[스크랩] Who is God?
Who is God? Genesis 1:1
Nowadays many people live in the world without knowledge of God. There are many gods in the world, example, Absolute of Hinduism, Allah of Islam, Buddha of Buddhism, ancestor worship of Sindo in Japan. Even though people say that they know God, they just think about their gods who is not true God but they imagine. Paul said that it is just the evil spirit who was called god. Who is God? The Bible said only God who created the heaven and the earth.
1. God created the heaven and the earth.
God created the heaven and the earth by the word.
The Bible said that in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth(Genesis 1:1). In here everything is explained about God. Creation is the word which is used about the work of God, and it means that everything was completed from nothing. In the beginning means historical start of time when universe began with God’s creation. This means that Genesis is not the story of before eternity, but the story about beginning of universe and the human. God means that he is one who is strong and powerful, and highest one who is feared.
To create means that God completed everything from nothing. It means that he gave life to all things. God created light on first day, and sky on second day, sea, land, grass and tree on third day, sun, moon and stars in sky on fourth day, birds in sky and fishes in sea on fifth day, beast and man on sixth day.
God created man as God’s image.
When God created the man, he made him as like God’s image. God’s image means that man’s character was created from God’s character, because God only wanted to associate with him. The man is the crown of God's creation. He was called Adam. He ruled everything as a king, because God gave power to him to rule over other creation. Therefore the King of universe is only God because he created him who is agency of God for ruling all things.
When God created Adam, he formed him from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. And Adam became a living being(Genesis 2:7). If spirit leaves from him, he is nothing, because he was created from the dust of the ground. In other words, if the Spirit of God is not in us, we are nothing. If we live without the Holy Spirit, we are nothing. When we believed in Jesus Christ as our savior, the Holy Spirit came into our heart. But if we don't listen to the Holy Spirit, we live without the Holy Spirit. At that time, we are nothing and will fail. Our body is the temple where the Holy Spirit dwells. ‘Living being’ means that Adam received life from God who is life. Therefore we need to live in Jesus who is our life.
2. God blessed Adam
God blessed Adam.
After God created Adam as like his image, he blessed him. Blessing is to be fruitful, to increase in number, to fill the earth, to subdue it, and to rule over all the creature. To subdue means that it is not to do by his desire, but God’s culture commandment. He need to do according to good purpose for he develops the kingdom of God. God blessed and commanded to him to rule over all things according to God’s will and to extend the kingdom of God.
God put Adam in Eden.
God planted the special place and put Adam there to associate with him. That was Eden where was the garden of God. Garden means secure place surrounded with a fence, and means paradise. If we look out all mythology of the world, we can find many certification that first dwelling place of the man was paradise.
In Genesis 2:9-14, Eden was explained as the place where was beautiful and plenty. There were all kinds of trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. When we remember that the food which God first gave to Adam was not animal but plant, it is surely another concern of God for him. God planed that Adam get abundant harvest with his labor. It is contrasted with the life of curse which he must work hard to get the food, after he committed sin.
There was the tree of life in Eden. This tree is fruitful tree which God made him have eternal life by obeying God. John Calvin said about this tree that it is the tree when they eat the fruit of tree, they may remember that origin of life is on God. But they could no more taste gift of God because they committed sins against God(Genesis 3:22-24).
And there was the tree of knowledge of good and evil in center of garden. This tree’s value of presence is not to receive God’s protection as like pat, but to supply a chance to obey God with whole personality to possess free will. God put it in Eden, for the man recognize God as the Lord and remember himself also God’s creature. The Bible said that we can get happiness and comfort from God, when we recognize him.
In verse 10-14, the beautiful image of Eden was explained as symbolic expression that Eden is garden of God. There are four river flowing and gold and jewel. Specially jewels were similar the jewels that were decorated at the garment of priests.
God put Adam in Eden as gardener.
God put Adam in Eden as gardener and made him rule there. God did not lead just his body, but his whole personality. It was not accomplished by duress, but his willingness. To put means that God made secure place where is not invasion of outside and anxiety of inside but comfortable for him. In other words, he could live comfortably in Eden where God made.
To rule means that Adam’s mission was labor concerning about ground. In here we can realize that purpose of labor was not living but obeying God’s will. Therefore when we think about any labor which God entrust to us, it is precious and has meaning.
To take care means that God always takes care his creature to be preserved without damage. This means that God entrust his authority to him and make him control all things. In other words, he had to rule all things as agency of God, and had duty to defend garden of God. So that he had responsibility to appear glory of God through subduing the world and flowering culture as not master of all things but a servant of God.
He had to keep Eden as gardener
God commanded to him when he entrust him as gardener. It is that he must not eat the fruit of tree of knowledge of good and evil which was planted in center of Eden. The tree of knowledge of good and evil is symbol of authority of God, and he must not touch it. If he committed it, he must lose his life. Even he could eat fruits of good trees, he could not eat the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Free to eat means that he can eat freely as he wants. This word means that he can eat fruit of the tree of life. If he did not obey God’s word, he can not make an excuse but has responsibility, because God gave every food which he needs. To do not eat means that he must not eat. We can realize why he must die, because of not fruit but deed to eat it. As this obedience and disobedience is core element that decide eternity of him. If he disobeys God’s word, he will be judged before God. God said that if you eat it you will surely die. That is absolute commandment that God commanded to him and first covenant of deed that God contracted with him. This covenant makes us realize that obeying God’s word is his position and if he obeys God’s word he can get eternal life.
3. God saved the human.
The man disobeyed God’s commandment.
God blessed the man and put him Eden where was garden of God, for God made him rule and take care Eden. But he disobeyed God’s word that do not eat fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. He did not recognize God as his Lord. In here his tragedy began. He became to die as what God said, and he was driven out from Eden and must live under curse.
God promised descendant of woman.
But God promised good news when he judged Adam and his wife. It is that woman's descendant will come. He will break snake's head which tempted the man and his wife to disobey God's word. This woman’s descendant means Jesus Christ who came into the world as Messiah to forgive us from our sins. In other words, when Jesus Christ came into the world, Satan instigated Jews to kill Jesus on the cross. But God recognized the death of Jesus Christ that is the sacrifice of redemption to save us from our sins, and gave eternal life to those who believe in Jesus Christ who was resurrected. What Jesus broke snake's head means that Satan received a fatal wound and never recover. After Jesus rose from the death, it was proved that Jesus had victory.
God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife as symbol of salvation.
God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife to cover their shame. If we make a garment of skin, we need to kill a animal and take skin. When we kill animal, the animal will shed blood. Therefore garment of skin is symbol of death and blood of Jesus who will die on the cross instead of us to forgive our sins. It is first sacrifice to forgive our sins and model of sacrifice of redemption. God sent Jesus Christ to save us from our sins as his covenant. Jesus Christ came into the world 2013 years ago, and he died on the cross for our salvation.
Jesus Christ was born through virgin Mary's body by the Holy Spirit(Matthew 1:18-25). That's why Jesus Christ must come without sin. The name of Jesus means that He is one who saves his people from their sins. In other words, Jesus Christ came into the world to save us.
God gave us eternal life
God sent Jesus Christ to save us. God's salvation is eternal life. In other words, when God saved us, we had eternal life(John 3:16). God sent Jesus Christ for we will not perish but receive eternal life. Indeed, eternal life is true God and Jesus Christ(John 17:3).
4. God is blessing his people
God blessed Abraham
God specially called Abraham in his plan of salvation because he wanted to save his people. When God called Abraham, he promised him blessing(Genesis 12:1-3). Abraham obeyed God's word and went to Canaan, and received God's blessing. The blessing is not just material blessing but spiritual blessing. It is the salvation of God.
God blesses those who believe in Jesus Christ
The blessing which God promised Abraham was given christians who believe in Jesus Christ through him. Whoever believe in Jesus Christ will be descendant of Abraham and receive blessing with him. We are saved and have eternal life in Jesus Christ(Galatians 3:29)
God will give blessing of the kingdom of God
The blessing what God promised to Abraham and us is the blessing of the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is explained in Revelation 21:1-7and 22:1-5. There is tent of God among his people, and the tree of life and the river of life. There is no tear, no trouble, no distress and no death. God will be with his people. God will be his people's God and they also will be sons of God. They will live with God eternally.
Brothers and sisters! This time we heard about God. God created and blessed us, but our forefather Adam committed sins. As a result we became sinner, and we have to receive judgement and eternal punishment. But God sent Jesus christ and saved us because he loves us. Jesus Christ who is Son of God came into the world to give us salvation. Therefore we need to thank for God’s love and grace. And we come to the church every Sunday for we worship God. We receive God's blessing through worship. Then how can we receive God's blessing?
First, we need to believe that God who created the heaven and the earth is our Father. God created our flesh and soul and spirit. And he gave us the right of son of God, when we believed in Jesus Christ(John 1:12). Therefore we will not be afraid anything. We can live with God because we have eternal life.
Second, we need to believe that God will give us blessing he promised. We can receive all blessing which was promised in the Bible, if we obey God's word as like Abraham. Because we already became children of God in Jesus Christ. Therefore we need to pray to receive blessing of God. When we pray trusting in God, God will give us it. God will give us spiritual blessing and our needs. |