Though chapters 1 & 2 take up a relatively small portion of the total book of Genesis, these chapters contain much information that is important for Christian reflection. Therefore, this week we pause to consider three themes in Genesis 1 & 2 before moving on to Genesis 3.

First, the seventh day is truly unique among the days of creation. We read in Gn. 2:1-3 that God had finished his work and that he “blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creation that he had done.” When we read that God rested, we should not imagine God taking a sigh of relief after working hard all week. Even though he rested, he still upheld all that he had made in the previous six days. Instead the idea of rest should be seen in relational terms. Now that God had finished his work of creation, he would enter into full relationship with his creation, especially man. Man likewise would enjoy a relationship with God. Missing is the phrase that accompanies the other six days, ‘and there was evening and there was morning’. This makes an important theological point: this day of relational rest was to be perpetual. Adam and Eve were to enjoy a covenantal relationship with God as they expanded the borders of the garden over the earth. However, this relational rest was lost, as we will learn next week in Genesis 3.

Closely connected to the seventh day is the Biblical theme of rest, especially Sabbath rest. The fourth commandment to ‘remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy’ harkens back to this creation account. The Sabbath was a day of rest set aside for God (Ex. 20:8-11). The theme of rest is also associated with the entrance into the Promised Land. This is seen especially in the book of Joshua. As the theme of rest unfolds throughout the Bible, the author of Hebrews teaches that the people of Israel gained a rest that was not complete. The rest in the land and the Sabbath day were types pointing to the final rest found in Jesus Christ. Therefore, today to obey the Sabbath we must believe in Jesus Christ and put our full trust in Him for salvation (Heb. 3 &4). As Christians we already enjoy the rest in Christ that will be fully realized in the new heavens and the new earth (Rev. 21-22).

Second, we learn basic truths about the created order that form our worldview such as the norms for marriage, family, and human sexuality. In a culture that constantly goes against these norms, we must ground our views solidly in scripture. Research that proves that these norms are good for society and arguments from observing our world are important, but ultimately our convictions must rest on the words recorded here in Genesis 2:20-24 and elsewhere in the scripture. We know that homosexuality, adultery, and other forms of sexual deviance are ‘deviant’ because scripture gives us the norms.

Also, a look at later scripture reveals that much more is going on here than just the norms for human marriage. In Ephesians 5 scripture reveals that human marriage is actually a picture of the relationship between Christ and the church. Therefore, when we honor the norms given for marriage we are also honoring Christ and His church.

Finally, another worldview forming theme for reflection is the sanctity of human life. This year, on January 22, marks the 35th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. Since then our culture has spiraled further down in its regard for human life. As those who believe the Bible is the word of God, we realize that every life is valuable because every human life is made in the image of God. This should influence how we view many things in the world. As Christians we should honor the value of every human life in the way we vote, spend our money, and not least, in the way we treat people in our daily living.

Audio from this week’s lesson: Important Themes in Genesis 1-2.

~TWM