Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. Genesis 1:3 NASB Let there be – I suppose this is a bit better than Paul McCartney’s version (“Let It Be”), but it still sends us in the wrong direction. The English suggests that God was involved in some kind of command bringing light into…
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth Genesis 1:1 NASB In the beginning – Did you realize that the very first word in the Hebrew Bible has been the subject of intense theological interpretation rather than translation? You might have noticed that something was amiss when the JPS translation (1985) reads, “When…
God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. Genesis 1:31 NASB All that He had made – Gutenberg destroyed the Bible. Oh, yes, he printed it in German, but in the process he forever changed that way we understand the…
He has sent redemption to His people; He has ordained His covenant forever; Holy and awesome is His name. Psalm 111:9 NASB Forever – How long is forever? Ah, that might seem like a strange question, but the term lʿôlām doesn’t always mean what we think of as forever. Note two explanations: Forever does not always mean…
In the beginning God created . . . Genesis 1:1 NASB God created – We have often heard the statement that the Hebraic cosmogony is different from all other ancient accounts of creation. It lacks the explicit or implicit overtones of violence, sexuality and conflict, as other ancient accounts include. It emphasizes the particular creation…
“But where can wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?” Job 28:12 NASB Where – What is the source of wisdom? Where do you go to get understanding? “Just tell me where to look so that I can find the answers,” seems to be the consistent cry of those who have embarked on…
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth Genesis 1:1 NASB Created – Why do we love sunsets? Or being at the ocean? Or viewing majestic mountain ranges? Do you have the same feelings when you see city streets, tall buildings or sports stadiums? Why are we so thrilled with natural beauty? Even…
in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the [c]world. Hebrews 1:2 NASB The world – At least they added a footnote. The footnote indicates that the Greek word here is not “cosmos,” the word we would have expected in a translation such as “world”…
Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; Genesis 1:26a NASB Image/likeness – Michelangelo’s ceiling artistry is arguably the most famous painting in the world about the creation of Man. It’s magnificent, isn’t it? But have you ever thought about what it communicates? Let’s consider the meaning behind the media. First,…
Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.” Genesis 2:18 NASB Not good – God looked at His own work and decided it wasn’t good enough. Don’t you find that a bit surprising? Doesn’t God create perfectly? But here we have evidence…
