Virtual Church Consulting

We’re starting a new series titled “Kingdom Rebellion,” in this session, we’ll summarize Genesis chapters 3 to 11. This is in preparation for a more in-depth examination of these chapters. The “Kingdom Rebellion” segment in God’s narrative encompasses three key events: the fall of man, the great flood, and the construction of the Tower of Babel.

The Fall

In the story of the Fall, a divine being, contrary to God’s plan for a human family, tempts Eve, hoping her disobedience will lead to the destruction of both her and Adam. This entity, appearing as a serpent, manages to lead Eve into sin but fails to eliminate humanity.

Genesis 3:1-7 (NIV)
1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” 4 “You will not surely die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “For God knows that when you eat of it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked, so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

The events in Eden mark just the beginning. Adam and Eve’s rebellion brings severe consequences. God expels them from Eden, curses the serpent, and banishes him from His presence. However, the situation deteriorates even further.

The Flood

Genesis 6:1-4 (NIV)
1 When men began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. 3 Then the LORD said, “My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days will be a hundred and twenty years.” 4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days–and also afterward–when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them. They were the heroes of old men of renown.

The narrative then introduces the “elohim,” divine beings who are attracted to human women and father children known as Nephilim. This act causes lasting harm to humanity. The flood is God’s response to this situation.

Genesis 6:7 (NIV)
7 So the LORD said, “I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth–men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air–for I am grieved that I have made them.”

God’s reaction is not anger but deep sorrow over these developments. He decides to start anew, using the flood as a cosmic reset, reminiscent of the pre-creation state of the earth covered in water. Noah and his family are chosen to rebuild humanity post-flood, echoing the original directive given to Adam and Eve.

Genesis 9:1 (NIV)
1 Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth.

This marks a fresh beginning, with God still desiring a human family. However, another act of defiance soon emerges.

The Tower of Babel

Post-flood, God instructs Noah’s descendants to multiply and populate the earth, serving as stewards of creation. Contrary to this, they congregate at Babel, constructing a city and tower for their glorification.

Genesis 11:1-4 (ESV)
1 Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. 2 And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. 3 And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone and bitumen for mortar. 4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.”

Following previous acts of disobedience, including the expulsion from Eden and the flood, humanity again deviates from God’s will. In response, God assigns the governance of different nations to various divine beings, the “elohim.”

Deuteronomy 32:8-9 (ESV)
8 When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he divided mankind, he fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God. 9 But the LORD’s portion is his people, Jacob his allotted heritage.

The Bible later reveals that these elohim fail in their duties, leading to their judgment. God plans to strip them of their immortality and reclaim the nations.

Psalm 82:1-8 (ESV)
1 God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods, he holds judgment: 2 “How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Selah 3 Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. 4 Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” 5 They have neither knowledge nor understanding; they walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken. 6 I said, “You are gods, sons of the Highest, all of you; 7 nevertheless, like men, you shall die and fall like any prince.” 8 Arise, O God, judge the earth; for you shall inherit all the nations!

This overview sets the stage for our upcoming deeper exploration of these pivotal chapters in Genesis, highlighting the recurring theme of rebellion and God’s responses to it.

Steve Lawes is a Church Consultant and also provides coaching for pastors, churches, ministries and church planters.

This week we are wrapping up our series called “Kingdom Revealed,” but before we move on to our next series, “Kingdom Rebellion,” we need to introduce the elohim into the story.

Before God created us, His human family, he created a spiritual family. We often think of them as the angels. But this spiritual family is actually more than angels. The Bible calls them “sons of God” or the elohim.

Job 38:4-7 (NIV)
4 “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. 5 Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? 6 On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone— 7 while the morning stars sang together and all the angels (elohim – sons of God) shouted for joy?

God’s heart is to live with his divine and human family on earth. God wanted the whole earth to be a place where heaven and earth met, where humanity could enjoy the divine, and where the divine could enjoy earth and humanity. And, the beginning of the problem, where the conflict comes from, is that some of this spiritual or divine family, don’t want to add this human family.

The word elohim refers to any inhabitant of the heavenly realm. The Bible clearly distinguishes God from all other gods in other ways, not by using the word elohim. For instance, the Bible commands the gods to worship the God of the Bible.

Psalm 29:1-2 (NIV)
1 Ascribe to the LORD, O mighty ones, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. 2 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.

God is unlike any other elohim. He is their creator and King; no one compares to God.

Psalm 89:6-7 (NIV)
6 For who in the skies above can compare with the LORD? Who is like the LORD among the heavenly beings? 7 In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared; he is more awesome than all who surround him.

God has no equal, but the “council of the holy ones” is a real thing. We will be looking at this council and the question of why evil exists in the world at Keys Vineyard Church this weekend so be sure to join us in person or online.

Steve Lawes is a Church Consultant and also provides coaching for pastors, churches, ministries and church planters.

We are in a series called Kingdom Revealed and looking deeply into the first two chapters of Genesis. We discussed the cosmic temple, imagers, trees, mountains, and rivers. This week, we will discuss the ‘Spirit of God’. After Jesus was raised from the dead, we read in John 7:37-39 that He sent the Spirit into his followers.

John 7:37–39 (NIV)
37 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

Back in Genesis 1, we are introduced to the “Spirit of God” or “Holy Spirit”.

Genesis 1:1–2 (NIV)
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

On the first page of the Bible, the world before creation is presented as a realm of darkness and chaos. Yet, above this tumult, the Spirit of God is portrayed as hovering, poised to instill life, order, and beauty. This Spirit represents God’s personal presence, referred to in Hebrew as ‘ruakh’.

As the narrative of the Bible progresses, we observe that God’s ‘ruakh’ imparts unique empowerment to individuals for particular missions. Joseph is the first character in the Bible to experience this divine empowerment.

Genesis 41:38 (NIV)
38 So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?”

God’s Spirit enables Joseph to understand and interpret dreams. In Exodus, we see this Spirit empowerment happen again.

Exodus 31:1–3 (NIV)
1 Then the LORD said to Moses, 2“See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills—

God’s Spirit empowers Bezalel to make the beautiful things in the tabernacle. We further learn that God’s ruakh endows the prophets with power. The prophets proclaimed that the Spirit would emerge to impose order out of chaos, similar to the events of Genesis 1. However, this time, its purpose is to transform the human heart, enabling people to love God and others genuinely.

Isaiah 11:1–3 (NIV)
1 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. 2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD— 3and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears;

Ezekiel 36:26–27 (NIV)
26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

Ezekiel 37:14 (NIV)
14 I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.’”

We will dig into all of this and how the Holy Spirit empowers believers today at Keys Vineyard Church this weekend. Please 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.