The Heart of God
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In the beginning
Genesis 1-2 has frustrated and perplexed many people. This is mostly due to people studying Genesis to find answers to questions the text is not concerned with. Many read Genesis looking for a detailed explanation of how God created the world, but the creation story in Genesis is not interested in answering that question.
The book of Genesis does not intend to explain anything; the mystery of the world’s coming into being is in no way made more intelligible by a statement such as At the beginning God created heaven and earth. The Bible and science do not deal with the same problem. Scientific theory inquires: What is the cause of the universe? […] The Bible is interested in teaching us about the Creator of all things and to reveal to us the knowledge of His will. The Bible teaches us that God is alive, that He is our Creator and Redeemer, Teacher and Lawgiver.
- Abraham Joshua Heschel. God in Search of Man : A Philosophy of Judaism. New York, Noonday Press, 1994. p16
Studying the Bible in search of answers that the Bible is interested in giving can be quite frustrating. What should we do? How about studying the Bible interested in the truths it wants to teach us? Instead of searching for answers not found in the text, becoming interested in the truths the text provides.
For example.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
- Genesis 1:1 NKJV
Genesis 1:1 is the theological foundation of not only Genesis but the entire Bible. What does Genesis 1:1 tell us?
When you go back to the very beginning you have God, in contrast to atheism.
God created alone, in contrast to polytheism.
God rules over creation, in contrast to pantheism.
Matter had a beginning as opposed to materialism.
The ultimate reality is God, not humanity.
God created the universe out of nothing (see Hebrews 11:3)
God stands outside and beyond creation to undertake the act of creation.
God’s being is not confused with creation or dependent on it in any way.
Want to go deeper?
The entire story of creation is found in Genesis 1-2.
For the revelation of God in creation see Psalm 19:1-6 and Romans 1:20.
For creation as the basis for worship see Psalm 95:1-6 and Revelation 14:7.
I have an entire post on the creation story entitled In The Beginning which is part of my series in the book of Genesis.
The creation story is more concerned with describing God and His relationship with all of creation and us than with the detailed description of the physics, chemistry, and biology of how He accomplished it. I am not saying that those questions are not important, but rather that they are not the focus of the biblical text.
Another important aspect of the creation account that I want to highlight is found in Genesis 1:26-31
26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
29 And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food. 30 Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food”; and it was so. 31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
- Genesis 1:26-31 NKJV (bold mine)
Humanity, men and women, were created in the image of God and in that manner are not like everything else God created. Humans are to have dominion over all of creation, but that does not mean we should exploit and abuse creation, but rather care for it. It is also interesting to note that there is no death and both animals and humans live feeding on the plants God created.
Finally, everything God created is very good. God did not create lower life forms to struggle to survive and evolve over millions of years of suffering and death. God places humanity in a perfect world to enjoy and to be responsible for it.
The seventh day
Interestingly by the time we come to Genesis 2 everything that is physical has been created, yet the creation week is 7 days long, not six.
Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. 2 And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.
- Genesis 2:1-3 NKJV
Why would the Bible include a description of God resting?
God does not rest until His work is done. There was no room for improvement in creation, no need for anything to evolve. God does not create things halfway, then becomes tired and needs a day to rest. God finished the creation of life on earth and rested from the work that He had done. Not because He is tired, but He is switching gears. Isaiah 40:28 reminds us that The Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. Rest is not necessarily due to fatigue, but out of a desire for community.
Adam and Eve were created on the sixth day of creation, they would not need a day of rest the very next day of their existence. If God never gets tired, and if Adam and Eve were not tired either, why the big deal with the seventh day being a day for rest?
The seventh day of creation is not just a day for resting, but the Bible tells us that God blessed the seventh day, and made it holy. The seventh day of creation has a special blessing from God Himself. Also, God made it holy, which among other things, means it was set aside for a special use. The seventh day is a big deal because it gives us a glimpse of the heart of God. God created the world and humanity not to work for Him, to feed Him, etc. God creates then invites all of creation, especially humanity to rest and spend time with Him. We rest with God and in God because He is our creator and our provider.
Long before Abraham was born. Long before Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt. Long before the Tabernacle was built and before the Ten Commandments were written in stone by the finger of God, God established a special day, set aside for a special use, a day He blessed, because He desires to spend time with us. God desires to be with us. God values relationships, and especially a relationship with you.
The fall
Genesis 3 records the fall of humanity, when Adam and Eve rebelled against God by disobeying His clear and explicit will. (For more on the fall, check out my posts Paradise Lost Part 1 and Part 2) Sadly, Adam and Eve now hide from God.
8 And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.
- Genesis 3:8 NKJV
Notice that God takes the initiative to seek out Adam and Eve, and they hide from Him. Notice how the story reveals the heart of God as One desiring a relationship. It is Adam and Eve who hide from God. But God is seeking them.
9 Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?”
10 So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.”
11 And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?”
- Genesis 3:9-11 NKJV
God is seeking, calling out, and asking questions. God knows all the answers, but He engages Adam and Eve in the process of learning. God causes Adam and Eve to ponder what they did. God could have just killed them immediately, God could have shown up angry and terrifying. But He walks in the garden in the cool of the day seeking them. He asks them questions. This is the God we worship. This is the God of the Bible, He desires to be with us, and He loves us. The first humans, created in God’s image, and placed in a perfect world, had just rebelled against God, distrusting His character and disobeying His word, His law. This act would cost the life of Jesus, yet God approaches Adam and Eve and engages in a dialogue.
The Promise
In the midst of the judgment of Adam and Eve God makes a promise, a prophecy of hope.
And I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her Seed;
He shall bruise your head,
And you shall bruise His heel.”
- Genesis 3:15 NKJV
God places enmity between the serpent (Satan, Revelation 20:2) and the woman. Satan and his followers will always be at war with the woman and her children. The Seed of the man will crush the head of the serpent and the serpent will crush the heel of the Seed of the woman. (For more details see my post someOne is coming)
God promised Eve that someone born of a woman would defeat the serpent once and for all, though He would also be wounded in the process. Jesus, Son of God and born of a woman defeated Satan once and for all, though Satan (through his human agents) brutally killed Jesus.
Tunics of skin
God’s plan to deal with sin, the rebellion of Adam and Eve, is to send Jesus to die for our sins.
For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
- 2 Corinthians 5:21 NKJV
But until that day God illustrated that He would have to cover Adam and Eve’s nakedness by covering them with tunics made of skin.
Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clothed them.
- Genesis 3:21 NKJV
Though it is not all spelled out, we have a clear notion that an innocent animal had to die so that Adam and Eve’s nakedness would be covered. From the very beginning, our salvation has been a gift we receive from God. We sinned against God, yet He paid the price and He covers us with His righteousness. We don’t save ourselves. God saves us.
Adam and Eve did not go out and find and kill an animal to make the tonics for themselves. God did it for them. Adam and Eve tried covering themselves with fig leaves (Genesis 3:7), but that did not work, because when God appeared they still hid themselves (Genesis 3:8-10). Adam and Eve must have understood the nature of substitutionary atonement (more details in my post One Story to Rule Them All) since by chapter 4 we have Cain and Abel offering sacrifices. The idea is that the innocent lamb dies in the place of the sinner.
God seeking us
In Genesis 4 we are introduced to Adam and Eve’s first kids, Cain and Abel. Eventually, Cain kills his brother Abel, but before he does so, God speaks to him.
So the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”
- Genesis 4:6-7 NKJV
Before Cain sins, God shows up and asks him questions, reasoning with him, and guiding Cain on the right path. Cain disregards God’s guidance and kills his brother. God once against speaks to Cain.
Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?”
He said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”
Genesis 4:9 NKJV
It is not that God did not know the answer. Once again, God is seeking a relationship. God begins a dialogue. God is interested in teaching and redeeming.
The Bible is not a list of behavioral rules that God has for us, it is a story of God desiring to have a personal relationship with us. The laws are secondary, they help the relationship, but they do not replace the relationship.
Personal Story
I am not sure how many of you reading this have a pet. All analogies fall short but I believe the pet owner and the pet can have some similarities between God and us. It is not the same, there are many differences but follow along and let me know your thoughts.
My family decided to get a rescue dog while we lived in Georgia. We got some sort of jack russel terrier mix. We are not sure what he is, but he loves to run! We lived in a house that did not have a fenced-in backyard and our dog took every chance he had to run.
One day, after I had dropped the kids off at school and had an intense workout I came home tired, hungry, and with my legs feeling rubbery from the workout. I don’t remember the details but the dog escaped. He took off running. I went out calling him, with treats in my pocket. I looked for him everywhere. Finally, I found him. We lived in a circle that was about half a mile and walking around it I spotted him running across the yards of our neighbors. I began to jog to keep from losing sight of him. I was concerned he would run across the street and get hit by a car. I called him, and I offered treats, but he was more interested in running and exploring. I continued to jog after him, calling out to him as I went. As I chased my dog around the neighborhood I met many of my neighbors who tried to help and laughed at the funny scenario. Here I am chasing after my dog who refuses to obey me. The run was rising in the sky, the day was hot and humid, my legs were tired, and my shirt was sticking to my skin. I went home and drank some water then came out again. I got my phone out and started texting the person I was supposed to meet. I told him I would be late. Eventually, my dog came back to our backyard but ran through the thicket at the back of our property and into the neighborhood behind ours. Now I had to push through the thicket, making my way around thorns, and all kinds of plants. Now I had a few scratches, portions of my skin were itching and I was hoping that the neighbors whose backyard I had just invaded didn’t own a gun. I continued to chase my dog and I began to wonder if that is how God felt chasing after me my whole life.
I imagine God, not with a pocket full of treats but with blessings He wanted me to enjoy, continuously calling out to me, as I ran around not aware of the dangers that surrounded me. Just like my dog had no idea he could get run over by a vehicle.
Now I was in a new neighborhood. I did not know anyone in this neighborhood. My voice was tired of calling out my god. I noticed some people watching from inside their houses. Some who were out would stare and ask if it was my dog they saw running across their property. I was so embarrassed, I was tired, and I could not understand why my dog was running away since I was the one who provided him with food, water, and shelter. I cared for him, played with him, and bought him a bed, food, and toys. Here he was running away, having a great time. He had run through some puddles, he was wet, and dirty and loving it. I was getting tired beginning to wonder if he was worth all this effort. I seriously doubted it at times, but the thought of having to explain to my wife and kids that the dog had run away and I had not brought him home kept me pursuing and calling after my dog.
I took to my phone and canceled the appointment I had that morning. It was getting closer to lunchtime. I was thirsty, I was hungry, my head hurt, I was embarrassed of chasing my own dog in front of all my neighbors and I wondered what they thought of me for not having any control over my dog.
Once again my mind turned to theology. I am familiar with the stories in the Bible and how they depict God as a living Father. I know the story of the prodigal son, and the good shepherd and the lost sheep (Luke 15). This is where I realized how far I had to go because if I got my hands in my dog I was thinking about rejoicing. To be completely honest, I wanted to punish him for everything he had put me through. Maybe this was why I sometimes struggle in my relationship with God.
Since I became angry with my dog for being rebellious and running away and causing so much trouble, I imagined God felt the same way about me. If I am not careful, I believe that God wants me to suffer to make up for some of the suffering I caused. I feel that before I return to God I have to somehow atone for my sins. Instead of believing what the Bible says about God, that He loves me unconditionally, and that Jesus has paid the full price of all my transgressions on the cross, I feel like I better do something to appease God and that He must be angry because of the way I behaved when I knew better. Or even worse, for the times I told Him I would never do this again, and here I am doing it.
Eventually, my dog laid down in the shade of a tree and waited there until I came and picked him up. He was breathing hard, he was wet, he was dirty, and he was probably hungry. I picked him up and carried him back home. I had to cross the thicket again, getting my shirt snagged on thorns and sticks since my hands were now holding my dog, and getting my legs scratched once again. I carried my dog home. I gave him fresh water, and food, and bathed him. I had to call my afternoon appointments and re-schedule one of them and move some of the others. I may or may not have called my dog a bad dog a few times as I carried home, and as angry as I had been at him, I was glad he was okay.
As I showered and drank water and ate I also spent some time in prayer. I thanked God that my dog was safe. I also apologized to God for the countless times I behaved even worse than my dog, since I, as a human being should know better. I also thanked God that He is not like me but is infinitely more loving and gracious and forgiving.
As I said, this analogy is deeply flawed. But the experience of chasing after my dog caused me to reflect on my relationship with God, and how glad I am that I am not God, and how much more loving and gracious God is than me.
God pursues us
11 For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.
12 “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? 13 And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. 14 Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
- Matthew 18:11-14 NKJV
Have you ever wondered if God is biased? He is! God wants to save you. Jesus describes God as actively seeking that which is lost. Jesus’ earthly ministry was a revelation of the heart of the Father.
38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. 40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
- John 6:38-40 NKJV
Jeremiah describes God drawing us to Him with love.
The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.
- Jeremiah 31:3 NKJV
God wants to have a personal relationship with you. God wants to save you and to guide you. God wants to transform you into the best version of yourself. Will you trust Him? Do you believe that He loves you? Do you accept His love? Do you trust that His will is the best possible will for your life?
What keeps you from re-dedicating your life to Him today?
If you have any questions and would like to discuss this further feel free to leave a comment below and I’ll follow up with you personally. (or reach out to me through social media)
