As I mentioned yesterday, I have finished reading Genesis. I learned so much reading each and every chapter. I've never read every chapter of Genesis. I also used the study guide in Max Lucado's series. It was excellent!
So, after reading the entire book, here are my thoughts and a few questions. Feel free to email me if you know the answers to my questions.
Creation of Man--Chapter 1: God created man in His image meaning what? He gave man what He (God) already had Himself: an eternal soul, the ability to love, and free choice. The animals God created were not given all three of these things thus not created in His image. I always imagined God looking in a mirror and giving Adam his nose and Jesus hair, and maybe he did, but I think it was quite likely more characteristics of the heart than physical being.
Creation of Eve--Chapter 2: Eve was created from part of Adam. She was literally part of him thus becoming two pieces of the same puzzle. And to use a very overused phrase: She completes him.
The Flood--Chapter 6:4 "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."
This is very criptic to me. Who were the Nephilim and who were the "sons of God"? One theory says the Nephilim were giants. Another says they and the "sons of God" were angels who decided to walk the earth with the humans. Honestly, I don't know enough to know or even have an opinion.
The Flood--Chapter 7: As pointed out by Lucado, if Noah was obedient enough to build an ark when he'd never seen rain imagine how obedient he was in the little things. I can also imagine that he took great care to teach his children about God and not following the ways of the world.
Chapter 11: 4-25: Each generation after Shem lives fewer years. Shem lives to be 500 years old and 7 generations later, Nahor lived only 119.
Chapter 18: Abraham is visited by three visitors. He addresses one of the visitors as Lord. This could be because the person is highly respected or because he recognizes the person as God in human form. In verse 27, he acknowledges that he is speaking far too frankly, "Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord." I am led to believe that he not only recognized the Lord as God but also had a close enough relationship with him to feel he could speak his heart to him. This is an amazing relationship. To be able to walk and talk with the Lord God is an awesome thing. What an example of the relationship we should have with God.
Chapter 22: Abraham had faith that God would follow through on his promise so he followed God's instructions to sacrifice his only son. Isaac had faith in not only his father but also in God and followed without knowing why and without asking questions. We should have the same faith. We should follow God's lead without asking questions and with the knowledge that God will bless us and take care of us in the end. God provided an angel to stop Abraham's hand and a Ram to replace Isaac, and I am sure Abraham had not imagined that this would be the way God would take care of his son. I am not lost on the similarities between Christ and Isaac, but that is a sermon heard more than once in the pulpit.
Chapter 23:17: Abraham insisted on buying the land so there would be no dispute later. We know all too well how the Israelite land is disputed today so the wisdom of Abraham's decision.
Chapter 24: Rebekah was Isaac's first cousin. hmmmm
24:47: "Then I put a ring in her nose...." OUCH!!! Why did it have to be the nose?! Why not the ear or on the finger.
I'll post my thoughts on chapters 25-52 tomorrow.
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