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GENESIS CLASS FOLLOW UP for Sunday 11/10/2019
Lessons from Genesis: class #2 “THE GREATNESS OF GOD”
I. Read GENESIS 1:1-2:3
II. Opening Questions:
a. Put yourself in the shoes of the intended audience, ancient Israelites. What might Moses have wanted to communicate?
b. Does Genesis 1 contradict science (i.e., evolution, big bang?, etc.)
i. Creationism/ “Young Earth”: Most Bible-believing scientists reject this.
ii. Francis Collins (The Language of God) points out thousands of scientists believe in God because of their knowledge of science and many (like Collins) are Christians.
iii. Intelligent Design comes largely from the scientific community.
iv. Antony Flew – converted from Atheism to believing in God because of scientific evidence.
v. Science offers theories for the history/evolution/progression of life and the universe. However, it has no answers for the beginning of life or the matter that comprised the universe. (What banged?)
vi. Science also cannot explain the intellect, spirituality, and longing for purpose/fulfillment universal to man.
vii. The Point: There are scientists who know far more than the average creation-skeptic, who have concluded that there IS a God!
III. The GREATNESS OF GOD:
a. The chapter emphasizes that God is the Creator of all; the author of life!
b. God is a God of order! He speaks light into darkness and gives form to formless chaos! (1 Cor 14:33)
c. Ancient religions of Egypt and Mesopotamia tended to worship astronomical bodies and topographical features as being gods or the dwelling of the gods. Genesis 1 points out that God created them!
d. By comparison to ancient myths, Genesis is “boring.” No cosmic battle between God and a rival because he has no rival. He is Lord of lords and God of “gods.”
IV. The LESSON :
a. The power and sovereignty of God. Moses would want the people to rest secure that this is the God leading them and watching over them. He was powerful enough to Create life and the world around them; he certainly could lead, deliver, and establish them. This would prepare them to be a faithful nation that would trust and reverently fear and obey God.
b. The power and authority of God’s word. God speaks and it is truth! This would prepare them to receive the Law as they should.
c. How might these lessons apply to us today?
* We, too, should proceed in our spiritual journey trusting in the sovereignty and power of our God. (Rom 8:28-39; Matt 6:25-34)
* We, too, should revere and be in awe of God’s powerful, authoritative word. Receiving and embracing it as we should. (Heb 4:12-13; 2 Tim 3:16-17; Jn 17:17; Jn 12:47-48)
*We, too, should understand that our God is a God of order who brings us out of darkness into light! Think about the chaos and formlessness of our lives before God got a hold of us! With God, things are in order; outside of him, things spin out of control as we remain in dark. (Ecc 2:17, 12:13-14; 1 Pt 2:9-10; Jn 3:19-21)
V. IS THE CREATION A LITERAL 6 DAYS? DOES IT MATTER?
a. Some argue each day is a literal 24 hours. Others think that days is used “figuratively” here. What do you think? Does it matter?
i. The Hebrew word “yom” can refer to 24 hrs or can be used figuratively to describe longer periods of time (ages, eras, etc.). The fact that it is coupled with specific numbers in Genesis 1 is consistent with the interpretation that the writer does intend it to communicate 24 hour periods.
ii. However, Moses (writer) could use them in this fashion as a “literary device.” His intention may not be to say each stage took place in a literal 24 hrs, but he is using literal days simply to show that God’s creation took place in segments and via an intentional, organized process over time. Again, sharp contrast to other ancient myths.
1. The point is God’s command of the Creation, not the literal chronology of it. This would have been what was important to the ancient Israelites, and they would have been more familiar with this way of thinking. |
