The Bible says that God “formed” the man, but that he “built” the woman. Why the difference?

Music Credit: J. S. Bach, “Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten,” aria from “Jesu, der du meine Seele,” BWV 78 (Leipzig, 1724).

“Praise the Lord, for…he is coming to judge the earth!” That doesn’t sound like something we can say without either having a death wish or being extremely arrogant. But the psalmist encourages us to rejoice in anticipation of the Lord’s judgment, without being either deranged or arrogant.

Music Credit: Johann Sebastian Bach, Trio from Brandenburg Concerto, No. 1, Movement 4

In Genesis 2:20, we learn God’s main purpose in having the animals brought to Adam and in having him name them.

Music Credit: J. S. Bach, “Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten,” aria from “Jesu, der du meine Seele,” BWV 78 (Leipzig, 1724).

Have you ever thought some piece of news was so good and joyful that you honestly thought it was a crying shame that the grass, ponds, and hills weren’t able to join you in your happiness? Such is the news of the wonderful works of the Lord.

Music Credit: Johann Sebastian Bach, Trio from Brandenburg Concerto, No. 1, Movement 4

“So the man gave names to all the domestic animals, to the birds of the sky, and to all the animals of the open country.” Sounds pretty simple, until you start unpacking the logistics of it.

Music Credit: J. S. Bach, “Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten,” aria from “Jesu, der du meine Seele,” BWV 78 (Leipzig, 1724).

In these verses of Psalm 98, the psalmist encourages us to respond to the Lord’s salvation with sincerity, energy, and joy, and he encourages us to pair our words with dignified and joyful music.

Music Credit: Johann Sebastian Bach, Trio from Brandenburg Concerto, No. 1, Movement 4

In this episode, we begin to look at Adam’s naming of the animals, which starts with God’s forming of the animals from the ground.

Music Credit: J. S. Bach, “Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten,” aria from “Jesu, der du meine Seele,” BWV 78 (Leipzig, 1724).

The questions, “Is there a God?”, “Is there life after death?”, and “Are we alone?” are often presented as unanswered questions. That couldn’t be further from the truth, according to Psalm 98.

Music Credit: Johann Sebastian Bach, Trio from Brandenburg Concerto, No. 1, Movement 4

At the end of the first five days of creation, God saw that what he had made was good. But on Day 6, the words “not good” make their first appearance. God’s world will be incomplete and imperfect, until he has instituted marriage.

Music Credit: J. S. Bach, “Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten,” aria from “Jesu, der du meine Seele,” BWV 78 (Leipzig, 1724).

The psalmist gives us an occasion to talk about the Bible use of anthropomorphism with God—ascribing human features to the supernatural, spiritual.

Music Credit: Johann Sebastian Bach, Trio from Brandenburg Concerto, No. 1, Movement 4