Genesis 2:18-4:16… it doesn’t take long, does it? It doesn’t take long till Adam and Eve trip up and end up on a very slippery slide. 2 chapters of the Bible gone and the first humans decide their way is better than God’s. Granted, the serpent’s tactics are pretty slimy. Notice how he puts God’s words into question: ‘Did God really say…’ But, that’s all. And Eve should’ve known better. One thing, that’s all God’s asked. Yet Eve picks up that apple, bites it and gives it to Adam, who does the same. Screw up 1.
And then God – who’s done amazing things for these two (he’s put them in this perfect garden, in charge of all creation and he’s granted them his presence in abundance) – comes walking in the garden. And let’s just pause there a second. Adam, Eve and God obviously used to go walking together. Imagine that. But on this day, when God comes along for their daily stroll, he can’t find them. And I don’t know about you, but I don’t see an angry God here but a God who’s been let down and hurt by his friends. ‘Where are you?’ he asks. You can almost hear the pain in his voice and see the tears in his eyes.
And Adam tells him what they’ve done. And, do you see, that God isn’t – first and foremost – angry, but heartbroken: ‘What have you done?’ And I reckon we need to get away from the idea of God getting angry and wanting to zap us when we mess up. We need to realise that God’s heart breaks and that he weeps when we do our own thing instead of the good things he’s designed for us.
They must have been able to see the tears in God’s eyes. All he’s done for Adam and for Eve and they go and do this. And yet they still don’t take responsibility… Adam: ‘The woman told me to do it.’ Eve: ‘The serpent told me to do it.’ Screw up number 2.
And there are always consequences for going our own way rather than God’s – they’re banished from the garden. Then their first born, Cain, doesn’t recognise that God deserves the best offering we can give him. Screw up 3. Thank goodness his brother, Abel, does. But jealousy grips Cain and he kills him. Screw up 4. God weeps again. And he’s still heartbroken every time we continue this ‘tradition’ that humans have been carrying on since the very beginning: doing our own thing rather than God’s.
Now, let’s check-in with Matthew’s story of the King. Here’s the wise men – the Magi – but nowhere does it say that there’s three of them! Never mind. Anyway, they’ve seen this new, royal star and they assume – as you would – that a king would be born in a palace. So that’s where they go. And Herod is as twisted as the serpent in Genesis. ‘Once you’ve found this new King,’ he says, ‘come back and tell me so I can worship him too.’ Aye right! The reality is that Herod, along with all Jerusalem, is scared stiff. This new King, he knows, is the real deal: he has a star and prophets have foretold him. Herod can’t compare to this.
And notice the difference… the wise men have travelled for hundreds of miles and joyfully bow at Jesus feet and offer him their famous gifts. Herod, on the other hand, wants him dead!
But, through dreams again, God sends the wise men back by a route avoiding Herod’s palace and sends Mary, Joseph and Jesus into Egypt to avoid one of the worst crimes in history – ‘the massacre of the innocents.’ Herod, in a crazy, last ditch attempt to get rid of Jesus orders the murder of every baby boy in Bethlehem.
So baby Jesus ends up a refugee in Egypt. What a way to start the life of the King: born to a virgin in a freezing stable, worshipped by foreigners from the east and given gifts fit for the richest of kings, and now a refugee and on the run. Boy, oh boy! What sort of plan is this that God’s set in motion? Seems pretty risky to me!
And Psalm 2… We’re talking about kings and rulers just like Herod here, who reckon they can thwart God’s plans. But God, the psalmist reminds us, knows what he’s up to. He’s installed his King – Jesus – on Zion, his holy hill. And however much we mess up (like in Genesis); however risky God’s plan seems (as in Matthew)… God is powerful, he’s in control and he knows what he’s doing. Let’s take refuge in him.
And then God – who’s done amazing things for these two (he’s put them in this perfect garden, in charge of all creation and he’s granted them his presence in abundance) – comes walking in the garden. And let’s just pause there a second. Adam, Eve and God obviously used to go walking together. Imagine that. But on this day, when God comes along for their daily stroll, he can’t find them. And I don’t know about you, but I don’t see an angry God here but a God who’s been let down and hurt by his friends. ‘Where are you?’ he asks. You can almost hear the pain in his voice and see the tears in his eyes.
And Adam tells him what they’ve done. And, do you see, that God isn’t – first and foremost – angry, but heartbroken: ‘What have you done?’ And I reckon we need to get away from the idea of God getting angry and wanting to zap us when we mess up. We need to realise that God’s heart breaks and that he weeps when we do our own thing instead of the good things he’s designed for us.
They must have been able to see the tears in God’s eyes. All he’s done for Adam and for Eve and they go and do this. And yet they still don’t take responsibility… Adam: ‘The woman told me to do it.’ Eve: ‘The serpent told me to do it.’ Screw up number 2.
And there are always consequences for going our own way rather than God’s – they’re banished from the garden. Then their first born, Cain, doesn’t recognise that God deserves the best offering we can give him. Screw up 3. Thank goodness his brother, Abel, does. But jealousy grips Cain and he kills him. Screw up 4. God weeps again. And he’s still heartbroken every time we continue this ‘tradition’ that humans have been carrying on since the very beginning: doing our own thing rather than God’s.
Now, let’s check-in with Matthew’s story of the King. Here’s the wise men – the Magi – but nowhere does it say that there’s three of them! Never mind. Anyway, they’ve seen this new, royal star and they assume – as you would – that a king would be born in a palace. So that’s where they go. And Herod is as twisted as the serpent in Genesis. ‘Once you’ve found this new King,’ he says, ‘come back and tell me so I can worship him too.’ Aye right! The reality is that Herod, along with all Jerusalem, is scared stiff. This new King, he knows, is the real deal: he has a star and prophets have foretold him. Herod can’t compare to this.
And notice the difference… the wise men have travelled for hundreds of miles and joyfully bow at Jesus feet and offer him their famous gifts. Herod, on the other hand, wants him dead!
But, through dreams again, God sends the wise men back by a route avoiding Herod’s palace and sends Mary, Joseph and Jesus into Egypt to avoid one of the worst crimes in history – ‘the massacre of the innocents.’ Herod, in a crazy, last ditch attempt to get rid of Jesus orders the murder of every baby boy in Bethlehem.
So baby Jesus ends up a refugee in Egypt. What a way to start the life of the King: born to a virgin in a freezing stable, worshipped by foreigners from the east and given gifts fit for the richest of kings, and now a refugee and on the run. Boy, oh boy! What sort of plan is this that God’s set in motion? Seems pretty risky to me!
And Psalm 2… We’re talking about kings and rulers just like Herod here, who reckon they can thwart God’s plans. But God, the psalmist reminds us, knows what he’s up to. He’s installed his King – Jesus – on Zion, his holy hill. And however much we mess up (like in Genesis); however risky God’s plan seems (as in Matthew)… God is powerful, he’s in control and he knows what he’s doing. Let’s take refuge in him.
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