Faithful on Fridays Blog

Finding Jesus Series: Genesis

Have you ever read the Bible and walked away knowing you didn’t understand it? Reading, with understanding, is critical to knowing God since He reveals Himself in scripture. When we care for our soul reading scripture is a vital component; it speaks life into our heart and helps us in decision making. Reading scripture is not just a task to perform or a box to check off for our day, but it aids us in filling that God-shaped hole in our soul. Getting to know God through His Word and prayer is essential to the life of a believer.

The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. Psalm 19:7 

My goal is to give you a birds-eye view of each book of the Old Testament for the next 39 weeks. Seeing Jesus in every book takes study and time, therefore, I’m giving you a jump start using the word Messiah, which is Christ in the New Testament, as we pursue Him each week. 

In the book of Genesis we find lots of beginnings. The beginning of creation, mankind, sin, nations, faith, and even the gospel of Jesus Christ.

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; He will crush your head, and you will strike His heel.” Genesis 3:15 

That difficult passage is the first time we see the gospel, the good news of Messiah,  in scripture. Let me give it to you in a nutshell. After sin entered the world through Satan, God made him a promise; there’s One coming who will defeat him. That Offspring or Seed of a woman is Jesus Christ. God is coming in the flesh, with precise timing, to crush and strip Satan of his authority who’ll try to stop God’s plan but to no avail. That’s good news. 

Another aspect of Genesis are God’s names; I found 12 different ones in Genesis alone. They’re important because they reveal His nature, His character, and His ways in order for us to get to know Him in a deeper and more personal way. 

Ch. 1- Elohim, Creator God

Ch. 2- Yahweh (LORD), covenant-keeper

Ch. 14- El Elyon, God Most High

Ch. 15- Adonah, Lord

Ch. 16- Lahai Roi, Living One Who sees me

Ch. 17- El Shaddai, All-sufficient Lord

Ch. 21- El Olam, Everlasting God

Ch. 22- Yahweh Yireh, God, my Provider

Ch. 31- Pachad, Fear of Isaac

Ch. 49- Abbir Yacov, Mighty One of Israel (Jacob)     

             Ro’eh, Shepherd

             Eben, Rock of Israel

As you read through Genesis with a spiritual eye there are foreshadows of Christ. He was present at creation and was the Father’s Plan of Redemption throughout this book displayed through one chosen family: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This Jewish heritage carries the bloodline of Messiah into the time of Jesus’ first coming and into His Second Coming. Be thankful we’re adopted into that family.