owing the Flood story, the Bible describes the spread of the nation-state and the dangerous concentration of human power. God intervenes to disrupt this development and to expose the confusion that comes from human attempts to consolidate power apart from his presence among them. The tower of Babel sets the stage for God's calling of Abraham and for his promise to redeem all creation through his people with whom he is pleased to dwell.

Noah's flood is one of the most well-known stories in all the Bible. But being captivated by its imagery we can easily lose sight of its message. God's interactions with Noah and his family are meant to teach God's people about the reason why he has delivered them from destruction. Brought into a covenant relationship with him by grace, God intends to bring order to his creation through his people he has safely brought through the waters of the flood.

God's promise after the failure of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden was that the seed of the woman would prevail over the seed of the serpent. Comparing the genealogy of Adam through Seth with that of Adam through Cain, we see the contrast between the two family trees. But God's promised victory seems to be on the verge of failure as the evil seed infiltrates the royal line and brings great trouble to the kingdom of God.

Genesis 4 contains the first murder in human history. It did not take long after the Fall and the Curse for the children of Adam to be enmeshed in sin, pride, disobedience, and false worship. Cain killed Abel, but the Lord still showed him mercy. Lamech, the first bigamist, boasted in killing a young man. The offspring of the woman appears all but lost. But the Lord revealed hope to humanity by giving another offspring, and through it, a better blood.

God put the man and the woman in the Garden of Eden to work it and keep it. But they soon succumbed to the temptation of the serpent and disobeyed God's command. The devastating consequences of Adam and Eve's rebellion are not only the cause of all that troubles our world but also the pattern we are tempted to follow every single day.

Genesis 2 tells us about a garden that God planted in the land of Eden, and about the man and woman that he put there to manage it. This particular vocation given to Adam and Eve is a sacred duty, more like a priestly function than an agricultural one. So long as they, as God's chosen people, carry out their sacred responsibilities, they will enjoy the delights of God's kingdom and promote its joys to the rest of creation.

he creation account in Genesis 1 is often suspected of being in conflict with the findings of modern science. Many attempts have been made to make peace between the two. The best way to do that is to see the unique contribution of the creation account and what it urges us to believe about God and his purpose for the world.

God made the world and everything in it. The Trinity was at work in creation, making all visible things out of nothing. God made a beautiful world for us to dwell in, and he made it all for the praise of his glory. The narrative was not intended to give exquisite details on debatable topics, but was meant to tell future generations who made them, for what purpose, and how he still pursues people unto himself, for his glory.

Christians in a particular church should find that their life together is the most meaningful relationship they have. Because they find their truest identity together in Christ, they can live as whole, healthy people. Whatever their circumstances, they can approach the living God in prayer, for help or for praise. Standing at the intersection of heaven and earth, even ordinary Christians are called to the world-changing ministry of God's kingdom.