Jun
17

Sermon: Man Made In God’s Image, Not God Made In Man’s: Genesis 1:26-27

Old Testament Reading: Genesis 1:26-27

“Then God 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 birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:26–27, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Colossians 1:1–17

“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf and has made known to us your love in the Spirit. And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:1–17, ESV)

Introduction

I stumbled across a news article the other day which reminded me of how much confusion exists within our society, and even amongst those who claim to be Christians, concerning basic biblical doctrines, such as the doctrine of God and the doctrine of man.

The title of the article was, “What Does God Look Like? Liberals and Conservatives Have Different Views, NC Study Finds” (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill). Attached to the article was a sketch of the face of a man. This was the “composite mugshot…” “created from the… responses” of the 551 people who were asked what they thought God looked like. Now keep in mind, all 551 of those included in the study claimed to be “Christians”. Some identified as “liberal”, and others “conservative”.

The point of the article was to say to that “liberals and conservatives see God differently…a lot differently” (I could have told them that). Also, they found that our view of God is impacted by race, gender and socioeconomic status (this too is not surprising).

Now my concern with the results of this study was not that the composite mugshot created from the responses of those interviewed was something other than what I though it should be, but that any Christian would describe God in such a way that a “mugshot” could be drawn at all, for God is a most pure spirit. He does not have a body. He is not composed of parts. Even a most basic understanding of what the scripture say concerning God would lead one to say, “I cannot describe God’s appearance, for he is invisible. He is not made up of matter as we are, but is something like the angels, who are spirits, or the soul of man, which, though real, cannot be described so as to draw a picture of it.” Draw a picture of a soul, friend! Can you do it? Neither can a picture of God be drawn, for God is not composed of mater. He is spirit.

To be fair, the study did not say how many Christians replied correctly to the question, what does God look like?, by saying, God is invisible, a most pure spirit, without, body, parts, or passions. It very well may be that 10,000 Christians were asked this question and 9,449 gave a good reply. But it is still troubling that 551 who name the name of Christ would describe God in such a way that a sketch could be drawn of him.

The article did also acknowledge that some verses in scripture indicate that God is a spirit, and does not, therefore, look like a man at all. John 4:24 was cited where Christ himself says, “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24, ESV). But right along side that the article insinuated that the scriptures also teach that God looks like a man. And what text do you think they appealed to? Genesis 1:27 was cited, which says, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27, ESV).

This is a common misconception, I think. When people read, “So God created man in his own image…” they mistakenly interpret it to mean that God himself has an image, and as if man were made to look like God. In fact, what the text says is that man is the image of God. It is man that is image, not God. God is spirit. He does not have a body. He does not have a visible appearance. But God, when he made man, male and female, he made them to image himself. Man was created by God in such a way that something of the invisible God might be known from looking upon man. Indeed, this is, in some respects, true of all creation. But it is particularly and supremely true of man – man, made by God as male and female, is alone called “the image of God”.

I wish to linger here in this passage and on this subject for two or three weeks to ensure that we have a firm grasp on what the scripture mean when they say that man was made in God’s image. There is much confusion on this subject. There is confession within our culture, and also within the church. Brothers and sisters, this is a foundational doctrine. If we get this doctrine wrong, it will have a negative effect upon many other doctrines.

Today I will make some general observations concerning man being made in the image of God.

God is Spirit

First of all, let us say something, not about man, but about God. God is not a man; he is God. He is not human; he is divine. God does not have a body, but is most pure spirit. He is invisible.

Jesus said it in a most plain way when he said, “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24, ESV). There you have it! But Jesus’ statement concerning the spiritual nature of God was not made out of the blue, but was something known from the creation of the world, a truth preserved and promoted by fathers and by the Jewish people who descended from them.

The second of the ten commandments forbids idolatry when it says, “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth” (Deuteronomy 5:8, ESV). The foundation for the prohibition against the making of an image to represent God is that God himself does not have an image, but is invisible. Listen to Deuteronomy 4:15-19, which comes before the listing of the ten commandments. Moses spoke to Israel saying,

“Therefore watch yourselves very carefully. Since you saw no form on the day that the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire, beware lest you act corruptly by making a carved image for yourselves, in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female, the likeness of any animal that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the air, the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the water under the earth. And beware lest you raise your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, you be drawn away and bow down to them and serve them, things that the Lord your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven.” (Deuteronomy 4:15–19, ESV)

Did you hear it? The reason the Israelites were forbidden from making images to represent God was that they did not see a “form” when God spoke to them “at Horeb”. The Israelites were to understand that God, in his essence, is formless. True, God made man to image him. And true, God made the world in such a way that the created world reveals something of the God who made it. These vestiges of God in the created world are a gift from God – in them God condescends to us to reveal himself to us. But how wrong it is to forget the distinction that exists between Creator and creature and to approach these created things as if they were divine. And how wrong it is to think that these created things are somehow to be identified with God, as if God were in fact composed of these things are looked like these things essentially. God reveled himself in the fire at Horeb, but God is not fire, friends. At other times he revealed himself in wind, but God is not wind. Indeed, God reveals himself in all of creation, but let let us not confusing God with creation in assuming that the two are one. Supremely, the invisible God reveals himself in man, who was made in the image of God. But let us not think that God is man, nor that he has the appearance of a man. God is spirit.

How then are we to understand those passages of scripture that speak of God as if he had a body? The language is anthropomorphic. Human features are applied to God, not because he actually possess those features – a face, an arm, a hand – but so that we might understand something true about God. To understand the truth we must strip away that which is human and allow to remain the principle which is rightly being attributed to God. For example, the words of the Psalmist are beautiful when he speaks of God, saying, “You have a mighty arm; strong is your hand, high your right hand” (Psalm 89:13, ESV). Indeed our God is powerful! Indeed he is to be trusted! But all should understand that he does not in fact have arms or hands.

Do you see, brothers and sisters, how God condescend to us. He reveals himself in lowly ways so that we might lay ahold of him. He reveals himself in the media of creation so that we might perceive him. He shows forth is power in the earthquake and in the whirlwind. His holiness and justice is seen in the fire. Indeed, his fingerprints, as it we, are scattered all about in this created world. But let us not confuse the Creator with his creation. Let us not identify the one with the other. Instead, let us appreciate the vestiges of God in creation. Let us give thanks to him that, though a great distance exists between he and us – though he be transcendent, high and lifted up and beyond our comprehension – he has come down to us – he has made himself known in and through his creation and by his word.

When the scriptures say that God made man in his image it is not to communicate that God has a form own an image, but that man was made to be the image of the invisible God.

The Whole of Man is the Image of the Whole of God

Secondly, it must be affirmed that the whole of man is the image of the whole of God.

When I say that the man is the image of the whole of God I mean that man images the Triune God, and not a particular person within the Godhead. Some have claimed that man was made in the image only of the second person of the Trinity. Others have claimed that man was made in the image of Christ. But neither of these views find support in scripture. Man is the image of the whole Triune God, Father, Son and Spirit.

When I say that the whole of man is the image of God I am saying that we must fight the impulse to equate the image of God with some particular aspect of man. Some claim that the image is found in the intellect of man, others the moral capacity of man, and others the relational capabilities of man. Some have identified the soul of man as the image of God, to the exclusion of the body. But any attempt to reduce the image and to strictly identify it with one particular aspect of man will be found wanting. No, man in his entirety – man as a whole person, body and soul, is the image bearer of God.

Whereas God is simple, without body and without parts, man is complex. Man is composed of parts. And these parts do together make constitute man made in the image of God. Let us briefly consider the various ways in which the parts of man image God.

1. Man is a soul. There is a part of man that is non-material and invisible. Man, in this respect, can be compared to the angels who are in heaven. The angels are spirit and man has a soul or spirit. Man shares this in common with God, then. Just as God is spirit so too man is spirit or soul. The personhood of man is situate in the soul. When the body goes into the grave, the soul goes on living, and the person remains. By this we can under something of God who, although invisible, is a true and living person.

2. Let is also consider the faculties that man possess. Man has a heart, a mind and a will. The heart in the scriptures refers to the center of man’s life. It is the center of man’s emotions and passions, desire and will. The heart of man effects the mind of man – his thinking. The heart and mind of man drive the will of man – what motivated man to do what he does. The scriptures speak often of the importance of keeping the heart holy and pure, of thinking thoughts that are true, so that we might will and do that which is right before God. Man possesses a heart, mind and will. Saint Augustine saw in this an image of the Triune God. Just as the heart, mind and will of man can be distinguished from one another and yet are inextricable bound up together in the person, so too the Father, Word and Spirit can be distinguished, and yet they are one God. The Father can be compared to the heart, who enlivens the mind (the Son), who in turn enlivens the will (the Spirit). It seems to me that there is some truth in this.

3. Man when he was originally created was endowed with the virtues of knowledge, righteousness and holiness. Bavinck points that man was created “physically and ethically mature”. Adam and Eve were created physically mature as full grown adults. Ethically they were mature in that they possessed true knowledge, righteousness and holiness. This corresponds to what has just been said concerning the faculties of man. Man, as he and she came from the hand of God, possessed true knowledge in the mind, true righteousness in the will, and true holiness in the heart. They knew God and themselves truly. The they were able to will that which was right, and they hearts were upright, pure and holy. In this way the first man and woman imaged God.

4. It would be a mistake to assume that the body of man is unrelated to the image of God. We have already established that man was not made to look like God. But he was made to image him! It is through the body that man’s faculties are exercised. It was through the body that the first man and woman were to live according to their true knowledge, righteousness and holiness. Man’s was made to dwell on earth. He was to have dominion upon the earth. He was to serve God in this world, advancing his kingdom here and promoting his worship here. This he was to do in body. Man is a whole person only when he is body and soul. The soulish existence that the saints who have departed from this world is indeed a blessed existence, but it is not ideal. Man was created by God body and soul. This is how the redeemed will live for all eternity after Christ returns – body and soul will be reunited for all eternity. The body of man is also in the image of God, therefore. It is not that God looks like man, but that man was made to represent and image God on earth through the body that which God prepared for him at creation.

5. Consider that man’s capacity to enjoy God in paradise was greater than any other creature that God had made. Man was made to dwell on earth given his physical features. He was also made to commune with the God of heaven by his spirit or soul. No other creature enjoys a privilege like this. The angels in heaven are spiritual and heavenly beings. The animals of the earth do not have souls. But man, made in the image of God has the ability to dwell upon the earth and to relate to his God in heaven. Not long from now we will see that God entered into a covenant with the man that he made in his image. Man has the capacity to relate to the God who made him.

Do you see that the whole of man is the image of the whole of God?

The Image of God and the Fall

Thirdly, we should ask the question, was the image of God lost when man fell from his state of innocency and into sin?

The answer is both yes and no.

Image lost at the fall? (Bavink 554 substance, quality) Bavink 551 blind man sight, sick man health), lame man

Broadly considered we must confess that man retains the image of God even after his fall into sin.

Genesis 9:6 can be held forth as a proof of this. Capital punishment is put forth as the just consequence for murder on the basis of man being the image of God. “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image” (Genesis 9:6, ESV).

James 3:9 can also be put forth. Here James, speaking of the power of the tongue, says, “With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God” (James 3:9, ESV). The words “likeness” and “image” are nearly synonymous both in Genes 1:26-27 and as they are used throughout scripture. James says that people are still the likeness of God.

So, does the image of God remain in man after the fall? Broadly considered, the answer must be yes. Man retains the image of God substantially.

But more narrowly considered, we must say that the image of God in man has been lost with mans fall into sin. Here we considering the image, not in terms of its substance, but in terms of the quality of it.

Does man possess knowledge still? Yes he does! But the mind of man is now dark. He thoughts concerning God and self are not true, but he is ignorant of God and the things of God by nature.

And what should we say of man’s righteousness? It was lost at the fall so that none is righteous, no not one.

And what of man’s holiness? It lacking altogether. Man’s heart, far from being holy, is sick and bent towards all evil – “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9, ESV)

Substantially, man still possess the image of God, but in regard to it’s quality it is gone. A blind man may still have his eyes, but he has lost his ability to see. A lame man may still have his legs, but he has lost his ability to walk. A deaf man still has his ears, but he cannot hear. So it is with man made in the image of God. His body, his soul and his faculties remain, but they are all bent out of shape and corrupted so that they do not function as God made them to function, namely to bring glory to his most holy name.

Christ is the Image of the Invisible God

Lastly, let us say a word about the image of God as it relates to Christ Jesus our Lord. Whereas Adam was made in the image of God, Christ is the image of God par excellence.

Adam fell from his state of innocency, came short of the glory of God, marred and misused the image of God with which he was endowed. Christ, having been born without sin, fulfilled God’s purpose for him, lived according to true knowledge, righteousness and holiness, and entered into the glory of God. Truly Christ “is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.” (Colossians 1:15, ESV)

If you are in Adam, you bear the image of God marred by sin. It is there, but it is twisted up, distorted and bent towards evil. If you are in Christ, the image of God has been and is being renewed in you. It is one or the other! You are either in Adam or in Christ!

If you are in Christ you are “to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and… be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:21–24, ESV).

No longer are you to live in sin “seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator” (Colossians 3:9–10, ESV).

The work of Christ might be described as a rescue mission and renovation project. The eternal Son of God took on human flesh, came in the likeness of sinful man, and was, therefore, the image of the invisible God. This he did so that he might redeem fallen man. And having redeemed those given to him bu the Father, he is now renovating them after the likeness of God, after the image of our Creator.

Application

Think of man as he is today. Can you see remnants of the image of God in him? But can you also see how he is, from birth, all bent out of shape and distorted.

Image man (male and female) as God created him to be. Can you picture it? Men and women upright, living according to true knowledge, righteousness and holiness. What a blessed existence this would be! Men and women loving right, feeling right, thinking right, doing right in body and soul, worshipping and serving God and one another in perfection.

Are you having trouble visualizing it? Think of Christ who is the image of the invisible God, the redeemer and restorer of the image in us.

Do you long to be renewed? Do you long to live in a world that has been renewed? Look to Christ, the God-man, our brother, redeemer and friend.

Posted in Sermons Joe Anady Genesis 1:26-27
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Jun
10

Sermon: Realms, Rulers And Sabbath Rest: Genesis 1:1-2:3

Old Testament Reading: Genesis 2:1-3

“Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.” (Genesis 2:1-3, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Hebrews 4:1–11

“Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened. For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, ‘As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest,’’ although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: ‘And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.’ And again in this passage he said, ‘They shall not enter my rest.’ Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, again he appoints a certain day, ‘Today,’ saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted, ‘Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.’ For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.” (Hebrews 4:1–11, ESV)

Introduction

This is now the third sermon devoted to the days of creation of Genesis 1:1-2:3. The first two sermons were big picture sermons. I was flying at 30,000 feet and making general observations about this text.

If I were to briefly summarize the first sermon I would say that the process whereby God created the world reveals that God is God Most High – he is Lord of all creation.

If I were briefly summarize the second sermon I would say that the created world itself reveals the glory of God Most High. In other words the world was made in the beginning to be filled with the glory of God; and the world was made to declare the glory of the God who made it.

This third sermon will also be a big picture sermon. We will fly together at 30,000 feet to make some general observations concerning the days of creation as they are recounted in Genesis 1:1-2:3. When all is said and done we will again walk away from the text seeing God as God Most High, Maker of heaven and earth, the only one worthy of our devotion and praise.

In this sermon, we will give special attention to what God did on each day of creation. Again we will ask the question, why did God create in this way?

We have already admitted that God could have created the world as we know it in an instant. But Genesis 1 declares that God chose create progressively. First he created the realms of heaven and earth. The earthly realm, we are told, was at first without form and void and was clocked in darkness. And then God formed the earth to be a place suitable for human habitation. This he did in six days time. When we noticed that God created progressively we began to ask the question, why the process? Certainly God could have created in an instant. Why did he take time to create the world? The answer given was that the process of creation reveals truth about the Creator and his relationship to his creation.

Today we are looking more closely at the process of creation. And as we consider the days of creation we will ask, not only, why the process?, but more specifically, why this process? Why did God choose to create in six days and to rest on the seventh, blessing the seventh day and setting it apart as a day to be treated as holy? Why did he make what he made in the order that he made them?

Again, the general answer to the question, why this process? is that the process of creation was revelatory. God was saying something when he created the world in this way. God was making a statement, as it were. But today I intend to be more specific.

Elohim

First, I want to remind you of something. Remember that the name used for God throughout Genesis 1:1-2:3 is, in the Hebrew, Elohim. This is the more generic name for God. This is the name used for God when his supremacy is being emphasized. The God of Genesis 1:1-2:3 is the one true God, Maker of heaven and earth. He is God Most High. This will become even more significant when we move to Genesis 2:4 and following and see that a different name for God is used in that passage.

In Genesis 2:4 and following God is called, in the Hebrew, Yahweh Elohim. This is not a different God, of course, for there is only one God. But the change in name indicates a change in focus. In Genesis 2:4 and following it will be God, the covenant making and covenant keeping God, who is in view. There the view is of God drawing near to man and entering into covenant with him. Elohim – God Most High, Maker of heaven and earth – is also Yahweh Elohim – the relational, covenant making and covenant keeping God.

But let us keep things in their proper place. The truth being emphasized here in Genesis 1:1-2:3 is that God is God Most High. He is the Supreme One. He is Creator of heaven and earth. All of his creation, therefore, owes to him devotion and praise by virtue of their existence. If you are alive and breathing today you must know that you are in a relationship with God. This is even true of those who deny his existence. You are his creation, and he is your Creator. You opinion of him does not alter this reality. Elohim is supreme over you. Therefore, you owe to him obedience and praise.

Realms and Rulers

Not only does the name “Elohim” communicate that God is God Most High, so too does the narrative.

Notice that God made all things seen and unseen. There is God and there is his creation. Nothing else exists to compete with God. He is supreme.

Notice that when God created he did so by first creating realms, or territories, and then he filled those realms with rulers who were to do his bidding. These rulers were to function as vassal kings or under lords in the place that God had placed them.

In ancient times when a king would conquer another king, a treaty would sometimes be made between the kings. In these treaties the conquering and supreme king would tell of the victory he had won, he would communicate what was expected of the conquered king, who was taking the position of vassal king, or under lord, and then sanctions would be communicated should vassal king rebel against the supreme king.

Something similar happened at creation. The Lord Most High accomplished his creative work. He called realms into existence. Afterwards he filled those realms with rulers. As we will see, man is the pinnacle of creation. He was given dominion over all creation. But he was to exercise his dominion in perpetual submission to and in obedience to God Most High. Man was indeed made to rule as king, but not as supreme king. He was made to live as a vassal kings who would live in perpetual submission to and in service of the King of kings and the Lord of lords. The covenant made between God and man is described in Genesis 2. There the sanctions of the covenant are communicated. If king Adam rebels against the King of kings, he will experience death. These things we will consider in great detail when we come to them in the text. Today I want for you to recognize that God created as he did in order to establish this relationship between himself and his creation. He is God Most High. He is King of kings, and Lord of lords. Whatever dominion man has, it is not absolute and supreme, but is to be exercised in perpetual submission to our Creator.

Realms Created

As we consider the days of creation, please recognize that God Most High first made realms and then filled those realms with rulers who were to function as vassal kings.

Day One

On day one God created light and separated the light from darkness.

Verse 3: “And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.” (Genesis 1:3–5, ESV)

Some have wondered if we should take the days of creation as ordinary 24 hour days, or if each of these “days” might instead represent ages or eons. I will not bore you with the exegetical details, but I will say that there is no reason at all to think that the days of creation are anything other than ordinary 24 hour days.

Yes, it is true that the word day, which is in the Hebrew is yom, can be used to refer to a period of time. In fact, the word yom is certainly used in that way in Genesis 2:4 where we read, “These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens” (Genesis 2:4, ESV). The days of creation having been descried to us in 1:1-2:3 are now referred to as “the day”. In 2:4 the word yom is clearly referring, not to an actual day, but to a period of time, namely the seven days of creation that have just been described to us in 1:1-2:3.

There are many reasons to take the days of creation of Genesis 1:1-2:3 as referring to ordinary days.

One, the word yom is ordinarily used to describe an ordinary day. If it is being used in an unusual way (in reference to a period of time) then the context will make it clear.

Two, the repeated phrase “evening and morning” found at the end of each of the days of creation (with the exception of the seventh, which is itself significant), shows that these are to be taken as ordinary days.

Three (and I think this is most telling), when later scriptures look back upon the days of creation they speak of the days as if they were ordinary days. Indeed, as we will see, the way in which God created serves as a pattern for us. Because God created in six days and rested on the seventh, we too are to live according to that pattern. We are to work six days, and rest from our labor and worship one. Six and one, six and one. This is the pattern we are to follow until the consummation. More on this later.

More arguments could be given. E.J. Young in his, “Studies in Genesis One” makes some rather detailed exegetical arguments which, though very good, are not well suited for presentation in a sermon.

Some, having noticed that the sun and moon and stars are not created until day four, have wondered how days one through three could be considered ordinary 24 hour days, given that it is by the rising and setting of the sun that we tell time.

Well, first of all, notice that it is was not “we” who were tracking time in the days of creation, but God. And God is able to keep track of time without the sun. And secondly, notice that the sun is not needed to track seconds, minutes, and hours. All that is needed is matter and movement. Remember that Genesis 1:1-2 informed us that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, and the earth was without form, was void and dark. There is no reason to think that the globe was not at that time spinning on it’s axis, which is, in fact, how a day is measured. It is not the rising of the sun, but the rotation of the earth which makes a day a day. Your watches and phones track time without any consideration of the sun, but rely upon the movement of material.

And so what was accomplished on the first day? The answer is that the invisible heavenly realm was made on the first day, and so to was the material world. The material world was at first without form, void and dark. And the first act of God’s formative creation was the calling of light into existence. The creation of light did not happen at the beginning of day one, but in the middle of it. The first day began cloaked in darkness. The first morning dawned when God said, “Let their be light.” Thus the pattern is not, morning and evening, the first day, but evening and morning. For the Jews a new day began not with the the rising of the sun and the in breaking of light, but with the setting of the sun and darkness. And so it is for us. Each of our days begin cloaked in darkness and after some time dark day gives way to the morning light. Day one of creation began with the activity described in Genesis 1:1. Day one of creation was at first dark. And then God said, “‘Let there be light,’ and there was light… And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.”

And so in this way God created the realms of day and night by separating the light from the darkness.

Day Two

Let’s move a little more quickly now. On day two God created the realms of the sky above and the oceans below as he separated the waters from the waters.

Verse 6: “And God said, ‘Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.’ And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so. And God called the expanse Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.” (Genesis 1:6–8, ESV)

Notice that three things are in fact called heaven in Genesis 1. The invisible spiritual realm is called heaven in 1:1. Outer space, as we call it, is called heaven in 1:15. And the sky where the birds fly is called heaven here in 1:8. And so according to the scriptures there are three heavens. And this is why Paul wrote as he did to the Corinthians saying, “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven…” (2 Corinthians 12:2, ESV). In other words, Paul saw something of the heavenly and spiritual realm.

On day two God created the realms of the sky above (the first heaven) and the oceans below when he separated the waters from the waters.

Day Three

On day three God created the realm of dry land and he also filled that realm with vegetation in preparation for the creatures that would soon be placed there.

Verse 9: “And God said, ‘Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.’ And it was so. God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. And God said, ‘Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.’ And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the third day” (Genesis 1:9–13, ESV).

And so by the end of day three theses realms had been created by God. Light had been separated from darkness, day from night. The sky above and oceans beneath had been formed, the waters above and the waters below having been divided. And the dry land had also been formed and given the power to bring forth vegetation.

Rulers Created

Next God created rulers or creature kings to have dominion over each of these realms.

Day Four

On day four God created the luminaries – the sun, moon and stars.

Verse 14: “And God said, ‘Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.’ And it was so. And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day [the sun] and the lesser light to rule the night [the moon]—and the stars. And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day” (Genesis 1:14–19, ESV).

I do want for you to notice the word rule. The sun, moon and stars were created on day four to rule over the realms created on day one, namely, the realms of light and darkness, day and night.

Day Five

On day five God filled the waters below and the sky above with creature kings.

Verse 20: “And God said, ‘Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.’ So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.’ And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day” (Genesis 1:20–23, ESV).

Though the word “rule” is not found in here in verses 20-23, it is implied that theses creatures are exercise a kind of dominion over these realms when God commands them saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill” the realms to which they have been assigned.

Day Six

On day six God filled the dry land with creature kings.

Verse 24: “And God said, ‘Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds—livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.’ And it was so. And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good” (Genesis 1:24–25, ESV).

In verse 26 we read of the creation of man: “Then God 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 birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth” (Genesis 1:26, ESV).

Notice two things. First, man is unique in that he alone is said to be made in the image and likeness of God. Secondly, notice that man is supreme over all creation. Man is given dominion “over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” This is why the language of ruling was not directly applied to the fish and birds nor the land animals. They do have a kind of dominion. It is right for us to say, for example, that the birds rule the air and that the tiger is king of the jungle. But it is man who was in the beginning crowned by God as king of the earth.

That man was created to function as a vassal king or under lord on earth is made clear in the narrative that follows.

Verse 27: “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27, ESV)

Now listen to the kingly language of verse 28: “And God blessed them. And God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth’” (Genesis 1:28, ESV).

Man was created to function as king of the earthly realm. His task from the beginning was to fill the earth. He was to subdue it and to have dominion over it. This he was to do, not independent from the God who made him, but in perpetual subordination to him. He was to rule as a king, but more specifically, as a king under the authority of the King of kings and Lord of lords. Adams task was to fill the earth and to expand, not his own kingdom, but the kingdom of God who had created him, who had prepared this place for him, and who had blessed him.

Much more could be said about all of this. And much more will be said about it in the weeks to come. But for know I want to you to see that God first created realm and afterwards he filled those realms with creature kings and commissioned them to fill those realms and to exercise dominion within them. Furthermore, if we consider what God made and the order in which he made it we see a progression from the more basic and lower forms of life to the more complex and higher forms of life with man being the pinnacle or apex of God’s creative activities. Man, being made in the image of God, was blessed by God and given dominion over all the earth as God’s vassal king.

Day Seven

Let us now consider very briefly day seven of the creation week. We will return to this text in the future and we will engage in a prolonged study of the Christian Sabbath. But for now would you notice the importance of the seventh day. On it God, having created the invisible heavenly realm and having finished the earthly realm, “rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation” (Genesis 2:1–3, ESV).

God rested from his work of creation, not because he was tired, but because he was finished. Having made a temple for himself – his heavenly throne and his earthly footstool – he sat down, as it were. He ceased from his work of creation but he continued with his work of providence. This is what kings do. After winning a great battle they rest from war and go on with the ruling and reigning of the kingdom. After building the palace, they sit on the throne. After securing the kingdom they rest from the process of securing it and begin the process of ruling and reigning as king. This is similar to what is described to us in here in Genesis 2:1-3. God, having finished his work of creation, ceased from his created work and entered into rest. He took his seat on his heavenly throne.

His newly created kingdom was to be advanced on the earth. And who was to do the advancing? King Adam was to do the advancing. He had a task to accomplish! Fill, subdue exercise dominion over the earth. And he was to do so living in perpetual submission to the King of kings and Lord of lords.

We will come to conserver the Sabbath much more carefully in the future. For now please see that, “The Sabbath rest of the Creator [as described in Genesis 2:1-3]… is an invitation for Adam to be like his Maker, working as a temple-builder and then, upon final completion of the task assigned to him, entering the rest of God. It is a symbol of a state of creaturely existence to be entered into after the creature’s faithful work.” (Barcellos, GTGR, 112)

God created in six days time and entered into rest in the seventh day in order to reveal something and in order to establish a pattern for man to follow. Adam was to work six days and he was to rest on worship on the seventh in imitation of his Maker. This he was to do until his work was completed. And once completed, he would enjoy eternal Sabbath rest along with the God who made him.

Notice that not only did God rest on the seventh day, but he blessed the seventh day and made it holy. This he did, not for himself, but for the man and woman whom he created and for all their posterity. He made the seventh day a blessed day for them! He set the seventh day apart as distinct from all of the other days and holy for them! They were to follow the pattern established by God in creation. And following the pattern faithfully would mean they two would enjoy the unending Sabbath Rest of God.

Application

Truly, we must take care in our application of this text to our lives today, for we do not live in Eden.

For example, it would be very wrong to suggest that we are capable of entering into the Sabbath rest of God by fulling the task that was given to Adam at the beginning. That way of obtaining eternal rest was closed off to man in the moment that man fell from his state of innocency and into sin. Genesis chapters 2 and 3 will help us understand that.

But this text must be applied!

One, we must see that this eternal Sabbath rest is still available to us by God’s grace. Adam didn’t earn it. He failed very quickly. But God y his grace provided a redeemer, Christ Jesus our Lord. He was faithful to keep the covenant of made with him. He earned Sabbath rest, and he has entered into it! Having accomplished his work of recreation, he sat down at the Fathers right hand. And all who have faith in him also enjoy this rest! We have tasted of it. All who have faith in Christ will indeed enter into the fulness of the rest that he has earned when Christ returns and makes all things new. Then we will forever cease from our labors. Then we cease in our struggle with sin. Then we will no longer we tormented by sorrow, sickness and death. We must trust in Christ. In the first Adam there is no rest but only death. In the second Adam, who is Christ our Lord, true rest is found.

Two, we must recognize that we were created by God in the beginning to live in subordination to our Maker. At the very heart of sin is pride. At the very core of sin is the desire to be autonomous, to decide for ourselves what is right and wrong, true and false. In our sin we insist on gong our own way. Oh that we would truly submit to God and to his word to live in subjection to him. Oh, that we would truly live with God as King over us, with Christ truly as Lord. Here is where find life abundant. Friends, “put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word [of God], which is able to save your souls” (James 1:21, ESV).

Three, let us serve the Lord faithfully in the places that he set us, living in perpetual obedience to our Maker. Are you a husband? Serve the Lord faithfully in your home. Are you are wife? Fulfill God’s calling upon by living according to his word. Are you a child? Obey God and show honor to your parents. Are you single? Walk in purity day by day trusting in the Lord always. Are you employed? Work to the glory of God exercising dominion in the place that God has set you, never for your own glory and according to your own wisdom, but in perpetual submission to your Maker and to his glory alone.

Posted in Sermons Joe Anady Genesis 1:1-2:3
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Jun
3

Sermon: The Heavens Declare The Glory Of The Lord: Genesis 1:1-2:3

Old Testament Reading: Genesis 1:1-2:3

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. And God said, ‘Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.’ And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so. And God called the expanse Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day. And God said, ‘Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.’ And it was so. God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. And God said, ‘Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.’ And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the third day. And God said, ‘Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.’ And it was so. And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day. And God said, ‘Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.’ So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.’ And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day. And God said, ‘Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds—livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.’ And it was so. And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. Then God 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 birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’ And God said, ‘Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.’ And it was so. And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.” (Genesis 1:1–2:3, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Romans 1:18–25

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.” (Romans 1:18–25, ESV)

Introduction

Have you ever asked yourself the question, why is the world as it is? I’m not here thinking of the state or condition of humanity, but have in mind the physical universe. Why is the world – that is, the physical universe – as it is? Why the sun, moon, and stars? Why this planet with this atmosphere, these lands and these oceans? Why the mountains, rivers and trees? Why this world filled with these creatures? Why is the world as it is?

The atheist will respond to this question by saying, the world is as it is by chance. This world, the atheist says, is the one that worked out – this world is the one that simply came to be.

I find this answer to be very unsatisfying intellectually and also spiritually. Intellectually, the idea that this world came into existence by chance, by some unguided process of evolution, doesn’t square well with the intricacy that we find in the natural world. This world is very complex. Everywhere we look we see evidence of design. Spiritually, this answer is unsatisfying because it strips life of all meaning. If indeed the world is at it is by chance, then there is no meaning at all to our existence. But this is the only answer that the atheist can give to the question, why is the world as it is? It is as it is by chance, the atheist must say.

But the Christian will respond to the question, why is the world as it is?, by saying, this is how God designed it and then made it to be.

This is true. But let us think a little more deeply about this.

For The Manifestation Of His Glory

Tell me Christian, did God have to create the heavens and the earth? Was he compelled or bound or obligated to bring this world into existence? The answer is that God did not have to create. Before the creation there was nothing external to God compelling him to create, nor was there anything lacking within him which moved him to create. God was not lonely, friends. He was not in need of companionship. There was nothing lacking within God that moved him to create. But rather the Triune God was complete and perfectly satisfied within himself when he determined to create as he did, being driven only by his good pleasure and the counsel of his will (see Ephesians 1:5, 9 and 11, for example).

And tell me, once God determined to create could he have made the world different from the one that he has made? Of course God could have a made the world different from the one in which we now live. God is most free. He is all powerful. He can do whatever he pleases. The only thing impossible for God is for him to act contrary to his nature. God is most holy – never can he do evil. God is true – never can he lie. God is faithful – never can he leave a promise unfulfilled. But certainly God was free and capable of making a world different from the one that he made.

Why then this world? All Christins will answer saying, the world is as it is because God designed it and made it this way. But why did he make it this way? The better and more developed answer to the question, why is the world as it is?, is that God made the world this way, one, simply because it pleased him to do so, and two, because this world effectively reveals something of the God who made it.

This is exactly the point that our Confession of Faith makes when it address the subject of creation. Listen to Chapter 4 of our Confession, Paragraph 1: “In the beginning it pleased God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, for the manifestation of the glory of his eternal power, wisdom, and goodness, to create or make the world, and all things therein, whether visible or invisible, in the space of six days, and all very good.”

First of all, notice that our Confession states that the Triune God created what he created because it “pleased” him to do so. Secondly, notice that he created “the world, and all things therein, whether visible or invisible” for the “manifestation of the glory of his eternal power, wisdom, and goodness.” God was please to create all things so that he might manifest his glory within his creation.

What is meant by the word “manifestation”? I use the word often, so I suppose it would be good to define it. The word “manifest” means to display or show forth something. It describes the process whereby something that is invisible is made visible and apparent. If I have an idea in my head you cannot see it, but if I write it down or draw it our build it, then that idea is made manifest. The writing or drawing or building is a visible manifestation of that which was once invisible.

Our Confession rightly asserts that the invisible heavenly realm (invisible to us, mind you, but not to the angels nor to the souls of the departed saints) and the visible earthly realm were created by God so that “the glory of his eternal power, wisdom, and goodness” might be manifest there.

Tell me friends, when did God begin to be infinitely powerful, wise and good? Was it is at creation that God began to be these things? No, God’s “power, wisdom, and goodness” are “eternal”. So it is with all of God’s essential attributes. Just as God is eternal, without beginning or end, so too are all of his essential attributes. God simply is. He cannot be divided up into parts. He does not gain qualities or loose them with the passing of time, for he does not change, but is the same yesterday, today and forever.

What then happened at creation? Did the act of creation bring about a change in God? Certainly not! But rather it is in the creation that God’s eternal attributes are gloriously manifest! God is the same yesterday, today and forever. He is unchanging. But who saw God’s infinite “power, wisdom, and goodness” prior to the act of creation? Only the Triune God was aware the Triune God. But in the beginning God created the heavens and earth “for the manifestation of the glory of his eternal power, wisdom, and goodness”.

In the previous sermon I made the point that the way in which God created revealed truth concerning himself and his relationship to the world that he made. By considering the process whereby God brought the heavens and earth into existence we learn that there is a distinction between the Creator and his creation. There is God, and there is creation. We see that God is supreme and sovereign over all his creation. We understand him to be good. We learn that he is relational. Certainly God is to be served and worshipped by his creatures because he is their Maker. All of this can be gleaned from the way in which God created.

Here I am saying something different. I am saying that the creation itself reveals truth concerning the Creator. The world which God made reveals something of the glory of God.

The Heavenly Realm Is Where God’s Glory Is Manifest

When God called the heavenly realm into existence he did so to manifest his glory there before the angels. Do you remember how in the book of Revelation John the Apostle tells us of the visions that he saw of the heavenly realm? Consider, for example, Revelation 4:1-6:

“After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven!… At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal.” (Revelation 4:1–6, ESV)

Do you see that the heavenly realm was created for the “manifestation of the glory of his eternal power, wisdom, and goodness”? Heaven is a realm or dimension where God, who is “infinite in being and perfection… a most pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts, or passions… (2LBC, 2.1)” manifests, or makes visible and apparent, his glory to his creatures. John was shown this glory. Throughout the book of Revelation, he is found laboring to describe the glory of God that he saw in heaven.

By the way, where is this heavenly and spiritual realm? Is it a territory situated just beyond the edge of our ever expanding universe? Is it tucked behind a star somewhere, hidden from sight? Of course there is mystery here, but I think it is best to view heaven, not as a territory tucked away in some corner of the universe, but as another dimension that is ever about and before us, but is now hidden from our sight.

You would do well to remember the story of Elisha and his servant. In 2 Kings 6:15 we read,

“When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, ‘Alas, my master! What shall we do?’ [Elisha] said, ‘Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’ Then Elisha prayed and said, ‘O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.’ So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” (2 Kings 6:15–17, ESV)

This story illustrates the point. The heavenly realm is not a territory set far off, but is all about us and is hidden from our sight. From to time to time this heavenly dimension is shown to men. Here in 2 Kings 6 Elisha and his servant saw it.

Do you remember what I said in our or study of the book of Revelation how in the end heaven and earth will become one. When Christ returns we know that he will establish the new heavens and new earth. When those in Christ die their souls go to heaven now. But at the end of time those in Christ will be brought body and soul into the new heavens and the new earth. The heavenly realm that is invisible to us now where the glory of God is manifest before his elect angels and the souls who have died in Christ, and the renewed earth, will become one. It is not that God will take a the heavenly realm from a far of place and bring it to the earthly realm to press the two together, but that heavenly, which is around and about us always, will be visible in the new heavens and earth. The glory of God which is manifest in heaven now, will fill the earth. All will be aglow with God’s glory. Indeed, “we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” (2 Peter 3:13, ESV)

As we progress in our study of Genesis we will see that this was God’s design from the beginning – that the heavenly realm and earthly realm be one. God’s design from the beginning was that his glory which was manifest in the heavenly realm from the start would fill the earth too. The book of Revelation makes it clear that this was the end goal. Christ, the second Adam earned it. Which proves that this is what was offered to the first Adam through the covenant made with him and symbolized by the tree of life. Should Adam have passed the test by abstaining from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and eating from the tree of life, Adam would have been confirmed in glory. He would have passed from life to life, from paradise to glory. Adam fell “short of the glory of God…” (Romans 3:23, ESV), But Christ, after suffering as he did “[entered] into his glory?” (Luke 24:26, ESV).

The Earthly Realm Was Created For Glory

So not only did God create the heavenly realm to manifest his glory, but also the earthly realm. Heaven is a place created by God where his glory is now manifest so that his creatures may bask in his glory. There the angels in heaven give praise to God and enjoy him continuously. And earth is also a place created by God for that purpose. It too is capable of housing the glory of God. It was designed by God to be a place filled with his glory where his human creatures would give praise to him and enjoy him forever and ever.

But never has the earth been filled with the glory of God. It will be at the consummation! But never has it functioned in full according to God’s design. God’s glory has been shown forth upon the earth. The glory of God was shown on Mount Eden. The glory of God was shown on Mount Sinai. And the glory of God was shown on the Mount of Transfiguration. But these were but isolated foretastes of the glory that is to come. When all is made new, God’s glory of God will fill all. “Night will be no more. [Those who occupy the new heavens and earth] will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever” (Revelation 22:5, ESV). Brothers and sisters, please recognize that God created the world in the beginning so that his glory might be manifest in it just as it is manifest in the heavenly realm now.

The Earthly Realm Declares The Glory Of The Lord

We long for that day, do we not? We long for the day when heaven and earth will be filled with the glory of God. But for now we live in a world that is fallen. We live in a world which has come short of the glory of God.

But though it is true that world has not reached its telos, or the end for which it was created, this world does still reveal the glory of God. God made this world in such a way that it tells of his glory. The world, even in it fallen condition, declares the glory of the God who made it.

Psalm 19 says,

“The heavens [here it is the starry heavens that are in view] declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.” (Psalm 19:1–4, ESV)

What is the meaning of this? Psalm 19 teaches that God has designed the world to declare or to reveal his glory. Why is the the world as it is? It is as it is so that it might show forth the glory of God. The word, even now in fallen condition, manifests “the glory of [God’s] eternal power, wisdom, and goodness.”

Heaven And Earth: Distinct, Yet Corresponding

Let us make a few observations from the text of Genesis 1:1-2:3 to prove that this was God’s intention from the beginning, that the earth reveal and declare the glory of the God who made it.

Notice that in Genesis 1:1 a distinction is made between the heavenly realm and the earthly realm. Some have referred to this as the upper and lower registers (Kline). This distinction is maintained throughout Genesis 1:1-2:3 and, given the fall, the distinction between heaven and earth is maintained throughout the rest of scripture unit the two become one in Revelation 21.

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1, ESV).

In 1:2 All attention then goes to the earthly realm, or the lower register. “The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep…” But we are told that “the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters” (Genesis 1:2, ESV). To which realm does the Spirit of God belong? The earthly and visible, or the heavenly and invisible? The Spirit belongs to the heavenly realm, but he seen here hovering like a bird over the earthly realm, ready to create.

And then a word is spoken? God says, “Let there be…” This he says again and again in the days of creation. And where is God when speaks? He is in the heavenly realm.

And to every “let there be…” there is a corresponding, “and it was so…” God’s word spoken from heaven has an effect on earth. The two realms, though distinct, correspond to one another and are interrelated.

All of this creative activity being accomplished by the Triune God, Father, Word and Spirit, culminates on the seventh day. “God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation” (Genesis 2:1–3, ESV). God rests, therefore, in the heavenly realm. He sat down, as it were, having accomplished his work of creation, as king would sit upon his throne after building palace for himself.

There is heaven and there is earth. The two are distinct, but they correspond. What God said in heaven was accomplished upon the earth. And if we look as bit closer we see that what was made upon the earth was made to reveal heavenly realities.

Man Made In The Image Of God

Nowhere is this more obvious than in the creation of man, who is said to be made in the image of God. There is God in the heavens, and there is man on earth, but man is made in the image of God. Man is like God in some respects. He was made to correspond to him. When we look at man, therefore, something may be known about God. This we will consider in much greater detail in the weeks to come, but for now simply see that it is so. God made man in such a way that something of God may be known by looking at man. Man was created in the image of God.

The Second And Third Heaven

Isn’t it also interesting that the word “heaven” is used to refer both to the spiritual and invisible heaven, and also the heavens that belong to the natural world. This is true in Hebrew, Greek and English. The word heaven can be used to refer to either the invisible or visible heavens. The same is true of the word “hosts”. The word “hosts” as it appears in Genesis 2:1 can be used to refer either to the armies of heaven – that is, the angels – or to the sun, moon and stars.

I do not think that this is coincidence. The heavens above and the sun, moon and stars that reside there are called “heaven” and “hosts” because they were created by God to image the invisible heavenly realm and hosts that worship and serve God day and night.

When you see the sun rise, and you feel it’s heat, and observe how it makes the plants grow, you are to to be reminded of God, who is himself the source of light. When you look up at the starry skies you are to be reminded of the heavenly hosts who worship and serve God perpetually.

The two seem most obvious to me: man made in the image of God, and the physical heavens and hosts being called by the same name as the spiritual heaven and hosts. But many, many other observations could be made concerning how the created world declares the glory of the Lord.

The creation of light reveals something of the God who created it, who is himself light. In him there is no darkness at all. The mountains lift our eyes to heaven. The trees function like a kingdom for the birds. They are place for them to rest, just as God is our resting place.

Friends, it is not that the universe came is at it is by chance and that God made analogies from the things that happened to be, but that God created the world to be analogous. The world was made by God to reveal God. The world was made in such way to show how things are in the heavens.

Adam’s Ability To Know God In And Through The World

Have you ever wondered what it would have been like for Adam and Eve to engage with the created world in their uprightness? The world that they the observed was the same world that we observe in terms of its features (sun, moon, stars, mountains, rivers, plants, tree, and animals). How did they perceive it?

Our Ability To Know God In And Through The World

In our sin we do not see the glory of God in the created world. It is not as if it is not there. But in our sin, we twist it all up.

“For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things… they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.” (Romans 1:21–25, ESV)

But in Christ our ability to see the creation aright has been restored. God, by his grace, has regenerated the Christian by his word and Spirit, and now the Christian is able to look upon creation and appreciate as God intended – as a world designed to declare the glory of the Lord who made it.

Application

Posted in Sermons Joe Anady Genesis 1:1-2:3
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May
27

Sermon: The Earth Prepared For Human Habitation: Genesis 1:1-2:3

Old Testament Reading: Genesis 1:1-2:3

New Testament Reading: Revelation 21:1-3

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.” (Revelation 21:1–3, ESV)

Introduction

Please don’t assume that we have now begun to rush through our study of the book of Genesis. It is true that we are considering all of Genesis 1:3-2:3 this morning, but we will return to this passage to move through it much more methodically and in pieces in the weeks to come. In this sermon we will consider this passage generally and as a whole.

Today I want for you to see that although when God first created the earth it was uninhabitable – it was “without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep [over the surface of the waters]” – this was not his ultimate design and purpose for the world. Instead, God “formed [the world] to be inhabited!” (Isaiah 45:18, ESV). This he did in the days of creation that are recorded for us here in Genesis 1. God “formed [the world] to be inhabited!”

God’s design for the world was not that it be empty, but that it be filled with life. God’s purpose for the world was that it be a place for man to dwell. God’s intention for the world was that it be a place where man would enjoy fellowship with himself. God’s purpose for the world was that it be filled with those who would worship him and served him always. In the end God’s design for the world was that it be a place filled with his glory where man would enjoy unbroken, unmitigated, and unending communion with the God who made them.

How do we know that this was God’s purpose in creating the heavens and the earth? How do we know that God’s design for the world was that it would be a place filled with his glory where man would enjoy unbroken, unmitigated, and unending communion with the God who made him? Is this purpose for the world clearly communicated in Genesis 1 and 2? We would have to say that this truth is indeed communicated in Genesis 1 and 2, but it is the rest of scripture that makes this truth abundantly clear. The rest of scriptures makes it clear that this was God’s design from the beginning. The world was created by God to a be a place where man would rightly relate to God, and God to man. Man was designed to worship and serve his Creator. Man was to enjoy the glory of his Creator forever and ever. This, of course, was lost at the fall – “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23, ESV). But this hope was regained through Christ our Savior. And this will be the end of the matter, as the book of Revelation makes clear. All who are in Christ will be brought safely into the “new heaven and… new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth [having been ruined by sin, will pass away]… ’Behold, the dwelling place of God [will be] with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God’” (Revelation 21:1–3, ESV). In the end God will make all things new. The earth will finally fulfill the purpose for which God designed it. It will be a place filled with the glory of God where man will enjoy unbroken, unmitigated, and unending communion with the God who made him?

How important it is for us to interpret the text of Genesis 1 and 2 in light of the rest of scripture, particularly the New Testament, and especially the book of Revelation. These truths are indeed communicated in Genesis 1 and 2, but the end of the story helps us greatly in understanding what God’s purpose was from the beginning.

In the previous sermon I made the assertion that the act of creation was itself revelatory. I hope you are able to grasp the significance of this statement. It means that the wayin which God created the heavens and the earth reveals truth – truth concerning God, truth concerning the creation, his purpose for it, and his interaction with it.

Indeed, God reveals truth by his word. He has given us his word by the prophets of old, by the Christ, and by his Apostles. This word was at first spoken. Afterwards it was written. And it is the written word which is our authority for truth today. But before the scriptures were written, God did act in human history. He acted in creation. He acted in delivering Israel from Egypt. And he acted by sending his Son into the world, this culminating in the act of crucification, resurrection, and ascension. The acts of God serve as the basis for the word of God, first spoken, then written. And I am saying that the acts of God are, in and of themselves, revelatory.

The way in which the Christ lived, died, rose and ascended revealed truth. The way in which God redeemed Israel from Egypt revealed truth. And the way, or the process, whereby God created the heavens and the earth revealed truth – truth concerning God, truth concerning the creation, his purpose for it, and his interaction with it.

You may have heard it said that Genesis 1 establishes for us a worldview. This is true. In fact, it should be said that Genesis chapters 1-3 provide us with the foundation for a worldview that is biblical and true. How should we see the world? How should we think of God, creation, man, and God’s purpose for man? Genesis chapters 1-3 lay the foundation for us. We will see that God made the world to be inhabitedby man. It is the place that God preparedfor man so that he might enjoy communion(a relationship) with God as he worshipped and served God according to God’s design and purpose.

How important is was for these truths to be communicated to, and even written down for, the people of Israel, as they were led out of Egypt and towards the land of promise by the hand of Moses. The people of God were being delivered out from amongst an idolatrous people. The worldview of the Egyptians was all jumbled up and distorted. The Egyptians worshipped many gods. The distinction between Creator and creature had been obliterated by them so that the sun was a god. So too was the Nile, etc. When the one true God delivered Israel from Egypt he did so in such a way to demonstrate that their god’s were not god’s at all, and that the God of Israel was the true God. The sun was darkened, remember, and the Nile turned to blood, etc.

The same thing could be said of the people among whom the Israelites wandered while in the wilderness. They were pagan idolaters who lived according to a false worldview.

And the same thing could be said concerning the people who occupied the land of promise that Israel would eventually come to have as her own. They were pagan idolaters who lived according to a false worldview.

Genesis chapters 1-3 were given to Israel through Moses (along with the rest of the Pentateuch) so that Israel, God’s chosen people, might have a true worldview and live accordingly.

This same worldview was also given to Adam and Eve in the garden. I am not saying they had it in writing as Israel did after Moses penned the Pentateuch, but clearly they knew all about the history that is recorded for us in Genesis chapters 1 and 2.

What Genesis 1:1-2:3 reveals to us must have also been revealed to Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve were not there to witness the creation of the world in six days (they were created on the sixth day), but they certainly knew about God’s work of creation, for even they were called by God to work six days and to rest on the seventh in imitation of the pattern established by God at creation. That history – the history of God’s creative act – was revealed to them by God.

And Adam and Eve were alive to experience much of what is revealed to us in Genesis chapter 2. In 2:7 we read, “then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature” (Genesis 2:7, ESV). The story that follows from there was their story. They lived it and, therefore, they knew it well. The same can be said of Genesis chapter 3. Adam and Eve lived that narrative! It was their story – their history.

Adam and Eve possessed a true worldview, therefore, and they were to live according to it. This truth was also passed along to their children, and they were to live according to it. This true worldview was preserved by the righteous line that proceeded from Adam and Eve until it was written down by Moses as he was carried along by the Holy Spirit to write what he wrote without error. And now we, though we live a very long time after the book of Genesis was first written by Moses and given to Israel (3,500 years), and though we live in a world different from the one in which Moses and ancient Israel lived, are to receive what is here written as our worldview and to live accordingly.

I have noticed that people do not often think about their worldview. They simply see the world as they see it and assume that it is right. And then they go on to live according to their worldview (which they have assumed is right) without realizing how much their worldview effects every area of their lives.

Your worldview effects the way that you live. You spend your time in the way that you spend it according to you worldview. You spend your money in the way that you spend it according to your worldview. You invest your energies according to your worldview. Your view of the world impacts even you inner life – your thoughts, your emotions, and your appetites. You react to life’s successes and failures, joys and sorrows according to your view of the world.

To having a true and biblical worldview is a great blessing. I do not see how you can have true faith in Christ without it. And I know that having a fully formed and mature biblical worldview will go a long way in advancing your sanctification in Christ. The more we know and truly believe what God has revealed concerning himself, ourselves and the world in which we live the more it will help us in living for God in this world, and not for self. It is no wonder that Paul said, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind…” (Romans 12:2, ESV). Sanctification happens – transformation happens – when we are renewed in the mind by God’s word.

Genesis chapters 1 through 3 (indeed, the whole of scripture) was given so that God’s people might see the world and the God who made it correctly and then live accordingly. It is here in the opening chapters of Genesis that the truth concerning the world in which we live is established for us.

Regrettably, when the text of Genesis 1 and 2 are considered today the focus of attention often goes to questions concerning the age of the earth, or the length of the days of creation, or to other such things. I am not saying that these questions are unimportant (they are very important). And neither am I saying that Genesis has nothing to say about these things (indeed, Genesis has much to say concerning these matters). But I am saying that Genesis 1 and 2 were given, first to Israel, and also to us, so at we might have a worldview that is true.

The act of God creating the heavens and earth was revelatory. Not only did it get the job of creation done, but it also revealed truth in the process. We have the history of God’s creative acts preserved for us in the scriptures. And this history is given, not so that we might simply know the facts, nor so that it might answer or scientific questions, but so that we might have proper view of God, of the world he has made, of ourselves, and of God’s purpose for us.

As we consider Genesis 1:3-2:3 generally there are few things stand out as significant building blocks for a biblical and true worldview. Let us look briefly at five of them:

There Is God And There Is Creation

First, we are confronted with the fact that when all is considered there is God and there is his creation.

All that exists can be divided into these two categories. There is God, and everything that is not God is the creation of God.

God is not one with his creation, but is distinct from it.

Nothing at all in God’s creation is to be worshipped, therefore.

Never should man bow down before or pray to any created thing but to God alone.

This fundamental fact that there is God and there is his creationshould cultivate humility within us. For it is this distinction between Creator and creature which brings us to the realization that we are not God. We are his creatures. We were made by him and for him and thus are subordinate to him by virtue of our existence.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. There is God and there is his creation. Everything that is not God is the creation of God. You are his creature and he is your Maker.

Do you believe this?

And if you do believe it, can you see how this most fundamental of all worldview building blocks should impact your life?

Do you really believe that God is God and that you are his creature? Why then do you wake up in the morning and not give him honor? How then are you able to go about your days living only for yourself? How is it that you are ungrateful? Why are you prideful?

Often the trouble is not that we do not believe these things, but that we do not believe them deeply enough. God is God, and we are his creatures. Let us therefore live for his glory always. This is only fitting.

God Is Sovereign Over All His Creation

Secondly, notice that God is sovereign over all of his creation.

When we say that God is sovereign we are saying that he is supreme. He is “infinitely elevated above the highest creature, He is the Most High, Lord of heaven and earth. Subject to none, influenced by none, absolutely independent; God does as He pleases, only as He pleases, always as He pleases. None can thwart Him, none can hinder Him (Pink, The Attributes of God, p. 40).

Do you see that in the beginning there was God. Noting existed besides him to challenge his authority. He did not struggle to bring heaven and earth into existence, but merely spoke and it happened.

Notice the repetition throughout Genesis 1: “And God said, and God said, and God said…” and it was accomplished. God is supreme in creation and he is now sovereign over his creation. Nothing of all that God created can possibly threaten his authority.

This is not the god of the pagans. Idolators imagine that the world came about as the result of a great struggle amongst the gods. Idolaters imagine that the gods are still struggling amongst themselves and with man. But the God of scripture was supreme in the beginning and is sovereign still. He is God Most High. He is the one who declares “the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose…’”(Isaiah 46:10, ESV).

Sadly, many today who name the name of Christ do not have the God of the Bible as their god, but a “paganized” and idolatrous version of him. They claim to believe in the God of the Bible, but they have brought him down low to make him to be like one of us – one who struggles to bring about his purposes – one who’s will can indeed be thwarted.

Truly, God is sovereign. He was supreme at creation. There was none to challenge him. He effortlessly spoke the world into existence. And his sovereign over all creation as he “works all things according to the counsel of his will…” (Ephesians 1:11, ESV).

God Is Good

Thirdly, do you see that God is good?

Many Bible texts could be called upon to testify to this fact. Also, we could point to many things in the world – yes, even in this fallen and sin sick world – to show that God is good. But his goodness was evident even in creation.

Notice the repetition found in Genesis 1. Throughout we find the remark that when God looked upon what he made he “saw that it was good” (Genesis 1:10, ESV). Indeed, when God was finished with creation “God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day” (Genesis 1:31, ESV).

God is good. The world as it came originally from his hand reflected his goodness. God’s goodness can be seen in the world today though the world be tainted by sin. And in the end God will work all things for good “for those who love God… for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28, ESV).

God Is Relational

Fourthly, do you see that God is relational?

I have three things in mind here.

One, God is relational within himself. In other words, the one true God, who in the beginning created the heavens and the earth, is Triune. He is three in one, and one in three.

The triunity of God is revealed in Genesis 1.

It was God who in the beginning created the heavens and earth. And yet the Spirit of God was said to be hovering over the primordial waters. Notice also that God created by his Word. “And God said”, is the refrain that runs throughout Genesis 1. But when we come to the pages of the New Testament it is clear that this word of God is in fact a person. John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:1–3, 14 ESV).

Notice also the language of Genesis 1:26. When it came time for the creation of man God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” (Genesis 1:26, ESV). God here speaks to himself. And he refers to himself in the plural to reflect the plurality that exists in the Godhead – Father, Word (or Son), and Spirit.

Notice that when God does make man, he makes man in his image, and he makes man plural – male and female. Man (or humanity) is male and female. Man, made in God’s image, reflects the plurality that exists within God himself.

God is relational within himself. And God is also relational with his creation.

Man, made in the image of God, was made to relate to God. Man was made to live in covenant with God. This is a part of what it means for man to be made in the image of God. Men and women were made in such a way that they correspond to the God who made them.

God Is To Be Served and Worshipped

And notice fifthly, and lastly, that God is to be served and worshipped.

Man was blessed by God and he was given a mandate. Verse 28: “And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth” (Genesis 1:28, ESV).

God, from the beginning, gave man a command, and man was to obey. Man was given dominion, but his authority was not unlimited. Man, from the beginning was to live in subordination to the God who made him.

And God was to be worshipped by man. Even in the garden, one day out of seven was set apart as holy unto God. Man was to do all of his work to the glory of the God who made him, but one day in seven was set apart as holy by God so that man would rest and worship.

Conclusion

Dear brothers and sisters, I wonder if you would reflect on these principles that have been presented to you from the text of Genesis 1:1-2:3 and ask three questions of yourself:

One, do you believe these things?

Two, if you claim to believe these things I ask, are you living according to these truths?

Three, I must ask are you believing upon Christ?

Posted in Sermons Joe Anady Genesis 1:1-2:3
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May
20

Sermon: The Earth Was At First Uninhabitable: Genesis 1:2

Pre-Introduction

Brothers and sisters, Genesis 1:1-5 is our Old Testament reading for today. 2 Corinthians 4:1-6 is our New Testament reading. We will come to focus upon verse 2 of Genesis 1 in the sermon today. Hear now the word of God.

Old Testament Reading: Genesis 1:1-5

New Testament Reading: 2 Corinthians 4:1–6

“Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:1–6, ESV)

Introduction

Genesis 1:2 describes to us the condition of the earthly realm as it was immediately following God’s act of absolute creation which was described in Genesis 1:1 and prior to God’s forming of that realm in the world as we know it as described in verses 3 and following.

Verse 1: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Verse 2: The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” Verse 3: “And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.’” Verse 6: “And God said, ‘Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.’” Verse 9: “And God said, ‘Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.’” Etc., etc.

So God did at first call into existence the heavenly invisible realm, along with the earthly physical realm, and the earthly physical realm was at first without form and void, darkness was over the face of the deep, andthe Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And after this God did shape, form and fashion the earthly realm into the world as we know it – a place suitable for the maintenance of life and a habitation suitable for man.

In The Beginning God Created Heaven

Remember that the “heavens” of verse 1 refers, not to the place where the birds fly, nor to the place where the stars reside, but to, what Paul refers to as, the third heaven. It is the realm where God’s glory is now manifest, where the elect angels stand before the throne of God to sing him praise, along with the souls of the saints who, having departed from this world, do now enjoy the presence of the Lord as they await the consummation of all things.

I realize that this is a repeat of what was said in the sermon I preached three weeks ago on Genesis 1:1, but it is worth repeating. In the beginning God created two realms: the spiritual realm, which is typically invisible to us, is called heaven. And the material world which we encounter with our senses is called earth. This acknowledgment of and distinction between heaven and earth is so fundamental to a Christian worldview, it would be foolish to rush through the establishment of it.

That the scriptures teach the existence of a spiritual realm, which is typically invisible to us, is undeniable. Many examples could be presented from the scriptures where God gives some person, or group of people, a glimpse of this heavenly realm. For now it will suffice to remind you of our recent study of the book of Revelation. Remember how the visions shown to John shifted continuously between the earthly realm and the heavenly realm. In one moment he would say, “And I saw a beast rising out of the sea…” (Revelation 13:1, ESV), or “I saw another beast rising out of the earth…” (Revelation 13:11, ESV). And in the next moment we would hear him say, “Then I saw heaven opened” (Revelation 19:11, ESV), or “I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne” (Revelation 6:9, ESV). John was one of those who was shown something of the heavenly realities which typically lie beyond our sense perception.

These two realms – the heavenly, and the earthly – are mentioned continuously throughout the pages of Holy Scripture. “Thus says the Lord: ‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool…” (Isaiah 66:1, ESV). Friends, our worldview is not biblical – certainly it is not mature – if we are not continuously mindful of the heavenly realm that God made in the beginning. In the beginning God created the heavensand the earth. The heavensand the earth remain. And at the end of timeheaven and earth will become one when God makes all things new. The Christian is to live being ever mindful, not only of the earth (which we see with our natural eyes), but also of heaven (which we can see only with eyes of faith). Therefore, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19–21, ESV).

That the scriptures teach that there is a heavenly, spiritual and invisible realm (invisible to us) cannot be denied.

But when was this realm made? It was created by God in the beginning.

When were the angels made who reside there? They were created by God in the beginning.

“In the beginning, God created the heavensand the earth.” (Genesis 1:1, ESV)

This is confirmed by the Apostle Paul. When he wrote concerning the creation he said, “For by him [that is Christ, the eternal Word of God come in the flesh] all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible,whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:16–17, ESV). Paul interprets heaven as the spiritual realm that is invisible to us, and earth as the physical realm that does correspond to our natural senses.

Consider also how God’s creation of heaven and earth are spoken of in Nehemiah 9:6. There the people give praise to God, saying, “You are the Lord, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships you” (Nehemiah 9:6, ESV). Do you hear it? Clearly Nehemiah 9:6 interprets “heaven” of Genesis 1:1 as being the “heaven of heavens”. It is the place where the host, or army, of heaven dwells. That is to say, the angels. They are the ones who worship and serve God forever and ever.

And also consider that Job 38 teaches that the angles of God were present to witness the creation of the world from their heavenly vantage point. It is here in this passage that God questions Job, saying, “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” (Job 38:4–7, ESV). God is here speaking of the creation, or formation of the earth. And he asks Job, “Where were you” when I did all of this? God was reminding Job that he was God the Creator, and that Job was but a creature. Job was not there to witness the formation of the earth. Indeed, no man was there. Man would not be created until the sixth day, as we will see. But who was there to see? Of course God was there! But so too were there angels. “The morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy”, when they witness God’s act of creation.

What did God do in the beginning? He created the heavenly realm, and also the earthly realm. This is why in Isaiah 37:16 God is called the “Lord of hosts [and the] God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, you are the God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth” (Isaiah 37:16, ESV).

Friends, I know that I have been repetitive, but it is needed. This interpretation that I have given you of Genesis 1:1 is uncommon today. The older commentators tend to say what I have just said, and the better of the more modern commentators agree, but not many. And I am afraid that Christians today often go on unaware of the heavenly realm. We are often times worldly minded, fixated upon this things of this earth, consumed with the visible, the physical and the tangible. But the Holy Scriptures begin by establishing that in the beginning God created the heavensand the earth.

In The Beginning God Created The Earth

Notice how quickly the text comes to focus upon the earthly realm. No detail at all is provided concerning the creation of the heavenly realm. We are simply told that God created it in the beginning. But some detail will be given concerning the formation of the earth.

In verse 2 we read, “The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters” (Genesis 1:2, ESV). What follows will be a description of God bringing the earth (the universe) into the form that it has today. There is light and there is darkness. There is land and there is sea. There is an atmosphere for us to breath. These realms are all governed by rulers: the sun, moon and stars; fish and birds; land animals with man as supreme. This is the world as we know it.

But do you see that in verse 2 it is revealed to us that earth was “without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters” (Genesis 1:2, ESV). In other words when God created the earthly realm he did not at first create it complete and fully formed, suitable for the sustenance of life. It was incomplete, unformed, and uninhabitable.

A question we might ask is, how long did the world exist in this incomplete, unformed, and uninhabitable state?

Some very good commentators say that it is impossible to know.

But in order to hold this position – the position that the earth may have existed for a long time in this formless, void, and dark state – one must separate verse 2 from verses 3 through 5, which say, “And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day” (Genesis 1:3–5, ESV).

Put differently, if we are to believe that the earth existed for a long time, “without form and void, [with] darkness… over the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God… hovering over the face of the waters”, then day one of creation must begin verse 3 and the words, “And God said, ‘Let there be light’” (Genesis 1:3, ESV).

In others words, in order to hold the view that the stuff of the universe might be very, very old, but that the earth as we know it in it’s present form is relatively young, one must separate the act of absolute creation that is described in verse 1 from the act of formative creation that is described in verses 3 and following. Only then can we hold to the belief that the stuff of the universe is old, whereas the form of it is relatively young.

I’ve agonized a bit over this question. And it is my opinion that there is no reason at all to separate verse 3 through 5 from verses 1 and 2. Put differently, the text gives us no reason to separate the act of absolute creation that is described in verse 1 from the act of formative creation that is described in verses 3 and following. In fact, the scriptures give us good reason to believe that God did in fact begin his creative work and finish his creative work in the space of six days, and all very good.

I’ve mentioned that Genesis 1:1 through 2:3 make up the first section of the book of Genesis. It is the introduction, or prologue, to the book of Genesis. And notice how this section concludes. It does not leave off verses 1 and 2 and treat them as separate, but comes back to them to wrap everything up. The conclusion includes verses 1 and 2 in the days of creation when it is says, “Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation” (Genesis 2:1–3, ESV). Genesis 2:1-3 certainly gives the impression that God did all of his creative work in six days. This also includes the absolute, primary, and out-of-nothing (ex-nihilo) creation of Genesis 1:1.

Notice that this is also the way the subsequent revelation speaks of the days of creation. Later biblical passages look back upon creation and say that God made the heavens and the earth in six days. In Exodus 31:16 we read, “Therefore the people of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, observing the Sabbath throughout their generations, as a covenant forever. It is a sign forever between me and the people of Israel that in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed’” (Exodus 31:16–17, ESV).

It is my view that all of Genesis 1:1-5 should be viewed as having been accomplished on the first day of creation. God, on the first day, spoke the heavenly realm and the earthly into to existence out of nothing. The earthly realm was at first incomplete and uninhabitable. And then God began the process of bringing it into its present form by calling light into existence, and separating the light from the darkness. The first day.

I am well aware of the fact this is not the popular view today. There are many other interpretations of Genesis 1:1-3 that are put forth. All of them seem to have this in common: they are eager to make room for the belief in an earth that is very, very old.

I was tempted to say a lot about modern science and my view of it, but I decided to keep my remarks very brief. While I appreciate science, and while I do believe that we can learn a great deal through our observation of the natural world, I wonder if we have not conceded too much to science when it comes to its claims concerning origins.

Our culture, and even the Christian church today, seems to view science in a way similar to how a Roman Catholic views the Pope. If the scientific community says it then it must be true! I know that I’m beginning to wade out into deep and dangerous waters here, and I do not intend to go much further. For now I wonder I could draw your attention to three things. One, I hope you would agree that our observation of the natural world can only take us so far. There are some things that science will never be able to answer. There are certain questions that science is ill equipped to answer. Two, have you considered that the scientific consensus is ever changing. As it is with the Pope of Rome, so it is with science. When someone claims that one or the other speaks infallibly and authoritatively one only has to point out how quickly and how frequently the declarations that come from these institutions, be it the Papacy or the scientific community, have changed. Neither of these institutions should be trusted as our final authority in matters of faith, and their fickleness proves it. Three, would you please acknowledge that even scientists bring presuppositions to their work. Scientists, like Christians, have a worldview of their own. They are not as free from baggage as they might lead you to believe, but come to the task of interpretation with presuppositions.

I will say no more about science for our task here is the exposition of Holy Scripture, which is the Christian’s authority for truth. For a much more thorough discussion concerning science, its benefits and limits, I can think of no greater resource than volume one of Herman Bavink’s Reformed Dogmatics, called Prolegomena.

Brothers and sisters, when I come to the text of Genesis 1:1-2:3, and when I read it in light of the rest of scripture I am content to say what our confession says, that “In the beginning it pleased God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, for the manifestation of the glory of his eternal power, wisdom, and goodness, to create or make the world, and all things therein, whether visible or invisible, in the space of six days, and all very good” (2LBC 4.1).

The Earth Was At First Uninhabitable

Notice that in verse 2 we are told that the earth was at first uninhabitable. There we find three descriptors of the earthly realm as it was originally. One, the earth was without form and void. Two, darkness was over the face of the deep. And three, the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. What do these things mean?

What does it mean that the earth was “without form and void”?

In the Hebrew the phrase is תֹ֨הוּ֙ וָבֹ֔הוּ. The word תֹ֨הוּ֙ means emptiness, wilderness or wasteland. The word תֹ֨הוּ֙ carries a similar meaning. Together the words communicate that the earth was at first desolate and uninhabitable.

Isaiah 45:18 confirms this interpretation when it says, “For thus says the Lord, who created the heavens (he is God!), who formed the earth and made it (he established it; he did not create it empty, he formed it to be inhabited!): ‘I am the Lord, and there is no other’ (Isaiah 45:18, ESV). This verses is saying that though the earth was at first תֹ֨הוּ֙ (empty), this was not God’s purpose for it, so “he formed it to be inhabited.”

What does it mean that “darkness was over the face of the deep”?

It means that there was no light at all, but only darkness covering the primeval waters.

The scene is rather terrifying, isn’t it? Far from warm and homey, the world was at first dark, cold and threatening. I agree with E.J. Young who, in his book, “Studies in Genesis One”, says that it is not appropriate to refer to this condition as a chaos. Chaos implies that something was out of control. That idea is found nowhere in the text. Everything is, in fact, portrayed as being perfectly under God’s control. This world, even as it is described in Genesis 1:2, came from the hand of the Almighty. It was under his care and direction. So the world was not chaotic at this stage, but certainly it was no place for life. It was not yet formed into a home suitable for man.

What does it mean that the “the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters”?

The image is that of a bird fluttering or brooding over her nest to protect her young so as to bring forth life. I appreciate the words of Geerhardus Vos who, in his “Reformed Dogmatics” says, “The Spirit here is not a ‘wind from God…’” The word for Spirit and wind are the same in the Hebrew, and so some have proposed that this should be translated as “wind” –the wind of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Vos rightly says no.

The Spirit here is not a “wind from God”, sent out to dry what was created… it is the personal spirit, the Third Person of the Trinity… The word translated by “hovering”… is used elsewhere of a bird that hovers protectively over her young (Deut. 33:11). Already in the first instance where the Holy Spirit is mentioned in Scripture His activity is portrayed for us in an image borrowed from the kingdom of the birds, just as elsewhere he appears as a dove. Here “hovering”, “brooding”, has in view the stirring of live within lifeless material. The brooding of birds brings out very aptly that life originates from outside by fructification. In the world there is at first no life. The Spirit of God must hover above the roaring flood, for its roaring is a dead noise. But the Spirit of God hovers on and above the waters. He does not mingle with them. Even where God’s immanence comes to the fore, God and the world still remain unmixed.

And so here is how God created. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light”, etc., etc. (Genesis 1:1–3, ESV).

A question that we must ask is, why the process of creation? Why didn’t God simply create a fully formed earth in the beginning? Certainly he could have done it! God could have very easily spoken the world in its present form into existence, for we agree with Jeremiah the Prophet when he says, “‘Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you” (Jeremiah 32:17, ESV). Without a doubt God had the power to speak a fully formed and finished universe into existence from the start. Why the process? Why was the earth made formless and void with darkness over the face of the deep? Why the days of creation wherein God did progressively shape the earth into its present form? To put it differently,it did not take God six days to make the world, but God took six days to make it. Why did God take his time? Why the process?

The answer is that the act of creation was itself revelatory. By this I mean that when God made the heavens and the earth in the way that he did he communicated something to his creatures in the process. He revealed something to his creatures when he created as he did. In the act of creation God revealed important things – things concerning himself – things concerning this world in which we live – things concerning ourselves and his purpose for us. And so it is true that God could have made made the world as we know it in an instant. He could of accomplished this without breaking a sweat! And if he did – if God created the world in an instant – then the only thing that could truly be said of creation is what is said in Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” But more than that is said. The earth was at first uninhabitable and dark and then God did shape the world into its present form in six days time. It did not take God six days to make the world, but God took six days to make it. This he did in order to reveal truths concerning his person, his work and his purposes to his creatures. Remember that the angels witnessed the formation of the world in six days time. Something was revealed to them in the process. And though man was not there to see it as the angels were, God revealed to man all that he did in creation. Remember that Adam and Eve were to work six days in the garden and rest on the seventh to, among other things, mimic God’s creative activities which had been communicated to them by their Maker.

The act of creation was itself revelatory. God communicated something to his creatures by what he did and how he did it. While it is true that God communicates to us by his word we should remember that he does first communicate to us by his action. God did at first do something – he created the heavens and the earth in a particular way – and then he gave his word to his creatures. His word tells of his action. His word interprets his action. His word applies the implications of his action to the lives of his creatures. The act of creation was itself revelatory. The act itself said something about God, his world and man who was placed in it!

This same principle applies to all of God’s creative or redemptive actions and the word revelation that does proceed from them.

Take for example the Exodus. God delivered his people out bondage to the Egyptians and he brought them safely into the land that was promised to them. But he did not do it in an instant. Instead there was a process. There were tenplagues that were poured out upon the Egyptians, the last one was the death of the first born (those who had the blood of the lamb on their door posts were not effected, but the LORD covered them, as bird shelters her young, so that the destroyer would not destroy them (Exodus 12:23)). And it was only after the tenth plague that the people were set free. Why ten plagues? Why the process? Was God having a hard time with Pharaoh? Did God break a sweat? No, it did not take God ten plagues to deliver Israel from Egypt, but God took ten plagues to accomplish this act of new creation. And we might say the same thing about the process of passing through the sea, the wilderness wanderings, and the eventual conquest. The exodus event was itself revelatory. God’s people learned something about their God and his purposes for them, not by his word alone, but by his act. And once the act of redemption or new creation was finished, then his word was given as a record of the act, an interpretation, and an application of it.

The same can be said concerning the redemption or the new creation that is in Christ Jesus. Did Christ accomplish our redemption? Did he atone for the sins of his people? Did he say, “it is finished?” Did he sit down at the Fathers right hand to enter into his rest having accomplished all that the Father gave him to do? Yes, he did! But he did it in a particular way. There was a process. And the process did also communicate something of the significance of his person and his work. The act of redemption was itself revelatory.

Listen to what Romans 3:23-25 says, for example. The first part is familiar to you: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to showGod’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to showhis righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Romans 3:23–26, ESV).

The idea here is not complicated. It is that God reveals himself, not just through his word (as if he lowered his Bible down from heaven on a rope one day) but by his activities. His historical acts – the act of creation, and the way in which he choose to accomplish it – revealed something. His acts of redemption are also revelatory. The wayin which God rescued Israel out of Egypt, and the wayin which Christ accomplished our redemption, reveled something concerning our God, this world and ourselves.

Application

What then do we learn from God’s creative act? We learn many things that are foundational.

We learn that there is but one God.

This one God created all things seen and unseen.

We learn that all that is not the Creator is the creation.

We learn that there is plurality in the Godhead. In the beginning it was God who created the heavens and the earth, but he did so by his Word and his Spirit.

We learn that the Triune God, Father, Word and Spirit, created the world to be inhabited. In his goodness he did form and fashion the world to make it a place suitable for man – a temple where man could dwell and enjoy communion with the God who made him.

We learn that the Triune God, Father, Word and Spirit, is able to make something out of nothing, to bring form to that which is empty and void, life out of death, light out of darkness.

This our God did at creation. He formed the earth to be inhabited.

And this our God does in our redemption.

Israel was as good as dead in Egypt, but God gave them life.

Israel was as good as dead in that wilderness place, that wasteland not suitable for human habitation. And Israel complained to Moses, saying, “Why have you brought the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness, that we should die here, both we and our cattle? And why have you made us come up out of Egypt to bring us to this evil place? It is no place for grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, and there is no water to drink” (Numbers 20:4–5, ESV). But God gave them water from the rock to drink. He gave them manna to eat. And he brought them safely in to the land that he prepared for them, a land suitable for habitation, a land flowing with milk and honey.

And what shall we say of the redemption that we have in Christ Jesus? “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.” (Colossians 2:13–15, ESV)

In Christ, we who were dead, have been made alive. In Christ, we who walked in darkness, have seen the light. In Christ, we who were once without form and void, not suitable for communion of God, have been made into a temple by and of the Holy Spirit. “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6, ESV).

Posted in Sermons Joe Anady Genesis 12
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Apr
29

Sermon: In The Beginning, God Created The Heavens And The Earth: Genesis 1:1

Old Testament Reading: Genesis 1:1-3, 2:1-3

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light… Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.” (Genesis 1:1-3; 2:1–3, ESV)

New Testament Reading: John 1:1-5

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:1–5, ESV)

Introduction

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth”. I cannot think of a more important verse in all the Bible than Genesis 1:1.

Some might take issue with what I have just said. I can hear them replaying, but what about those passages that reveal Christ to us? Are they not more important than Genesis 1:1 which merely tells us of the beginning of creation? What about John 3:16, for example? “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16, ESV). Or what about John 14:6, where Christ himself says, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6, ESV)? Are not these verses more important than Genesis 1:1? These verses do, after all, reveal the way of salvation to sinners, whereas Genesis 1:1 only reveals to us the beginning of God’s creation.

This way of thinking does illustrate the sad trend within the Christian church today which is to reduce everything down to what we might call, “gospel essentials”. It seems that pastors and those to whom they preach have come to believe that the only things that really matter are those things that have some direct reference to Christ and to the salvation that is found in him.

It’s as if when they read Paul’s words, “For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2, ESV), they imagine that Paul devoted himself only to speaking to the subject of the crucifixion of Jesus. But have you read the writings of Paul? Have you read Romans? Have you read Galatians? Have you noticed how much doctrine is crammed into those books? Have you read Acts and considered the preaching of Paul recorded there? Clearly when Paul wrote to the Corinthians saying, “For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2, ESV), and to the Colossians, “Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ” (Colossians 1:28, ESV), he did not mean that the only doctrine that matters – the only doctrine that he taught – was that Jesus Christ lived, died, and rose from the grave and that salvation is available through faith in him. This was not Paul’s practice.

Indeed, for Paul everything does come to center upon Christ. Indeed, Christ is the central figure or hero in the story of redemption. Indeed, it was at the cross of Christ that atonement was made for sin. It was there that our salvation was accomplished. And for this reason Christ must always be proclaimed. We must preach Christ crucified, risen and ascended. Without that there is no gospel at all! But friends, do you see that Christ cannot be proclaimed intelligibly unless we tell the rest of the story – the story of creation, the fall and the unfolding of God’s redemption. To say, “Jesus died for sin, rose and ascended to the Fathers right hand” will make no sense at all to the one who is ignorant of the Biblical account of creation, fall and the unfolding of God’s redemption.

Notice how the Gospel of John, which does eventually come to say, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16, ESV), does begin with the words, “In the beginning”. Notice how the genealogy of Jesus found in Luke’s Gospel does take us back to Adam. Notice how the genealogy in Matthew’s gospel does take us back to Abraham. Mark’s Gospel begins by quoting from the Old Testament prophet Isaiah. The point is that even the Gospels of the New Testament do not begin with Christ crucified and risen, but they do first of all tell something of the backstory. They reach into the Old Testament and even to the creation account in order to set the stage so that the good news of Christ crucified, risen and ascended might be comprehended.

Friends, do you understand how difficult it would be for someone who has no idea of what the scriptures say regarding God, his creation, and the fall of man into sin to understand what you mean when you say “believe upon Christ for the forgiveness of your sins”? What is sin? Why do I need to be forgiven? Who do I need to be forgiven by? And what does Jesus Christ have to do with all of this? These are the kinds of questions that we must answer.

I was sitting in a coffee shop doing some reading while I was waiting to pick my kids up from practice and there was a young man standing a few feet from me. Another young man approached him and (rather awkwardly) uttered the words, “hey, I just want you to know that Jesus loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life.” There was a little (awkward) interaction between the two of them, the Christian prayed with the young man, and then everyone went their way. The “evangelist” rejoined his group of friends rather proud of what he had just done, and the “evangelized one” left with his drink.

I was left to sit there to ponder what I had just witnessed. A number of things came to mind. First I thought, well at least that young Christian has a zeal for telling others about Christ, even though it be a zeal, “not according to knowledge” (Romans 10:2, ESV). Secondly I thought, who knows how the Lord will use that encounter in the life of that young man! God is certainly able to use even our stumbling and stammering to bring about good. But that is where my charitableness reached its limits. In fact, I went to the car to grab a business card so that I could approach the “evangelist” with a question. And my question would have been this: was that the gospel of Jesus Christ that you proclaimed to that young man when you said, ‘Jesus loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life’?” If his response was, “yes” then I was going to give him my card and say, search the scriptures, find for me one example where the gospel is proclaimed like that, and give me a call to tell me what you find. He left before I had the chance to do that. Maybe it was for the best. But then I was left with this thought: I wonder how much confusion that presentation of the “gospel” (which was not the gospel) brought to the young man who heard it? I suppose that depends upon how much of a Biblical worldview that young man already possessed. If he knew nothing of the scriptural account of creation, fall and redemption, then I’m afraid that the remark, “Jesus loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life” would have sounded like utter nonsense. Worse yet, it probably helped to solidify ideas that are in fact contrary to the gospel, namely, the idea that he is by nature lovely and in a right relationship with God, and that Jesus’ main concern is that he have a , so-called, “wonderful life”.

When I came to the end of my pondering my thought was this: Oh, that we would have that kind of zeal to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to a world that is lost and dying. But may it never be a false gospel – one that is without law – one that does not first tell the bad new which makes the good new good. Indeed, it would be entirely appropriate to say to the Christian, “Jesus loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life”, but to say this to those not in Christ is a lie. The true gospel – the one that is found in the pages of Holy Scripture and on the lips of Christ and his Apostles – is the one that says “in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. We have sinned against him, are under his curse, are by nature children of wrath, who deserve only to judged. But God in his mercy has provided a Redeemer, Christ Jesus is his name. He suffered and died for the sins of his people. Repent, believe upon him, and be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins, for a right relationship with God, and for life everlasting.

Are you offended by what I am saying? Then prove me wrong. Search the scriptures and show me where those not in Christ are comforted concerning their present state. Never are they comforted, but they are warned. And after being warned, the good news of Jesus the Christ is then held before them and freely offered. In this way law and gospel to sweetly comply. The law reveals our sin and misery. In the gospel the remedy is offered.

When I say, “I cannot think of a more important verse in all the Bible than Genesis 1:1”, I do not mean that it is more important than those verses that reveal so explicitly the good news of Christ crucified and risen and the forgiveness of sins that is found in him. Instead I mean that Genesis 1:1 is, in a very real sense, is the beginning of that gospel. It is the the foundation of it. It is the gateway through which we must pass in order to understand why it is that we need Christ crucified and risen. In fact, the same can be said of the whole of Genesis chapters 1 through 3. These chapters set the stage. They prepare us for the story of redemption that will unfold from there in the rest of the book of Genesis, the rest of the Old Testament, and on into the New. They prepare us for the story of redemption by first establishing the fact of creation and mans fall into sin. To get Genesis 1:1 wrong, or to get Genesis chapters 1 through 3 wrong, is to get everything wrong.

And so let us carefully consider these chapters. And let us begin with verses 1 of chapter 1, which states, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth”. Truly, I cannot think of a more important verse in all the Bible than this one.

Let us take this verse in four parts. First, we will consider the phrase, “in the beginning”. Next, we will consider the word. “God”. After that we will examine the word, “created”. And then lastly we will ponder the phrase, “the heavens and the earth.”

In The Beginning

I hope that you would agree that the phrase, “in the beginning”, though simple in some respects, is ultimately deep, profound and highly significant.

Considered most basically, the phrase “in the beginning” simply serves to introduce what follows in the narrative of Genesis 1, namely, the account of God’s creating of all things seen and unseen out of nothing in the space of six days and all very good. When did God do this? The text simply says that he did it “in the beginning”.

But think of the deep and profound implications of the phrase “in the beginning”. The scriptures are asserting that heaven had a beginning, earth had a beginning, and that time as we know it had a beginning. Stated differently, the scriptures are asserting that there was a time (if we can call it that) when there was no heavenly realm, no earthly realm, and no time. Then there was only God existing in eternity.

In other words, not only does the phrase, “in the beginning”, mark the moment in time in which God began his work of creation to take us forward from there, but it does also take the mind from the moment of creation and casts it backwards, if you will, into all eternity.

Perhaps you could sit quietly for a bit this afternoon and try to imagine eternity. And no, when we speak of eternity we are not speaking of a succession of minutes, hours, days, and years projected without end into the past and into the future. Instead, we are saying that there was as a time (if we may call it that) when there was no time. Prior to the act of creation there was only God, and God was and is not bound by time. He does not experience the succession moments as we do, but exists outside of time , for he is the Creator of time. He does interact with us in time, but he is not bound by it as we are. And prior to the act of creation there was no space. There existed no heavenly realm, nor was there an earthly realm, but there was only God.

I doubt you’ll make it very far in your contemplation of eternity, but this is good for us. It is a humble reminder that we are created beings, and not the Creator of all things. Everything that we know in this world has a beginning and an end. Everything that we experience happens in time and in space. Our minds are not capable of grasping eternity. We know what cannot be said when speaking of eternity (no time or space), but it’s hard for us know what we ought to say to describe it positively. You can feel the mind reaching it’s limits when you contemplate these things.

The phrase “in the beginning” is profound in is simplicity. It keeps us from projecting time and space back into eternity. And though it is impossible for us to fully comprehend God in eternity apart from time and space we know that we must confess it as true for the scriptures say, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” – this we can understand. This we can confess as true.

Do you see that in Genesis 1:1 materialism is denied. Materialism is that philosophy which asserts that the material world is itself eternal.

And do you see that in Genesis 1:1 pantheism is also denied. Pantheism asserts that the physical world and god are somehow one. The physical world is, according to pantheism, a kind of manifestation of god, and inextricably so. To the pantheist both god and the physical world are eternal, for they are joined together as one.

Stated positively, Genesis 1:1 establishes the distinction between God the Creator and his creation. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth”. There was a time when heaven and earth were not and only God was. And this God did, in the beginning, speak the heavenly realm and the earthly realm into existence.

Many theological errors arise out of a fundamental failure to maintain the Creator/creature distinction that is so clearly established in Genesis 1:1. We, in our ignorance and in our sin, are prone to make God in our own image. We tend to think thoughts of God that are too low. We tend to assume that he is like us. Now, it is true that God did make man in his own image. The meaning of this will be discussed at length in the weeks to come. But one thing that it surely does not mean is that God and man are the same or that they are alike in every way. We are not of the same species. God is divine, we are human. God is a most pure spirit, we consist of body and soul. God is the Creator, and everything else that exists that is not God is his creation. This distinction between Creator and creature is firmly established in Genesis 1:1 and it must be forever remembered and maintained.

Does God interact with his creation? Indeed he does! But he is distinct from it.

Is God omnipresent? Is h present in all places and at all times? Surely he is! But he is not one with nature as the pantheist says. God in the beginning did create the heavenly and the natural world, which means that he is distinct from the, though he be everywhere present within them.

And does the created world reveal something of the glory of God? Certainly it does. “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard” (Psalm 19:1–3, ESV). So some things about God can certainly be known through his creation, but he is not one with the created world.

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1, ESV).

God

Now what should we say about the word “God”?

I’m sure you can understand what I mean when I say that we could spend a very, very long time unpacking all of the meaning that is contained within this little word, “God” in Genesis 1:1. What is God? What are his characteristics or attributes? Can he be fully known by us (exhaustively)? If no, then can he be truly known? And how can we know him? And what is God doing in this world? These are the kinds of questions that we might ask when we come to the word “God” in the first verse of the Holy Bible.

Of course the answers to these questions are not found here in verse 1 of Genesis 1, but they are found in the rest of the Holy Scriptures. How important it is for us to read

CHAPTER 2 – OF GOD AND THE HOLY TRINITY

Paragraph 1. The Lord our God is but one only living and true God; whose subsistence is in and of himself, infinite in being and perfection; whose essence cannot be comprehended by any but himself; a most pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts, or passions, who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; who is immutable, immense, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty, every way infinite, most holy, most wise, most free, most absolute; working all things according to the counsel of his own immutable and most righteous will for his own glory; most loving, gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; the rewarder of them that diligently seek him, and withal most just and terrible in his judgments, hating all sin, and who will by no means clear the guilty.

Paragraph 2. God, having all life, glory, goodness, blessedness, in and of himself, is alone in and unto himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any creature which he hath made, nor deriving any glory from them, but only manifesting his own glory in, by, unto, and upon them; he is the alone fountain of all being, of whom, through whom, and to whom are all things, and he hath most sovereign dominion over all creatures, to do by them, for them, or upon them, whatsoever himself pleaseth; in his sight all things are open and manifest, his knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent upon the creature, so as nothing is to him contingent or uncertain; he is most holy in all his counsels, in all his works, and in all his commands; to him is due from angels and men, whatsoever worship, service, or obedience, as creatures they owe unto the Creator, and whatever he is further pleased to require of them.

Paragraph 3. In this divine and infinite Being there are three subsistences, the Father, the Word or Son, and Holy Spirit, of one substance, power, and eternity, each having the whole divine essence, yet the essence undivided: the Father is of none, neither begotten nor proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father; the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son; all infinite, without beginning, therefore but one God, who is not to be divided in nature and being, but distinguished by several peculiar relative properties and personal relations; which doctrine of the Trinity is the foundation of all our communion with God, and comfortable dependence on him.

It is this God – the God of the Bible – who is introduced here in Genesis 1:1 with the words,

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1, ESV).

So much could be said, but for now let me make two fundamental observations.

First of all, notice that the name for God used here in Genesis 1:1 is, in the Hebrew, ʾelōhiym. ʾelōhiym is a rather generic name for God. It means “he who is to be feared”, and “the one who is full of majesty”. The name ʾelōhiym is in the plural. Though some believe this points to the fact that the one true God is Triune, I do agree with Vos and many others the plural form is a plural of majesty. That God is Triune cannot be denied. And there are indeed indicators even in Genesis 1 that the one true God is Triune. I’m just not convinced that the plural of ʾelōhiym points to it.

The name ʾelōhiym certainly fits the subject matter of Genesis 1:1-2:3. Here God us described as the Almighty God of who did speak the heavens and earth into existence by the power of his word! Indeed, he is to be feared! And indeed, he is full of majesty. He is God most high.

The thing to note is that ʾelōhiym is the name used for God throughout 1:1-2:3. But when we come to 2:4 the name used for God yehōwāh ʾelōhiym. You don’t have to know Hebrew to notice that something changes in the text at that point. In 1:1-2:3 God is called “God”.But in 2:4 and following God is called the LORD God, or in Hebrew yehōwāh ʾelōhiym. And that name for God does fit the context. yehōwāh ʾelōhiym is the covenantal name for God. It is the name for God that is used when God in covenant with man is the thing being emphasized. The name signifies God’s self-existence, his immutability and his faithfulness.

Secondly, notice that in Genesis 1:1 and following it is God alone who creates. True, the name ʾelōhiym is in the plural, but this is not a reference to a plurality of God’s, but emphasizes God’s majesty. For all of the verbs that correspond to the name ʾelōhiym are in the singular indicating that it is the one true God who did make the heavens and the earth. And it is true that when we come to the creation of man we will hear God say, “let us make man in our image”, but here we have, not a reference to a plurality of God’s, but to the plurality that does exist within the Godhead.

Q: “Are there more gods than one?

A: There is but one only, the living and true God.

Q: How many persons are there in the Godhead?

A: There are three persons in the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one God, the same in essence, equal in power and glory.

In Isaiah 46:9 God says, “remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me” (Isaiah 46:9, ESV).

Created

Let us now consider briefly the word “created” – “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1, ESV).

Here I simply wish to draw your attention to the fact that in Genesis 1:1 we find the doctrine of absolute or creation. In the beginning God created the heavenly and earth realm and the earth and he did so out of nothing.

Here is the relationship between verses 1, 2 , and 3 and following. Verse 1 states that In the beginning God created the heavenly realm and the earthly realm out of nothing. Verses 2 indicates that at first the earthy realm was in this state: “The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” (Genesis 1:2, ESV). And then in verses 3 and follow we have description of God’s bringing of the early realm suitable habitation. The six days of creation described in verses 3 and follow might be called secondary or formative creation, for there God is described as bringing the primary and absolute creation of verses 1 into form.

Take the creation of man for example. God created man directly, but he formed him out of the dust of the earth. Woman, likewise, was created directly by God, but was formed out of man. The dry land and oceans were formed by God separating them.

Genesis 1:1 describes the original, primary and absolute creation of all things out of nothing by God in the beginning.

The heavens and the earth

Lastly, let us consider the words “heaven and earth” found at the conclusion of verse 1. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1, ESV).

If you’ve been listening closely you’ll be able to anticipate what I am about to say. The word “heavens” refers, not to the heavens, as in the place where the sun, moon and stars reside, but to the heavenly realm where the glory of God is shown forth in a most pronounced way and where the angels of God reside, who worship and serve the Lord day and night.

That heavenly realm – “the third heaven”, as Paul calls it – is not eternal, but was created by God in the beginning.

And the angels who dwell in that realm are not eternal but were created by God in the beginning.

Yes, it is true that the same word “heavens” is used in verse 6 through 8 and also verses 14 through 19 to describe the heavenly realm that is a part of this world – the place where the sun, moon and stars reside. But if we follow the progression of the passage it becomes clear that the word is being used to refer to two different things, namely, the second heaven, and the third heaven.

Verses 1: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth”

In verse 2 all attention moves away from what in verses 1 was called “heavens” to what was called “earth”. The text says, “The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.”

Verses 3 and following then describe the forming of the earthly realm into a space in which man can dwell. Do you see that the “heavens” of verses 6 through 8 and 14 through 19 are a part of this earthly realm.

The heavens that we can see with our eyes are apart of the realm called “earth” in verse 1. They are a part of the world in which we live. They are a part of the universe. But the “heavens” of verse 1 refer to the heavens that are invisible to us, though they be always before us.

That this is the proper interpretation of Genesis 1:1 is confirmed by the way that other scriptures texts speak of creation, most notably, Colossians 1:15-16. Speaking of Christ, who is the eternal Word of God come in the flesh, Paul says, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him” (Colossians 1:15–16, ESV). When Paul interprets the phrase “heavens and the earth”of Genesis 1:1 he says that they refer to things “visible and invisible”. The “earth” is that which is “visible”, including the stars in the sky. The “heavens” of 1:1 refer to that part of God’s creation that is “invisible” to us – that realm where the glory of God is manifest before his angels and those saint who stand before him, not in body, but in soul.

God created both realms through the eternal Son of God, who, in John 1:1 is called the “Word”. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.” (John 1:1–3, ESV).

This truth established in Genesis 1:1, that in the beginning God created two realms, the heavenly realm and the earthly realm, is reiterated again in 2:1 which says, “Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them” (Genesis 2:1, ESV). Hosts can refer to the stars and to angels. And this truth is then carried through to the rest of scripture until Christ did say at his first coming, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matthew 28:18, ESV). And in the end when Christ returns and makes all things new we do know that the heavenly and earthly realms will become one.

Application

How might we apply these truths?

One, this God – the one true God, creator of heaven and earth – is to be worshipped and served by us, for he is our maker.

Two, we must truly believe that God is sovereign over all creation. Notice that there is no hint of struggle in the creation account.

Three, we must be mindful of the realm that exists beyond our perception.

Posted in Sermons Joe Anady Genesis 11
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Apr
22

Sermon: An Introduction To Genesis: Various Texts

Sermon Text: Genesis 1:1, 2:3, 5:1, 6:9, 10:1, 11:10, 11:27, 25:12, 25:19, 36:1, 37:2

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1, ESV)

“These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens.” (Genesis 2:4, ESV)

“This is the book of the generations of Adam. When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God.” (Genesis 5:1, ESV)

“These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God.” (Genesis 6:9, ESV)

“These are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Sons were born to them after the flood.” (Genesis 10:1, ESV)

“These are the generations of Shem. When Shem was 100 years old, he fathered Arpachshad two years after the flood.” (Genesis 11:10, ESV)

“Now these are the generations of Terah. Terah fathered Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran fathered Lot.” (Genesis 11:27, ESV)

“These are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s servant, bore to Abraham.” (Genesis 25:12, ESV)

“These are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham fathered Isaac,” (Genesis 25:19, ESV)

“These are the generations of Esau (that is, Edom).” (Genesis 36:1, ESV)

“These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. And Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father.” (Genesis 37:2, ESV)

Introduction

Friends, there are only two things that I would like to accomplish this morning. First of all, I would like to make some introductory remarks about the Old Testament in general. And secondly, I would like to make some introductory remarks concerning the book of Genesis in particular.

Introduction to the Old Testament

First some introductory remarks about the Old Testament in general.

This sermon series through Genesis will be the first sermon series through an Old Testament book that I have I preached here at Emmaus. We’ve dabbled in the Old Testament, looking at a Psalm or some other well known text from time to time. Also, the Old Testament has been consistently read in our worship services prior to the preaching of the word. And it has often been quoted in sermons to give support of or to help shine light upon the New Testament text under consideration. And so the Old Testament is not altogether unfamiliar to us. But the fact remains, never have I preached verse by verse through an Old Testament book before.

I am not saying that I regret this. I think it was necessary for us to spend the bulk of our time in the New Testament in the early years of this church. This was especially important given that most of us came out of a dispensational background.

You heard me disagree rather strongly with dispensationalism throughout the Revelation sermon series. I respectfully disagree with the pre-millennial system, as you know. But I am wholeheartedly opposed to dispensationalism. I view that system of doctrine as being, not simply wrong on some minor points, but flawed to the core. It is fundamentally flawed. It is a distortion of the Holy Scriptures. Dispensationalism wrongly divides the word of truth when it makes such a sharp distinction between between the Old Testament and the New. I am speaking very generally here, but I speak truthfully when I say that dispensationalism (in its classical form) obliterates the continuity that exists between the Old Testament and the New when it claims that the Old Testament is lawand the New Testament is grace. I actually heard a dispensational preacher say that there was no grace under the Old Covenant, only law. Friends, this is not the New Testaments opinion of the Old. And it is not the teaching go the Old Testament itself. In fact both law and gospel are preset throughout the whole of the Old Testament and New. And so here is why we spent so much time in the New Testament . And here is why, in part, we studied covenant theology, eschatology, and the book of Revelation. How important it was for us to cast off altogether that dispensational system which, when believed, makes it nearly impossible to understand the Old Testament aright.

Over time we have come to see that it is the covenants which God has made with man that provide us with the major divisions of the history of redemption. We have also come to see that these covenants are not unrelated, but are organically connected to each other, one building off of and advancing another. Brothers and sisters, I so look forward to showing you these things in the Old Testament text as we encounter them. It will provide us with an opportunity to consider them very carefully.

For now it is enough to say, no, we are not leaving behind grace, nor are we leaving behind the gospel of Jesus the Christ when we close the New Testament and open the Old.As we will see, the grace of God was present and active in the world from the moment that Adam and Eve fell from their state of innocence and into sin. The gospel was preached to them. The Christ was present in the world then, not in bodily form, but in the form of promise and contained within the seed of the woman from which he would emerge when the fulness of time had come.

And friends please understand thatwhenthe day come for us to close the Old Testament to open the New we will not leave behind the law of God. Christ did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it. His church is not lawless. True as it may be that we are not under the law as Israel was, and that we cannot be justified by the law, as no man after the fall ever could (with the exception of one), we are not lawless. God’s moral law is for the Christian. It drives us to Christ as the Spirit of God uses it to convict us of our sin. It also shows us how we are to walk as we sojourn in this world.

Brothers and sisters, as we give attention to the Old Testament we will find both law and gospel here. We will encounter Christ Jesus our Lord here in the pages of the Old Testament. He will be preached, therefore, just as he is when we have the New Testament text open before us. We will do what the Apostles did in the earliest days of the church before the New Testament was even written. They, friends, picked up the Old Testament and they preached Christ from it! When Paul summarized his ministry to the Colossians saying, “[Christ] we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ” (Colossians 1:28, ESV), we should remember that his Bible consisted of the Old Testament scriptures only!

Brothers and sisters, the radical dispensational division of the Old Testament from the New is to be disregarded. Instead we are to see that there is covenantal continuity that exists between the Old Testament and the New. The grace of God and the good news of the Christ are contained within the Old Testament in the form of promise. The same grace of God and the good news of Jesus the Christ are contained within the New Testament in the form of fulfillment. Indeed, the old saying holds true, that the “new [Testament] is in the old concealed; the old [Testament] is in the new revealed.” There is continuity, my friends.

Indeed, the focus of all of scripture, Old Testament and New is to give all glory to the God who “in the beginning created the heavens and the earth”, all the is seen and unseen.

The story that is told in the Bible from beginning to end is the story of creation, fall, and redemption. No, God did not begin his work of redemption in the moment that Jesus was born as recorded for us in the four gospels of the New Testament, but in Genesis 3. God created all things seen and unseen, man fell from his upright state having broken the covenant of works, and God did immediately begin his work of redemption when he clothed the man and the women who were then naked and ashamed, and promised to send one who would defeat the serpent through whom the temptation to sin did come. Creation, fall and redemption – this is the story of the Bible, Old Testament and New.

The climax of this story was the life, death, resurrection and ascension of the Christ. It was there that the victory was won. It was there that the head of the serpent was crushed.

The central figure or hero of this story of redemption is Christ. He did not arrived on the scene until the time was right, but he was known even to Adam and Eve. And he was known by some of their descendants. By faith they believed in the promises of God concerning the arrival of a Savior. They looked forward to him. They anticipated his arrival. The understood that God would one day accomplish redemption through the seed of the woman.

The Christ was revealed to the elect of God in those days through promises, types and shadows.

It is not difficult to understand what “promises” are. They are those direct and strait forward words from God in which he did vow to send the Savior, to accomplish redemption, to inaugurate a New Covenant, and to make all things new. The first promise of God concerning the Savior is found in Genesis 3:15, as you know. The Old Testament is filled with promises and prophesies concerning the Christ who was to come.

“Types and shadows” are bit more difficult to understand. They are historical events, people, paces, institutions and things which do, to one degree or another, reveal something about the Christ and the redemption that would be accomplished through him.

After Adam and Eve sinned God covered their shameful nakedness with animal skins. This was an historical event; it is not allegory. But in the event of God himself clothing the couple by shedding the blood of another we learn something about the way that God would accomplish our redemption.

Think also of the story of the sacrifice of Isaac on the mountain. Abraham went up on the mountain with his son of promise by faith fully intending to return with the boy. But he took his knife, and wood for the fire and he lifted up his hand when the angel of the Lord retained him. And there was a ram caught in the the thicket. The Lord provided a substitute to be sacrificed. Again, this story is presented as real history, and not as allegory, but there is symbolism embedded in the event. The event was both real to Abraham and to Issac, and it did also point forward to the great act of redemption that would be accomplished by the Christ who would die as the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

In Romans 5:14 Paul explicitly identifies Adam as a “type” of Christ, and he does in that place show how Adam and Christ do correspond to one another. Both were federal heads. They represented others in their obedience or disobedience. The one brought death to all who are under him, the other brought life to all who are in him, etc.

The Old Testament is made up of 39 books written by many different authors and over a very long period of time. The earliest books were probably written in the 15th century B.C. (some 1,400 years prior to the birth of Christ). And the last books to be written were written some 400 years prior to the birth of Christ.

Although there are a couple of sections in Daniel and in Ezra, along with one verse in Jeremiah, that were written in Aramaic, The Old Testament was written primarily in the Hebrew language. The whole of the Old Testament was translated into Greek by the end of the second century B.C. This Greek translation of the Old Testament is called the Septuagint, and it was widely used by the early church in the days of the apostles.

The Old Testament is put together like this:

The Pentateuch: The first five books of the Old Testament were written by Moses at around 1,400 B.C . These books are often referred to as the “Pentateuch”, meaning “five books”.
1. Genesis:The book of beginnings: creation, man, sin, redemption, God’s Old Covenant people.
2. Exodus: God’s deliverance of his people out of bondage from Egypt.
3. Leviticus: Laws concerning atonement, worship, and holy living for the Old Covenant people of God.
4. Numbers: God’s people wander in the wilderness for 40 years because of disobedience and faithlessness.
5. Deuteronomy: Second law. Moses reiterates the law and prepares the Old Covenant people for life in the land promised to them.
Historical Books: There are 12 historical books which were written from 1,400 B.C. to 450 B.C. These books describe God’s dealings with Old Covenant Israel from the death of Moses and the conquest of Canaan onward.
1. Joshua
2. Judges
3. Ruth
4. 1 Samuel
5. 2 Samuel
6. 1 Kings
7. 2 Kings
8. 1 Chronicles
9. 2 Chronicles
10. Ezra
11. Nehemiah
12. Esther
Poetry: There are 5 books of poetry which reflect upon God’s greatness and his dealings with men.
1. Job: The question of suffering as it relates to the sovereignty of God.
2. Psalms: Songs that give praise to God and instruct.
3. Proverbs: Practical wisdom for daily living.
4. Ecclesiastes: Highlights the emptiness of a life lived apart from God.
5. Song of Solomon: A celebration of marital joy.
Major Prophets: There are 5 major prophets. A prophet was one who was called by God to speak his words to man. These books are called major because they are longer than the minor prophets. These prophets ministered from about 740 – 550 B.C.
1. Isaiah
2. Jeremiah
3. Lamentations
4. Ezekiel
5. Daniel
Minor Prophets: There are 12 minor prophets. These prophets ministered from approximately 840 – 400 B.C.
1. Hosea
2. Joel
3. Amos
4. Obadiah
5. Jonah
6. Micah
7. Nahum
8. Habakkuk
9. Zephaniah
10. Haggai
11. Zechariah
12. Malachi

I think it is interesting and significant that the New Testament is structured in a similar way. First the gospels, which tell of the redemption accomplished by Christ, which is a new creation. Then Acts, which tells of the history of the church. After that we have the letters of Paul and then then the general epistles, which give instruction to the New Convent people of God based upon the redemption accomplished by Christ (these correspond to the prophets of old). And is only fitting the New Testament concludes with the book of Revelation, which looks to the consummation.

Friends, I’m happy to be in the Old Testament and to have the opportunity to preach Christ from it.

Introduction to the Book of Genesis

Let me now say a few introductory remarks about the book of Genesis.

The title, Genesis, means “beginnings” or “origins”. It comes from the first word of the book which, in English, says, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1, ESV).

It would be a mistake to assume that this “book of beginnings” is only concerned to reveal to us the beginning of creation. It is well and good that when we hear the words, “in the beginning” or minds go to the first verse of Genesis one where we are told of the creation of the heavens and the earth. But do you see how quickly the attention turns to other “beginnings”.

In 2:4 the focus shifts to the beginning of humanity and God’s purpose for the man and woman who were together made in the image of God.

In 3:1 we are told of the beginning of sin.

In 3:15 we are told of the beginning of redemption.

In 4:1 the beginning of the development of human culture outside of Eden is described.

In chapter 7 we are told of the flood, which was a new beginning.

In chapter 12 we are told of the call of Abram, which marks the beginning of God’s Old Covenant people. It is there and in the chapters that follow that the beginning of the Old Covenant is revealed to us. And so the story develops.

The scripture reading at the start of the sermon might have seemed odd to you. But I chose to read those texts to demonstrate to you that the book of Genesis is truly a book concerned with beginnings or origins.

1:1-2:3 functions as a prologue. It tells us of the beginning of the heavens and earth.

From there the book is divided into ten parts. Each section begins with the heading: “These are the generations of…” And so the source, or beginning , is named, followed by those who descend from that source.

In 2:4 we read, “These are the generations of the heavens and the earth…“ And what follows except a close up description of the creation of Adam and Eve. Where did Adam and Eve come from, my friends? What was their origin? The man was formed by the God of heaven from the dust of the earth. These are the generations (descendants) of the “heavens and the earth.” The God of the heavenly realm used the dust of the earthly realm to generate the first man, and from the man the woman was formed.

The same pattern then repeats nine more times in the book of Genesis. “This is the book of the generations of Adam” (Genesis 5:1, ESV), and then his descendants are named. “These are the generations of Noah” (Genesis 6:9, ESV), and then his descendants are named. “These are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth” (Genesis 10:1, ESV), and then their descendants are named. “These are the generations of Shem” (Genesis 11:10, ESV). “Now these are the generations of Terah” (Genesis 11:27, ESV). “These are the generations of Ishmael…” (Genesis 25:12, ESV). “These are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son…” (Genesis 25:19, ESV). “These are the generations of Esau” (Genesis 36:1, ESV). “These are the generations of Jacob” (Genesis 37:2, ESV). In each instance this phrase functions as a heading after which the descendants of the person are names. Clearly, the book of Genesis is all about “beginnings” or “origins”.

What we will find is that these genealogies are designed to, in part, show the development of gospel promise that was delivered in Genesis 3:15, where God spoke to the serpent saying, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel” (Genesis 3:15, ESV). These genealogies show there are two lines of decent in the world. There are those who belong to the evil one and there are those who belong to God. They are children of promise. The genealogies of Genesis show the beginning stages of God’s calling of a people for himself out of this world.

Who wrote the book of Genesis? The answer is that Moses wrote the book of Genesis. Moses himself will not enter into the Biblical narrative until Exodus 2 when he is called by God to deliver his people from out of Egypt, but he is the one who wrote Genesis along with Exodus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, and Leviticus.

When did Moses write Genesis? Friends, I’ll ask that you pay careful attention here. Far from being mere Bible trivia, the details are crucial to our handling of the book of Genesis. The answer is that Moses wrote the book of Genesis in the 15th century B.C. – that is, some 1,400 years prior to the birth of Christ, and approximately 3,400 years in past from our vantage point.

This means that Moses was writing history when he wrote Genesis. When he wrote of creation, the fall and the beginning of God’s redemptive work he was writing of things that happened a long time in the past from his perspective – thousands upon thousands of years in the past.

When wrote of the call of Abram (Abraham) and the covenant that God made with him, for example, he was writing of something that happened some 500 years before he was born.

A question that we should ask is, how did Moses know about these things? Of course we believe that God inspired Moses to write what he wrote. For “all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,” (2 Timothy 3:16, ESV). Our believe is that Spirit of God did move him to write what he wrote, for “no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:20–21, ESV). But we should also take into account the presence of oral tradition.

The facts of creation were revealed by God to Adam and Eve. They were not there to witness it, but they knew that God created the heavens and the earth in 6 days and did rest on the seventh, for they were to mimic God in this pattern of sabbath keeping. The account of creation, for example, along with the account of the fall and of God’s curse upon the serpent, the man and the women, along with the first articulation of the gospel was undoubtably preserved by the righteous line that did come from Adam and Eve.

It is interesting to note that ancient pagan cultures – the Mesopotamians, the Egyptians, etc. – have their own myths which explain the creation of the world, the presence of sin and suffering and the ongoing struggle between good and evil. What is intriguing is that these myths share some striking similarities with the Biblical story as found in Genesis 1 through 3. How are we to account for this? Without a doubt these pagan creation myths existed prior to Moses’ writing of the Pentateuch. Did Moses steal from them? Did he take their stories and then alter them to make Genesis 1 through 3?

It is a question that we must answer and we will return to it in future sermons. For now I will say that the best explanation is that in the beginning God really did create the heavens and the earth as the scriptures say he did. Adam and Eve really lived in covenant with their creator. They were truly tempted as the scriptures say they were. They really fell and were given over to death. The reason that many cultures have accounts of creation that are similar (though they do differ significantly) is because they have actual historical events as their starting point. But here is what pagans do: they take what is true and they alter it to suit their desires. They are idolaters by nature. They have a habit of making gods for themselves in their own image. They do not submit to God’s revealed word, but rebel against it, twisting and distorting it at every turn. This explains the similarities that exists between Genesis 1 through 3 and the ancient near eastern cosmogonies, and also the radical differences.

But what do we fins in Moses? We find true history as preserved by God’s elect. We find the true word of God as it came from Moses’ hand as he was under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The miraculous deeds that he preformed and the act of deliverance that was accomplished through him did prove that indeed he was a prophet of God, just as the miraculous deeds preformed by Jesus and the great act of deliverance accomplished by him proved that he was the eternal word of God come in the flesh.

So Moses lived in the 15th century B.C. And when he wrote Genesis he was writing, in some places, ancient history.

To whom was Moses writing? The answer is that he was writing to the Israelite people who had not long ago been rescued from slavery in Egypt. They were wandering in the wilderness, and were sojourning towards Canaan, the land that God had promised to them.

Friends, this is a very important observation. Do you remember how important it was for us to keep in mind that the book of Revelation was written, not first of all to us, but to seven churches in Asia Minor in the fist century A.D.? That fact had a very significant impact upon our interpretation of that book. And the same will be true for the book of Genesis.

Moses did note write what he wrote to respond to the claims of of Charles Darwin.

Moses did note write what he wrote to answer the question, “how old is the earth?”

Moses did note write what he wrote to satisfy our model scientific curiosity.

I am not saying that the book of Genesis has nothing at all to say about those questions, but that he was addressing questions that are different than the questions that we often bring to the text of Genesis, particularly chapters 1 and 2.

The Israelites, remember, had been in bondage in Egypt for hundreds of years. They were now wandering amongst pagan people. And they would eventually enter into the land of promise to take possession of it from a people steeped in idolatry. Earlier I said that some oral tradition must have been preserved concerning the creation of the heavens and earth, God’s covenant with Adam, the fall, and God’s redemptive activities amongst the patriarch, but I didn’t mean to suggest that that oral tradition was kept pure amongst all Isrealites. Far from it! The evidence point in the other direction. Even the Israelites had been corrupted by the paganism of the Egyptians, for what was their impulse when Moses left them to go up on the mountain? They hurried to erect for themselves a golden calf to worship. Even Aaron went along with it!

Why then did Moses write what he wrote? It was to say to the Israelites freshly redeemed, and also to us, “behold, your God”.

The book of Genesis contains true history. What it says about creation, life in the garden, etc. is true. But it is not bear history. Do you remember me using that phrase in our study of the Gospel of John? The Gospels are also true history. What they say about the life of Christ is true. But they are not bear history. What the Gospel writers say, they say for a reason. They are selective in what they say because they are trying to make some theological point. The same is true with the book of Genesis. What it says is true. It written as true history. The rest of the scripture look back upon it as if it were true history. But it is not exhaustive or bear history. It is history with an agenda.

If you were asked “what did you do yesterday?” you might answer that equation truthfully in many different ways. If you just got done saying to a friend, “boy, I’m really tired”, and he asks “what did you do yesterday?”, then you would probably answer giving special attention only to those aspects of the day which contributed to your being tired. By if you are being interrogated by a Detective and she says, “what did you do yesterday?”, you’ll probably provide a more thorough answer to the same question. Both answers would be equally true, though they might be different.

We get into trouble with the book of Genesis when come to it asking questions of it that it was not written to answer. The book is designed to provide us with a proper view of the world. It is answering questions such as, who is God? Who are we? What was the purpose for which we were created? Why sin, suffering and death? Is there hope for us and where is it found? What has God been doing in the world? What is he doing in the world even now?

Conclusion

Brothers and sisters, we are going to move very slowly through the book of Genesis. I anticipate that we will be in the first section, 1:1 through 2:3, for at least three months. We might spend a little less time in 2:4 through to the end of that chapter, and a little less in chapter 3. We will pick up the pace a bit in chapters 4 through 11. And a bit more in 12 – 18. My plan is to move rather quickly from chapter 19 onward. I won’t even try to guess how long we will be in this book, but I trust that the Lord will use it to point us to Christ, to strengthen our faith, and bring glory to his most holy name.

My prayer is that we would see the end for which God did make us, that we would be struck by the awfulness of our sin, and that we would be overwhelmed by the love and grace of God shown to us in Christ Jesus. Lord help us, we pray.

Posted in Sermons Joe Anady Genesis
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Apr
1

Sermon: An Exhortation To Holy Living (Part 3): Revelation 22:6-21

Sermon Text: Revelation 22:6-21

“And he said to me, ‘These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.’ ‘And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.’ I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, but he said to me, ‘You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.’ And he said to me, ‘Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.’ ‘Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.’ Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. ‘I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.’ The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.” (Revelation 22:6–21, ESV)

Introduction

Friends, this will be the last sermon in our study of the book of Revelation. I’ve very much enjoyed studying this book and preaching through it. Some of you have said, “it feels as if we’ve regained a book of the Bible”, and I couldn’t agree more. This book at one time seemed very confusing and impractical to me, but now I see it as clear and immensely helpful to the people of God.

The book grew more and more clear as I shed my pre-millennial and dispensational presuppositions. Those unbiblical systems of doctrine do not fit with what is revealed in this book, and so interpreting the book with those doctrinal presuppositions felt a bit like trying to pound a square peg into a round hole. Recognizing and shedding those prepositions was important.

The book of Revelation also grew more clear as I began to receive it on it’s own terms. It is apocalyptic literature which communicates truth via symbol. It is ordered, not chronologically, but it recapitulates (or repeats). And the book has to do, not only with the time of the end, but with the time between Christ’s first and second comings. Again, we should receive the book on it’s own terms instead of trying to press it into a manmade mold.

And the book grew more clear as I began to see that the key to proper interpretation is the rest of scripture. How do we know what the symbolism of the book of Revelation means? We must look to the rest of scripture! How do we know that we are interpreting a particular passage in the book of Revelation right? By interpreting the individual passages in light of the rest of scripture, particularly the Old Testament.

Brothers and sisters, these are interpretive principles that we will need to take with us into our study of the book of Genesis, which will begin in late April, Lord willing. We must beware of our presuppositions. We must take care to interpret scripture passages according to their genre and on there own terms. And we must also interpret every individual scripture text in light of every other scripture text. For all scripture is inspired by God, therefore, we must allow scripture to interpret scripture always.

When all is said and done, I give thanks to God for this book. Indeed, it has proven to be “a lamp to [our] feet and a light to [our] path” (Psalm 119:105, ESV).

I think it is appropriate that we conclude our study of the book of Revelation on Resurrection Sunday. It is on this day that our culture remembers the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Brothers and sisters, you and I do this every Lord’s Day, for that is the tempo that God has set for our worship of him. According to his word we are to set apart one day out of seven as holy unto him. From the creation of the world to the resurrection of Christ that day was Saturday because of God’s original creation. And from the resurrection of Christ to the end of the world the day is Sunday because of the new creation. When Christ rose from the grave on Sunday he finished his work of new creation. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17, ESV). And it is because of Christ’s finished work that “are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13, ESV). Christ, by his finished work has brought about a new creation. We gather, therefore, every Sunday, which is the Lord’s Day, or the Christian Sabbath, because Christ finished his new creation work when he rose from the dead on that day. We remember the central event of Christ’s resurrection each Lord’s Day, whereas our culture gives thought to it but once a year. How appropriate that we conclude our study of this glorious book – a book that has Christ and his finished work at the center of it – on Resurrection Sunday. Indeed, Christ is the focus of the text that is before us today.

As you know, the book of Revelation concludes with a series of five exhortation to holy living. We’ve considered three already in previous sermons, and they are these:

Blessed Is The One Who Keeps The Words Of The Prophesy Of This Book

One, in verse 7 blessing is pronounced on the one who keeps the words of the prophesy of this book. This book is to be kept. What is reveled here is to be obeyed. The Christian is to live according to the truths set forth in the book of Revelation.

Worship God Alone

Two, in verse 9 the Christian is exhorted to worship God alone. All who are not in Christ commit idolatry continually. They worship something, that is for sure. But they do not worship the one true God, Creator of heaven and earth. For the only way to come to him is through faith in Jesus the Christ who said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6, ESV). All who are not in Christ commit idolatry continually as they worship the some created thing instead of the Creator of all things. They bow down before something that they have made into a god, either materially or in their mind and heart. They are idolaters. But the Christian is also prone to commit idolatry. We too, though we be worshippers of the one true God as we come to him through faith in Christ Jesus, are continuously tempted to bow down to things that are not God. This we must be careful not to do. We are to worship God alone.

Let The Righteous Do Right

Three, in verse 11 the righteous are exhorted to do right, and the holy to be holy. Have you been might right with God through faith in Christ? Have you been made holy by his shed blood? Then do right and be holy. Live out what you already are in Christ Jesus. To use Paul’s language, “ having been set free from sin… [be] slaves of righteousness.” (Romans 6:18, ESV). Are you living right according to God’s law? Are seeing to live holy before him, having been made righteous and holy through faith in Jesus, who is the Christ.

Wash Your Robes

The forth exhortation to holiness is found in verses 13 through 17. This is new and is no longer review. Here in verses 13-17 a blessing is pronounced upon those who “wash their robes.”

“‘I am the Alpha and the Omega [Christ says], the first and the last, the beginning and the end.’ Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. ‘I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.’ The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price” (Revelation 22:13–17, ESV).

Notice that Jesus refers to himself as “the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

These are magnificent titles that Christ applies to himself.

God himself has been called the Alpha and Omega already in the book of Revelation.

In 1:8 we read, “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty’” (Revelation 1:8, ESV).

In 21:6 it was him who sat upon the heavenly throne who said, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega… (Revelation 21:6, ESV).

Alpha is the first letter in the Greek alphabet, Omega is the last. It is another way of saying that God is the first and last, the beginning and the end.

All of these titles – “the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end” – are also applied to God in the Old Testament, but here Christ picks them up and applies them to himself. These are magnificent titles that Christ applies to himself here.

Christ is here stating his deity. What is said of God can be said of Jesus the Christ, for he is God come in the flesh, the second person of the Triune God.

Christ is the Alpha, the first and the beginning of creation.

Jesus the Christ, who is the eternal Son of God come in the flesh, was in the beginning at creation. In Colossians 1:16 Pauls says this concerning Jesus the Christ: “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him” (Colossians 1:16, ESV). It is appropriate, then, that Christ claims to be the Alpha, the first and the beginning, for all things were created through him, by him, and for him.

And Christ is the Omega, the last and the end of creation.

He is the one who will bring this created world to it’s God ordained end. When he returns, he will judge. When he retuned this world will be rendered with fire.

Christ is also the Alpha, the first and the beginning of the new creation.

When did Christ bring the new creation into existence? It was at his death, burial, and resurrection. When Christ rose from the grave God’s new creation did break in upon this old sin sick creation. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17, ESV). When Christ rose from the grave he earned the new heavens and new earth. Though they are not here yet, they belong to him. “In these last days [God] has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world” (Hebrews 1:2, ESV). Therefore, “according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13, ESV).

The new creation began at Christ’s first coming, at his death, burial and resurrection. It is here now (you are a new creation in Christ), for it is his. He had earned it, having been made the heir of all thing. Christ is the Alpha, the first and the beginning of the new creation.

And Christ is the Omega, the last and the end of the new creation.

When he returns he will make all things new. When he returns he will establish “new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13, ESV).

Truly Christ is “the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end” (Revelation 22:13, ESV). Everything does start and end with him. And he is the Sovereign Lord of all from beginning to end, “all authority in heaven and on earth” having been given to him (Matthew 28:18, ESV).

As the Alpha Creator and the Omega Consummator Christ has the right to pronounce this seventh blessing of the book of Revelation: “Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates.” (Revelation 22:14, ESV)

It is Christ who is able to grant entrance to the new heavens and new earth which he has earned by his obedient life and sacrificial death.

It is Christ who is able to grant access to the tree of life. The first Adam and all his descendent’s were barred from this tree having been given over to the curse of death, but the second Adam, Christ or Lord, has earned access to this tree for all who are in him.

But do you see that access will be granted only to those who have washed their robes. “Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates” (Revelation 22:14, ESV).

Friends, by nature your robes are filthy and sin stained. And no one who is clothed in filth will be permitted to enter the holy city to eat of the tree of life. You must be washed.

But how does one wash his robes? Here we are commanded to wash out robes and blessings are pronounced upon those who do! But how can our filthy robes be made clean?

A vision that we encountered earlier in this book helps us to know how. Back in Revelation 7:9 John “looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’ And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, ‘Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.’ Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, ‘Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?’ I said to him, ‘Sir, you know.’ And he said to me, ‘These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb’”(Revelation 7:9–14, ESV).

The only way to wash your sin stained robes is to wash them in them crimson blood of Christ. His blood is the only detergent capable of washing the filth of our sin away. We must acknowledge our sin, turn from it, and have faith in Jesus. To have faith in Jesus is to abandon all hope in self and to rely entirely upon him for our salvation.

“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool” (Isaiah 1:18, ESV).

The old hymn, Nothing But The Blood of Jesus puts it well.

What can wash away my sin?

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

What can make me whole again?

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

For my pardon this I see: