Genesis: Beginning with the End in Mind

    by Pat Thomas

    October 2009

 

We are given not simply a description of our human origins, but a detailed picture of what God intended for us and for our relationship with Him to be like.

One of “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” identified by Stephan Covey is to “Begin with the end in mind.”  The concept is that successful people know how they want their efforts (or projects, or whatever) to end up before they ever start them—in order to have a clear idea of how to start.  Now it seems to me this is not a new idea.  In fact, it seems to me that this is exactly what God did.  Look at the book of Genesis:  By the time we get to chapter 3, as God presents the first of many Messianic revelations to come, we easily start to realize that God already knows how this whole story is going to end up, before it even gets going.  It seems He began with the end clearly in mind.

Initially, Genesis sets forth the creation of “the heavens and the earth” (Gen 1:1), the entire cosmos with its natural laws (Gen 1:3 – 25), and mankind (Gen 1:26 – 2:25).  But it also moves quickly and naturally into a discussion of the relationship between Creator and Creation, God and man.  In fact we are given insight into God’s heart and plan when we are told He “planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed” (Gen 2:8).  This was to be a protected, intimate, and bountiful relationship between them.  And so we are given not simply a description of our human origins, but a detailed picture of what God intended for us and for our relationship with Him to be like.  It is a brief glimpse into the end that God had in mind in the beginning.

The “Spirit” is published monthly as a newsletter of the Northwest Tampa Church of God.  It is also posted on the internet at:    http://www.nwtcog.cc

Submissions should be made electronically to Pat Thomas in the form of an email or MS Word document.  Electronic submissions should be made to pastor_pat@nwtcog.cc, with “cc” to ann_roberts@nwtcog.cc.  The church leadership reserves the right to edit any and all submissions for any reason, including space, relevancy, or accuracy.  Most articles will be limited to between 200-800 words.

Deadline for all submissions is the last Sunday of the month preceding the month of publication.

 
Text Box: The “Spirit” is published monthly as a newsletter of the Northwest Tampa Church of God.  It is also posted on the internet at:    http://www.nwtcog.cc Submissions should be made electronically to Pat Thomas in the form of an email or MS Word document.  Electronic submissions should be made to pastor_pat@nwtcog.cc, with “cc” to ann_roberts@nwtcog.cc.  The church leadership reserves the right to edit any and all submissions for any reason, including space, relevancy, or accuracy.  Most articles will be limited to between 200-800 words. Deadline for all submissions is the last Sunday of the month preceding the month of publication.  

In a sermon entitled “The Sprit and the Glory,” Jack Hayford has pointed out that in the Garden, Adam had a perfect view of God, perfect abilities in terms of accomplishing what God had for him to do, and perfect—that is, unhindered—communion and communication with God.  What an incredible picture of life in the Garden!  And, I would like to add, all of this was free of any demands or requirements of Adam—in other words, he didn’t have to do something or perform at a certain level in order to earn it.  Okay, God required that Adam not eat of a certain tree, but requiring him not to do something is different than requiring him to do something.  The provisions, protection, and partnership with God in the Garden were Adam’s by God’s grace and not because of Adam’s work.

It is my belief then, that the heartbeat of God is life in the garden.  Several years ago it came to me that God’s “mission statement” is not to get everyone saved.  True, Jesus came “to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10), but I understand now that this was simply a necessary step in order to accomplish his long-term mission of “a new heaven and a new earth” where God will dwell with men, and where there will be no death or pain or sorrow (Rev 21:1-4).  In other words, God’s mission is to help as many as will to go into the new garden where we will enjoy life together, free of sin, forever.

The book of Genesis appears to be so much more than a history of our origins (which, anyway, is a man-focused perspective), but might more accurately be called the beginning of God’s plan and handiwork (a God-focused perspective).  It contains not only a description of what He created, but also insight into why He created, and even the beginnings of how He is working to get things back on track so that He can have in the end what He started out to have in the beginning.  Ephesians 1:4 tells us that “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world.”

Genesis.  Life in the Garden.  God began with the end in mind.

 

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