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Christ is the Creator (Gen 2:4).
Prayer
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever and ever, amen. I pray, O Lord, that you feed my soul as I read your word now. Please purify and sanctify my heart, unite my heart that I may fear your name. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Reading
Genesis 2:4.
“These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens.”
Meditation
As we continue on in our study of Genesis 2, we quickly find that something significant changes from chapter one. In chapter one we see the almighty Creator making the world. The Hebrew uses the term “Eloheem”. In chapter two this changes, and the Hebrew begins to use the name: “Yahweh Eloheem” of God. In the common English translations it is often rendered: “LORD God”, just as we find it in verse four. To the ancient Hebrew reader, this difference would have actually conveyed something very significant. LORD God was the familiar, covenant name by which Israel knew their God. Chapters one and two taken together, therefore, would have made one thing abundantly clear to Israel. It would have shown them very clearly that their God, Yahweh Eloheem, was in fact the Creator of the universe.
Chapter two of Genesis shows us as the people of God that our God is, in fact, the supreme Maker of heaven and earth. We need to realise this too. From a New Covenant perspective, we can say more as we actually realise that Christ, our Lord, is the Creator of the world. Colossians 1:16 shows this explicitly: “by him (Christ) all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.” Christ is the Creator of the world. God is the Author of your life, and God has revealed himself through Christ. It is not Allah who made the worlds. We do not originate from a pantheistic nirvana. It was Christ, the Son of God, who formed the rolling spheres above us.
Be ye doers of the word…
Do you ever feel like the ground has fallen out from under you? Like you’re tumbling? Like something has happened that was never supposed to happen? We all know bad things happen, but somehow when things are going well we kind of think they won’t happen to us. But then they do, and you find yourself sitting in a hole so dark that you never thought there could be a darkness like this. The truth of the matter is that things did go wrong. Paradise was lost, and the world in which we now live has much darkness. There are many trials, tribulations, dangers, toils, and snares. But one thing hasn’t changed, he’s got the whole world in his hands. Christ is still the author. The application is very clear then, and it is simple: cling desperately to Christ. We’re not here to write our own script, he writes the script, and we must seek to cling to and rely upon him who is our hope, our rock, our strength, and our salvation.
The one who stood over Adam and breathed breath into his nostrils still stands over you today. Do you understand that? As Adam opened his eyes for the first time, and God was there above him, in all splendour and beauty, there Adam found himself in God’s image. The Lord was there on your first day too. He knit you together in your mother’s womb (Ps 139), he saw to it that you would arrive safely. He is with you even now as you read. The world has fallen, it’s true, but the Author is here, and he remains the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Here, then, is the truth of the matter: he is your hope and your life, not just for the future but for today. Right now. We must learn to totally depend upon and cling desperately to Christ. You will not make it if you do not cling to him. If you do not seek him continually, and cry out desperately, you’re done for. In Proverbs 2:3 we read: “if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.” Call out everyday for Christ, for insight into his word, and then take up his word and seek for understanding like silver. Dig in to the word of Christ and search for wisdom like you’re searching for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the LORD, and you will find the knowledge of God.
What is it that you are clinging to in your life right now? What is it that’s giving you purpose and direction? What amusements have gripped your heart? What is that is giving you satisfaction? If it’s not Christ, it’s not life. Life’s to short not to be 100% dedicated to Christ. You don’t need to write the script for your own life, and one of the things we need to learn is to stop trying to do that. Stop trying to get things done in your own strength. We must learn to constantly, continually, and sweetly wait on Christ. You will find that as you do that, abiding in his word, he will write the most wonderful story in your life. There will be a cross, it’s true, you will be granted the privilege of sharing in his suffering, but there will be a garden as well – in the fullness of time. All the brokenness will be mended, all the darkness will be driven out, and every tear will be wiped away.
Don’t look for paradise in the things of this world. You won’t find it in money, possessions, amusements, or pleasures. The true beauty of paradise is the presence of God himself. Cling desperately to Christ. Devote yourself to knowing and loving Christ. As we do that, we will find that – even in this life – we begin to receive a foretaste of paradise restored as it will be in the life to come, where we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. SDG.
Prayer of Confession & Consecration
We thank you for your word.
We thank you for the hope that we have in Christ.
We thank you that you made all things through your son, the Lord Jesus.
And we thank you that our lives are in your hands.
Help us always to trust in you and always and fully to seek our satisfaction and joy in you alone.
And may the pleasures and good gifts that you give us in this life serve as
signposts to turn us back again to you in our life.
And we pray in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Get full access to Old things New. at rcbhpastor.substack.com/subscribe
View all episodes
By Reformed devotions from all of scripture.Prayer
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever and ever, amen. I pray, O Lord, that you feed my soul as I read your word now. Please purify and sanctify my heart, unite my heart that I may fear your name. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Reading
Genesis 2:4.
“These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens.”
Meditation
As we continue on in our study of Genesis 2, we quickly find that something significant changes from chapter one. In chapter one we see the almighty Creator making the world. The Hebrew uses the term “Eloheem”. In chapter two this changes, and the Hebrew begins to use the name: “Yahweh Eloheem” of God. In the common English translations it is often rendered: “LORD God”, just as we find it in verse four. To the ancient Hebrew reader, this difference would have actually conveyed something very significant. LORD God was the familiar, covenant name by which Israel knew their God. Chapters one and two taken together, therefore, would have made one thing abundantly clear to Israel. It would have shown them very clearly that their God, Yahweh Eloheem, was in fact the Creator of the universe.
Chapter two of Genesis shows us as the people of God that our God is, in fact, the supreme Maker of heaven and earth. We need to realise this too. From a New Covenant perspective, we can say more as we actually realise that Christ, our Lord, is the Creator of the world. Colossians 1:16 shows this explicitly: “by him (Christ) all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.” Christ is the Creator of the world. God is the Author of your life, and God has revealed himself through Christ. It is not Allah who made the worlds. We do not originate from a pantheistic nirvana. It was Christ, the Son of God, who formed the rolling spheres above us.
Be ye doers of the word…
Do you ever feel like the ground has fallen out from under you? Like you’re tumbling? Like something has happened that was never supposed to happen? We all know bad things happen, but somehow when things are going well we kind of think they won’t happen to us. But then they do, and you find yourself sitting in a hole so dark that you never thought there could be a darkness like this. The truth of the matter is that things did go wrong. Paradise was lost, and the world in which we now live has much darkness. There are many trials, tribulations, dangers, toils, and snares. But one thing hasn’t changed, he’s got the whole world in his hands. Christ is still the author. The application is very clear then, and it is simple: cling desperately to Christ. We’re not here to write our own script, he writes the script, and we must seek to cling to and rely upon him who is our hope, our rock, our strength, and our salvation.
The one who stood over Adam and breathed breath into his nostrils still stands over you today. Do you understand that? As Adam opened his eyes for the first time, and God was there above him, in all splendour and beauty, there Adam found himself in God’s image. The Lord was there on your first day too. He knit you together in your mother’s womb (Ps 139), he saw to it that you would arrive safely. He is with you even now as you read. The world has fallen, it’s true, but the Author is here, and he remains the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Here, then, is the truth of the matter: he is your hope and your life, not just for the future but for today. Right now. We must learn to totally depend upon and cling desperately to Christ. You will not make it if you do not cling to him. If you do not seek him continually, and cry out desperately, you’re done for. In Proverbs 2:3 we read: “if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.” Call out everyday for Christ, for insight into his word, and then take up his word and seek for understanding like silver. Dig in to the word of Christ and search for wisdom like you’re searching for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the LORD, and you will find the knowledge of God.
What is it that you are clinging to in your life right now? What is it that’s giving you purpose and direction? What amusements have gripped your heart? What is that is giving you satisfaction? If it’s not Christ, it’s not life. Life’s to short not to be 100% dedicated to Christ. You don’t need to write the script for your own life, and one of the things we need to learn is to stop trying to do that. Stop trying to get things done in your own strength. We must learn to constantly, continually, and sweetly wait on Christ. You will find that as you do that, abiding in his word, he will write the most wonderful story in your life. There will be a cross, it’s true, you will be granted the privilege of sharing in his suffering, but there will be a garden as well – in the fullness of time. All the brokenness will be mended, all the darkness will be driven out, and every tear will be wiped away.
Don’t look for paradise in the things of this world. You won’t find it in money, possessions, amusements, or pleasures. The true beauty of paradise is the presence of God himself. Cling desperately to Christ. Devote yourself to knowing and loving Christ. As we do that, we will find that – even in this life – we begin to receive a foretaste of paradise restored as it will be in the life to come, where we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. SDG.
Prayer of Confession & Consecration
We thank you for your word.
We thank you for the hope that we have in Christ.
We thank you that you made all things through your son, the Lord Jesus.
And we thank you that our lives are in your hands.
Help us always to trust in you and always and fully to seek our satisfaction and joy in you alone.
And may the pleasures and good gifts that you give us in this life serve as
signposts to turn us back again to you in our life.
And we pray in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Get full access to Old things New. at rcbhpastor.substack.com/subscribe