The purpose of creation is Jesus. We might enjoy God’s world and ignore Jesus, in which case we’ve missed the most important thing.

Another thing we notice in this highly structured creation account of Genesis 1 is that God does things intentionally here. God chose to create this thing here, and then that thing there. There was a reason for everything. There is a logic, some of which we can make out in Genesis 1, and some that only makes sense when we consider the wider Bible.

It is clear that people have a very critical role in God’s creation. We see this later on in Genesis 1 and 2. But for now, notice that it is only people who are made in God’s image and likeness. It is only people who are told to subdue the world and have dominion over it. Mankind was made to look after the rest of creation, an important role, a leadership role.

Those of us who know how the story progresses after Genesis 1 will know that the perfect world did not last very long. People turned from God and did what they wanted, not what God wanted. This caused incredible pain and damage to people, to the world, and to our relationship with God. God knows everything. God knew this would happen when He made the world. He knew that when He made it, it would lead to the great cost of his son Jesus dying on the cross to save all who believe. And yet God still made the world. He made it knowing it would need redeeming; it would need saving.

Read More