Genesis Chapter 1
What does Genesis mean?
Genesis means beginning or origin.
Consider what information we would be missing if we didn’t have the book of Genesis: The history of the beginning would be missing.
–how the earth was formed
–how life began
–how sin entered the world
–how God made a plan for salvation
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We are going to study what God tells us in Genesis about creation. We will see that the things taught in Genesis 1 are upheld throughout the rest of Scripture. Both the Old and New Testament writings affirm the Genesis account of creation.
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Genesis 1:1-2
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth…
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Day 1 – Genesis 1:3-5 (summarized)
God said Let there be light and there was light. God saw the light, that it was good. He divided the light from the darkness. He called the light Day and the darkness He called Night. The evening and the morning were the first day.
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Day 2 – Genesis1:6-8 (summarized)
God created a firmament that divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters above the firmament. God called this firmament Heaven. This Heaven is the atmosphere. God saw that it was good. The evening and the morning were the second day.
There are three heavens – the heaven where the birds fly (the atmosphere), the heavens (outer space), the third heaven (the place where God lives). In 2 Corinthians 12:2-4 Paul said I know a man who was caught up to the third heaven, whether in the body or in spirit we know not. I agree with Bible scholars who say Paul was speaking of John and the Revelation.
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Day 3 – Genesis 1:9-13 (summarized)
God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together in one place and let the dry land appear. God called the dry land Earth and the gathering together of the waters He called Seas. God saw that it was good.
And God said Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself. And it was so. And God saw that it was good. The evening and the morning were the third day.
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Day 4 – Genesis 1:14-19 (summarized)
God said let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night. Let them be for signs and seasons, for days and years. God made two great lights – one to rule the day (that would be the Sun) and the lesser light to rule the night (that would be the moon). And God made the stars also. God saw that it was good. The evening and the morning were the fourth day.
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Day 5 – Genesis 1:20-23 (summarized)
God said, Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures and let the fowl fly above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens. God saw that it was good. And God blessed them and said be fruitful and multiply. The morning and the evening were the fifth day.
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Day 6 – Genesis 1:24-31 (summarized)
God made the beasts of the earth, the cattle and every thing that creeps upon the earth according to their own kind. (Remember God has called the dry land earth.) God saw that it was good.
God said Let us make man in our own image. Let him have dominion over the fish of the sea, and the fowl of the air and the cattle and every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, male and female. God blessed them, and said be fruitful and multiply.
And God said, I have given you the herb upon the earth and the fruit of the trees to eat. And the beast of the earth and every fowl, I have given every green herb to eat.
God saw every thing that he had made and it was VERY good.
(Notice man and animal ate only the herb and the fruit. There was no death.)
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Summary of Creation:
Genesis 1 tells of six days of creation.
Can you see the pattern?
In the first three days, God prepared places. In days four, five and six, God filled the places (in the order He prepared them).
On day 1, God made the day and the night. On day 3, He put the sun in the day, the moon and stars in the night.
On day 2, we see water and heaven. On day 4, God put the fish (and sea creatures) in the water and the fowl in the air.
On day 3, God formed the dry land. On day 6, He put animals and a man and a woman on the dry land. (I hope you can visualize what I’m trying to say. It’s easier to see with pictures.)
Conclusion #1: Our God is a God of order!!
God provided everything that we would need to live before He made Adam and Eve. He gave us the perfect atmosphere for life. He gave us green plants for food and oxygen. He positioned the sun just the right distance from the earth so we would not burn up or freeze. He placed the moon the perfect distance from the earth so the tides would not flood the land.
Conclusion #2: Our God is a God of provision!!
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What happened on the seventh day?
Well, that’s in the second chapter of Genesis.
On Day 7, God rested.
Not because He was tired but He knew we would need rest. He created the Sabbath for man.He rested as an example for us.
In Mark 2:27, Jesus says the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath
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What is your impression of God after reading Genesis 1?
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Other verses referring to creation:
Exodus 20:11a For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in is them.
Psalm 19:1-3 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows his handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night shows knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.
Psalm 33:6-9 By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. He gathered the waters of the sea together as an heap: he laid up the depth in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the Lord: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.
Psalm 95:5 The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.
Psalm 136:3-9 O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endures for ever. To him who alone does great wonders: for his mercy endures for ever. To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endures for ever. To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endures for ever. To him that made great lights: for his mercy endures for ever: The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endures for ever: The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endures for ever.
Psalm 148:1-5 Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the Lord from the heavens: praise him in the heights. Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts. Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light. Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens. Let them praise the name of the Lord: for he commanded, and they were created.
Isaiah 43:7 Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.
Isaiah 45:18 The Lord that created the heavens says; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he has established it, he did not create it in vain, he formed it to be inhabited...
John 1:1-3,14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made… And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us…
Romans 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Ephesians 2:10 We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God has ordained beforehand that we should walk in them.
2 Peter 3:5 Of this they are willingly ignorant, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
Revelation 4:11 You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for you have created all things, and for your pleasure they are and were created.
Revelation 10:6 …him that lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things that are in it, the earth and the things that are in it, and the sea and the things which are in it.
