Genesis 1 and 2: Keywords #2 and #3
Today we’re going to continue our look at Genesis 1 and 2, an important foundation for what is to come.
We’re nailing down 3 keywords that we’ll look at again and again in the future, Lord willing.
#1 – Truth. These chapters explain how we can know truth in the first place – why it exists, and why it can be known.
Now, let’s move on to #2.
2. Dependence
We depend on something outside of ourselves, and everything depends on God. This shouldn’t be difficult to understand. We need air to breath.
And here’s something even more mind-blowing. We need to begin to exist! If nothing ever began to exist, it wouldn’t be here now. And nothing can make itself exist, because it wouldn’t be there to make itself exist.
God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” …
Exodus 3:14
Who is God? Where did He come from? When did He begin?
I AM. Go as far as you like into the future – I AM. Turn around and travel back into the past – I AM. Go to the edges of the universe, and then beyond creation itself – I AM.
You see, nothing caused God. He doesn’t have a beginning. And that’s why everything else exists. Because Someone brought everything else into existence.
Hmmmm… I thought this post would be a little lighter. Oh well.
Look. If I drop something on the floor, what caused that to happen? I did. Or maybe you could say, gravity. Very well, what caused me? You might say, “Your parents”. And them? And on and on we go. But something must have caused the first thing in the chain – something that did not have, or need, a “cause”. If it needed a cause, it wouldn’t be the first thing. And that is the Almighty Eternal God.
Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high…
Hebrews 1:1-3
Who sustains the universe – keeps it running? The Son of God.
We are dependent beings – God is independent. He needs no one and nothing. And listen, this isn’t just any god, some “higher power”. This is the Holy Trinity, Yahweh of the Bible.
This also means that we are limited and finite. We get tired and go to sleep. We become hungry, and we eat. We get old and die. But God is unlimited and infinite.
I hope the importance of this will become clearer later. But now, let’s get the last keyword!
3. Purpose
God is a being with His own will.
When we do something, we do it for a reason. Sometimes a bad reason. Or we might not even be aware of the reason! Like when you walk into the kitchen and forget why you went there. But generally, we do things for a reason.
And God?
“Worthy are you, our Lord and God,
Revelation 4:11
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they existed and were created.”
By His will. But we read even more on Colossians:
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
Who is “him”? In the context, it’s the Son of God, Jesus Christ. And so we might say, Jesus is the purpose of the Creation.
There’s more.
The heavens proclaim his righteousness,
Psalm 97:6
and all the peoples see his glory.
In the creation we see His righteousness and His glory. What’s “glory”? The meaning varies a little, depending on the context. But basically, it’s something worthy of praise. It’s the revelation or demonstration of something wonderful.
And so, God shows Himself to us in His creation, and He is wonderful! Surprising! Powerful!
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,[a] in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
Romans 1:19-20
God reveals Himself in His creation. We can know something of the creation, and so we can know something of Him. The creation reveals the eternal power and divine nature of the Creator.
When we see something that is wonderful and beautiful, what is the appropriate response?
Let them praise the name of the LORD!
Psalm 148:5
For he commanded and they were created.
Praise. And part of praise is – words! He created with words, and we respond with words. Words are important!
But, as most Christians know, we really praise God with all of our lives, all of our being. “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”
This purpose – giving glory to God, glory to the Son, praise – it happens in a million different ways.
One way is through His commandments. And what commandments do we see in Genesis 1 and 2? How about Genesis 1:28?
Have kids! Not everyone will have kids, but that is one way to praise God. Fill the earth! “…and subdue it, and have dominion…”
Take control of the earth. Use its resources. Invent things. Bake cookies! Plant a garden. Fix a car. Create music. Invent the taco.
Speaking of tacos, I used a taco as an illustration to finish this part of the study. My apologies if you’re not a taco fan. (And why not??)
What is a taco?
What is a taco? Well, let me put it this way. In an imaginary world without God, what is a taco?
Well, how would you know? You really couldn’t.
But let’s say we could observe some things. Empiricism, remember? We really can’t trust our observations in this imaginary world, but let’s borrow from the Christian worldview and pretend we can.
A taco is a series of molecules, chemicals. They all come together, and a human creature can eat it and survive.
Atheist Richard Dawkins called humans “survival machines”. That’s all we are. By some chance, we’ve come together so that we can survive.
The frightening thing about that is that the other humans around us are simply a part of our “environment”. We use them to survive. Really, there is no “love”.
What a cold, cruel universe. Except – cruelty really isn’t a thing, because there’s no good or evil, there just “is”.
Everything is mechanical, in this view. The only reason we “taste” tacos is because by chance it helps us to survive. What a depressing, sad, confusing world! Without Genesis 1, there is no truth or purpose in anything.
We teach people this, and then we wonder why so many are stressed and depressed?
But let’s get back to the real world.
God created good food for our good. 1 Timothy 4:3 – “…foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.”
Sure, we can study the molecules in the taco. We can be amazed at the order and creativity and power of God. At the same time, people created in His image used their intelligence and creativity to invent the taco.
Yes, we see the miracle of God’s creation in the taco. We thank God for His good gifts. And Jesus keeps the atoms spinning, holding the taco together (something my own fingers can’t always do successfully)! It’s the truth.
And it’s a world of thanksgiving, logic, science, and praise.
That’s the real world.
I hope you’re beginning to see how Genesis 1 and 2 change everything.
If you’re a believer, I encourage you to take a minute or two to read Psalm 148, out loud if you can. It is a wonderful response to these truths from Genesis.
Resources
In each of our studies, I tried to share some resources for those who wanted to go more in-depth. Obviously, the resources I originally shared were all in Spanish. However, on the topics we’ve been talking about so far, I highly recommend the resources that astrophysicist Dr. Jason Lisle has created. In particular:
- Nuclear Strength Apologetics Set (2 DVDs)
- The Ultimate Proof of Creation (book/ebook)
- Understanding Genesis (book/ebook)
- The Ultimate Proof of Creation (video)