January 5th – God lets all begin (Genesis 1-15)
EXCAVATE: Commencement – Week 1 – God lets all begin
Genesis 1-15
Background on Genesis
Author: Moses (traditional view, based on John 5:46)
Title: from the Greek translation of the Pentateuch…means “origin”
Date: after the Exodus (1445 BC) but before Moses death (1405 BC)
Purpose: To explain the beginning of God’s creation, sin, redemption, and covenant
“Let” – Let there be
hayah (haw-yaw) - to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
Order of Creation
- Day 1 – Light and Darkness
- Day 2 – Sea and Sky
- Day 3 – Fertile earth
- Day 4 – Lights of day and night
- Day 5 – Fish and birds
- Day 6 – Land animals and humanity
On the first 3 days, God created the environment that the life breathing creatures would enjoy in the last 3 days of their creation.
The fact that God would “let” something be is a clear example of His sovereignty.
What did Got “let” happen?
God “let” creation come.
- Genesis 1-2
- Creation was brought into existence by the power of His Word (Psalm 33:6-9)
- God let the heart beat in your chest begin.
- The greatness of His creation should prompt us to worship.
God “let” sin enter.
- Genesis 3:1-7
- Sin did not surprise God.
- God let sin enter for the purpose of revealing His holiness and control.
- Think about this: if our sin had no consequences…God would have no authority.
- If I could break the law over and over again with no consequences…there would be no control or rule…which would be uncontrolled chaos.
- Genesis 2:15-17 – The law given
- Genesis 3:6-7 – The law broken
God “let” grace conquer.
- Genesis 3:15, 21
- God let us see in advance the victor; Jesus
- God lets us be covered in His grace…in the midst of our sin and rebellion.
- Romans 5:6- “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly”
God “let” justice reign.
- Genesis 6-9
- Sins stained the world.
- Genesis 6:5 – man’s heart and wickedness was great on the earth…evil continually
- Again, His authority rained down on the dry and death state of man.
- Noah’s flood teaches us the truth that His holiness is above our sinfulness.
God “let” diversity begin.
- Genesis 11 – Tower of Babel
- Man wanted the fame; the same fame from the garden.
- Sin is found when we want our name greater than God’s name.
- In their sin, God let diversity begin; races, nations, people groups…which is why racism is a sin!
- The Tower started evangelism.
- The Tower completes the rest of the book
God “let” glory spread.
- Genesis 12
- Genesis 12:3 – In Abraham, we receive a blessing that we have today.
- Galatians 3:8-9 – a precursor to Jesus…in Christ, we have the eternal blessing of God.
- Abraham’s line was the line of Jesus (Matthew 1:2)
- The glory of God spread…because He let it all begin.
Tonight, God has let you have life. God has let you have an awareness of sin. God has let you hear His truth. God has let you have an opportunity to repent and turn to Christ; the eternal “let.”
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