GENESIS: THE BEGINNINGS!
Genesis is the book of beginnings. Within the fifty chapters that make up this fascinating book of the Old Testament God exercises His creative power to bring the universe into existence by simply telling it to do so. Later we will see the creation of a special people with the calling of Abram. The Law is given later. Sadly, sin mars God’s ‘very good’ creation and so we also see the creation of a plan to redeem mankind back to the One True God. This very old book is very relevant to today.
Studying the Bible will transform your life. Before you open your Bible, pray and ask the Holy Spirit to open your heart to help you to be more like Christ.
**All Scriptures are given in the New King James Version unless otherwise noted.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Genesis 1:1
Genesis 1:1
- The Bible begins with an unapologetic statement that God exists
- Also, that He existed before the universe was created
- Elsewhere in Scripture we learn that God had no beginning – eternal
- In John 1:1-2 we see that God was not alone
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.
- Later the Word is identified as Jesus
- And in the next verse we will see that the Holy Spirit was present also
- The Hebrew name for this book is ‘ray-sheeth’ – the first word of the book in Hebrew – ‘in the beginning’
- The English name Genesis comes from a transliteration of the Greek translation of the Hebrew word (תּוֹלְדָה tôwledâh, to-led-aw´) found in Genesis 2:24
This is the history of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens…
- As we go through this text today, I would like you to notice how simply things are expressed
- In ten words we are told that God created everything that exists
- The whole creation account is contained in 31 verses
- This is meant to focus us on the Creator rather than on the creation
- As I read this account, I want a ton more information
- I want details about how it happened and what it looked like
- Were the animals created full grown?
- Did the plants start as little seedlings and grow normally or rapidly?
- God chose not to tell Moses to write down any more than he did
- That must mean that we don’t need to know those things
Download Pastor Rick's study notes for Genesis 1