Genesis 1:3-31

Summary

During the meeting, Jose Gonzalez welcomed attendees, addressed technical issues, and led a prayer for Carmen Ortiz's daughter's father, Isaiah, and Katia Reyes's aunt, Titi Joanne. Jose Gonzalez then reviewed Genesis 1, emphasizing God's presence in chaos and the patterns of creation, particularly the symbolism of water and the connection between Genesis and Exodus. The discussion highlighted how God formed and filled the world over six days, culminating in the creation of mankind in God's image as co-rulers, with Jose Gonzalez noting God's provision and the foreshadowing of human beings' differing perception of "good" in Genesis chapter 3.

Details

Welcome and Prayer Requests Jose Gonzalez welcomed attendees and opened the floor for prayer requests, noting the availability of a feedback and question form for any unclear points (00:00:00). Carmen Ortiz requested prayers for her daughter's father, Isaiah, who had been missing since Saturday, and Katia Reyes asked for prayers for her aunt, Titi Joanne, who was undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer (00:01:23). Jose Gonzalez led a prayer for those mentioned, including Milka, who was in the hospital, asking for strength, healing, and presence during difficult times (00:03:30).

Technical Issues and Feedback Form Jose Gonzalez initially experienced audio issues and could not hear participants, which Natalee Gonzalez and Carmen Ortiz noted (00:05:31). After resolving the technical problem, Jose Gonzalez emphasized the anonymous feedback form for questions and appreciated the feedback received, including a question about the connection between Genesis and Exodus (00:06:17).

Recap of Genesis Chapter 1, Verses 1-2 Jose Gonzalez recap Genesis 1, verse 1, explaining that "Elohim," the Hebrew word for God, refers to a spiritual being, and "heavens" in this context means skies (00:08:42). Verse 1 is a summary, followed by verse 2, which describes the pre-creation state as formless, empty, dark, and watery. He explained that "ruach" can be translated as wind, breath, or spirit, and discussed how Genesis 1 links to John chapter 1, emphasizing that the Bible is meant to be compared to itself (00:09:39). Jose Gonzalez highlighted that God is present in chaos and brings order, and the chaotic waters symbolize disorder and the undoing of creation, noting that unlike other ancient cosmologies, the Hebrew God merely spoke to the waters rather than fighting them (00:11:34).

Patterns in Genesis Chapter 1: Days of Creation Jose Gonzalez introduced a new approach to studying Genesis 1, focusing on patterns beyond the repeated phrase "God said," which appears ten times. He highlighted the differences between the first three days of creation and the subsequent three, explaining that he color-coded the days for easier comparison (00:13:31). This method aims to reveal nuances and "hyperlinks" throughout the Bible, with a specific mention of connecting to Exodus (00:14:30).

Day 1: Light and Separation Jose Gonzalez detailed day one, where God said, "Let there be light," which was identified as God's very presence. God saw that the light was "good" and separated it from the darkness, calling them "day" and "night." Jose Gonzalez noted that the biblical day starts with evening, implying light emerges from darkness (00:15:25).

Day 2: The Expanse and Hostile Waters On day two, God created an "expanse" to separate the waters above from the waters below, calling the expanse "heaven" (sky) (00:17:27). Jose Gonzalez highlighted that unlike day one, God did not declare this separation "good," suggesting that these "hostile" and "chaotic" waters were not considered inherently good (00:18:41). He used the analogy of a snow globe to describe how the expanse contains these wild waters, forming a structured world (00:19:38).

Expanse and its Biblical Connections Jose Gonzalez further elaborated on the Hebrew word "rakia" for expanse, noting its appearance in Exodus where it refers to hammered, flattened gold, symbolizing God's word bringing order to rough, chaotic waters (00:21:32). He then drew a "hyperlink" to Genesis 7:11, explaining that the flood in Noah's time represented the collapse of this protective expanse, an "undoing of creation" triggered by human violence (00:23:40). He also connected it to Exodus 14:21, where Moses parting the Red Sea mirrors God's power to separate chaotic waters and make a way through them (00:26:10).

Symbolism of Waters and Rivers Jose Gonzalez reiterated that waters in the Bible are often not a good sign, representing chaos and hostility (00:28:23). However, he noted that in Genesis chapter 2, a river flows from the Garden of Eden, symbolizing God's ability to transform chaos into something peaceful and good (00:29:24). He clarified that the Bible should be understood by comparing its internal interactions before applying it personally, emphasizing the importance of discerning what it reveals about God (00:30:08).

Day 3: Dry Land and Vegetation On day three, God commanded the waters below the heavens to gather, revealing dry land, which God called "earth," and the gathered waters "seas" (00:31:49). Jose Gonzalez noted that God again saw this creation as "good," a recurring pattern that sets up future biblical narratives, particularly Genesis chapter 3 (00:32:46). The earth then produced vegetation by God's presence, not sunlight, which Jose Gonzalez found remarkable (00:33:45).

Filling the Creation: Days 4, 5, and 6 Jose Gonzalez explained the parallel structure between days 1-3 and 4-6, where God first forms and then fills the created spaces (00:34:52) (00:47:27). Day four, when God created the sun, moon, and stars, mirrors day one's creation of light, but with a key difference (00:35:51) (00:37:50). Katia Reyes pointed out that day one's light was God's direct presence, while day four involved God delegating the responsibility of light to celestial bodies, symbolizing God's delegation of authority to creation and partnership with them (00:40:01).

Day 5 and 6: Populating Creation Jose Gonzalez explained that day five, where God filled the waters with marine creatures and "sea monsters" (tannin), mirrors day two's creation of the waters (00:43:20). Day six, where God created land animals and human beings, mirrors day three's creation of dry land and vegetation, demonstrating God's consistent pattern of forming and then filling creation (00:47:27). He noted that God saw the creatures of day six as "good" (00:48:27).

The Image of God and Co-Rule Jose Gonzalez discussed the creation of mankind in God's image on day six, emphasizing that the phrase "let us make mankind in our image" suggests God consists of a community (00:48:27). The "image of God" is not singular but encompasses both male and female, who together form the complete image of God and are meant to co-rule as equals. Jose Gonzalez highlighted that this biblical blueprint challenges views that prioritize one gender over another and suggests that different people coming together reflect God's full image (00:49:35) (00:52:52).

God's Provision and the Challenge of "Good" Jose Gonzalez concluded by reflecting on God's provision throughout creation, noting that God provided for every created thing and delegated authority without being threatened by chaos (00:54:54). He set the stage for future discussions by highlighting the recurring theme of God seeing creation as "good," foreshadowing a conflict in Genesis chapter 3 where human beings' perception of "good" will diverge from God's (00:55:58). He mentioned that concepts like the Leviathan will be explored further, connecting to spiritual power and Genesis chapter 3 (00:56:59).

Closing Prayer and Blessings Jose Gonzalez concluded the meeting with a prayer, expressing gratitude to God for being the author of good and for knowing what is best for everyone present. They prayed for God's provision, presence in chaos, and for rest and blessings for all attendees, particularly after a busy Monday and Tuesday. Anthony Diaz also thanked Jose Gonzalez before the meeting concluded (00:58:45).