What is Wrong with Our World?

In the last 2 weeks, the news has been dominated by the rising number of COVID cases in 2 major clusters. This news was interrupted by a horrific attack at a secondary school. 

In this climate, our children might have wondered, “Why is our world like this?”

The answer for them can be found in Genesis. 

For the next few weeks, we’ll be going through a series on Genesis 1-11:

Creation (Genesis 1:1-2:3)

Rebellion (Genesis 2:15-3:24)

Corruption (Genesis 4:1-16)

Judgment (Genesis 6:5-8:22; 9:8-17)

Confusion (Genesis 11:1-9)

These passages will teach our children these truths: 

1. God is good

God is good to the world he made. He made it orderly and made sure that mankind had the food and help to carry out his work in the world.

2. But Man rebelled

Although God is good to us, we have decided that He is not good and have rebelled against him. 

3. God is patient, and is just 

All creation is cursed because of God’s just judgment on our rebellion. But God showed his patience in judgment. God did not strike down Adam and Eve (Genesis 3), Cain (Genesis 4), and everyone at Babel (Genesis 11:1-9). Instead, God promises salvation.

4. God promises salvation

While speaking judgment, God also promised to save the world through someone who would defeat the serpent (Genesis 3:15).

Genesis 1-11's Answer

So why is our world like this? 

Our answer from Genesis 1-11: I don’t know why God allowed these specific things to happen, but God teaches us from Genesis that He is good, and things go wrong in our world because we rebel against our good God. He has promised to save us, so we can trust God. 

The rest of Genesis and the whole Bible will show us how God will deal with everything wrong with the world. He does this by saving us from sin through Jesus, and He will make new all creation. 

Genesis 1-11 will teach the children the depths of our sin, so that they can recognize the greatness of God’s love and mercy when His promises to save are fulfilled in Christ. 

And may they be like the humble tax collector who cried out, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” Jesus said that this is the one who is justified before God (Luke 18:9-14). 

Nicolas Wong

July 2021