WATCHWORD:
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. 3 Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good. Then he separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light “day” and the darkness “night.” And evening passed and morning came, marking the first day. Genesis 1:1-5
22 So Joseph and his brothers and their families continued to live in Egypt. Joseph lived to the age of 110. 23 He lived to see three generations of descendants of his son Ephraim, and he lived to see the birth of the children of Manasseh’s son Makir, whom he claimed as his own. 24 “Soon I will die,” Joseph told his brothers, “but God will surely come to help you and lead you out of this land of Egypt. He will bring you back to the land he solemnly promised to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” 25 Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear an oath, and he said, “When God comes to help you and lead you back, you must take my bones with you.” 26 So Joseph died at the age of 110. The Egyptians embalmed him, and his body was placed in a coffin in Egypt. Genesis 50:22-26
Meditation:
50 Chapters of Genesis
For the past sixteen months, our Bible study group has been studying God’s Word in the Book of Genesis. Each week, with the exception of a few weeks at the start of this pandemic, we gathered, taking each chapter as it comes. Sometimes we would spend two or three sessions on one chapter, and on rarer occasions we would complete a chapter in one gathering.
At times, we have found Genesis to be an exciting adventure causing some to read ahead to learn the rest of the story. At other times, not so much. Yet, from creation to the death of Joseph, 50 chapters, it has been a wondrous tour de force, covering thousands of years.
Jewish tradition and biblical scholars name Moses as God’s scribe in writing this portion of the Bible. The word Genesis itself means beginning or origin, a theme that weaves its way through the book. Genesis exists for the people of Israel whom God led out of slavery in Egypt to the land promised their forefathers.
Through reading and discussing, consulting commentaries, and the writings of scholars, we learned so much and the scripture came alive. We realized that the setting of Genesis occurs in the area of the Middle East so familiar to us through news and wars. Starting with one family living in Mesopotamia headed by Abram, following along the Euphrates River into Syria, to Egypt, then into Canaan, modern-day Israel. The Biblical names are different, but the land remains the same.
We followed the genealogy from Abraham, through David, 45 generations to the birth of the Jesus, the Christ, God Incarnate. We learned about the origin of sin, of its destructive effect on man, and of God’s plan to atone for sin through His Son…Redemption.
Covenants occur throughout the story of Genesis and help define God’s relationship with his people, at various times. We learned how sin broke the perfect peace between God and humanity and how humanity found ourselves encumbered with the curse. We read how God established his plan for redemption and blessing through covenants, first with Abraham then with Jacob. These were promises, first to the Israelites in Egypt and now onto later generations to modern times.
As we come to the end of Genesis, Chapter 50, we realize that this book sets the stage for the rest of God’s plan to redeem the world through his son Jesus Christ. What did we learn in our study of Genesis? The over-riding sense would be that this is God’s Story, that this is the big picture. It was God’s power in creation. It was God’s anger over sin. It was God fulfilling His promises. It was God’s character in shaping His Story.
As we put “The End” to the reading of the final verse of Chapter 50, we are left with the conviction that God is strong, faithful and just. His desire is to bless His creation. We give Him all the honor and glory. Amen.
Bulletin Board:
Thoughts about Bible Studies – There are many good and strong logical reasons to believe in God. The Bible does not make elaborate arguments for the existence of God. What it does tell us, is how we can know that God exists because of what we see in the created world. Think about that.
Closing Prayer:
Heavenly Father, what a wonderful Creator You are – Who formed the heaven and earth and all the hosts of heaven and of earth, in six spectacular days of Your creative power. We praise You for the glory of the heaven and the beauty of the earth, and thank You that You made man in Your own image and likeness, to have dominion over all that You had made. Thank You Father, and that despite the fall of man and our sinful nature, You purposed to redeem us, return us into fellowship with Yourself, and re-establish Man’s rule on earth, through the shed blood of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Thank You that Jesus has been appointed to be the Man who will judge the world in righteousness and Whom You have set upon Your holy hill of Zion – Thank You that He is the perfect Man, who will rule the earth in righteousness. We praise and thank You for the truth of Your word and all that it contains. Help me to study to show myself approved, and keep me from falling – in Jesus name I pray, AMEN.
