Genesis 1-2

In the Creation narrative, we who profess the Scriptures to be true, are given a lense through which to see the world. In it the world is formed, the universe takes shape, the solar system is structured, humanity comes to be, and our very life’s purpose is established. Without the first two chapters of Genesis, we would be a people who are left feeling our way through the dark with no objective truth upon which to hang our hats. And this gets to the heart of what the account in Genesis 1-2 was written for.

When we look at the first five books of the Old Testament, what the Jewish people call the Torah (or Law), was given in order to establish some sort of direction for how they were to live as God’s people. In these five books - Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy - the Jewish people were given an identity, a way of life, a foundation upon which to act and live in the world that they found themselves in. And it all stems from the first two chapters of Genesis, which establish three great emphases for the sake of our study tonight: 1) The Power of the Voice of God; 2) God’s Creation as “Very Good”; and 3) The Dignity of Humanity.

II. The Power of the Word of God

In the Gospel of Luke, there is a terrifying narrative where Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up a mountain and reveals his divine glory to them, becoming bright white, His face shining, clothes glistening, and two men who appeared next to Him. In a moment of fear and confusion, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” Luke writes;

“As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!” And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen.”

In this story also, we get an extraordinarily visual image of the great authority and fearfulness of God’s voice. When God spoke from the great cloud upon that mountain, fear came upon Peter, James, and John. Their immediate response was obedience - to fall silent and obey the great voice from that came from the cloud.