Month: <span>January 2016</span>

The book of Genesis is the book of genealogies, the study of the earliest generations. In Genesis 12-25 the patriarch Abraham takes center stage. God’s call on one man—from whom He would make a nation and relate directly with them—complements the scattering of languages in Genesis 11. Through Abraham and his descendants, God would reveal Himself to all peoples (Gen 12:1-3). The international scope of the Abrahamic covenant casts a shadow extending across Scripture’s storyline. In Rev 7:9, John described a multi-national chorus singing God’s praises. John wrote that the leaves of the trees surrounding the river flowing from God’s throne in the New Jerusalem were powerful enough to heal the nations (Rev 22:1-2).

The concept of land introduced in Genesis 12 plays a significant role in God’s redemptive plan. God set forth the land of Canaan as a place where His special people would one day dwell in safety, rest, and obedience—making the other nations jealous for a God like the Lord of Israel (Deut 4:1-8; Josh 21:43-45). The patriarchs took this promise so seriously that Jacob—even at a time of severe famine and when his son Joseph was ruling in the prosperous land of Egypt—was hesitant to leave Canaan (Gen 46:1-7). While the Israelites initially failed to enter the Promised Land, displaying cowardice when provided the opportunity for conquest at the southern edge of Kadesh-Barnea (Numbers 13-14; see Psalm 95), they eventually entered the land under Joshua. The construction of Solomon’s massive, ornate temple was intended to signify Israel’s permanence in Canaan (1 Kings 8-9//2 Chronicles 6-7). But it did not last. In time the Lord removed Abraham’s descendants from the land because of their propensity toward idolatry (2 Kings 17, 24)—just as Moses predicted in Deuteronomy 28-30.

The author of Hebrews saw in the scenes of Genesis 12-14 themes and events that helped him explain the days of fulfillment in Jesus, God’s Son.

(1) The promise of land and rest and peace from enemies is enjoyed spiritually through the new covenant and faithfulness to Jesus. The author of Hebrews deduced that under Joshua the people never experienced the rest God intended for them in the land of Canaan—and his audience was in danger of not fully enjoying the promise of rest in Christ, writing: “For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day. A Sabbath rest remains, therefore, for God’s people. For the person who has entered His rest has rested from his own works, just as God did from His. Let us then make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall into the same pattern of disobedience” (Heb 4:8-11). For the author of Hebrews, “rest in Christ” was synonymous with the kind of courageous faith Abraham displayed when he responded to God’s call and set out to a place he did not know (Heb 11:8-9). Abraham looked forward by faith to what God had for him (Heb 11:10). Abraham was searched-out by God’s word of promise and was approved for his faithfulness. The author of Hebrews concluded his exhortation about faith and rest in Hebrews 3-4 by noting that God’s word is living and active to judge the thoughts of the heart (Heb 4:12-14).

(2) Jesus’ priesthood in the new covenant is eternal—like that of Melchizedek. The priest who met Abraham in Genesis 14 is referenced in the New Testament only by the author of Hebrews, in chs. 5-7. He used Melchizedek’s priesthood to legitimate Jesus’ priesthood. The record of Melchizedek in Gen 14:17-24 provides no genealogy—so important for the concept of priesthood in Judaism (see 1 Chronicles 6-7; 23-26). If Melchizedek had no genealogy, he must have been an eternal priest, the author of Hebrews deduced. Jesus, too, has an eternal priesthood. And Melchizedek was recognized as a priest even though he was not of the descendants of Levi, preceding them by many generations. So, Jesus—as a descendant of Judah and not Levi—could also serve as a legitimate priest. But in Hebrews, Jesus is more than Melchizedek. Only Jesus is the Son of God who offered Himself to atone for the sins of His people. Access to God comes through Jesus alone.

The book of Genesis is the book of generations and covenants. Although the Abrahamic covenant is arguably the most foundational covenant of the Bible, Noah was the first to receive the offer of a covenant relationship with God (Gen 6:18). This covenant was God’s promise to deliver Noah and his family while destroying the rest of the human race. In Genesis 9-11, the gift of deliverance God bestowed upon Noah was followed by the command that Noah and his descendants repopulate and manage the earth.

This blessing/requirement rubric is stated in Gen 9:1-17. The demands God made were the natural and logical progression of the deliverance Noah and his descendants received when the rest of humanity was destroyed. In Gen 9:8-17, God confirmed His covenant with the Noahic family—a covenant that would be memorialized in the sky to reassure Noah and his descendants that God would keep His covenant with them (Gen 9:12-17). The early chapters of Genesis establish patterns that will be followed throughout the lives of the Patriarchs. In the latter half of Genesis 9, Noah heard the promises of God’s covenant only to falter in faithfulness. Abraham (Genesis 16), Isaac (Gen 26:7-11), and national Israel (Exodus 32) follow in Noah’s footsteps by failing to keep the requirements that would bring God’s blessing. Genesis 9:20-27 records the drunken stupor of a father, the shameful curiosity of a son, and Noah’s harsh words of discipline.

God’s faithfulness to Noah did not inspire faithfulness in Noah’s descendants. They settled in one place—as opposed to obeying God’s command to spread out over the whole earth (Gen 9:1, 17; 11:1-3). Their motive was self-preservation, as seen in their statement in Gen 11:4, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the sky. Let us make a name for ourselves; otherwise, we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.” Noah’s descendants were afraid that they would not be able to maintain their corporate identity. In an effort to sustain posterity, they built a tower to make a name for themselves. In so doing, they rejected God’s name upon them, and the promises God had made to Noah. God disciplined those inhabiting the plain of Shinar. He said, “Come, let Us go down there and confuse their language so that they will not understand one another’s speech” (Gen 11:7). Genesis 11:9 reveals that God not only halted their building project by confusing their speech, He also scattered them across the earth, creating geographic boundaries that would reinforce the diverse languages the people would speak.

The Noahic covenant and the tower of Babel, like so many statements and events in Genesis, establish tracks upon which the plotline of the Bible progresses.

(1) In God’s promise to Noah that He would never flood the earth again, Isaiah saw an illustration for his audience to understand God’s mercy upon them. “‘In a surge of anger I hid My face from you for a moment, but I will have compassion on you with everlasting love,’ says the LORD your Redeemer. ‘For this is like the days of Noah to Me: when I swore that the waters of Noah would never flood the earth again, so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you or rebuke you,’” the prophet stated (Isa 54:8-9).

(2) God’s decision to confuse human languages established people groups, ethnicities that would be redeemed through Jesus. The diversification of languages in Genesis 11 provides the backdrop for the call of Abraham in Genesis 12. In the flow of Genesis to ch. 11, God has continually sought His image-bearers, wanting to relate with them. His choice to make a covenant with one nation, the descendants of Abraham, becomes the vehicle through which God will reveal Himself to all nations. His promise to Abraham in Gen 12:1-3 concludes with the phrase that “all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” The Old Testament storyline reiterates God’s international concern (see Ruth 4; Psalm 67; Isaiah 56). Jesus commissioned His disciples to make disciples of all nations (Matt 28:19). After Jesus’ resurrection, God sent the Spirit on those gathered in Jerusalem for Pentecost and the people heard God’s word in their own language (Acts 2). Paul told the Athenians that from one man God made all the nations of humanity and determined their times and boundaries “so that they might seek God, and perhaps they might reach out and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us” (Acts 17:27). In Rev 21:24, 26, John noted that the nations will walk in the light of the heavenly Jerusalem.

The story of the flood in Genesis 6-8—like so many scenes in Genesis—establishes principles that will be reaffirmed throughout the Bible. Here three ideas stand out. First, sin’s dominion over humanity knows no bounds. Genesis 6 records that, “Man’s wickedness was widespread on the earth and that every scheme his mind thought of was nothing but evil all the time” (Gen 6:5). Second, God is a God of destruction toward those walking contrary to His word. In Genesis 6, God was so angered with the choices of sinful humanity that He issued an indictment of destruction upon all of mankind—for none are innocent before Him (Gen 6:6-7). The theme of universal guilt may not be popular but cannot be ignored. Third, God is free to grant deliverance to whomever, whenever, and however He chooses. Genesis 6:8 records that the Lord looked graciously upon Noah. Noah deserved to drown but God is a God of destruction and deliverance. Yet the text does not portray deliverance as a passive activity. Noah toiled to build a gigantic structure precisely according to God’s instruction (Gen 6:22; see Psalm 1). As a result, Noah, his family, and representatives of the animal species were all spared (Gen 7:1-10). In sum, the flood narrative displays God’s faithfulness to His word. Even generations later the psalmist reflected on the truthfulness of God’s word: “The LORD sat enthroned at the flood; the LORD sits enthroned, King forever. The LORD gives His people strength; the LORD blesses His people with peace” (Ps 29:10-11).

Both Old and New Testament writers saw in the flood sequence of Genesis 6-8 themes appropriate for their audiences.

(1) In Ezekiel 14, God gave Ezekiel a word of judgement that emphasized God’s faithfulness to keep His word and destroy the earth via the flood. The Lord told Ezekiel to prophesy that if He declared a famine or plague against a land for their unfaithfulness, that judgement would certainly happen. Even if righteous men like Noah, Daniel, and Job interceded for the people, they would only save themselves (Ezek 14:14, 20).

(2) When Jesus taught His disciples about the need to be watchful for His return, He told them that future generations would resemble the people of Noah’s day. At that time, the people went on with life despite Noah’s warnings; they ate and drank and married without reference to God. Jesus held up Noah as an example of alertness to God and His word. Noah escaped while the world was swept away. Jesus told His followers that they likewise needed to be alert for the hour that the Son of Man would return to rescue His own from the final day of destruction (Matt 24:37-39//Luke 17:26-27).

(3) The author of Hebrews also set Noah as an example for his audience writing, “By faith Noah, after being warned about what was not yet seen, in reverence built an ark to deliver his family. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith” (Heb 11:7).

(4) In 1 and 2 Peter, Peter called his audiences to consider God’s character displayed in the flood recorded in Genesis 6-8. In 1 Pet 3:20, Peter described God’s patience as a means of encouragement for his audience. God waited on Noah to build the ark, delaying the cataclysm of the flood until it was finished. Peter encouraged his audience—those suffering for their faith—that though God is patient, He would rescue His faithful ones even if their remnant is small. Peter wrote the same to the audience of 2 Peter, pairing God’s deliverance of Noah with God’s rescue of Lot in Genesis 19. Peter wanted his audience to understand that God simultaneously acts to condemn the wicked and rescue those who are sensitive to His word (2 Pet 2:4-10).

From Genesis 3 onward, sin’s destructive power in interpersonal relationships becomes a theme of the storyline of Scripture. Sin naturally employs jealousy as a means of causing division in the human family. Cain’s jealousy of Abel is the first in a pattern of jealousy-laden relationships in Genesis: Ishmael was jealous of Isaac (21:9), Esau was jealous of Jacob (27:36), and Joseph’s brothers were jealous of Rachel’s firstborn (37:19). Further in the history of redemption, Aaron and Miriam were jealous of Moses (Num 12:1-2), Saul was jealous of David (1 Sam 18:7-9), the Pharisees were jealous of Jesus (John 11:47-48), and selfish preachers were jealous of Paul (Phil 1:12-17).

Sin’s reigning power in the pre-flood period is seen not only in the way it divides the human family in Genesis 4 and following, but also in its ability to drastically diminish the lifespan of humanity (Genesis 5). The thrust of Genesis 5 is that God did not contrive an empty threat in the Garden. Death entered as sin’s partner so that they would rule over humanity and restrain the gift of a long life on earth. The themes of humility in Proverbs 1 censure humanity’s jealous pursuits. The author of Proverbs warned his audience against the dangers of striving, concluding Proverbs 1 with two contrasting ways of life: “The waywardness of the inexperienced will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them. But whoever listens to me will live securely and be free from the fear of danger” (Prov 1:32-33).

In the storyline of Scripture, the relationship between Cain and Abel becomes a paradigm of good and evil. Cain’s jealous murder of his brother provided an object lesson for John in 1 John 3:11-12: “For this is the message you have heard from the beginning: we should love one another, unlike Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil, and his brother’s were righteous.” Jude described the false teachers of his day as followers of Cain—greedy and destructive (Jude 11).

The author of Hebrews began his catalogue of faithful Old Testament saints by noting that Abel’s gift was superior to Cain’s. “By this he was approved as a righteous man, because God approved his gifts,” the author wrote, “and even though he is dead, he still speaks through this” (Heb 11:4). The author of Hebrews saw in Abel’s blood a type of Christ’s sacrifice, writing that Jesus is the mediator of the new covenant—and His blood speaks better things than the blood of Abel (Heb 12:24). Abel and Jesus were both killed unjustly but Jesus, as God’s Son, laid down His life willingly as a sacrifice for sin.

Adam and Eve’s sin in Genesis 3 resulted in spiritual isolation from the most necessary and basic human relationship, their relationship with God. They became self-conscious before Him (Gen 3:10) and consequences were in order. Eve and her descendants were assigned physical agony in childbirth (Gen 3:16). Adam and his descendants must work cursed soil and toil in their labor (Gen 3:17-18). And death entered the world (Gen 3:19). There were also horizontal effects to Adam and Eve’s sin. They had a sense of isolation due to the self-consciousness of their nakedness (Gen 3:7), they had a propensity to blame others for their own faults (Gen 3:12-13), and Eve experienced a desire to rule over her husband (Gen 3:16).

But the promise God made to the serpent in Gen 3:15, “I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will strike your head and you will strike his heel,” sparks the redemptive plan into action. Forthcoming Scripture becomes a storyline explaining the consequences of sin and the power of God to reconcile sinners. Paul’s letter to the Romans provides a summary of redemptive themes that are set in motion by Adam and Eve’s sin. In Romans 3, Paul applied portions of Psalms 14 and 53 to both Jews and Gentiles—to show that humanity is unable to meet God’s standards of righteousness and should thus humble themselves and receive His righteousness in Christ. In Rom 5:12-21, Paul compared the power and consequences of Adam’s sin with the power and consequences of Christ’s death and resurrection. “The gift is not like the trespass,” Paul wrote (Rom 5:15a). Though by Adam’s sin, death reigned over all of humanity, in Christ, the anti-type of Adam, righteousness reigns over those united to Jesus (Rom 5:15b-17). Paul understood that through Adam’s sin, all of humanity was assigned to sin, made sinners (Rom 5:19a). But Christ’s victorious death and resurrection are of greater consequence: “Through the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous,” Paul exclaimed (Rom 5:19b). Paul understood that when sin entered the world, death entered too. Jesus’ death reversed the consequence of Adam’s sin with the result that, “Just as sin reigned in death, so also grace will reign through righteousness, resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom 5:21; 1 Cor 15:45). In Romans 8, Paul wrote that the grace of eternal life would have liberating effects for all of creation. “For the creation eagerly waits with anticipation for God’s sons to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to futility—not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it—in the hope that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage of corruption in the glorious freedom of God’s children” (Rom 8:19-21).

All of this is true because Jesus defeated the Devil, finally triumphing over him through death and resurrection. In Genesis 3, Adam and Eve were persuaded by Satan’s lies; in the wilderness, Jesus fought Satan with the truth of God’s word (Matt 4:1-11//Mark 1:12-13//Luke 4:1-13). Jesus cast out demons and displayed power over Satan’s domain (Matt 8:28-34//Mark 5:1-17//Luke 8:26-37). Jesus showed Himself to be the strongman coming to plunder the devil’s domain (Matt 12:22-30//Mark 3:22-27//Luke 11:14-23). As Jesus neared the day of His crucifixion, He said, “Now is the judgement of this world. Now the ruler of this world will be cast out. As for Me, if I am lifted up from the earth I will draw all people to Myself” (John 12:31-32). In being lifted up, Jesus atoned for the sins of His people, removing the devil’s weaponry against the church. Paul wrote that at the cross Jesus disarmed the rulers and authorities that would accuse those in Christ, triumphing over them in it (Col 2:11-15). The author of Hebrews wrote that the purpose of Jesus’ incarnation was so that He could fully identify with humanity and defeat the devil at the cross (Heb 2:14-15).

Though Satan is powerless to accuse believers before God, God yet allows the devil to chastise those who act in pride. James wrote, “Submit to God. But resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners, and purify your hearts, double-minded people!” (Jas 4:7-8). And Peter warned his readers saying, “Be sober! Be on the alert! Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for anyone he can devour. Resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are being experienced by your brothers in the world” (1 Pet 5:8-9). In the Revelation, John wrote that God will allow Satan to deceive the nations and gather them for war against God’s people (Rev 13:1-8; 19:19-20; 20:7-9) before finally being thrown into the lake of fire forever (Rev 20:10).

These chapters of the Old Testament are linked by their dual portrayal of God’s wisdom in creation and in His instruction to humanity. Genesis 2 begins with a portrayal of the wisdom and power God displayed in creation. God’s creative work was so good (Gen 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31) that God rested for a day (Gen 2:1-3). God’s design had been accomplished and it could not be improved.

God’s wisdom in creation sets the stage for the wisdom of His instruction, noted in Genesis 2, Psalms 8 and 19, and Proverbs 8. In Gen 2:15-17 God commanded Adam concerning what he should eat and what was forbidden. This wise instruction was given so that Adam could continue to enjoy the intimate fellowship of God in the Garden. Proverbs 8 personifies God’s wisdom. God wants to be known and His wisdom seeks out those who long for His instruction. Psalm 19 further develops the connection between God’s wisdom in His creative acts (Ps 19:1-6) and His instruction (Ps 19:7-11). In Ps 19:4 the Psalmist describes the pervasive communicative power of the heavens writing, “Their message has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.” Paul saw in Ps 19:4 a fitting description of the pervasive prophetic instruction God sent to Israel—instruction they rejected (Rom 10:18).

Like Ps 19:4, Psalm 8 is also formative for the storyline of Scripture. In Psalm 8, the author reflects on the greatness of God’s creative power and the relative frailty of humanity: “What is man, that You remember him, or the son of man, that You care for him? You made him lower than the angels for a short time; You crowned him with glory and honor and subjected everything under his feet” (Ps 8:5-7). The author of Hebrews employed Ps 8:5-7 to help his audience understand Christ’s full humanity and dominion. While Jesus is superior to angels (the point of Hebrews 1), for a time, in accord with Psalm 8, Christ was made a little lower than the angels. Through Christ’s incarnation and death, God demonstrated His grace and crowned Jesus with glory (Heb 2:9). But Psalm 8 also signaled Jesus’ resurrection. To the Corinthians, Paul argued that even death, the last great enemy of humanity, has been put under Christ’s feet, subjected to Him (Ps 8:6b)—with the result that as Jesus was raised from the dead, so all those in Him will be raised as well (1 Cor 15:27).

Although Adam had perfect fellowship with God in the Garden in Genesis 2, there was yet no created helper found suitable for him from among the animals. “So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to come over the man, and he slept. God took one of his ribs and closed the flesh at that place. Then the LORD God made the rib He had taken from the man into a woman and brought her to the man” (Gen 2:21-22). In the creation of woman, God formed not only a distinct person but a distinct institution, marriage. “This is why a man leaves his father and mother and bonds with his wife, and they become one flesh” (Gen 2:24), the author of Genesis wrote. In the storyline of Scripture, God’s creation of male and female provides a framework for the enduring character of marriage. Both Jesus and Paul employed the marriage of Adam and Eve as a pattern to be followed in every generation.

(1) When some Pharisees approached Jesus to ask Him about rules for a husband to divorce his wife (Matt 19:1-9//Mark 10:1-12), Jesus replied with Gen 1:27 and Gen 2:24. Since God made distinct genders and brought Adam and Eve together in a permanent institution, for all ages marriage is the union of one man and one woman in a covenantal bond.

(2) Instructing the Ephesians about marriage, Paul employed Gen 2:24 when addressing husbands. Men should love their wives as Christ loves the church, the members of His body. In Eph 5:31, Paul argued that the fixed union of Christ and the church reflects the original union of man and woman described in Gen 2:24.

The opening chapter of the Old Testament establishes a framework for understanding all of Scripture. In Genesis 1, God demonstrated His power through His word. Using no pre-existent physical matter, God spoke and created the universe (Heb 11:3). But the emphasis of Genesis 1—as well as Psalms 33, 136, 148, and others—is upon the excellence of God’s creative word.

Throughout Genesis 1, the author of Genesis repeated God’s statements of self-commendation. In Gen 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25, God recognized His own creative acts as “good.” In a summary statement in Gen 1:31, God called His work “very good.” Genesis 1 provides an account of the created order and God’s self-evaluation. In God’s view, everything went according to plan. It is no wonder then that in Psalm 148, the Psalmist called even the sun, moon, and stars to praise their Creator.

In the storyline of Scripture, the natural world is the framework within which the drama of redemption unfolds. Psalm 136:1-9 accentuates God’s wisdom and power in creation and the balance of the Psalm recounts the exodus—all with the refrain: “His love is eternal.” God’s redemptive purpose in creation is also portrayed in Psalm 33, where the Creator is confessed as the source of national protection for Israel (Ps 33:12-22).

The authors of the New Testament described creation and redemption as activities that both God and Jesus accomplished together.

(1) John began his Gospel by describing Jesus as the Word, God’s agent in the creative acts of Genesis 1: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. All things were created through Him, and apart from Him not one thing was created that has been created” (John 1:1-3). John went on to explicate Jesus’ role in redemption, writing, “The Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We observed His glory, the glory as the One and Only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

(2) In his letter to the Colossians, Paul described Jesus as God’s agent in creation, writing, “He (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation; because by Him everything was created, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and by Him all things hold together” (Col 1:15-17). Paul turned immediately to the roles God and Jesus fulfill in redemption: “He (Jesus) is also the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He might come to have first place in everything. For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile everything to Himself by making peace through the blood of His cross—whether things on earth or things in heaven” (Col 1:15-20).

(3) At the outset of his Epistle, the author of Hebrews coordinated the work of the Father and Son in creation and redemption, noting that God accomplished both by His word. In Heb 1:1-3, the author stated that in former times God spoke by the prophets of Israel but in the last days spoke through His Son. The Father appointed the Son as heir of all things and through the Son created the universe. The Son, by His word, sustains the created order. He is able to sustain the universe because after the Son atoned for sins, He sat down of the right hand of the Father, the majestic and exalted One.