We’re off!
And we’re off! The Bible in a Year Adventure begins! And with Genesis we most definitely begin at the beginning. In these early chapters of Genesis we learn about the nature of the world in which we live (as originally made it is good, and ordered – not chaotic) and our status within it. We learn about the nature of sin and its rapidly spreading effects. And most importantly we learn of the creator God who gives us both our existence and our purpose.
In the light of 2009’s celebrations of Charles Darwin we may have all sorts of questions about how Genesis does or doesn’t square with current scientific theories. Gordon Wenham, in his commentary on Genesis warns against trying to bring a Twenty First Century agenda to an ancient text. He writes: ‘Though historical and scientific questions may be uppermost in our minds as we approach the text, it is doubtful whether they were in the writer’s mind, and we should therefore be cautious about looking for answers to questions he was not concerned with. Genesis is primarily about God’s character and his purposes for sinful mankind. Let us beware of allowing our interests to divert us from the central thrust of the book, so that we miss what the LORD, our creator and redeemer, is saying to us.’ (Word Biblical Commentary on Genesis 1 – 15, p. liii)
As we read the early chapters of Genesis notice what sin does to relationships – within human society and between humans and God.
Reading the first chapters of Matthew may feel a bit like Christmas all over again. The genealogy at the start is a reminder that the birth of Jesus is not the beginning of the story. Luke goes back to Adam in his gospel, and John goes right back to creation, but Matthew’s concern is to locate Jesus’ place within the families of Abraham and David. Both of these two key figures from the Old Testament were on the receiving end of covenant promises from God. God promised Abraham that he would be the father of a great nation and that all peoples would be blessed through him (we’ll be reading about that soon in Genesis 12). God promised David that his royal family line would last forever (see 2 Samuel 7). Jesus is the fulfilment of these and many other promises in the Old Testament.
In fact, fulfilment is a major theme throughout Matthew’s gospel. Notice how often he pauses to tell us how Old Testament prophecies are fulfilled in the life of Jesus. While you’re at it, spot the link between Psalm 2:7 and Matthew 3:17 when it comes.
Psalm 1 is a great encouragement at the start of this Bible adventure. May we be people who this year learn to delight in God’s law and meditate on it day and night.
My plan from here on is to be posting blogs each Sunday with some thoughts about the upcoming week’s readings. Do leave a comment if you have the time and inclination and we’ll see if we can get a bit of a community conversation going.
