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Have you ever noticed that the Bible starts with a bang? God comes out of nowhere and makes everything. He speaks and things happen! It is simply amazing what the Lord God puts into place. This Covenant of Creation is how the bible begins.
God looked upon the world and said “it was good”. Did you know that it doesn’t mean good as opposed to bad. But Good as in a job well done, a job that meets the purpose for which it was intended. The work of God making creation resulted in a world with all it’s inhabitants that meant the purpose for which he intended it to.
The Creation of Man
God created the world in a specific order. The end result, the culmination of his creation, was man. Man and woman, made in the likeness of God, remarkably different than the rest of creation. The only part of God’s creation meant to be in relationship with God.
Man, created in God’s likeness, given authority over the rest of creation. Able to name everything, Able to care for everything… in a manner that God would want them to care for it. Everything was good, working just the way it was intended. Adam and Eve tending the garden, minding the animals, and talking with God.
Trouble
Then trouble happened. A tempter shows up. God’s design allowed for this. God wasn’t surprised.
Satan had bad designs in mind. He wants to be first in the lives of God’s imagebearers. He starts with Eve, and then used Eve to reel in Adam. The consequences were immediate.
Consequences
Consequences happened all round. Adam and Eve lost their happy relationship with God. Not only that they were kicked out of the garden for their own good, but still kicked out. Relationship between each other was fractured as well. Work became harder, and child-birth more difficult.
Satan himself was cursed. He would now meet with degradation crawling on his belly.
These negative consequences, the judgement of God, didn’t change the positives though. Even in his judgement God left room for hope. He clothed them, helped them and promised to crush the head of the serpent (Satan).
The whole of the Old Testament in built upon the opening chapters. God’s relationship with man broken and a promise of a Serpent defeated. We can’t skim over them. We need to see God’s purpose and the on-going nature of what he created. It’s an integral part of the Old Testament.
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