IN THE BEGINNING GOD CREATED THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH GENESIS 1:1

The Old Testament God Reveals Himself to His

People – God the Perfect Father

Introduction to the Old Testament

The first & longest half of the Bible is called the Old Testament (O.T.) or “Old Covenant”

O.T. story distinguishes Judaism from all other religions of the world in two ways: Based on historical facts in history God reveals Himself both in words & deeds- over

time

The story of salvation

Creation is God’s plan beginning to unfold Creating by the power of His Word Gn1:1

The Story of Salvation

The word “Bible” means “book” (singular)However, the Bible consists of 72 booksWritten by 40 different authors over 1600 years,

but all inspired by God the Holy SpiritUsing different literary styles & forms

History, prophecy, poetry, drama, letters, practical advice, and much more…

What kind of story is this?

The Bible tells us what kind of story we are in It is a love story, because it is history, and history

is “His story” & He is love Love is God’s plan & purpose in all that he does

The story unfolds in three acts Creation Fall Redemption: has 3 parts

God reveals himself as Father in the O.T. Jesus the Son of God is revealed in the N.T. Holy Spirit is sent to empower the Church & disciples

Genesis means “beginning”

Genesis is the book of beginnings Universe Man Sin Salvation (the main theme of the whole Bible)

Genesis

Genesis is the 1st book of the Pentateuch or Torah (Jewish) Pentateuch = Greek word meaning “5 volume book” , the

first five books of the Bible are the Pentateuch Torah = Aramaic word meaning “the Law” - 10

commandments (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy)

The author of Genesis

Moses is referred to as the author of Genesis, Genesis is history but not scientific history

This does not mean myth or fable, but that its style is often poetic & content is selective to teach its purpose Author (photographer) points only at subject important for purpose

Time span of Genesis covers more years than rest of the Bible

Only God can create –Bara’ out of nothing- by the infinite power of his Word

Jewish notion of creation radically distinct from all others

Our Father’s Plan

God has revealed himself in history gradually Why read the Bible?

It is our family heirloom we need to understand Ephesians 1:5 “ destined in love to be his sons” Romans 8:15 “ received a spirit of adoption as Sons”

Started long ago with Israel and now we are called (grafted on) into the family of God Pius XI “ spiritually we are all Semites” descended from Shem Rom 11:24 wild olive shoot grafted on Israel history is Catholic (universal) history Rom 4:16 Abraham is the father of all who share his faith

4 Foundational Principles of the Bible

1) God is our Father2) Salvation as divine Sonship3) The Covenant

The overarching theme of the Bible (salvation history)

4) The Church as God’s Family

Most important Mystery in Life

Is this: God is our FatherHis greatest desire is not to punish us for doing wrong,

but to reveal himself as fatherGarden of Genesis 2, “familyhood” of God

That’s where He wants us to live…with Him!

He wants to walk & visit & converse with us - in a growing friendship of love & intimacy

But what he wants us to call Him is Father He is a Father exactly as Jesus portrayed in Luke 15,

with arms wide open with a smile on his face

Salvation: Sharing in the Sonship of God

Salvation is receiving the gift of supernatural life (sanctifying grace) allowing us to become sons of God

Baptism empowers us to become children of GodWe participate in Jesus’ own life of divine SonshipPope Pius XII “Christian Religion is the unique

religion of Divine Sonship”

Covenant

A covenant is a binding oath or promise made between God and a person (s)

A covenant is a sacred family bond that binds God the Father to us as family Key to understand the Christian Faith

Understanding the covenants will help you see what God is doing in Salvation History = family history

How God is Fathering his family A Father who keeps his promises – who keeps covenant

with us

Covenant vs contract

Covenant- kinship bond family relations

Un-breakable, Permanent Exchange of Persons

“I am yours, you are mine" Based upon swearing an

Oath Oath sworn by invoking

God’s Holy name (for help to keep it)

Latin word for Oath is sacramentum( sacraments)

Ritual act after verbal promise

share a meal, sacrifice animalsRenewing our Covenant w/ God At every Holy Sacrifice of the

Mass, or Eucharistic Meal

Contract- partnership

Breakable, temporarily Exchange of property,

goods

Based upon a promise If promise broken go

separate ways

Covenants in Salvation History

1) Marriage covenant with Adam2) Household covenant – Noah & family3) Tribal covenant- Those under Abraham’s

authority4) Nation covenant – under Moses & 12 Tribes5) Kingdom covenant- under David & successors

6) New Covenant- Catholic (universal) Covenant Jesus establishes a world wide family

God’s Covenant with Adam

Marital covenant: family form of 1st covenant between Adam& Eve & God

The Fall: A&E disobeyed, supernatural life lostThe Promise: “protoevangelium” promise of a

future Savior (First Gospel) = future good news Genesis 3:15 God said to the serpent “I will put enmity

(hostility) between you & the woman, and between your seed (evil doers) & her seed (Jesus); He shall crush your head, and you shall bruise his heal”

Consequences of disobedience: Original Sin

The original harmony of A & E with God, each other and within themselves is destroyed.

Consequences of Disobedience: Original Sin

Free Will, allows us to reject God’s fatherhood In Old Testament the punishment of God was a

means for God to guide his people toward repentance & back into His friendship

4 results of Original Sin

Because of their sin, God warned A&E that when we try to “be fruitful” – 1) Childbirth will be painful 2)familylife : relationships will be difficult, hard 3) Work will be toil : homework, chores, jobs 4) Illness & death : sickness, colds, cancer

Promises to Noah