BiblicalMastery Buddy's bible blog

The Beginning

Genesis 1:1-2:3

Me

When I reflect back on High School Biology there is only one thing that I remember from that whole year.  The teacher, whoever she was, explained that the little pink thing in the corner of our eyes was all that was left of the covering we had when we were in the evolutionary stage of being a fish.  Sadly, there was nothing from all of the Sunday School lessons or sermons that I can look back on that refuted what she was saying.  I went around for sometime sharing my new found knowledge.  I have to wonder if the vast majority of people young and old are any better equipped to explain that evolution is only a theory and should be understood as such.

We

I guess because atheism and evolution were not much of a concern for the church when many of us grew up that there was no emphasis on the teaching of creation because, naively we had the idea that everyone accepted it as fact that God created the world. 

Today, however, we are now told to accept as fact by the world something that by honest examination looks like an atheistic and humanistic philosophy.  Lee Strobel writes about his journey in finding the truth about evolution in The Case for a Creator:

“I realized that if I were to embrace Darwinism and its underlying premise of naturalism, I would have to believe that:  Nothing produces everything; non-life produces life; randomness produces fine-tuning; chaos produces information; unconsciousness produces consciousness; and non-reason produces reason.  Based on this, I was forced to conclude that Darwinism would require a blind leap of faith that I was not willing to make.  Simply put, the central pillars of evolutionary theory quickly rotted away when exposed to scrutiny.” (p. 277)

I hope as we study Genesis together that we will have a much better grasp why God went to all of the trouble to provide an inhabitable place in the universe for His highest creation, man.

Our study will carry us from the very beginning of the universe through God’s dealing with His chosen people as they sojourned in Egypt.  It is quite an adventure.

As I have said in other studies I am not a trained theologian.  What is found in this study comes from years of study of the Bible and preparing to teach Bible study classes and small groups.  There are many resources available to anyone who has a deep desire to know about this subject.

God-

Before beginning the actual study of the text, the approach that will be taken in the explanation of the events of creation needs to be covered.  It has to do with the age of the universe and the amount of time it took God to accomplish the task.  There are those who believe that the earth is only about six thousand years old.  They are called Creationists or New Earth adherents.  On the other hand there is probably an equal number of those who called themselves followers of Christ and have also come at this subject from a scientific perspective that hold to the Old Earth theory that says that the universe is billions of years old. 

In the minds of those who are even concerned about creation vary in their understanding of the numbers of days it took for God to complete creation.  Many Christians believe in the timing to be a literal seven day period of twenty-four hours.  Some interpret the Bible to mean that yes there were six twenty-four days but after each aspect of creation was accomplished there could be an intervening time of thousands or millions of years following each activity.  These are only two of the various concepts.  Of course there is on the opposite side those who say that God had no part in creation and that it all happened by chance.  Even some of those people are beginning to have to admit the universe points to an intelligent designer and it had and actual beginning.

The approach of this study will be not to get involved in such discussions but to look at the sequence of events, which most of the scientist agree upon, and the importance of those pieces of the puzzle that made the earth inhabitable.  So here we go.

Genesis 1:1

It bears repeating that any study of the Bible and especially Genesis hinges on a person’s  understanding of God. The opening line of the Bible states “In the beginning God,” What does this part of Genesis truly say?  Below are some thoughts that might be considered as the narrative begins to unfold.  How does man deal with the concepts of His:

• Eternal nature
• Absolute sovereignty 
• Unconditional love
• His transcendent nature?  This speaks of God being outside and beyond His creation but also intimately being involved with it.

 

1. What do you understand when each of these attributes of God?
2. What is your feeling about the validity of each of them?
3. In what ways are they important in your interpretation of Genesis and the rest of the Bible?
4. What does acceptance or rejection of these help you answer those who deny God or teach evolution?
5. What is your understanding of the terms evolution and atheism?
6. How do they attempt to deny what the book of Genesis teaches?

This God of whom the first verse speaks is said to have created the heavens and the earth.  Genesis is speaking of everything in the entire universe.  God began with nothing material and made everything that is physical in nature.

1. What does the Bible mean when it speaks of the heavens and earth?
2. Out of what did God accomplish this feat?
3. How does that differ from the activity of man today?

 

 

Genesis 1:2

Before the actual events of the creation, the writer gives a picture of the earth so much different that is seen today.  He tells us that it was:

• Formless or a waste
• Void and totally empty
• Dark
• Covered by water

 

1. What kind of picture does this conjure up in your mind?
2. At this point what hope of anything good coming out of this situation was there?
3. How does this sometimes describe the way you might feel?
4. To whom do you look for solutions in this kind of situation?

It is obvious that God was up to something.  His Spirit was hovering above this tiny empty spec in the universe.  The word that is interpreted Spirit is the Hebrew word Ruah which can also carry with it the idea of wind.  In John 3:8 Jesus speaks of the wind moving about in a way that is incomprehensible to man and do does the Spirit also. The idea of moving over the water conveys the message that God was in the planning stage of what He was about to do.  Of course this idea is for our sakes knowing that God already had plans for the earth and man before the first day of creation.

1. What indication is there that God was about to do something with the earth?
2. What gives us hope from these verses that God was at work?
3. Why would the thought of wind be a less desirable translation?

Genesis 1:3-5

This creative act which is the first of what God began to accomplish is viewed in at least two different ways.  The first that God created the sun, moon and stars at this point but that they were not actually seen until the fourth day.  One reason that they could not be seen on earth is the same as is experienced on a cloudy day.  The sun and moon are there but are blocked out by the clouds.  In the case of verse three the waters below and those above had not been separated.

The second way that this verse can be viewed is that what occurred here is the light of God began to manifest itself and was He who allowed the daylight to come in the midst of the darkness thus setting the pattern for our nights and days. The important part of this act was that nothing can take place on the earth without light whether it be the sun and moon or God’s shekinah glory.

1. Why was it important for His first created act to be light?
2. How do you view the example of the clouds in our day being a possible answer to this verse?
3. What was the importance of the establishment of night and day?

 

 

Genesis 1:6-8

The second step in preparing the earth to support human life was the separation of what the Scriptures called the waters below and those above.  God now created the atmosphere, which is identified as the heavens or the firmament. Care must be taken to understand that this does not refer to the abode of God called the heavens but what is visible to the naked eye of man.  The term used by all of us is sky.  From the sky comes the rain and snow that replenishes the earth.  This act was done on the second day of creation.

1. What is meant by the firmament or heaven mentioned in these verses?
2. Why was this act important for making the earth ready for man?
3. What are the benefits gained from the atmosphere as it is today?

Genesis 1:9-10

If you think about it you cannot have living creatures without dry land on which to live.  God took care of this by producing dry land out of the midst of the water.  The dry land became known as the earth and the waters were named seas.  In verse ten God for the first time what He had done as good.  God meant that the earth was now suitable for the purpose for which He had created it.  Notice there were two different acts that took place on this day.

1. What was the importance of this act of creation?
2. What does this say about the power of God?
3. Why would He call this action good?

Genesis 1:11-13

Once the land was made suitable for life, God brought fourth that which would be necessary for life to continue to live on this planet.  He caused vegetation to sprout up from the ground.  Notice that there were two types of vegetation.  They were:

• Plants that produced seed
• Fruit trees that produced fruit that contained seed.

Genesis indicates the uniqueness of each one by stating that they produced after their kind.  In a very simple way this would mean that wheat or corn will always be wheat or corn.  Apple Trees would put forth apples and orange trees would always be oranges.  Man of course has over the thousands of years worked with plants to create different strains of each one suited to the climates in which they grow but the actual plant itself has never changed to be anything but what it was intended to be. As with the appearance of dry land God saw this act as good, also.

With the separation of the water to make dry land and the sprouting of vegetation the work of the third day was complete.  Once again there is night and day.

1. What can be learned by the mentioning of plants with seed and fruit trees with fruit having seed in them?
2. What was the importance of this creative act?
3. Why did God once again call the results of His action good?

 

Genesis 1:14-19

Whether the sun, moon and stars were created as some commentators believe on the first day of creation here is an expanded description of the purpose for each of them.  God at this point in the process said, “Let there be light in the expanse of the heavens.”  He then gives the purpose for them.  They were to:

• Separate day from the night.  Notice He put the day ahead of night in verse 14.
• Be signs and for seasons, days and years.
• Give light to the earth.

To accomplish the above He created the sun and the moon as the two great lights that would have the greatest impact on the earth. The sun being the greater of the two would shine during the day.  The lesser of the two, the moon, which has no light source of its own, but only reflects the light of the sun, would be seen at night.  As if this was not enough the creation of the stars was also mentioned. 

Each of these was placed in the heavens.  It is interesting that the writer used the term, placed.  This was no chaotic throwing together of the components of the universe that might be suggested by the “Big Bang Theory” but an orderly placing of each part to be exactly where it should be to allow life to be sustained on the earth.  Many books speak of the fact that everything had to be fined tuned and the earth has to be in the exact location that it is for life to exist on this planet.

Again God called the creation of the luminaries or lights good.  Truly, now there could be night and morning on the fourth day.

1. What were the specific purposes of the lights God created?
2. How are they important in making the earth a place that could be inhabited by man?
3. What do you understand about the “Big Bang Theory”?
4. How does it fit in with your understanding of the creation narrative?

 

 Genesis 1:20-23

Everything was now in place for God to create the two groups of living creatures.  Unlike the inanimate vegetation He had created to be food for creative beings the latter were to be have souls.  This is the part of every creature that is the non physical part that allows it to be alive.  In Ezekiel 37:7-10 is seen how the breath was the thing that brought the army to life.  It is the same with every living creature was the breathing stops it is no longer has physical life.

In verse 20 God stated what He intended to do.  He indicated that the waters would be full of life and the air would be filled with birds.  Once the plan was shared with the others of the Godhead He went about the business of creating

• Great sea monster.  This was probably things like the whale.
• Living creatures that would in some way be connected to the water like frogs etc.
• Winged birds

Notice that each of these were said to be of its own kind.  Looking down on what He had done He declare all of the sea and air creatures as good.  He also did one other thing that had not been mentioned in regards to the plants and trees.  He pronounced a blessing upon them.  This blessing had two aspects relating to both those of the sea and in the air.  They were to procreate.  God said they were to be fruitful and multiply.  The sea creatures were to fill the waters with their offspring.  The birds were to multiply on the dry land. 

These activities completed the fifth day.

1. Why did God wait until the fifth day to create the swarming and sea creatures and the birds of the air?
2. Why is important to us to have the distinction made between the creatures of the sea and the birds?
3. How does this turn away the argument by the evolutionists that we evolved from the creatures of the sea?
4. What was the blessing that God gave to His new creations?
5. Why was the creation of living things important in light of the creation of man to come?

Genesis 1:24-25

These verses are specific in the different land animals that God planned to create.  After saying “Let the earth bring forth,” He proceeded to create each after its own kind:

• Cattle
• Creeping things
• Beast of the fields

It is important how God differentiated between each group of those things that would live on the land.  Once again He observed that everything created up that point was suitable for the purpose for which He had created them.

1. Why did God specifically mention cattle as different from the other creatures?
2. Why did he not specifically spell out what the rest of the creatures were?
3. Why do we consistently see God say that His creation is good?
4. Why did He create all of the above before He got around to creating man?

 

Genesis 1:26-27

God saved His special status for man.  When speaking of him He said “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness.”  Before going on to the actual creation and the purpose for which man was created the concepts of who is the Us and Our and what is in the image of God must be discussed. 

Most theologians today accept the Us and Our as speaking of the Trinity.  Already there has been mentioned the fact that the Spirit of God was moving over the water in Genesis 1:1.  If there is God and His Spirit where is the third part of the Trinity?  John 1:3 says “All things came into being through Him.  John was speaking of the Logos of God, Jesus Christ.  Paul, in Colossians,   clarified and gave evidence that there was more than God and the Holy Spirit present during that time.  He wrote, “For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things have been created through Him and for Him.” (Colossians 1:16)  These verses fill in the identity of the third member of the Trinity.

Secondly, God spoke of this new creature being made in the image and likeness of the Trinity.  Neither of these two words would indicate any physical attributes but having to do with the makeup of his reasoning power and his spiritual relationship with God.  In order to accomplish what was to come next as God laid out His plan for man, man would have to have the ability to make choices and understand the consequences of his actions. 

God’s plan for man was for him to be steward of and to have authority over God’s creation.  From the very beginning man was to have a purpose in life. 

The writer then said, “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” (Vs. 27) Some of the following questions are will be answered by the recounting of creation found in chapter 2.

1. Who is the Us and Our of these verses?
2. How do John 1:3 and Colossians 1:16 give evidence of how Christ was involved in the whole of creation?
3. What does it mean for man to have been created in God’s image?
4. What does it mean to have been created in His likeness?
5. How do those two concepts affect the way you view yourself and others?

Genesis 1:28

This particular verse covers not the blessing of man in the same way as the animals but adds the dimension of authority over God’s creation.  His first command to man was to be fruitful and multiply.  Only in the procreation of mankind could the second command be carried out.  The Psalmist tells us that children are a gift from God and the man who has many is blessed. (Psalm 127:3-5)

Although not spelled out here the first purpose of man is to glorify God.  One way to do this was to carry out His mandate given to Adam to:

1. Subdue His creation
2. Rule over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air and all of the creatures on dry land.

He was to be a steward, God’s representative on this earth.

1. What were the two things that man was given to do?
2. What does it mean when God said to subdue?
3. In what ways does man rule over the living creatures on the earth?
4. In what ways does it mean for to be a good steward of all that is around him?

Genesis 1:29-30

God provided the sustenance for everything that lived.  Both man and the animal world was to benefit from the plants and fruits trees that God had already brought forth from the earth.  At this point there is no indication that any living being would be a source of food.  That would come later.

1. Why did God restrict the provision for man and other living creatures to the vegetation on the earth?
2. What does this say about the relationship between man and beast at this time?

Genesis 1:31

This verse is a little different from the other times the term good was used.  Before God spoke of each action taken and the resulting component of was creation as good.  Here He looked over the entirety of what had been accomplished and called all of it good.  With those words the sixth day was ended.  

1. What was the difference between the previous pronouncements of goodness and the one found in this verse?
2. What does it say about all that He had done?
3. Where does our narrative go from here? 
4. Why do we need the rest of the story?

Genesis 2:1-3

The writer tells us that by the seventh day all of creation had been completed. Was the creative work was done God rested on the seventh day.  There are two things shared about the seventh day.  God:

• Blessed the seventh day. He gave it His stamp of approval
• Sanctified it.  He set it apart for a day of rest.  His example for man can be seen because He himself rested on that day.

 

1. What important lessons can be learned from the way God celebrated the seventh day?
2. What does the idea of it being sanctified mean to us?
3. What other indication is there that God considered it a special day?
4. Based on God’s actions how should we view Sunday?

You-

• As you reflect once again on what has been shared consider what new perspectives it may give you in your relationship to God.
• Knowing that the universe and place in it on which you live, think of the ways that you can be good stewards of it.
• Be careful that you remember that it is God that created the universe and it is He who is to be worshipped and not His creation.

We

Hopefully we have again seen how much God truly loves us through the lens of His creative acts.  We know that we can never know how He did it or how long it actually took for all of creation to be put into place.  Thankfully we do not need to know the particulars but that He is the Creator and His perfect plan to make this a place in the universe for man to live was accomplished.  As we know Him better and better He will give us greater insight into the very purpose for our lives.  Each of us is given the responsibility of our own little part of this vast universe over which we are to be good stewards. By doing it according to God’s plan we do glorify and honor Him.

Additional Notes:

RT-The world will continue to be shrouded in darkness until the light of God breaks through. (Gen. 1:1)

Q-Why were none of the animals found by God to be suitable as a companion of Adam? How does the answer to this question speak to the whole theory of evolution? (Gen 1:20)

Q-What is the significance of knowing what God did each day of creation?

Q-How could there have been days and nights when the sun and moon were not created until the fourth day? Gen. 1:14-17) 

Q-The way the Bible reads in almost seems to be an after-thought to create the stars. What do we call where the stars are clustered?  What is the importance of the clusters that we call ___________? (Gen. 1:16)

Q-What are other aspects that lend credibility to the whole process that can be used to answer skeptics today?

Q-What was God attempting to do in the creation process?  How was the order important?

GA-Following will be a list of the actions taken by God during the week of creation.  We will look at them individually later. 

1.  The beginning of the creation process.  The phrase and the “Spirit of God was moving over the face of the water” would be appear to indicate that God was pondering the steps He was about to take to be begin the creative process.  This in no way diminishes the sovereignty of God.  He was just telling us that He wanted it to be right.  (Gen. 1:1)
2. He speaks an each element of creation comes into existence. (Gen. 1:3, 6, 9)
3. His first act was to create light and separate it from darkness. At this point He gave them names, day and night. (Gen. 1:3-5) Again He acted to separate the waters from below and above calling the firmament above heaven. (Gen. 1:6-8)
4. He next formed dry land out of the waters.  He gave the land the name and earth and called the waters seas. (Gen. 1:9-10)
5. Vegetation was brought forth on the land.  They included plants and fruit bearing trees.  (Gen. 1:11-12)
6. Now we get to the sun, moon and stars which He created to rule the day and night and also to be signs of “seasons days and years.” (Gen. 1:14-18)
7. Next came sea creatures (Gen. 1:20-22)
8. Birds (Gen. 1:21-22)
9. Land creatures (1:24-25)
10. His final act was to create man and woman. They were different that all of the other created beings. They were made in the image of God. (Gen. 1:26-27)

GA- There are some important threads running throughout the creation narrative that need to be noted.  They each have to do with actions that God took in the process.  

They include:

1. God was in beginning. He was here before there was anything at all. (Gen. 1:1)
2. Creation itself.  “In the beginning God created.” (1:1)
3.  He spoke and what He said happened. (Gen. 1:3, 6, 9)
4. He had the power to separate parts of His creation (Gen. 1:4, 7)
5. Some things He just makes happen. (Gen. 1:7, 16, 31)
6. Gives the different pieces names, day, night, heaven, earth, land, sun, moon and stars.  More amazingly we learn that to each of the stars He gives names.
7. Allows (permits) (Gen. 1:11)
8. Sees all that He has done. It indicates to me that God had a genuine interest in each part of His creation. (Gen. 1:4, 10, 12, 17, 25, 31)
9. Established time (Gen. 1:14)
10. Identifies goodness. (Gen. 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31)

He speaks of living things;

1. Air and Sea (Gen. 1:20)
2. Land animals (Gen. 1:24)

Those things God blessed Gen. 1:22, 28; 2:3; 17:20)

Commands given (Gen 1:22, 28: 2:16)

His creation man and woman and the attributes He gave them.  (Gen. 1:26-27)

UE-It is amazing the God would allow man to be stewards of the perfect world that He had created. (Gen. 1:26-28; 2:15)

RT-We do not have to know how God created all that exists in the universe.  We only have the responsibility of being good stewards of His creation and to truly understand what He has given to us.  A true scientist therefore will have as his primary objective not to be tempted to prove that there is no God, but to learn how to use what God has put in place in this world.  A theologian is not to tear God’s word apart, but to bring about spiritual healing of all within his given circle of influence based on the infallibility of the Scriptures. (Gen 1)

Resources:

A Case for the Creator by Lee Strobel

A Fine Tuned Universe by Alister McGrath

Seven Days That Divide the World by John C. Lennox

Why the Universe is the Way It is by Hugh Ross

The Greatest Hoax on Earth by Jonathan Sarfati

I Don’t Have Enogh Faith to be an Atheist by Norman L. Geisler and Frank Turek

The New American Commentary Genesis 1-11:26