Welcome to my second weekly round-up in my ‘Bible Chapter a Day’ read-through of the whole Bible. If you want to know what this is all about, or to join in, this is where I introduced the whole thing. It’s been great to see lots of people joining in with their own reading, tweeting, Facebooking and blogging! Now, let’s dive in…

Genesis 8

Time and again in Genesis, before, during and after massive events, we see people making offerings to God in worship. This is before the Law, so it’s not something they are required to do or asked to do. It’s just something they do. Noah has been through a lot, and literally everything he has in his possession is because God let him have it, let him take it on the ark that he wouldn’t have had with God. All we have is God’s, and when we choose to offer it to Him, it pleases him. Sacrifice pleases God.

Genesis 9

So God is starting again, and like the promises made to Adam (and the requirements of Adam) He now makes promises to Noah (and requires things of Noah). People following the story will be wondering if Noah is the one who will lead the way and bring the restoration to the world God has promised. Maybe He can succeed over sin where Adam (and all others) failed. But no, he fails and so does his son. The search continues…

Genesis 10

After the flood, there is rebuilding work that needs to be done. So once again we see people reproduce, grow old (and still die, because the problems of sin and death are still there), and spread all over the world. Every part of the world is occupied. This is good, it’s God’s plan. This is what the world is meant to be like (minus the sin and the death), but is progress being made? Will it be better this time? Will people let God be God, or will they once again descend and spiral? Spoiler: it’s the second one…

Genesis 11

Well, here’s the answer to yesterday’s question: people are no better this time round, and once again seek to be gods themselves. They want to make their way to the heavens themselves, to make a name for themselves. We just can’t stop trying to usurp God from the position that only He can and should ever have. And so the story of the fallen world is told in these first 11 chapters of the Bible. We don’t get better. By ourselves, we just get worse. That’s the point of Genesis 3—11. But a new day is dawning…

Genesis 12

A pivotal moment in God’s story. The whole world is in rebellion, and God means to fix it. But He’ll start with one man, and that one man’s family. So we meet Abram. He will be blessed. Because he’s earned it? No. Because he deserves it? No. Then why? Only because God has graciously chosen Him. He, and his line, will be blessed unconditionally. He just will. But the promise isn’t just for him. Through him, all the world will be blessed. Abram (and Israel) is meant to be a picture of life lived with God, choosing God, and as others see that they will be drawn to God. They are blessed in order to be a blessing. That is God’s plan for the world. Of course at the first hurdle Abram doesn’t trust that God will keep him and instead chooses to look after himself. It’ll be baby steps for Abram from here…

Genesis 13

Is the story of a family dividing? Or is it the story of a land being marked out for God’s people? Or is it both? God’s huge plans and purposes for people aren’t so abstract that normal human interactions (and decisions about making sure everyone’s cattle have a place to eat) are too small. God works through the normal, as well as breaking the normal from time to time. But for now, Abram has separated from Lot, and now knows exactly the land God will give them. It’s not his just yet, but he can enjoy it for a little while…

Genesis 14

After the first time God comes through for His people in battle, and Abraham acts as the one who will protect and rescue his family (even those who have parted ways), we meet this man Melchizedek. Mysterious chap. Comes out of nowhere and disappears back there pretty quick. Given two titles: priest and king (not a very normal combination). And unlike pretty much everyone else in the Genesis narrative, his origins and family line are completely absent. It’s like he just…is. Maybe it’s easier to see because Psalm 110 will promise another like Melchizedek, and because in Hebrews we see him used as a picture of Christ, but as I read these passages with all the focus on Abram, this Melchizedek is a reminder of the one we truly need. Not Abram, but a priest and a king, one who has no beginning or end, but who just is.