- Published: September 12, 2022
- Updated: September 12, 2022
- University / College: American University
- Language: English
- Downloads: 44
Genesis confirms that all of creation in all of its beauty is good. The earth provides the substance in which Adam is formed from and the earth provides all human being the environment in which to flourish. Humans are given the ownership of the earth and all of the earth contains for God to do with it as he wishes. The earth resources are to benefit all people.
We are created in the image of God. To be made in the image of God is to reflect the character of God. We need to take on the identity of Christ. Genesis chapter 2 portrays the relationship between God and humankind as one great intimacy walks between Adam and Eve in the garden. He created the garden for them to enjoy. God is introduced as an absolute personal being that cares about his creation and the human struggles of the fallen world. God speaks, creates, calls blesses and visits his creation and intervenes in the lives of his people.
The Israelites did not need a king but decided they wanted one. They had judges and prophets but they were not happy being a nation ruled by God. They saw all the other nations around them with kings to rule them and they wanted a ruler that they could follow.
Samuel chose Saul but he was not happy with that decision. Saul started out a good king but he later refused to listen to God’s commandments, so God chose David as king. David listened to God and repented repeatedly, Saul did not want to repent. Saul feared David was more popular than he was. King Solomon was accused of following other gods and allowed the people to worship other gods. He married foreign girls and allowed them to worship as they pleased. The people did not like this. After Solomon died, Israel spit because of the lack of good leadership.
What happened to Saul happens to us, we start out doing good but at times evil is always present. It is best to do the right thing than to follow people. Sometimes you want to follow the crowd and do what it right but you can’t serve two, either you would love one and hate the other.
Separating you form the crowd id a hard thing to do but you must have a made-up mind. God wants us to do right but it is up to us. The ant (Hebrew, nemalah) is in the book of Proverbs. Solomon says, “ Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer (Proverbs 30: 25)”. The ant is a hardworking creature (Proverbs 6: 6-8) as opposed to a person who only wants to sleep and not prepare for the winter Proverbs 6: 9). We need to take lessons from the ant and prepare for the coming of the Lord instead of putting it off. The bible says that “ So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him (Matthew 24: 44)” God wants works in his kingdom to be prepared for his coming and not lazy.
Christianity is not a lazy man’s religion. A lazy person never produces success; it produces destruction, despair, and negativity. God called laborers in his vineyard. When Christ called his disciples, he trained them to be diligent; men of action for the kingdom of heaven. We ought to be wise like the ant and not foolish and full of folly. Prov. 4: 7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting, get understanding.
Folly reminds me of the ten foolish virgins that gave out of oil. They had to go by some so they missed the bridegroom. It pays to be ready. Genesis tells us that all of creation in all of its beauty is good. Everything that God created was good.
The earth provides the substance in which Adam is formed from the earth and the earth provides all human beings the environment in which we need to flourish. We are given the ownership of the earth and all it contains for God to use as he sees fit. The earth had resources that would benefit the people also. Genesis chapter 2 portrays the relationship between God and humankind as one of great ease and intimacy.
God walks with Adams and Eve in the garden that he created for us. We are created in the image of God. To made in the image of God is to reflect the character of God. Some characteristics of God that we should poses are love, holiness, wisdom, goodness, faithful, mercy etc. These are just a few of the characteristics that God poses that we need in our lives.
God is concerned with social injustice and the individuals who are vulnerable in society. Lev. 19 speaks about respecting their parents (19: 3), feeding the poor (19: 10), not slandering others (19: 32), and honesty in business dealings (19: 35). God is concerned with how we treat others.
Religious ritualism refers to worshiping rituals, usually Temple sacrifice as a substitute for a relationship with God. Some think that by offering up these rituals and sacrifice will cover up the other covenant violations (social injustice and idolatry). God do not want any other Gods but him. We serve the true and only living God.
