It Begins at the Beginning

Jumping into a new year of Bible reading brings me back to Genesis, the beginning of the beginning. All the key themes of the Bible are encapsulated in the first twelve chapters. Who God is (Ch 1), Who man is (Ch 2), What marriage is (Ch 2), What sin is (Ch 3-4) Who Satan is (Ch 3), Where salvation will come from (Ch 3), What judgment is (Ch 6-8), What God promises (Ch 8), Where civilization comes from (Ch 9-10), Where language, culture, and nations comes from (Ch 11), and Where missions, hope, and the eventual Savior of the world will come from (Ch 12). These twelve chapters lay the groundwork for understanding the whole story of redemption. Grasping the beginning charts a course to grasping the whole and not seeing a bunch of disjointed stories but one vast meta-narrative explaining all of life’s big questions. 

Our God existed without beginning, entered human history as a Creator, authoritatively revealing Himself with words, creating all things for His glory, making mankind in His image, declaring the boundaries of marriage, family, and human relationships, giving all kinds of good gifts to His children for them to flourish and enjoy life under the loving protection of a relational God. But man, choosing to be autonomous from God, thought Him restrictive, chose to listen to other voices luring them away from true beauty, goodness, and love, and thus life began being lived outside the realm of the garden of God. But God in His infinite kindness promised a serpent-crusher, One who would defeat the forces of sin and evil, restore man to God, and usher in a new era of garden blessings, free from any future fall or deceptive influence. This is the story of the Bible. In all its intrigue, we see the unfolding mess of man and the glories of God, from Genesis to Revelation, coming to its unmatched climax in the person of Christ. The thoughtful reader sees hints and shadows all along the way, pointing to a Savior and promising a future for all who believe. Read with fresh eyes and awe-filled wonder this year the One Story that makes sense of all of history, and offers you daily hope for whatever comes your way.