God – the Creator (Essentials Blue)
September 22, 2009
For: The Essentials Course Online Worship Course with Dan Wilt.
From Genesis we know that in the beginning God created the Heaven’s and the Earth. He seperated light from darkness and splashed colour across his macro painting. He created land and brush stroked rivers and vegetation. From his wildest imagination, He formed birds and mammals, reptiles and amphibians, insects and fungi. Every tiny element he made in intricate detail. Then He put his fingerprint on his artwork. He fashioned the greatest, most complex creation of all, man and woman.
But I believe that He did not stop there. God is the artist today that He was back then. He is like a songwriter who continually changes a word or a melody, or adds a bridge or a verse. God is constantly modifying his masterpiece bringing it to perfection. His creation is continually evolving into an even more beautiful and complex piece of art.
N.T. Wright writes about Heaven and Earth as two interlocking spheres which are not yet fully intersecting(1). The perfection and glory of the Heavenly sphere only partially intersects with Earth. One day though, the two spheres will fully eclipse and the glory of God will be fully realized on the Earth. God’s creation will be made perfect and His kingdom will reign over all the Earth.
(1) N.T Wright, Simply Christian: Why Christianity Makes Sense
Rev 21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
21:5 He who was seated on the throne said,
“I am making everything new!”
Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 He said to me:
“It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars–their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulphur. This is the second death.”
“God is constantly modifying his masterpiece bringing it to perfection. His creation is continually evolving into an even more beautiful and complex piece of art.”
I hope He doesn’t work too hard on it, because He is going to have to throw it all away and start over.
)
Tom
Great work Age! What I love the most about the Genesis account is that when God made everything he said “It is good”. That through sin we have corrupted his good creation is terrible… but it doesn’t make it any less good. What I think you have happening with Wright and your last comment is basically based around a debate of whether new creation is going to be the renewal of creation as a final piece in God’s work in redemption history or whether new creation is the destruction of everything that has fallen and the recreation of a new heaven and new earth… somewhat having to do with how you interpret the language… (Wright will definitely have more to say than me) regardless… I think that the amazing Kingdom available to us through Jesus, released by our faith, is probably the greatest news we could ever receive. That God has given us the kingdom and we become heirs with him, is even crazier… it’s like we get to paint with him.