S6E167: New Creation 4: The One Where God Wants to Live in Our Space

In this conversation, Michael and Jason discuss the purpose and meaning of Genesis 1 and 2. They emphasize that Genesis is not a scientific account of the physical formation of the universe, but rather a theological narrative about God's desire to dwell with humanity within the themes of creation and new creation in the Bible. They explore the ancient structure of creation, with its seven days and God's rest on the seventh day. They also discuss the idea of creation as a temple, where God desires to dwell with humanity. The conversation raises the question of whether we sometimes exalt the text of the Bible over faith and God, and the dangers of doing so. They suggest reading the scriptures with more openness and humility, focusing on the heart of God rather than getting lost in the text.

Takeaways
Genesis 1 and 2 are not scientific accounts, but theological narratives about God's desire to dwell with humanity.
The goodness of creation emphasizes God's intention to create a space for humans to dwell with Him.
Humans are called to be stewards of creation and participate in bringing order and purpose to the world.
Creation suffers due to human sin and rebellion against God's calling.
The ultimate goal of creation is for God to dwell with humanity in new creation.

Chapters
00:00- Introduction and Schedule Change
10:09 - The Purpose of Genesis 1 and 2
12:46 - Understanding Creation in Genesis
18:29 - The Significance of 'Good' in Genesis
28:02 - The Desire for God to Dwell with Us
33:33 - Creation Suffers Due to Human Sin
37:33 - The Teleos of Creation
41:43 - The Role of Humans as Image Bearers
42:58 - The Ancient Structure of Creation
45:11 - The Seventh Day and God's Rest
48:11 - Creation as a Temple
50:57 - God's Desire to Dwell with Us
55:38 - Exalting the Text Over God
59:38 - The Danger of Biblicism
01:03:42 - The Hermeneutic of Expectancy