Category Archives: Bible Study

12 BY THE WAY…WHAT DID JESUS WRITE?

Bible Study, ,

There’s a story in John’s gospel that doesn’t appear in the original text…but perfectly fits the context. It’s a story about Jesus and the Pharisees…and a woman who, seemingly by chance, got caught in the act of adultery. 

If we ignore the context, we come out with a mysterious situation…and one full of conjectures and a variety of interpretations. Why did the Pharisees happen to discover this sordid situation…obviously taking place behind closed doors? Why were they so keen to drag the guilty woman before Jesus but leave the equally guilty man behind! Of course, it takes two to tango!

What was their motive for setting this up, if it was a setup? Was this about the woman and her guilt…the rightness of punishing her according the law of Moses…or about something more sinister? 

In the background, another Jewish festival was in progress…the Feast of Tabernacles, the last feast of the Jewish calendar year. Jesus arrived late for the feast after a tangle with His brothers… but just in time for the closing ceremony. The high priest was pouring out a jug of water on the ground. What did this mean?

“Pouring water during the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) was a symbolic prayer and ritual asking God for rain and celebrating His spiritual and physical provision.” (Google AI)

For Jesus, water had a far greater significance. It symbolised the life  of God, in the person of His Spirit, available and given to anyone who was thirsty. So, He called out in a loud voice and made the offer to anyone who would come to Him. 

“On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.””

‭‭John‬ ‭7‬:‭37‬-‭38‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus’ invitation was the culmination of centuries of Israel’s defiance. In the words of Jeremiah…

“This is what the Lord says: “What fault did your ancestors find in me, that they strayed so far from me? They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves… “My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.”

‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭2‬:‭5‬, ‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“In John 7:37, the “water” or “living water” that Jesus offers symbolizes the Holy Spirit, who brings spiritual life and eternal satisfaction to believers.”

(Google AI)

Let’s watch how this scene played  out. 

Not only did the Pharisees reject Jesus’ offer of ”living water” but they also planned to arrest Him for blasphemy.  They sent the temple guards to do the job…but the guards returned empty handed. They were mesmerised by Jesus’ words. 

“Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and the Pharisees, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring him in?” “No one ever spoke the way this man does,” the guards replied.”

‭‭John‬ ‭7‬:‭45‬-‭46‬ ‭NIV‬‬

So, against this backdrop, the Pharisees devised a plan. 

They happened, conveniently, to find and, consequently, dragged an adulterous woman before Jesus for His verdict. Would He forgive her and in doing so, violate the law of Moses or…would He condemn her and go against His own nature?

Jesus did something else…He said nothing. Instead, He bent down and wrote on the ground.  Now, here’s the puzzle. Why did He write, with His finger, on the ground? What did He write? 

There have been many guesses at what He wrote! Amazingly enough…the Bible itself gives us the answer…and in context! Jesus knew the Word…and so did the Pharisees! After all, He is the Word! 

What Jesus wrote in the dust shocked the Pharisees so much that they quietly slunk away and left the woman at Jesus’ feet. 

“The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? …Lord, you are the hope of Israel; all who forsake you will be put to shame. Those who turn away from you will be written in the dust because they have forsaken the Lord, the spring of living water.”

‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭17‬:‭9‬, ‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

There it is…as clear as daylight! What did Jesus write? The names of every Pharisee involved in the scam! What was Jesus saying…without saying a word?

“i know you. I know your hearts. I  know your guilt…and I know your names!”

Jesus knew that these men had rejected His offer of living water. They were bent on trapping Him…in the end, to kill Him. He knew their plot and the setup they had created…and the names of every one of them. 

So He wrote their names in the dust…as a warning…a verdict…and a sentence! 

The perpetrators were shocked…guilty, and terrified…so they quietly disappeared!

There was another spinoff of Jesus’ action. An indictment and a guilty verdict needed at least two witnesses according to Mosaic law…so He made the witnesses go away!

The witnesses gone, Jesus was exonerated. He could apply His mercy, forgive the guilty woman, and set her free. 

10 BY THE WAY…WHY DID PETER FALL?

Bible Study, ,

One thing we need to keep in mind when we read the stories of Jesus and people…we must follow the story to its end. We must let Jesus finish what He started. There is always something good that comes out of a bad situation. 

Take the account of Peter’s denial, for example. 

 Let’s be real. Many of us think that Jesus warned Peter about denying Him before it happened to show him up for what he really was…to catch him out for being a coward when the chips were down…or even, perhaps, to stop him before it happened. 

What was the real reason for Jesus’ warning? If we follow the story as it is played out, something begins to emerge. 

Peter was the cock-sure, motor-mouth, know-it-all, self-appointed spokesperson in the group. He was always the first to speak, to make a comment, to reply, to say what the others were thinking…and then…to assure Jesus of his undying loyalty when he had no idea of how real the danger was, or how much his inflated ego would expose him and disqualify him from grace. 

On many occasions, Jesus had attempted to alert His disciples to what lay ahead for Him but…they refused to take Him seriously. Peter had actually rebuked Him for daring to think that way. 

“From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭16‬:‭21‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭16‬:‭22‬ ‭NIV‬‬

After a few years of living intimately with Jesus, seeing how His words and actions had endeared Him to the people but antagonised the religious leaders, the disciples were finally beginning to realise that Jesus was in real danger of going too far. At the final Passover celebration, the penny began to drop. 

It was in the “upper room”,  on that night when the New Covenant was revealed…and sealed, that who Peter thought he was began to unravel.  Judas had left…the mood was sombre…the disciples were uneasy, afraid, unsure of what to think…then..Jesus dropped a bomb…

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” 

Peter was startled…shocked…outraged…how could Jesus ever accuse him of doing such a thing…or even think of such a thing… he, Peter, the stone…the strong, steady, loyal, brave one?

“But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.” 

No, Peter, it’s time to find out who you really are!

“Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭22‬:‭31‬-‭34‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Peter reassured Jesus that, no matter what, he would be there for Him…

…and then…it happened…just like Jesus said it would…and Peter was devastated…broken…exposed! After all his protesting and promising, he fell flat on his face…and Jesus was right. He was only a big mouth with nothing inside to back up his words. 

Why did this happen? What was really going on here? One thing is sure…Jesus didn’t make it happen but…He knew it would happen and…in His knowing, He had a plan. 

Peter didn’t know it then but… grace was at work. 

Unlike Judas, who, after his dastardly deed, finally ended his own life, Peter was on a life-changing learning curve. Devastated as he was at his own failure, he stayed the course…not knowing how it would end but hanging around with the rest of the group who were, in actual fact, also guilty of the same failure, but less dramatic…because he had nowhere else to go. 

“Then all his disciples deserted him and ran away.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭14‬:‭50‬ NLT

What would Jesus do with this cowardly bunch?

The sequel to this story is the revelation of the real Jesus…the one of whom Isaiah spoke centuries before He came. 

“He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle. He will bring justice to all who have been wronged.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭42‬:‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

In the face of gross cowardice, Jesus gently restored His fallen friend…three times…one question for each denial…beside a charcoal fire…at the spot where it all began…not with accusation…or discipline…or probation…or a warning.  Just, “Peter, do you love me?”

That was it! The past was wiped out with a simple question…asked three times, one for each denial…to clear his debt.  Did Peter get it? Would he ever forget? There were always three triggers to remind him…a charcoal fire…a crowing rooster…a lakeside breakfast! 

For the whole group…a shared meal…the symbol of reconciliation…camaraderie…togetherness!

What a life-lesson for fickle, failing, fallen saints! Jesus doesn’t interfere or halt the process. He allows it to play out to the end. He doesn’t disqualify…retrench…fire! He doesn’t put us on probation…rehabilitate…demote! He loves without faltering. Then He asks, “Do you love me?”  After the failure, not disqualification but a new assignment…three times!

Love is the only enduring qualification that obliterates failure and begins again…sets a fallen follower back on the road and keeps him going to the end. Love is the only powerful bond that holds Jesus and His people together through thick and thin until they reach the destination…together. 

“This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins….We love because he first loved us.”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭4‬:‭9‬-‭10‬, ‭19‬ ‭NIV‬‬

We all need this lesson because we know how quick the accuser is to cash in…to condemn…to crush with guilt…to separate with shame…when we fall…but not Jesus! Failure is a better teacher than all the warnings. It’s on-the-job training…a life-lesson on steroids! 

When we feel the pain, we don’t forget. Do we disappoint Jesus? No! We trigger His grace…forgiveness…restoration…and the sober awareness of who we really are. Yes! Gone for good the hot air…the inflated ego…the false notion that we can go it alone…and there is no better lesson that we can learn! 

9 BY THE WAY…WHY WAS JESUS CONDEMNED TO DIE?

Bible Study, ,

There were many players in the plot to crucify Jesus. Some were in the forefront of the scheme…others in the background but…in actual fact…representatives of all the people groups of the world throughout all time…were responsible. 

The Jewish leaders were the prime movers. The gospels make this clear. John records, on more than one occasion, that the religious hierarchy wanted Him dead. They tried to have Him arrested many times but, for Him, the time wasn’t right. 

Jesus still had allies among the people…the many whom He had healed, delivered, and blessed with His love but…they were also fickle and unpredictable. The Jewish leaders still had to manage the unruly population, and turn the tide of opinion against Him. 

The Jewish expectation that the Messiah would rescue them from Roman occupation still ran high. The religious leaders had already decided that Jesus was not who He claimed to be. The situation was delicately poised. One miscalculation, one wrong move could ruin their chances of success. 

The Romans were also players in this game…headed by Pilate. Jerusalem during Passover was a powder keg. Jews came from every corner of the Roman Empire. Thousands swelled the population of Jerusalem. If they rioted…and it would not take much to set them off…the situation would be catastrophic. 

The Jewish leaders…the Roman occupiers…these were the main players in the death of Jesus. There were others behind the scenes…the Jewish people, followers, not leaders…but skilfully manipulated by their religious overlords. 

The entire scope of human life…from the first pair who jumped ship to side with evil… to the last person who ever lives on this planet…condemned Jesus to death. We are all guilty before God, alienated and condemned…and needing a sacrificial substitute to rescue us from eternal destruction. 

Strangely enough, it was the Father Himself who orchestrated this travesty of justice. It had to be to fulfil His plan. 

Predicted by the prophet…

“Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭53‬:‭10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know…”

…executed by the Jews…

…”This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭22‬-‭24‬

…and endorsed by the Father. 

…”by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge…”

So, what was the charge that ended Jesus’ life?

At the crux, the heart of the accusation…the charge…was this claim…not that He was the Son of God but that He was the Son of Man. At face value, the title “Son of Man” seems innocent. What was wrong with His calling Himself a son of humans…an ordinary man…which is exactly what the people of Nazareth thought He was when He claimed to fulfil Isaiah’s prophecy? 

“He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked…”

 In the synagogue in Nazareth,  at the mention of the Gentiles, the mood changed…

“All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him off the cliff.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭4‬:‭16‬-‭22‬, ‭28‬-‭29‬ ‭NIV‬‬

So, what was the real issue for Jesus’ accusers?

This title “Son of Man”, which Jesus used of Himself more than any other title, represented the pinnacle of royal power, authority, and sovereign rule over the nations, according to Daniel’s vision. Jesus claimed the title for Himself…in the courtroom…in front of the judges…on trial for His life. What else could the Sanhedrin, the highest court in the land, do but declare Him guilty… but for one omission…evidence!

Across their entire Scriptures, from cover to cover, was the prophetic blueprint of the Messiah, the Son of Man. All they had to do was to match the evidence with the blueprint… but they refused…chose prejudice in place of justice and condemned Him to death and…by implication, condemned themselves. 

“But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” The high priest tore his clothes. “Why do we need any more witnesses?” he asked. “You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?” They all condemned him as worthy of death.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭14‬:‭61‬-‭64‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“The Son of Man”! Why was this title such a hot potato? 

Daniel!

“In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”

‭‭Daniel‬ ‭7‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ NIV

In the midst of the chaotic scenes of fearsome beasts…representing worldly kingdoms rising and falling, Daniel saw God’s throne room…and one who looked like a “son of man”, a human but with supreme authority and power…receiving from “the Ancient of Days” the authority to reign over the kingdom of God. 

The Jewish leaders were incensed. This was blasphemy, worthy of death, from Jesus’ own mouth…just what they needed to seal His fate. All their accusations of blasphemy came to a head in this one statement…and by His own admission. The gavel fell…guilty and condemned. 

Every other accusation…treason by Rome… rabble-rouser by the people…was swallowed up in His own words…

…and so He had to die!

7 BY THE WAY…THE REAL SIGNIFICANCE OF CAESAREA PHILIPPI

Bible Study, ,

Jesus’ trip to Caesarea Philippi with His disciples had a second spinoff…and here’s where the context changes our understanding of another important facet of the Christian life.

Peter’s confession of Jesus as Messiah, the Son of the living God, was dead right but… his understanding of what he said or meant was dead wrong!

From the same place, the rock near Caesarea Philippi, and from then on, Jesus kept explaining to His disciples that being the Messiah meant and included His pathway through death. 

“From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭16‬:‭21‬ ‭NIV‬‬

This notion clashed with the disciples’ expectation that the Messiah would get rid of the Romans and restore David’s glorious reign in Israel. Although Messiah’s suffering was in their Scriptures, the truth was eclipsed by the notion of His role as the coming victorious king. 

The idea of the death and resurrection of their Messiah was unthinkable to the disciples…and Peter would make sure that this was not going to happen to Jesus!

“Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭16‬:‭22‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Then follows Jesus’ rebuke…

“Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭16‬:‭23‬ ‭NIV‬‬

What was Jesus really saying to Peter! Was He calling Peter the devil? Let’s look at what Jesus said in the original language. 

“Get behind me…” Peter was to follow, not to lead. This is significant. Peter was trying to lead Jesus away from what He was saying…death and resurrection. Jesus made it clear that It was not Peter’s role to dictate to Him but to follow Him

“Satan…” not the name…not the devil…but the role…accuser. Peter was accusing Jesus of saying the wrong thing! Jesus retorted, “Don’t lead! Don’t accuse! Get behind  me! Follow me!”

“…A stumbling-block…the Greek word is “skandalon”, a scandal. What is a scandal?

“In the Bible, a “scandal” does not mean a public disgrace or juicy gossip. It is the translation of the Greek word skandalon, which means a trap, a snare, or a stumbling block that causes someone to trip, fall, or turn away from God…”

“…Peter Rebuked: When Peter tries to stop Jesus from facing death, Jesus tells Peter in Matthew 16:23 that he is a “stumbling block” (skandalon) to Him because Peter’s mind is set on human things rather than God’s.” (Source: Google AI)

…and Jesus’ explanation of true discipleship…and here, again, the context is crucial!

If these men were to be true disciples of Jesus…they must to get one thing straight…

“Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must DENY themselves and take up THEIR CROSS and FOLLOW ME. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭16‬:‭24‬-‭26‬ ‭NIV‬‬

in response to Peter’s trying to impose his will on Jesus, Jesus gives Peter and, by association, all the other disciples, the correct “chain of command”. “Denying self” is not about giving up all the nice things because of your faith in Christ…a sort of self-imposed discipline for being a Christian. It’s about not permitting the self to be in charge. It’s about who is Lord in one’s life!

Taking up one’s cross is not about bearing one’s troubles and inconveniences with resignation as one’s “cross” in life. It’s about daily reckoning the self dead and submitting to Jesus as Lord, the control centre of one’s entire life. 

“Follow me…” is not about keeping company with Jesus. It’s about becoming His replica in nature, attitude, thoughts, and behaviour. It’s about becoming a mirror image of Jesus. 

Paul said it like this…

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭2‬:‭20‬ ‭NIV‬‬

This is the way of a true follower…who accompanies Jesus wherever He leads…and a true disciple…one who learns and copies the one who leads.  

Peter would need to go through all the phases of this process, including his ignominious denial, before he could truly understand who Jesus was…the Christ, the Son of the living God…and duke Him as closely as a disciple. 

2 BY THE WAY…IN THE BEGINNING

Bible Study, ,

The story of God and people is a circle…beginning, in Genesis 1, first with a mess, 

“The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭1‬:‭2‬ ‭NLT

…then with a garden…and  fruit trees… 

“Then the Lord God planted a garden in Eden in the east, and there he placed the man he had made. The Lord God made all sorts of trees grow up from the ground—trees that were beautiful and that produced delicious fruit. In the middle of the garden he placed the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. A river flowed from the land of Eden, watering the garden and then dividing into four branches.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭2‬:‭8‬-‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

…and, after millennia of sorting out the mess…concluding, in Revelation 22, where Genesis began, with a city and a river…and fruit trees!

“Then the angel showed me a river with the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. It flowed down the center of the main street. On each side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, with a fresh crop each month. The leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations.”

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭22‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

However, Genesis 1 is not the record of creation. It’s the story of restoration…and preparation. It breaks into something that was already there…a planet, strangely sinister in its description…shapeless…desolate…empty…ruined…dark. The Hebrew words describe a place of destruction and death. 

Why was this planet, which was obviously a part of God’s creation, since only God can make a planet, in such a ruined state? Was it still in the process of being formed or was it created perfect but ruined by an opposing force in the universe? It’s not for us to know. 

We know one thing…God had a very special plan for this piece of useless matter floating in a sea of nothingness. So, He set the clock going from zero…day one… and got to work. 

The Hebrew words chosen to describe what God did say less about the process and more about His purpose…to replace chaos with order…to prepare a perfect place for His forever family…to fill it up with everything necessary for human life. 

What the translators tell us about what God “created” is actually describing how God “filled” the earth with every form of life. The word “bara” (create) has another meaning…and one that seems more appropriate than “create” or “made” in this context.  It can also mean “to make fat”. 

Consider this verse…God speaking to Eli…the old priest in Israel…

“Why do you scorn my sacrifice and offering that I prescribed for my dwelling? Why do you honor your sons more than me by fattening yourselves (the Hebrew word is “bara”) on the choice parts of every offering made by my people Israel?’”

‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭2‬:‭29‬ ‭NIV‬‬

God judged Eli and his sons because the sons dishonoured Him by becoming fat on the choice parts of the sacrifices belonging to God.   

Is it possible, then, that Genesis 1 describes, not what God made…since the earth, in its original form, already existed…but what the earth became when He lit it up with Himself and filled it up with vegetation and creatures as the perfect place for His children?

Whatever caused the darkness and chaos was replaced with light, order, and a physical creation filled up with what pleased Him. When His work complete, it was a perfect planet in harmonious coexistence with a functional universe, fully prepared and awaiting the formation of His masterpiece. This “Adam”, this man made of dust, would be a reflection of Himself…fashioned to manage…to work with Him and for Him on this perfect, beautiful ball in space. 

The man God planned was not merely spoken into existence as were the plants and creatures of the land, water, and air. He was put together, piece by piece, according to the blueprint of the Son of God Himself. We know that creation was the work of God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Put Genesis 1 and John 1 together, and we have the Master Craftsmen at work to fashion this crown of God’s handiwork. 

The first man was fashioned from dust…from the elements of the earth…a clay model of Jesus in His earthly form. He was inextricably joined to God by the breath of God that gave him life. He became a living being, both Hebrew words for “image” and “likeness” conveying the idea of a shadow resembling God, not the real thing but a being who resembled God in a limited way. 

The implications are clear. Man was not God but…his resemblance to God, first, separated him from the rest of creation. He was not the pinnacle of animal flesh, nor did he morph upward from animals.  He was separate, different, unique! 

Second, he could do what no animal could do. He could commune with his Creator. He could have fellowship with his Creator… listen, talk, and understand, through language, his mind, his thoughts, his ability to reason, the thoughts of God. Infinite as His Creator was and finite as the man was, they were connected because God’s life (“ruach”… breath…Spirit) was in him. 

The distance between man and animals is clearly illustrated by Adam’s aloneness despite the creatures around him. 

“The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” …So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals. But for Adam no suitable helper was found…Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. “The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭2‬:‭18‬, ‭20‬, ‭22‬-23NIV‬‬

This is the beautiful story of God’s intention…God’s intervention…the blueprint for His perfect creation…to share His world, His love, and His life…with beings who could love Him freely in return, and co-exist with Him in perfect harmony under His benevolent rule…until…

…one of His own creation…a heavenly being…interfered with God’s plan, re-introduced the mess…and set the scene for millennia of struggle between Himself and His own chosen people…

…until…His own Son came to earth, born of the human race, clothed in the same flesh He created in the beginning, lived the perfect life He intended for His human offspring, and died the death God never intended for His children. 

Jesus closed the circle, set the plan back on track, and finished what He started…a new race…a renewed family…redeemed from slavery to sin…transferred from Satan’s dominion to His own kingdom of peace, justice, and truth…and in the process of being restored to His image. 

That’s the story of creation, and re-creation…the story of the Bible…your story…my story…and God’s story…a story of mercy, grace, and power which continues and will continue until the circle is finally closed.