In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Please be seated.
Tonight, even before the beginning of the Eucharist, we get the sweeping saga version of the history of our salvation.
There are some major themes running through these readings and while Genesis introduces some of them, new ones are introduced later.
First, these readings establish the Sovereignty of God.
In Genesis God created beauty out of chaos and, later in Ezekiel, God brought life to dry bones. Ezekiel had prophesied that Jerusalem would fall. Just before tonight’s reading starts, Ezekiel begins to prophesy that Jerusalem, which has been conquered by its enemies, will be restored. In the Valley of the Dry Bones, God shows Ezekiel what restoration will look like.
Unlike the creation of humans in the Genesis story, this restoration proceeds in steps: tendons, flesh, skin and finally, after they hear the word of the Lord, breath. The Israelites are reminded by Ezekiel’s vision to be patient. The people who have scattered will be reunited, their fortunes will be restored and their temples will be rebuilt but in God’s time.
No matter what happens, God can create something out of nothing, out of chaos, out of defeat.
Second- God’s plan will prevail.
Humans may have thought they were in charge (we still do), but it’s just as well they’re not.
Adam and Eve’s failure, the Israelites exiled, their numerous defeats, their lapses to idol worship- even the worst events and the worst failures of humans are part of God’s plan. Tonight we were reminded it was “O happy fault, O necessary sin of Adam, which gained for us so great a Redeemer”.
Many of the Psalms ask God to save them from perils that seem irrelevant in our mostly-peaceful time.
Ps. 7: “Save and deliver me from all who pursue me, or they will tear me apart like a lion and rip me to pieces with no one to rescue me.”
Ps. 27: “Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident.”
Ps. 35: “Contend, Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me.
Take up shield and armor; arise and come to my aid.
Brandish spear and javelin against those who pursue me.”
And yet- even the psalms of lamentation end with hope that God will come through. We may not be in fear of being torn apart by a lion of being besieged by an army in our time but we can still relate to the writers who were worried about threats to their liberty and safety.
But no matter what happens, God’s plan will prevail and this, too, shall pass. As Isaiah reminds us, “My ways are not your ways”, says the Lord.
Third- God is good.
God created the heavens and the earth from chaos- not just one kind of bird, one kind of animal, one kind of plant- but more types of each than we’ve been able to count. I think of that when I see a zebra or an otter or a butterfly. We could have a world with no mountains or rivers and only manna to eat.
But we don’t.
God could have created humans to reproduce by cell division, like amoebas.
But we don’t.
Our catechism says that when Jesus “descended to the dead” after his crucifixion but before his resurrection, as we recited from the Baptismal creed tonight, “he went to the departed and offered them also the benefits of redemption.” Jesus redeems even those who did not know him.
Fourth- God is merciful.
Zephaniah, in the century before Ezekiel, predicts “earth-shaking” consequences of God’s wrath against Judah but even then includes a promise of future restoration of the remnant of believers among God’s chosen people. (Zephaniah 3: 8-20)
Again and again God shows justice tempered with mercy as the humans he created fail. It starts with Adam and Eve, but continues as the Israelites fall back into idol worship and is still true for us.
Fifth- God’s Promise
In Genesis Chapter 12, God promises that Abraham will be the father of many nations, we learn that the world will be blessed through the descendants of Abraham (12:3).
And yet- in Chapter 22, after Abraham has sent Ishmael, his son by the slave girl, away at Sarah’s demand, God asks him to sacrifice Isaac, the only child he has with Sarah.
Some commentaries have pointed out that the story of Abraham and Isaac foreshadows the sacrifice of Jesus. The sacrifice of “his only son”. The willingness of the only son to be sacrificed. Abraham’s test previews the Father’s decisive act at Calvary: both involve love expressed through costly giving. We were reminded a prayer earlier in the service that in order to redeem a slave, God gave a Son.
And tonight, we celebrate the fulfillment of God’s promise. God took human form in Jesus Christ, who lived among us, suffered the horrible death of a criminal but rose again in glory.
Do you see a pattern here? God’s plan has prevailed again.
