October 22
________________________________________
GENESIS 2
18 Then the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” 19 Now out of the ground the LORD God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. 20 The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. 21 So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 22 And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. 23 Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” 24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. 25 And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed. – Genesis 2:18-25
________________________________________
GENESIS 2 A HELPER MADE FOR MAN
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
After creating Adam out of the dust, he made him rule all creatures
But the Lord God saw that Adam needed someone who could help him
He let Adam fall into a deep sleep and while he was sleeping,
God took a rib from Adam and made a similar being for helping him.
When Adam woke, he was overjoyed with much delight to see Eve
A helper finally fit to be with him to tend the Garden of Eden
So, the Lord God put them together in a place where they can be one
They will no longer be separated and become one flesh till the end of time.
________________________________________
When God made Eve out of the rib of Adam, his desire was to bring him a helper fit for him. God instituted marriage when he declared for them to become one flesh and that there will be no one to break that unity between them. This is why a man will leave his parents to become one with his wife.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Why is it not good if a husband clings to his parents and not to his wife?
Monthly Archives: October 2023
GENESIS 2 GOD’S PROVISION & PROHIBITION
October 21
________________________________________
GENESIS 2
10 A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and there it divided and became four rivers. 11 The name of the first is the Pishon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. 12 And the gold of that land is good; bdellium and onyx stone are there. 13 The name of the second river is the Gihon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Cush. 14 And the name of the third river is the Tigris, which flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” – Genesis 2:10-17
________________________________________
GENESIS 2 GOD’S PROVISION & PROHIBITION
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
There were four rivers flowing in the Garden of Eden
They were Pishon where it flowed in Havilah
It had gold in this river including bdellium and onyx
There was also the river that flowed around Cush named Gihon
While the third river Tigris flowed around east of Assyria
The fourth river is called Euphrates which provided waters to the garden.
In the Garden of Eden, God decided to place the man on it
Since he had given all the provisions for him to flourish
The Lord God gave Adam stewardship of the whole garden
He was provided everything he needed but was also given prohibition
Adam can eat from the fruits of every other three around him
Except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil or he will die.
________________________________________
In the following verses, we get a glimpse of how beautiful the Garden of Eden was and how he provided these four rivers where the vegetation can be nourished and where Adam can tend over the provision. Since God is a God of Order, he gave Adam the responsibility to care for this garden and can enjoy every fruit of the tree except one tree. We see also a God of boundaries in these passages.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Why do you think God prohibited Adam to eat from the tree of good and evil?
GENESIS 2 THE MAKING OF MAN AND HIS HABITATION
October 20
________________________________________
GENESIS 2
4 These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens.5 When no bush of the field was yet in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up—for the LORD God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground, 6 and a mist was going up from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground— 7 then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. 8 And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9 And out of the ground the LORD God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. – Genesis 2:4-9
________________________________________
GENESIS 2 THE MAKING OF MAN AND HIS HABITATION
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
In the days that the Lord God made all things from day one to day six
He had a plan in mind and a sequence of doing each of these things
But when the making of man came about, we see a slight difference
The creation of man was a sum total of God’s word and his own breath.
God also prepared for the man’s life by creating his environment
He planted a garden in the east where he placed the man he had made
And from the ground, God also sprung up every tree that is beautiful
He placed the tree of life and also the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
________________________________________
In the Genesis account of creation, we distinctly have a glimpse of how God made almost everything in preparation for the man. He created man in the last day. If you look at the sequence of the details of God’s creation, just like in a drama that you watch on television, everything was leading up to the drum roll moment: the making of the man. He made man in the last day after everything else was prepared for him. He was prepared to be the holy bride for his own Son Jesus Christ. He made man in his image so that we can all choose be holy and pure for the head and husband of the church, who is Christ his son.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Why do you think God breath his own breath on man and not on other creatures?
GENESIS 2 THE SEVENTH DAY MADE HOLY
October 19
________________________________________
GENESIS 2
Thus, the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2 And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. 3 So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. – Genesis 2:1-3
________________________________________
GENESIS 2 THE SEVENTH DAY MADE HOLY
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
The Lord God made the whole creation in six days
He invented the pattern of separating one thing from another
Just as the Lord Almighty separated the light from the dark
He also placed a sky between the heaven and the earth
He created a separate light for the day and one also for the night
Just as he made distinctions from each creature of each kind.
God was setting a pattern of time for us to follow
We are to work six days and keep the seventh day holy
The order that God initiated is purposeful and intentional
He made the whole creation for his grandiose plan of redemption
Let us then keep following the pattern of having a rest from work
Let this day of rest be a holy day to give all the praise to our Creator.
________________________________________
When we closely look at how God made every part of creation with much intentionality, we will begin to see the patterns that he is setting for us to follow. From dark and void and lifeless heaven and earth, he commanded light in existence, which began the existence of time from the distinction between the two. He called the light day and the darkness night. Thus, time came into being. It was God’s marker to let us see that he is a God of order and that he has everything under his control. The patterns of boundaries from day one to day 6 were so clearly illustrated in this account of creation. The seventh day, which he made holy is a day of rest and is separated from the six days of work. He wants us to keep it holy so that we won’t fall into sin. He wants to be connected to us on that day of rest so we won’t forget these patterns of separations and boundaries.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Why do you think God made the 7th day holy?
GENESIS 1 MANDATE TO BE FRUITFUL & MULTIPLY
October 18
________________________________________
GENESIS 1
28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” 29 And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. 30 And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. 31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. – Genesis 1:28-31
________________________________________
GENESIS 1 MANDATE TO BE FRUITFUL & MULTIPLY
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
When God created man and all living beings, he mandated us to produce
The Lord wanted his creation and creatures to fill the earth and bear fruits
He is a God of bounty and productivity; he invented and generated life
He didn’t create the world to be without fruits, extinct or dead.
As humans, we were given the privilege to rule over other breathing beings
Let us be responsible to follow this mandate so we can enjoy living
Let us multiply every gift that we receive from God in order to praise him
Let us not be fruitless and constantly feed on his word so we can avoid sin.
________________________________________
Humans were given the dominion over all the other living creatures. We were mandated to bear fruits and multiply. This does not only mean to make more humans, but would also mean that we grow whatever it is that we have received from the Lord like gifts and talents and resources. It is sad to watch many believers who do not follow this mandate to be fruitful and produce. In John 15:8 Jesus says “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.”
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• In John 15:6 Jesus says: “If anyone does not abide in me, he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.” Is this verse a consequence of the mandate to be fruitful and multiply? Why or why not? How come many don’t take this directive very seriously?
GENESIS 1 THE MAKING OF MAN IN GOD’S IMAGE
October 17
________________________________________
GENESIS 1
24 And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds—livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so. 25 And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. – Genesis 1:24-27
________________________________________
GENESIS 1 THE MAKING OF MAN IN GOD’S IMAGE
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
On the sixth day, God brough forth livestock, beasts and creeping things on earth
He made the beasts and livestock and creeping creatures according to their kinds
And he was pleased that he made all these creatures to fill the land
Then God finally brought forth the making of man in his own image.
“Let us make man in our image after our own likeness” was his very words
Together with his Son and his Spirit, he created man and the whole world
Both make and female, God gave his own traits, abilities and character
Man is the ultimate being that he made for he created them like him.
________________________________________
If you grew up in the Christian faith, you have heard these verses many times. If you are new to the faith, these verses will solidify your belief in the Creator of all things. If you are an unbeliever, you will probably question the validity of these verses. It is interesting to observe that these verses have been taken lightly and for granted even by Christians themselves. I think verse 26 is the directive to mankind. Man’s role is to be the mirror reflecting God himself and he is to oversee and steward the other creatures that was created before him. What a great honor for man to be made in God’s own image. Are we reflecting God by the way we live, behave and honor our mandate to steward the earth?
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• How are we to take the honor given to us when God made us into his own image?
GENESIS 1 CREATION OF SEA CREATURES AND BIRDS
October 16
________________________________________
GENESIS 1
20 And God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.” 21 So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 22 And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” 23 And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day. – Genesis 1:20-23
________________________________________
GENESIS 1 CREATION OF SEA CREATURES AND BIRDS
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
After the creation of the great lights follows the making of creatures
The waters were swarmed with living creatures that moved in it
They were various of them but God made them according to each kind
Once again, the Lord decorated the water and the skies with much life.
When God makes something, he blesses them to be fruitful and multiply
What a sight it must have been to watch the waters and skies come alive!
All living creatures that God made were designed to propagate
That is why we still see these creatures continue their kinds on earth.
________________________________________
If you are an animal lover, this may be your favorite day of God’s creation. God commanded the waters to produce all kinds of living creatures. It seemed like even the birds came out from the waters, but if you look at Genesis 2:19, it also indicated that they came from the earth. I am speculating that these birds coming from the sea must have been larger since in verse 21, great sea creatures were mentioned. It must have been like those flying reptiles like the pterosaurs that these verses were referring to. What an awesome sight it must have been to see the various kinds of animals, beasts, mammals, insects and birds all over the place all at one time. When I watched Jurrasic Park with my son when he was a kid, it brought out that inner child in me, excited to visualize how God made every living creature.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• What is your favorite living creature that God made? Why is it your favorite?
October 15
________________________________________
GENESIS 1
14 And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. 16 And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. 17 And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, 18 to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day. – Genesis 1:14-19
________________________________________
GENESIS 1 THE SUN, THE MOON & THE STARS
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
After the creation of the seas, land and the foliage
God continued to design the expanse of the heavens
He made the sun, the greater light to distinguish the day
He added the lesser lights, the moon and stars for the night.
What a remarkable design to set boundaries of time
These lights make us know the time when to do things
With the creation of the greater light, we can work
And with the addition of the lesser lights, we can have rest.
________________________________________
Could you imagine if there was no sun, moon and stars? We wouldn’t be able to distinguish day from night. We wouldn’t have an inkling when we will work and when we will stop working. These greater and lesser lights help us to have order and not chaos. God designed it so that everything has a designated time. With these lights, we know when it is time to work, to play, and to rest. With these lights, we also get to recognize the different seasons that go with God’s design: winter, spring, summer and fall. All these seasons have their own distinct features that shows God’s amazing creativity and provision.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Why do you think God was so clear with which light rules which time?
• How has man’s invention of lightbulb changed God’s intent for these lights?
GENESIS 1 CREATION OF PLANTS, FOLIAGE & TREES
October 14
________________________________________
GENESIS 1
11 And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so. 12 The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.
– Genesis 1:11-13
________________________________________
GENESIS 1 CREATION OF PLANTS, FOLIAGE & TREES
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
On the third day, the Lord God painted the earth with foliage
All kinds of plants and trees decorated the land which he made
Why would he add the foliage to the dry land?
Was there a purpose for him to place them on earth?
God made the sprouting vegetation in preparation for man
It was to provide for their sustenance as they live on the land
What an ingenious plan to have some trees to bear fruit to be eaten
It was something that will give nourishment and delight to mankind.
________________________________________
On the third day, we see Moses’ account of the creation of the seas and the skies and vegetation and fruit bearing trees. He must have been thinking of mankind when he made plants, foliage and trees. We now know that foliage, plants and trees all have a function in our lives. Without foliage, we will have less oxygen and no shade or shelter. The trees help protect us from the harsh weather conditions as well so we don’t get flooding. They provide much fruits that we can also have nourishment. These trees can also provide for making shelter where we can be protected from the weather. A lot of times, we forget that these essentials are there as God’s way of providing for our needs.
Just reflect on what happens when you walk through the woods or the garden. You can get refreshed and be re-energized. Even your mind gets reset and feel rested and fresh again. A walk amidst plants, flowers and trees makes a difference in the busy lives we live.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• What benefits do you get from the third day of creation that you can be thankful for? Why should we have a regular time to surround ourselves with foliage?
GENESIS 1 THE CREATION OF THE SKY AND SEAS
October 13
________________________________________
GENESIS 1
6 And God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” 7 And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so. 8 And God called the expanse Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.
9 And God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. 10 God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.
– Genesis 1:6-10
________________________________________
GENESIS 1 THE CREATION OF THE SKY AND SEAS
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
The Lord God saw that the light and day was good when separated
So, he decided to follow that rhythm and created the firmament
God called the one above the expanse as “Sky”
Then the one below the firmament, he called “Seas.”
Because the Lord is a God of order, he wanted things in place
So, he gathered all the waters under the sky to form the seas
And then he added the dry land to appear and he was pleased
He watched the contrasting beauty between the land and the seas.
________________________________________
We see God at work continuing his design from the first day towards the second day. Notice that he began a pattern in the first day of separating the light from the darkness. On the second day, he began to separate the waters from the waters and created an expanse which he called “sky” or “heaven” in some other bible translations.
It is in the sky that we see all the other lights he placed on it. It is where he also displays the beautiful colors of the sunrise and sunsets. We see all the cloud formations in it as well and I can’t stop but be in awe each time I see a platoon of clouds or cloud formations that almost forms a human face. God used the sky to paint pictures and have a show of colors for us to remember his great design that he made for us.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• What are your thoughts on God’s love for setting boundaries and separations?