We often ask questions like: Where did we come from in terms of the origin of life? Why is there so much evil in the world? Why can’t we ever seem to find peace? The answers to these big questions can be found in the book of Genesis in the Bible.
Genesis tells the story of our world—God's perfect creation, humanity's rebellion against Him, and the downward spiral that followed. This first book of the Bible describes significant social disruption, domestic abuse, and problems that regrettably have become normalized in our society. It recounts the first murder, lying, scamming, gang wars, riots, and other issues that bring us face-to-face with dysfunctional families and siblings betraying one another. Effectively, it portrays a society remarkably similar to ours, a world filled with selfishness. One major question arises: How did the world spiral out of control so quickly? The answer is later found in the holy scriptures: "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned" (Romans 5:12, Legacy Standard Bible).
The stories in Genesis demonstrate that God can bless imperfect people as He forgives those who are willing to come to Him, admit their guilt, and trust Him for salvation. This message is reiterated in the New Testament, where Jesus arrives on the scene, dies for the sins of the world, rises from the dead, and offers forgiveness to those who are prepared to accept it. A consistent principle throughout the Bible is that, while God is holy, He is also patient and longsuffering with His creation. He is willing to forgive if they repent and come to Him for restoration.
Thankfully, Genesis is also a story of hope. From the moment everything goes wrong in the world, God promises to send someone to rescue us. This figure is described as a hero who will restore all things. This promise is first given to Eve, the first woman, when God tells her that the seed of the woman will bruise the serpent's head. In this statement, we learn that the devil who tempted Eve in the garden would one day be destroyed by a son born uniquely of a woman through miraculous conception. This was fulfilled in the birth of Jesus.
Genesis is the book of beginnings—not just the creation of humans, but also of animals, galaxies, nations, continents, musical instruments, and much more. It marks the beginning of God's world, the origin of all evil and disaster resulting from humanity's rebellion against God, and the launch of God's rescue mission. It starts the timeline for the one who would come to save us and restore our world.
We have the benefit of knowing that this person is Jesus, who came into the world to save sinners. Thus, Genesis is filled with exciting, interesting, and occasionally shocking stories, providing the foundational basis for the rest of the Bible.
All photos courtesy of Unsplash
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