This week, we are returning to our series called “Kingdom Revealed,” where we look deeply into Genesis 1 and 2. This seemed like a good week for a little review, as we have spent the last six weeks in Advent.
Genesis 1:1–5 (NIV)
1In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. 3And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. 5God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.
We initially looked at this idea of the Kingdom Revealed in Sword Sharpening. We established that we needed to know about Creation, Heaven / Earth (cosmic temple), the human family (imagers), and the Elohim.
Genesis 1 introduces us to God’s ideal for creation. We looked at how Genesis 1 describes the creation of a cosmic temple. A place where heaven and earth connect. This Cosmic Temple is God’s heart for being with His human family on the planet He created.
Genesis 2 introduces the characters who will be given the chance to live out that ideal.
Genesis 2:4 (NIV)
4 This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, when the LORD God made the earth and the heavens.
We discussed that Genesis 2 does not follow chronologically with Chapter 1. There seems to be a different order of things. This is an excellent place to have a think. Some people believe Chapter 2 is building on Day 6; some think it is building out Day 3 or some combination of Day 3 and Day 6, but there are problems with all those ideas. Perhaps it is a more detailed description of what is actually happening in the garden. Perhaps Genesis 1 is the ideal, and Genesis 2 is more of the reality.
Then, we looked at the concept of Imagers.
Genesis 2:5–7 (NIV)
5 Now no shrub had yet appeared on the earth and no plant had yet sprung up, for the LORD God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no one to work the ground, 6 but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground. 7 Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
Another way to understand what it means to be an imager is that we are a royal priesthood. This is what the Apostle Peter was saying in 1 Peter 2:9
1 Peter 2:9 (NIV)
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
The royal part is our vocation. God wants us to partner with Him to steward the creation, to make the planet like Eden. The priesthood part is us reflecting the image of God to one another and the world.
As part of our review, we will also be looking at the two trees, mountains, and rivers at Keys Vineyard Church this weekend, so make plans to join us in person or online.
Steve Lawes is a Church Consultant and also provides coaching for pastors, churches, ministries and church planters.
