Scripture Reading: Gen. 1:26-28; 2:7, 9, 16-17; 3:11b, 22, 24
Ⅰ
Genesis is a book of life, a book of seeds, a book of blessing, a book of God's dispensing, and a book of God's economy—2:9; 1:28a; 1 Tim. 1:4.
Ⅱ
The line of life in the book of Genesis involves the experiences of nine significant persons:
A
Adam—receiving the promise of God's redemption and experiencing the anticipated redemption of God—3:15, 20-21:
１
The fallen Adam wearing the skin of the sacrifice—v. 21.
２
A sinner receiving Christ as his covering righteousness—Gal. 3:27; 1 Cor. 1:30.
B
Abel—working and living for God and worshipping God according to God's revelation—Heb. 11:4; Gen. 4:4:
１
The one inheriting salvation, offering up a lamb as a sacrifice—v. 4.
２
A believer living in Christ to become the righteousness of God, being acceptable to Him—2 Cor. 5:21.
C
Enosh—needing God and calling upon the name of Jehovah to enjoy His riches—Gen. 4:26:
１
The frail one calling upon the name of Jehovah—v. 26.
２
A frail believer calling upon the name of the Lord to enjoy Him as his portion—Acts 9:14; 2 Tim. 2:22; 1 Cor. 1:2.
D
Enoch—walking with God on the pathway of redemption—Gen. 5:24; Heb. 11:5:
１
The one pursuing after God, walking with God—Gen. 5:22-24.
２
A believer who pursues the Lord, living together with Him—John 14:19b.
E
Noah—walking with God and working with God to meet the need of that generation—Gen. 6:8-9, 13-14, 18:
１
Changing the age through his life and work—Heb. 11:7.
２
A believer who lives together with the Lord, working together with the Lord to work out his own salvation—Phil. 2:12b.
F
Abraham—God's calling, God's promise, and justification by faith—Acts 7:3; Gen. 12:1-3; 15:5-6:
１
Living by faith and living in fellowship with God—Heb. 11:8-12, 17-19.
２
A believer experiencing the calling and justification by God the Father and living a life of fellowship with Him—Gen. 18:1, 17, 22-33; 1 Cor. 1:9.
G
Isaac—inheriting grace, resting, and enjoying—Gen. 21:1-12; 26:3-5:
１
Inheriting all the promised blessings—25:5.
２
A believer living in fellowship with God, experiencing the inheritance of all the grace in God the Son for the enjoyment in satisfaction and rest—Heb. 11:9; Eph. 3:6; Gal. 3:29.
H
Jacob—God's selection, the transformation in life, and the maturity in life—Gen. 25:22-23; 28:10-14; 32:28:
１
Being chosen by God, experiencing trials to become the Israel of God, and bringing God's blessing to everyone—25:23; Rom. 9:9-13; Gen. 27:41-45; 31:1-2; 32:28; 47:7, 10; 48:9, 15-16, 20; 49:26, 28.
２
A believer chosen by God, enjoying the love of God the Father and the grace of God the Son, experiencing the transformation of God the Spirit through trials in his environment, to become a mature man to bestow God's blessing upon others—1 Pet. 1:2; Rom. 8:28; 2 Cor. 3:18; 1 Cor. 15:58; Heb. 6:1; Rom. 12:14.
I
Joseph—the reigning aspect of the maturity of life—Gen. 41:38-41:
１
Reigning and dispensing widely the riches of God to everyone—vv. 40-44, 55-57.
２
A believer who is transformed, overcoming, and mature, reigning for the Lord and dispensing the riches of God in Christ to everyone—2 Cor. 2:14-16; Eph. 3:8; Rev. 20:4, 6.
Ⅲ
"God said, Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them have dominion"—Gen. 1:26a:
A
God created man in His own image so that through His economy man may receive His life and nature and thereby become His expression—John 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:4; 2 Cor. 3:18.
B
God's desire is to have a corporate man to express Him in His image and to represent Him with His authority—Gen. 1:26-28.
C
Image and dominion are two seeds that grow and develop throughout the Bible; the harvest is the New Jerusalem, which expresses God, having His glory and bearing His appearance, and exercises God's authority to maintain His dominion for eternity—Rev. 4:3a; 21:11, 18a, 24, 26.
Ⅳ
"Jehovah God formed man with the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul"—Gen. 2:7:
A
The Triune God created a tripartite man to be a living vessel to contain Him as life so that He may express Himself in humanity—Rom. 9:21, 23.
B
God created man in such a way that man could receive Him and become one with Him—2 Cor. 4:7.
C
We need to be vessels open to the Lord, continually receiving the divine dispensing for God's expression and representation—13:14.