Estimated reading time: 3 minute(s)
I have been wanting to intentionally, methodically read through the Old Testament again recently, and somehow chose today to start that process. I almost started in a book other than Genesis, but decided, how can you not start there?
I’m glad I did.
I noticed a few things in what I read that I wanted to write out here.
First, I noticed that there was an order to things. There was definitely a process to the story. From formless and void to separating the waters. From separating water from water (which is pretty interesting) to separating water from land. Then the lights: sun, moon & stars. Then plants, animals – also in a sequence – and then finally, people. There was an order.
Why did he do that? Why didn’t he just—POOF—make everything? How did he choose the order? Did one thing build on the other? Was each step part of his original blue print? Is God such an artist that he was even just “making it up” as he goes? Could he have been that spontaneous? Was he simply enjoying the process?
Who can know? Not I. But the fact that he built one thing upon another stuck out to me. Maybe not the way I would have done it. (But, thankfully, I’m not God.)
Then God said, “Let the land sprout with vegetation—every sort of seed-bearing plant, and trees that grow seed-bearing fruit. These seeds will then produce the kinds of plants and trees from which they came.” And that is what happened. The land produced vegetation—all sorts of seed-bearing plants, and trees with seed-bearing fruit. Their seeds produced plants and trees of the same kind. And God saw that it was good.
This was another cool thing I noticed. Not only did he make stuff, he made it so that the stuff could make stuff. Amazing. We can’t really imagine infusing life into anything, especially from nothing… but he infused so much life, and such a pattern, that the life he created could also re-create. Plants, fish, birds, animals, even people. He built in the ability to reproduce “of the same kind.” That really should be amazing, I think. Perhaps we’re so used to it—it’s just how it is—but, really… it is astounding.
Jesus did say, “I am the Life.”
Mostly, I noticed that God is incredible, and I hope to see him more in the pages of the Old Testament again, through the slightly dimmer vision of those who knew him before he was fully revealed in Jesus. We’re pretty lucky in that regard. Jesus – the full representation of God – made himself known, and after defeating sin, and death, and shame by dying on the cross, he got back up and lives with us today. Here. Now.
In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.
Hebrews 1:1-3
“And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were below the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse; and it was so”
Is there really any mystery to this scripture? Prior to modern science, a blue sky would have appeared very much like a blue sea such as the Mediterranean, just as it does today though we know it’s not another ocean/sea/lake. The most logical explanation for this writing to me seems to be that this author, prior to understanding of the earth’s atmosphere, believed the upper atmospheric levels to be more water – heck, rain even fell from it!
What’s further interesting to me is that scripture says that God called this expanse between the waters Heaven and that He then made birds to fly in the open expanse of Heaven.
So I guess the birds we see actually fly around in Heaven.
Silly creationists, krix are for tids.
-heent
Heent!! Sorry man, forgot this was a hot button issue for you. I’ve really got nothing to say on it, other than my observations here. I’m tired of the crazy wars back and forth between the silly creationists and the non-creationists. I just glean from it what I can (which changes from time to time), and let people who are into such things worry about the details. How’s family life? Send a note on Bec’s Facebook account 🙂
Yes, literal/non-literal interpretation and then those who mix ‘n match are always an issue to me.
You touched on the separation of the waters so briefly, calling it “interesting?” if I recall correctly?…thought I might tease a few more thoughts on that out of you with some of my own. But if not…that’s ok! And hey, you did get me to go back and re-read a small section of my NASB…bask in that glory for a second or two.
-heent