If you haven't purchased the workbook, you need to. So much is explained further in the workbook that accompanies this series.
Notes:
The account was primarily concerned with asking two questions, Jen says:
- Who created
- Why He created
The question that we usually ask though is: the how. Jen's purpose is to honor the text and what the text is saying to us, and to answer the questions the text is wanting us to ask.
We saw:
- That God alone created
- He created for His glory
- His creation was an orderly work
Why do you think Moses spent so much time repeating the formula found in Genesis 1:3-31?
We find there is:
- Command ("let there be")
- Report (of what was created)
- Assessment ("and it was good")
- A statement of dominion
- A time marker
These are some of the repetitive statements Jen gives us:
- And God said, let there be
- And it was so
- And it was good
- And God called
To answer the previous questions, Jen says we need to look at the original audience. They did not have a copy of the text like we do today.
"It's going to be read to a group of people who need to remember it", Jen states.
Another reason for the high-level of repetition, she says, is "because of what the text is trying to say: trying to give us order in which everything was done." This text has a very specific shape. God is the subject of the creation narrative 35 times.
In Genesis 1:2, the NIV reads that it was "formless and empty." These two things are remedied in this creation account. God is going to bring:
- Form
- And fullness
Jen asks this: "why is the spirit hovering?" "The spirit is eagerly anticipating, waiting for the signal, waiting for God to speak, so the spirit can do what the spirit does."
The spirit gives life.
So the "spirit hovering is waiting to breathe life into God's created act."
Day 1 Genesis 1:3-5
The repetition we will continue to see is "and it was good." What is that truly saying - this pronouncement of goodness on every day of creation? Jen says it means perfect, complete. With human creativity, Jen states, there's a sense in us that it's never done, never complete, never good enough. When God speaks that it's good over His creation, then it is exactly as He had intended. It's complete.
In verse 4, we see that God is a God who separates. This is His first act of separation.
Going on to verse 5, He "called". When He calls, He is exercising dominion over it, taking responsbility for it. Think about the order of this - God creating order out of chaos (He is good at that).
Another question Jen asks is "why does Moses say evening first before morning? Because the audience is Jews - because their day begins at sundown.
Day 2 Genesis 1:6-8
What is going on in these verses? Moses is talking about the atmosphere being established - the clouds:
- Water is in the sky
- Water is in the ocean
The heaven used here is not the heaven where God dwells - it means the sky.
Day 3 Genesis 1:9-13
Once again, an act of separation - separating water from land. God gives form to the earth and vegetation on day 3.
Day 4 Genesis 1:14-19
There is another act of separation. The question Jen asks is: "why doesn't Moses just say "the sun" (greater light) and "moon" (lesser light) in this passage? Think about the original audience. They had just come out of Egypt where the principle deities are the sun god and the moon goddess. He's making a statement about who is truly God.
Why were the son and moon worshiped? They were believed to bring about fertility in the harvest cycle.
The way this is laid out is saying "my people who follow me, listen, the Egyptians gods work for me". This is a statement against idolatry regarding the sun and moon (God owns it).
In summary, regarding what God has given form to is:
- The heavens - light
- The seas, sky
- The earth
Now, He's going to give fullness to those particular kingdoms mentioned above. To the heavens by populating the heavens (light) with the luminaries (sun, moon, stars).
Day 5 Genesis 1:20-23
God gives fullness by populating the sea and the expanse with birds and fish.
Day 6 Genesis 1:24-26
What just happened? There has been a rhythmic, repetitive text all along until day 6 and the pattern breaks. The rhythm shifts. Pay attention because something new is happening.
It changes from "God said" and "let there be" to "and let us" make man in our image. Jen states that nothing given the creation account has been given this level of attention. "It's still talking about God and how humans are created in some unique way to reflect God" - nothing else in creation does.
They are to be given dominion (responsibility) as well over all that's been created - a call to stewardship, Jen states.
In verse 27, it breaks into poetry (you can read this). This is in triade form - saying the same thing three different ways.
Read Genesis 1:28-31
God grants fullness by populating the earth with land animals and humans. Jen asks us to look at the shape of the text. It makes a picture:
- Three days of giving form
- Three days of giving corresponding fullness
Day 7 Genesis 2:1-2
He then separates a day of creation for a day of rest. Notice the word "finished" (also read Matthew 11:28-29). The question posed was this "when does Jesus Christ establish soul rest for you and me?" When He hangs on the cross and says "it is finished" (John 19:30).
Read Genesis 2:2b-3
God does not grow weary. He didn't need to rest. So why the day of rest? Look at the 10 commandments (Exodus 20:8-11). The commandment having to do with sabbath is much longer. God set up this pattern. Why? Because that is the way we worship God. We cease from working to remind us who is in charge - it's not us!
Sabbath rest is the "ceasing of labor for the purpose of actively devoting ourselves to the joyful task of worship - our true calling."
We are to remember the sabbath as well (4th commandment). Why? Because we are prone to forget.
Jen states that there's more going on here than "the cosmos coming to be."
Look at 2 Corinthians 5:17
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." Paul uses new creation specifically. We looked at 1 Peter 2:9-10 where it says "we were called out of darkness (formless) into His marvelous light (fullness)."
Jen gave many scriptures in the NT relating back to Genesis with words such as new creation, separate, fruitfulness, multiplying, being created in His image, ruling and subduing, finding rest" (all related to the creation story).
Notice on day 7 that the text does not end "and there was evening and there was morning" because the sabbath rest for us will go on into eternity. It will not end.
Lastly, "just as God finished the work of the first creation, He will finish the work of the new creation."
He will be faithful to finish the good work He began in us (Philippians 1:6).
Next: Session 4 "Created in the Image of God" Genesis 2:4-25
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