The Bible is an extra-dimensional integrated
message system that contains knowledge that does not originate from
within this universe. This special revelation is knowledge that cannot
be gained by experience or logic or experimentation – at least not
entirely.
Romans 15:4 “For whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that we may have hope through endurance and through the encouragement from the Scriptures”
We are studying the signs and symbols, interpreted by the Holy Spirit,
which have specific meanings that are not open to personal
interpretations. If we find these signposts, we can determine their
meaning, and apply them to our faith. God uses signs, types,
similitude’s, metaphors and other rhetorical devices to reveal the
nature of Christ.
Hosea 12:10 “I spoke through the prophets and granted many visions; I gave parables through the prophets”
Genesis is the “book of beginnings”. It covers key doctrines, creation,
sin, the fall of man, judgement, and of course, God’s plan of
redemption is foretold. The creation, the Fall, the Judgement by Flood,
and the life stories of four patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and
Joseph are told. So, fasten your seatbelts, and place your Bibles in
their locked and upright position.
A. Creation of the Universe
Genesis also introduces the One who is First and Last. Aleph and Tau are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet, like Alpha and Omega are first and last letters of Greek alphabet.Isaiah 44:6 “Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and His Redeemer, the Lord of Hosts; I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God beside Me.”
Isaiah 48:12 "Listen to me, O Jacob, Israel, whom I have called: I am he; I am the first and I am the last.We also find these letters in Zechariah in the Hebrew text, again not translated, when the Prophet speaks of the Messiah:
Zechariah 12:10 ...and they shall look upon me (Aleph Tau) whom they have pierced... [1]
And the Greek equivalent (Alpha & Omega) in the New Testament…
Revelation 1:8,17 “I am the Alpha and Omega’, says the Lord God, ‘Who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty”. “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore...”[2]We see Christ referenced by inference in the physical text. To emphasize that the second person of the God head is present at the creation, a deliberate syntax error is placed in the text:
Elohim is a plural noun, but bara is a singular verb.Later in Genesis
Genesis 1:26 “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over the cattle and over all the earth...”Here the translators could not ignore the intentional syntax error! Christ is invisibly present on every page of Scripture -- remembering:
Hebrews 10:7 “the volume of the book is written of me”…which quotes
Psalm 40:7 “Then said I, Behold, I come; in the volume of the book it is written of me;”
Also note the creative act is distinctly different from all other forms of “creation”. The Hebrew word "Bara" is used in the Bible only for God. Only God creates something from nothing. This Hebrew word is used exclusively for the creative activity of God alone.[3]
John 1:1-3 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being by Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.”
Genesis 1:2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
Within the first two sentences of Scripture, we see all three persons of the Godhead involved in the creation of the universe. Universe means “one spoken word”. God (Logos) “spoke” everything into existence. Not only did the LORD create the Universe, but He holds (binds) it together.
Colossians 1:16-17 “For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities -- all things have been created by Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”
B. Creation of Man
Here are likely the first recorded words to mankind. Everything prior to this in Genesis is narrative.Genesis 1:28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it….”God first blessed man, then commanded us to subdue and populate the Earth. This establishes our position as caretakers of the Earth, unique from all other created beings. The global tragedy of abortion on demand (not for life saving medical reasons) is a direct violation of God's literal first command to mankind!
C. Creation of Marriage (the First Institution)
Christ’s relationship with His people is revealed through the institution of marriage, and Adam’s relationship with Eve.Genesis 2:21-22 “So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. And the Lord God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man and brought her to the man. And the man said, ‘This is bone of my bones, flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman, because she was taken out of Man.’ For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother and shall cleave to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.”God sanctifies the institution of marriage, which is then used to symbolize Christ’s relationship with Israel and later the Church. Using the metaphor, Christ is ‘pierced’ in the side, ‘falls asleep’, and when He is awakened, is presented His bride (the Church). God also includes practical advice to husbands on how to love their wives.
Ephesians 5:28 So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself...Our status as believers being Christ’s bride is used extensively in the Old Testament:
Isaiah 61:10 “I will rejoice greatly in the Lord, my soul will exult in my God; for He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.”This should give more meaning to the term Marriage Supper of the Lamb....
Revelation 19:7-9 “Let us rejoice and be glad and give glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready. And it was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.”
D. Man’s Fall and God’s Plan Introduced
God’s second recorded communication to man was a command.Genesis 2: 16-17 And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.”Mankind lives in a hostile, sin-filled universe. But did sin originate within the universe? When did Satan fall? Was man, or the creation, associated in any way with the events in heaven? Why is Satan hostile to us anyway? One thing we know is that Satan will attack us first through the Word of God.
Genesis 3:1-5 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which Jehovah God had made. And he said to the woman, Is it so that God has said, You shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said to the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden. But of the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, you shall not eat of it, neither shall you touch it, lest you die. And the serpent said to the woman, you shall not surely die, for God knows that in the day you eat of it, then your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as God, knowing good and evil.And so it is that God’s plan of redemption is set into motion….
Genesis 3:15 “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall crush your head, and you shall bruise (literally: snap at) him on the heel.”Taken literally, the ‘seed of the woman’ is a prophecy about Christ, as sign that He will not be born from the ‘seed of the man’ but will require a virgin birth. The fall of man required a Redeemer. This was already in God’s plan:
Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.Other parallels to Adam are provocative:
- both entered this world by a “special” act of God (virgin birth)
- both entered this world in a sinless condition
- one was the firstborn of the flesh, the other the firstborn of the Spirit
Romans 5:14 Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam until Moses even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.”This plan of salvation is illustrated in the very genealogy of Noah (Genesis 5). Look carefully at names, places, dates and symbols and you will uncover a treasure of wisdom from the Lord.
Adam Man Seth (is) Appointed Enosh Mortal Kenan Sorrow Mahalalel (but) the Blessed God Jared Shall Come Down Enoch Teaching Methuselah His Death Shall Bring Lamech (the) Despairing Noah Rest
Why are genealogies printed in the Bible? One reason is to tell you who is involved in the plot, where they hearken from and what their relationship is to other "characters" in the story. But...consider that God's hand is involved in every person's birth, life and death, even down to the particulars of our names! The fingerprints of God are evident in His message to the world:
Man is appointed to mortal sorrow (sin and death), but the Blessed God shall come down, teaching His death shall bring the despairing rest. (life)*
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[1] http://bereshithelohim.ireporter.tv/2008/May/IntheBeginningGODPart1.htm
[2] See also Revelation 1:11, 2:8, 21:6, and 22:13
[3] http://bereshithelohim.ireporter.tv/2008/May/IntheBeginningGODPart1.htm
[1] http://bereshithelohim.ireporter.tv/2008/May/IntheBeginningGODPart1.htm
[2] See also Revelation 1:11, 2:8, 21:6, and 22:13
[3] http://bereshithelohim.ireporter.tv/2008/May/IntheBeginningGODPart1.htm
*Acknowledgment to Chuck Missler, Koinania House publications for exposing me to these concepts
Scripture citations are from: Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) © 2009 Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville TN or New King James Version®. (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson
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