How the Beginning Shapes our ‘Now’
Philosophers and theologians have for centuries drawn on rhythm—patterned movements of repetition and variation—as a way of describing reality.
The Bible opens with the two creation stories, set by side in Genesis 1 and 2. These two chapters have been studied meticulously for two thousand years by Christian and Jewish scholars, and their collective insights stagger our imaginations. But what is often missed is how skillfully these texts prepare and lead us as ordinary working Christians into better lives today as we engage with the rhythms God has embedded into his world. Dietrich Bonhoeffer suggests that this rhythmic form is more basic than anything else. It is the cradle in which the rest of creation emerges.
The unfortunate tendency often for many Christians is to reduce these stories to only a defense of creation against evolution and in doing so that they fail to see any other significance for today.
So, we're going back to the beginning to the first 11 chapters that set everything up. Genesis is foundational to the whole Bible, and to every human life. Genesis tells us who God is, who we are, how things went wrong, and the plan that God has put in place to return the earth to the way it was meant to be. And each section helps us live out God's will for life in the present precisely because we continue to experience the impact of the larger rhythmic narrative of sin, judgement, redemption promise.
The two opening creation narratives, are primary texts for living in the time and place that we wake up each morning. Genesis 1 focuses on God’s creation gift of time and Genesis 2 focuses on God’s creation gift of place. We have the rhythm of work and rest stitched into God's creation; the focus on the fall and the subsequent ripple effect shows us the pattern of sin that pervades the good world God created. And yet though there is judgment which follows there's also a pattern and rhythm of grace that ensues.There is great significance for us. The same God who has created, elected, and made promises to us has given us irrevocable significance by creating us in his divine image. Furthermore, he has welcomed us into covenant with him whereby we partake of his blessings.
The patterns and rhythms of Genesis 1-11 speaks into our ordinary lives now. The calling of Abraham which we conclude with in Genesis 12, and the promise of land, people & blessing shows the calling and perhaps even creation of a new people through the promise of new community and pattern that will fill the rest of salvation history of God's people called to live in God's place enjoying His rule. Simply put, the book of Genesis shows us the importance of God’s promises in the lives of God’s people as they journey on to God’s place, the Promised Land.
Doesn’t this sound remarkably similar to the life of the church? As God’s covenant people, we gather together as those marked off by our common profession of faith and our public identification as his people. Clinging to God’s promises kept, we mirror those in Genesis who clung to God’s promises made.