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Word from Scotland
by Sandy Shaw
We move on to Genesis Chapter 2. We have read of how this universe, and our world, and man, were CREATED. Man was and is so different from the rest of CREATION. God blessed man - and put him in charge to RULE - to be responsible - for every aspect.
We are responsible for the ecology - pollution - the environment - the animals and plants and trees. There is NOTHING pre-historic.
Even man's food is different. We do not graze like the animals. Man is to eat fruit - leaves and grass is for the animals. But if we fall far - it is possible for a man to descend to these depths - like Nebuchadnezzar in the Book of Daniel.
Man has a weekly cycle - six days work and one day rest - animals do not have that. Cows do not take a day off, as those farmers who milk them will tell you. Grass grows seven days a week. But the Sabbath was made for man. Man has to rise above eating and drinking and working - to WORSHIP.
When it comes to order in our life I have found these words helpful - Worship - Work – Wages – and if these remained in that order, so many problems and arguments and disputes would disappear – but alas we have to remember that sin came in, and that is in Genesis Chapter 3.
Man is made for Communion with God.
Over these last 150 years or so, some academics have said that Genesis Chapter 2 is a second source about Creation - that it came from some different place. No. No.
These are not alternatives, but complimentary and supplementary. These verses look at Creation from a different viewpoint. To portray Jesus, God gives us FOUR PICTURES. In a police record there will be two photographs of a man - one with two ears and one with one ear. Which is right?
Also in Chapter 2, we see how man is very unlike GOD. We have to say that God is very like man - and also unlike man. When we read these verses - where are you?
Where are you in Chapter 1? Are we not somewhere in the middle - looking down upon the earth seeing what is being created - and up at the clouds and sky.
In Genesis Chapter 2, we find ourselves with feet firmly placed on the ground. Do you know where we find ourselves in Genesis Chapter 3? HIDING!
We are dealing with real people and real places. The people and places have names. And, so does GOD. There are relationships now - and names are needed. From now on we have the name The Lord God. Lord tells you Who He is - God tells you what He is - and man needs to know both. These two words mean - "I am the God Who is". That is why Jesus went on to say - I am the light of the world - the bread of life - with you always - the way the truth and the life.
We can have personal relationship with GOD.
In Genesis Chapter 2, it is as if a zoom lens is being used, and we are no longer concentrating on the Universe – on the big and wide picture - we are zooming in upon man.
“Gracious Father, there is truth here which I so need to grasp and understand. May I never hide from You. May I never run from You. Place Your Hand upon me and keep me faithful and loyal and loving. Amen”
Alexander 'Sandy' Shaw is pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship in Nairn, Scotland. Nairn is 17 miles east of Inverness - on the Moray Firth Coast - not far from the Loch Ness Monster!
Gifted as a Biblical teacher, Sandy is firmly committed to making sure that his teachings are firmly grounded in the Word.
Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.
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