Genesis 1-11 | God at Work
Notes
Transcript
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
Start of the new years means we turn all the way back to Genesis 1 and start to trace out a new theme of Biblical Theology.
†BIB THEO: Follows the development of core concepts in the Story of Scripture, primarily in themes.
These themes are interwoven throughout the various books of the Bible and they all lead to Jesus
There are about 20 primary themes.
They start on page one, and end on the final pages of Scripture.
They grow and develop, take on new nuances that help us see Jesus more clearly.
WHY WE DO THIS
“I cannot believe how interconnected the Bible is. Jesus clearly is the focus, and I can better see that as I read my Bible.”
“I’m not only eager to read my Bible more. I want to read the difficult things (Old Testament Prophets), and I understand better what’s going on and how it points to Jesus.”
WE WANT YOU TO BE BIBLICALLY LITERATE - Which entails not just knowing a single passage of Scripture, but being equipped with the skillset to understand all the passages of Scripture.
So we’re going to zero in on a single theme, start in Genesis, and by the end of the year close out the book of Revelation.
And the theme for this year...
†WORK & REST
†WORK & REST
We get the concepts of work and rest, within our own lives, messed up.
We have tendencies to BOTH overwork AND underwork
We can FAIL to rest AND we over-rest
We cut short the purpose of WORK, AND the purpose of REST
ULTIMATELY we aim to serve ourselves above all else while we work AND while we rest
Our dissatisfaction in life is often connected to one of those breakdowns… and we’re going to spend our entire lives working and resting...
If we’re going to spend our entire lives working or resting, wouldn’t it be awesome to have a Biblical Theology of Work and Rest!?
This theme probably holds the most practical application to the ones we have been studying.
WHAT IS THE BIBLE GOING TO SHOW US ABOUT WORK AND REST?
†1. Work is a good thing & Rest is a good thing.
One does not have more utility than the other, one did not come after the Fall. Both are present in the Garden of Eden.
†2. Work and rest are more a united whole (two sides to the same coin), than two separate subjects.
Work has been designed to be restful.
†3. Work and rest are about enjoying God’s glory in the world.
They have a purpose BEYOND us WHILE it STILL SERVES US.
†4. Fulfilling work and rest are accessible in Jesus NOW, and will be lived in for eternity.
Spoiler alert… you’ll not just be working for the rest of your human life. Everlasting life in Jesus includes working for eternity…
And if that freaks you out it’s probably because the concepts of work you’re working with are skewed.
Some of these points we’re going to see displayed for us in the opening pages of Genesis!
WHAT DO I HOPE WE GAIN BECAUSE OF THIS?
1. Have a passion for work and rest
2. See a purpose in our work and rest (something that lasts even when work and rest don’t work quite like they should)
3. Be healthier
†TITLE: Genesis 1-11 | God at Work
†TITLE: Genesis 1-11 | God at Work
Our goal today is focus a lot on Genesis 1-3, seeing how this theme is first established, and then blitzing our way through chapter 11
Genesis 1-11 are really like the first major story arc in your Bible.
Certainly there are individual major moments (Eden = 1-3 / Cain & Able = 4 / Noah & The Flood). But it’s these individual plot points tied together in chapters 1-11 that give us our guide to read the rest of the Bible.
†Eden Initiative Genesis 1-2
†Eden Initiative Genesis 1-2
†1. God is the first worker (1:1)
… I’m not going to read through the entire creation account
There has been much study comparing the Biblical creation account to the creation account of Babylon and other civilizations in the Ancient Near East.
As we compare them we see many similarities and several STARK contrasts. One that must be highlighted is HOW God creates and WHY God creates.
In other ancient creation accounts, creation is the result of epic battles between rival gods, and humanity is created to be slave labor for those gods.
What you see in Genesis is:
A) God has no rivals. He is unmatched and he forms creation out of artistic beauty, not bloody battle.
B) Humans are elevated in their dignity and purpose. They weren’t created to be slave labor.
EXILE / TEMPLE
The first work of God is to bring creation out of Exile. To establish his presence within creation. There is a generous purpose to this!
†2. Humans are the first coworkers (1:26-27)
Made in the image of God, with reason and morality and intellect and capacity, humans have been designed to rule the earth.
And the design of that rule is cooperative between God and man, and cooperative between humans (Male & Female)
Gen. 2:18-23 “Essential Other” / “Other Half” / App: Marriage & Singleness in community
†3. Eden Initiative: Global Public Works Project (1:28-31)
This work is what the Bible is all about. The Bible is the long story of God starting this work, and working to bring this work to completion for the sake of humanity.
EDEN INITIATIVE
Fill the earth with more humans and rule over it.
Steward the animals and the resources I give to you.
God could have chosen to create this project already complete. He could have made creation already filled with image-bearers. He could have made them developed enough to have finalized stewardship over the earth.
INSTEAD, God chose to start with Adam, Eve, and a Garden… and desired to cooperate with them to bring the project to completion.
Although God is infinitely capable to do things Himself. He has chosen to delegate responsibility, because he wants to generously include others in the act of ruling and doing.
†4. Work originally is enjoyable and comes with resources supplied (1:28-29)
The Eden Initiative necessitates intimacy (1:28)
English Standard Version Chapter 1
Be fruitful and multiply
Work operates under the umbrella of God’s provision (1:29)
English Standard Version Chapter 1
29 And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. 30 And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so
†5. Work has a priestly purpose: Demonstrate God’s gory (2:15)
The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.
"Work & Keep” = “Guard and Serve” = The exact description of priestly work that the Levites were suppose to do Numbers 3:7-8. This is emphasized by the theme of Temple & Tabernacle (Eden is the original Temple - So of course humans have priestly responsibility).
‘The fundamental WHY of our existence is to reflect the character of God in the way we work. Our task is to bring the nature and character of God to bear on all things God has created.’ - Hamilton, Work and Our Labor in the Lord
†6. Work operates out of the 7th Day Rest (2:1-3)
Much more study has gone into this topic then I can warrant here. But quickly to summarize, Bible readers for centuries have been caught up in the fact that the 7th day in the flow of Genesis 1-3 unfolds unlike any other… there is no morning and evening.
Instead we are simply told that it is established and set apart… and then the rest of the Bible flows chronologically after that point. Giving this hint towards work and rest being this united whole, and that any work that we do is lived out of the 7th Day Rest.
†Rebellion instead of Cooperation Genesis 3-10
†Rebellion instead of Cooperation Genesis 3-10
Quick rundown of the failures in chapter 3
Humanity abdicates its role of rulership and instead of ruling over the beasts is tricked by one of them.
Adam abdicates his role of protection and lets this entire deception play out between his wife and the beast… even though he’s right there.
Humanity misrepresents God and believes the lie that God has withheld something good/needed from them.
Immediately good creation is thrown into chaos.
The intimacy God had blessed Adam & Eve with is broken as they hide from one another.
The cooperative work is broken as they hide from God
They are forced out of Eden, the prime launchpad for the Eden initiative. The place that had everything needed to do this grand, global, cooperative work.
Genesis 3:14-19 lists out the results of the Fall. FIRST, God promises that His work isn’t done. He’s going to bring redemption AND IT’S STILL GOING TO BE COOPERATIVE
†7. The Fall has not destroyed cooperation between God and Man (3:15)
†8. The Fall introduces Pain & Frustration into Work (3:16-19)
Creation doesn’t work the way it’s suppose to. The Garden had things provide for humanity… now it’s going to be worked for and it’s not going to cooperate completely.
Childbearing still is a necessity for making more image bearers, but it includes pain now.
Sin is going to put tension in the cooperative relationships by which this Eden Initiative was suppose to flourish.
CAIN
CAIN
Immediately afterwards we have hope that this thing is going to get back on track. Being fruitful and multiplying is back on track!
“Cain” = To Create: Description of God’s WORK in Genesis 1
He’s described as a “worker of the ground” = That was Adam’s WORK described back in Genesis 2:15
Cain’s offering is not acceptable to God and he becomes angry.
The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”
“rule over it” = The WORK Adam & Eve were suppose to do over the animals, that they clearly failed to do as they were instead ruled by the Serpent back in Genesis 3.
Cain’s story ends just like his parents. After murdering his brother he’s told the ground won’t WORK for him anymore… and he’s pushed Eastward into Exile just like his parents.
CAIN IS SO OPPOSITE AGAINST THE EDEN INITIATIVE
Cain should have represented God’s character, but instead was characterized like the Serpent.
Cain should have been fruitful and multiplied, but instead set his heart to murder and reduce.
NOAH
NOAH
and called his name Noah, saying, “Out of the ground that the Lord has cursed, this one shall bring us relief from our work and from the painful toil of our hands.”
Noah = Rest | The hopeful relief from the FUTILITY OF WORK that was promised back in Genesis 3:15
However, Noah’s story ends like Adam’s as well. He becomes a gardener, misuses the fruit, and cooperation is broken as relational tension is introduced again.
†Babylon: The ANTI Eden Initiative Genesis 11
†Babylon: The ANTI Eden Initiative Genesis 11
Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.”
The Tower of Babel = The founding of Babylon
The Bible is portraying Babylon as the exact opposite of the Garden of Eden.
Eden: Made by God for His glory and the blessing of humanity
Babylon: Made by humans for their own glory and to rival God.
Eden: The launchpad to multiply God’s image throughout the earth.
Babylon: The centralized point to keep God’s image from spreading
Eden: Garden of provision
Babylon: City of Brick
Interesting how humanity can’t cooperate at all on God’s terms. Disunity plagues the relationship of Adam & Eve, Cain & Abel, Noah & Ham… yet here… in Babylon we finally get cooperation but it’s against God’s glory.
In a moment of sweet irony, God “comes down” to see this great tower, and to keep them from creating more harm. Babylon is forever connected to the Hebrew word for “fool”
†END
†END
We’re following the Eden Initiative: The great public works project between God and humanity. And God is still enabling humans while they continue to rebel against Him.
We’re waiting to see rest delivered to humanity from the pain of futile/frustrated work.
We have two prominent symbols to see these two sides play out:
Eden / Tabernacle / Temple = Cooperative work with God to bless creation
Babylon = Rebellious work to claim glory and oppress others
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