Journey Word 1: Beginnings
The setting of the Bible itself is usually in the Middle East, Asia, and Europe (and occasionally Heaven). The conflict begins right from the start as God’s beloved creatures are ruined by sin. Adam and Eve’s rebellion is assuredly the curse that brought sin and death into the beautiful pristine world that is Earth. God has worked on redemption from there until present.
Much of this redemptive process always had the same recurring process: God attracts people to Salvation in Him by sacrifices made, then people fall away, God sends judgment or allows suffering, people come back to Him, and then the cycle repeats.
Because of this cycle of turmoil, God eventually sent Jesus to take the redemptive helm. He is the graceful one that imputed righteousness upon people that believe upon God and are obedient to believe that Jesus Christ took their sin away and gives them eternal life.
But still, with people’s decisive rebellion and ignorance, there is still yet another judgment awaiting that will be far greater, in which God will eventually have this world destroyed along with the existing heavens to birth a New Heaven and New Earth. However, God’s People are the winners and will be with Him in eternity to celebrate and be part of His Glory.
Genesis, which is the first book of the Bible and first in our chronology, represents the beginning of life.
Creation
Genesis 1-2
The first chapter in Genesis tells us how God brought form to the formless area, and had filled emptiness with life (AMAZING!). “Now the earth was formless and empty[…]and God said, ‘Let there be light, and there was light'” (Genesis 1:2-3).
By the power of His Word, the speech from His Lips, God created light in the void, placed the universe with all galaxies, and made birds and fish to fill the air and seas respectively. Then, the first human being was born from the dust of the ground – simply amazing and extraordinary!
God is the creator who gives life to humanity and all living things. The world is His beautiful and “very good” creation (Genesis 1:31). God is the designer, the architect, the artist, the coder, and the life giver. He good, He is loving, and He takes delight in His Creation.
Acts 17:24-26 says, “God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation.”
God created mankind in His own image (Genesis 1:27). He made the first man, Adam, from the dust of the ground, and then made Eve, the first woman, from Adam’s side. Their directive was to fill the earth and reign over God’s Creation.
Days of forming
Day 1: God created the day and night by dividing the light from the darkness. Day 2: God created the sky and waters by separating the waters from the sky. Day 3: God created the seas and dry lands by gathering the waters to separate from land. God made vegetation grow on the land as well.
Days of Filling
Day 4: God created the sun, moon, stars, and other entities to fill the day and the night. Day 5: God created the birds to fill the skies and the fish to fill the seas. Day 6: God created humans and animals that would fill the land.
Day of Rest
Day 7: God rested on the seventh day and blessed it and made it holy.
