11 January 2010
Psalm 1, 2, 3; Gen. 2:4-25; Heb. 1:1-14; John 1:1-18

The first verse gives us a clue as to what we are being told here. What is means is, “Now I am going to tell you what happened to the perfect creation.” The second chapter of Genesis is not an alternative creation story, it isn’t bad editing where someone didn’t realize that there was already a creation story. The first story is poetic and the second somewhat more sharply focused. This story has its focus on mankind and our role as keepers of the garden God had planted, similar to the parable Jesus tells in Matthew 21.33-46. Each day of creation God pronounces as good until the day when He sees it is “not good” for the man to be alone, and the result is that the first words we hear from man are his delight in the Lord’s provision of a companion or helper.

John’s Gospel begins with a richness that cannot be compared with any other. The first 18 verses form a prologue to the Gospel but also can be read in conjunction with the Genesis account of creation, a continuation of this second chapter of Genesis, the further story of creation. God has “rested” from His work but He hasn’t abandoned it, He continues to care deeply about it, deeply enough that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Many of the themes of the Gospel are introduced here in this prologue, Jesus as the Word, existing from before all time, darkness and light, the salvation of the world, not just a national savior, but one for the entire world, grace, truth, glory of God, Jesus’ relationship to God as Father and Son, and ultimately making God known. It was not good for man to be alone and so He took on flesh and dwelt among us that we not be orphans but His children. We who bear the image of God and are created in the likeness of God, now see Him as we are so that we can be as He is, sharing His Spirit.

Hebrews is the only other book of the New Testament with a prologue like John’s but much briefer and not nearly so poetic. The writer does, however, give us a word picture of who Jesus is. “He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word.” That is stronger language than image and likeness and that powerful word that sustains all things is the same powerful word that created all things. The writer tells us that Jesus is supreme among all beings and is unique in the universe. Should we not worship and adore Him?

Salvation belongs to the LORD;
your blessing be on your people!