30th Mar 26 | 13:54
Studies by Book
Luke 16 19-31 Released from self cetredness 23 God’s creation plan
📖 Luke 16:19-31
26May2020 - *God’s creation plan* - _Luke 16:19-31_ - Bible reading: _Psalm 8:4-6_
_Luke 16:25 But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented._
As we read the reply from Abraham to the rich man, we are presented with the quandary of why some people receive good things and others, evil things? Why is it that evil people seem to prosper in life, while innocent people suffer, even a person like Lazarus, who was intimate with God? Where is the justice of God? Is God not expected to be impartial? Why does not God invade into the situation and make corrections?
These are questions that have troubled people and need to be addressed.
Let us go to the very beginning and look at the creation story. We see that God created a beautiful world which carried within it the very essence and nature of God. God made all things good. _Genesis 1:31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day._
God alone is good and when God states that all of creation was very good, He was stating that His goodness was passed on to creation. When we admire the beauty of nature and God’s creation, we are awestruck at the very magnificence and essence of God. Which is why, man has no excuse, for the creation reveals the glory of God. _Romans 1:19-20 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. (20) For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,_
_Psalm 104:24 O LORD, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all. The earth is full of Your possessions. Psalm 89:11 The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours; The world and all its fullness, You have founded them._
As God made this beautiful creation, the triune God also created man in their image. Man carried the stamp of the nature and characteristics of God. Having the inbuilt nature of God within them, men and women were to have dominion over the works of God’s hands. _Genesis 1:26-27 Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." (27) So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
They, men and women, together, carrying the image of God in them, were to have dominion over God’s creation. The role of dominion included leadership, visioning, executing, managing, caring, enriching, developing and many more. All of these were to be employed by man, under God, over creation, which belonged to God and not to man.
_Psalm 8:4-6 What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him? (5) For You have made him a little lower than the angels, And You have crowned him with glory and honour. (6) You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet,_ God crowned man, which implies that man’s position and the role was that of a regent or viceroy under God. God also bestowed on man, glory and honour. All things were placed under man’s feet.
This is the position that we must recognise was the way God intended to outwork His purposes over man and all of creation.
Man was unique for man was both Spirit as well as matter. _Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being._
Creation was made of matter but revealed the character of God. God is Spirit. _John 4:24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."_ So to have dominion over creation on God’s behalf, God made the man of the dust of the ground and so man was made of matter and also breathed into His nostrils His breath and so the man was both matter and Spirit.
The man was therefore uniquely placed by God to execute His rule over His creation. Man identified with creation because he was made of matter and he also represented God for he was made in His image and God’s breath was breathed into Him. God set up His kingdom rule in place right from the very beginning.
When we see the situation now, we realise from where we have fallen.
*Thought to ponder*
Do we see man’s rebellion against God and the pain that our rebellion has caused us?