As we have recently concluded our sermon series on the book of Genesis, it would be most profitable for us to remember some of the key themes from it, so that we can continually apply this rich first book of the Bible to our daily Christian lives. After all, this very same God revealed in Genesis is the very same God today and everlasting.

God’s Just and Merciful Response To Sin

The drama of Genesis begins with God responding to Adam’s sin that defiled His good creation. Immediately, God confronted and justly judged him. Yet, God’s response to sin does not stop there. For also declared was His merciful promise (Genesis 3:15) of the coming Saviour, followed by the gracious covering of Adam and Eve with animal skins.

Tragically, we do see sinners rejecting God’s justice and mercy. Cain, when confronted by God’s justice and mercy, rejected it in the hardness of his heart. Such is the deceiving power of sin to seduce us away from God which also explains the sinful state of the world today.

The sinful lies of Abraham and Jacob are a reminder for us to make spiritually-minded decisions even if they feel difficult to make.

Therefore, Genesis shows us God’s righteous anger towards sin (think of Sodom in Genesis 19) but it also shows us God’s mercy throughout. The animal skin covering of Adam and Eve; the Ark covering of Noah’s family from God’s wrathful flood; the ram who took the place of Isaac; all these Genesis milestones point to God’s grace which is realized in Christ our Saviour. He is the salvation promised by God to redeem Adam’s sinful children back to Himself and to be restored to His image.

May we always embrace the character of God revealed in Genesis. He is the God who hates sin and the very same God who gives mercy to sinners.

God’s Covenantal Faithfulness

We also see another attribute of God which is His faithfulness. Many times we think of ‘faithfulness’ in terms of our faithfulness. However, let us remember that our faithfulness is firstly a response to God’s faithfulness that we see richly shown in Genesis.

God throughout Scripture shows He is faithful to execute His gospel promise which was first revealed in its infancy in Genesis 3:15. In Genesis 12, God zooms in onto Abraham to declare His gracious covenant — which He is faithful to execute. Yet, we see that Abraham was a man of flesh like us. He sinfully sought to preserve his life by lying in chapters 12 and 20. However, God’s gracious covenant did not ultimately depend on Abraham’s faithfulness but His promises rest on His faithfulness to fulfil it (recall the Genesis 15 ceremony where Abraham was asleep).

And how was Abraham preserved in his life filled with moments of weaknesses? How are we ourselves preserved? We are preserved only by God’s faithfulness. He has sworn to bless His people and will never let go of His promises to us. For that would be to deny who He is as our covenant-keeping God.

We must always be assured that God is willing and able to protect us. In our relationship with God, He is the one who never changes. We are the ones fluctuating with our sins, weaknesses, and faithlessness.

Thus, in light of this faithful God, let us not be complacent to abuse His faithfulness but rather, let us persevere to love this awesome and faithful God through holy lives dedicated to Him. By God’s grace working in him, Abraham, slowly but surely, learnt to lean on and trust in his God which was displayed in his willing sacrifice of Isaac.

The sinful lies of Abraham and Jacob are a reminder for us to make spiritually-minded decisions even if they feel difficult to make. However, our faithful God is worthy of our faithful actions and we should trust Him to bring us through this faith-filled yet challenging life of faith. May we live by the Spirit and not by the flesh.

God’s Providence

Lastly, Genesis is a book that clearly outlines God’s providence. He directs all things for His purposes and glory. He chose Abraham to be His servant and providentially guided Abraham through many a danger. Moreover, the end of Genesis shows God’s providence most clearly in Joseph’s life. God allowed the evil plans of his brothers towards Joseph to come to pass and Joseph found himself in Egypt. Yet, we see how Joseph in Egypt was part of God’s plan to preserve Jacob’s family from the famine. Therefore, Joseph famously confessed in 50:20 “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.”

Joseph did not let his sufferings, which came in God’s providence, give him a reason to sin against God. When facing the temptation of sin, Joseph confessed “How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” Likewise, may we truly confess our trust in God’s providence and never let our suffering be reason to complain or sin against God. And if prosperity finds us in God’s providence, let us remember to give thanks to God.

Conclusion

These three themes above culminate in Christ who is revealed in Genesis. Firstly, God’s just and merciful response to sin is seen on the cross where God justly punished His Son who was our sin bearer. Thus, Calvary shines forth God’s mercy towards sinners that He first promised to Adam. Secondly, God’s covenantal faithfulness is seen by He sending His Son to be our Mediator and not withholding this Promised Saviour, His beloved Son, from us.

Lastly, God’s providence means He provides all things. He has provided us His Son which is itself a clear testimony of His love and faithfulness that even the patriarchs did not see in their own day. Therefore, may we all cherish our privilege to be this gracious God’s people. He has sworn to bless us in Christ—are we moved to thus dedicate ourselves to Him?