Swallowing a lie

The Bible pattern tells us how God reveals himself, how we receive his revelation (i.e. We eat it and make it part of ourselves) and how we exercise stewardship of his Word in our world. (i.e. Word, Sacrament & Government)

The fall into sin, told in Genesis 3, shows us what happens when God’s Word is not received. Instead of producing maturity, experiencing conquest and resting in satisfaction we are undone, unmade and destroyed.

Consider the events as they unfold in Genesis 2-3. Note the forming & filling pattern. Although in this instance the progress (or regress!) pivots on the testing of Adam and follows the ‘banquet‘ chiasm.

Forming

Creation
Adam is created in the image of God and given God’s Word / Law. Gen 2:16-17

Division
Adam is divided (blood is shed, his rib removed) and Eve is made. Gen 2:20-21

Ascension
They are brought together in a covenant of marriage. Gen 2:22-25

Filling

Testing
Adam, as high priest guardian & protector of Eve & Eden is tested. Gen 3:1-6

Maturity (or immaturity)
Adam seizes the fruit (takes things into his own hands, literally) and tries to cover his disobedience with fig leaves. Gen 3:7

Conquest (or defeat)
God uncovers Adam’s sin & covers it with blood of an innocent animal. He is outside the angelic veil and no longer in the promised land. Gen 3:8-13, 21-24

Future

Glorification / Rest (or pain / suffering)
Adam’s failed dominion is inherited by his offspring. Gen 5:3

Related Post
Where did we go wrong?

 

Because he built it, he will fill it

Is the world around us a mistake or an accident? If God made the world and everything in it, did Adam and Eve somehow upset everything and cause God to revert to “Plan B”?

The kingdom of God on earth started in Eden with the days of creation in Genesis 1. God sets the universe in motion and provides a template of forming and filling used during the entire Bible story.

The first stage of the 7 day pattern relates to new life. It starts with God speaking and his Word gives life. The way we receive faith and start our spiritual life is through God’s Word. (Rom 10:17, 1 Pet 1:23)

The seven day creation consists of 3 days of forming parallel to 3 days of filling*. In the same way you would build shelves in your house. First you erect the frame and then you fill the shelves with your belongings. The belongings don’t replace the shelves, they fill them. The New Testament did not replace the Old Testament, it filled it. (Matt 5:17-19, Heb 3:1-6)

The final day of Creation is a day of Rest, it anticipates our future and the rest that God desires to give us. (Matt 11:28-30, Heb 4:9-11)

Forming (by dividing)

Day 1 – Light & Dark

Day 2 – Firmament – Divided Waters (Sky & Sea)

Day 3 – Land & Sea, Grain & Fruit plants

Filling (with multitudes)

Day 4 – Sun, Moon & Stars

Day 5 – Swarms of Birds & Fish

Day 6 – Land Animals & Man

Future

Day 7 – Stop, Rest, Hallow & Enjoy

Note:
(*Bull, Bible Matrix, pp.46-47)

 

Existence, Economics and Empire

My friend, Mike Bull, was interviewed about his ‘Matrix‘ books recently and discusses how the pattern of Genesis 1 is replayed throughout scripture and history.

Click here to listen

 

Looking at Spiritual Growth as if through a matrix

You think that’s air that you’re breathing?

Sometimes the business of spiritual growth is a bit of an intangible, unobtainable, clichéd carrot on a stick that religious elites use to chastise the unenlightened. Or so it might seem.

Have a look again at that passage in Galatians 5:16-26, this time check it out through a lens of biblical theology (i.e. the repeated and progressive unfolding of God’s revelation in the Bible) and see if some of the pieces start to fall in place. Biblical spirituality is not some aloof, monastic experience. It’s a bread and wine thing – something you can eat and drink in real life. But, if you can swallow the red pill for a second and take another look, you might see how the entire Bible points us towards this.

Consider the growth of a child – those around the child notice the child’s growth. The child is not conscious of their growth though – but it is happening. Growth is organic, it not constructed.

Growth is slow and growth is permanent. Except for the mysterious case of Benjamin Button, once you grow, you don’t get younger.

However your externals do change. Your preferences for clothing fashions, the cars you drive, houses you live in – all of these change according to your tastes, the environment, condition of the economy etc. However, if all you have are Spiritual externals, then you are going to fluctuate and go back and forth and up and down.

Eventually you are going to fail completely to keep up that external appearance and our true nature and it’s inevitable works of the flesh will be manifested and we will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Instead, we must turn, repent, and come under the influence of the Holy Spirit – not the external, impotent efforts of our flesh.

A. Conduct – v.16
A command is spoken by God intended to create true life – Spiritual life.

B. Conflict – v.17
The man of flesh, the first Adam rebels against God’s Spirit – conflict results

C. Construction – v.19-21a
The man of flesh wants to create his own law and ascend to God on his own terms. In fact, he wants to take the place of God.

D. Consequence – v.21b
God tests man’s law and it fails. Instead of being a true law of righteousness it leads follows into the wilderness of disobedience where they perish because of their unbelief and rejection of God’s Spirit.

C`. Cultivation – v.22-23
The man of Spirit – the second Adam, produces the fruit from the tree of life which fulfills God’s law and writes God’s law onto our hearts and transforms us from the inside out.

B`. Crucifixion – v.24
The man of Spirit – responds to the conflict of the man of flesh and defeats him through a substitutionary death. For it is not behaviour change that redeems and transforms the man of flesh – but death to sin and new life in Christ.

A`. Conduct – v.25-26
Those risen with Christ – alive in the Spirit are the only ones able to live in God’s covenant and enjoy the life of righteousness. Which is evident in worship, fellowship with Jesus Christ.

Have you experienced the “matrix?”

Some related posts:
How are you growing?
Book Review of The Bible Matrix
When did the Reformation stop… for you?

 

Book Review of Bible Matrix

Want a crash course in Biblical Theology?

Are you sure?

It might be easier than you think. 4 years of Bible College, followed by another 2 – 3 years at Seminary? Yeah, maybe. What if I told you, all you need to do is get your head around what happened in Genesis 1? Genesis 1 unlocks the Bible – this is the thesis of Mike Bull’s Bible Matrix. (It’s also on Kindle)

It’s a small book that will take only a few days to read, or weeks, depending on your reading pace. What Mike draws out, very well, is that there is a recurring pattern and theme throughout scripture. When you identify this pattern – it ties all the pieces together. Here’s my big thing with this book: If you read it, you will want to read your Bible more often and more thoroughly. That alone is enough of a recommendation – regardless of whether I agree in entirety with all of Mike’s conclusions and implications, he has given me a tool (that I use often!) that encourages me to read my bible and, hopefully, lead others to do the same.

There are lots of books out there that purport to give the big picture in 40 days and so on. Why is this one any different? Below is a video comment by a teacher, followed by a 12 year kid who explains what he learnt about the days of creation from reading Bible Matrix. NB: the kid starts talking at 4:18

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