• A kingdom is established in Genesis (Gen 1:28-30)
    • Humankind, in the image of God, is given rule over the rest of creation.
  • Jesus speaks of the kingdom of heaven and of God often.
  • We are to pursue this kingdom. (Mat 6:33)
  • This kingdom is defined by completeness, abundance, welfare, love, selflessness, and peace.
  • It is a kingdom full of shalom.
  • There is an antithesis to this kingdom of God, introduced through the story in Exodus.
  • Pharaoh and Egypt, of that time, become a representation of the kingdom of empire; power over others, might, ego, greed, scarcity, fear, and injustice.
  • This empire building leads away from peace. 
  • Away from the narrative.
  • Empire does not trust the story of God's kingdom, one of abundance and completeness.
  • It keeps us from living a life of shalom.
  • Back to Genesis 1

26 Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, after our likeness, so they may rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move on the earth.”

27 God created humankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them,
male and female he created them.

28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply! Fill the earth and subdue it! Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that moves on the ground.” 29 Then God said, “I now give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the entire earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the animals of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to all the creatures that move on the ground—everything that has living breath in it—I give every green plant for food.” It was so.

Genesis 1:26-30 NET

  • Within the creation story we do not read that God intended humankind to rule over one another in the same way as the earth and the creatures.
  • Empire is a lie. A lie like that from the serpent in the garden. A lie that leads to mistrusting God.
  • This lie rears its head throughout the Bible as we see what happens when people choose to stay outside God's narrative and mistrust that God provides abundance, scarcity, justice and more.
  • Jesus reminds us the way of shalom.

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 The second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”

Mat 22:37-40

  • We need to seek God's kingdom. 
  • We need to pursue Shalom.

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