So What Ramblings: Genesis, Orville Redenbacher, Girl Scout cookies, and the Savior

Orville Redenbacher likes popcorn and suspenders.

You know what I always thought was weird? Why Boy Scouts sell popcorn while the Girl Scouts sell cookies. That's a raw deal, right? The Boy Scouts got snookered on that one. I mean really, who wants to buy popcorn? Did you ever sit around the house and say to yourself, "I can't WAIT until the Boy Scouts sell popcorn again, because it's just miles better than anything Orville Redenbacher sells at the grocery store?" I don't remember saying that to myself either. I do recall thinking, "When are the Girl Scouts selling their delicious and many varied cookies?" You know why? Because cookies are better than popcorn any day of the week. I feel sorry for the Boy Scouts and can't figure out why they have to sell popcorn and can't sell candy or some other delicious treat...like cookies. It's just weird.

You know what else is weird? Genealogies in the Bible. It feels like one of those things that are just there because...um...they just are. It is one of those things that you get to in the Bible, skim over to see where it ends, and then keep reading. (Come on, admit it, you've done it too). For the longest time I thought it was God wasting ink and paper when he made the Bible. However, I was wrong. There's actually a secret message in the genealogies that will give you the lottery numbers for next Tuesday's...I'm kidding. But there is kind of a secret message there. I'll explain.

Do you remember in Genesis 3 where God promised to one day crush the serpent's head by the seed of woman? I mentioned it at the time as the first "gospel" or good news prophecy of a coming Savior of men. At the time there wasn't that much information disclosed about who the Savior would be and when he was going to get here, but there was a promise he would come one day. Throughout the first 10 chapters of the Bible we have seen, over and over again, the problem of man's sin, his corrupted heart, and his rejection of his God and creator. We have seen, in essence, man's need for a Savior to restore him to relationship with God. What does this have to do with boring genealogies? I'm glad you asked. In the genealogies in Genesis 4:25-5:32, 10:1-32, and throughout the rest of the Bible, we see the tracing line of God, throughout history, of the coming Savior of men. We see that it will not come through Cain, but through Seth. We saw it will come through Noah and his sons, but not through Ham, because he was cursed by his father for being a pervert, (see the end of chapter 9). So throughout the Bible we will see God tracing the line of the coming Savior through his people. It's actually pretty interesting when you think about it. God is giving notice to his people of the coming Savior, even in the beginning days of history. That's why the genealogies were so important to the people of God.