Blessing?

"Blessing.  If you were to sum up the book of Genesis in one word, that's what it would be."  So said my Old Testament prof as we began our survey class. (Today was the last class - if you can believe it, we covered the whole Old Testament in 2 weeks!)  I was skeptical.  Wasn't this the book where Adam and Eve rebel and are kicked out of the garden, where Joseph was sold into slavery, where God destroyed the world in a flood?

But God clothed Adam and Eve, and cared about them and for them, even as He pronounced the disastrous consequences of their sin.  He lifted Joseph out of slavery to become Prime Minister of Egypt, rescued Noah and his family, promised Abram a multitude of descendants who would be a "blessing to the nations".  God even intimated to Adam and Eve that one day he would undo the results of their rebellion in the Garden.

In my other class of this 2-week first semester, Biblical Interpretation, I chose to study Genesis 11:1-9 in depth.  So, I tried to apply what I'd been learning about Genesis in Old Testament to the Tower of Babel passage.  To my surprise and delight, God's blessing is there even in the midst of a dark time for humanity: He does not destroy them for refusing to obey God and instead worshipping themselves - he scatters them, separates them from the powerful pull of sin when they were all together - and in the very next chapter God calls Abram and promises to make him a blessing to the very nations He had created after Babel!  As someone who loves New York City and the concept of city, I enjoyed making the connection that God did not destroy Babel, a "city of man" celebrating the achievements of man; rather, through His promises and prophecy, God has painted a picture of eternity in a huge City of God.  Sounds fun!

I don't usually get too preachy in my posts, but I thought you'd like to know a bit of what I'm learning this summer.  Next week is the "second semester" of classes here - I'll be taking Biblical Communication, and Kerri and I will both be in God, Bible, Holy Spirit (a study of what the Bible has to say as a whole about topics of faith).  Thank you for your prayers, well-wishes, and support!