Door number 1: with God

Review

The point of Genesis 1: God is the source

There was light before the sun

Matter before light

God had no creator

Vegetation without growth

Door Number 1 or Door Number 2

Israel going into the land, will build a kingdom - what will they choose? Door number 1: with God

What happens when you choose God instead of - self, lust, power, pride, etc?

This is a particular view of scripture which means in order to follow a single strand up the tapestry we’re going to ignore a lot. But all these things can be added with study. The strand we are following is the result of choosing God, choosing faith, walking with God.

Genesis 2 God created Adam and Eve

Genesis 2:18 (NIV) God the provider

18 The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

Genesis 2:25 (NIV) A life without shame, complete unity

25 Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.

While Adam and Eve were in relationship with God they were provided for, cared for, they were given purpose and work, and God walked with them.

Genesis 4 Adam and Eve were given sons

Even after people were exiled from the garden God still spoke with them, and it seems normal to them.

Genesis 4:1–4 (NIV) Abel was obedient and listened

1 Adam made love to his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man.” 2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. 3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. 4 And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering,

Genesis 4:26 (NIV) The world starts falling into violence but some still call and God is still answering

26 Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to call on the name of the Lord.

Genesis 5 Generations are being born, things aren’t going well there’s violence lawlessness - however there are some who still walk with God

Genesis 5:21–24 (NIV) Enoch didn’t just seek God, God walked with him

21 When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. 22 After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked faithfully with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. 23 Altogether, Enoch lived a total of 365 years. 24 Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.

Genesis 6 Introduces us to Noah

Genesis 6:8–10 (NIV) Noah walks faithfully

8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. 9 This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God. 10 Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth.

The result of his faith is salvation

Genesis 6:18–20 (NIV) Noah’s relationship blesses those around him

18 But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you. 19 You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you. 20 Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive.

Genesis 8:1 (NIV) In the midst of destroying billions of organisms God remembers 1 man

1 But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded.

Genesis 8:17 (NIV) God restores their purpose

17 Bring out every kind of living creature that is with you—the birds, the animals, and all the creatures that move along the ground—so they can multiply on the earth and be fruitful and increase in number on it.”

Genesis 8:22 (NIV) God promises preservation for the entire world because of one faithful man

22 “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.”

Genesis 9:1–3 (NIV) Man hasn’t lost dominion

1 Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth. 2 The fear and dread of you will fall on all the beasts of the earth, and on all the birds in the sky, on every creature that moves along the ground, and on all the fish in the sea; they are given into your hands. 3 Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.

Noah starts a new humanity and some walk with God

Genesis 10:8–9 (NIV) Success and strength

8 Cush was the father of Nimrod, who became a mighty warrior on the earth. 9 He was a mighty hunter before the Lord; that is why it is said, “Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the Lord.”

God calls Abraham

Genesis 12:1–4 (NIV) Sums up door #1

1 The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. 2 “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” 4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran.

Genesis 12:7 (NIV) A divine right to the audience

7 The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him.

There’s war and Lot, Abraham’s nephew, get’s mixed up in it. The men who are wicked are destroyed by this alliance of powerful kingdoms.

Genesis 14:13–14 (NIV) Abraham defeats them

13 A man who had escaped came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew. Now Abram was living near the great trees of Mamre the Amorite, a brother of Eshkol and Aner, all of whom were allied with Abram. 14 When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained men born in his household and went in pursuit as far as Dan.

Genesis 15:1 (NIV) Promise of protection

1 After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.”

Genesis 15:4–6 (NIV) Worried about an heir, given righteousness

4 Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” 5 He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 6 Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

Genesis 17:1–11 (NIV) Through Abraham people will belong to God

1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless. 2 Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.” 3 Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, 4 “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. 5 No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. 6 I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. 7 I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. 8 The whole land of Canaan, where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God.” 9 Then God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come. 10 This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. 11 You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you.

Genesis 17-25 is God showing this over and over

Lot is in Sodom and Gomorrah, which is a terrible place. He is saved by angels that basically have to drag him out of the city before it’s destroyed.

Abraham is given a miraculous son who is blessed by God.

Abraham is protected as he travels throughout the region, to the point where God gives dreams and visions to kings along the way.

Abraham becomes known as not only a man who knows God but a man known by God.

God tests Abraham and because of his faith acted out in obedience God provides a sacrifice. The same as him providing the sacrifice for Noah. And the same as Him providing the skins to cover Adam and Eve’s shame.

Abraham’s son is blessed with a wife.

And finally after having more children, at 175 Abraham dies.

Outro

Alright Israel, you are going into the land God promised Abraham. Door #1. Follow the Lord and he will be your provider, your shield, your reward, and your victory. He will give you everything you need to serve Him. He will not only allow you to serve Him, but because of your faith He will walk with you. He will restore your meaning and purpose and He will be your salvation in the midst of wickedness.

If you will walk through door #1. This is the gospel. Through faith in Christ, in God, we are given righteousness - and God will be our provider who gave His only unique Son that whosoever will believe will be saved from a judgement they deserve. Through Christ God is our provider, our shield, our reward, our victory and He will walk not only with us, but through His Spirit, in us and restore our meaning and purpose.