Session 1
Genesis 1:1-5,26-2:3
Memory Verse: Genesis 1:1
The Hebrew Bible begins with a single Hebrew word that means “in the beginning.” This first word is the name of the book in the Hebrew Bible. In fact, this is the pattern in the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Old Testament. Each carries the first word of the book as its Hebrew name. In the case of Genesis, this name, “beginnings,” serves as a great summary statement of the book. It is a book of beginnings.
In these opening chapters, we see many firsts: God’s creative activity in the first week, the first man and woman, the first sin, the first children, the first sacrifice, the first murder, the first rain, first covenants between God and man, and first languages. As you prepare for this first session, remember that every day can be a first day for you and your group members. Each day is a fresh start for following God more closely. Be encouraged to dedicate this day and this study as a new beginning for serving God.
When we look at the earth and beyond it into space, there are many breathtaking wonders to see. In Arizona, there is the expansive geological wonder of the Grand Canyon. Near the Arctic Circle is the phenomenon of what appear to be the dancing lights of the Aurora Borealis. On the border of Nepal and China rises the highest summit on the planet, Mount Everest. And as we look up at a clear sky on a moonless night, we might be able to see the splendor of the Milky Way. God created it all. (PSG, p. 10)
The first chapters of Genesis are probably the most contentious passages in all the Bible. Nothing stirs greater debate than the origin of the earth. And yet, Moses knew nothing of such controversy. For him, the fact was straightforward: God created the heavens and the earth. There was no room for any other thought.
Following our understanding that Moses was the author of these passages, consider why this creation account was included in the Pentateuch. In the books of the law, Moses was codifying the commands God passed down to him for the people of Israel. But why was it important to include the creation narrative?
The key thought here is that Moses was writing for a people who had been in Egyptian bondage for four centuries. As Moses worked to shape this group of slaves into a nation, there were things to be learned, along with things to be unlearned. Without a doubt, the children of Israel were influenced by the paganism of the Egyptian religions with their multiple gods.
Egyptian culture also had its own creation stories, as did the pagan cultures they would encounter in the promised land. These mythical creation stories were celebrated with yearly rituals that included magic and similar practices. Their intent was to guarantee food production from the earth and to ensure that human reproduction would continue another year.
As God’s chosen people, Israel needed to set aside these pagan ideas and embrace the only true Creator and a true knowledge of how the world began. This would be essential as the nation entered and lived out their covenant relationship with the true God and settled in the land that He gave them. They needed to see that the Lord God alone was Creator of everything.
The intent of this narrative, like other parts of Moses’s writings, was to establish for the Israelites the understanding that there was only one God who deserved their absolute loyalty. Unfortunately, the history of the Israelites illustrated their repeated failure to learn this lesson. So often, they rejected God-or mixed their orthodox religious practices with the worship practices of the nations around them. Still, their lack of faithfulness does not diminish the faithfulness of God’s work and Moses’s account of His creative acts. God still remains the Source of all that exists.
Genesis 1 offers a quick summary of the six days of creation that climax in the creation of human beings. The first three verses of chapter 2 explain the origin of the Sabbath, instituted by God as He finished His creative work. This day of rest was given as an example for humanity to imitate and to obey.
As you read Genesis 1:1-2:3, consider what God revealed about Himself. (PSG, p. 11)
EXPLORE THE TEXT
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness covered the surface of the watery depths, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. 3 Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” There was an evening, and there was a morning: one day.
(v. 1) In the beginning: Genesis begins with this simple, yet profound, statement. God stands alone as the absolute beginning of everything, but He is eternally existent. He has always been. “Beginning” also anticipates an “ending” that will eventually come. At the very outset of Scripture, God is moving history toward a purposeful ending (see Isa. 46:10).
(v. 1) God: God stands alone as the central figure of Scripture. From the beginning He is seen creating and reigning. The word “God” is actually plural in the Hebrew (Elohim). The use of the plural speaks of God’s majesty and power. Elohim appears 32 times in Genesis 1. God’s covenant name, Yahweh, is not found until Genesis 2:4.
(v. 1) Created: God initiated creation deliberately and purposefully. In the Old Testament, this word rendered created (bara’) is used frequently with God as its subject and speaks of His new or renewed activity.
The wording also emphasizes a finished work and never speaks of materials used in creation. Because of this, many scholars highlight God’s creation out of nothing. Because there is nothing else “in the beginning,” the focus is entirely on God. (See Heb. 11:3.)
Order in Creation
Heavens and earth (v. 1) speak of the entire created order, the totality of the universe. God’s creation never suggests disorganization. God creating chaos is illogical! But that raises the question of the bleak description of the world in verse 2.
The words formless and empty point to a harsh environment unable to sustain life. This description is not necessarily a negative picture of God’s creation, but it does suggest an environment empty of life. The picture is that of a blank canvas, ready for the Master Painter to do His work. The stage is set for the six days of creation to follow.
(v. 2) Darkness: While darkness is often used as a metaphor for sin, this context speaks of physical darkness rather than the darkness of evil. This is seen in the fact that in verse 5 God gives a name to the darkness: “night.”
(v. 2) Spirit of God: It is important to remember that, in Scripture, the doctrine of the Trinity is not fully developed until the New Testament. There are, however, glimpses of God’s triune nature in the Old Testament. Bible scholars are almost unanimous in understanding the role of each member of the Godhead in the creation process. Here, Moses provided a hint of the role of the Spirit, turning what is lifeless and empty into something with life and purpose.
(v. 3) God said: God speaks ten different times in Genesis 1. The powerful, authoritative Word of God seen throughout Scripture is the creative Word that brought about creation. The created world was the result of the spoken word of God. Again, we see a hint of the Trinity. John 1 speaks of Jesus as the Word and as the agent of creation (John 1:1-3). The same emphasis is found in Colossians 1:16 and Hebrews 1:2.
(v. 4) Good: The Hebrew word for good carries a variety of meanings, including pleasant, beautiful, righteous, and excellent. By saying the light was good, God affirmed that it was fulfilling the purpose for which it had been called into existence. All that God created was made with a purpose in mind.
(v. 5) One day: The pattern of evening and morning designating a particular day is repeated six times in Genesis 1. This pattern mimics God’s creation of turning darkness (night) to light (day). The Hebrews picked up on this pattern in their own designation of the calendar day. For Jews, each day begins at sundown as darkness/night begins.
26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.” 27 So God created man in his own image; he created him in the image of God; he created them male and female. 28 God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth.” 29 God also said, “Look, I have given you every seed-bearing plant on the surface of the entire earth and every tree whose fruit contains seed. This will be food for you, 30 for all the wildlife of the earth, for every bird of the sky, and for every creature that crawls on the earth ?- ?everything having the breath of life in it ?- ?I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. 31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good indeed. Evening came and then morning: the sixth day.
(v. 26) God said: To this point, Moses had cataloged five days of creation following a pattern of forming and filling. God formed the sky (vv. 6-8), the land, and the sea (vv. 9-10) on the first three days. On the third day, he also began filling by creating plants and vegetation (vv. 11-12). Then, on days four, five, and six He filled the sky with greater and lesser lights (vv. 14-18), and the sea, air, and land with all sorts of animals (vv. 20-22). The creation of man and woman during the last half of day six is the pinnacle toward which this entire narrative moved (Ps. 8:3-8).
Us
In verse 26, a dramatic change took place. Let us make is a totally different decree than the verbal commands God had issued to the rest of creation. As to the identity of “us,” there are a wide variety of interpretations. Some scholars believe this is a “plural of majesty” that emphasizes God’s power and authority by using a plural name of God. Others propose that God was deliberating with Himself. Perhaps the two most logical interpretations point to either a heavenly council that included the angels or to an early allusion to the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
(v. 26) Our image . . . our likeness: There are two keys to understanding humans being created in the image of God. The first is mirroring, which means humanity shares characteristics that God also demonstrates. These could include the ability to reason, to communicate, to be creative, and to exist in relationship with others. Self-determination and a spiritual dimension are also a part mirroring.
The second key is representing. Humans are called to reflect God’s glory, as well as elements of His character such as love, patience, forgiveness, kindness, and faithfulness (see Gal. 5:22-23). In addition, humans represent God through dominion over the earth. We are not God, but we reflect Him to others.
(v. 27) Male and female: Note that being created in God’s image applies equally to both male and female. In verse 27, male and female speak of human sexuality, affirming that God created two genders equal in dignity. Both are absolutely necessary to carry out the task of dominion and to fulfill God’s command to multiply and fill the earth.
(v. 28) Blessed: To “bless” means to impart benefit on someone. The theme of God’s blessing is revealed throughout these verses. God’s blessing came first on the animals (1:22). Here, it falls on the first humans. A part of humanity’s blessing is reproduction and dominion. This blessing will move out from Eden to encompass all of humanity through Abraham in Genesis 12.
(v. 29) Food for you: Originally animals and people were vegetarians. Things changed after the flood, when God allowed for the eating of meat (Gen. 9:3).
1 So the heavens and the earth and everything in them were completed. 2 On the seventh day God had completed his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. 3 God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, for on it he rested from all his work of creation.
(vv. 1-2) Completed: The word used here refers to bringing a process to conclusion. The word can also be translated “finished.” Nothing else needed to be done. The created universe was perfect in every way. Genesis 1:31 states that God judged everything He created as “very good indeed.”
This perfectly ordered world stood in sharp contrast to the blank canvas described in 1:2. The process that began with the words “let there be” in 1:3 now came to completion with the words “very good.” God’s intent at this point was that His creation would enjoy a perpetual period of rest. Unfortunately, the entrance of sin into the world changed everything.
(v. 2) Work: The completion of creation is emphasized again with the statement that God stopped working. He was totally satisfied with His work. The Hebrew word for “work” does not refer to the tedious, back-breaking labor that we often associate with the term. Instead, it suggests skilled labor that produces satisfying and pleasing results. In verses 2-3, the word “work” is repeated three times to emphasize that this was God’s activity and His alone.
(v. 2) Rested: God rested, not out of fatigue but out of satisfaction. The picture is that God stopped because there was nothing else to do. The word also carries the idea of sitting down or being still.
This Hebrew word is closely linked to the word “Sabbath,” which speaks of an “intermission” (though “Sabbath” is probably the more intensive of the two words). The text in the Hebrew Bible puts particular emphasis on the “seventh day” by repeating it three times. This highlighted the importance of that particular day, not just for the Creator, but also for the pinnacle of His creation. Later, God instructed the Israelites to rest on the seventh day, shifting to the term “Sabbath day” (see Ex. 20:8-11)
(v. 3) Holy: After blessing the created animals (1:22) and humanity (1:28), God blessed the seventh day. Here the blessing comes in the form of God proclaiming that the day would be holy. This word indicates dedicating the day or setting it aside for special use. In this case, the day was set aside for God and was to be different from the normal routine of the other six days each week.
This day belonged wholly to God for His prescribed use and honor. It was a day dedicated to worship and praise for the Creator of all things. The day became a way in which human beings, made in God’s likeness, can follow His pattern of work and rest.
Later this observance would be codified in the Ten Commandments given to Moses on Mount Sinai. The Sabbath was a day designed for unwinding, removing distractions, and focusing on God and His active involvement in the life of His creation.
Moses’s original audience would have been familiar with God’s laws regarding work and rest. Through Moses, God had demanded that Israel not work on His weekly Sabbath day, because it is a day of rest. When one counts up all the time set aside for rest, God required His people to rest nearly one-third of their lives. Such times of rest are still a reminder for us to honor our God as sovereign over all creation and all of our lives. Read the passages below. In a journal or in the margins, record what each says about rest:
God
There is one and only one living and true God. He is an intelligent, spiritual, and personal Being, the Creator, Redeemer, Preserver, and Ruler of the universe. (See Psalms 8:3-6; 19:1-3; Colossians 1:15-17.)
Use Other Scripture to help understand a Bible passage.
To gain a deeper insight into the creation story, spend time reading and meditating on other passages in Scripture that speak of God’s creative activities in the beginning. Begin by understanding creation as an act of God’s will (read Isa. 45:18; Rev. 4:11). Next look at the pinnacle of creation (Ps. 8). Study the agent of creation (Ps. 33:6-9; John 1:1-3,10; Col. 1:15-17; Heb. 1:1-2). Close in worship by reading Psalms 104 and 136:1-9.