Getting Genesis Right (Part 1)

Recently, Dr William Barrick, Professor of Old Testament and Director of Th.D. Studies at Master's Seminary, visited Australia and spoke at a one day conference at St John's Park Baptist Church, Sydney.

In a two part blog I will provide some points made by Dr Barrick during his address, commencing here:

The Last Things replicate the First Things in inverted order.

Or, eschatology recapitulates protology—in reverse.

Isaiah 65:17-new heavens and

Something to think about: If God can create the new heavens and the new earth instantaneously, why not the first?

Genesis 1:1 Creation
...Genesis 1:3 God's Light
......Genesis 1:26 Man's Rule
.........Genesis 2:8-17 Old Eden
............Genesis 3:17 Curse
............Revelation 21:4; 22:3 No Curse
.........Revelation 22:1-2 New Eden
......Revelation 20:4 Man's Rule
...Revelation 21:23; 22:5 God's Light
Revelation 21:1 New Creation

Genesis 1:1 Creation
...Genesis 3:1 Satan's Freedom
......Genesis 6-8 Worldwide Judgment
.........Genesis l0-11 Babel/Babylon
.........Revelation 17-18 Babylon
......Revelation 19:11-19 Worldwide Judgment
...Revelation 20:2-3 Satan's Confinement
Revelation 21:1 New Creation

The First Things and the Last Things point to Christ as the focal point of divine history.

Testimony to creation as recorded in Genesis 1:1-2:3 permeates all of Scripture.

Denial of biblical creation equals a denial of the Creator.

Denial of the Creator in any form (rejection of divine revelation in
creation or in His written Word, or idolatry) is inexcusable.

Denial of biblical creation is exchanging God's truth for man's lie.

Denial of biblical creation results in greater depravity and immorality due to the rejection of the authority of the Creator and His inerrant revelation.

Denial of the doctrines of the First Things (protology) destroys doctrines of the Last Things (eschatology).

Without historical temporal Creation, there is no hope for a historical, temporal Restoration.

The alternative, secular historical science, changes—Scripture does not change.

Modern science mocks the science by which Augustine felt threatened—what will the science be 200 years from now?

When we affirm biblical creationism,

we propose the plain sense of the rest of Scripture

we provide foundational truths for basic Christian doctrine, and

we preserve the salvific focus of the Christian faith—only the Creator can ultimately save and restore.

Part two will follow in a few days.

Sam Drucker