Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded

the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, “You shall not eat of it’: ‘Cursed is the ground for your sake” (Genesis 3:17). Scripture is its own best interpreter, and in the thorns and thistles of verse 18 we see from Jesus parable of the weeds and the wheat, that is was an enemy (Satan) that sowed the weeds. It was “while man slept” that this happened (Matthew 13:24. 25).  I'm reminded of the saying “in order for evil to triumph, all that needs to happen is that good men do nothing.” Adam was essentially asleep  when he just “let her slide,” took the “easy” way out, and “heeded the voice of his wife.” There is a spirit of slumber, and it involves spiritual eyes that don't see,  and spiritual ears that don't hear (Romans 11:8). It describe the Church in the West that has not “watched and prayed” (Mark 13:33).

Other translations of this morning's verse have “because of you,” rather than “for your sake.” Both are possible from the Hebrew, illustrating the difficulty of translation.  “Because of you,” is purely punitive, while “for your sake,” indicates a redemptive aspect of the sentence. We reap what we sow (Galatians 6:7), and the pain and the sorrow are designed to lead us to repentance. That the redemptive version is the correct one,  is born out in Romans 8:20 which reads “For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope.” If it is just punishment, there is no hope, but it was subjected in hope! Ultimately Jesus Christ is the hope of the world, but I am getting ahead of myself!

Unlike Adam,  God takes responsibility for the curse, and for allowing the tempter access to creation.  Perhaps there was  conversation in heaven of God with the Devil that was similar to that where God allowed Satan to test Job (Job 1, 2). But in any case, with  Adam's sin, the door was opened up for the war in heaven to be transferred to earth, and the Devil cast down here (Revelation 12:7, 9).  Adam's formerly had dominion (1:26), but with the fall it is  given to the enemy, the “prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:2).

From henceforth the struggle between good and evil will show up in every aspect of life. Bringing forth life, be it physical or spiritual will involve pain and sorrow, but also joy. Thorns and thistles will grow up apparently spontaneously among seed sown on good ground.  Satisfaction in labour will only come by “the sweat of your brow,” and the struggle will be “all the days of your life.” Finally at the end of the day,  you will die (2:17; 3:19).  Evolution can describe this struggle, but it has no explanation for it. There is both something good and beautiful about creation, but there is also something broken. Only  the Bible has an explanation for  this reality (1:31; 3:17).

Father, we can either see life without hope as in “life sucks and then you die,” or we can embrace  redemption and hope through the frustration. Creation declares the glory of God and speaks to us clearly of Your eternal power and Godhead; so that we are without excuse (Psalm 19:1; Romans 1:20). Help us who know You Lord to live as living parables of Your hope in Jesus Name Amen

Your desire shall be for your husband,

and he shall rule over you” (Genesis 3:16b).  As I said last day the gospel is God's vehicle for overturning the curse and bringing in the Kingdom, and Kingdom relationships in particular. In light of the current war between the sexes, where we have the woman wanting to dominate the man, perhaps this morning verse is simply a description of post fall reality (rather than eternally mandated)! In the  fullness of the  Kingdom there are no injustices. In the Kingdom there  “is neither  slave nor free, neither male nor female; for you are all one (equal) in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28).  And the yeast of the gospel is, and has been at work to make this a reality! 

Part of this is the abolition of slavery. It was William Wilberforce's Christian conviction that lead him to make it his life long goal to enshrine abolition in British Law. In America it was far more violent, but again was based on Christian ideals. What I am saying,  is that the abolition of slavery was there in seed form, waiting for the right time to make it a reality. Today,  nobody is advocating slavery,  but lets not pretend the situation is fully resolved.  

The needed emancipation of women is also there in seed form in Scripture,  waiting for the yeast of the gospel to permeate it. Many don't realize that is it only within the formerly dominant influence of Judaeo-Christain ethic in the West where the start of this emancipation would even have been possible. You only have to look at other parts of the world to see that this is true. But we have not always used Kingdom methods or principles, and bitterness has often rulled!

Another of the seeds of equality is found in 1 Corinthians 11:11, where we read “neither is man independent of woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord.” A couple of modern buzz words come to mind,  interdependence and co-dependence. I recommend a related internet article by Jodi Clarke. Interdependence  is more mature than independence, and is characterized by healthy boundaries,  active listening, time for personal interest, clear communication, taking personal responsibility for behaviours,  creating safety for each other to be vulnerable, engaging and responding to each other, healthy self-esteem and being open and approachable with each other (Clarke).  To me, it sounds like Adam and Eve before the fall!   

In the advancement of the Kingdom it's often two steps forward one step back. The Kingdom methods of Wilberforce and Martin Luther King are not in evidence at the moment,  as the kingdom of darkness seem (but only seems) to have the upper hand. In the war between the sexes there is either dominance or co-dependence.  Codependent relationships  include things like poor boundaries, people-pleasing, reactivity, unhealthy ineffective communication, manipulation,  difficulty with emotional intimacy, control,  blame, low self-esteem,  no personal interests or goals outside the relationship (Clarke). To me it sounds like fig leaves and the orphan spirit  (Genesis 3:7; John 14:8),

Lord Jesus thank You that You promised You would not leave us as orphans, but that You would send Your Spirit,  and He would implant in our hearts the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry out Abba, Daddy,  Father (John 14:18  Galatians 4:6; Romans 8:15). We cannot bring in the Kingdom Lord, when we don't know who we are in You.  And we wont know who we are in You unless we totally surrender and walk in Your light. Forgive us Lord and help us to do this daily in Your precious Name Amen

 To the woman he said .

“I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you” (Genesis 3:16). To see the deeper meaning here,  we need to see in the sorrow and the conception of this curse,  a parable of what it means to bring  the life of the Kingdom.  Jesus rebuked  “the teacher of Israel,” because he didn't understand  becoming a Christian is a new birth (John 3:5, 10).  Paul understood that the process would be painful when,  fearing the Galatians had regressed,  he addressed them  as “My little children, for whom I labour in birth again until Christ is formed in you” (Galatians 4:19).

This side of the fall almost everything that God births is painful. If you know your history you'll know the prophesied rebirth of Israel  is a case in point (Isaiah 66:8). It was birthed in war!  Jesus told us “A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that new life has been born  (John 16:21).  Leading up to Israel's declaration of independence 14 May 1948 there was great turmoil, but on that night,  there was dancing in the streets!  And there is coming a day when creation itself will be redeemed.  But until then “the whole creation groans and labours with birth pangs.” However when the Kingdom fully comes, there will be “everlasting joy” (Romans 8:21, 22;  Isaiah 35:10).

Certainly God knew the fall would happen, and His solution Christ,  the hope of the Word,  was slain outside of time before the creation of the World (Revelation 13:8). When Christ came, He told us “The Kingdom is at hand.” It is here, but not yet in its fullness, it's like yeast that (takes time to) work its way through the whole lump” (Mark 1:15; Matthew 13:33).

There are many injustices in the World, and God is a God of Justice (Isiah 30:18).  But it takes time and tribulation for the yeast of the gospel of Kingdom to work its way through. Tribulation often comes as mankind tries to promote justice outside kingdom principles using force and the weapons of the world. When we do this,  too often those who were oppressed become the oppressors. So many times its  one step forward two steps back.   Before the fall Adam and Eve were comparable to one another (Genesis 2:18 NKJV),  the man did not rule over the woman. The before the fall relationships,  are a picture of Kingdom relationships, and the gospel is God's method of overturning the curse and bringing in the Kingdom. I believe the abolition of slavery and  its aftermath, and the emancipation of women and its aftermath,  are things that God has birthed,  is birthing and will continue birth,  as with our cooperation He brings Kingdom come to earth.

Father, it seems to be part of human nature that we are either two steps ahead of You or four steps behind. Consequently, there is no joy! You have a timing for these things Lord, and You want us to use Kingdom principles and Kingdom methods. When we don't we don't bring in the Kingdom, we merely create more divisions that need to be healed. Forgive us Lord, please give us Grace to do things in Your way,  and in Your timing.  We pray Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven in Jesus Name Amen

So the LORD God said to the serpent:

“Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all cattle ... And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel” (Genesis 3:14, 15). There's no interrogation here,  as there was with Adam and Eve.  This was not the serpent's (Satan's Revelation 12:9) first transgression. He had sinned from the beginning (1 John 3:8). There would be no redemption for him   (Calvin)! He is sentenced to crawl on his belly and eat dust, a sign of disgrace (verse 14b).

There was to be enmity (open hostility) between him and the woman  representing the whole of humanity.  God loves, Satan hates!   Jesus spoke of those who opposed Him,  that they were of their father the devil (John 8:44).  The seed then  (offspring) of the serpent are those who,  either by default,  or deliberately follow Satan and his rule.  The Seed here  (upper case “s”) is  primarily Christ (Galatians 3:16), but also represents believers born of Him  (John 3:5; 1:12).

Christ then shall bruise the serpents head, but the serpent  shall bruise His heal.  And it was for our transgressions that Christ was  bruised (Isaiah 53:5; Acts 8:35). The war in heaven represented by this bruising (Revelation 12:7), is not between equals. Satan's more severe wound to the head is crushed by Christ's heal. As our forerunner  (Hebrews 6:20) Christ has already defeated Satan (Revelation 20:10). The ongoing mopping up operations in the here and now however,  are left to His warrior bride. In particular He has  given us authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy (Luke 10:19).

He is under our feet, but as soldiers of Christ, we have to take up that authority, especially in prayer and confront the wicked spiritual forces of the enemy.  It is God's intention that the living would know that the most high God rules in the Kingdom of men  (Daniel 4:17). In light of this, you may be wondering why our marriages and families are so devastated,  and why the anti-god agenda of the extreme left has taken over our government, our media,  our educational institutes, and even part of the visible church.  Is it not because the true church of Jesus Christ is asleep and has abdicated it role as salt,  light and yeast in the World? We have even invented a theology of none involvement. How many of us even obey the command to pray for our governments (1 Timothy 2:1,2).

Lord Jesus,  You reminded me this morning that our struggle (enmity) is not against people (flesh and blood), but against Satan and his cohorts (Ephesians 6:12). It is not against those who  have been taken captive to do the devil's will (2 Timothy 2:26). There is no middle ground here Lord.  You told us “If you are not for me, you are against me” (Matthew 12:30).  Forgive us Lord, forgive me,  for the times we have used the weapons of the World rather than  spiritual weapons. Forgive us also Lord for the spirit of slumber that has too often characterized Your Church.  Give us new energy and an outpouring of Your Spirit Lord,  so that we might not sleep as many do, but  be be sober and watchful in prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:6). We declare Your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven in Your precious Name Amen

Then the man said, “The woman whom You gave

.....to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.” And the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?”  The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate” (Genesis 3:12, 13). The Lord had asked Adam if he had eaten of the forbidden tree, verse 12 was his reply.   'It was the woman's fault, and actually God it was Your fault too, You're the One who gave her to me!' Adam was playing the blame game. And when Eve is confronted with her part, she blames the serpent. How well this book knows us!  Typically in and argument and in the break up of a marriage both parties blame the other100% for what went wrong. In the breakup of my first marriage I did,  that is until Holy Spirit convicted me of my part in it all (John 16:8).  It lead to my repentance and salvation.

The wrong we do, our sin, is never in a vacuum, one way or another it affects others. Eve's disobedience had affected Adam, he had a choice,  and whatever he chose there would be consequences. So yes, our sin affects others, and others' sin affects us. Too often we give a wrong response to wrong done to us. If we respond in bitterness,  that bitterness will defile (Hebrews 12:15). And whether we feel it's justified or not, it is  infectious. Perhaps it was bitterness that was passed on to their son Cain,  and was part of what motivated him to murder his brother (4:8). We do know sin is infectious and spreads like cancer. As mentioned earlier, we saw  great wickedness in the last century, and seeing that,  it's not hard to understand that wickedness became so great the Lord sent the flood as judgment on mankind (6:11, 12).

We can of course sit in judgment on the rest of the World but we, you and I, are part of the problem.  And as we saw with Adam and Eve sowing fig leaves together for coverings and hiding  from God  Lord (3: 7,8),  sin sabotages intimacy with each other and with God. Blame, confessing and often condemning the other person, makes it worse. In recovery we talk about taking care of our side of the street. It starts with examining our ways, testing them and returning to the Lord  (Lamentations 3:40).  We need to  humble ourselves, come to the foot of the cross where we see clearly that we have all sinned (Romans 3:23). We are then in a position in humility,  to obey the command to confess our faults to one another, and pray for one another. In this way we are promised healing (Romans 3:23; James 5:16).  It is the start of doing our part in bringing the Kingdom to earth as it is in heaven,  and as it was previously in paradise!

Lord Jesus, You call believers the light of the World. We are intended to be the yeast that changes  society. You tell us to be in the world,  but not of the world. And I come before You this morning confessing my own part,  and the part of Your called out ones, Your  ecclesia, Your body the Church,  in our being of the World but, in our isolation,  not in it. So we humble ourselves this morning Lord, we turn from out wicked ways, seek Your face and claim Your promise to heal our land,  in Your precious Name we pray Amen

And God said, “Who told you that you were naked?

.... Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat” (Genesis 3:11)? Adam had been hiding because he suddenly knew he was lost, naked, and he was afraid. The Lord had asked Adam where he was (3:9), He now followed up with this morning's questions. Many people see God as always angry, and just waiting for you to mess up so He can condemn you. And you can read this view of God into the text, because after all we don't hear the tone of His voice, whether gentle or harsh. It's one of the problems I have with audio versions of the Bible, they're not neutral!

 As mentioned yesterday God is longsuffering and not willing that any should perish, but all come to repentance. It's hard to come in repentance to One you think is always angry. And if this is you, then you like Eve have been deceived by the serpent (3:13). I say this, because it was God the Father who so loved the World that He sent His beloved Son Jesus to die on the cross. And He did this so He could be both just and merciful to forgive us when we fess up (John 3:16; 1 John 1:9; 1 Peter 3:18). Indeed God was in Christ reconciling the World to Himself, not counting people's sins against them. And Christ came into the World to seek and save you and me, like Adam, the lost (Luke 19:10). So let's read this later revelation of God's character into the tone and manner of how He approached Adam. In particular in God, “mercy and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed” (Psalm 85:10). 

If you tell your young child “If you so much as put your big toe over that line, you will be punished,” and she looks at you defiantly and puts her toe, and only her toe, across the line, what do you do? You can unilaterally forgive without following through. But if you do, you will be merciful, but you will be teaching you child to push the limits, you will be encouraging bad behaviour, you will be an enabler! And God is not an enabler! To be just, sin has to be punished. And the Father laid on Jesus the punishment for us all (Isaiah 53:5, Acts 8:35). 

God took an awful risk in committing to give us free will. He does not send anyone to hell, but in Christ spreads His arms wide on the cross essentially saying “You will go to hell only over my dead body!” The unforgivable sin is surly simply rejecting the free gift of forgiveness (Romans 3:23). There can be no sin in paradise, so we do of course, have to repent (choose with His help to turn from our wicked ways) and so be being transformed and made ready for heaven - Mark 1:15).

 Father, since You are longsuffering and want all to be saved, I hear sorrow, grief and love in Your voice as You spoke to Adam. I sense that part of Your sorrow was that You had to follow through, for You are indeed just, and You are not an enabler. Thank You that You turned Your righteous anger on Jesus, so that You could be both faithful and just to forgive us. In view of Your tender mercies Lord I commit again this morning to present myself to You as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1) in Jesus Name Amen

Then the LORD God called “Where are you Adam?”

He replied “I heard Your voice in the garden, and was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.” Being naked was not the problem, if it wasn't wrong before, it wasn't wrong now. Best to see this as a picture of feeling exposed in a world that is no longer safe. Knowledge in Biblical terms is much more than intellectual knowing. It is experience based, and can even indicate sex (as in Adam knew his wife 4:1, NKJV). Eating of the forbidden tree then (2:17), was about experiencing both good and evil. They had already experienced good of course, now they would experience evil. The very first wrong, but not the last by a long way, was blame (verse 12), Adam's failure to take responsibility for his own actions. Wrong didn't end there of course. With evil unrestrained, we see murder within a single generation, family feuds, great wickedness and all the thoughts of man's heart being only evil continually (4:8; 32:6; 6:5). 

The Bible speaks of this initial experience of evil as sin entering the world through Adam (Romans 5:12). And of course the nature of evil being like cancer in its ability to spread, we inherited both its nature, its influence and its effects. We don't have to look beyond the last century to see this. To the millions and millions executed under Stalin and Mao's purges, to Hitler's murder of six million Jews, to Pol Pot, to the various genocides, we have documented, the exponential growth of evil. 

The concept of the survival of the fittest, though it obviously contains truth, cannot adequately explain this. I read recently of a mother expressing the though that she loved her baby more than evolution required (New York Times op-ed). And we can surly say that as a race we both love and hate more than evolution requires. I know of no other plausible explanation than the Biblical one, that there is a force for good (the one we call God) and one for evil (the devils). Also no other plausible explanation of the fact that man is capable of the highest of heights in achievement and good, and the deepest of depths of depravity and evil.

Some see only the good, and some only the bad! But it is surly both. Man is capable of the highest of heights because he is made in God's image, and he is capable of the deepest depths because the ruler of this world, the serpent, the Devil (John 12:31), is the very personification of evil. The age old question comes to mind, “If God is good, then why does He allow evil?” The start (but only the start) of the answer, is that God is longsuffering towards us, and does not desire that any should perish in the Judgement at the end of the age, but that all should come to repentance and so inherit eternal life with God (2 Peter 3:9). In this morning's verse we read that God reached out to Adam. Every other religion outside of the Judaeo-Christain one is about man reaching up to God, earning acceptance by his behaviour. The Judaeo-Christain religion is God reaching down to man to provide a way for him to be reconciled with Himself (2 Corinthians 5:19). 

 

 Lord Jesus, thank You that You so loved the World that You gave Yourself on the cross, so that whosoever puts his faith in You will not perish, but obtain everlasting life. Thank You in Your precious Name Amen

 

Then their eyes were opened,

..... they knew that they were naked and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. When they heard the LORD God walking in the garden,  Adam and his wife hid from His presence (Genesis 3:7, 8). Before their choice to disobey the command,  they were naked but not ashamed (2:16, 25; 3:6).  But now they were both ashamed, and afraid (verse 10). A common responses to guilt and shame is to hide.  But you can't hide from God,  “for there is no creature hidden from His sight, all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (Heb. 4:13). Did they think that they would not have to give an account? Do we?

The fig leaves didn't cover anything they hadn't seen before, so what was the point? Shame makes us afraid to let others see who we really are. I need people to think I have it all together, even if I am falling apart inside.  I'm afraid if others really knew me,  they'd  reject me. We have our own fig leaves then,  the masks we wear, the image we project,  to hide our shame. Alienation is about pulling back or being separated in some way from others.  Here we see our alienation from God, and from others. But actually the fig leaves were also there so we they not have to look on (be reminded of) their own nakedness. We tend to believe we are the image we project, it's not always reality!.  A third alienation then is from ourselves, our detachment from reality. Together, these three alienations characterize the spirit of the age, the orphan spirit, our sense of abandonment, loneliness, alienation and isolation, and our futile attempts to cover our shame.

You can't unscramble eggs, but God can! And the major thrust of the entire Bible from this point on, is about His solution to sin, shame, guilt and alienation. It's called redemptions and reconciliation, that is being put right with God and each other (and actually also with creation  – Romans 8:21).  He is committed to not riding rough shot over our free will. And because of this it needed to be a process,  a process where at each stage we choose to cooperate or not, as He draws us to Himself with chords of love (Hosea 11:4). He waits so that He can be gracious to us (Isaiah  30:18), as we in vain try to fix ourselves. It is no coincidence that the first step in twelve-step programs is to come out of denial that we can. In my own life I had to have the rug pulled out from under my feet a number of times before I would admit that I needed His help. Until the last “rug” (the last straw) that brought me to the end of myself, I had apparently still not suffered enough to surrender my all. But that surrender was the best thing I ever did!

Lord Jesus, I remember well the  night I told You that I couldn't  fight You anymore. I sensed that You smiled and told me that You were not fighting me. You had waited to be gracious to me, and I was now ready. You showed me all the things that I had been  unwilling to surrender were the very same things that were causing me pain. Your ways are best, and though I don't say I never struggle, it's always worth it.  And I thank and praise You again for it all, in Your precious Name Amen

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food,

.... that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband,  and he ate (Genesis 3:6). The complete breakdown of temptation started yesterday reads “Everyone is tempted when he's drawn away by his own lusts and enticed. Then when lust has conceived,  it gives birth to sin; and sin, when full-grown, brings forth death” (James 1:14, 15). “The woman saw!” She had already been drawn away,  taken her eyes off both God and the commandment not to eat from that  tree  (2:16).  Being enticed is being artfully offered something pleasant or desirable.  She sees the tree is good,  desirable and pleasant.  

This initial thought and its accompanying emotion is not yet sin. Conception takes place when we meditate on the thought, and in the process allow the emotion to grow. There's a saying you cannot stop the shadow of the eagle crossing your head, but you can stop it making a nest in your hair! We are playing with fire, but there is still time to abort! Maturity (sanctification) is about learning to take the initial thought captive, about by the Spirit, putting the deeds of the sinful nature to death (2 Corinthians 10:5; Romans 8:13). If we continue we will receive death, the wages of sin. Thank God for gift of God of eternal life, and the offered  forgiveness and cleansing when we repent (Romans 3:2; 1 John 1:9).

The Bible identifies three major ingredients of enticement to sin, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life  (1 John 2:16).  The word lust here  has to do with a strong desire or craving, especially for what is forbidden.  The lust of the flesh flesh then is anything that appeals to the lower animal nature. It  certainly includes sexual lust,  but much more. Consider a dog in heat or wolfing down a tasty morsel.  Unbridled passion and gluttony come to mind.

The lust of the eyes is about that which appeals to the eyes, the things money can buy,  things of beauty that inflame us. Things that come to mind include clothes, jewellery, gorgeous homes,  furniture etc.  It is closely related to covetousness (Exodus 20:17).  The pride of life is literally "arrogant assumption," boasting, the thirst for honour and applause, high titles etc. (Matthew 23:6). The serpent tempted Eve “You will be like God” (3:5).

“She also gave to her husband, and he ate” (3:6). Here we see the first example of  peer pressure. Adam here, was in an unenviable position. Eve was deceived, but Adam was not (1 Tim. 2:14).  If you have ever found yourself in this position you would likely know you can either continue being in with the woman (or whoever),  or you can do what is right and stay in with God. The easiest thing, as we say here in Newfoundland is to 'let her side.' It is not however,  always the wisest thing!

Father, the more I study the Bible, the more I see this that “this book knows me!” It was the cumulative evidence of this that first lead me to believe the Bible is Your Word. It is indeed profitable for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16). And I determine again this morning Lord to hid it in my heart, so that I might not sin against You (Psalm 119:11) in Jesus Name Amen.

The serpent said to the woman “Did God really say,

 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?” .... The woman said  “God has said, 'You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.'”..... He replied  “You will not surely die.  For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:1-4). Neither love nor free will mean anything if the are no options.  And the only thing forbidden was to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. And it was forbidden because “in the day you eat of it you will die” (2:18). God's plan was for Adam and Eve to live forever, but not in a fallen state (3:22, 23).  The day they ate they became dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1). In Adam all die! The good news,  is that all in Christ shall be made alive (1 Corinthians 15:22).

The serpent was not only inviting Eve to doubt and disbelieve what God had said,  he was also insinuating that God was withholding something good! God's one, single rule for Adam and Eve,  was there for provision (eternal life) and protection (from death). God's rules are always there for the very same two reasons! Notice Eve did not get God's Word quite right, touching the fruit was not mentioned (2:18). This side of the fall (3:6),  “my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge, because you have rejected knowledge ....” (Hosea 4:6).

Most people don't like to think of themselves as villains.  If we want to do something,  and God says “no,” we can either doubt that He said it,   asking “Did God really say ...” Either that,  or we can choose to disbelieve what He says. We talk about needing freedom, doubting that God's rules are there for our provision and protection. It's called rationalization! Biblically it's called suppressing the truth in unrighteousness (Romans 1:18).  But God cannot be mocked in this way, we reap what we sow, the one who sins is the slave of sin, and the wages of sin (what we get for what we do)  is still death (Galatians 6:7; John 8:34; Romans 6:23).
 
James gives us insight into temptation, “everyone is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and is enticed” (James 1:14). We will talk about Eve's enticement tomorrow. But drawn away from what?  Well sin separates us first and foremost from God (Isaiah 59:2).  And as here, temptation draws us away from truth, from reality, from relationships with each other and ultimately,  through guilt and shame (2:25),  from the self. The wages of sin is death in multiple areas including emotional, mental,  physical and relational health!

Lord Jesus, Your Word tells us (Malachi 2:5) that Your covenants are there for life and shalom (peace, harmony, wholeness, completeness, prosperity, welfare and tranquility). Under the New Covenant You died in our place substituting Your righteousness for our sin.  And You  died so we would no longer live for ourselves, but for You  who died and was raised to life for us (2 Corinthians 5:21, 15).   The serpent, the Devil,  the thief came to kill steal and destroy, but You came that we might have life in all its fulness (John 10:10).  We get this only by living not by bread alone, but by every Word that comes from Your mouth (Deuteronomy 8:3). Give us grace to live this way Lord,  in Your precious Name Amen

Now the serpent was more cunning

than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said ... (Genesis 3:1). The serpent has many other names, the dragon, Satan, the Devil, and he “deceives the whole world” (Revelation 12:9).  C.S. Lewis writes “There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased with both errors”  (The Screwtape Letters, p. ix).  Be warned!

Our African brethren know well about his power, but it's not a duality as in yin and yang. Satan is a created being (angel) who rebelled (Isaiah 14:13,14).  He will be defeated and cast  into “the everlasting fire prepared for him and his angels” (Matthew 25:41).  What God created was “very good” (Genesis 1:31). He did of course  allow for the possibility of evil. You cannot logically have free will without this possibility,  without it love would be meaningless,  and we would be puppets! Our ability to choose God or not, gives us great dignity and significance. And we are here to choose! I want to be on the Lord's side, the winning side (John 1:12; 3:16; Revelation 20:15; Matthew 25:41).

It's not rocket science “God good, devil bad,” he has an agenda to kill,  steal and destroy (John 10:10a). More cunning than any beast of the field,  he is able to transform himself into an angel of light, and he is the father of lies  (verse 1; 2 Corinthians 11:14; John 8:44). And he speaks (verse 1 again)!

Jesus says of His sheep, His followers,  that we hear His voice (John 10:27).  He is not talking about an audible voice (though He can do that if He wants). No,  He speaks into our thoughts.  His voice can seem very much like our own thoughts, but then so can the serpent's voice. And if you think yourself too sophisticated to believe in the Devil, he has already got you, you have believe his lies! The Devil's voice can come as an impulsive thought to drive the car into a bridge, for example. He often speaks in the first person (I,  me),  placing an obnoxious thought in your mind to do something evil. When we confuse such thoughts and desires with our own, they can lead to self condemnation and self hate. It's crazy making! Again it's not rocket science, if it's about killing,  stealing or destruction, it's the enemy!

Brain research has shown every thought is accompanied by an emotion, and when we obsess on our  thoughts, the emotions and desires are amplified (search Dr. Carolyn Leaf). When we meditate on the good things,  peace and joy follow (Philippians 4:4-9). Many,  thinking the Devil's planted thoughts desires are their own, act out them, and are in essence taken captive to do his will  (2 Timothy 2:26). We need to learn to reject every negative thought,  and to take them captive unto obedience to Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 10:6).

Father, our struggle is not against people (flesh and blood - Ephesians 6:12), but there are people who have been taken captive  to do the Devil's will! We need to pray for them,  and wage war in Your the authority You give (Luke 10:16), and with spiritual weapons,  not the weapons of the world (2 Corinthians 10:4). So I am asking for Your,  love, grace, peace, wisdom,  courage and serenity to do this Your way, in Jesus Name Amen

And they were both naked,

.... the man and his wife, and were not ashamed (Gen. 2:25). Years ago I had an idea for a book that never got written “Thy Kingdom come on earth? You have to be joking!”  The Church has been praying this for two thousand years (Luke 11:1b, 2) and,  well look around! In those days I had a lot of unbelief, but I had one thing right! In order to know what the Kingdom on earth would look like, we have the before the fall picture in Genesis. In  particular the picture of  nakedness here, is not primarily about lack of cloths.  It's about innocence, openness and transparency in relationships. This is the very opposite of hiding in guilt and shame (3:7, 8), the first thing they did after the fall!

It's not safe of course (openness and transparency). And we can clarify our picture by eliminating from it what we know from our  knowledge (experience) of evil (2:9). Starting with blame (3:12) we see the ripple effect that includes jealousy, resentment, bitterness, murder etc.,  all the things Jesus tells us flow out of the unregenerate  heart (Matthew 15:19). And our part in bringing the Kingdom to earth needs to start with it in our close personal relationships. In particular we need to work towards obeying “confessing our faults one to another and praying for one another, in order that we  might be healed” (James 5:16a).

Marriage preparation (while we still think the other is perfect) needs to start with acknowledging what we said yesterday “You're trouble,  and I'm trouble.” If we can get into the habit, of fessing up while still in the honeymoon stage, there's hope for it to continue.  It's going to be harder if we don't start from a position of trust. But if we don't learn to confess our faults, we will inevitably finish up confessing the other person's faults. “You have a zit on your nose!” 'Well,  your whole face is one big zit!' This doesn't bring the healing promised in James.

Speaking of healing, it is not just in individual relationships where it's needed. We need to pray for a domino effect, to reverse the ripple effect mentioned above. We're instructed how to start this in  2 Chronicles 7:14! “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven,  forgive their sin and heal their land.” The first domino stars with both the humbling and the turning implicit in James 5:16. It's humbling, and when we confess, we're less likely to repeat the offence. But the whole thing is impossible without God's help. And that is why we need to pray!

But we also need to operate out of faith. James 5:16b states “The fervent prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”  In order to claim this, we need the righteousness which is from God by faith (Philippians 3:9).  But we also need practical righteousness, that is to be walking in the light (1 John 1:7), and as in Chronicles seeking His face.

Father, please wake up Your church, Your ecclesia, wake me up to our need to do our part in bringing the Kingdom to earth as it is in Heaven. Forgive us Lord for our pride,  our apathy and our divisions. Bring us to the place where we can claim that our prayers are powerful,  so that in faith can we expect You to heal our land in Jesus Name Amen

Therefore a man shall leave his father

.... and mother and cleave (be joined) to his wife, and they shall become one flesh (Genesis 2:24).   “Therefore” connects to verse 23 “She is bone of my bone ....  because she was taken out of man  (verse 23). God formed Eve out of Adam's rib, and the picture being painted here,  is that marriage joins them back together in an indivisible bond (one flesh).  Being made in the image of God,  we are body soul and spirit. And all of us,  at some level,  have violated the ideal being presented here.

God formed the woman from the man, and if we are to follow God's ideal for marriage,  God needs to do the joining, and done His way.  Made in the image of God, we are body, soul and spirit. Unbelievers are dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1), so the spiritual component of the joining of believer with unbeliever is impossible.  It's forbidden for the Christian (2 Corinthians 6:14).  God's perfect plan is that we be joined in body, soul and spirit.  It's counter cultural,  in that the Word sees no connection between sexual, soulish and spiritual intimacy. But sex is better when we do it God's way. After all it was His idea, and He knows how best to do it!

The order leave, cleave, one flesh is important. Leaving is much more than physical. If we don't leave in an emotionally healthy way  (either by not having grown up, or by bitterness), we will not be able to cleave (adhere to each other) well.  It will also diminish the sex. It is said that the relationship you have with the worst of your parents will be the same you have with your spouse,  six months after you get married (Hebrews 15:12). Being joined by God has to do with covenant and community, and in healthy societies community helps in the cleaving when it gets difficult (when not if!). Jordan Peterson comments we need covenant, because “You're trouble and I'm trouble.” It's only through covenant commitment to work through the difficulties,  that marriage can survive.

Corresponding to the three Greek words all translated “love,” in English, there's a trilogy of ways we are instructed to love one another in marriage.  A little over simplistically,  the highest love is agape love.  It's the  unconditional love with which God so loved the World,  that He sent His son at incredible cost to save us. Then there is phileo love (Philadelphia is the city of brotherly – delphos – love). It's affectionate,  friendship love. Finally there is eros.  We get our word erotic from this,  and for our purposes we can think of it as sexual love.  The order leave, cleave, one flesh is important because, for one thing if we engage in eros before we have properly bonded in phileo,  our friendship love will be stunted, and when “the music fades,” we'll have nothing to fall back on

Father, in many things we all fail (James 3:2), and my first thought here is “Lord have mercy upon us.” There is forgiveness, restoration  and healing of course, but this is costly both to You  (the cross) and to us in that we need to work through the issues, and in breaking free from the power and polluting influence of our sin (sanctification).  And there are always issues (Exodus 20:5 again), and we only break free as we continue in, and obey Your Word (John 8: 31, 32). We need Your help and Your mercy in Jesus Name Amen

It is not good that man should be alone

(Genesis 2:18). This section gives a more detailed version of the creation of Adam and Eva on day six (1:27). Adam is made first, and God brings the animals to him to name.  But “for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him.” Then God performs the first operation taking a rib from Adam,  and forming Eve (verses 21, 22). Adam must have seen the male and female animals, and was God wanting to help Adam see his need of Eve?  From Matthew Henry's commentary “woman was made of a rib,  out of the side of Adam; not made out of his head to rule over him, nor out of his feet to be trampled upon by him, but out of his side to be equal with him, under his arm to be protected, and near his heart to be beloved.”

Paul often gets short shrift for what the Lord inspires him to write! But the most controversial of these passages is preceded by the command for mutual submission, the husband submitting to the wife,  and the wife submitting to the husband, both in the fear of God (Ephesians 5:21). And the whole passage is summed up by the admonition for the husband to love the wife,  and the wife to respect her husband (verse  33). It's not that the wife need not love her husband, nor for the husband to respect his wife. But I know from my own life that I feel undermined by lack of respect, and perhaps respect is what a man needs most,  and what women need most is love!

Let's not pretend,  in this fallen world,  that man has lived up to the command to love the woman as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her  (Ephesians 5:25), nor that there's no disrespect for the man. But note in the command there's no requirement for these things be deserved! The spirit of the age deems masculinity to be toxic in and of itself. In a little known verse Paul tells “neither is man independent of woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 11:11).  It's called interdependence, each surrendering what is necessary for the  good of the relationship. “In the Lord,” we're intended to be different!


Clearly there were,  and are,  many changes needing to be made. A hundred years ago women didn't even have the vote! That and  many other changes needed,  and still need,  to be made. But we need to take the plank out of our own eye before we climb on board with this or any other movement for change  (Luke 6:42). Perhaps the biggest plank that needs to be removed,  is the plank of bitterness and resentment, that so often follow inequality and abuse. They don't make for peace,  and when these elements are not removed,  the movements inventively go too far (Hebrews 12:15). Far too often,  the oppressed become the oppressor!

Lord Jesus, I have the sense that if we really saw and understood the picture You paint in Your Word about our relationships, we would run to embrace it.  And our marriages,  and in fact all Christian relationships would be very,  very different. From the Ephesians passage it's clear  Christian marriage is intended to be a living parable of You and the Church. We have failed miserably Lord, I have! We ask Your forgiveness and for grace to move towards doing our part in bringing the Kingdom to earth in these areas in Your precious Name Amen

And the LORD God commanded the man,

.... saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (Genesis 2:16, 17). Every  healthy relationship needs boundaries, limits, places for 'yes' and for  'no.' And eternal life is all about relationship with God (John 17:3). Boundaries help form, shape and protect relationships (I recommend “Boundaries” by Cloud and Townsend). I never let my children call me “Phil,” I'm “Dad!” When they were little there were many more rules, I knew better than them at that point. And God always knows better!  Some see God as a tyrant demanding His way, looking to condemn when we mess up. It's a wrong picture, in fact when we allow Him to define the relationship,  there's no condemnation at all (Romans 8:1).

I love my kids, and though the process was far from perfect, my 'yes' and my 'no' were there for their provision and protection. It's the same with God.  Choices have consequences,  the wages of sin is death, we reap what we sow, bad choices have bad consequences  (Romans 6:23; Galatians 6:7).  God did not give Adam multiple,  difficult to obey rules, He gave him just one easy to obey command,  “don't eat from the  tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” He gave  one 'no,' and many 'yes's (every other tree).  When we come into relationship His way (repent and believe the gospel - Mark 1:15),  and  do things His way (walk in the Spirit  - Galatians 5:16), then there is so much freedom (free indeed - John 8:31, 32, 36).  You wouldn't know it, the way many Christians live!

To me there is none so miserable as a not fully committed Christian. You can't even enjoy your sin!  Just one unsurrendered part is your Achilles' heel!  If they have to operate on you to remove cancer,  how much do you want them to leave? And sin is a cancer! Read on in Genesis to see how it spread its tentacles,  accelerating as it spread.  This is why the disobedience of the single command was so devastating.

In 1 John 5:3 we read “this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. In fact it wasn't burdensome for Adam, but when we come (or came) to Christ we are not (were not) where Adam was. He did not have a lifetime of the consequences of sin to deal with.  He had not yet developed ungodly appetites that demand to be satisfied (John 8:34).  And putting to death  the deeds and the desires of the sinful nature we inherited from Adam (by the Spirit),  is a process (Romans 8:13). It's a struggle, but I;m getting there!

Father, Adam and Eve experienced spiritual death that day and would eventually experience physical death. It was not Your intention that they ever die, but to live forever in a fallen state would be hell.   Your one command was simply asking Adam to bow,  and acknowledge that You and You alone are God. One day every knee will bow,  and every tongue confess that You are Lord (Romans 11:14).  Thank You  Lord that You brought me to the end of myself,  leading me to bow now before I am forced to when  You destroy the last enemy death (1 Corinthians 15:26).  I sense my bowing gives You glory Lord, it's my sincere desire to do so in Jesus Name Amen  

And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground,

and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being (Genesis 2:7).  But who or what is man?  Evolution claims that impersonal undirected, random process account for observed order, complexity and information in all living entities.  But where does this leave man?  “It reduces him to the impersonal plus complexity” (Schaeffer – 'He is there and He not silent').  In this view man has no value,  personality is an illusion,  and love simply  a biological trick to keep us reproducing.  

As to meaning,  purpose and destiny,  many finding themselves at at the top of their game found it to be meaningless. Solomon living for pleasure, had done everything, indulging in every pleasure know to man (he had 700 wives and 300 concubines).  His conclusion is that everything under the sun is "Meaningless! Meaningless!" Everything is utterly meaningless" (Ecclesiastes 1:2).

How we see ourselves is important. If I see myself as a looser, I will operate out of that identity in self fulfilling prophecy, and it will become my reality. In Genesis we see man is lovingly formed from the dust of the ground, and He's given the breath of life from the creator Himself.  From his being asked to name the animals (verse 19), we deduce intelligence,  dignity and  creativity.  Personality, value and relationship with God are also implied.  Our value however, collectively and individually,  is only fully revealed in the outrageously,  extravagant measures that God took to buy us back from the slave market of sin (John 8:34; 1 Corinthians 6:20). The value of something is what someone is willing to pay for it. And we are bought with a price, the precious blood of the  second person of the Trinity (1 Corinthians 7:23).

 As to destiny “He has prepared works in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10). But we'll find neither destiny nor fulfillment if we don't follow what is He tells us is good,  it is “to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God”  (Micah 6:8).  

The “ LORD God”  in verse seven is Yahweh, the Great I AM (Exodus 3:14), the ground and source of being! And to say that we are “living beings”  made in His image (1:27),  is to say that both we and God have all the above attributes.  In our God given identity then we  are personal, valuable,  life has purpose,  meaning and destiny. If  we do not embrace this as our God given primary identity,  will likely grasp something inadequate on which to base our sense of being.   We may identify ourselves with our problem  (I'm an addict),  our abuse (I'm a victim),   our illness, our inadequacy, our  pain, our sexuality,  our gender or any combination of the above. Since we operate out of our identity,  none of this leads to the promised life  in all its fullness (John 10:10b), rather the opposite.

 Father, the song by Godfrey Birtill “Do you believe what I believe  about you?”  envisions You singing to us that You think that we’re amazing.  It's true, You think each and every one of us is the best things since sliced bread! The ultimate tool for  recovery from life's hurts,  habits and hangups Lord,  is to start to embrace our God given identity as a living being created in Your image. It's hard Lord, because the world does not see us this way. Help us to care more about what You think than what the World thinks in Jesus Name Amen

God blessed the seventh day

.... and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made (Genesis 2:3).  Nobody thinks that God needed to rest, and in fact Christ told us that the sabbath (the seventh day) was made for man, not man for the sabbath (Mark 2:27). He was of course responding to the overly legalistic attitude of the Pharisees concerning the commandment to rest on the sabbath day. The reason given for the command,  is that the Lord rested on the seventh day (Exodus 20:11). But why “made for man?” It's not that long ago that many things stopped on Sundays (the Christian sabbath), including stores being closed. It was a family day, a day to slow down and rest, a day to take stock and relax. It established a rhythm that prevented burn out, rhythms of life promote health. There is a time to work, a time to sleep, a time everything (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8). In particular, the sabbath was a times to acknowledge and worship God in a deeper way, and to assess our priorities.

The intensity our busyness,  the frantic pace of our Western way of life speaks of our  need of sabbath rest.  Biblically, there is rest in the here and now,  and rest in eternity.  The two are linked, and both are included in Jesus' invitation to “come unto Me all you who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest .... rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28, 29).  We come to Him to find rest, but paradoxically it's in our returning and rest that we are saved (delivered - Isaiah 30:15b).  It's partnership,  when we do our part,  being diligent to enter His rest (Hebrews 4:11), then He responds by giving us the rest we need.

The book of Hebrews has much to say about rest, about entering in,  and about the things that hinder it.  In particular disobedience and unbelief exclude us entering, and we are to fear least we fall short of entering it (Hebrews 3:18, 19; 4:1). The victorious Christian life is found in operating out of rest, dealing Biblically with our anxious thoughts (Philippians 4:4-8),  and finding strength in quietness and confidence (Isaiah 30:15c).  The reason we need to be diligent to enter His rest, is that it's a battle. The enemy of our souls came to kill,  steal and to destroy (John 10:10a). In particular he wants to kill,  steal and destroy our joy and our peace,  and to prevent us coming to the place of Shalom peace and rest, and in stillness and confidence. Just this morning, in the middle of the night, I had to get up and deal with doubt and anxiety. He has provided many resources to help in this process, and I learned long ago that when I am anxious, I need to sit in His presence and with His help, determine not to let Him go until He blesses me (Genesis 32:26).

Father, the hymn writer speaks of those whose rest it won.  In the meantime Lord,  You have works prepared for us to do (Ephesians 2:10). The one who has entered Your rest has himself also ceased from his works as You did from Yours (Hebrews 4:10). It seems Lord that that we do not enter Your rest until our works,  wrought in trial and suffering are finished. Give is grace,  wisdom,  courage and endurance Lord,  to do these things in the here and now rest You give, and will give Your the glory in Jesus Name Amen

God created adam in His own image;

in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them (Genesis 1:27).

You don’t expect me to believe in Adam and Eve do you? In light of Y chromosome Adam,  and Mitochondrial Eve discussed yesterday, a literal Adam might be easier to defend from science than it was even a short time ago. But there are alway deeper things to learn from a text, and it's easy to miss out on these deeper meanings by either getting caught up in such issues or dismissing the text altogether.  Noticed I wrote adam with a lower case a.  There are no uppercase letters in Biblical Hebrew, and adam is a transliteration of the Hebrew.  The word is variously translated Adam, man,  or mankind. Note from this morning's verse that adam is both singular and plural, and includes both male and female.  I want to affirm that I do believe that God created (bara) adam. Recall that “bara” is reserved in the Bible for God's activity, and that  it connotes something absolutely new that's brought forth. In particular, adam is very different than any other hominoid.  

Here's a question “Is adam (man) basically good, or basically evil? From the internet “For thousands of years, philosophers have debated whether we have a basically good nature that's corrupted by society, or a basically bad nature that's kept in check by society.” I'm often asked “Can't you make the Bible say anything you want?” I'll likely answer  “Yes,  and using the same rules of interpretation you can make the dictionary say the same thing.  And since I realized that,  I have stopped using the dictionary.” You would know it, if it wasn't for spellcheck!  

Case in point (make it say anything), some say “man is good, he is made in the image of God,  and He looked on man and saw that what He had made was not only good, it was very good” (Genesis 1:31). Others say no man is evil, when he fell (Genesis 3)  he inherited a sin nature. Out of this last view flowed the doctrine of the total depravity of man  (Romans 7:18). A sound interpretation however demands we hold disparate things like this together in tension. A balanced Biblical view then would say adam is made in the image of God and therefore she is capable of great good, but he is also fallen, and therefore capable of great evil.  The Bible,  correctly interpreted,  is true!

Without in any way minimizing the pain and  angst of those suffering from gender dysphoria,  I want to say that  both the Bible and biological science affirm that there are two,  and only two genders,  male and female. The social “sciences” may disagree, but the biology is clear! I suspect that if the dictates of political correctness were more tolerant, we would hear more about gender sex change  regret (Search “Walt Heyer sex change regret” for example).  Bear in mind the Scripture tells us that truth is suppressed in unrighteousness (Romans 1:8), and the saying seems to be true, that if you don’t believe truth,  you will believe anything!

Father, it takes courage to stand against the tyranny of political correctness.  As part of Your church I confess that we have hidden our light under a basket (Luke 11:33). So I'm asking You this morning Lord to forgive us,  and to give us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, the courage to change the things we can,  and the wisdom to know the difference in Jesus Name Amen

Y-chromosomal Adam, Mitochondrial Eve

Y-chromosomal Adam is the name given by researchers to the man who is the patrilineal (male- lineage) most recent common ancestor for all living humans. Mitochondrial Eve is the female counterpart.  Male Y-DNA is transmitted through the male,  and is the DNA used in paternity suits to determine fatherhood.   A friend of mine once commented that coincidences are little miracles for which God gets no credit. Whether true or not, in these posts I have been chronicling things in science that fit well with the Genesis record.  You can make up your own mind about these things.  This morning we are moving towards “God created Adam....” (Genesis 1:27), but  I felt the science was worth mentioning. One of the puzzling things about Y-chromosomal Adam and  Mitochondrial Eve, is that she is said to be (in terms of human lifetime) very much older than Y-chromosomal Adam (millions of years). No one is saying she lived that long!

Without going into the details of reproduction, you have to realize that the only way that this could occur, is if all but one line of the males survived some sort of disaster, while at the same time a number of different female lines survived.  The Genesis flood story, if true, would be such a disaster. In particular we read “So Noah, with his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives, went into the ark because of the waters of the flood” (Genesis  7:7).  And “On the very same day Noah and Noah’s sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and Noah’s wife and the three wives of his sons with them, entered the ark,” and the Lord shut them in (verses 13, 16).  The flood came,   “the waters increased and lifted up the ark, and it rose high above the earth, ”  and “all flesh died that moved on the earth” (verses 17, 21).  

As I say, you are free to make up your mind about these things. In his book “Quarks,  Chaos and  Christianity,” physicist-turned-theologian John Polkinghorne comments  “a big fundamental question, like belief in God (or disbelief), is not settled by a single argument. It’s too complicated for that. What you would have to do is consider lots of different issues,  and see whether or not the answers one gets add up to a total picture that makes sense.” Lee Strobel (The Case for a Creator) in chronicling his own journey from atheist to believer comments “when I opened my mind to the possibility of an  explanation beyond naturalism, I found the design hypothesis most clearly accounted for the evidence of science. The ‘explanatory  power’ of the design hypothesis outstripped every other theory. ” These books are likely to prove useful for an open-minded search for God. As with these men Francis Schaeffer comments “Ultimately belief is a leap of faith, but it does not have to be blind.”  Most people however don't realize that atheism is also a leap of faith, but in spite of their denials, it surely is!

Father, it was and is important to me to know that I have not believed cunningly devised fables (2 Peter 1:16). Though I find You only when I search for You with all my heart (Jeremiah 29:13), nevertheless the mind matters (Mark 12:30). I like to add to  Schaeffer's  words. Yes it is a leap of faith, but having leapt I was not left forever wondering if what I had believe is true. Your Spirit witnesses to my spirit that I am a child of God (Romans 8:16), and for this and many other things, I give You thanks and praise in Jesus Name Amen

Days 5, 6: And God said, “Let the waters abound

... with an abundance of living creatures, and birds fly above the earth across the face of  the heavens.” So God created ...  (Genesis 1:20, 21). This is only the second time the word “bara” (create) is used, with its  emphasis that something absolutely new that is brought forth. The word Genesis of course means beginning, or origins.  Science,  with its primary methodology of repeatable experiments, is not well equipped to study the origins those things   the Bible classifies as created. But in any case,  evolution (change over time) cannot say anything about the origin of what is changing. The descriptions science uses (note they are descriptions, not explanations) are interesting. I am thinking, for example, of the big bang, and the Cambrian explosion, but there are many more sudden beginnings. The Cambrian explosion is the relatively short time when most of the major groups of animals first appear in the fossil record. Another description that is not an explanation is  “punctuated equilibrium.” It is (internet) the “theory that proposes that once a species appears in the fossil record, it show little evolutionary change. Again the cause of the appearance is not addressed.

Excluding humans there are three other kinds of animals mentioned on days five and six.  They are  “sheres,” “nephesh (living creatures) and “op.” Here Sheres  refers to swarms of small minute animals, they later they refer to small animals that are neither birds nor mammals.  Interestingly Ross comments  “water dwelling’s ferries  require the visibility of the heavenly bodies to regulate their biological clocks” (The Genesis Question p47). The nephesh (living creatures) are both land and sea creatures (verses 20, 24), and are “soulish,”  capable of expressing emotions,  will and self-awareness. “They are  creatures uniquely capable of  forming relationships with human beings. As such they can be influenced for either good or evil” (ibid p. 49). A dog treated kindly can be affectionate,   some can  be trained to kill.  Leaving aside the op creatures, we note  that the list is not exhaustive.  Ross comments “the focus seems to be narrowed to the most important preparations for the introduction of mankind” (ibid p 47).

As is my habit I asked the Lord for application, and  heard the word “responsibility.”  I will likely say more when we come to the subject of stewardship in Genesis 2:15, but responsibility is a word this generation seems to need to hear.  Since from our reading we are learning that we live in a universe that God created, rather than one that came about by random undirected chance, we know instinctively that we have responsibility. And since we have influence over creation, and over the nephesh creatures in particular,
it seems a good place to start to talk about this.  And while I think that animal activist go too far at times, I do think they have a point.

Father, Your Word make is very clear that there is coming a day when we will be held accountable for what we have done, and even for every idle word  (i.e 2 Corinthians 5:10; Mathew 12:26). For those who are coming to the Bible for the first time with these posts, there is much to learn about Your Mercy,  salvation and justice. Taking responsibility however, is the first step towards the repentance that leads to salvation (2 Corinthians 7:10) and Your unconditional acceptance (Romans 8:1). So draw us all this morning Lord,  into Your incredible, healing,  unconditional love (Romans 5:8, 9). And we will give Your the glory in Jesus Name Amen.

Day 4: Then God said, “Let there be lights

... in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years (Genesis 1:14 NKJV).  On day one light penetrated for the first time (verse 3). This gave enough light for photosynthesis  to take place on the plants that arrived on day 3. Photosynthesis,  is the process by which light energy is transformed into chemical energy. In addition to dividing day and night given in verse four, a further reasons for lights in the heavens is given, namely that the are for  “signs and seasons, and for days and years.”  These things would be useful to the coming birds and humanity for such things as navigation, and  to regulate biological clocks of other species that would appear on days five and six.

Some are puzzled,  and scoffers have a field day,  with the fact that it is only on day four we read  that “God made” the sun,  moon and stars (verse 16).  But the strange Hebrew tense of the verb “made” implies completed action as in “had made.”  In other words they are already made. In addition, the “then” of verses 14 and 16 in the NKJV is missing from the Hebrew. It is also interesting that the Hebrew word bara (to create) is not used here. In fact this word is only used in Bible as something God does.  The emphasis with bara, is that something new is brought into being that did not exist before.  On the other hand the use of asa (made) implies God had a hand in it, but does not exclude it being part of the process He set in motion on day one. This is not inconsistent with the current view of science.

I mentioned  Stephen Myer in last days post.  Myer helped found the  Discovery Institute which,  according to the internet,  “advocates the pseudoscientific concept of intelligent design.” Don't believe everything you read on the internet!  It's deemed pseudoscientific, because it doesn't exclude the possibility of the universe being designed. They do not mention God! Intelligent design is excluded,  not because science has disproved it, but rather as a prior pre-supposition. But the important point about the Discovery Institute, is that it looks for evidence of design rather than assuming it.  It's an important distinction. I have mentioned Hugh Ross and Dr. Morris in these posts. Ross is part of “Reasons to believe,” and Morris is part of “Creation institute.”   Both organizations speak much about the Bible. The Discovery Institute does not speak about it at all. I am confident that Discovery Institute would agree with my assessment that rejection of the “god hypothesis” out of hand and without evidence, is in and of itself, profoundly unscientific.  

We need to realize that earth is the battleground between the forces of good and evil.  At the forefront of this battle, is the battle for the mind. In the end, the battle is spiritual, for our struggle is not ultimately against people against flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12). The enemy uses people of course, and the primary tactic is insult, ridicule and for the most part a refusal to debate.

Father,  we are be ready to give an answer of the hope within us with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15). As part of this help us to be informed in mind  (2 Timothy 2:15),  and to be being transformed  in character (2 Corinthians 3:18).  And I ask this morning for help in both areas,  in Jesus Name Amen

Day 3: Then God said, “Let the waters under the heavens

.... be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear....  Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed. Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees that bear fruit whose seed is in itself .... And God saw that it was good.”(Genesis 1:9, 11).  We continue observing how well so much of the Genesis creation story fits with what is currently know in science. There are many more illuminating details in the references! From the internet “Chemical signatures in the ancient ocean crust point to a planet without continents” ( see 'the deep' 1:1).  Ross (The Genesis Question p. 27) writes “Theory and observation confirm that  .....  islands and continents arise gradually as a result of  volcanic activity and plate tectonics (movement large crustal sections relative to one another).   From the internet  “About 300 million years ago, Earth didn't have seven continents, but instead one massive supercontinent called Pangaea, which was surrounded by a single ocean (one place verse 11).”  

Among other explanations of our current globe,  is the theory of continental drift.  There is a fascinating verse that says “in his days the earth was divided” (Genesis 10:25). But to continue, the newly formed land then brings forth vegetation. As so often English translations of the Hebrew  fail to capture the richness of meaning.  The meaning of the text could include any plant species that ever existed and certainly includes “the relatively primitive plant species scientists have identified as the first land  vegetation” (Ross p. 39). The text does not say all land vegetation appeared at this time, but in any case as Schaeffer points out in “Genesis in Space and time” there's no claim that the Bible gives complete knowledge, only that what it gives is true!


The phrase “whose seed is in itself”  is significant. Not only does life appear at this point, it is  self propagating life.  This to me is the second of several radical discontinuities that proceed to the pinnacle,  the existence of human life. No matter where you stand with respect to evolution, the basis principle of change over time nowhere explains these radical discontinuities. So far we have something out of nothing, and here not just life, but self propagating life out of non-life. Science has not even begun to explain these things. And I am not at all sure it ever will.  In terms of this second discontinuity, the cell that makes up the building blocks of life are turning out to be far more complicated that was first supposed. I would recommend “Signature in the Cell: DNA and the Evidence for Intelligent Design” by Stephen Myer.


Concerning the phrase “And God saw that it was good,” we have from Pool's commentary “This clause is so often added, to show that all the disorders, evil, and hurtful qualities that are now in the creatures, are not to be imputed to God, who made all of them good, but to man’s sin, which has corrupted their nature and perverted their use” (Genesis 3:17, 18).

Father, before I knew you I  uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me  (Job 42:3). But today I see that great and marvellous are your works,  and your ways are past finding out. It is Your glory Lord to conceal a matter,  but our glory to suss it out (Proverb 25:2). Help us Lord to love You with all of our minds in this way (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV)  in Jesus Name Amen

Day 2: Then God said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters,

and let it divide the waters from the waters.” Thus God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament; and it was so.... So the evening and the morning were the second day (Genesis 1:6-8). Smith's Bible Dictionary says of the word firmament, means expanse and does not convey the sense of solidity, (as some have read into the word)  but of stretching; the great arch of expanse over our heads, in which are placed the atmosphere and the clouds, and in which the stars appear to be placed and are seen.  But actually they will not be seen until day 4 (verse 14).  The waters that are above are water vapour and clouds, but recall from day 1 that at this stage the atmosphere is not yet transparent. And perhaps until day 2,  like a deep impenetrable fog without separation from the water below.

Hugh Ross (The Genesis Question) comments that day and night were necessary so that life would not face a single unrelenting temperature.  Also no less necessary is a modulated water cycle of condensation and precipitation.  This would need to be maintained withing certain boundaries in spite of all the changes in the evolution of the earth and the known increase in the sun's luminosity.  We hear much in certain quarters about the greenhouse effect.  Carbon dioxide and water vapour work like a car's window trapping heat. Earth's early atmosphere contained more of these things than our current atmosphere,  and it needed  plants (day 3) to extract carbon dioxide ad evaporation to produce oxegen.   Earth' gravitational pull is not strong enough to hold all the necessary atmospheric water indefinitely. Balance is maintained by water-rich comets of various sizes raining down on the earth. This miraculous fine tuning is one of a myriad necessary for life to exist.   


Just as physical water is essential for physical life, so spiritual water is essential for the abundant life. Spiritual water comes in two varieties living water, and still water. Living water is water that flows. On the last great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:37, 38). Jesus offered living waters to the woman at the well.  When we are beat up by the happenstances of life, whether our fault or not, we need the living water of the Holy Spirit to bring us out of that death into life (John 4:10; 7:39; 5:24).  But we also need to still waters that refresh and restore our souls, and bring peace and spiritual rest (Psalm 23:2, 3; Matthew 11:29). These waters  fortify us to go without fear through the valleys of the various deaths we experience in life (Psalm 23:4).

Father, thank You that You have promised to never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).   You will never be to us like a deceitful brook, as waters that fail,  promising sustained sustenance but drying up in the difficult times  (Jeremiah 15:18; Isaiah 58:11).  You never promised there would not be difficult times.  Thank You Lord that did promise times of refreshing, but only after we have repented and been converted (Acts 3:19). So then we come to You again this morning Lord,  to drink freely of the waters of life in Jesus Name Amen

Day 1: Then God said, “Let there be light”;

....  and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness.  God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night (Genesis 1:3-5).  From verse 2 the earth  as we now know it, was without form and empty,  and darkness was on the face of the deep. The command for light to penetrate the darkness is not a creation command. Light was created at the beginning (verse 1). It had just not penetrated to earth. It seems from verses 14 to 18 that the sun and the moon were not yet visible from the surface of the earth. In other words at the command the atmosphere changed from opaque (not able to be seen through) to translucent (allowing light, but not detailed shapes, to be seen).  There was  now enough light however,  to distinguish between what we and God call day and night (verse 4)!

 I am told that understanding the present atmosphere of the earth is something of a challenge.  In comparison with other solar systems, it seems that the earth should have a thicker atmosphere than Venus.  Scientist think there was a collision  with the earth of something as large,  or larger,  than mars.  This,   they think,  impacted the earth ripping away its original atmosphere and producing  a thinner one, one that allowed light to penetrate to the surface for the first time (verse 3). From a study of the moon rocks we know the moon is  younger than the earth. The  moon was eventually formed from the debris flung into space,  gravity eventually pulling it into the ball we now see.  This and much more is collected together in Hugh Ross' “The Genesis question.” Ross is a Canadian Astrophysicist, Christian apologist, and old Earth creationist.

It seems to me that every created thing has a spiritual analogy. The analogy of good and evil and light and darkness is brought out in  Isaiah who warns “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness (Isaiah 5:20).  The child born,  the Son given came to those who walked in great spiritual darkness (Isaiah 9:2, 6).  The Lord promises that if we extend our soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul, then our light shall dawn in the darkness, and our darkness shall be as the noonday (Isaiah  58:10).  He also promises that  when I sit in darkness, He will be a light to me (Mica 7:8). He leads me and guides me by the light of His Word, it is a lamp unto my feet  (Psalm 119:105).  Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12), and in His light I find light (Psalm 46:9).  I like what C.S. Lewis wrote “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen; not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”

Lord, I once was blind,  but You brought me into Your glorious light,  and now I see. I knew You as a child Lord, but because I neither glorified You as God nor was thankful, my foolish heart was darkened. I suppressed the truth in unrighteousness exchanging it for a lie (Romans 1:18-21). You used the pain of my darkness Lord to cause  me to be become  open to Your light. For that I  praise and thank You. Give me grace Lord  to continue to walk in the light as You are in the light in Jesus Name Amen  

Doubtful disputes and Genesis 1

There is little doubt that Genesis  is a stumbling block to the faith of many.  How do we reconcile it with what is currently known in science, but which may change tomorrow? I said earlier that we have arrived neither in Science nor in our understanding of the Bible. Some have tried to say the literary genre of Genesis is the same as that of non Hebrew creation myths, and should therefore be regarded as such. literary genre  refers to the type of literature, novel, poetry, history, letter etc. Understanding the literary genre of a piece often gives clues as to how to understand it. But Genesis refuses to be classified in any other way than unique, and to my way of thinking needs to be treated as such. There are many things we don't know, many things we don't understand (1 Corinthians 8:2;2 Peter 3:16). Nevertheless if we are to love God with all our mind, we need eventually, one way or the other,  to come to terms with this chapter .

Some have seen evolution in the progress in it of non- life to vegetation, to the lower forms of animals to conscious animals, and finally to mankind. Some accepting parts of evolution essentially saying whatever is true in evolution is how God did it. Others vehemently deny any form of evolution is true. Some disputes revolve around the meaning of the Hebrew word “yom” translated “day” in most Bibles. The Hebrew lexicon shows something of the complexity of this word,  and its literal meanings include a period of twenty four hours,  many other periods including the unspecified (as in the English 'my father's day), as well as a long time. The dispute therefore resolves itself into the twenty for hour day camp, and the day is an age camp. I also warned earlier of our tendency to equate our interpretation of the Word with the Word itself, and there are many disputes even (perhaps especially) among those who take Scripture seriously.

Discussions can be helpful, arguments not so much, and the Bible warns against engaging in Doubtful disputes, particularly about words (Romans 14:1; 1 Timothy 6:4). These same scripture warn of the danger of disputes coming out of pride, or of either judging or despising “your brother,”  seeing him as a zero. Such disputes too easily result in “envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions.” Paul suggests that “each should be fully convinced in his own mind.”   We  should however, meet people where they are, especially unbelievers. It took me a long time to come to my own opinion on these things, and it seems to me to be wrong to insist others quickly accept my position.  There is a tendency to dismiss everything  another camp says,  dismissing everything if we disagree on one point. But I have learned a great deal from those with whom I disagree. We are to test all things, and  I have learnt to chew the meat (the good stuff) and throw away the bones.  

Father, please give us the humility to admit it when we don't know, or are not sure. Help us to resist the urge and the pressure to have an answer for every question. Scientist admit it when they don't know and so should we. When we give pat and shallow answers to complex question we do not come across as real. Give us listing respectful ears Lord, remind us to test all things and hold fast to what it true in Jesus Name Amen

And God said ... and it was so – Entrainment

I learned recently that  sound can produce order out of chaos. Ernst Chladni conducted experiments using a metal plate as a kind of sounding board (speaker). He sprinkled sand randomly over the surface and found intricate geometric patterns emerging as he played notes of various frequencies (search  Chladni plates on Youtube). In not so much an explanation as an imagination  of our text (Genesis 1:9ff) Dan McCollom imagines the scattered sand as the nuclear particles created in Genesis 1:1,  and the sound as Jesus' voice calling creation into order (God vibrations p 26), “and it was so.”  Einstein explained that everything in the universe is in a continuous state of vibratory motion, and every object has a frequency. The earth for example vibrates at 6 to 10 times a second. I want to briefly discuss the concepts of resonance and entrainment,  and use them as a parable of prayer.

Resonance is the increase in amplitude when two or more sources of the same frequency come together. A child pumping a swing in sync with it frequency produces  resonance (swinging it higher). Entrainment in physics, is the process whereby two interacting oscillating systems assume the same period. Resonance and entrainment are working together when an opera singer singings a note close to the natural frequency of a wine glass shattering it.  One explanation of the Tacoma suspension bridge  disaster (search  Youtube), is that a high sustained wind, “plucking” the suspension wires with a frequency that came into entrainment with the natural frequency of the bridge. And it produces unsustainable resonance (amplitude) of the vibrations. It is possible that God used resonance and entrainment in causing the walls of Jericho to come down as the Israeli army marched round it for seven days (Joshua 6). Of course God being God,  could also have suspended the natural laws of physics to do it!

We don't call it  resonance and entrainment, but analogous spiritual laws seem to be operational in prayer. In terms of resonance we read “if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven” (Matthew 18:19). In terms of  entrainment we read that if we ask anything according to His will (entrainment with Him), He hears us. And ....  we have the petitions that we have asked of Him (1 John 5:14, 15). Asking in agreement for things we know are in His will (unity is His will for example) is very powerful.  Unity is recovered in iron sharpening iron as we confess our sins one to another (Proverbs 27:17; James 5:16). The two things together bring us to the foot of cross. And there at the foot of the cross there is healing in the openness and the  transparency.  And there the last part of the James reference applies “the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”


Father, surely true unity is entrainment of heart, mind and soul with You and each other. Its part of bringing the Kingdom back to earth. There are so many things we need to pray for Lord, and we don't have because we don't ask, of if we do it's with wrong motives (James 4:2,3). Forgive us Lord and bring us into entrainment with each other, so that in the power of agreement (resonance) our prayers will become increasingly powerful. Such power demolishes strongholds. Motivate and move us to do this Lord, do not  leave us as we are. We ask in Jesus Name Amen

In the beginning God created ...

.... the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Then God said, 'Let there be light'; and there was light (Genesis 1:1-3).  According to the Hebrew lexicon “hovering” could also be translated shake, flutter or move.  Dr. Morris, a scientist and Christian comments “In modern terminology the best translation would probably be 'vibrated.'” He says “Waves are typically rapid back and forth movements and then are normally produced by the vibrationary motion of a wave generator of some kind. Energy cannot create itself .... If the universe is to be energized, there must be an Energizer. It is most appropriate that the first impartation of energy to the universe is describes as the 'vibrating' movement of the Spirit of God Himself” (The Genesis Record pp 56-57).  

Dan Mccollam sees the Trinity in this morning's three verses. But first, I am told that in order for matter to exist,  you need nuclear forces, gravitational forces and electromagnetic forces.  Mccollam says “The Father created all the nuclear forces from the invisible realm that would be used to make the heavens and the earth (verse 1), but their structure is still described 'without form and void' (verse 2). These atomic particles make up the nuclear forces – the physical structure of building blocks for all that would be created.”   So  “God the Father makes all the atomic particles. Then God the Holy Spirit energizes created matter with vibratory motions such as gravity waves sound, light  and the other electromagnetic waves. The Holy Spirit generates the gravitational forces that allow physical matter to hold together along with sound waves so that  the voice of the Lord could be spoken (verse 3) over creation” (God vibrations study guide pp 21, 22).

Jesus, the third person of the Trinity,  is of course called the Word (John 1:1, 14).  And we read in Colossians 1:16 “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth.” It is not much of a stretch therefore to think of the Word (Jesus) as the one who spoke in Genesis 1:3 and later.  I don't pretend to fully understand all of this, or that it all comes directly from of the text (exegesis). And as I have said we have arrived neither in science nor our understanding of the Bible. But what is remarkable to me,  is that if you compare Genesis 1 with the creation myths of other ancient cultures, that none of the above echos of science even begins to fit,   as this mornings text does, with those texts! And the fact that it does fit, speaks to me loudly of God's inspiration of Scripture.

Holy Spirit, Your Word tells me that all Scripture is inspired by You (2 Timothy 3:16).  The word translated 'inspired' is interesting Lord. In the Greek it is a combination two words Theos and pneustos. The first is God, the second can mean breath or,  spirit or wind. One translation has it as God – breathed, but God- Spirited also works. Holy Spirit You both inspired the Word, and You illuminate it  – teaching us all things (John 14:26). Your Word is so rich and there is so much to know. Help us Lord to be diligent to study it, and to rightly discern it,  so that we may be approved unto the Father  (2 Timothy 2:15) in Jesus Name Amen

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth

The word bârâ, “He created,”  is used in the Bible only in connection with the activity of God. Also “the heaven and the earth” can only mean all that exists, matter, space and time, so that God created out   of nothing (Genesis 1:1).  My observation of Science is that it is often two steps forward one back. in successive approximations to the truth. It might eventually reach it, but it just might take a long time!  Part of the problem is that we are all biased,  and we all operate out of out world view,  our basis pre-suppositions. They may or may not be correct! Most, but certainly not all,  scientist dismisses the possibility of the god hypothesis, which makes sense except when it comes to origins,  and to creation in particular. Those who write God out of the equation call any science that does not  “pseudo science.” But its out of hand dismissal at creation is,  in and of itself,  profoundly unscientific!

Big Bang theory is the latest approximation to the origin of the universe, and is widely accepted. I quote “Today, the consensus among scientists, astronomers and cosmologists is that the Universe as we know it was created in a massive explosion that not only created the majority of matter, but the physical laws that govern our ever-expanding cosmos. The Big Bang hypothesis states that all  current and past matter in the Universe came into existence at the same time, roughly 13.8 billion years ago. At that time, all matter was compacted into a very small ball with infinite density and intense heat called a Singularity. The Singularity suddenly began expanding, and the universe as we know it began.”

It should be noted, that this is a description of what is believed to have taken place, not an explanation of how or why it did. Nothing is said about how the Singularity came into being, nor about the cause of the “suddenly began expanding” effect.  When challenged about such things those who dismiss the god hypothesis say something like “We don't know, but we will eventually!” Such a statement is a faith statement based on their belief, their faith, their assumptions of what Francis Schaeffer called modern modern science. Modern science, as opposed to modern modern science, was started by the church, as were the universities. The church believed that the creation was ordered and so it made sense to study it systematically. It would not have made sense if everything that is came out of random unordered chaos. The then basic scientific assumption of cause and effect in a limited system, open to reordering by God and man was birthed. This was deemed to be non-neutral at the so called enlightenment, and this is true. It was replaced by the assumption of cause and effect in a closed system. In other words as an unprovable assumption it was believed nothing outside of the system (the observable universe) either had,  or has any effect on it. This lead very naturally to the false  steady state hypothesis (see January 1). This by the way is also very far from neutral, and so when people say that science has disproved God they are actually making an invalid circular argument based on writing God out of the equation.

Father, we are all biased, we all have pre-suppositions,  and they are often hidden. Help us to be willing Lord to examine them, for it is only the truth that sets us free in Jesus Name Amen

In the beginning God - Elohim

The Bible is God's revelation of Himself to Adam (mankind), and of necessity speaks in terms man can understand. We live in space and time and tend to see things in these terms. As already mentioned Science has somewhat reluctantly come to the conclusion there was a beginning. And inquiring minds want to know what came before.  The phrase  “In the beginning God” has the implication that in the beginning God already was. In case you think I am reading too much into this,  we need to realize that revelation is often progressive. Speaking later, the Greek of John 1:1 allows for the following translation “In the beginning the Word already was, and the Word was already with God, and the Word already was  God.” The Word of course is Jesus, so of course Jesus is God. He is also the Lamb of God,  and was slain “before the foundation of the world” (John 1:29; Revelation 13:8). From such scriptures we conclude that God lives outside of space and time.

Skeptics thinking to undermine faith ask “If God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1), who made God?” The answer of course it that nobody made God, God always was. But where do we get this from?  The shadowy figure of the priest Melchizedek provides the answer. He is called the King of Salem, and we read about him first in Genesis 14:18. The writer to the Hebrews tells that his name means King of righteousness,  and King of peace;  that his priesthood is a picture of Jesus'  priesthood,  and  that He is “without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life,” (Hebrews 7:1-3).  All this of course speaks of Trinity, but we're not going there this morning, except to say from this that He (they) are eternal.

Twelve step programs speak of “God as we understand him” (step 3).   Certainly nobody fully understands God, for if we fully understood God we would be Him! But if He exists, and I believe He does, I need to let Him be who He is, not as I might want Him to be. And since revelation is progressive, my understanding of Him needs to progress as I grow in Him. The Names of God are a fascinating study, for in Hebrew thought names reveal who the person is. In the first of the revelations of His many names He is called Elohim here in Genesis 1:1.  Interestingly Elohim is plural, and can refer to any so called god or gods. Wikipedia says “despite the -im ending common to many plural nouns in Hebrew, the word Elohim when referring to God is grammatically singular, and takes a singular verb in the Hebrew Bible.” In the ten commandments “Elohim spoke saying I am Yhwh .... you shall have no other elohim before me” (Exodus 20:1, 2).  

Father, I most often address You this way, because I have needed Your Fatherhood the most. Even as a Christian I was such an orphan for such a long time,  and operated dysfunctionally out of an orphan spirit. Thank You Your Spirit now testifies to my spirit that I am Your child. Forgive me Lord when I  made You in the image of what I would like You to be. You are far more wonderful than I could think or imagine,  and I ask You to continue to fascinate me with Yourself, and to draw me ever deeper into Your extravagant healing love. I give You glory in Jesus Name Amen