The Living Word
One-Year Bible: 01/01/2023
Genesis 1:1-2:25
The Living Word
“The new is in the old concealed; the old is in the new revealed.”--St. Augustine
Welcome to an exciting journey through “The Word of God”!
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Tim. 3:16-17)
How interesting that the first encounter we have with the Living God, found in Genesis, is with “The Word” and HIS BREATH!
As a little girl in Sunday School class, I first learned the story of creation via a flannel graph. Let me explain if you are too young to understand what I am talking about. All the parts of creation, including Adam and Eve, were little felt pieces hung on the flannel graph board. “They stuck, and so did the messages I learned.”
I visually saw the darkness with the black felt background, the light of the sun, moon, stars, and sea were hung in place. Within six days, all the “seasons” were there to behold. There was the water, the fish, and the animals... both tall and small.
I was counting the days…but at a young age, I missed much of the deeper significant meanings. Perhaps, you can relate…
As we read through the Old Testament this year, I want to read the Old Testament with “New Testament Eyes”!
I pray that our eyes and hearts will be open to GOD’S LIVING WORD and LIFEGIVING BREATH in our souls.
“The new is in the old concealed; the old is in the new revealed.” Augustine’s words are saying that the two work in tandem. They cannot be separated from one another. So, we will pay close attention to the verses and themes that the prophets taught, the words of Jesus, and the apostles quoting the Old Testament.
All of the New Testament rests on the foundation of the truth of the Old Testament being FULFILLED through Jesus Christ.
Many, who do not acknowledge the Bible, discount the creation story. They do not believe in actual days or in creation itself. They would prefer to endorse a “BIG BANG THEORY” and that “chaos could somehow create order.” That would take lots of faith, but it does make man the center of all. That was the original problem…
If you accept the first sentence in Scripture found in Genesis 1:1, there will be little difficulty accepting ALL of God’s Word! It is one book, message, theme, and ONE COMPLETE WORD.
“In the beginning, GOD created the heavens and the earth.”
Out of NOTHING. The world was FORMLESS, EMPTY, and covered by DARKNESS. (Gen. 1:1)
The word “BARA” used here means “out of nothing.” All creation was “breathed to life” by God out of nothing. Then God took the dirt and modeled man Adam. He then took a rib from Adam’s side and made woman, and “breathed life into her.”
Who was there for creation?
“Then God said, ‘Let US make human beings in OUR image, to be like US.” This is where it gets interesting… very INTERESTING!
The Bible begins with “US and OUR” while referring to God.
The New Testament tells of the beginning with these words, “In the beginning was the WORD, and the WORD was with God, and the WORD was GOD.” (John 1:1)
John 1:3 tells us that Jesus Christ was there at the beginning with God. “All things were made THROUGH HIM, and without HIM, nothing was made that was made.”
We see that God created everything, but He was NOT CREATED. From the beginning, there is the TRINITY… the three in one. Father, Son, Spirit. The LIVING WORD.
On the seventh day, God had finished HIS work and rested, not out of being tired, but out of “BLESSING.” He declared what He had accomplished as GOOD, and He set a precedence for the entire Bible…” Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy. Six days shall you labor, and do all your work. But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORDthy God; in it, you shall not do any work…” (Exodus 20: 8ff)
God’s WORD and example were, “I have blessed you, and I desire you to bless me with your worship.”
Receive the LIVING WORD into your heart... Father, Son, and Spirit!
