The purpose of Genesis is to remember the beginning of who God is and his activity- creation, fall, redemption, repeat. We see this in Genesis, as the micro-story, but we also see this throughout the Bible. In Genesis we will see it through different words or key ideas; life, blessing (creation), failure (fall), redemption, and covenant (new relationship or commitment).

What I want to do for the rest of the week is illustrate those key words as God and his activity is revealed to us throughout the book of Genesis. Then in the months to come we will unpack it more dynamically.

Let’s start with the first few verses of Genesis 1.
Genesis 1:1-2- In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
What do you notice? What gets your attention?

Right off the bat, we should stop and see, “In the beginning God…” The focus is God, the attention is God.

Then we see God creating and interacting with creation. We see that he brings order out of chaos (darkness and formless). Which right there is a testament to intelligent design.

Because the Second Law of Thermodynamics says you can’t create order out of chaos. We see disorder, which cannot create order. Unless there is an energy or force or God behind such order. Which is where we see the Spirit, God’s ruach- breath, wind, energy that was hovering over the waters.

John Walton invites us to see God this way. “He is Yahweh, the Creator, patient with sinfulness, planning reconciliation; in his plan of history he intends to reveal himself to his fallen creatures. He is the covenant maker and the faithful promise keeper. This is a God-centered approach to the book.”

Jump to the end of Genesis 1:27-28, 2:7- 27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” … 7 Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

What do we see? What are key words that stand out to you?

Life, we are created in the image of God, we have received the breath of life, which is a receiving God’s Spirit, ruach. We see blessing, that God desires to give us goodness. We see blessing as a vibrant, healthy relationship with him, with each other, and with the world which we live.

That was God’s starting point, God’s beginning with humanity. To create us, to give us life, to have His Spirit within us and to bless us. Which is what we see at the end of Genesis 2, where is says, that “Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.”

Which simply means there was trust, vulnerability, God’s protection, no shame or guilt or fear. The beginning, the origin was perfect relationship between God and humanity and with humanity itself.

Take a moment and journal around:

What does it mean that humans are created "in God's image"?

How does God's "breath of life" (ruach/spirit) within us change how we view ourselves?

Where have you experienced His presence bringing life?

You can also reflect around this song- Nobody Like You