One Year® Bible Online Forum

Greetings Friends,

Today we begin in Genesis and immediately find ourselves inundated with questions about origins: Origins of the Universe, Origins of Man; Origins of Evil and Sin. Before you get too caught in trying to understand all of these complex theological questions, pause to consider the awesomeness of God’s creation and more importantly the attributes and nature of God, especially in contrast to ourselves. It’s important that we see ourselves and our relationship to God clearly while we read the Bible during this next year.

God the Creator
Let's start by understanding that God is the Creator. He created the heavens and the earth and that includes each one of us in His image.

Genesis 1:1 (New International Version)
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Psalm 24:1 (New International Version)
The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it;

Genesis 1:26-28 (New International Version)
Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."
So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."

Nature's Testimony of God
We can clearly see that Man is above the rest of creation and was given dominion over it; however creation is eventually marred by the fall of man. Fortunately, nature itself still offers a glimpse of God’s greatness. By considering creation's vastness, complexity, beauty, and order, we can have a sense of the awesomeness of God.

Romans 1:19-20 (New International Version)
Since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

Life is Short
The human life span is extremely short compared to the eternal existence of God. Perhaps only Isaiah 40 can compare with this psalm in presenting God's grandeur and eternity in contrast to our frailty and mortality.

Psalm 90:2 (New International Version)
2 Before the mountains were born
or you brought forth the earth and the world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

You would think that we don’t need to be reminded of this hard fact. However we find even in the early part of Genesis, Satan tried to promote the misconception that we are already immortal "You shall not surely die". God often underscores the brevity of our lives. King David prays in Psalms:

Psalm 39:4-5 (New International Version)
"Show me, O LORD, my life's end
and the number of my days;
let me know how fleeting is my life.
You have made my days a mere handbreadth;
the span of my years is as nothing before you.
Each man's life is but a breath.
Selah

How Big is God?
God is incomparable; there is no one like Him in works or being. He is unequaled and beyond our ability to fully comprehend as scripture describes him.

2 Samuel 7:22 (New International Version)
"How great you are, O Sovereign LORD! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears.

Isaiah 40:28 (New International Version)
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
Romans 11:33 (New International Version)
Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!

Getting to Know God
Since God is an infinite Being, no human can fully answer many of these God-sized questions about origins because much of that knowledge resides with God Himself. However through God’s Word, we can understand much about who God is and what He is like. May we all wholeheartedly continue to seek after Him.

Jeremiah 29:13 (New International Version)
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

In Him,
Lance Muller
Cartoonbug

Amen!

Lance posted:
"Getting to Know God
Since God is an infinite Being, no human can fully answer many of these God-sized questions about origins because much of that knowledge resides with God Himself. However through God’s Word, we can understand much about who God is and what He is like. May we all wholeheartedly continue to seek after Him."



Isaiah 55
7Let the wicked change their ways
and banish the very thought of doing wrong.
Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them.
Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously.
8“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.
“And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
9For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so my ways are higher than your ways
and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.
10“The rain and snow come down from the heavens
and stay on the ground to water the earth.
They cause the grain to grow,
producing seed for the farmer
and bread for the hungry.
11It is the same with my word.
I send it out, and it always produces fruit.
It will accomplish all I want it to,
and it will prosper everywhere I send it.

Passages like this one from Isaiah and from perhaps the oldest piece of Scripture, the book of Job, show that while what God reveals of Himself by His Word, we cannot know everything about our supremely holy and unfathomable God!
Creation reveals some of His nature, proclaims His glory and declares His existence. However, the danger in thinking that we can know all things about God is something we must avoid. We should not presume with our finite, sinful, human minds to know every mystery pertaining to God:

Psalm 19:
1The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
The skies display his craftsmanship.
2Day after day they continue to speak;
night after night they make him known.
3They speak without a sound or word;
their voice is never heard.
4Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,
and their words to all the world.

Psalm 97:
6The heavens proclaim his righteousness;
every nation sees his glory.

Job 38:
Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind:
2“Who is this that questions my wisdom
with such ignorant words?
3Brace yourself like a man,
because I have some questions for you,
and you must answer them.
4“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?
Tell me, if you know so much.
5Who determined its dimensions
and stretched out the surveying line?
6What supports its foundations,
and who laid its cornerstone
7as the morning stars sang together
and all the angels shouted for joy?

Dear heavenly Father,
As we explore the Bible this year, may we keep the reverence of the LORD and proper Biblical hermeneutics in mind.
May our study in his Word be fruitful and godly. Bless us with increased wisdom and knowledge from Your Word, temper us with reason and moderation, illuminate our understanding with Your Holy Spirit.
We ask this in Jesus' name
Amen

Thanks for your posts about these things, Lance.

Peace of Christ be with His people!
Jeff

Oh happy day! … I'm digging all the great scripture and commentary here!


Jeff, I appreciate the wonderful prayer …

And an “Amen!” to you, Cartoonbug, for posting Galatians 6:9! (previous post)



Thanks brothers …keep up the good work!


Peace and all things good..
IN HIS NAME,

Grace