The Bible is not just a collection of stories and snippets of wisdom, but a complete instruction manual for each one of us, revealing how we can restore intimacy with God as it was in the beginning. In retrospect, God not only scripted the book, but laid out prophecy for the entire 7,000 years on earth in the first chapter. The Bible isn’t a numbered list of writings; the books are in sections, like history and poetry, not a chronological order. God has given us all we need to know. The twist is that it’s in puzzle form. In order to complete the puzzle, we need to study the pieces and move them around until they fit snugly, keeping in mind that many pieces fit perfectly in more than one area of the puzzle. You are unique and precious to God; you are unlike any other person on earth. He will show you where to put your puzzle pieces. This is God’s design.
During this amazing journey, God’s words transform us into reflections of his image. The mystery to your transformation grows through your commitment to read at least one verse of the Bible every day, or as often as possible. It’s puzzling at first; it feels like an intricate structure of passages not connected yet, but going somewhere, building something incredible, creating joy and energy like you’ve never known, when suddenly – WHAM! – it makes sense and draws you further in.
Prayer is important, but God’s method of revealing himself to you comes when you open the door, his Word. Jesus said, “I am the door.” He said, “I am the way, the truth and the life; no man comes to the Father but by me.” He promises that “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you can ask whatever you will, and it shall be done to you.” John 10:9. John 14:6. John 15:7.
Staying connected to his Word, God reveals not only who he is, but how he can heal, protect, comfort, lead, teach and provide for us. The opposite is also true; the longer we stay away from his Word, the less we’re connected to his image – resulting in fear, loneliness and depression. ”Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any man hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” Revelation 3:20
Intimacy with God at its best: Just the two of you sharing a drink by the fire, unloading your heart, sharing your thoughts, absorbing his peace, mercy and grace.
Find a simple truth and memorize it. Focus on it. Think about it. Hide it in your heart.
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”
Genesis 1:1
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.”
John 1:1-3
“And the Word became flesh and walked among men.“
John 1:14
“Remember the things of old, for I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, my counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.” Isaiah 46:9-10
WELCOME TO PROPHECY IN GENESIS!
As you reflect on my posts, the story of God’s Prophecy in Genesis will unfold. Begin with Genesis Prior to Day One, then Day 1 through Day 7, and you won’t want to miss the Fig Tree Prophecy. At the end of each post there is a “Next Up” link to follow. Each one of the 7 days of creation foretold prophecy as Peter documented in 2 Peter 3:8, “A day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years as a day.”
By definition prophecy is the ability to accurately tell what is going to happen in the future before it happens. God wants his children to know what is going to happen – which path to avoid and which path is safe.
“I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11.
“Worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Revelation 19:10b
“God, who cannot lie, promised eternal life before the world began.”
Titus 1:2
“I am the First and the Last; there is no other God. Who else can tell you what is going to happen in the days ahead? Let them tell you if they can and thus prove their power. Let them do as I have done since ancient times. Do not tremble; do not be afraid. Have I not proclaimed from ages past what my purposes are for you? You are my witnesses – is there any other God? No! There is no other Rock – not one!”
Isaiah 44:6-8
“Time and again I warned you about what was going to happen in the future. Then suddenly I took action, and all my predictions came true.”
Isaiah 48:3
“Search the book of the Lord and see what he will do. He will not miss a single detail.”
Isaiah 34:16.
“God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who push the truth away from themselves. For the truth about God is known to them instinctively. God has put this knowledge in their hearts. From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky and all that God made. They can clearly see his invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature. So, they have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God.”
Romans 1:19-20
“I know that whatever God does it shall be forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God does it, that men should fear before him.”
Ecclesiastes 3:14
God promised to tell us about the end ahead of time – from the beginning. Do you question what’s going on all over the world: wildfires, floods, droughts, volcanoes erupting, earthquakes, devastating pandemics, lost jobs, no ethics, loss of morals, radical politics and a huge surge of unknown immigrants at our borders? To understand current events, know God’s reason, His Because. “An appalling and horrible thing is committed in the land.” Jeremiah 5:23-31. What we see is physical. What we don’t see is God’s plan unfolding before our eyes. There is a massive spiritual battle taking place. Your spiritual journey is directing your physical future. Think about what that means.
There is a powerful, eternal God, who created heaven and earth. We did not come from eternal matter that just appeared from nowhere and exploded into perfectly formed DNA. Beginning in the first book of the Bible, the Book of Genesis, God prophesied our future and continued the prophecy through the end of Revelation.
One look at the future and it’s clear we need a God who is able to take care of us. The reality is that we have a God who is able to take care of us. We need to invest time to get to know him, understand who he is, how much he loves us, and the hard truth of his ridiculously simple family plan. Choose God.
Next Up: Genesis – Prior to Day One
See Also: Who Am I?