Lesson 2. Central Piece Notes
To prepare for the lesson please read the following scriptures first:
Psalm 19
Genesis 1
Isaiah 40
Central Piece
Faith in God’s Word as Truth
Faith that God is the creator of everything
Psalm 19:1-6
God reveals Himself through Creation (Romans 1:19f)
Psalm 19:7-14
God reveals Himself through His Word (2 Timothy 3:16 parallel)
1. Moses (Deuteronomy 32:47)
2. Joshua (Joshua 1)
3. Jesus (John 5:9; John 17:7)
4. Rest of Scripture same central thought: The Bible is God revealing Himself to us.
Genesis 1:1
The Creator created Creation. Every word is essential in that statement.
God has to tell us how the universe and everything, including us, came into existence. It is revealed knowledge.
1. Reveals He is the Sole Source and Cause of Creation.
2. Reveals He is a personal God, involved in Creation, including us. Not a mechanical - non
personal force.
3. Hebrews 11:3- Creator creating creation is the central piece to understanding His Word.
John 1:1
Colossians 1:15ff
Isaiah 40
A. God comforts His people in a disastrous situation by pointing to Himself as Creator.
As strong and powerful as Assyria is (chapters 36-39), another stronger empire,
Babylon is coming to also destroy Judah.
B. 40:8 People are temporary on this earth, as well as their empires, but God is eternal and
so is His Word.
C. 40:12-13, 15-17. When everything seems doom and gloom, God is not conquered. He is in
control. The Assyrian war-gods, which will be defeated by the Babylonian war-gods, seem
more powerful compared to the One True God but all those false idols will be defeated by
the Creator God who created creation.
D. 40:18. There is nothing you can compare God to. He is the Creator who is involved in
His creation but is not dependent or part of the creation. He is outside of creation and
fully in control and sovereign.
E. 40:23-ff No is equal to the Creator. What is said in these verses tie directly to Psalm 19 and Genesis 1 as the central piece in understanding the Old Testament. God’s Word revealed in the Old Testament (and, oh course, the New Testament) is truth because it comes from the Creator who created Creation.
40:28. Our response must be the recognition of our sinfulness and the need for redemption and reconciliation with our Creator. “Those who HOPE in the LORD will renew their strength, they will soar like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not grow faint.”
The Central Theme throughout the Old Testament: God repeatedly declares He is the who made us, forms us, He is our creator who redeems us- the One we call by His Name.
God is unchanging - remaining the same forever because He doesn’t need to change.
False idols and religions created by humans are always changing and evolving or devolving.
Humans are always changing but God remains the constant yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
APPLICATION
1. On the next clear night- look to the heavens and praise the Creator who created everything.
2. The next time you sit down to read the Word of God, begin with prayer, thanking God for revealing Himself and His will to us in his perfect, timeless, comforting, delivering Word.
