The Genesis Event

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. (1 Corinthians 1:18-25 ESV).

On March 30, 2010, an international team of scientists conducted a momentous experiment in a 17-mile tunnel beneath the Swiss-French border. Using the Large Hadron Collider, they sent two subatomic particles hurtling toward each other at unheard of speeds in conditions they claimed were similar to those just after the Big Bang. When those two protons collided, they produced an enormous explosion of energy. One ecstatic scientist, physicist Michio Kaku, declared, “This is a huge step toward unraveling Genesis 1:1—what happened at the beginning. This is a Genesis machine. It will help recreate the most glorious event in the history of the universe.” There are two points I want to emphasize in beginning today’s devotional with this historical snippet. First, when Kaku states that this “science” will unravel Genesis and the creation event, he is far from the truth. Of course, creation is an event that is difficult at best to understand. However, the “cause” of creation is rather simple. God did it. In fact, the Apostle John says the pre-incarnate Christ merely spoke it all into existence (cf. John 1). Of that there is no doubt, unless you are willing to say that the Scripture is not true. Second, I have disagreement with another conclusion of Dr. Kaku. He said, “It will help us unravel the most glorious event in history.” Though the creation of the universe was glorious, I don’t think it can be described as “the most glorious event.” I think the redemption of God’s creation was far more glorious, because the collision of God’s love and justice on the cross of Christ unleashed a power that can redeem the cosmos. In this week especially we cannot miss the truth about the power of the cross: “to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” To many it may seem as “foolishness.” But to believers it is the most incredible event in history! Celebrate your salvation today!