The Gospel according to Moses
The creation account in the book of Genesis may sound ordinary to us who've heard it so many times in the form of a story, but to those living in the ancient world, it was the most controversial and outright offensive text, countering all their religious, social and political structures and beliefs. It was a prophetic declaration of the offensive and redeeming nature of the cross to a fallen world.
Every “And God saw that it was good” statement in Genesis 1 is a deliberate counter-statement against ancient Egyptian and mythological concepts of creation falsely portrayed as being in a perpetual state of conflict and chaos.
“The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you” (Romans 16:20)
Moses did not write the book of Genesis in order to record history, but to reveal and declare the power and glory of the living God!
Picture this: Moses was taught by his parents and people about the God of Israel and how they were a people of promise and divine plan, how all the nations were to be blessed through them and their divine destiny hinged on a covenant they had with their God. Moses also learned in the highest education institutes of Egypt, in the palace of Pharoah as a prince. He knew very well the Egyptian culture, religion, literature, values, beliefs, and worldview. He was a man of two worlds.
The Bible says that he rejected the riches and honors of Egypt in order to be associated with the people of God and God used him as a deliverer to His people (Hebrews 11:24-29). The salvation of God came to His people because of a stance Moses took in the midst of that struggle between two worlds. He said "No!" to Pharoah and "Yes!" to the God of Israel. He said "No!" to the Egyptian narrative with a new one He was inspired to write inspired by God: the book of Genesis.
He used the same concept of a pre-creation existence of darkness and without form as the sand of the desert, from which the Egyptians believed all the creation was made. He used the same concept of the firmament in the sky and the waters above it, as the Egyptians believed that the body of a goddess held the stars and the sky up there. He used the same pictures of their myths to present another narrative, a powerful one, a God-inspired one, a truthful one, one that was not just a story but was put to the test and had proven to be able to crush Satan with ten plagues, split the Red Sea, and deliver!
He used the concept known as image-bearing, which was understood in those times as essence bearing, which was only attributed or suited for Pharaohs or demigods, who carried of the essence of the gods. But in His declaration, Moses attributes all mankind to be bearers of the image or essence of God.
Genesis has more to do with origin, essence, and purpose than recording facts, stories, and history. Moses' aim was to represent the true God in the midst of the cultural set up of the time.
In the face of volumes of stories, beliefs, myths, taboos, sorcerers and a demonic empire, he stood with his "Gospel". That's what the book of Genesis is. It is the Gospel according to Moses, who delivered the people of Israel out of the captivity of Egypt and into their divine destiny and purpose.
Moses used the texts and mythological stories and beliefs of his time to put together another story, a different version, one that would counter the status quo, one that would be so controversial, so obnoxious that it would stand as a sacrament of times testifying of the God of the universe who overthrew the god of this world.
I would like to encourage you to revisit the book of Genesis and read it in the context and worldview of its time. And see how the genius of God had used human pictures, beliefs, and concepts to restore a story, where He can be portrayed authentically. And may you be tremendously blessed in the process, through the power of our incredible God!
