are some gleanings which I am posting on the Pastor’s Blog on the NewLife.org website. http://www.newlife.org/pastors-blog
Here are some notes to encourage you to read along with us.
READING THE WORD TO UNDERSTAND GOD’S REDEMPTIVE WORK IN HISTORY
Approximately 75% of the Bible is narrative. From the account of the Fall of mankind in Genesis 3 we observe two concurrent themes unfolding in history:
1. There is the outworking of the principle of sin in the human race running in tandem with the development of human culture
2. There is the outworking of God’s redemptive purpose to restore mankind and bring him into a harmonious covenant relationship with Himself.
Notice the outworking of the principle of sin- Mankind breaks fellowship with God by disbelieving God and disobeying Him. No sooner than man sins, God demonstrates His grace by giving a Promise of a Savior (Genesis 3:15) and clothing for nakedness (Gen. 3:21); both prophetically picturing the saving work of Christ.
The consequence of man’s independence from God is seen in:
· Adam’s fear, expressed through hiding (Gen 3:10),
· Adam’s self-justification, expressed through accusing others (Gen. 3:12),
· Adam’s attempts at self-redemption, the sewing of fig leaves;
· Cain’s adopting of self-redemption, a religion of good works, a relating to God on one’s own terms and doing what is right in one’s own eyes.
· Cain’s jealousy, resulting in fratricide- Cain killing Abel (Gen.4:8).
· Cain’s wandering in perpetual dissatisfaction (4:12).
· We see the disobedience of Lamech in his bigamy and boasting (Gen 4:19). Lamech boasts of his lawless behavior. He is proud of his conquests and for murdering those who get in his way, the disproportionate vengeance upon those who hurt him (Gen 4:23).
The line of sinners descended from Cain is contrasted with another line of sinners that call upon the name of the Lord. In Genesis 4:25 Adam has another son, named ‘Seth’ which means ‘appointed’ referring to a “substitute”. Adam said, "God has granted me another child ‘in place of’ Abel”. Again there is the reminder of the promised substitute to come, Jesus, the Christ (Messiah) whose substitutionary living and dying would provide our reconciliation to God (2 Cor 5:19-20).
The line of Seth and the line of Cain are contrasted as the book of Genesis covers the 1500 year period up until the flood. Enoch, the seventh son of Adam through the line of Seth is contrasted with Lamech, the seventh son of Adam through the line of Cain. Enoch walked with God, pleased God (Hebrews 11:5), was used as a spokesman for the glory of God (Jude 1:14) and was taken by God (Gen 5:24,). In contrast, Lamech walked in arrogant independence from God, was defiant of His commands, was a spokesman for the glory of himself (Gen 4:23-24) rather than the glory of God and ultimately he proves that the devil is a liar and the word of God is true, by dying in his sins.
After the flood, Babel is the expression of a world order that operates in defiance of God, driven by the Satanic principle of sin- presumed human-self sufficiency, indifference towards God, rebellion against Him in arrogance and pride. What is represented at Babel, the mystery of lawlessness, continually surfaces throughout human history but is in the end destroyed, “never to be found again” (.Revelation 18:21.)
In Genesis 11, God confused human languages and schemes and scattered the human race that His redemptive plan might be realized. The Apostle Paul preaches about this in the New Testament:
Acts 17:26-27 (NIV)
26 From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. 27 God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.
While the nations rage (Psalm 2:1) against the Lord and His Anointed One, God is preparing to restore the Divine order. He calls out Abram, the son of an idolater and from his descendants will come the promised seed of the Messiah. Through His seed would all the peoples of the earth be blessed (Genesis 12:3).
Up until this point the Genesis story has been about the people of the earth. From here on in the focus will be on Abraham and his descendants, particularly, the people of Israel. Through this line God’s redemptive purpose is seen and fulfilled as God is faithful to His promise in the gift of the Messiah.
